I’m pleased to announce that Hungry Cravings has been selected by The Kitchn as a finalist for The Homies: Best Home Cooking Blog of 2008! Please vote for Hungry Cravings here, and thanks for your support!
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
The Homies
Thank you, thank you. It really is an honor just to be nominated…
I’m pleased to announce that Hungry Cravings has been selected by The Kitchn as a finalist for The Homies: Best Home Cooking Blog of 2008! Please vote for Hungry Cravings here, and thanks for your support!
I’m pleased to announce that Hungry Cravings has been selected by The Kitchn as a finalist for The Homies: Best Home Cooking Blog of 2008! Please vote for Hungry Cravings here, and thanks for your support!
Monday, December 29, 2008
Shallot, Minced
A colleague of mine once declared, “If I could, I would marry a shallot.” While I’m already spoken for, I, too, have a deep love of shallots. These alluring alliums are sweeter and less pungent than their larger onion cousins, and their gentle oniony flavor can enhance a variety of dishes. Raw minced shallots enliven vinaigrettes. Minced shallots sautéed in butter add depth of flavor to sauces, make a marvelous steak topping, and pair beautifully with sautéed mushrooms. One minced shallot can go a long way.
So how do you mince these small and irregularly shaped bulbs? Well, you could mince your shallot by randomly running your knife through it, but that seems to make the flavor more harsh…There must be a better way…
To mince a shallot, use a very sharp chef’s knife or paring knife, whichever you’re more comfortable with. Start by trimming the root.
(Don’t actually cut off the root end, just trim it to keep the little rootlets from getting mixed in with the rest of the shallot later. Also, the root end of the shallot will act as a little handle, keeping the shallot together and making it easier to hold onto as you cut it, especially as you reach the end.) Cut off the stem end.
Peel the shallot.
Place the shallot stem end down, and cut it in half.
Working with one half at a time, position the shallot near the edge of your cutting board (so that your knuckles don’t hit the board as you work) with the cut side down and the stem end facing your knife. Make a series of horizontal cuts parallel to the cutting board.
But don’t cut all the way through.
And be careful to keep your fingers out of the way of the blade.
Reposition the shallot in the center of your cutting board with the stem end facing the tip of your knife and make a series of vertical cuts parallel to the plane from the root end to the stem end of the shallot.
Again, don’t cut all the way through the root end.
Finally, reposition the shallot in the center of your cutting board with the stem end facing your knife and make a series of cuts at a 90-degree angle to the other cuts, as if you were just slicing the shallot.
When you reach the root end, discard it.
Shallots minced in this manner are relatively consistent, which means they will cook very evenly.
Some cooks like to switch the order of the first and second series of cuts, making the cuts from the root to the stem of the shallot first and then making the cuts parallel to the board. But since the most precarious part of dicing a shallot is cutting horizontally, it really is easiest to do that first, while the shallot half is still intact.
The distance between cuts determines the size of the mince. For a fine mince, make the cuts closer together, and conversely, for a larger mince, make the cuts farther apart.
If this looks familiar, that’s because this very same technique, but of course on a larger scale, is used for dicing and chopping onions.
So how do you mince these small and irregularly shaped bulbs? Well, you could mince your shallot by randomly running your knife through it, but that seems to make the flavor more harsh…There must be a better way…
To mince a shallot, use a very sharp chef’s knife or paring knife, whichever you’re more comfortable with. Start by trimming the root.
(Don’t actually cut off the root end, just trim it to keep the little rootlets from getting mixed in with the rest of the shallot later. Also, the root end of the shallot will act as a little handle, keeping the shallot together and making it easier to hold onto as you cut it, especially as you reach the end.) Cut off the stem end.
Peel the shallot.
Place the shallot stem end down, and cut it in half.
Working with one half at a time, position the shallot near the edge of your cutting board (so that your knuckles don’t hit the board as you work) with the cut side down and the stem end facing your knife. Make a series of horizontal cuts parallel to the cutting board.
But don’t cut all the way through.
And be careful to keep your fingers out of the way of the blade.
Reposition the shallot in the center of your cutting board with the stem end facing the tip of your knife and make a series of vertical cuts parallel to the plane from the root end to the stem end of the shallot.
Again, don’t cut all the way through the root end.
Finally, reposition the shallot in the center of your cutting board with the stem end facing your knife and make a series of cuts at a 90-degree angle to the other cuts, as if you were just slicing the shallot.
When you reach the root end, discard it.
