Potato Salad

My daughter was telling me that all the kids in her english class were talking about my potato salad, which is nice to hear because it is so easy to make. it does take some time to let the potatoes cool

Sorry for the photo I had to grab a quick one while some was left.

Ingredients
8-10 potatoes
1/2 lb bacon
mayonnaise
sour cream
chives or green onion (I used about 1/4 cup)

Boil potatoes in their skins until tender, drain, let cool in the pot with the lid on (over night is best)
peel the potatoes by scraping with a knife, and cube into about 1/2 inch cubes put into a large bowl.
cook bacon and break into bits (I usually cut mine first it makes it easier to get it all the same size).
Add the bacon and 2-3 tbsp of the fat to the potatoes.
Add equal amounts of Mayonnaise and sour cream to coat the potatoes well.
Add the chives and mix.
let sit in the fridge until well cooled, and serve

Sweet and Salty Cake

*Photo by Tannis

So! I've been super busy lately and I keep forgetting to take pictures of what I've made since I last posted. Too bad, because there's been a lot of good stuff. I made a shaved asparagus pizza and then a regular one, pasta puttanesca and roasted-red-pepper-and-mixed-pea pasta salad, Korean vegetable pancakes and some of the regular breakfast kind. I bought a new cookbook and from it I made a chopped avocado salad (meh), chicken fajitas (mmmmm) and a pot-roast meatloaf (me! And it was fabulous). Some of which I may even type up and share when I have a chance.

But this I can't keep to myself. It is possibly the most decadent thing I have ever made. I believe if I hadn't had people over to eat it with me I would be dead of cake overload right now. It's so rich that we had to have a water break halfway through our half-inch slices. It is amazing in every way.

It's also pretty labour-intensive, but I would just start a few days in advance next time. The cake layers can be baked then frozen for a few days/weeks, which will also make them easier to work with, and the caramel and frosting can be made in advance then refrigerated. I found that everything spread more nicely while cold anyway.

Baked's Sweet and Salty Cake
For the cake layers:
3/4 cup cocoa powder
2/3 cup sour cream
2 2/3 cups cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pans
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened, plus more for pans
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup dark brown sugar
3 large eggs
1 tablespoon pure vanilla

For the salted caramel:
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon fleur de sel
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/4 cup sour cream

For the whipped ganache frosting:
1 pound dark chocolate, chopped (I used dark chocolate chips)
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter, soft fut cool, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

Fleur de sel, for garnish

Make the cake layers:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter three 8-by-2-inch round cake pans. Butter and flour each pan; set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together cocoa, 1 1/4 cups hot water, and sour cream; set aside to cool, about 10 minutes. In another medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

Beat the butter and shortening together until smooth and ribbonlike, about 5 minutes. Add both sugars and continue beating until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla, scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula, and mix again for 30 seconds. Add flour mixture alternating with cocoa mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture.

Divide batter evenly among the three prepared pans. Bake until cake is just firm to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool completely and remove from pans.

Make the salted caramel:
In a small saucepan, combine the cream and fleur de sel. Bring to a simmer over very low heat until salt is dissolved.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan combine sugar, corn syrup and 1/4 cup water. Cook over high heat until the mixture thickens and is amber in colour or an instant-read thermometer reads 350 degrees F [Cook until it is a few shades lighter than desired - it will continue to cook for a few minutes after you take it off the heat]. Remove from heat and let cool 1 minute.

Add the cream mixture to the sugar mixture. Whisk in the sour cream. Let cool to room temperature and transfer to an airtight container an refrigerate until you are ready to assemble the cake.

Make the whipped ganache frosting:
Put the chocolate in a large heatproof bowl [if you have an electric mixer use that bowl because of later instructions] and set aside. In a small saucepan bring the cream to a simmer over very low heat.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan combine the sugar, corn syrup and 1/4 cup water. Cook over high heat until mixture thickens and is light amber in colour. Remove from heat and let cool 1 minute.

Add cream to caramel and stir to combine. Stir slowly for 2 minutes, then pour caramel over the chocolate. Let caramel and chocolate sit for a minute, then slowly stir the mixture until the chocolate is completely melted. Let the mixture cool, then transfer to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.

Mix on low speed until the bowl feels cool to the touch. Increase speed to medium high and gradually add the butter, beating until thoroughly incorporated. Scrape down the bowl and beat on high until mixture is fluffy. [Not having a mixer I used hand beaters, and my ganache didn't get as "whipped" as it should have - still delicious but if you have a mixer I'd use it]

Assembly:
Using a serrated knife, trim tops of cakes to make level. Place four strips of parchment paper around perimeter of a serving plate. Place the first layer on the cake plate.

Spread 1/4 cup caramel on the cake, allowing it to soak into the cake. Follow the caramel layer with a layer of about 3/4 cup of the ganache icing. [At this point I'd refrigerate for 5-10 mins to firm everything up] Sprinkle 1 tsp fleur de sel over the icing, then place the second layer on top and repeat process with another layer of caramel followed by a layer of ganache icing and salt. [Chill again] Place the remaining layer on top, spread with caramel and cover entire cake with a thin 'crumb-coat' of icing. [Chill about 15 mins to firm up] Top with remaining ganache icing. Garnish with fleur de sel.

No-Knead Bread

No-Knead Bread
3 cups all-purpose or bread flour, more for dusting
1/4 teaspoon instant yeast
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
Cornmeal or wheat bran as needed.

1. In a large bowl combine flour, yeast and salt. Add 1 5/8 cups water, and stir until blended; dough will be shaggy and sticky. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rest at least 12 hours, preferably about 18, at warm room temperature, about 70 degrees.

2. Dough is ready when its surface is dotted with bubbles. Lightly flour a work surface and place dough on it; sprinkle it with a little more flour and fold it over on itself once or twice. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest about 15 minutes.

3. Using just enough flour to keep dough from sticking to work surface or to your fingers, gently and quickly shape dough into a ball. Generously coat a cotton towel (not terry cloth) with flour, wheat bran or cornmeal; put dough seam side down on towel and dust with more flour, bran or cornmeal. Cover with another cotton towel and let rise for about 2 hours. When it is ready, dough will be more than double in size and will not readily spring back when poked with a finger.

4. At least a half-hour before dough is ready, heat oven to 450°F. Put a 6- to 8-quart heavy covered pot (cast iron, enamel, Pyrex or ceramic) in oven as it heats. When dough is ready, carefully remove pot from oven and turn dough over into pot. Shake pan once or twice if dough is unevenly distributed; it will straighten out as it bakes. Cover with lid and bake 30 minutes, then remove lid and bake another 15 to 30 minutes, until loaf is browned.

