Coming Up

It’s time for an upcoming event update!

The winter Clark College class schedule is out. I’ll be teaching Éclairs, Cream Puffs & Choux Pastries next Saturday.

If you ever wanted to make these ethereal pastries, you simply must join me in the kitchen for this in-depth hands-on class. Only a couple of seats remain, so sign up now!

Then I’ll be doing a photography showing and book signing at the Portland West Elm on Saturday, February 21 from 1PM to 4PM.

At 12:15PM PT on Sunday, April 19 and again at 12:15PM PT on Sunday, June 7 I’ll be a guest on Flavors radio show. By the way, if you missed my last appearance back in December you can hear it here (listen at the nineteen minute mark). The topic of conversation always seems to turn to my cookbooks, which of course is perfect for me!

Please mark your calendars and join me for the foodie fun!

Absence

It’s been too long since my last post. Though the pull of blogging is very strong, sometimes other things have to come first. I knew I would be away for a couple of weeks for a vacation to Italy, but what I didn’t plan on was having to take additional time to grieve the loss of my best friend. We had to say goodbye to our beloved German shorthaired pointer Julia the day after we returned from our trip. She had a large tumor hidden in her chest beside her heart. She was only twelve, and we had her since she was just seven weeks old. For a while I couldn’t cook—everything was too salty, seasoned with tears.

RIP Julia.

Thankfully, things have been looking up again. I accepted a new teaching position, and I’ve been loving every minute of it. Of course adjusting to a new job was just another thing keeping me away from this space. But now I’m beginning to feel inspired and ready to get back to writing about my adventures in food again.

So stay tuned. I have posts about fooding in Italy planned and new pasta recipes to share. I also have some new baking and pastry recipes in the works that I’m certain you’ll enjoy.

Speaking of recipes, the fall issue of Cooking Club magazine is out. Check out the "Weeknight Cook" column (on page 54) for Creamy Stovetop Mac and Cheese with Cauliflower, Spicy Szechuan Pork Chow Mein, Southwestern Patty Melts, Thai Shrimp and Rice Noodle Soup, and Braised Chicken with Lemon and Olives recipes by yours truly.

And now for a quick cooking class update. The fall Clark College class schedule is out. Seafood Primer was an overwhelming success and Classic Deli Soups is coming up soon. Please join me in the kitchen!

Also, please tune into Flavors radio show at noon PT on Sunday, December 21 to hear hosts Greg and Marleen chat with me about Marinades.

Current event listings can always be found in the Cooking Classes, Book Signings & Appearances sidebar on the right.

I’d like to leave you with an idea for cooking with fall wild mushrooms. Hubby and I went mushroom hunting last weekend. It was a bittersweet experience—bitter because exploring the woods was one of Julia’s favorite things to do and we missed her terribly, sweet because we hit the jackpot. We found loads of chanterelles.

And lobster mushrooms.

If you are like us and have more chanterelles and lobster mushrooms than you know what to do with, try sautéing them and folding them into some fettuccini with Alfredo Sauce. It’s luxurious yet easy, and it really allows the shrooms to be the star.

Uzbek Lamb Kebabs and Marinades Updates

This is Uzbek lamb kebab. Those of us from Uzbekistan know it as Shashlik and consider it to be a great delicacy. It’s a must for every special occasion and gathering of family and friends. My parents recently came to visit, and together we made a great big batch to share with you.

Traditionally, Shashlik is made of lamb and includes chunks of kurdyuk, or fat from the fat-tailed sheep, and it’s cooked on a long and narrow grill called a mangal. Skewers are placed right across the rim of the mangal, so there is no grill grate.

The Shashlik shown here is served with the traditional accompaniments of tandyr-baked flatbread called lepyoshki or non and thinly sliced onions seasoned with white vinegar, sugar, and salt. It’s plated on a vintage Uzbek platter depicting the design of the country’s famous ikat textiles. My parents brought the platter and a matching teapot and set of pijalas with us when we moved from Uzbekistan to the U.S. back in 1980. (Sadly, the teapot was broken several years ago.)

My family’s Shashlik recipe is precious to me because we left Uzbekistan when I was just a baby, and it’s one of the few things I have from my native country. It also happens to be the very first marinade I was ever exposed to. So of course I had to include it in my newest book Marinades. I’d like to give you a peek inside the book, so here’s the recipe exactly as it appears on pages 254 and 255.

When making Shashlik, choose a piece of lamb with a generous fat cap. Thread the marinated pieces of lamb onto skewers with the fat side out so that it can render and brown on the grill. And trust me when I say that the fat is the best part!

If you like this marinade, there are 199 more where that came from!

Speaking of my cookbook, don’t forget that Father’s Day is coming up and Marinades would make the perfect gift for Dad. Just in time for Father’s Day, I’ll be doing a tasting and book signing at Vancouver’s Butcher Boys from 11AM to 2PM this Saturday, June 14. Then on Friday, June 27, from 11AM to 1PM I’ll be offering up more samples and signatures at the Mill Plain Chuck’s Produce. If you want the complete Marinades immersion (pun intended!) join me for an amazing hands-on cooking class at Revival Market in Houston on Sunday, July 20 at 4PM. We have an amazing fiesta-style Tex-Mex menu planned, and no doubt you’ll leave class a master of marination!