Shallots minced in this manner are relatively consistent, which means they will cook very evenly.
Some cooks like to switch the order of the first and second series of cuts, making the cuts from the root to the stem of the shallot first and then making the cuts parallel to the board. But since the most precarious part of dicing a shallot is cutting horizontally, it really is easiest to do that first, while the shallot half is still intact.
The distance between cuts determines the size of the mince. For a fine mince, make the cuts closer together, and conversely, for a larger mince, make the cuts farther apart.
If this looks familiar, that’s because this very same technique, but of course on a larger scale, is used for dicing and chopping onions.
Friday, December 26, 2008
Southwestern Flavor
I love the food of the American Southwest, and even if a dish isn’t Southwestern, I can make it taste like it is. Because everything tastes better with chiles. And chorizo.
Split Pea & Chorizo Soup
Printable Recipe
3 tablespoons canola oil
½ pound bulk Mexican chorizo, crumbled
1 large yellow onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 carrot, diced
3 to 4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon pure chile powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon Mexican oregano
Generous pinch cayenne pepper
½ cup beer, preferably a Mexican ale
3 quarts chicken broth
1 4-ounce can diced green chiles
2 ½ cups split peas, picked over
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Heat a large, heavy pot over medium-high heat until very hot but not smoking. Add the oil and swirl to coat the bottom of the pot. Add the chorizo and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, tossing about 2 times, until crusty and brown in spots.*
Reduce the heat to medium, add the onion, and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes, or until soft. Add the celery and carrot and sauté for another 3 to 4 minutes, or until soft. Add the garlic, chile powder, cumin, Mexican oregano, and cayenne and sauté 1 to 2 minutes more, or until fragrant. Add the beer 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, green chiles, split peas, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 2 hours, or until the split peas fall apart. Remove from the heat, discard the bay leaf, and skim off any fat from the surface of the soup. Stir in the lime juice and season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls and serve immediately.
Serves 6 as a main course. If you can’t find bulk chorizo sausage, get some links of chorizo and remove the casings. Dried Mexican oregano, which has a unique floral character, can be found at some gourmet grocers and (usually for less than a dollar) at any Mexican market. If you can’t find it, just omit it from the recipe; don’t substitute common oregano.
*Searing the chorizo in this manner adds tons of flavor to the finished dish. For everything you ever wanted to know about searing, plus dozens of fabulous searing recipes, look for my book Seared to Perfection in stores in the fall of 2010.
Split Pea & Chorizo Soup
Printable Recipe
3 tablespoons canola oil
½ pound bulk Mexican chorizo, crumbled
1 large yellow onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 carrot, diced
3 to 4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon pure chile powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon Mexican oregano
Generous pinch cayenne pepper
½ cup beer, preferably a Mexican ale
3 quarts chicken broth
1 4-ounce can diced green chiles
2 ½ cups split peas, picked over
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Heat a large, heavy pot over medium-high heat until very hot but not smoking. Add the oil and swirl to coat the bottom of the pot. Add the chorizo and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, tossing about 2 times, until crusty and brown in spots.*
Reduce the heat to medium, add the onion, and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes, or until soft. Add the celery and carrot and sauté for another 3 to 4 minutes, or until soft. Add the garlic, chile powder, cumin, Mexican oregano, and cayenne and sauté 1 to 2 minutes more, or until fragrant. Add the beer 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, green chiles, split peas, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 2 hours, or until the split peas fall apart. Remove from the heat, discard the bay leaf, and skim off any fat from the surface of the soup. Stir in the lime juice and season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls and serve immediately.
Serves 6 as a main course. If you can’t find bulk chorizo sausage, get some links of chorizo and remove the casings. Dried Mexican oregano, which has a unique floral character, can be found at some gourmet grocers and (usually for less than a dollar) at any Mexican market. If you can’t find it, just omit it from the recipe; don’t substitute common oregano.
*Searing the chorizo in this manner adds tons of flavor to the finished dish. For everything you ever wanted to know about searing, plus dozens of fabulous searing recipes, look for my book Seared to Perfection in stores in the fall of 2010.
Monday, December 22, 2008
Always Cake
When I first started dating my husband, I made a huge error in judgement—I baked a chocolate cake for no occasion at all. Actually, I made the mistake of baking three chocolate cakes. It was sort of an accident, the recipe I used made so much batter that I had to divide it between one regular-size cake pan and two smaller ones. I baked the cakes and frosted each one with sweetened whipped cream. When he came over, I fed him cake. And then I sent him home with a cake of his very own…Oops. He jumped to the obvious conclusion: with me around, there would always be cake. He expects multiple cakes, cakes all the time, cakes just for him, to share with no one else. A feeling of cake entitlement. I think he married me just for the cake.