What I've Made Lately

The text edition! As I've misplaced my camera battery charger and I've run out of batteries, there has been a sad lack of picture taking in my kitchen. So, I've decided to provide the links to things I've made lately instead of lots of boring wall-of-text posts.

Acorn Squash Quesadillas
From Smitten Kitchen. I added some refried beans and regular jarred salsa rather than homemade. Verdict: delicious.

Skillet Carrots
From Orangette. I made these as a side dish to some perfectly grilled lamb chops and ate them on my balcony with some red wine and a good book. Verdict: extremely tasty.

Stir-fried Celery
From The Wednesday Chef. I put these on some chow mein noodles and managed to choke down half the bowl before I gave up and made dumplings instead. Way too salty, way too spicy. Verdict: skip it.

Artichoke, Asparagus and Mushroom Risotto
From Smitten Kitchen again. I used regular mushrooms and canned artichokes instead of shiitakes and fresh. Verdict: meh. I prefer my asparagus lightly boiled or roasted and crispy, I'm not a big fan of artichoke and the mushrooms turned the rice kinda grey. I ate it all but won't make it again.

French Toast à la Baldini
Two pieces of French toast with peaches and brie sandwiched between. I usually add chives or green onions or sub in frozen mixed berries when I can't find cheap peaches. Topped with Dad's maple syrup, bien sûr. Verdict: amazing, as always.

Pizza with Mushrooms, Onions, Tomatoes, Olives, Bacon, Green Peppers & Anchovies
From my lovely neighbourhood pizza parlour. Because occasionally I am too lazy to make dinner. Verdict: heavenly.

Warm Mushroom Salad

Warm Mushroom Salad with Hazelnuts and Pecorino
1/2 cup hazelnuts
2 tablespoons finely diced shallots
3 tablespoons sherry or a white wine vinegar
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 pounds mushrooms (cremini or a mix of wild mushrooms), cleaned and sliced
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
6 ounces salad greens such as frisé, arugula or a mix of your choice
A 1 cup mix of fresh herbs (optional) such as chives, tarragon
1 teaspoon fresh thyme or a couple pinches of dried
1/4 cup sliced shallots
1/4 pound pecorino or another hard, sharp cheese (I used the parmesan I had in the fridge)

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Toast the hazelnuts on a baking sheet for 8 to 10 minutes, rolling them around once or twice to make sure they toast evenly. Rub nuts in a dish towel to remove skins then let cool. Chop the hazelnuts coarsely.

Whisk the shallots, vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon salt together in a bowl and let sit for five minutes (this will soften and almost pickle the shallots), before whisking in 1/4 cup olive oil.

Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter until the butter foams. Add the mushrooms, thyme and season with salt and pepper. Sauté the mushrooms for about 5 minutes, until they’re softened but not limp (your cooking time will depend on the type of mushrooms you used). Toss in sliced shallots, cooking for an additional 2 minutes.

Spread salad greens on a plate. Sprinkle fresh herbs on top, if using. Spoon hot mushrooms over the salad greens. Pour three-quarters of the vinaigrette in the sauté pan and swirl it in the pan until heated. Season it with 1/4 teaspoon salt and freshly ground black pepper. Pour over salad and toss carefully. Adjust to taste.

Use a vegetable peeler to shave cheese over the salad. Sprinkle with hazelnuts. Serve immediately.

Birthday Cake

My friend Julie really loves lemon meringue, but I wanted to make her an actual birthday cake. Luckily I had this recipe bookmarked! It turned out pretty well but there are a few things I'd do differently next time:

1. Trim the cake tops so that everything stacks up evenly.
2. Chill the lemon curd longer (or make it ahead of time) so that it's not so drippy.
3. Check the cupboard to see if we have beaters when making the icing, since hand-whisking isn't going to get you anywhere with this meringue. I discovered our beaters after unsuccessfully trying to thicken the icing for about 10 minutes and I think if I used them for the whole thing it would have actually formed stiff peaks like it was supposed to and not been so melty. Not to mention I could have saved myself a lot of armwork on the cake batter (and everything else I've made this year).
4. Invest in a set of 9-inch pans so that I don't have to spend a few hours baking the layers one by one in my single 9-inch springform.

Lemon Meringue Cake

1-2-3-4 Cake
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, at room temperature
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
3 cups sifted self-rising flour*
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350°F. Using an electric mixer, cream butter until fluffy. Add sugar and continue to cream well for 6 to 8 minutes. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour and milk alternately to creamed mixture, beginning and ending with flour. Add vanilla and continue to beat until just mixed. Divide batter equally among prepared pans. Level batter in each pan by holding pan 3 or 4-inches above counter, then dropping flat onto counter. Do this several times to release air bubbles and assure you of a more level cake. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a tester or toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

It's way easier to stack a cake when the layers are frozen, so throw these in the freezer for about an hour before you start assembling.

* Make your own at home with the following formula: 1 cup self-rising flour = 1 cup all-purpose flour, minus 2 teaspoons + 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder + 1/2 teaspoon salt.

Lemon Curd
From The Joy of Cooking
8 egg yolks
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
3 lemons, zest grated and juiced

Place the ingredients in the double boiler over boiling water. Don’t let top pan touch the water. Cook and stir until mixture begins to gel or thicken ever-so-slightly. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Cover and refrigerate it to thicken.

This keeps, refrigerated, for about 1 week.

Seven-Minute Frosting
From The Joy of Cooking

5 tablespoons water
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 1/3 cups sugar
2 large eggs whites at room temperature
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla

Whisk first five ingredients together in a large, stainless-steel bowl. Set the bowl in a wide, deep skillet filled with about 1 inch of simmering water. Make sure the water level is at least as high as the depth of the egg whites in the bowl. Beat on high speed for exactly five minutes. Remove the bowl from the skillet and add vanilla, beating on high speed for two to three more minutes to cool.

Use this frosting the day it is made.

Not really food but food related

Sorry for posting lately but I was busy organising my spices, this included building a new spice cupboard.

Hopefully I will be back posting food soon

Eggs Baked in Tomatoes

These are delicious and super easy. All you have to do is scoop, crack, bake and eat. They're also pretty filling - I made two for dinner but with some toast on the side one tomato will fill you up.

