Archive for Seasonal

FFF | November 4, 2011
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Score a First Prize Pie for your Thanksgiving table

This Thanksgiving, take the stress (or at least part of it) out of your holiday festivities and order yourself a delicous fresh baked pie from Allison Kave of First Prize Pie’s.

Photo courtesy First Prize Pie's

Sure, turkey is great, but the real star of Thanksgiving is the pie. Whether apple, pumpkin, or even chocolate, nothing can compete with a buttery and flakey crust filled with seasonal goodness. No matter how much you’ve gourged yourself on mashed potatoes and stuffing, there is always room for pie.

She has a lovely selection of seasonal holiday pies for you to choose from, and due to popular demand, those of you in NYC can also have a S’mores pie for Thanksgiving! Traditional? Hardly. Delicious? But of course. For those of you who like things classic, you can also choose from Pumpkin Spice, Apple Cranberry, and her signature pie, Bourbon Ginger Pecan. (I’m ordering the Apple Cranberry for my Turkey Day festivities.)

If you live outside of NYC, you can have your order shipped to your doorstep! Orders must be placed by Monday, November 14th. Pies will only be shipped via UPS 2nd Day Air or UPS Next Day Air.

For local pickup/Manhattan delivery, order by Thursday, November 17th. Pickups will take place at Roni-Sue’s Chocolates in the Essex Street Market on Wednesday, November 23rd.
 
Allison is the owner and pie-baking-godess of First Prize Pie’s, where she sells everything from Spicy Hot Chocolate Pie to a crazy good Chocolate Peanut Butter Pretzel Pie. After winning the 1st Annual Brooklyn Pie Bake-Off in 2009 with her Bourbon Ginger Pecan pie, she started baking pies full time and hasn’t looked back. It’s always inspiring to find someone with a culinary passion who went for it and found success.
 

Allison will be visiting the International Culinary Center theater on December 13th for a pie baking demo just in time for the holiday’s and I can’t wait to learn her tips and tricks for the perfect pie. More to come soon!

Category: Foodie Finds, Seasonal | Tags: , , ,
FFF | August 30, 2011
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Panzanella Salad

While there is nothing like a loaf of fresh baked bread, its day-old brother, stale bread, deserves a little time in the spotlight too. We all know that it’s great for making croutons, breadcrumbs, bread pudding, and heck, plain old toast for that matter. But during the summer months, stale bread screams out for something sexier, something fresh. Panzanella, or Tuscan bread salad, is the perfect way to honor the time and love that went into that loaf in the first place.

The Tuscan people like to savor every last drop, whether it be of their wine, their time with loved ones, or most importantly, their food. The Panzanella salad was born out of that root belief and uses stale bread, the freshest vine-ripe tomatoes they can gather, and any leftover produce on hand to create a hearty and fresh meal. Traditionally it’s tossed with a fruity olive oil, some red wine vinegar, and allowed to soak (preferably overnight) so that the flavors can marry together and the bread becomes nice and tender.

Working at the French Culinary Institute has its perks, one of them being direct access to fresh bread baked daily thanks to our incredible bread baking program. Every day around 3 pm the shelves outside the classroom are piled with loaves of everything from rye, to sourdough, to focaccia for the taking. Since I am addicted to bread, this proves a dangerous thing for me. As such, I tend to take home more loaves than I can use and because they are freshly made without preservatives, they start to go stale the next day.

So, when Hurricane Irene *blew through New York City this past weekend I found myself with lots of time, and thankfully bread and produce to boot. I was stock piled with tomatoes, corn, zucchini, tomatillos, red peppers, and cucumbers, making for a colorful and vitamin-rich blend of veggies. Some leftover shredded chicken got tossed in for protein, and sliced Kalamatas rounded out the sweet flavors with a nice salty bite. I whisked together some tart red wine vinegar and fruity Chilean olive oil, poured it over my cubed bread and veggies, sprinkled it with some sea salt and cracked black pepper and let it hang out and do its thing overnight in the fridge. The next day when I got home from work I had a delicious, hearty, and healthy meal waiting for me, which is the ultimate reward!