In other event news, the summer Clark College class schedule is out. I'll be teaching Main Dish Summer Salads and Homemade Dressings. Please join me in the kitchen! Current event listings can always be found in the Cooking Classes, Book Signings & Appearances sidebar on the right.

So have you gotten your copy of Marinades yet? If not, consider that critics are saying it’s the perfect book for when time for cooking is short and calling it “exceptionally useful”, “inventive”, “like a spice rack on steroids”, “the ‘bible’ on the sauce that will bring your BBQ to the next level”, “delicious”, “for those who love to infuse flavor into their products”, “intriguing”, and full “of fresh ideas for creative marinating now”. And if that's not enough to convince you, NPR includes Marinades in this list of summer cookbooks that'll “make the good life even better”. While I’m listing media mentions, here are some of my marinade tips, here are more of my tips along with information on the health benefits of using marinades, and here’s the interview of yours truly from baker and food blogger Kimm Moore.

I truly hope you enjoyed having this Marinades update and glimpse of my most treasured recipe in my book. I'd love nothing more than for you to give this Shashlik a try. If you do, drop me a line, or better yet, come out to one of my book events and tell me how it goes!

Release Day!

Today’s the big day! It’s the official release day of my second cookbook. Flavored Butters is now out there for all the world to see and to cook from.

What a happy day! (And since just a few days ago I submitted the manuscript for my third cookbook, what a happy week!)

I hope this little book brings you tons of inspiration in the kitchen. Here’s a little sampling of what you’ll find inside the pages…

Caramelized Onion Butter for melting over a juicy steak—it’s sauce by the slice!

Shrimp Butter for anointing seafood bisque or making an outrageous seafood marinara.

Bed & Breakfast Butter for topping pancakes and waffles and biscuits.

And countless ideas for how to shape and serve flavored butters.

Want to know more? Check out this mention in Publishers Weekly. Better yet, let’s talk butter in person! I’m giving a Hands-On Flavored Butters cooking class at Clark College in Vancouver, Washington on Saturday, April 13. And I’ll be at the IACP Book and Blog Festival in San Francisco on Sunday, April 7 to sign books and at the Portland Williams-Sonoma on Sunday, May 5 for a demo and tasting. Please come join me!

Speaking of Clark College, the spring class schedule just came out. I’m also offering Hands-On Fresh Egg Pasta and Hands-On Galettes and Crostatas. Current class listings can always be found in the Cooking Classes, Book Signings & Appearances sidebar on the right.

Can't Wait till April!

The release of my new cookbook Flavored Butters is closing in fast—April 2 is the big day. I’m excited to announce that the book will have a newly redesigned cover. I want you to see it here first…

Pictured is the Bed & Breakfast Butter in peach and cherry. I’m not too shy to say that I’m thrilled with the new cover. I had a fantastic time shooting it, and I think the design team at Harvard Common Press did a tremendous job. Hopefully it makes people very hungry!

While I’m making announcements, the winter issue of Cooking Club magazine is out. Check out the "Weeknight Cook" column for a Turkey-Sage Meatball Soup with Orzo recipe (on page 49) by yours truly. Try it once, and this healthy and delicious soup is sure to become a staple in your home.

And finally, the winter Clark College class schedule just came out. I'll be teaching Hands On Italian Restaurant Chicken Favorites, Hands On Potato Gnocchi, and Soup Series: Hands On Chinese Favorites. Please join me in the kitchen! Current class listings can always be found in the Cooking Classes, Book Signings & Appearances sidebar on the right.

Varenye

Varenye is Russian for fruit preserves. Varenye differs from American-style fruit preserves in that it's syrupy rather that spreadable. Though it can be made from any kind of fruit, in my family varenye was just one flavor: sour cherry.

You can find decent quality varenye at most Russian stores, but homemade is best.

Luckily, at the very end of cherry season I happened to score some u-pick sour cherries with which to make it.

But before I get to the recipe, the fall issue of Cooking Club magazine is out! Check out the "Weeknight Cook" column (on page 46) for four recipes by yours truly. My Seared Sirloin Steaks with Horseradish Cream Sauce, Spicy Baked Catfish with Garlic Butter, Smothered Pork Chops with Onion Gravy, and Spiced Chicken Drumsticks with Blood Orange, Red Onion and Parsley Salad are simple and delicious, even if I do say so myself.

Also, the fall Clark College class schedule just came out. I'll be teaching Baked Custards, Seared to Perfection, and The Season for Soup. Please join me in the kitchen! Current class listings can always be found in the Cooking Classes, Book Signings & Appearances sidebar on the right.

Sour Cherry Varenye
Printable Recipe

1 pound sour cherries, pitted
12 ounces sugar

Toss together the cherries and sugar in a small saucepan and let macerate, stirring occasionally, for 20 to 30 minutes, or until soft and juicy. Stir in 4 ounces of water. Bring to a boil and simmer, stirring occasionally and skimming off any scum that rises to the surface, for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until thickened and slightly syrupy.

