We Climb the Short Rib Because It's There

Hello & Merry Christmas from not-so-snowy Baltimore. I know some of you reading this up north - and down south - are rather snowed in, but the Christmas blizzard of 2010 was a bit overstated 'round here and we didn't even get enough to play in. Boo! I know, I know...a lot of you have been severely inconvenienced by the holiday snow and I am sorry for you, but I was really looking forward to getting cozy and vegging out a bit now that the Christmas rush has slowed. Ugh! And what a rush it was! Helping Santa is a busy, busy job and we had a lot of fun with friends and family, but now that it is over, I was all about being snowed in, having the husb build a fire and making something warm and comforting, like this ragout you're about to hear all about. But now I'm told that we're expecting temps in the 50's in a few days. Freaking global warming!! Al Gore was right...it really does ruin everything.

So, I say screw it. I'm making short rib ragout anyway. Join me, won't you?

This recipe came about in my favorite way possible; it came to me when I encountered an ingredient so impressive and fresh that I had to purchase it and come up with something to do with it. Specifically, I was in my favorite Italian market (Ceriello's at Belvedere Market, neighbors), buying something completely unrelated when I came across the biggest, most impressive beef short ribs I have ever seen before in my life. They looked like they were from a Brontosaurus. I had to buy them. But as wonderful as short ribs are, I sometimes find a plate of braised short ribs to be overwhelming. At worst, they can be greasy and heavy. At best, they are rich and delicious and, well, heavy.

But there they were, just like the Mt. Everest of short ribs. And, you know, whenever you hear that someone has perished on the way up Mt. Everest, you think "Why? Why would someone climb Mt. Everest?" And the answer, of course, is, because it's there. They climb it because it's there. Food is a bit like that. Sometimes we must cook because the food calls us to it. I think this is actually the best reason to cook something. We should always be looking for ingredients that are perfect, whether it be tomatoes at their seasonal, bright red, juicy peak or fresh tuna taken immediately off of a fishing boat along the Atlantic coastline. It's a European ideal that cooks should enter a market without preconceived notions of what they might cook tonight but instead, let the products available to them that day dictate what's for dinner. Unfortunately, it's the furthest thing from how Americans eat. We'd probably all be a bit healthier and a lot more satiated if we could teach ourselves to eat ingredients at their peak and not because we think we should have everything we want exactly when we want it. We are a bunch of entitled so-and-sos, aren't we? We should really get over ourselves. OK, lecture complete. Moving on to deliciousness.

So, if I want to eat the short ribs because they are perfection, but I don't want a plate of short ribs, what do I do with them? I braise them, of course, and I make thick, satisfying, savory pasta sauce and serve it over pappardelle (wide, rustic pasta). Duh. This is an all-day sort of recipe that cooks low and slow for quite some time in a dutch oven (ooh lala. Bonjour Le Creuset. Joyeux Noel.) but it's worth it and it's not at all hard. No mountain climbing required. If you'd like, begin the recipe the day before you'd like to serve it to allow the flavors to marry overnight. This will also allow you to easily skim a lot of the fat resulting from the ribs out of the sauce. Please enjoy it, and please, please have a happy, healthy 2011!

Beef Short Rib Ragout over Pappardelle

Ingredients:

3 - 3.5 lbs. beef short ribs (bone-in)

4 oz. really good bacon, chopped into 1/4" dice (it helps to freeze bacon slightly before attempting to chop it)

2 - 3 T. olive oil, divided

1 medium onion, finely chopped (I used a food processor)

1 large or 2 small carrots, finely chopped (ditto)

3 (or more, to your liking) cloves garlic, crushed

2.5 cups good red wine

2.5 cups beef or veal stock

1 T. tomato paste

2 bay leaves

2-3 stems each, fresh thyme, fresh oregano, tied in a bunch with cooking-safe string, to make bouquet garni

1 large can whole peeled tomatoes

1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes

1/2 cup fresh grated parmigiano reggiano or pecorino romano cheese, plus more for garnish

1/2 cup ricotta cheese

Fresh parsley

12 - 16 oz. pappardelle pasta, or other broad, flat pasta, or rigatoni

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Pat short ribs dry with paper towels and season liberally with salt and pepper. Heat about 1 - 2 T. olive oil in dutch oven on stove top. Sear short ribs on all 4 sides and remove from dutch oven. Set aside. Heat remaining oil and sautee bacon until well browned, but not burned. Remove bacon from the pan and set aside. Sautee carrots and onions in resulting fat until onion becomes translucent and carrots begin to soften. Return short ribs to rest on top of vegetables. Cover with wine & stock. Add tomatoe paste bay leaves, herbs and garlic, plus the reserved bacon. Open the can of whole tomaotes and coarsely crush tomatoes with your fingertips. Add tomatoes and juice to the dutch oven. Stir carefully. Cover and place in the oven for about 3 hours.

