eggs en cocotte

   New Year's Eve breakfast with Claire!  Baked eggs with toasted buttery french bread, perfect for dipping in the yolks.

Eggs En Cocotte

4 Tbs. heavy cream, divided
4 Tbs. shredded prosciutto
4 eggs
4 Tbs. goat cheese
Ground black pepper
1/4 C. chopped fresh tomato
1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme

   Heat the oven to 375 degrees.  Arrange four 4-ounce ramekins in a baking dish.  Bring a small saucepan or kettle of water to a boil.  Pour 1/2 Tbs. of cream into the bottom of each ramekin.  Sprinkle 1 Tbs. of the shredded prosciutto into each, then top with and egg.  Top each egg with 1 Tbs. of the goat cheese and another 1/2 Tbs. of the cream.  Sprinkle each lightly with pepper.  Pour enough boiling water into the baking dish around the ramekins to come halfway up the sides of the dishes, being careful not to get any in the ramekins.  Carefully move the baking dish to the oven and bake for 15 minutes, or until the whites are just set.  Remove the ramekins from the baking dish and top each with 1 Tbs. of tomato and a sprinkle of thyme.  Serve immediately.            4 servings

As Always, ENJOY!

Holiday Pies

Modern Mince Pie

Pear and Cranberry Streusel Top Pie

Malted Walnut Pie

Texas Pecan Pie

Custard Top Pumpkin Pie

Salted Caramel Apple Pie

Well as they say, better late than never.  These are my Thanksgiving pies, but they would be just as delicious served at Christmas. All the recipes are from Bon Appetit and Saveur magazine, November issues, but some very old.
The first pie is a long standing favorite in the family, especially to my mother.  It is called Modern Mince.  It  is a combination of apples, dried fruits and spices, cooked to a thick compote, and then added to the crust.
The second pie was new for us this year, it is called Pear and Cranberry Struesel Top Pie.
The Third pie is becoming one of my new personal favorites. It is called Malted Walnut Pie. It has a graham cracker crust, coated with white chocolate and then filled with toasted walnuts and a thick malty syrup.
The fourth pie is one of my brother's favorites, it is always part of the pie selections.  It is called Texas Pecan.  Bitter sweet chocolate lines the crust before you add your pecan filling.
The fifth pie was also new this year. It is called Custard Top Pumpkin Pie.  The pumpkin filling is cooked for about 20-25 min. before gently pouring over the custard topping and completing the cooking tiime.
The sixth pie is called Salted Caramel Apple Pie.  I made it for the first time last year, but wanted a second testing to see if I could get the caramel sauce filling just right.  I think the key is to drain the apples very well, even patting them with paper towels.  That way their juices when cooking do not thin the caramel sauce, Otherwise you have a runny pie.
I hope this gives all of you some holiday inspiration!
As always, ENJOY!

Wild Robiola Pizza

This pizza is my version of the Wild Robiola Pizza served at Tony's Pizzerria, 1570 Stockton St.,
San Francisco, CA.  If you have a Trader Joe's near your house, you are in luck, since all of my ingredients come from there but one.

1 package refrigerated pizza dough
quatro formaggio shredded cheese
diced pancetta
1 package shitake mushrooms
1/2 package crimini mushrooms
truffle oil (this is the item you must purchase elsewhere)
1 package wild rocket arugula
wedge of asiago cheese

Roll out dough into a large rectangle. Put on greased cookie sheet.  Sprinkle dough with half the package of quatro formaggio cheese.  Slice mushrooms and spread over cheese.  Sprinkle half the package of diced pancetta on top of the mushrooms.  Drizzle with truffle oil. Put in preheated 500 degree oven for 6-8 minutes or until edges of crust and cheese are beginning to brown.
When pizza has slightly cooled, put 3/4 of the bag of arugula on pizza, shave asiago cheese onto arugula, and cut into squares. I cut mine into 12 squares.
To serve, fold one square onto the other and eat like a sandwich.  None of your toppings will fall off that way. Of course a cold beer is wonderful with the pizza.

As always, ENOY!

Basque Cake

This is definitely not a cake for beginners to attempt, but it was well worth all the effort. The simple vanilla bean flavor, enhanced by the buttery richness, left you wanting another slice.  The crust is simply amazing (for those who are crust lovers). The thick cake batter is piped into the springform pan, followed with pastry cream and them a top layer of cake batter.  I baked this cake for 90 minutes, which helps to form the thick rich crust. Perfect with a hot cup of coffee or tea!
As always, Enjoy!