Makes about 1 ½ cups. Keeps for months tightly sealed in the refrigerator. For teatime in the Russian style, forgo the sugar and sweeten your hot tea with a spoonful of varenye.

Colorful Carrots and Other Exciting Things

Exciting things are happening around here. Exciting things like…

The summer issue of Cooking Club magazine just arrived! I'm super excited to see it because it contains four recipes by yours truly. If Asian Pork Tenderloin with Sriracha Dipping Sauce, Chicken Salad with Pine Nuts and Feta, Ratatouille Pasta, and Chipotle Macaroni Salad with Chicken and Corn sound good to you, then you've got to check out the "Weeknight Cook" column (on page 44). All of the recipes can be prepared in under half an hour, and they're absolutely delicious, even if I do say so myself.

Also, the summer Clark College class schedule just came out. I'll be teaching Fabulous Frozen Desserts and Seafood Primer. Please join me in the kitchen! Current class listings can always be found in the Cooking Classes, Book Signings & Appearances sidebar on the right.

Then there's the farmers market. After endless months of Pacific Northwest rain and gloom, the early season farmers market is as exciting as anything can be around here. Just have a look at what I discovered on a recent trip.

The most stunning carrots. Purple Haze, White Satin, Jet Black, and Creme de Lite carrots.

Every year, I look forward to this season and the abundance of local produce it brings with the greatest anticipation, and now it's finally here. Exciting and inspiring!

And there's even more exciting news coming. BIG news. News I hope to share very soon, so stay tuned!

Spicy Carrot Salad
Printable Recipe

1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
1 ½ teaspoons sugar
Generous pinch cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons canola oil
Kosher salt
4 large carrots, julienned

Whisk together the rice vinegar, garlic, sugar, cayenne, and oil in a small bowl. Toss together the carrots and dressing in a large bowl and season to taste with salt. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve immediately.

Serves 4 to 6 as a side dish.

Big News and Chocolate Therapy

You know when life is so crazy busy that the only thing keeping you going is a good dose of dark chocolate? Well, that's how my life has been lately. I've had too many irons in the fire. It's why I haven't been here in a more than a couple of weeks…

Happily, I'm back now. And I have something really important to share. You see, I've been keeping a secret from you, but now I can finally tell—I HAVE A NEW COOKBOOK IN THE WORKS!!! It's all about flavored butters, a subject I'm passionate about because I use flavored butters in place of sauces all the time. I began to write about them in my first book Seared to Perfection, and now I'm going to have a book dedicated to flavored butters! My kitchen has been a frenzy of buttery recipe testing. Compound butters. Brown Butters. Drawn butters. Butters, butters, and more butters! Every meal I've made, be it breakfast, lunch, or dinner, has been anointed with a melting slice of flavored butter. My manuscript, which includes over 50 recipes for sweet and savory butters, is done now, and I couldn't be more excited because my publisher Harvard Common Press has already accepted it (my editor may have used the words "love it" when he told me). And on top of all that, they're considering hiring me to do the photography for the book! Over the next days, my agenda is to photograph flavored butters in all their luscious glory so that I can present them with a couple of sample images good enough to win the job. Keep your fingers crossed for me because I want nothing more than to do the photography for my book myself.

And as if that wasn't enough to keep me frantically busy, I was asked to teach an introductory baking class at Mount Hood Community College. I took on the job even though I was given only half a week to prepare for the term. What can I say, I just can't pass up a teaching opportunity!

A couple of other announcements…In case you've been wondering about that new footer you see down there, I accepted an invitation from The Daily Meal to become a member of their culinary network. It's a very cool website for food-minded people, so it seemed like a perfect fit. Check out the From Culinary Content Network section to see my last post about Savoy cabbage from the farmers market featured. Also, I'd like to thank Sweetspot.ca for featuring my Tuna Salad Niçoise.

Anyway, it's time for another dose of chocolate therapy to keep me going.


And off to work on that butter photo shoot!

Mint Chocolate Bars
Printable Recipe

For the shortbread crust:
6 ounces (1 ½ sticks) cold unsalted butter, diced, plus more for greasing the baking dish
7 ounces all-purpose flour
¾ ounce cocoa powder
½ teaspoon kosher salt
3 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped or ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips
3 ounces sugar

For the chocolate layer:
3 ounces heavy cream
4 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped or scant 2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips
¼ teaspoon peppermint extract

Make the shortbread crust:
Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Butter an 8-inch square baking dish and line with parchment paper. Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Place the chocolate into a medium bowl, place the bowl over a medium pan of simmering water, and heat, stirring frequently, until melted. In a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat together the butter and sugar on medium until blended. Beat in the chocolate until thoroughly combined. Add the dry ingredients and mix on low until the dough comes together, stopping the mixer once or twice to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Transfer the dough to the baking dish and press into an even layer. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until firm. Let cool to room temperature.

Make the chocolate layer:
Bring the cream to a bare simmer in a small, heavy saucepan. Place the chocolate into a small bowl, add the hot cream and peppermint extract, and whisk until smooth. Pour the chocolate mixture over the shortbread and spread evenly. Let cool for a couple of hours, or until set.