After 3 hours, remove dutch oven from your oven. Remove bay leaves and bouquet garni. If you're working a day ahead, at this point you would allow the whole thing to cool a bit before placing it in the fridge overnight. Then, the next day, remove the fat solids from the top of the sauce and proceed by removing the ribs and bringing the sauce back up to a simmer on the stove top. If you are working within one day, remove the ribs from the sauce and use a serving spoon or ladle to skim as much fat from the surface of the sauce as possible and proceed by bringing the sauce to a simmer on the stovetop. Remove the meat from the bones and separate fat from the meat. Discard fat and bones. While you are dealing with meat, bring the sauce to a simmer on the stove top and add the diced tomatoes and parmigiano, stirring to loosen any bits stuck to the bottom. Return the beef from the ribs to the pot and simmer sauce until slightly thickened. Reduce heat to a low simmer. Cook pasta according to package. Turn sauce off and add ricotta cheese. Stir to incorporate. Drain pasta thoroughly and add it directly to the sauce, tossing gently to coat. Serve immediately with grated cheese, a sprinkle of fresh parsley, and a big, fat glass of red wine. Enjoy!

My Bake-Off Career (and Sugar Shuttles)

I would like to be on one of the Food Network recipe contest shows. Specifically, Ultimate Recipe Showdown, the one hosted by Guy Fieri. They typically have a mixed bag of contestants. There are talented home cooks with interesting techniques and recipes and there are truly awful recipes from some harebrained amateurs. I recently saw an episode where a contestant was pureeing sauteed chicken with hot sauce in a blender. For what purpose, I don't know. I had to click through and watch something less disturbing like "Jerseylicious."

The most disturbing display of amateur cooking I've ever seen was on one of Gordon Ramsey's show. One of the contestants thought it was good idea to cook a whole chicken inside a pumpkin. Ramsey gags as he pulls the pale wet chicken from the belly of the pumpkin. The pumpkin had birthed the chicken - twisted. Regardless, I want to be on a show as a serious contestant. As important days go in my life, it would rank pretty high. Not before the day I married my husband or the day my son was born, but I think being the winner on a show would come in a solid 3rd.

I've tried to win cooking contests before, and I have never won. I recently lost in a bake-off at my office. I even submitted two recipes in the hope that would increase my odds. I actually intended to submit three, thank God I didn't. That would have been humiliating.

I made crispy salted oatmeal white chocolate cookies and the recipe below -- sugar shuttles. I made the oatmeal cookies a few years back for another bake-off. I got a 3rd-place finish, which was fairly disappointed considering the top prize went to a Duncan Hines cake. The sugar shuttles didn't win either in last week's bake-off, but I guarantee they're worth making (and eating). They're soft and buttery and different, and they come from the same book I've been using a lot lately, The Gourmet Cookie Book. This was Gourmet magazine's best recipe from 1951. Enjoy.

Sugar Shuttles

1 cup of flour
1/4 cup of sugar
2 egg yolks, whites reserved
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix flour, sugar, butter, egg yolks, salt and vanilla in a bowl with a spoon or with your hands. It’s easier with your hands. Once a dough is formed, let rest covered in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

Pre-heat oven to 350, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper

While dough rests, beat the egg whites, and pour about ½ cup of sugar into another bowl.

Take dough out of refrigerator, and pinch off about 1 to 1 ½ teaspoon sized portions. Roll into log shape, about 1 ½ inches long. Dip in egg whites and roll in sugar.

Bake in oven for 8-10 minutes until barely brown on the edges.

Makes 18-24 cookies

Maple Shortbread Squares

I found another gem in The Gourmet Cookie Book. The official name of the cookie is "Skibo Castle Ginger Crunch." It's British. It had one ingredient exclusive to the U.K. The recipe calls for Lyle's Golden Syrup. Not sure what that is, so I replaced it with maple syrup. I also replaced the ginger with cinnamon. I thought the cinnamon made better friends with the maple syrup then ginger.

Pre-heat oven to 350, and butter a 13 x 9 pan. Line with one sheet of parchment paper long enough so that about 2 inches hangs over each end of the pan.

Shortbread Base
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

Mix dry ingredients, and then add butter. The best way to combine the butter with the dry ingredients is with your fingers. If you have a pastry cutter, use that to help with the process. It'll take about 5-8 minutes.

Once completed, pour mixture into your greased pan and with your hands press down and spread to cover the entire surface.

Bake in oven for 15-18 minutes until lightly browned.

While it bakes heat the ingredients below on medium-low heat in a saucepan for about 5 minutes.

Topping
6 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 cup confectioner's sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

It will become smooth and gooey. When the shortbread comes out of the oven, pour the topping over it. Let cool on counter for about an hour, and then put in the refrigerator over night. This will make it easier to cut.

The parchment paper hanging over the edges is the key to getting this out of the pan. You should be able to lift with ease, and cut into as many pieces as you want. I made this into 24 squares.

Super Soup, with apologies to Ro Zucc

Hello?? Where am I? What is this thing? A blog? What's a blog? Oh. That sounds neat. I'd like one of those. what? I have one? ME?!? Where?!? THIS ONE? Whaaaat? This is my blog? That's so weird. You must be mistaken. I don't have a --- wait! Do I? That does seem familiar. WAIT! I do! I do have a blog! Hello blog! It's been forever! What have you been up to? Nothing? And it's all my fault? Because I haven't posted anything? Hmm. I guess you do have a point there. Sorry about that. Oh, come on! Don't be angry! I'm sorry for ignoring you! I won't do it again! Can't we just move forward? We can? Thanks, blog. I've missed you too. I really am sorry. I promise to make up for it. Right now. With the best soup ever.