Romaine Pesto and Egg-Stuffed Tomatoes
Adapted from Gourmet*

6 tbsp pesto, any kind
6 large tomatoes (about 3 inches in diameter)
6 large eggs at room temperature
Parmesan for serving

Put oven rack in upper third of oven and preheat oven to 400°F.

Cut off about 1/8 inch from top of each tomato with a sharp knife. You may also want to cut a sliver off the bottom then oil the cut bit so they stand upright better. Scrape out pulp and seeds with a spoon and discard them. Put tomatoes, cut sides up, in a 9-inch glass or ceramic dish and spoon 1 tablespoon pesto into each tomato. Crack 1 egg into each tomato and season with salt and pepper. Bake eggs in tomatoes until whites are set and yolks are still runny, 18 to 22 minutes. Grate some Parmesan on top and eat.

*The original recipe also included a instructions for making your own romaine-parsley pesto. As I find storebought pesto perfectly delicious and much simpler, I didn't bother making my own.

Coady

I haven't tried this yet, but I thought I would post it. I read about "Coady" sauce in the newspaper and googled it to find out what it is. It's a Newfoundland thing and I thought I'd share it.

If anyone tries it first, let me know how it tastes!

Figgy Duff

“Figgy” refers to the raisins and “Duff” refers to the dough mixture.

2 cups breadcrumbs
1 cup raisins
1 tsp. baking soda
tbsp. hot water
¼ cup butter, melted
½ cup flour
½ cup molasses
1 tsp each of ginger, allspice & cinnamon


To make breadcrumbs soak dry bread in enough water to soften. Drain and squeeze bread to remove excess water. Break into crumbs and measure 2 cups. Mix crumbs, raisins, molasses and melted butter. Them combine baking soda and water to crumb mixture. Mix well. Grease 4-cup molds and pour pudding into the mold. Cover top with a piece of greased foil and fold over the sides of the mold to keep steam out. Place molds in a large pot and add boiling water till it reaches the halfway mark on the molds. Cover and steam for 2 hours or until firm to touch. Serve with Molasses Coady (below).

Molasses Coady

1 cup molasses
¼ cup butter
¼ cup water

In a saucepan, combine ingredients. Heats to a boil then simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Serve over Figgy Duff.

Tomato, Barley and Garlic Risotto

This is a really easy and delicious risotto. The only thing I found wrong with the recipe was the amount of garlic: it originally suggested using two whole heads, and even though I cut that down to a quarter of a head it was still pretty garlicky. Next time I think I'd use just two cloves.

Barley, Tomato and Garlic Risotto
From Yotam Ottolenghi's The New Vegetarian

2 tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, peeled and quartered
750g fresh tomatoes, peeled and chopped, or 1 can diced tomatoes, drained
200g (1 can) tomato paste
½ tsp smoky paprika
⅛ tsp dried chilli flakes
1 tbsp picked thyme
4 strips fresh lemon zest
1½ tsp caster sugar
1 tsp salt
270g (1 ½ cup) pearl barley, well rinsed in cold water and drained
Roughly 200ml water
20g chopped coriander leaves, plus extra to garnish (Didn't have, didn't use)
Black pepper
200g feta, crumbled roughly (Ditto)

Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a medium-sized saucepan and sauté the garlic quarters for about two minutes, or until golden. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, paprika, chilli, thyme, lemon zest, sugar, salt, barley and a ladleful of water; stir and bring the mix to a simmer. Cook over minimal heat for 50-60 minutes, until the barley is tender but still firm to the bite. You'll need to stir it from time to time, so it doesn't stick to the pan, and add water occasionally, making sure there is always just enough liquid left in the pot to cook the barley. At the end of the cooking, the mix should be runny enough easily to spoon into bowls.

Once done, remove the pan from the heat, stir in the coriander and some freshly ground black pepper. Add most of the feta, stir gently so the cheese doesn't break up too much and stays in largish chunks, taste and adjust the seasoning accordingly.

Spoon into serving bowls and sprinkle with the reserved feta and coriander.

Roasted Chicken with Dijon Sauce

As soon as I saw this I had to make it, since I love mustard and happened to have all of the ingredients on hand. I used boneless skinless chicken thighs instead of bone-in skin-on, since that's what I had in the freezer; if you do this cover the pan in the oven and roast for the lesser amount of time.

Roasted Chicken with Dijon Sauce
3 pounds chicken, with skin and bones
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 small shallots, thinly sliced
3/4 cup dry white wine
3/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup heavy cream (I had milk and just boiled a little longer)
2 tablespoons smooth Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon finely chopped chives or the green parts of scallions (didn't have, didn't use)

Preheat oven to 450°F with a rack in middle. Pat chicken dry and season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in an ovenproof 12-inch heavy skillet medium-high heat until it shimmers. Brown chicken, skin side down first and turning once, about 5 minutes per batch. Don’t move the chicken until the skin is bronzed and releases itself.

Return all chicken, skin side up, to skillet and roast in oven until just cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer chicken to a platter, then add shallots, wine, and broth to pan juices in skillet and boil, scraping up any brown bits, until reduced by half, 2 to 3 minutes. Add cream and boil until slightly thickened, about 1 minute. To thicken the sauce further, turn the heat to high and boil it until it reduces to a consistency you prefer. Whisk in mustard, chives, and salt and pepper to taste. Serve chicken with sauce.

Cinnamon Buns

These are amazing. I want to make the sticky buns next! (Sorry, no description today - back to work!)

Cinnamon Buns
6 1/2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
5 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 large egg, slightly beaten
1 tsp lemon zest or extract
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp instant yeast
1 1/8 - 1 1/4 cups whole milk or buttermilk
1/2 cup cinnamon sugar (6 1/2 tbsp cinnamon + 1 1/2 tbsp sugar)

Cream together the sugar, salt and butter. Whip in the egg and lemon zest until smooth. Than add the flour, yeast and milk. Stir until the dough forms into a ball, then knead until the dough is supple and tacky but not sticky. You may have to add a little water. Lightly oil a large bowl and transfer the dough to the bowl, rolling it around to coat with oil. Cover and let sit at room temperature until doubled.

Roll the dough into a rectangle about 2/3 inch thick and about 14'' by 12'' (for larger buns) or 18" by 9" (for smaller buns). Sprinkle over with cinnamon sugar and roll the dough up into a log. cut the roll of dough into 8 to 12 even pieces (for larger buns) or 12 to 16 pieces (for smaller buns).

Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and place the buns so that they are close but not touching, about 1/2 inch apart. Proof at room temperature for 75 to 90 minutes, or until the pieces have grown into each other and nearly doubled in size.

Preheat the oven to 350°F with oven rack in the middle. Bake buns for 20-30 minutes, or until golden brown. Let cool about 10 minutes, then streak with fondant glaze while they are warm but not hot.

White Fondant Glaze
The recipe calls for 4 cups of confectioner's sugar; I think I used 1/2 cup. Make as much as you think you will need.

Confectioner's sugar
Milk
Vanilla or lemon extract (optional - I used vanilla but I think I would prefer plain)

Sift powdered sugar then whisk in enough milk to make a thick paste. Add flavouring if desired, then drizzle over buns.

Bonus Pic: Ciabatta, the recipe for which (as well as the above) can be found in The Bread Baker's Apprentice

Farmer's Benedict

This dish is based on a delicious twist on eggs Benedict that I had at the Elgin Street Diner a few weeks ago. The original dish swapped out the English muffins for a bed of pan-fried potatoes, cherry tomatoes, baby spinach and ham, topped with poached eggs and Hollandaise. My version is a little different, as I tossed in mushrooms instead of the ham and, being put off by the effort and stick of butter that goes into Hollandaise sauce, topped it with a slice of stinky cheese. I would really recommend the Hollandaise version as well, if you can be bothered to make it.

Farmer's Benedict
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 to 1 pound fingerling potatoes, quartered
1 cup mushrooms, sliced (Or ham or bacon lardons)
A few handfuls of baby spinach
Eggs

Boil potatoes until they are just tender but not entirely cooked. Meanwhile, saute mushrooms over medium-high heat until the liquid they release has evaporated. Add the potatoes to the pan, season with salt and pepper and saute until crisp on the outside. Add the tomatoes and spinach and cook until the spinach is wilted.

Top with a poached egg and Hollandaise or a melty cheese.

Win Cake

I had another dinner to go to so I decided to re-try the whole "baking a cake" thing. It couldn't have come at a better time, because I really wanted to try this recipe but I was a little anxious because I hate pears - good thing my friends don't mind acting as guinea pigs for my baking experiments! This one turned out great, so great that I was still wishing I hadn't left the uneaten half at their place a week later. Definitely a keeper.

This is one recipe where I have to admit that you will want a KitchenAid or electric beaters, as my weakling human arms couldn't get the eggs beaten quite well enough, not to mention that they were killing me after a few minutes.

Torta di Pere [Bittersweet Chocolate and Pear Cake]
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 eggs, at room-temperature
4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter
3/4 cup sugar
3 pears, peeled, in a small dice
3/4 cup bittersweet chocolate chunks

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 9-inch springform pan and dust with breadcrumbs; set aside. [I just buttered it]

Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together, set aside. Using a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the eggs on high speed until pale and very thick.

While the eggs are whipping, brown the butter. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan and cook it until the butter browns and smells nutty (about 6 to 8 minutes). It helps to frequently scrape the solids off the bottom of the pan in the last couple minutes to ensure even browning. Remove from the heat but keep in a warm spot.

Add the sugar to the eggs and whip a few minutes more. Just as the egg-sugar mixture is starting to loose volume, turn the mixture down to stir, and add the flour mixture and brown butter. Add one third of the flour mixture, then half of the butter, a third of the flour, the remaining butter, and the rest of flour. Whisk until just barely combined — no more than a minute from when the flour is first added — and then use a spatula to gently fold the batter until the ingredients are combined. It is very important not to over-whisk or fold the batter or it will lose volume.

Pour into prepared pan. Sprinkle the pear and chocolate chunks over the top, and bake until the cake is golden brown and springs back to the touch, about 40 to 50 minutes, or a tester comes out clean.

Comfort Food

I wasn't sure about this after the first time I had it, but as I ate up my leftovers I became sadder and sadder knowing that it was almost gone. It's warm, gooey, and best of all healthy and cheap. The site I got this from suggested serving it with pitas (it is a Middle Eastern dish), but I ladled it on top of some toast.

Shakshuka (Eggs Poached in Spicy Tomato Sauce)

2 tbsp olive oil
3 jalapeños, stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped (I used 2)
1 small yellow onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, crushed then sliced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tbsp paprika
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
Salt, to taste
6 eggs (If you are going to have leftovers, use only as many eggs as you are going to eat right now. Then you can refridgerate the sauce by itself and either poach or fry an egg separately to put on top when you eat the leftover sauce.)
1/2 cup halloumi or feta cheese, crumbled
1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley (I left this out)

Heat oil in a saute pan or wide pot over medium-high heat. Add chiles and onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden brown, about 6 minutes. Add garlic, cumin, and paprika, and cook, stirring frequently, until garlic is soft, about 2 more minutes.

Add tomatoes and their liquid to pan, and crush with a spoon or potato masher. Reduce heat to medium, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened slightly, about 15 minutes. Season sauce with salt.

Crack eggs over sauce so that eggs are evenly distributed across sauce’s surface. Cover pan and cook until yolks are just set, about 5 minutes. Using a spoon, baste the whites of the eggs with tomato mixture, being careful not to disturb the yolk. Sprinkle with cheese and parsley.

Butter Chicken

This is a warm comforting dish on a cold evening.

Butter Chicken

Ingredients:

2 tbsp Canola Oil
2 lb  boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tbsp ginger, finely chopped
2 tbsp butter
2 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp garam masala

1 tsp cumin
¼ tsp cayenne pepper (give or take)
1 cup tomato sauce
1 cup 2% Evaporated Milk
¼ cup sour cream
salt and pepper to taste

Preperation:

1. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook chicken until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Remove chicken and set aside.

2. Heat remaining oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Sauté onion, garlic and ginger until soft and fragrant.

Stir in butter, lemon juice and spices. Cook, stirring for 1 minute.

Add tomato sauce, cooking for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.

Stir in milk and yogurt. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring often.

3. Add reserved chicken to sauce and bring sauce to a boil.

Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes until sauce has thickened and chicken is cooked through.

Serve over steamed rice.

Fail Cake

If you make this cake, try to avoid my mistake and actually follow all the directions. I promise, it will turn out much better for you. The main problems I had with this cake were: 1. I forgot sour cream so I substituted milk, and the batter was too runny; 2. I didn't have a bundt pan so I used an 8-inch springform, so the centre took forever to cook while the top dried out; and 3. I only had regular cocoa powder, so the leavening was off and it sunk in the middle. (Also I was too lazy to make ganache, which I think would have really added another dimension). That said, it was pretty tasty anyway. I am going to have to make it again, properly, and see how it goes.