To serve:
Using the parchment paper, lift the bars out of the pan and transfer them to a cutting board. Cut into portions and serve.

Makes 12 bars. For a professional-looking presentation, cut the bars using a hot knife and wipe it clean between cuts. Bars keep for several days in a tightly sealed container in a cool, dry place.

Have a Biscuit

This morning I had a little bit of time to spare, so I decided to bake biscuits. Want one?


But before you dig in, I have to mention that registration for spring Clark College classes just opened. Please join me in the kitchen! I'll be teaching Seafood Primer, Quiche, Sensational Salads for Spring, and Muffins & Scones II. Current class listings can always be found in the Cooking Classes, Book Signings & Appearances sidebar on the right.

Cheddar-Herb Biscuits
Printable Recipe

4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
2 tablespoons baking powder
2 tablespoons minced fresh chives
1 tablespoon minced Italian parsley
2 teaspoons nigella seeds
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Generous pinch cayenne pepper
8 ounces (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, shredded
8 ounces (2 cups) shredded sharp cheddar
1 ¾ cups buttermilk
1 tablespoon heavy cream
½ teaspoon paprika

Preheat the oven to 400˚F. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, chives, parsley, nigella, salt, and cayenne in a large bowl. Add the butter and, using a pastry cutter, cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Toss in the cheddar. Add the buttermilk to the flour mixture and stir until just combined. Transfer to a work surface and knead a few times until the dough just holds together. Lightly flour the work surface, pat the dough into a 1-inch thick circle, and cut using a 2 ½-inch round cutter. Arrange the biscuits a couple of inches apart on parchment-lined baking trays. Gather the scraps, knead once or twice, and roll, cut, and arrange on baking trays in the same manner. Lightly brush the biscuits with the cream and sprinkle with the paprika. Bake for 24 to 26 minutes, or until golden brown.

Makes about 2 dozen small biscuits. Work quickly and with a light touch to prevent the butter in the pastry from melting. Dip the cutter into a little flour between each cut to prevent the dough from sticking to it. Serve biscuits warm, possibly stuffed with a slice of good ham. Nigella, which can also be known as kalonji or charnushka, tastes very much like thyme and is available at Indian markets and at Penzeys Spices. Biscuits keep for a day or two in a tightly sealed container in a cool, dry place.

Lasagna Love

My pasta kick continues. There's no doubt that making Lasagna Bolognese from scratch is a labor of love, but all the time and effort results in nothing less than a small miracle.


Trust me when I say people will bow down to you in thanks and admiration.

Want to work culinary wonders of your own? Join me in the kitchen to learn how! Registration for fall Clark College classes just opened. I'll be teaching Money Saving Bulk Aisle Cooking, Chocolate Desserts, Island Dreaming, and Potato Gnocchi, and I hope you can come. Current class listings can always be found in the Cooking Classes, Book Signings & Appearances sidebar on the right.

Lasagna Bolognese
Printable Recipe

2 ounces (½ stick) unsalted butter, diced, plus more for greasing the baking dish
2 ounces all-purpose flour
1 quart milk
½ small yellow onion
1 bay leaf
1 clove
Generous pinch freshly grated nutmeg
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 recipe Fresh Egg Pasta lasagna
6 cups Ragu Bolognese
6 ounces grated Parmegiano-Reggiano

Heat the butter in a small, heavy saucepan over medium heat until it melts, bubbles, and the foam subsides. Add the flour and cook, whisking constantly, for 2 to 3 minutes, or until it begins to smell toasty. Whisk in the milk. Bring to a boil, whisking constantly, add the onion, bay leaf, clove, and nutmeg, and simmer for 20 to 22 minutes, or until thick. Remove from the heat, strain through a fine mesh sieve, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Let cool.

Cook the lasagna in 5 or 6 batches in a large pot of boiling, salted water for 1 to 2 minutes, or until it begins to soften. When the lasagna begins to soften, using a wire skimmer, transfer it from the pot to a large bowl of ice-cold water to stop the cooking process, and then drain it thoroughly. Layer the lasagna between clean kitchen towels to dry.

Preheat the oven to 375˚F. Butter a deep 9×13-inch baking dish. Spread ¾ cup of the ragu in the bottom of the baking dish. Arrange a single layer of lasagna in the dish, spread evenly with ½ cup of the white sauce and then a heaping ¾ cup of the ragu, and sprinkle evenly with ¼ cup of the Parmegiano. Make more layers with the remaining lasagna, white sauce, ragu, and Parmegiano in the same manner, finishing on a layer of Parmegiano. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbling around the edges. Cover with foil to keep warm and allow to rest 20 to 25 minutes before serving.

Serves 8. The lasagna should be boiled until it begins to soften but not until it is al dente. Undercooking the pasta in this way ensures that it doesn't become too mushy once it's baked.

Flooded with Figs

The little fig tree in our garden is loaded with maturing fruit. Any day now we're gonna have more ripe figs than we know what to do with. There are way too many for just two people to eat, so I fixed some to share with you, dear reader.