Amanda Rockman’s Basque Cake

Yield: 1 8-inch cake, serves 8-10

• 16 ounces unsalted butter, room temperature (60-65°F)
• 16 ounces granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla paste
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• 13 ounces cake flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt (yes, tablespoon)
• Pastry Cream (see recipe below)

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Butter an 8-inch springform pan (it should be at least 2.5-3 inches tall), line the bottom with parchment and then butter the parchment. Flour the pan and set aside.

In a medium bowl, sift together the cake flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, scraping the bowl thoroughly every minute or so. Add the vanilla paste and mix to incorporate. Add the eggs, one at a time, scraping the bowl and beating well after each addition. Add the sifted dry ingredients to the mixer and beat on low speed until just until combined.

Building the Cake:

Using a pastry/piping bag (or a ziplock bag with the corner snipped off) pipe an inch-thick disc of batter at the bottom of your cake pan. Then, pipe a ring of batter on top of that layer, along the inside perimeter of the pan. You are creating a small trough to hold the pastry cream. Pipe pastry cream into the space you’ve created (use as much pastry cream as you need to fill hole, it seemed like 1-1.5 cups), keeping it level with the ring of batter (see photo for illustration of this step). Pipe another disk of batter on top the whole thing, sealing the pastry cream into the cake (you might not use all of the batter, just use what you need for your pan). Use damp hands to gently smooth down the top of the batter.

Bake the cake until it is a deep golden brown and thoroughly set. This will probably take around an hour, though mine stayed in for 75 minutes or so. If the top is getting too dark, you can cover it loosely with a piece of aluminum foil. There is so much fat in this recipe, that you do not need to worry about it drying out, err on the side of a longer cooking time.

Remove from oven and allow to cool to room temperature.

Pastry Cream

• 4 cups whole milk
• 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar, divided
• kosher salt
• 1/4 cup (60g) cornstarch
• 9 large egg yolks
• 2 oz (56g) butter- cubed
• 3 tablespoons vanilla paste

Set up a medium bowl in an ice bath, set aside. In a medium saucepan, heat the milk, 1/4 cup (50 g) of granulated sugar, and a pinch of kosher salt. In a medium bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and remaining 1/4 cup of granulated sugar. Once the milk has come to a boil, reduce heat to low. Add the egg yolks to the sugar/cornstarch mixture and whisk thoroughly to combine. Slowly whisk some of the hot milk mixture into the egg yolks to temper them. Whisking constantly, pour the the tempered egg yolks into the hot milk mixture and cook over low heat until thickened. Remove from heat and whisk in the butter and vanilla paste. Transfer the pastry cream to ice bath and immediately press a piece of plastic wrap touching the top of the pastry cream to prevent a skin from forming. Allow to cool for a bit in the ice bath before transferring pastry cream to the refrigerator. You can make this in advance. This recipe makes more pastry cream than you need for the cake, you can cut the recipe in half or use the rest as you like.

Adding Veggie Freshness To Your Sandwiches

Do you get tired of the same veggies on your sandwich?  Like lettuce and tomatoes?  Want something crisp and fresh with a bit of zing?

Try adding different veggies.  Here I added about 3 inches of cucumber sliced on a mandolin and two radishes, also sliced on a mandolin. These veggies were topped with a bit of pastrami and layered onto rye bread with jarlsberg melted on it!  These veggies are my alternate to a fresh cabbage slaw.

Next time you are building a sandwich, try any veggies thinly sliced, you will be surprised how your sandwich will taste!

As always, ENJOY!

Chocolate Amaretti Torte : Fifteen-Minute Magic

Yet another fabulous recipe from Baking by Dorie Greenspan. Her recipes are so tried and true, I really can't help but reach for her cookbook first, when I am looking for something especially delicious and different.
This cake is moist and light, rich in flavor, but not heavy. It was easy to make and quick to assemble. I served this torte from a cake plate and stored it with the metal domed cover.  In my opinion you could easily make this torte a day ahead, and check off one more thing on your party to do list.

As Always, ENJOY!