So, once upon a time, I was in college. I say "once upon a time" because I still go to the gym at said college and, judging by the appearance of the co-eds around me, they are very young which would make me sort of, um, vaguely, relatively, old-ish. Regardless, my beloved co-blogger Beth & I met there at Loyola College (now Loyola University Maryland. Another subject for another day. Don't get me started.) and I have many, many fond memories of my time there. From what I recall. Pieces are hazy. But I think it was great.

A really great thing about Loyola was the housing. Most of it was re-purposed apartment buildings that had been built for real people, then purchased by Loyola and used as student housing which meant that there were very few traditional dorms. It was pretty sweet. Other kids were totally jealous. We had kitchens. We had in-room bathrooms. We had living rooms. The trade-off? We had LOTS of roommates. At first, there were 5 of us in my room, and later 4. So, that's more than one roommate. By up to 400% more. I think. I wasn't a math major.

Regardless, as any of you who has maybe lived with one 19-year old girl can attest, 4 or 5 of us in one room was sometimes a lot. And I don't think I was super good at it. My intentions were good, but it was almost like my intuition regarding my own species was somehow sort of off, like the cow that gets confused and wanders away from the heard only to get caught in a barbed wire fence. It was sometimes wonderful, and sometimes a struggle but ya know what? When I look back on it, I remember a lot of good stuff, and I'm still friends with all of those girls that I ever lived with and that makes me happy. They all have good lives and GORGEOUS kids and they're happy, too. And we're all still in touch. Except this girl Brenda who lived with us briefly who had a really weird relationship with her brother and wore a lot of overalls. I don't know what happened to her. But for the rest of us, I wish we could see each other more.

My roommate Toni was my direct roommate our Freshman year. That meant we shared a bedroom in a larger apartment.There was a lot of really good stuff about living with Toni. She is very funny. She is neat as a pin, which just made me feel bad that she had to live with me. She has an excellent wardrobe and always let me borrow her sweaters. She would occasionally pluck my eyebrows for me. She believed that when things went bad, it was probably best to go to the mall. But Toni's family also owns the best pizza place in Wildwood, NJ - Sam's Pizza - and whenever she went home she brought back a BIG stack of pies for us. AWESOME. Although, being a seasonal business, Sam's would close for a big chunk of the school year. And you would think it would be sad. And it was. BUT! When there was no pizza, Toni used to bring back her mom's chicken soup. Ro's (her mom's name is Ro) Super Soup. Or was it 'Soup'er Soup? Dunno. Never asked her to spell it. Don't care. It was so delicious, so comfy. It was traditional chicken & rice soup, with carrots & onions and chicken (duh). And you wouldn't have thought it would be remarkable, but it was. It sooo was. It was SUPER thick with shredded chicken and rice and it literally warmed your soul. And we would heat it, and eat some, and then heat it again the next day (or later the same day), and eat some more. And it just kept getting thicker and better.

Now, I wasn't the culinarian that you see before you now back at Loyola. I was just starting to dabble. And I think it was probably years before I really started to think about Ro's soup and how to recreate it. But I'm having a soup moment right now, so I decided this was the year to figure it out. 'Cause I don't live with or near Toni anymore, or Ro for that matter, and my babies need this soup! So, I set off on the soup making, and I made my own stock from a whole cut-up chicken. And then I pulled all the meat so it was perfectly shredded like Ro's. And I chopped carrots and onions. And I simmered. And I added rice. And I seasoned. And I tasted. And it was not right. Thin, brothy, blah. And I simmered. And I seasoned. And I put it to bed for the night to let the flavors marry. And I did it all again the next day. And it still sucked. And then I got desperate and added some saffron that co-blogger Beth left at my house months ago which I swore I would never use because she left it acidentally and saffrom threads are EXPENSIVE. But Ro's soup was definitely a beautiful yellow shade and I had to. (So sorry Beth! I swear I will replace it!) But the soup was still just soup, not Souper.

And then fate intervened. My daughters, specifically, intervened. It was their dinnertime and they were fussy and cranky and difficult and I forgot about my soup. I left it simmering away. And we got through dinner, and I got the little one bathed (she is slippery like an eel, that one!) and then I realized my soup was boiling. Boiling! And probably ruined. Probably stuck to the bottom of the pot and burnt. Probably awful.

Or, perhaps, perfection. It was thick, hearty, yellow, soothing, comforting, delicious, better-than-it-should-be perfection. In a word, Souper. I'm going to share it with you because it is the sort of thing that might help us all towards happiness and world peace. But I'm gonna preface with apologies to Ro, 'cause I'm sure this isn't her way or the right way, but it filled the hole in my world left when I graduated and got circumstantially cut-off from the real deal. Now, if I can only get Sam's to deliver to Baltimore, we'll be all set.

Souper Soup

For Stock:

Ingredients:

1 Whole Chicken, cut into about 6 or 8 pieces

1 whole large - or two small - onions, skin on, quartered

2 carrots, cut into several large pieces

2 celery stalks, cut into several large pieces

2 bay leaves

12 - 20 whole peppercorns

1 T. Kosher salt

Enough water to cover completely, at least 10 cups

Instructions:

Place chicken, vegetables & seasoniongs in a large stockpot and add water to completely cover all ingredients. Cover stockpot and simmer for at least three hours. Remove from heat, cool slightly and remove chicken. Set chicken aside to cool (I retained my carrots, chopped them and added them to my soup later, too). Strain stock into another large pot, cover and refrigerate overnight. Discard remaining vegetables. The next day, remove chicken skin and bones and chop or shred further if necessary, and remove any fat from surface of stock. Continue with soup recipe as below.