They're stuffed with Brie, wrapped with prosciutto, grilled, and drizzled with balsamic vinegar and honey. Enjoy!

Though figs certainly mean summertime, it's already fall in my head. That's because registration for fall Clark College classes just opened. I hope you can join me in the kitchen for Make Fresh Pasta at Home!, Love in a Bowl: Delectable Soups, Pâte à Choux: Easy & Heavenly, and Quick Breads: Muffins & Scones. And would you believe I've already submitted class proposals for the winter quarter?! Such is the life of cooking instructors and recipe developers—we're always thinking a couple of seasons ahead.

Grilled Figs with Brie & Prosciutto
Printable Recipe

8 figs
1 ounce Brie, cut into 8 equal pieces
4 thin slices prosciutto, cut in half lengthwise
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon honey, preferably orange blossom honey
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, preferably Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena

Heat the grill to high. Cut a deep slit into the stem end of each fig, almost but not quite cutting them in half lengthwise. Stuff each one with a piece of the Brie. Wrap a piece of the prosciutto around each fig. Thread the figs onto skewers and drizzle with the olive oil. Add the skewers to the grill and cook without disturbing for 2 to 3 minutes, or until they release from the grate and the prosciutto is crusty and brown. Using tongs, turn the skewers and continue to cook over high heat another 1 to 2 minutes, or until the Brie is melted. Drizzle the figs with the honey and balsamic vinegar and serve immediately.

Makes 8 hors d'oeuvres, serving 4. Choose figs that are ripe but not too soft for this recipe. Vary the dish by using blue cheese or goat cheese (any variety from fresh chèvre to aged Le Chevrot to the Brie-like Florette) in place of the Brie.

Three Year Blogiversary

This month marks the third blogiversary of Hungry Cravings. I can hardly believe it's been that long. Trust me when I say I'm as motivated as ever to share my foodie adventures with you, dear reader, despite the fact that time has been in short supply. I look forward to reporting on my kitchen exploits whenever I find a few minutes to spare.

For the last three months, I have been training a new class of culinary students. I've already covered history of the foodservice industry, food safety and sanitation, nutrition, starch cookery, and stocks and sauces with them. Last week we focused on white stock, brown stock, mother sauces (including every culinary student's favorite, the arm-cramping hollandaise), demi-glace, beurre blanc, and consommé.

When I'm not extolling the virtues of classical French cuisine to my class of budding professional cooks, I'm doing freelance recipe development and continuing my work with the wonderful home cooks at Clark College. And speaking of Clark College, the summer class schedule just came out. I'm excited to offer Hands-On Fresh Pasta, A New Kind of Pie: Galettes and Crostatas, and How to Pack the Perfect Picnic Basket—I hope you can join me for a class.

To celebrate three whole years and 212 recipes (but who's counting?!) of blogging, can I offer you some Chocolate Mousse?


Chocolate Mousse
Printable Recipe

8 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped or 1 ¼ cups semisweet chocolate chips
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 room temperature large eggs, separated
2 tablespoons sugar
¾ cup heavy cream

Combine the chocolate and butter in a large bowl, place the bowl over a small pan of simmering water, and heat, stirring frequently, until melted. Whisk in the salt, vanilla, and egg yolks. In a mixer fitted with a whip attachment, whip the egg whites on medium to soft peaks. With the motor running on high, gradually add the sugar. Continue to whip on high to stiff peaks. Stir 1/3 of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture, then fold in the remaining egg whites. Whip the cream to soft peaks. Fold the cream into the chocolate mixture. Divide the mixture among 8 dessert cups. Refrigerate for about an hour, or until set.

Serves 8. Serve topped with lightly sweetened whipped cream.

Chocolate Chiffon Cake

Need I say more? Probably not, but what the heck…

It calls for ingredients you probably already have on hand. It's an excuse to get out that dusty angel food cake pan. It's a cinch to whip up. It's as light as a cloud. It's pretty guilt free as far as cake goes. Oh, and did I mention it's cake?

Bake it. You know you want to.

But before I get to the recipe, a few announcements…

Check out Cooking Mistake 4: Being Afraid of Heat (on page 62) of "10 Common Cooking Mistakes…And How to Avoid Them" in the April/May issue of Clean Eating magazine for a quote from yours truly.

And if you just can't get enough of me *ahem* watch me talk about healthy cooking and Seared to Perfection in this ALX Fitness video.

Finally, registration for spring Clark College cooking classes opened recently, and there's still time to sign up for my French Bistro Favorites, Seafood Primer: Baking & Sautéing, and Seafood Primer: Searing & Frying classes. Current class listings can always be found in the Cooking Classes, Book Signings & Appearances sidebar on the right.

Chocolate Chiffon Cake
Printable Recipe

1 1/3 cups cake flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
10 room temperature large eggs, separated
1 cup water
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
Powdered sugar, for dusting

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Sift the flour, cocoa powder, ½ cup of the sugar, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl. In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, water, oil, and vanilla. Add the yolk mixture to the cocoa mixture and whisk until smooth.