Though my husband wouldn’t understand it, meeting this sort of demand for cake isn’t always easy. So I’ve devised an indulgent and fantastically quick and easy chocolate cake recipe that tastes a lot like devil’s food cake. But my recipe requires no sifting of dry ingredients, no creaming of butter and sugar and eggs, the ingredients don’t even have to be at room temperature. The buttercream frosting’s a snap too.
Quickie Chocolate Cake
Printable Recipe
For the cake:
4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for greasing the pan
8 ounces all-purpose flour
5 ounces sugar
5 ounces light brown sugar
2 ounces cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
2 large eggs
½ cup sour cream
½ cup buttermilk
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
2 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped or scant 1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips
For the buttercream frosting:
5 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped or 2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips
6 ounces (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
¾ cup powdered sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Make the cake:
Preheat the oven to 375˚F. Butter a 9-inch square cake pan. Whisk together the flour, sugar, brown sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Whisk together the eggs, sour cream, buttermilk, and vanilla in a medium bowl. Combine the butter and chocolate in a small bowl, place the bowl over a small pan of simmering water, and heat, stirring frequently, until melted. Whisk into the egg mixture. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and stir until just combined. Transfer to the cake pan and spread evenly.
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the edges of the cake start to shrink away from the pan and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. Invert onto a cooling rack and finish cooling completely.
Make the buttercream frosting:
Place the chocolate into a small bowl, place the bowl over a small pan of simmering water, and heat, stirring frequently, until melted. Let cool slightly. In a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium until light and creamy. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla and beat until blended. Add the chocolate and continue to beat until smooth, stopping the mixer once or twice to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Assemble the cake:
Transfer the cake to a cake plate. Spread the frosting evenly over the top and sides of the cake, swirling decoratively. Cut into portions and serve.
Makes 1 9-inch square cake, serving one husband, or if you manage to hide it from the husband, 9 to 12 other people. Keeps well and stays moist for several days tightly sealed at room temperature. The recipe can be doubled and baked in a 9×13-inch rectangular cake pan—it’s a tight fit, but I’ve done it.
Though my husband wouldn’t understand it, meeting this sort of demand for cake isn’t always easy. So I’ve devised an indulgent and fantastically quick and easy chocolate cake recipe that tastes a lot like devil’s food cake. But my recipe requires no sifting of dry ingredients, no creaming of butter and sugar and eggs, the ingredients don’t even have to be at room temperature. The buttercream frosting’s a snap too.
Quickie Chocolate Cake
Printable Recipe
For the cake:
4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for greasing the pan
8 ounces all-purpose flour
5 ounces sugar
5 ounces light brown sugar
2 ounces cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
2 large eggs
½ cup sour cream
½ cup buttermilk
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
2 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped or scant 1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips
For the buttercream frosting:
5 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped or 2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips
6 ounces (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
¾ cup powdered sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Make the cake:
Preheat the oven to 375˚F. Butter a 9-inch square cake pan. Whisk together the flour, sugar, brown sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Whisk together the eggs, sour cream, buttermilk, and vanilla in a medium bowl. Combine the butter and chocolate in a small bowl, place the bowl over a small pan of simmering water, and heat, stirring frequently, until melted. Whisk into the egg mixture. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and stir until just combined. Transfer to the cake pan and spread evenly.
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the edges of the cake start to shrink away from the pan and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. Invert onto a cooling rack and finish cooling completely.
Make the buttercream frosting:
Place the chocolate into a small bowl, place the bowl over a small pan of simmering water, and heat, stirring frequently, until melted. Let cool slightly. In a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium until light and creamy. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla and beat until blended. Add the chocolate and continue to beat until smooth, stopping the mixer once or twice to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Assemble the cake:
Transfer the cake to a cake plate. Spread the frosting evenly over the top and sides of the cake, swirling decoratively. Cut into portions and serve.
Makes 1 9-inch square cake, serving one husband, or if you manage to hide it from the husband, 9 to 12 other people. Keeps well and stays moist for several days tightly sealed at room temperature. The recipe can be doubled and baked in a 9×13-inch rectangular cake pan—it’s a tight fit, but I’ve done it.