This is the perfect summertime meal that allows you to maximize the produce you spent good money on and requires no cooking at all. It also happens to the be one of those rare dishes that gets better with age. Make a big batch and enjoy lunch and dinner for the next 2 to 3 days. Use your creativity and combine whatever flavors and ingredients you like. The recipe I’ve included below is really just a guide for you to create the balance of bread and veggies that suits your taste. You could use lemon juice or balsamic instead of red wine vinegar, add chopped celery for extra crunch, or sprinkle in all those extra herbs you bought but don’t need. The choices are endless, the results are extraordinary.

*Thankfully, Irene did not impact my apartment or my neighborhood, and instead gave me a reason to bake all weekend, but I am saddened by the damage she caused to others and send my well wishes to those affected.

Panzanella Salad

Makes 2 quarts

You could use fresh bread in this recipe, but it’s doing your fresh bread an injustice, and the stale bread holds up better and doesn’t get as mushy. Ripe tomatoes and good quality olive oil are essential to making this dish work, the rest is up to you.

Ingredients

1 loaf of day-old bread (whatever variety you like) cut into cubes, about 6 cups
2 cups chopped tomatoes
2 ears of corn, kernels removed
1 red bell pepper, chopped
4 to 5 tomatillos, chopped
1 cup shredded chicken
1/2 cucumber, chopped
1/2 zucchini, chopped
1/4 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Red wine vinegar
Olive oil
Sea salt
Fresh cracked black pepper
Basil, for garnish

Procedure

  1. Toss cubed bread with chopped veggies in a large bowl, preferably glass or a non-reactive material.
  2. Whisk together enough vinegar and olive oil to make 1/2 cup of dressing, balancing the ratio of acidity to your liking. Pour over the bread and veggies, sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste, and mix well.
  3. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rest in the fridge overnight.
  4. To serve, remove from the fridge at least 30 minutes in advance so that the salad can “relax” and come to the right temperature. Taste for seasoning and adjust if needed. Sprinkle with basil and serve.
Category: Recipes, Seasonal | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
FFF | August 7, 2011
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Pan-seared fairy tale eggplant and shishito peppers

My visit to the Union Square Greenmarket last weekend was bountiful and gifted me with more than just the makings of nectarine and lime-basil jam. The hot item at the market was something totally new and exciting to me—fairy tale eggplant.

These tiny, striated, nightshades are dwarf-sized eggplants with very few seeds and a creamy texture that is unlike any eggplant I’ve ever had. Because they are so small they require a very short cooking time, making them the perfect summer side dish. I picked up a handful along with some Japanese shishito peppers that were smiling up at me, begging to be blistered in a hot pan.

Searing the eggplant and peppers in a hot pan with some fruity olive oil and sliced garlic creates this caramelized, sweet flavor and takes a matter of minutes. Sprinkle with some salt and serve alongside your favorite grilled meat or fish for a gourmet summer meal.

Pan-seared fairy tale eggplant and shishito peppers

Serves 4

Fairy tale eggplants have such a creamy texture that I can’t really think of a substitute for this recipe, visit your local farmer’s market over the next few weeks to track them down. Shishito peppers have a mild heat and are slightly bitter, although every once and a while you’ll get a hot one. Check your local asian market if you are unable to find them at the farmer’s market.

Ingredients

Extra virgin olive oil
1 pound fairy tale eggplants, green leaves removed, cut in half lengthwise
10 shishito peppers
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
Sea salt 

Procedure

  1. Heat a saute pan over medium-high heat and add enough oil to thinly coat the bottom of the pan. Just as you begin to see slight wisps of smoke, place the eggplant in flesh-side down along with the peppers. Turn the heat down to medium and saute 2 to 3 minutes until the flesh begins to turn golden brown and the peppers start to blister. Flip the eggplant over and add the garlic and continue cooking 1 to 2 minutes, until the peppers are soft and blistered, the eggplant is tender and the garlic begins to caramelize.
  2. Remove from heat and sprinkle with salt to taste. Serve immediately.


Category: Recipes, Seasonal, Uncategorized | Tags: , ,
FFF | August 6, 2011
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Nectarine and lime-basil jam

There seems to be such a short window of time when you can get sweet, slightly sour, and perfectly ripe nectarines in the summer. Forget about those hard, tasteless, clunkers found at most fruit stands and grocery stores, I’m talking about the juice running down your face, can’t eat fast enough, golden gems. I like to pop them in the freezer for a bit before I take a bite, there is nothing more sexy than an ice-cold, juicy nectarine on a hot summer day.