In a mixer fitted with a whip attachment, whip the egg whites on medium until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and whip to soft peaks. With the motor running on high, gradually add the remaining ½ cup of sugar. Continue to whip on high to stiff peaks. Stir 1/3 of the egg whites into the cocoa mixture, then fold in the remaining egg whites. Transfer to an ungreased 10-inch loose-bottom tube pan and run a skewer through the batter to eliminate air pockets. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until the center of the cake springs back when pressed and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Invert the pan and let the cake cool in the pan to room temperature. Run a paring knife around the inside of the cake pan and remove the sides of the pan from the cake. Run the knife around the center tube and the base of the pan and remove the base from the cake. Transfer the cake to a cake plate and dust with plenty of powdered sugar. Cut into portions and serve.

Makes 1 10-inch cake, serving 8 to 10. Tube pans are often referred to as angel food cake pans. If you happen to have one that's smaller than what's specified here, go ahead and use it but only fill it ¾ full. You can bake any excess batter in a muffin pan lined with paper liners. A hot-out-of-the-oven chiffon cake is extremely delicate and will collapse under its own weight, so it must be cooled upside down in its pan. Some tube pans feature feet on the rim to allow for easy inversion and room for air to circulate all around the cake as it cools. A tube pan without feet can be inverted over the top of a narrow-necked bottle. Cake keeps well and stays moist for several days tightly sealed at room temperature.

Wonton Soup

Last weekend I taught a cooking class at Clark College entitled Soup Series: Chinese Favorites, and the Wonton Soup was a big hit. Students enjoyed learning how to fold wontons so much that I just had to share the lesson with you too.

But first, a little bragging…The Steaks with Chipotle Cream Sauce recipe from Seared to Perfection was featured in The Washington Post! And cooking classes are spotlighted in the latest issue of Clark College Connections, with a couple of quotes from, and pics of, yours truly (see pages 94 to 95).

Wonton Soup
Printable Recipe

4 quarts chicken broth
2 cloves garlic, crushed, plus 2 cloves, minced
3 ¼-inch slices ginger, plus ½ teaspoon grated
3 tablespoons soy sauce
½ pound ground pork
¼ pound shrimp, peeled, deveined, and minced
3 tablespoons sliced green onions
1 tablespoon cornstarch
½ teaspoon sugar
¼ teaspoon dark sesame oil
Freshly ground white pepper
About 45 wonton wrappers
1 large head napa cabbage (about 1 ½ pounds), cut into 1-inch strips
Kosher salt

Combine the broth, crushed garlic, sliced ginger, and 2 tablespoons of the soy sauce in a large, heavy pot. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 45 minutes, or until fragrant.

Meanwhile, mix together the ground pork, shrimp, minced garlic, grated ginger, green onions, 2 teaspoons of the cornstarch, sugar, sesame oil, a generous pinch of white pepper, and remaining 1 tablespoon of soy sauce in a large bowl.

Whisk together the remaining 1 teaspoon of cornstarch and 1 tablespoon of water in a small bowl. Place 1 teaspoon of the pork mixture in the center of a wonton wrapper.


Using a fingertip, lightly moisten the edges of the wrapper with the cornstarch mixture. Fold the wrapper in half over the filling, forming a triangle, and eliminating any air pockets, firmly pinch the edges together to seal.


Lightly moisten the corners of the wrapper along the long side of the triangle with the cornstarch mixture. Fold the two corners together.


And firmly pinch to seal.


Make more wontons with the remaining wrappers and filling in the same manner. As you work, arrange the wontons in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking tray.

Discard the garlic and ginger from the broth. Add the cabbage, bring to a boil, and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes, or until tender. Add the wontons and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, for another 3 to 4 minutes, or until just cooked through. Season to taste with salt and white pepper. Ladle into individual bowls and serve immediately.

Serves 6 as a main course. Keep the wrappers and wontons covered with plastic wrap as you work so that they don't dry out. Avoid getting any filling on the edges of the wonton wrappers, or they won't seal. Uncooked wontons may be frozen in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking tray and transferred to a zip-top bag when frozen solid. Wontons keep for several weeks frozen. Add them to simmering broth while still frozen—there's no need to thaw them, just increase their cooking time by a couple of minutes.

Peppercorns on the Vine and Steak au Poivre

And cue the impulse buy.


A rare and intriguing ingredient that I've never experimented with before can always get me to part with a few dollars without a second thought. This time it was a jar of intensely fragrant peppercorns on the vine.


Inspiration came even before I could put the peppercorns into the shopping basket, and I knew the perfect thing to make with them: the Steak au Poivre with Red Wine Sauce recipe from Seared to Perfection.

Just a couple of things before I get to the recipe…

Here's my interview on Savor Portland, in case you missed it. We chatted about everything from the release of my book to government cheese—good fun. The day after that appearance, Seared to Perfection was written up in the Winston-Salem Journal.

Also, registration for winter Clark College cooking classes is now open. I'm very excited to offer Spanish Paella Supper, Hands-On Fresh Pasta, Hands-On Asian Appetizers, Valentine's Seared to Perfection II, and Real Texas Chili classes and hope you can join me in the kitchen! Current class listings can always be found in the Cooking Classes, Book Signings & Appearances sidebar on the right.