Chocolate Stout Cake
1 cup stout (I used Guinness, but I would go for something richer next time)
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (Dutch-process)
2 cups all purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
2/3 cup sour cream
6 ounces good semisweet chocolate chips
6 tablespoons heavy cream
3/4 teaspoon instant coffee granules*

Cake:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter or spray a bundt pan well. Bring 1 cup stout and 1 cup butter to simmer in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add cocoa powder and whisk until mixture is smooth. Cool slightly.

Whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, and 3/4 teaspoon salt in large bowl to blend. Beat eggs and sour cream in another bowl to blend. Add stout-chocolate mixture to egg mixture and beat just to combine. Add flour mixture and beat briefly. Using rubber spatula, fold batter until completely combined. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Transfer cake to rack; cool completely in the pan, then turn cake out onto rack for drizzling ganache.

Ganache:
For the ganache, melt the chocolate, heavy cream, and coffee in the top of a double boiler over simmering water until smooth and warm, stirring occasionally. Drizzle over the top of cooled cake.

*Since I didn't make ganache, I put the coffee powder in the cake batter.

Two Easy Sides

It was Elles Birthday Dinner, We had Duck, Wilted spinach and peppers, and Brown Butter Potatoes.

Wilted Spinach and Peppers

 1/3 cup Butter
2 onions peeled quartered and sliced about 1/4 inch thick
1 Sweet Pepper quartered and sliced (I used half Red and Yellow)
1 Pound spinach

Melt the butter in a large Pan (one pound of spinach is huge)
Over low heat saute the onions until just starting to carmelize.
Add the Pepper and just take the hardness off but leave the crunch.
Add the spianch and wilt.


Brown Butter Potatoes.

2 pounds Potatoes
1/4 cup butter.
Salt, and Pepper

Wash and cut the unpeeled potatoes, and place in a pot and bring to a boil and simmer until tender.
Put butter into a small saucepot and heat it until it melts over medium heat. Because butter contains as much as twenty percent water it will then begin to steam and foam. Once the water has evaporated the foam will subside and the butter’s temperature will begin to rise. The milk fat solids that are one or two percent of the butter will then begin to brown. Continue watching as it begins foaming a second time. Swirl it gently, watching the colour, until it turns golden brown and releases the aroma of toasting nuts. Immediately pour the browned butter into a bowl to stop it from browning further.
When the potatoes are tender mash in the butter and salt and pepper.

Easy Chicken Parmesan

Ingredients

Chicken Breast(s)

Tomato Sauce (meat free) - I use Classico jarred sauce. It really doesn't matter which one as long as it's meat free.

Breadcrumbs

Flour

1 Egg

Parmesan Cheese (grated)

Olive Oil

1- Pound your chicken breast with a hammer or a similar tool to make sure it is relatively the same thickness throughout. (don't skip this step, its actually important so that your chicken cooks at the same time)

2- Mix together equal parts of breadcrumbs and flour. I usually use a 1/4 cup of each for a large sized breast, but you can use more or less at your discretion. also for extra parmesaniness you can mix in about a tablespoon.

3- Beat egg in a separate bowl

4- Take the chicken that you beat-up earlier and coat it with the breadcrumb mixture, and then the egg, repeat this step until the chicken has a good coating or all the mixture is gone. (this part can be messy)

5- Heat enough olive oil in a frying pan to generously coat the bottom on medium to high heat

6- Cook you chicken in the pan until the outside is crispy (make sure that the chicken is completely cooked at this point)

7- Line an Oven-safe dish with tinfoil, this keeps the sauce from baking onto the dish and makes cleanup easier.

8- Put your cooked chicken in the pan and cover with sauce. Then cover the sauce with Parmesan cheese.

9- Put the pan in the oven under the broiler until the cheese is melty and the sauce is warm

10- Serve the chicken. I like to have this chicken with pasta on the side.

French Lentil Salad

This lentil salad is delicious, easy to make, and great either warm or cold. I make a lot of bean salads to take to campus for lunch, and this is by far the best one yet, much better than the mass of red lentils and red pepper in my fridge that is waiting for me to give up and just finish it. I could eat this salad every week and not get tired of it (and I might!).

French-Style Warm Lentil Salad
1 cup French green (Puy) lentils, picked over and rinsed (I had regular, so that's what I used)
3 cups water
1 Turkish bay leaf
½ tsp. salt, divided
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 medium carrot, finely chopped
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
2 medium garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp finely chopped fresh thyme
5 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
2 Tbsp. plus ½ tsp. red wine vinegar
½ Tbsp. Dijon mustard
Crunchy sea salt, for serving
2 Tbsp. finely chopped Italian parsley, for serving

In a medium saucepan, bring the lentils, water, and bay leaf to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until almost tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in ¼ teaspoon salt, and then simmer, covered, for another 3 to 5 minutes, until tender but not falling apart.

While the lentils simmer, warm 1 tablespoon of the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, garlic, thyme, and 1/8 teaspoon salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are just softened, about 7 to 9 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the vinaigrette. In a small bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons vinegar, mustard, and remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt. Add the remaining 4 tablespoons olive oil, and whisk to emulsify.

When the lentils are ready, drain them in a colander or sieve, and discard the bay leaf. Dump them into the skillet with the vegetables, and add the vinaigrette. Cook over low heat, stirring gently, until heated through. Stir in the remaining ½ tsp. vinegar, and serve warm, with crunchy salt and parsley for sprinkling.

Hunter's Chicken

There's a place in Stratford that makes "Hunter Chicken." It's really, really good. I decided to try to make it myself. Because it's also really, really expensive!

So, here goes:

1/3 cup white all-purpose flour
3 T olive oil
3 T butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 kg skinless, boneless chicken thighs
6 slices bacon, chopped
2 onions, finely chopped
3 sprigs fresh rosemary
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 cup dry white wine
2 cups canned diced tomatoes
2 plum tomatoes, chopped
1 cup chicken broth
1 1/2 lb button mushrooms
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

1. Lightly coat chicken with flour.
2. Heat oil, butter & garlic in giant deep frying pan on high (be careful - try med/high and adjust). Saute chicken pieces thoroughly on each side until golden (6-8 mins per side). Take chicken out; set aside; keep warm.
3. Add bacon, onion, rosemary & thyme into pan and cook 2-3 minutes at medium. Deglaze pan with the wine. Cook 12-15 minutes on med. until cooking juices reduce and are completely absorbed.
4. Add tomatoes and put chicken back in pan. Add chicken broth, bay leaf, salt & pepper. Add mushrooms. (At this point, I also added a handful of cauliflower and carrots that were in my crisper. Obviously...this is optional...there might have even been a sprig of broccoli.)
5. Cover, reduce heat to lowest and cook very, very, very slowly for about an hour.