For Soup:

Ingredients:

2 T. olive oil

2 medium or large onions, chopped, not too finely

3 carrots, peeled and sliced into thick coins

1o cups chicken stock (as above)

3 -4 cups chicken, shredded (from stock recipe as above)

2 cups uncooked rice (I used brown)

2 bay leaves

1 1/2 T. fresh thyme, stems carefully removed

1 - 2 tsp saffron threads

Salt and pepper, to taste

optional: 1 1/2 c. sliced mushrooms, sauteed in olive oil

Instructions:

Warm 2 T. of olive oil in a large stockpot. Add onions and carrots and sautee lightly until onions are just barely softened. Add chicken stock, chicken and rice, bay leaves & thyme. Stir. Simmer soup, covered, for about an hour, stirring occasionally. Add saffron (and mushrooms, if desired...they weren't in Ro's soup as I recall), and season with salt and pepper, remembering that you can always add more, but you can't take it out. Turn up the heat just a bit to acheive a gentle boil and leave the pot uncovered, stirring regularly until the soup starts to reduce and thicken to your liking. When soup has reached the consistency you desire, serve it in big bowls with good crusty bread. Enjoy!

7 weeks, Cookies, Cookbooks and Lemon Thins

It's been seven weeks since my last post. Coincidentally, I started a new job seven weeks ago. I wonder if these two facts are related. (Sigh)

I have been cooking during this busy time, although I had not felt truly inspired until my wonderful sister-in-law Morgan sent me a gift. I received a cookie cookbook. I don't have a cookbook that is strictly devoted to cookies. I have lots of on baking, but not on cookies. Morgan sent me "The Gourmet Cookie Book: The Single Best Recipe From Each Year, 1941-2009." It has fantastic pictures and great anecdotes about each cookie. This past Thursday I made Lemon Thins -- the best cookie of 1979. They are glorious, and simple to prepare and bake. Thin and light, they make you feel like you are not eating something wrong, though you clearly are because these lovelies are full of sugar and butter and eggs. Yum.

Lemon Thins

2 eggs (room temperature, leave eggs out on kitchen counter for 90 minutes prior to use)
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoons lemon zest
6 tablespoons butter, softened
2/3 cup all purpose flour

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and use a little non-stick baking spray.

Beat eggs, sugar and vanilla with hand mixer for 5 minutes, no less. Then stir in lemon zest. In separate bowl beat butter with hand mixer for 2 minutes until light and fluffy. Then fold butter and flour in increments into egg mixture. Once incorporated, drop 1 spoonful (about teaspoon) of batter on lined baking sheet. This cookie dough is more like cake batter.

Bake for 5-6 minutes. Once the edges are browned slightly, pull out. Let cool for a minute on baking sheet, then move to a cooking rack.

Makes 2 1/2 - 3 dozen cookies depending on how much batter you eat along the way.

I plan to bake cookies from this book the rest of December. If you are not a cookie lover, I apologize. I'll have a different theme in January when I start blaming my dryer for shrinking my clothes.

Halloween (Butternut Squash and Black Bean) Soup

Halloween is great. I love candy corn, kids in costumes, parades, carved pumpkins, hot apple cider and "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown." Halloween as a kid was almost as good as Christmas. It was magical. You got to dress up, eat sweets, and stay up late. I remember one year my brother Vince was a werewolf. He wore brown shoes, brown socks, brown corduroy pants, a brown and white checked button down shirt, brown wool sweater and a very scary werewolf mask. It had a head of curly brown hair, protruding snout and large blood fangs. He was the neat-est and fiercest werewolf and 2nd grader that ever was.

The only drawback to Halloween is the pressure to dress up. As a kid it was fine, but starting in high school it became a burden. I dreaded it in college and in my twenties. My ideas and execution were terrible. I have a long history of bad Halloween costumes. One particularly embarrassing year in college involved giant bunny ears and glitter. It was bad, and there are lots and lots of pictures. There was also the year that my husband and I dressed up as salt and pepper shakers. I thought getting a cab to the party was humiliating. The ride back was much worse. I don't frown on people who do get dressed up. In fact, I think it's great. I'm creative when it comes to food, but I totally bomb on artsy projects like Halloween costumes and dioramas. Hopefully, when it's time for me to help my son with school projects I will find some creative inspiration (or an assistant).

Now, the orange and black soup:

2 2-lb butternut squashes or 1 4-lb butternut squash
1 medium onion, small dice
1 tablespoon olive oil
32 oz low sodium chicken stock
1 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons of ground cumin
1/8 - 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
2 16 oz cans of black beans, rinsed

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Split squash in half, scoop out seeds, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 1 hour. Flesh should be soft when you pierce with fork. Let cool, then scoop out flesh and mash with fork

In large soup pot, heat up 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add onions and saute until soft. Add salt, pepper, cumin and cayenne pepper. Add stock, and bring to medium simmer. Stir in smashed butternut squash. Let cook on medium for about 20 minutes until squash fully incorporates. Stir often. Add in black beans, and let cook for just a few more minutes.

Serve with warm bread.