Last weekend I had the rare pleasure of visiting the Union Square Greenmarket and was overwhelmed by the bright, fragrant produce all around me. I think the last time I visited was early spring, and sadly it was just a bunch of potatoes and root vegetables. Not this time. Peaches and nectarines, summer squash in all shapes and sizes, eggplants in every shade of purple, and peppers galore. I went on a mission—to find the perfect fruit and herb combination to turn into jam.

Canning and preserving is not something I have spent much time doing in my culinary life, but the knowledge that there was an abundance of delicious fruit out there that won’t be around much longer was enough to motivate me to try it. One of the stands from upstate had such a nice assortment of nectarines that drew me in, and the woman that sells herbs and flowers had this really fragrant lime-basil plant that tasted citrusy and clean. The sweet and sour flavor of nectarines combined with the tangy and herbal lime-basil sounded like the perfect marriage for a ball jar.

I stopped by the library at The French Culinary Institute to check out a book on canning and preserving to guide me along my journey and popped into my local hardware store to pick up some new ball jars and lids. According to Liana Krissoff, author of “Canning for a New Generation” canning doesn’t have to be scary and intimidating as long as you follow a few simple rules. Her book is a fantastic compilation of recipes and tips for canning everything from tomatoes to persimmons, and is smartly organized by season.

For my nectarine and lime-basil jam I followed Krissoff’s step by step procedure of sanitizing the jars and lids, sealing them in boiling water, and leaving them undisturbed overnight. And by golly it worked, they all sealed! But I must preface this—you can absolutely make this jam and skip the canning process. Put it in a tightly sealed container and store it in the fridge for up to a month and you will be just fine. And to be honest, it is so damn delicious it might only last that long anyway. However, if you want to preserve it so you can enjoy the sweet taste of nectarines in the winter, or give as a gift, canning is the way to go.

The thing I love about this jam is that it’s chunky like a compote and you still get little bits of nectarine pieces in each bite. Spoon this over a a bowl of vanilla ice cream or spread onto warm and buttery brioche toast and you will be in sweet, summer heaven.

Because I’m not a canning expert and don’t want to completely copy the hard work and detail that Krissoff put into her beautiful book, I’m not going to include the canning instructions. If you are a regular canner, do what you always do. If you are new, I highly recommend getting her book. (Buy it here). 

Nectarine and Lime-Basil Jam

Makes 4 to 5 half-pint jars

Recipe adapted from “Canning for a New Generation: Bold, Fresh Flavors for a Modern Pantry” by Liana Krissoff

When selecting your fruit, look for a mixture of ripe and firm nectarines so you get the right balance of sweetness and texture. If you can’t get your hands on lime-basil, use traditional basil and substitute lime juice for lemon juice in the recipe below.

Ingredients

4 pounds nectarines, pitted and chopped (about 10 cups)
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons strained fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons minced lime-basil

 Procedure

  1. Place a small plate in the freezer; this will be used to test the jam later on.
  2. Combine the chopped nectarines and sugar in a large dutch oven or other heavy-bottomed pot and place over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, stirring frequently, and cook until the nectarines become tender and somewhat translucent but still hold their shape, about 25 minutes.
  3. To test for doneness, spoon a small bit onto the frozen plate and put into the freezer for one minute. If the jam starts to gel and solidify it’s done.
  4. When the jam is done, remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice and lime-basil.
  5. Spoon the jam into your prepared jars (if canning) or a container with a tight-fitting lid. Let cool on the counter, cover, and store in the fridge for up to a month.
Category: Recipes, Seasonal | Tags: , , , , ,
FFF | June 22, 2011
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Steak and Shrimp Lettuce Wraps with Cucumber-Melon Salsa

I am over the moon that the team at Gourmet LIVE have introduced an iPhone version of their popular magazine app for the iPad, providing me with the perfect subway-ride companion. Each issue features not only interesting and diverse food articles, but recipes from the Gourmet archives. On today’s ride home I discovered a recipe for Grilled Lime-Curry-Rubbed Hanger Steak with Fresh Melon-Cucumber Chutney. Desperate for a dinner idea, this sounded like the perfect meal for this hot and muggy day.