I didn't eat this yet. I turned off the heat, let it sit in the pan for 20 minutes, then put it into two beautiful casserole dishes, covered with plastic wrap and put in fridge.
I'm going to serve it tomorrow night.
I'll let you know how it turned out then.

Watch this space!

Notes After Dinner: I found there will still a lot of liquid in the stew. Some of the recipes called for corn starch, but I didn't like that idea. It could be served over rice to absorb the broth, but I don't care for rice and I was serving potatoes, so I didn't want to do that. Next time, I would add less broth and cook step 3 a little longer. It was very tasty, so it will definitely be worth refining the recipe.
K

Wining and Dining

First off, this lovely picture is thanks to Liza, who took control of the camera I was too lazy to do anything with. Second, my first attempt at making pot roast was pretty great, and with a few minor improvements I think it could be even more delicious (e.g. correctly estimate how much time it will take to cook so it ends up medium instead of well done; don't completely forget to add the vegetables to the stock, etc.) And of course, having people over to eat with me made it all the better.

I'm only giving the recipe for the roast, but we also had tiny potatoes roasted until crispy, a salad with mum's birthday vinaigrette (tasty!) and some roasted vegetables that Tannis brought, which included carrots, onion, sweet potatoes and apple. Plus a blueberry pie, which was inhaled too quickly to photograph, and a few bottles of wine.

All in all, quite a successful dinner party!





Boeuf à la Mode
Put in a deep bowl:
1 beef pot roast
Pour over the meat:
Red Wine Marinade (below)
Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Drain the meat and pat dry (I reserved one cup of the marinade and added it to the stock later). Heat in a Dutch oven over medium high heat:
1/4 cup vegetable oil
Brown the meat on all sides. Pour off excess oil. Add:
5 cups beef stock or broth (I used 4 cups plus the marinade)
Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, until tender, 3 1/2 to 4 hours. Towards the last hour degrease the simmering liquid and add:
1 cup sliced carrots
1 cup sliced onions
Cut the roast into thin slices and serve with the cooking liquid

Red Wine Marinade
Combine in a medium saucepan and simmer over low heat for 2 minutes:
2 cups dry red wine
1 small red onion, sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 sprigs parsley
2 sprigs thyme
6 whole black peppercorns, cracked
1 bay leaf
2 whole cloves
Remove from heat and season to taste with salt. Let cool before using.

Elle's First Pie

 

Crust:
 Use the Double Crust Pie Dough Recipie.







For the Filling:

• 4 cups of apples peeled and sliced.
• 1/2 cup White Sugar
• 2 Table spoons Brown Sugar
• 1/2 tsp Ginger
• 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp Cloves
• sprinkle of Mace
• 2 tbsp Corn Starch

To assemble:
Pre-heat oven to 450F
Roll out dough
Mix the filling ingredents in a bowl.
arange the filling in the bottom pie shell top with second crust.
Place in oven reduce heat to 375F bake about 45 Mins or until crust is golden brown.

Stew and biscuits

Stew and Biscuits

For the stew:

Ingredients

• 2 pounds stewing beef, trimmed
• onion
• garlic
• celery
• carrot
• 1/2 bottle red wine
• 4 cups beef broth
• 1/4 cup yellow mustard
• root vegetables, (onions, carrots, potatoes, turnips, parsnips or celery root)
• bay leaf
• fresh herbs, (such as thyme, rosemary, or sage)
• salt
• pepper

Directions

1. Begin with a few pounds of trimmed stew meat. Remember tough meat is best for stewing because the muscles that are used the most are not just the toughest, they have the most flavor! Cut the meat up into medium chunks. Too small and the stew will cook too fast and you won’t get the marvelous, deep flavor that comes from long slow simmering.
2. Brown the beef in a thick-bottomed stew pot; use enough oil to coat the bottom and add more if you need to. Dry each piece so it browns well. Be patient; take the time to evenly brown all sides of each piece of meat. Don’t overcrowd the pan or it will cool and not properly brown the meat; work in batches. A medium heat works best, too high and you’ll burn the meat and the tasty bits on the bottom of the pan. This is the single most important step in making a richly flavored stew. Because the stew will only simmer it will never achieve the high temperatures necessary to caramelize the meat; this is your only chance! The affect on the flavor is dramatic, the more you brown the tastier it gets. But don’t burn the meat because then it will taste bitter remove from the pot and set aside . Add flour I use about 1/4 to 1/3cup and cook until starting to brown.
3. Pour a big splash of wine into the pot and stir vigorously to dislodge the particles stuck to the bottom. They’re pure flavor! When the bottom is clean add the meat and vegetables.
4. Add enough broth to cover the meat at least halfway. Add more to cover if you have it, but not so much that the meat is swimming. Add some salt and pepper, a few bay leafs. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to a simmer and cover with a tight fitting lid. You may continue cooking on the stove or in the oven. Generally an oven set at 325 degrees will stew perfectly. Either way stew until the meat is tender and can be cut with a spoon. This will take at least an hour and a half.
5. Now like many things in life stew is best served the day after you make it. The wait gives the complex flavors time to meld and mature. But if you’re hungry, go for it and remember: It’s all about flavor!

For the Baking Powder Bicuits

Ingredents

• 2 cups All-purpose Flour 
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 tsp baking powder 
• 1/3 cup vegetable shortning
• 1/2 to 2/3 cups Milk

Directions
Pre-heat oven to 450F
Sift flour, salt, and baking powder into a bowl. Using a pastry cutter cut in the shortning until the mixture resembles course crumbs. add milk until moistened and comes together.
Turn out ont floured surface and knead until just smooth.
Roll out to 1/2 inch thick. cut into 2-inch rounds.
Place onto an un-greased baking sheet and bake 12-15 mins. or until golden brown

Pierogi, Two More Ways

Like I said, there's a lot.