Irish Bars, Michael Flatley and Guinness Beef Stew

This recipe is a tribute to my drinking days. I am not much of drinker anymore. I have two beers and I'm falling down drunk. Pathetic. In the old days (meaning my twenties), I could really throw them back. Some of my favorite bars included Murphy's, Mick O'Shea's, Mackey's, Nanny O'Brien's, Ireland's Four Fields (formerly know as the Four Courts), The Irish Times, The Dubliner, Biddy Mulligans and The Irish Chanel. I could go on, but I think I am only embarrassing myself. And if I wasn't at an Irish bar, I was drinking with my Irish Catholic friends. I recall in college trying to track down a poster of Michael Flatley for my friend Karen's 21st birthday. Sadly, we couldn't find one so we settled on getting her a pinata, a 30 pack of beer, and a video of "The Lord of the Dance." We all got drunk, cracked open the pinata, watched "Lord of the Dance," played a nice binge drinking game called "Power Hour," and then headed out to the bars. I'm exhausted just thinking about doing all that. Granted, I did spend most afternoons resting on the coach watching "Jerry Springer" and "Days of our Lives" in my dorm. College = money well-spent.

Since I don't drink much now, I get my kicks from cooking. I basically made up this recipe. I browsed lots of recipes for Guinness stew, and I took what seemed like the best parts of each of them. Adding the baker's chocolate came from a Cook's Illustrated recipe. I think this one ingredient takes this stew recipe from good to great. I've made beef stews before, but this is my favorite by far. I don't think I will ever not make this version. Guinness has wonderful texture and flavor. Obviously it's great to drink, but it's also awesome to cook with -- and no hangover. I'm going to have to research other ways to incorporate it in my food. Perhaps I'll pour it over my corn flakes tomorrow, or swirl it in my oatmeal. I'll keep you posted on my findings.


Guinness Beef Stew

1 1/2 - 2 lbs stewing beef
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 teaspoons kosher salt (divided)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
3 medium onions, peeled and quartered
2 medium carrots, 1-inch pieces
5-6 medium red potatoes, quartered
1 large tomato, roughly chopped
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2-3 dried bay leaves
2 cups Guinness
1/2 cup water
1 ounce bittersweet baking chocolate
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped.

Pat the stew meat dry with a paper towel. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground pepper over meat. Dredge each piece in flour and shake off extra flour.

Heat up 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in dutch oven. Brown beef on all sides. It will take about 8-10 minutes. Remove meat from pan. Add onions, carrots, potatoes, salt, thyme and bay leaves. Let cook down and scrape the bottom of dutch oven with wooden spoon to get all the brown bits left from the stewing meat. As the tomatoes start to break down, add beer, water and baking chocolate. Bring to a boil, and then turn off stove. Place in a 300 degree oven for 2 1/2 hours.

Before serving stir in two tablespoons of fresh chopped parsley.

My Husband's Birthday, Idiots, Hellman's Mayonnaise and Chocolate Cake

A few Friday nights ago, I made "Idiot Chocolate Cake" by chef and author David Lebovitz. Supposedly, only an idiot can screw up this recipe. There are many things that I'm not good at, but I know how to read and execute a recipe. This one required a springform pan. I didn't have one, so I picked one up. I also picked up ScharffenBerger chocolate as the recipe recommends and I even brought my eggs up to room temperature, a practice I've always been leery about. The cake is simple and it took only a few minutes to combine the chocolate, sugar, eggs and butter. I poured the batter into a buttered and cocoa powder-ed springform pan and placed it in a roasting dish. Following the recipe instructions to create a water bath, I poured hot water in the roasting dish to surround the cake. I set the timer for 75 minutes, and I placed it in my hot oven. The smell of it baking was glorious. I was so excited. The one-hour mark hit, and I took a peak at the cake. The top looked a little odd, full of bubbles and craters. I was momentarily concerned, but not alarmed. I waited another 15 minutes, and took the cake out. The top now really bothered me, and I stared at it for awhile. As I stared, the cake fell in on itself. Crap.

The recipe did have a warning regarding the springform pan, and recommend wrapping it in tinfoil if you suspect it's not waterproof. And I did in fact wrap the pan, but not tightly enough. Water had made its way into the cake, and ruined the whole thing. I was pissed. Thankfully, I was able to comfort myself by eating the only edible part of the cake, the top crust -- and it was tasty. David Lebovitz should have added a footnote for idiots. I mean, doesn't he know how many idiots are out there? Lots and lots. The idiot footnote should read as follows: "The springform pan you just bought is not waterproof. Wrap it tightly with layer upon layer of tinfoil or your cake will be a soggy mess."

I wanted a great chocolate cake for husband's birthday. This "Idiot Cake" was a test run. Thank God. But now what? He loves chocolate cake, and I really wanted to get this right. I would try Lebovitz's cake again, but my confidence was a bit shaken. This recipe shall be shelved for the time being. I needed to think. I often get inspiration when I think back to the food I ate many moons ago. As I kid I remember my mom making a chocolate cake that had mayonnaise in it. It was awesome -- moist and chocolate-y. The recipe was published in a Hellman's Mayonnaise cookbook. I have no idea how we came to have this book, maybe Hellman's sent it to us because of all the tuna salad and egg salad sandwiches we ate. I scoured the internet for the recipe. There were countless versions. The best of the bunch came from Cook's Illustrated (surprise, surprise).

This is so simple -- no frosting, no water bath, no springform pan, no room temperature eggs. This is idiot-proof for idiots.

Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake

1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon table salt
1/2 cup cocoa powder
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped finely
1 cup hot strong coffee
2/3 cups mayonnaise
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
confectionery sugar for dusting

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8" by 8" square pan.

Combine flour, sugar, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Set aside. Combine chocolate, coffee and cocoa. Whisk until smooth and let cool for a minute or two. Then whisk in mayonnaise, egg and vanilla. Then stir mayonnaise mixture into flour.

Once fully incorporated pour into buttered pain, and cook for 25 - 30 minutes.

Let cool in pan for 1 - 2 hours.

Turn cake out onto serving platter and dust with powdered sugar.

Serve with dollop of fresh whipped cream.

P.S. I've clearly relapsed on baking. I have not moved on to soups and stews as I said I would in my last post. Oh well, I guess I need a court-ordered stint in baking rehab.

Baking Bender and Crumb Cake

Recently, I've been on a baking bender. I've made peach shortbread, apple shortbread, biscuits, banana bread, chocolate chip cookies, pound cake, loaves of bread and crumb cake. My husband and I have been countering the onslaught of calories with extra trips to the gym, and I've been adding additional miles and hills to my runs. I'm experiencing an odd combination of muscle soreness, dehydration, burgeoning love handles and rapid mood swings. I'll feel great for about an hour after I've consumed a cup of coffee, a slice of pound cake and a cookie for breakfast. It's hard to get back to that original morning high as I spend the rest of the day looking for cheap scores of Hershey miniatures and chocolate kisses. I plan on rehabbing for a bit and working on recipes for soups and stews.

The highlight of the baked goods bender was my crumb cake. If you ever had a thing for Entenmann's crumb cake, you are going to love this recipe. The best crumb cakes are equal parts crumb to cake. The ratio on this cake actually favors the crumb. It's not quite a one-to-three (cake to crumb) ratio, but it's tipping the scales in that direction.

I adapted this recipe from Cook's Illustrated. It's straightforward. If you need to buy an 8" x 8" baking pan, do it. You'll definitely make this cake again. Also it's a good pan to have. Lots of recipes call for this size specifically, including cornbread, brownies, blondies and granola bars.

Crumb Cake

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Line an 8" x 8" pan with tinfoil. You'll need two sheets of foil, cut to fit the bottom and sides allowing about 2 inches to hang off the edges.

Crumb Topping
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and warm
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cups dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cup cake flour

Stir sugars, butter, salt and cinnamon until it forms a paste, then add flour until it forms a cohesive ball. Set aside

Cake
1 1/4 cups cake flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoon unsalted butter softened
1/3 cup buttermilk
1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk
Powdered sugar for dusting

Whisk the dry ingredients together. With hand mixer on medium add butter 1 tablespoon at a time. Then add buttermilk and eggs, keeping mixer on until fully incorporated.

Spray baking dish with non-stick spray and spread batter out evenly. The batter is very thick and it won't want to spread, but be patient and work it to the corners gently. It'll happen.

Start taking pieces of the crumb ball and form little boulders of deliciousness. They don't need to be perfectly smooth but they should be about the size of marbles. As you make them start laying them on top of the batter. You'll want to cover the entire surface. At the end you'll be adding these little boulders on top of each other, not in a full second layer, but pretty close.

Bake for 35-40 minutes.

Remove and let rest for 30 minutes. Use tinfoil sling to remove from pan, and let sit for another hour on a wire rack. Then dust heavily with powdered sugar.

Don't serve sick people sick food (and Stuffed Peppers)

When I was 12 my grandfather had a stroke. He spent eight weeks at a rehabilitation hospital 45 miles from our house. My mom was there every day, my dad on the weekends, and my brothers and I were there most days after school. We loved our Grandpa. He was gentle and kind, and we hated seeing him sick. My Dad called him "Pop." They were close. My Dad had lost both his parents when he was in his twenties. They logged many hours together working in our yard -- chopping wood, trimming hedges, clearing brush, planting trees and maintaining our expansive vegetable garden. My brothers and I would chip in too. Afterwards my Dad on occasion would take us to the local watering hole. My brothers and I would sip cherry cokes and play Pac-Man at the one video game in the corner of the bar, while my Dad and Grandpa grabbed a beer.

Visits to the hospital were rough. There were so many patients, like my Grandpa, in recovery but in terrible pain. Scott, the guy in the room next to my Grandpa, had spent the better part of a year in a coma after being hit by a truck and dragged for a mile. He was 18 years old. When we were not around he kept my Grandpa company. He was in a wheel chair and his body was shrunken from months in bed. His parents were there every day and like Scott they were warm and thoughtful. I can only imagine how they must have felt the day their son finally opened his eyes.

It was a long drive back home so we spent evenings having dinner in the hospital cafeteria. You would assume it would be bad. Institutional food can be disgusting, but not at this hospital -- it was delicious. They weren't breaking new ground but the food was flavorful, warm and familiar. They served typical American fare: stuffed peppers, roast chicken, meatloaf, pot pies, open-faced sandwiches, vegetable medleys and fruit pies and crisps. All of it fresh, not that Sysco nonsense. In "Carla Hall" speak, this food was made with love. Eating and talking about the roast chicken or strawberry rhubarb pie was a pleasant distraction and needed reprieve.