After cruising the aisles at my local market, Grace’s, I picked up the required ingredients, but also felt inspired to take my own spin on the dish. The butcher only had teriyaki-marinated hanger steak on hand, so I went with the skirt steak instead, one of my favorite cuts for it’s fast cooking time and tender texture. I also couldn’t help but notice the pink Florida shrimp on display at the seafood counter and thought: surf and turf!

I spotted some gorgeous baby Bibb lettuces and felt like this was the perfect dish to be eaten in a lettuce cup and a nice way to introduce more green. After waiting anxiously for a torrential rainstorm to subside, it was off to my kitchen and time to get cooking.

The original recipe calls for curry powder to be rubbed on the steak, but I’m not crazy about the premixed version in most stores, I prefer to blend my own spices to get the exact flavor I’m looking for. Cumin, coriander, and fenugreek are classic curry spices and blend really well with lime. The flavor this marinade gave the steak and shrimp was fantastic, it had the right blend of spice and acidity and paired well with the sweet and spicy salsa.

This is the perfect summertime meal when you want to get dinner on the table fast and don’t want to mess with lots of pots and pans. Feel free to add your own flair to the salsa or marinade based on your preferences. I can promise you this, if you find a ripe and sweet summer melon you’ll want to eat this salsa straight out of the bowl.

Steak and Shrimp Lettuce Wraps with Cucumber-Melon Salsa

Recipe adapted from Gourmet, June 2009

Serves 2

Cucumber-Melon Salsa

This simple “salsa” is a cinch to throw together and bursting with the bright flavors of summer. Be sure to use a ripe and sweet honeydew mellon so it’s flavors really shine through. This would also be delicious with tacos, over rice, tossed into a salad, or with tortilla chips.

Ingredients

1/2 cucumber, peeled, seeds removed, small dice
1 cup honeydew mellon, small dice
1/2 red onion, small dice
1 jalapeno, small dice (seeds in or out based on heat preference)
Juice of 1 lime
Cilantro, chopped
Splash of rice vinegar
Salt

Procedure

Combine all the ingredients in a glass or plastic mixing bowl. Add as much cilantro as you like, and adjust the acidity with lime juice and rice vinegar. Season to taste with salt. Allow to marinate for 15 to 20 minutes at room temperature before using. Store remaining salsa in an airtight container in the refrigerator and use within 2 to 3 days.

Steak and Shrimp Lettuce Wraps

The fragrant and herbal flavors of cumin, coriander, and fenugreek take your average grilled steak and shrimp to the next level. Fenugreek has both a sweet and savory flavor and is used in Indian curries. If you can’t find it at your grocery store, substitute a little curry powder instead.

Ingredients

1/2 pound skirt steak
1/2 pound 21-30 count shrimp, shelled and deveined
Bibb lettuce, for serving

For marinade:
Juice of 1 lime
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground fenugreek

Serving suggestion: jasmine rice tossed with lime juice and chopped cilantro.

Procedure

  1. Whisk all the ingredients for the marinade together in a medium glass or plastic mixing bowl. Taste and adjust seasoning.
  2. Coat the steak with 3/4 of the marinade and allow to come to room temperature and absorb the flavors for 15 to 20 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile, heat your grill, grill pan, or cast iron skillet to medium-high heat.
  4. When you are getting ready to cook the steak, toss the shrimp in the remaining marinade and allow to soak up the flavors for 5 minutes. Don’t let the shrimp sit in the marinade too long, it’s acidic and after a while it will begin to cook them.
  5. Place the steak on the hot grill or pan and cook for 2 to 3 minutes on each side for medium rare. Remove and allow to rest for at least 10 minutes so it can reabsorb all its juices and stay tender.
  6. Place the shrimp on the hot grill or pan and cook for about 30 seconds on each side, until they just turn pink. Remove and set aside.
  7. To serve, slice your steak into thin strips across the grain. Serve the steak and shrimp with lettuce leaves and top with the Cucumber-Melon salsa.