Wild Mushroom Pirogies
For filling
1 cup boiling water
2/3 oz dried porcini mushrooms
1 medium onion, quartered
2 garlic cloves, crushed
6 oz cremini mushrooms, quartered
1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (I skipped this)

Pour boiling water over porcini in a small bowl and soak until softened,10 to 20 minutes. Lift porcini out of water, squeezing excess liquid back into bowl, and rinse well to remove any grit. Pour soaking liquid through a paper-towel-lined sieve into a bowl and reserve.

Mix onion, garlic and cremini. Finely chop the porcini, then mix in.

Heat butter in a skillet over moderate heat until foam subsides, then cook mushroom mixture, stirring frequently, until mushrooms are dry and 1 shade darker, about 8 minutes. Add reserved soaking liquid and simmer, stirring frequently, until mixture is thick, dry, and beginning to brown, about 15 minutes. Stir in parsley and salt and pepper to taste. Cool completely.

Cut wrappers into circles and fill pierogies. Working with 1 round at a time, moisten edges with water and fold in half to form a half-moon, pinching edges together to seal.

Do ahead: Filling can be made 2 days ahead and chilled, covered. Freeze on a tray until firm, about 2 hours, then freeze in sealable plastic bags. Thaw before cooking.

Potato Pierogi
Boil until tender, then mash:
1 pound potatoes
Cook in a skillet until brown:
1 large onion (1 - 1 1/2 cups)
Mix onion and potato together then add:
1/2 cup grated cheese (cheddar or Parmesan)
Stuff pierogi.

Cabbage-Stuffed and Cabbage, Stuffed

Having apparently gone insane, I decided to make not only cabbage rolls and three types of pierogi this week. One large head of cabbage, four packs of wonton wrappers and countless hours of labour later, I was still no closer to answering the question of why somebody who doesn't even like making drop cookies because they take too much effort would even consider filling a freezer with miniature stuffed delicacies.

Because I love any and all types of dumplings, that's why. They're like presents for your mouth. Enjoy!

Cabbage Rolls
1 head Savoy cabbage
1 pound ground beef
1 small to medium onion, chopped small
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 carrots, shredded
2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
2 parsnips, shredded
1/2 cup uncooked rice
2 tablespoons tomato paste
3 to 4 cups of tomato sauce, tomato juice or V8

Cut the core out of the cabbage but leave it whole. Place it, with the empty core area facing up, in a large bowl. Boil a small pot of water and pour the water over the cabbage and let it sit for ten minutes. (I've also heard that you should freeze the cabbage overnight, which I might try next time - I found the leaves difficult to pull off after the first few.

Heat the oil in a saute pan. Cook the onions until they are soft, add the carrot, celery and parsnip and saute them for a couple extra minutes, until they are also soft. Season the mixture with salt and pepper, transfer it to a bowl and let it cool a bit. Mix in the meat, rice and tomato paste and season again with salt and pepper.

Drain the head of cabbage. Pull off large leaves and cut out the large vein. Pat the leaves dry with towels. Roll about 1/4 to 1/3 cup of filling in each leaf (depending on the size of your leaf) and arrange in a large, wide pot. Pour in enough juice or sauce to cover the rolls. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat, letting them simmer covered on the stove on low for about 45 minutes. Serve immediately. These also freeze very well.

Mushroom and Sauerkraut-stuffed Pierogi
Heat in a skillet over medium heat:
1 tbsp butter or oil
Add and cook, stirring, until soft:
1 cup onions, chopped
Add and cook until tender:
1 cup mushrooms, chopped
Remove to a bowl and mix in:
1 cup sauerkraut, drained

Let cool completely, then cut a package of wonton wrappers into 2 1/2 inch circles. Stuff with mushroom mixture. Either cook or freeze pierogi on a tray, not touching, then store in the freezer for later use.

Jerome's Easer Caesar Salad Dressing

Jerome's Easer Caesar Salad Dressing

1 cup mayonnaise
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp Worcestershire
1 clove of garlic (minced)
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1/2 c Parmesean cheese
2 tbsp of  half and half (you could also use milk)

Mix all ingredients together in a blender until smooth.

Enchiladas

Enchilada

Enchilada Sauce
1     28 fl oz can of diced tomatoes
1     Medium Onion sliced
6     Cloves of Garlic
2     tsp Chipotle Powder
2     tsp Ground Cumin
1/2  tsp Salt
1/4  tsp Ground Pepper

Chicken Filling
4     Skinless, Boneless Chicken breast halves cubed
1     tsp Paprika (I like to use Smoked)
1     tsp Ground Cumin
1     tsp Chipotle Powder
1 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese divided
1     can green chilies (about 1/2 cup)
8     corn tortillas
       sour cream


For the Chicken
Combine the cubed chicken, Paprika, Cumin, and chipotle powder, and let marinate for about an hour.
Fry the chicken mixture until the chicken is no longer pink. let cool.
when cool mix the chicken, 1/2 cup of the cheese, and the green chillies.

For the Sauce
Fry the onions and garlic in enough oil to coat the pan until golden, cool.
Add the tomatoes to a blender of food processor add the onion mixture, and spices puree until smooth.

For the Enchiladas
Place 1/8th of the chicken mixture on each tortilla, fold the side in then the bottom up and roll up. Place in a 9X13 casserole that has a lite coating of the sauce. top with the remaining sauce and cheese and bake in a 350 oven until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbly about 20 mins.

Clam Chowder

Clam Chowder

Being from the west coast I was brought up on clam chowder, and the best place to get it was a string of restaurants called Mo's. This is as close as I can get to theirs, enjoy.

Yield: 6 servings
Preparation Time: 15 mins
Cooking Time: 1 hour

Ingredients
1/2 pound Bacon diced
1 large onion, chopped
1/4 cups Flour
3 can Minced Clams (6 oz. each)
6 cups Diced Potatoes
3 cups Milk
1 dash Salt, pepper, paprika, butter

Procedure
1. Saute bacon until brown; drain off fat.
2. Add onion and saute until clear.
3. Add potatoes and juice from clams, cook about 15 minutes until potatoes are soft.
4. Stir in flour.
5. Add clams, milk and seasonings. heat through (do not boil)
6. Serve with a pat of butter.

Chipotle Brownies

From the people who brought us apricot-rosemary squares, another unusual and delicious bar. I am definitely going to have to try their other stuff.

Spiced Chipotle Brownies
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons dark unsweetened cocoa powder
1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons chipotle powder
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cardamom
11 ounces dark chocolate coarsely chopped
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
5 large eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter the sides and bottom of a 9 x 13 glass or light-colored metal baking pan.

In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, salt, cocoa powder and spices (chipotle, cinnamon and cardamom) together.