Fast-forward 20 years: When I had my son Simon, I was in the hospital for 5 days. On day 3 my husband told the nurses to stop bringing the food, not that I ate it the days before but the smell of it in our room was making us ill. It was a very nice hospital in a nice area, so why where they serving me such slop? Am I in prison? Did I do something wrong? I thought I just had a baby. Each morning they would bring in a tray of watery eggs served over a greasy slab of ham with a side of pale fruit and a half-frozen English muffin. I have a vivid memory of my husband lifting the cover off the tray and saying "Oh man," pause, "Yuck," as if he saw a squashed bug on the floor.

It's a terrible thing to serve patients bad food. Don't patients and their families have enough to deal with? Let's try not to make them more sad and sick with bad food. You think the road to recovery includes cups of green jell-o with chunks of canned fruit? I'm not a doctor, but I'm also not an idiot. Consuming godawful food can't be good for you. This needs to be national movement. Let's get Michelle Obama and Alice Waters on board. It's even more important than trying to get overweight but otherwise healthy Americans to eat less and seasonally.

As I discussed the topic with my husband we came up with a few catchy slogans for the movement:

"Don't make people more sick and sad with your disgusting food, assholes"

"Stop serving bad food because it's making everyone vomit"

"Stop making sick food for sick people"

I like the first one best. I'll be making t-shirts so if you want one, send me an email or post a comment.

I'm not going to attempt to solve this problem in this post. I am going to complain, call for a movement, and share a recipe that is great to make at home and would translate well if made and served at a hospital cafeteria.

Stuffed Peppers

3 cups cooked white rice
1 lb ground beef (chicken, turkey or lamb works too)
4 cups medium dice of onions, carrots, and red pepper. Use whatever combination you want, or whatever you've got in your refrigerator
1 14 oz can diced tomatoes, strained
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flake
2/3 cup cubed (small) fontina cheese
1 1/2 cups tomato sauce (either homemade or a quality one from the supermarket)
1/4 cup chopped parsley
5 or 6 medium-sized green bell peppers, tops cut off, seeds and white membranes removed. Pick peppers that are the same size, and ones that have a flat bottom. They need to sit upright. (If you are one of those people who thinks green bell peppers are evil, then don't use them. Use red, yellow, orange, purple or whatever is your favorite.)

You don't need to do this in a dutch oven, but I did because I love my 6-quart Mario Batali dutch oven. You could also do this in a Pyrex dish or any other oven-safe pot, pan, or roasting dish. You want the peppers to fill the space completely. The peppers should be nestled in next to each other so that they don't topple while they bake.

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees

Coat bottom of dutch oven with a drizzle of olive oil and place peppers in dutch oven, cut side up. Season peppers with a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Roast for 30 minutes.

While peppers cook, saute your vegetables in olive oil (1 tablespoon). Cook until soft and lightly brown. It'll take 15 minutes. As they cook add salt, fennel seeds, oregano, paprika and red pepper flake. Once vegetables are cooked add in the beef. Break meat up with wooden spoon and let cook until there is no more pink.

In a large bowl combine cooked rice, beef and vegetables mixture, diced tomatoes and parsley. Mix with large spoon until everything is incorporated. Taste to see if it needs additional seasoning.

When peppers are done, fill them with the rice and beef mixture. Don't be shy, really pack them. When each one is filled, sprinkle with cubes of fontina and top with a ladle of tomato sauce. Place them back in the oven for 30 minutes.

Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.

The Fabulous Host of My Very Own Cooking Show

So, it's finally happened! After years of mentally narrating my own every move in my little kitchen, I hosted my very own cooking show. And I think it went really well. I was poised, the audience was responsive, the recipes were smooth and complete and I effortlessly conducted demonstrations while cleverly producing finished products from the oven behind me on set. It was awesome.


Mind you, it wasn't televised and the audience was a my aunt's very captive garden club, but it sort of counts? Right? OK, so no, it's not a cooking "show" if there is no filming involved but it was fun and I think everybody had a good time. See, I was invited to give a cooking with herbs demonstration to the lovely Crofton Master Gardners' Club. And I did. And they are either the nicest group of people I have ever met or they confirmed for me once and for all what I have long suspected: I am charming, witty, skilled with a knife and just a plain old natural.

No? Well, I didn't accidentally curse or cut myself, and that's a victory I think. There have to be points for that. And Beth will attest that on my worst day I am WAY more charming that that smug Michael Chiarello. And I'm nowhere near as scary as that creepy Sandra Lee. OK, fine, I'm a different, less spine-tingling-ly-stepford kind of scary. Plus,I have a no-catch-phrase policy that I think gives me a (less annoying) edge over Rachel Ray. No, I don't like her. I get her appeal, but that is Beth that likes her, not me. Crap...that probably just got me black listed from having a show on Food Network for a few lifetimes. So, while my real television debut is probably a ways off (like, never) I'm pretty much ready should the opportunity knock. I mean, I already have my own chef's coat. That's half the battle, I think.


Here are the herby recipes I shared with my new fans. They are all really easy as I was afraid to attempt anything I couldn't finish in such a public forum. As I told my audience, in most cases, you can swap out an herb I have used for one that you prefer or have a plethora of on hand. But they're pretty good just as they are so this is a good place to start. Let me know what you think...it might be good for my ratings, even if they're only in my head.