 

Category: Recipes, Seasonal | Tags: , , , , , ,
FFF | April 17, 2011
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Baby artichokes a la Provençal

Spring has sprung, and what better way to ring in the season of new beginnings than with baby artichokes! Hopefully you’ve checked out my last post on preparing baby artichokes and feel confident and are ready to get cooking.

A simple and flavorful way to enjoy baby artichokes is to saute them with fragrant shallots and garlic, cooked down in a bright lemon-wine sauce, and baked in the oven until tender and melt-in-your-mouth good. This side dish is fantastic with a sauteed piece of sea bass or your favorite meaty white fish. Or serve them as the French do: with a green salad, slice of nutty cheese, and a glass of crisp white wine.

This recipe for baby artichokes a la Provençal was featured in my Weekend Warrior column over at MarcusSamuelsson.com and is a perfect introduction to working with artichokes. I do hope you’ll give it a try!

Baby Artichokes A La Provençal Recipe

Adapted from the Le Creuset Mini-Cocotte cookbook
Serves 4

2 lemons
20 baby artichokes
2 shallots, minced
5 cloves garlic, minced
Extra virgin olive oil
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
3/4 cup dry white wine (sauvignon blanc or chardonnay work well)
2 tablespoons fresh thyme, plus more for garnish
Salt and freshly ground pepper

1. To prepare the artichokes: Fill a large bowl with water and add the juice of 2 lemons, plus the lemon pieces. Cut off the stems of the baby artichokes, leaving a 1-inch piece, and peel the remaining stems with a peeler, removing the fibrous threads. Peel back the first few layers of tough outer leaves, and cut off the top 1/4 of the artichoke. Cut each artichoke in half and place immediately in lemon water to prevent the artichokes from turning brown. If they begin to brown while preparing, rub them generously with lemon.

2. Heat enough olive oil to coat the bottom of a saute pan over medium-low heat; add the shallots and garlic and cook slowly until they become fragrant and translucent, turning the heat down if they begin to color. Add the artichokes face down, the juice of 1 lemon, and cook for 10 minutes over medium heat.

3. While the artichokes are cooking, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Gather a small baking dish or 4 mini cast iron cocottes (available from Le Creuset) to finish cooking the artichokes.

4. Deglaze the pan with white wine and add the zest, thyme, and salt and pepper; cook for another 10 minutes, until a syrupy glaze forms in the bottom of the pan and the artichokes have softened.

5. Transfer the artichokes and all the pan drippings into the baking dish or mini-cocottes, cover with a lid or aluminum foil, and bake in the oven for 20 minutes, until the outer leaves of the artichokes are tender.

6. Season to taste with salt and pepper, top with some additional fresh thyme and a drizzle of olive oil; serve hot.

Category: Recipes, Seasonal, Weekend Warrior | Tags: , , , , , , ,
FFF | April 17, 2011
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How to prepare baby artichokes

The artichoke is a strange looking edible thistle that’s famous for its green petals and cone-like shape, but perhaps is best known for its ability to intimidate even the most confident home cook. There has always been something about artichokes that scared me. How do I trim them? Am I trimming too much? How do I stop them from turning brown? What parts can I even eat?

For a while I let these fears get the best of me, even a lesson in artichoke trimming in culinary school left me feeling nervous. With the onset of spring and the sudden bounty of artichokes in the market I decided it was high time I got over my fear of artichokes and gave them another try. I spotted what seemed like a simple recipe in a Le Creuset cookbook I have that incorporated my favorite flavors (lemon, garlic, wine, thyme) and suggested using baby artichokes.

Friends, baby artichokes are the perfect way to get over your fear of preparing artichokes. These small thistles are easier to work with than regular-sized artichokes because they don’t have a hairy choke in the center that needs to be removed and almost all of their leaves are edible. All you have to do is peel back a few leaves, trim the stalk, and chop off the top 1/3 and they are ready to go.

The baby artichoke is actually not any younger than a regular-sized artichoke. It even comes from the same plant that bears the large, one pound gems you find in the market. An artichoke plant can send up a variety of different sized stalks, some large, some medium, and some small. Because their leaves are less meaty than the larger artichokes, you can often find them for far less money, especially between March and May when they’re in season.

Here is a step by step photo guide to preparing baby artichokes to help ease your fear of these delicious and tender vegetables.