Ingredients

• 6 large double Amaretti di Saronna or 18 mini amarettini (see above)
• 3 ounces almonds, blanched or not, whole, sliced or chopped
• 1 stick (8 tablespoons; 4 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted
• For the glaze:
• 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons water
• For the cream (optional):
• 3/4 cup cold heavy cream
• 1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract
• 1 1/2 teaspoons confectioners' sugar
• 1 or 2 amaretti, crumbled, or a few spoonfuls of toasted sliced almonds, for decoration

Procedures

1. 1
   Getting ready: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter an 8-x-2-inch round cake pan, line the bottom with parchment or wax paper and butter the paper. Dust the inside of the pan with flour, tap out the excess and put the pan on a lined baking sheet.
2. 2
   Put the amaretti and almonds in the workbowl of a food processor, pulse to grind them finely and evenly, then turn the ingredients out onto a piece of wax paper and set aside. Put the butter, sugar and eggs into the workbowl and process for about 3 minutes, until the batter is very smooth and has a satiny sheen. Stop to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to help the ingredients blend evenly. Pour in the reserved amaretti and almonds and the melted chocolate and pulse just until they are thoroughly incorporated. Turn the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
3. 3
   Slide the sheet into the oven and bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center of the cake comes out almost clean—streaky is more what you're looking for. The cake will dome slightly and the top will look dry - it might even crack; don't worry. Transfer the cake to a rack to cool for 15 minutes, run a blunt knife around the sides of the pan and unmold the cake onto the rack. Peel off the paper, invert and cool to room temperature right-side up. The cake will be very thin—that's just the way it's meant to be. When you are ready to glaze the cake, put the rack over a sheet of wax paper—the drip catcher.
4. 4
   To make the glaze: Put the chopped chocolate in a 2-cup Pyrex measuring cup. Stir the cream, sugar and water together in a small saucepan and put the pan over medium heat. When the cream comes to the boil, pour it over the chocolate, wait 1 minute, then, using a small rubber spatula, gently stir until the ingredients are smooth, blended and shiny. Pour the chocolate over the top of the cake and, with a long metal icing spatula, spread the glaze, allowing it to spill over the sides; smooth the glaze over the sides of the cake. Chill the cake for about 30 minutes to set the glaze.
5. 5
   To make the cream: Working in a mixer with the whisk attachment, whip the cream slowly until it holds soft peaks. Beat in the almond extract, then sift the confectioners' sugar into the bowl and fold it into the cream with a rubber spatula.
6. 6
   Serving: This cake is best served at room temperature and in slender slices—as sleek and low as it is, that's how rich it is. At the table, top each slice with a spoonful of whipped cream and a sprinkling of crushed amaretti or toasted almonds.

Papaya Salad

Seriously addictive!!! I had to force my self not to eat all of it and save some for my family. This salad is the perfect balance of flavors, and would be a great side with any grilled meats.  Or, you could eat it straight out of the bowl with tortilla chips!

1/2 of a  papaya, cubed
1 jalapeno, chopped
1/4  of a red onion, chopped
3-4 small tomatoes, chopped
1/4 of a bunch cilantro, chopped
juice of 1/2 a lime
salt to taste

As always, ENJOY!

Chocolate Oatmeal Almost-Candy Bars

Yet another fabulous recipe from Dorie Greenspan. These cookies can keep any hungry boy satisfied, like my son and his friends.
  The cook book Baking by Dorie Greenspan is one of my favorites!  I seem to add so many posts to my blog from this book, I feel like I should be doing, "A Year With Dorie Greenspan", like "A Year With Julia Childs" was done.

As Always, ENJOY!

Chocolate Oatmeal Almost Candy Bars

YIELD: ~36

ingredients:

For the oatmeal layer
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
3 cups old-fashioned oats
1 cup salted peanuts, coarsely chopped

For the chocolate layer
14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup moist, plump raisins
3/4 cup coarsely chopped peanuts, preferably salted

directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Line a 9x13 pan with parchment paper and place the pan on a baking sheet.

To make the oatmeal layer
Whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.

Beat the butter on medium speed until it is soft and creamy. Add the brown sugar and beat for 2 minutes, then add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each one. Beat in the vanilla. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients, mixing just until they disappear. Still on low speed, or working by hand with a rubber spatula, stir in the oats and chopped peanuts.

Set aside 1 1/2 cups of the mixture, then turn the remaining dough into the buttered pan. Gently and evenly press the dough over the bottom of the pan. Set aside while you prepare the next layer.