And without further ado, may I present a glimpse of what's inside the pages of my book…


Steak au Poivre with Red Wine Sauce
Printable Recipe

4 1 to 1 ¼-inch thick rib-eye or strip steaks, weighing about 12 ounces each
Kosher salt
2 tablespoons freshly cracked black peppercorns
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 shallot, minced
½ cup red wine
½ cup beef broth
2 sprigs fresh thyme
2 to 3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, diced

Season the steaks generously with salt and set aside at room temperature for about half an hour.

Coat the steaks with the pepper, pressing it gently into the meat. Heat a large, heavy sauté pan over high heat until very hot but not smoking. Add the oil and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan. Add the steaks and cook without disturbing for 4 to 5 minutes, or until they release from the pan and are crusty and brown. Using tongs, turn the steaks and continue to cook over high heat another 2 to 3 minutes, or until the desired doneness. Moisture will just begin to accumulate on the surface of the steaks when they are medium-rare. Remove the steaks to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm.

Reduce the heat to medium, add the shallot to the pan, and sauté for 30 seconds, or until translucent and fragrant. Add the wine and simmer for a minute or so, scraping up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan with a heat-proof spatula. Add the broth and thyme and simmer another 5 to 6 minutes, or until thickened and saucy. Remove the pan from the heat, discard the thyme, and let cool for a minute or two. Whisk in the butter quickly, stir in any accumulated juices from the steaks, and season to taste with salt.

Arrange the steaks on individual plates, divide the sauce among them, and serve immediately.

Serves 4. No bistro menu would be complete without steak au poivre, the classic French dish of tender steak encrusted with crushed black peppercorns. Although the recipe calls for what seems like an enormous amount of pepper, high heat works an amazing transformation on the pungent spice—the peppercorns become toasted and mellow. For this dish, the peppercorns should be coarsely crushed, not ground to a powder. Crack whole black peppercorns with a spice mill or in a mortar and pestle. Alternatively, place them in a zip-top bag and tap them with a rolling pin or the bottom of a small frying pan.

Announcements

Now that Seared to Perfection: The Simple Art of Sealing in Flavor is out, it's time for me to begin *buy* shamelessly *buy* plugging *buy* my book!


So check this out: Seared to Perfection is reviewed on NorthWest Stir and featured in the charming fourth webisode of Recipe Runway (watch at the six minute mark).

Also, mark your calendars for these upcoming book events with yours truly. Please do come out and say hello—I'd love to meet you!

· Searing Pastured Meats cooking class at Salt Fire & Time Community Supported Kitchen in Portland, Oregon at 6:30PM on Wednesday, October 13. A signed copy of my cookbook is included in the price of the class.

· Seared to Perfection cooking class at Clark College in Vancouver, Washington at 6PM on Wednesday, October 20. I guarantee you'll learn to sear like a chef! The menu includes: Steak au Poivre with Red Wine Sauce, Salmon Fillets with Garlic-Dill Butter, Cauliflower with Capers and Parsley, and Pineapple with Vanilla Ice Cream & Coconut-Caramel Sauce. Only a few seats remain, so sign up soon.

· Interview on WNPR's The Faith Middleton Show at 3PM EST on Thursday, October 21. Click to listen live.

· Community Feast & Book Signing at Salt Fire & Time Community Supported Kitchen in Portland, Oregon at 7PM on Friday, October 22. With a menu inspired by my cookbook.

· Interview on PDX.FM's Savor Portland webcast at 4PM PST on Tuesday, October 26. Click to listen live.

· Book signing at Einmaleins in Olympia, Washington from 5PM to 9PM on Friday, November 5. Einmaleins is a very cool independently owned cookware shop featuring modern European design, and this book signing is a part of First Friday festivities.

And more stuff is in the works, so stay tuned. A list of my upcoming cooking classes, book signings, and appearances can always be found in the sidebar on the right.

When Simplicity Is Best

One last asparagus dish before asparagus season is a thing of the past. This vegetable is a favorite in our house, and we seem to prefer it simply prepared. Fresh asparagus tossed with olive oil and a sprinkling of salt and pepper and grilled until the tips become crisp. Juicy spears blanched until tender-crisp and tossed with butter. A perfect vegetable doesn't need much help to shine.

On another note, if you haven't already heard, I've entered Anthony Bourdain's Medium Raw Challenge. Please check out my meditation on the meaning of cooking well and then vote for me to win!


If you're crazy about my essay, you can even vote daily. The winning essay will be published in the paperback edition of Medium Raw. To those of you who've already been voting, I owe you a big thank you with sugar on top!

One more thing, registration for fall Clark College cooking classes is now open. I'll be teaching Sensational Salads for Fall, Seared to Perfection, Soup Series: Chinese Favorites, and Soup Series: Deli Favorites. If you're in the Vancouver, Washington area, please join me. Classes are fun, educational, and you get to eat some pretty fantastic grub! And don't forget, you can always find my current class listings in the Lucy's Upcoming Cooking Classes sidebar on the right.