Step 1: Peel back the first 2 or 3 layers of tough petals, carefully ripping them off.

Step 2: Cut off the tip of the stalk, leaving about 1/3. Then, using a peeler, peel away the tough fibrous layers leaving a thin stalk.

Step 3: Slice off the top 1/3 of the artichoke, which removes the pointy tips on the petals.

Step 4: If desired, cut the baby artichoke in half for quicker cooking. It can also be baked or steamed whole.

Step 5: Place trimmed artichokes immediately in a bowl of acidulated water (water and lemon juice) to prevent them from browning.

Once your artichokes are soaking in acidulated water, you can take your time and get ready to prepare them however you wish. I will be posting a recipe using baby artichokes from my latest Weekend Warrior column next, so stay tuned for a simple and delicious way to enjoy them.

If you can’t locate baby artichokes, or prefer to use the larger artichokes, the same rules apply as above, with the exception that you have to remove the hairy choke in the center. I have found this is easiest to do after cooking them, but for now, I’m sticking with the babies! Let me know if you have any other helpful tips for working with artichokes in the comments section below.

Category: How To, Seasonal | Tags: , , ,
FFF | April 4, 2011
2 comments

Strawberry galette with basil whipped cream

Basil leaves

I hope I haven’t worn you out on Martha Stewart and free-form pies, because I have one more I just had to share with you—for now anyway.

Spring is here and this strawberry galette with basil whipped cream is the perfect dessert to celebrate the season of bright, fresh, and new beginnings. You start with a basic pâte brisée (French for broken pastry), toss some strawberries with a little sugar and cornstarch, layer in a decorative pattern, dot with butter, brush with egg wash and voilà!

The crust is buttery and flakey and the strawberries (if you buy them fresh and ripe) taste just like strawberries with just a hint of sweetness. I chose to make these into individual galettes since I wasn’t feeding a crowd, but you could easily make one large one. This dessert would make the perfect Easter treat.

Martha suggests that you serve the galette with basil whipped cream, which is light, herby, and refreshing, but in all honesty, this galette would be equally delicious with some whipped cream if you’re short on time or in the mood to keep it simple.

If you’d like a step by step photo guide to assembling a galette, check out my previous post from the Martha Stewart Pies & Tarts Pop-Up. While this recipe only calls for 1/2 a recipe of pâte brisée, make the whole batch and freeze it for another use, like the savory potato/gruyere/red onion tart I’ll be sharing with you later this week.

Pâte Brisée
Recipe courtesy Martha Stewart’s Pies & Tarts

Makes enough for 2, 9-inch pies

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cubed
1/4 to 1/2 cup ice cold water

  1. Pulse flour, salt, and sugar in a food processor (or whisk together by hand in a bowl). Add butter and pulse (or cut with a pastry blender) until it resembles coarse meal, with some larger pieces remaining. Drizzle a 1/4 cup of water over mixture and pulse (or mix with a fork) until it just holds together. If dough is too dry, add 1/4 cup more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and pulse (or mix with a fork).
  2. Divide dough in half onto two pieces of plastic wrap, shape each one into a ball, wrap well, press into a disc, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to a day. If not using the second half of dough right away, wrap again and store in the freezer for up to 3 months; thaw in the refrigerator before using.

Strawberry Galette
Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart’s Pies & Tarts

Makes 4 individual galettes, or one large galette enough for 4 to 6 people

All purpose flour, for dusting
1/2 recipe Pâte Brisée
1 (16-ounce) package strawberries, hulled
1 teaspoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons sugar, plus more for sprinkling
1 tablespoon cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 egg yolk, for egg wash
1 tablespoon water, for egg wash

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. On a lightly floured piece of parchment paper, roll dough out to a large rectangle, 1/8-inch thick. Cut into 4 small rectangles and transfer the dough on the parchment paper to a baking sheet. Place the dough in the refrigerator to chill.
  3. While the dough is chilling, thinly slice the strawberries and toss with the sugar and cornstarch until evenly coated.
  4. Remove the dough and layer the strawberries in concentric circles, leaving a 1-inch border around the edge. Fold the edge of the dough over the berries, as shown in the picture above, slightly pinching to secure the dough together. Place the galettes back into the fridge for at least 15 minutes; this will ensure the crust doesn’t collapse during baking.
  5. Whisk the egg yolk with the water and brush the edges of the dough with the egg wash; sprinkle with sugar. Dot the tops of the galettes with butter. Place in the oven and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the edges are golden brown and the crust is cooked through. Serve warm.