Put the chocolate, butter, and instant espresso powder in a large bowl and set it over a saucepan of simmering water, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate and butter are completely melted and smooth. Turn off the heat, but keep the bowl over the water and add the sugars. Whisk until completely combined, then remove the bowl from the pan. The mixture should be room temperature.

Add 3 eggs to the chocolate mixture and whisk until combined. Add the remaining eggs and whisk until combined. Add the vanilla and stir until combined. Do not overbeat the batter at this stage or your brownies will be cakey.

Sprinkle the flour mixture over the chocolate mixture. Using a spatula (not a whisk), fold the flour mixture into the chocolate until just a bit of the flour mixture is visible.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake in the center of the oven for 30 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the brownies comes out with a few moist crumbs sticking to it. Let the brownies cool completely, then cut them into squares and serve.

Onion Tart

This tart is really more of a pizza, with a bready dough base and flat shape. It was amazing and pretty easy to make, although I found it a bit too heavily spiced. Next time I make it I will halve the seasonings and let the onions stand out on their own (don't cut down on the mustard though, it's delicious). The recipe below contains my adjustments.

Onion Tart with Mustard and Fennel
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (a 1/4-ounce package)
1/2 cup warm water (105 to 115°F)
1 1/2 to 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 large egg
2 tbsp plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
3 pound yellow onions, halved and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard (I used a bit more)
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Stir together yeast and warm water in a small bowl and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Put 1 1/2 cups flour in a medium bowl, then make a well in center of flour and add yeast mixture to well. Stir together egg, 1 tablespoon oil, and 1 teaspoon salt with a fork. Add egg mixture to yeast mixture and mix with a wooden spoon or your fingertips, gradually incorporating flour, until a soft dough forms. Transfer dough to a floured surface and knead, working in additional flour (up to 1/4 cup) as necessary, until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Transfer dough to an oiled bowl and turn to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a draft-free place at warm room temperature until doubled, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

While dough rises, heat remaining 2 tbsp oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers, then sauté fennel seeds until a shade darker, about 30 seconds. Stir in onions, remaining ½ teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, then reduce heat to medium-low and cover onions directly with a round of parchment paper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are very tender and golden brown, 1 to 1 1/4 hours.

Knead dough gently on a floured surface with floured hands to deflate. Pat out dough on a large heavy baking sheet into a 15- by 12-inch rectangle, turning up or crimping edge, then brush mustard evenly over dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border around edge. Spread onions evenly over mustard, then sprinkle evenly with cheese.

Bake tart until crust is golden brown, 30 to 35 minutes. Cut into 2-inch squares or diamonds and serve warm or at room temperature.

As Promised (So Long Ago)...

Delicious curries, plus a salad. Three new recipes to make up for my Christmas-break laziness.

Chana Masala
Good-quality olive oil
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp cumin seeds
½ tsp ground coriander
¼ tsp ground ginger
1 tsp garam masala
¼ tsp ground cumin
3 cardamom pods, lightly crushed
1 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes
1 tsp kosher salt, or to taste
1 Tbs cilantro leaves, roughly torn, plus more for garnish
A pinch of cayenne, or to taste
2 15-ounce cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed

Film the bottom of a large saucepan with olive oil, and place the pan over medium heat. Add the onion, and cook, stirring frequently, until it is deeply caramelized and even charred in some spots.

Reduce the heat to low. Add the garlic, stirring, and add a bit more oil if the pan seems dry. Add the cumin seeds, coriander, ginger, garam masala, ground cumin and cardamom pods, and fry them, stirring constantly, until fragrant and toasty, about 30 seconds. Add 1/4 cup water, and stir to scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook until the water has evaporated away completely. Pour in the juice from can of tomatoes, followed by the tomatoes themselves, using your hands to break them apart as you add them; alternatively, add them whole and crush them in the pot with a potato masher. Add the salt.

Raise the heat to medium, and bring the pot to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, add the cilantro and cayenne, and simmer the sauce gently, stirring occasionally, until it reduces a bit and begins to thicken. Taste, and adjust the seasoning as necessary. Add the chickpeas, stirring well, and cook over low heat for about fifteen minutes. Taste, and adjust the seasoning as necessary.

Stir in yogurt or garnish with lemon wedges and cilantro. Serve.

Red Split Lentils With Cabbage (Masoor dal aur band gobi)
200 grams (1 1/4 cups) red split lentils, picked over, washed and drained
1 litre water
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
5 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 to 4 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
1 medium onion, peeled and cut into fine slices
225 grams (1/2 pound) cored and finely shredded cabbage
1 to 2 fresh, hot green chilies, finely sliced
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 medium tomato, peeled and finely chopped, or 1 small can diced tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon peeled, finely grated fresh ginger

Put the lentils and water into a heavy pot and bring to a boil. Remove any scum that collects at the top. Add the turmeric and stir to mix. Cover, leaving the lid very slightly ajar, turn heat down to low, and simmer gently for 1 1/4 hours. Stir a few times during the last 30 minutes.

When the lentils cook, heat the oil in a 20 to 23 centimeter (8 to 9 inch) frying pan over medium heat. When hot, put in the cumin seeds. Let them sizzle for 3 to 4 seconds. Now put in the garlic. As soon as the garlic pieces begin to brown, put in the onion, cabbage and green chilies. Stir and fry the cabbage mixture for about 10 minutes or until it begins to brown and turn slightly crisp. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon of the salt. Turn off the heat under the frying pan.

When the lentils have cooked for 1 1/4 hours, add the remaining 1 1/4 teaspoon salt, the tomato and ginger to the pot. Stir to mix. Cover and cook another 10 minutes. Add the cabbage mixture and any remaining oil in the frying pan. Stir to mix and bring to a simmer.

Simmer uncovered for 2 to 3 minutes or until the cabbage is heated through.

Tangy Shredded Cabbage Salad
2 cups tightly packed, shredded green cabbage (use the large holes of the grater)
1 small serrano chile or jalapeno, seeded and minced
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, or more as needed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon canola oil
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds

In a medium bowl, toss together the cabbage, chile, lemon juice, salt and sugar. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

Heat the oil in a small skillet or butter warmer over high heat. When the oil begins to smoke, add the mustard seeds, covering the pan with a lid or splatter screen. When seeds stop popping, immediately pour the oil over the cabbage salad and toss well. Let the salad sit for at least 15 minutes before serving, to allow the flavors to blossom.

Serve cold or at room temperature.