To make the chocolate layer
Put the condensed milk, chocolate chips, butter, and salt in a bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and stir occasionally until the milk is warm and the chocolate and butter are melted. Remove the bowl from the pan of water and stir in the vanilla, raisins, and peanuts.

Pour the warm chocolate over the oatmeal crust, then scatter the remaining oatmeal mixture over the top.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the chocolate layer is dull and starting to come away from the sides of the pan. Transfer the baking pan to a rack and cool for about 2 hours.

Using the parchment paper, pull the bars out of their pan and place on a rack. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before cutting.

Recipe from Baking: From My Home to Yours

Chocolate-Crunched Caramel Tart

Another fabulous recipe from Baking by Dorie Greenspan. The recipe calls for honey-roasted peanuts, mixed with the caramel.  I chose pecans, since I like them better. Since the recipe calls for bittersweet chocolate in the ganache, it is rich but not overly sweet.  The perfect "Wow" dessert to complete a dinner party. http://shadowcook.com/2008/02/24/dorrie-greenspans-chocolate-crunched-caramel-tart/

As always, ENJOY!

French Lemon Cream Tart

In BAKING by Dorie Greenspan, she calls this The Most Extraordinary French Lemon Cream Tart and I could not agree more!  If you love lemon, the REAL taste of lemon and not something artificial, then this is the tart for you.  It is a perfect balance between tart and sweet, it is truly mouth watering. http://doriegreenspan.com/2011/08/first-id-like-to-thank.html

As always, ENJOY!

Avocado Treat

One of my families favorite ways to eat avocadoes! Cut avocado in half and peel, fill with chopped tomato(pictured are Sungold cherry tomatoes from my yard) add a sprinkle of sea salt and cayenne pepper. Enjoy!

Oreo Ice Cream Pie

A family favorite! Ice Cream Pie.  My husband especially loves this with Oreo ice cream.

20 whole Oreos(cookie and cream filling) finely ground in food processor
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 - 1/2 gallon containers of ice cream (2 flavors that compliment each other)
             (this pie was made with coffee ice cream and cookies and cream ice cream)

Mix ground Oreos and butter and press into bottom and up sides of pie pan. Place in freezer for 15 minutes to harden. Using the first flavor of ice cream,  cut ice cream out of carton into flat layers to evenly fill pie pan. Use the whole 1/2 gallon. With second flavor, also cut ice cream out of carton. The pie will begin to take on a domed shape.  Use the whole 1/2 gallon.  With a metal spatula smooth the top of the pie. Cover with plastic wrap and place in freezer. Freeze at least 2-3 hours, until ice cream has re-hardened.
To serve, run sharp knife under hot water, to make cutting through easier. Enjoy!

Poke with Avocado

It sure is nice to have friends who come bearing gifts like Ahi Tuna.  Just the perfect ingredient to make a special lunch of Poke with Avocado.

Fig and Blackberry Salad

Enjoy late summer bounty with this delicious fig and blackberry salad. Light and refreshing on baby greens, or for something a bit more substantial, on top of wild rice, just as delicious!

12 ripe figs, quartered lengthwise
1cup cooked wild rice, chilled
     or
4 oz. baby spring greens
6-8 oz. fresh blackberries
1 cup sprouts(optional)
1/4 cup sliced almonds, lightly toasted
2 oz. Roquefort cheese, crumbled

Vinaigrette
6 tablespoons delicate olive oil
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 1/2 tablespoons honey
1 clove garlic, chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Arrange the baby greens(or wild rice if using) along with the figs and blackberries on semi-deep salad plates and sprinkle the rest of the ingredients on top.

Whisk the vinaigrette ingredients until smooth and drizzle over the salad. Serve at once. serves 4-6. This can be made as one large salad or individual salads.

Fresh berry tart

What a delicious way to enjoy summer's bounty!  Find the recipe in Baking by Dorie Greenspan, called Quick Classic Berry Tart.

Santa Ynez Wine Tasting Weekend Cont'd., again

For my sister-in-law, who is Gluten Free, a special treat as well, Pecan Shortbread Cookies, and Almond Sesame Brittle.

Santa Ynez Wine Tasting Weekend Cont'd.

For all of my family who have big sweet tooths, dessert is practically a meal!  Blondies with walnuts, Magic bars, and Caramel Crunch Bars( recipe-BAKING by Dorie Greenspan), of course all accompanied with vanilla ice cream!