Basil Whipped Cream
Recipe courtesy Martha Stewart’s Pies & Tarts

3/4 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup packed basil leaves, chopped
2 tablespoons sugar
3/4 cup mascarpone cheese

  1. Combine cream, basil, and sugar in a heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water and stir until sugar dissolves, about 4 minutes; cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
  2. Strain through a fine sieve into a bowl; add mascarpone and whisk until medium peaks form. Cover, refrigerate until ready to use, up to 2 hours.
Category: Recipes, Seasonal | Tags: , , , , , ,
FFF | March 5, 2011
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It’s the simple things: a hint of spring and broiled grapefruit

Broiled Grapefruit

I am over the moon with joy today folks. It is the beginning of March and it’s a sunny, 60 degree day in New York City. After what has been a frigid winter (especially for this Floridian) today was such a welcomed burst of joy. Granted, it won’t last long and the official days of spring are still on the horizon, but it was enough to get me in a bright and cheery mood.

After my morning run I prepared one of my favorite snacks. This is something so simple it’s silly to even call it a recipe, but in the spirit of the weather, I wanted to share my simple pleasure—broiled grapefruit—which is simply half of a grapefruit sprinkled with brown sugar and placed under the broiler until it develops a sugary, brown crust.

Broiled grapefruit was huge in the 80s, it held court alongside escargot and chef’s salads on menus in some of the hottest restaurants, but like all food trends, things fade and get replaced by the next hot thing (think Asian-fusion). I was first introduced to broiled grapefruit at this wonderful restaurant in Winter Park, FL called Park Plaza Gardens when they were featuring an 80s themed menu in honor of their anniversary last year.

It’s warm, juicy, tart, and sweet and the perfect thing to enjoy on a cool day when you want to satisfy your sweet tooth and get a nice dose of vitamin C. The procedure is simple:

  1. Turn on your broiler.
  2. Cut a grapefruit in half (I prefer ruby red, for both the taste and color) and sprinkle the tops generously with brown sugar.
  3. Place the grapefruit halves inside oven-safe ramekins (pictured above) or on top of a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Place under the broiler, and cook until the juices begin to bubble and the sugar melts, creating a golden brown crust.
  4. Remove, let cool for a few minutes, and dig in with one of those handy serrated grapefruit spoons.

This is also delicious spooned over a bowl of vanilla ice cream, if you’re feeling extra cheerful :)

Category: Recipes, Seasonal | Tags: ,
FFF | January 3, 2011
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Happy New Year!

I can hardly believe my calendar icon says January 3 as I write this, is it really 2011?! The past year was a tremendous time for me, changing my life, embarking on the journey of culinary school, life in the big city, etc.  I am confident and excited as this new year kicks off, there is a lot of promise and prospects for me as I begin my career in the food world and I can’t wait to see where it takes me.

The holidays were supposed to mean a quick trip to Florida for me to see my family for Christmas, but as most of you know, the blizzard that shut down New York made a mess of holiday traveling. My flight back to the city on Monday was postponed to Friday (crazy!) and I decided to stay on through new year’s eve to celebrate with my best girlfriends. I unfortunately had to miss two nights of school, but don’t worry, there was plenty of cooking to keep me, and my parent’s kitchen, busy for the week.

Enjoy some tasty photos below from our Christmas day dinner at our dear friend’s Kathy and Steve’s beautiful waterfront home, where we cooked a feast fit for a king.  I had the opportunity to whip up my new favorite appetizer—prosciutto, blue cheese, and fig jam wrapped in puff pastry—which I’ve promised to share with you and will be posting later this week.  The break also gave me time to work on my menu project for school, where I prepared a 4 course meal inspired by Thomas Keller’s family-style cookbook Ad Hoc at Home. The finished product was all that I could have hoped for, and I’m excited to share the four recipes I prepared with you throughout the week.

I hope everyone had a happy and safe holiday and is excited for what’s to come in 2011!  Cheers!

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