Asparagus with Parmegiano Butter*
Printable Recipe

2 tablespoons (¼ stick) salted butter, softened
2 tablespoons grated Parmegiano-Reggiano
1 clove garlic, grated
Freshly ground black pepper
1 pound asparagus, trimmed of woody ends
Kosher salt

Blend together the butter, Parmegiano, and garlic in a small bowl. Season to taste with pepper.

Blanch the asparagus in a large pot of boiling, salted water for 3 to 4 minutes, or until tender (but do not shock). Using tongs, transfer the asparagus to a paper towel-lined plate and drain for about a minute. Toss together the asparagus and Parmegiano butter in a large bowl. Transfer to a serving platter and serve immediately.

Serves 2 to 4. The Parmegiano must be finely grated, preferably with a microplane, so that it adheres nicely to the asparagus. Top each portion with a sunny-side-up egg for a wonderful brunch.


*For information on making and using compound butters, including a variety of compound butter recipes, and everything you ever wanted to know about searing, plus dozens of fabulous searing recipes, look for my book Seared to Perfection in stores in October.

A Taste of a Cooking Class

For those of you who’ve never been to one of my cooking classes, I just thought I’d give you a little taste…In a recent class entitled Hands-On Galettes and Crostatas I taught at Clark College, students learned to make these beauties.


I have a variety of fun and inspiring classes scheduled, and I hope to see you at one soon! Check out the Upcoming Cooking Classes sidebar on the right for class listings.

Butternut Squash & Roasted Garlic Crostata with Parmesan-Herb Cornmeal Crust
Printable Recipe

2 heads garlic
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
1 3 ¼ to 3 ½-pound butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into ¾-inch cubes
Freshly ground black pepper
1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
¼ cup cornmeal
½ cup grated Parmegiano-Reggiano
1 tablespoon minced fresh chives
2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
12 tablespoons (1 ½ sticks) cold unsalted butter, shredded
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons, or more, cold water

Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Cut the stem ends off the heads of garlic to expose the cloves within. Place the garlic in the center of a piece of aluminum foil, drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the oil, sprinkle with kosher salt, and seal the foil tightly. Roast for 40 to 45 minutes, or until meltingly tender and golden brown. Let cool to room temperature, peel, and mince to a paste, reserving the garlic oil for another use.

Toss together the butternut squash and the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in a large bowl. Spread on a baking tray and roast for about 45 to 50 minutes, or until tender. Let cool to room temperature and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Combine the flour, cornmeal, ¼ cup of the Parmegiano, chives, and thyme in a food processor and pulse a few times to combine. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the water and pulse until the dough just comes together. Test the dough by squeezing a small amount together with your fingertips. If the dough holds together, it’s ready. If it’s crumbly, add up to 1 more tablespoon of water and pulse 2 more times. Transfer the dough to a work surface, bring together into a ball, and then flatten into a disc. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 20 minutes.

Increase the oven temperature to 425˚F. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough to a 14-inch wide, ¼-inch thick circle. Roll the dough up on the rolling pin and transfer it to a parchment-lined baking tray. Refrigerate for about 10 minutes.

Spread the roasted garlic evenly in the center of the dough circle, leaving a 2-inch border at the edge, and mound the squash on it. Fold the edge of the dough over the squash, pleating it as you go. Refrigerate for another 10 minutes.

Sprinkle the crostata with the remaining ¼ cup Parmegiano. Bake for 28 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown. Let cool slightly, cut into portions, and serve.

Makes 1 large crostata, serving 6 as a vegetarian main course. Perfect in the fall and winter, when butternut squash is abundant.

Preserving Class

Our garden produces more than we know what to do with, and I always wanted to learn how to can and preserve the excess. I envisioned a pantry packed with homemade jams, jellies, pickles, tomato sauce, and salsa. But so far, all I’ve managed in two years was to cook and can a single batch of pepper jelly. It took me a while to muster the courage to do it, too, and the help of a friend with a bit of canning experience.

Canning always seemed like a tricky and mysterious business to me. Fears of invisible bugs and the food police were enough to dissuade me. I just wasn’t bold enough to try it without the guidance of an expert.

So yesterday I attended a day-long class at the Preserve. The “classroom” was nestled in a lush edible garden.


Our instructors were perfect opposites. One was an animated storyteller and comedian.


“When local and seasonal becomes something fancy, you know we went somewhere weird,” she did not hesitate to share her opinions. The other relied on recipe booklets and a flipchart.


She was the consummate home economist. Quite the pair, they had us giggling all day long. We learned the basics of jam making, pickling, and canning fruits and tomatoes. They demonstrated a batch of lemon verbena-infused strawberry-raspberry jam with homemade apple pectin and currant pectin, canned raw-packed apricots, canned plum tomatoes, and sauerkraut. They made it seem so easy.

I was just disappointed to learn that I can’t can my homemade salsas with a water bath canner. Either I have to follow a tested recipe in a book (yeah, right) or use a pressure canner. I wonder if they offer a class on pressure canning?

Today I bought four cases of canning jars. This weekend I think I’ll harvest our black currants and make the French uncooked jelly recipe. Turns out canning is pretty simple, I don’t know what I was so afraid of.