Santa Ynez Wine Tasting Weekend

Before heading into the Santa Ynez Valley(hwy.154), stop off at Dutch Gardens in Goleta(hwy.101) and enjoy a delicious bowl of rich and velvety smooth Beet Soup!

Buttery Sea Scallops

Light and summer perfect - seared sea scallops!  Served with fruited greens, it is a satisfying summer supper!

Sweet Strawberries

When is the last time you ate a strawberry that was sweet, delicate, and juicy?  There is nothing better than homegrown strawberries! Each bite reminds you, there is a HUGE difference between store bought and homegrown. Juicy and sweet, what a berry is supposed to be!

Fresh From The Garden

Chopped Caprese Salad- a great start to any meal!

Best Berry Pie Ever

Mixed Berry Pie- blackberry, blueberry and raspberry. Not a single drop of delicious juice is lost.  The secret ingredient to this success is minute tapioca!

Chocolate Banded Ice Cream Torte

      Delicious and cool, the perfect summer party dessert, made with chocolate ganache and raspberry ice cream.  This recipe is from Baking by the famous Dorie Greenspan.

As Always,
ENJOY!

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 sticks (14 Tbsp.) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 9 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped (about 3 large bars)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 8 large pasteurized eggs
• 1 (10-ounce) package frozen raspberries in syrup, thawed
• 1 Tbsp. Framboise (raspberry eau-de-vie), Chambord, or other raspberry liqueur (optional)
• 1 quart vanilla ice cream
• 1 pint fresh raspberries, for decoration (optional)
• Whipped cream, for serving (optional)
• Chocolate sauce, for serving (optional)

Directions

Active time: 1 hour
Total time: 10 hours

Note: The active work time on this torte is minimal, but the waiting around is considerable. You need to wait 30 to 45 minutes for each layer of the torte to freeze before you can top it with the next layer, so plan ahead.

Oil or lightly spray (with vegetable cooking oil) an 8 or 8-1/2- inch springform pan. Or you can use a disposable metal loaf pan and cut the finished cake out using scissors.

Put the butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl, set the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, and warm the ingredients, stirring occasionally, until melted. Be gentle with the heat—you don't want the butter and chocolate to separate. Transfer the bowl to the counter and whisk in the sugar. Slowly whisk in the eggs, one at a time.

Rap the bowl against the counter to get any bubbles out of the ganache, and pour 1/3 of it into the pan. Freeze for at least 60 minutes to set the ganache. Press a piece of plastic wrap against the surface of the remaining ganache and keep it on the counter.

When the first layer of ganache is set, start making the raspberry ice cream. Puree the raspberries in a food processor, or mash with a fork. Add the liqueur, if using, and stir to incorporate. Spoon the ice cream into the processor, if using, and pulse just until it is blended with the puree – don’t process so long that the ice cream melts. Or use a spatula to mix raspberries and ice cream together.

Spread 1/2 the ice cream over the ganache layer, return the pan to the freezer, and freeze for at least 30 minutes. Scrape the remaining ice cream into a bowl, cover with a piece of plastic wrap, and keep it frozen.

When the raspberry layer is set, pour half of the remaining ganache over it. Return the pan to the freezer for another 30 minutes. When it’s time to spread over the next layer of ice cream, beat the ice cream with a wooden spoon to slightly soften. Spread the last of the raspberry ice cream over the ganache layer and freeze for at least 30 minutes.

Finish by pouring the remaining ganache over the ice cream. Jiggle and tilt the pan, if necessary, to even the layer, then cover the top of the pan with plastic wrap (don’t let it touch the chocolate) and freeze the torte for at least 6 hours.

About 30 minutes, or up to 3 hours, before serving time, unmold the torte. Warm the sides of the pan slightly with warm water, then remove pan or cut away the edges. Pop the torte back into the freezer for 30 minutes, or more, so that the warmed sides can re-firm.

If you want to decorate the top of the torte with fresh berries, do this right before serving. To soften the ganache layer just enough to hold the berries, warm the top with a quick puff of air from a hairdryer, or run a long knife under hot water, wipe it dry, and pass it quickly over the top of the cake. Arrange the berries over the torte, put the torte on a platter, and head for the table. The torte can be served plain, with whipped cream, or with chocolate sauce.

Summer Tomatoes

Enjoying summer harvest! Brown Derby, Green Zebra, Chocolate Stripe, Purple Haze, Sungold, Anna's Russian, Marianna's Peace, Black Krim