Herbed Shrimp Cocktail with Bloody Mary Cocktail Sauce
An easy, interesting twist on the classic

Ingredients:
For shrimp:
2 lbs large (U-25) shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 large lemon, divided
about 12 - 18 whole peppercorns
salt & red pepper flake, to taste
1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil
Zest of 1/2 lemon
1/2 cup fresh chopped herbs (I use 40% tarragon, 20% flat-leaf parsley & 40% chives)

Instructions:
In a steamer or stockpot, bring about 4 cups of water, seasoned with the juice of 1/2 the lemon, kosher salt & red pepper flake to taste and whole peppercorns to a gentle boil. Add shrimp to steamer basket or a fine mesh metal collander fitted to your pot and place over - NOT IN - simmering water. Cover and steam shrimp, uncovering only long enough to shake the the shrimp once or twice to allow for even cooking, until shrimp are just cooked. Remove from heat and transfer to a bowl. Drizzle immediately with olive oil and toss to coat...shrimp should be coated, not sitting in oil. Add oil slowly...you can always add more, but it's tough to take it out! Immediately, while shrimp are still warm, add fresh herbs and the zest of 1/2 of that lemon. Toss completely to coat evenly with herbs. Salt lightly with kosher salt if you wish. Chill shrimp for at least 2 hours or overnight before serving with cocktail sauce (below).

For cocktail sauce:
1 1/2 c. ketchup
1/4 c. prepared horseradish
2 T. Wostershire sauce
1 - 2 T. Rose's Lime Juice (to your liking)
dash of Tabasco
fresh cracked black pepper (to taste)
2 T. vodka (optional)

Combine all ingredients and stir well. Chill at least 2 hours before serving with shrimp.



Grilled Skirt Steak with Not-particularly-authentic-but-entirely-delicious Chimichurri Sauce
Chimichurri is an Argentinian sauce similar in texture and method to a pesto. To me, it tastes like summer.

Ingredients:
2 - 3 lbs. beef skirt steak or hangar steak
1/4 c. red wine vinegar
kosher salt & fresh black pepper to taste

1 c. fresh flat-leaf (Italian) parsley leaves (heavy stems removed)
1 1/2 c. fresh cilantro leave (heavy stems removed)
1/4 c. red wine vinegar
zest of one large lemon
2 - 3 T. fresh lemon juice
1 or more cloves garlic
Red pepper flake, to taste
1 - 2 tsp. kosher salt, to taste
fresh cracked black pepper, to taste
1/4 - 1/3 c. extra virgin olive oil

For the Chimichurri Sauce, place the nine ingredients from parsley through black pepper in a food processor or blender. Pulse quickly a few times to get things started. As ingredients begin to shift, slowly drizzle in olive oil until you acheive the consistency of a thick pesto. Taste and correct seasoning to your liking. Chill at least an hour before serving with steak (as below), pork, or maybe even a hearty steak-like fish, like swordfish. If stored in an airtight container, this will easily keep for a week, perhaps longer.

For the skirt steak, cut the steak into grill-able lengths (6" - 8") and, in a glass baking dish, season liberally with red wine vinegar, salt & pepper. Chill, uncovered, until you are ready to light the grill. Then, take it out of the fridge and allow it to sit at room temperature while the grill heats. Heat grill to the high end of medium-high (I dunno...I make it up as I go along, people). Place the skirt steak on the grill and turn down the heat a bit and grill for only about 3 - 5 minutes per side (turn it just once if you can) for medium rare. Remove from heat and allow to rest about 7 - 10 minutes before slicing into 1/2 strips. Serve with Chimichurri Sauce as above. Delicious.



Basil-Lemon Simple Syrup Three Ways
Use this simple syrup to make a granita, refreshing lemonade or as a base for a cocktail. This method is also lovely with mint. Try mixing different herb and citrus combinations!

4 c. water
2 c. turbinado sugar (aka Sugar in the Raw)
1 cup fresh whole basil leaves, divided
The zest (just the yellow part, not the pith) of 1/2 lemon
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

Combine sugar and water in a medium saucepan and add the lemon zest (please note: you are going to want to remove the lemon zest from the syrup, so don't use your microplane this time. Using a sharp knife, slice 1" pieces of zest from lemon, taking care not to end up with the pithy white part of the rind). Gently bring to a boil, stirring occasionally to dissolve sugar. Don't walk away from this...you do not want it boiling over onto your stove. Once sugar has dissolved completely, carefully transfer syrup to a stainless steel bowl sitting in an ice bath and add 1/2 cup of whole basil leaves to steep as syrup cools.

While syrup is cooling, place the remaining 1/2 cup of basil leaves in a blender with 1/2 cup lemon juice. Pulse to combine until the leaves are fully incorporated into lemon juice and the mixture is pourable. Feel free to use an extra squeeze of lemon or a few drops of water to get everything combined. Place a fine mesh seive over a compatibly sized bowl and pour pureed lemon-basil mixture through, pressing the solids left in the seive to release juices. Add the strained liquid to your cooled simple syrup.

To make a lemon-basil granita, perfect for accompanying fresh fruit as a dessert, pour the mixture carefully into a jelly roll pan (a flat, stainless pan with at least 1" sides) already placed safely in your freezer. Freeze for a minimum of 4-5 hours or overnight, scraping occasionally with a fork once freezing begins to create a flaky, "snowy" texture.

To make basil lemonade, fill a tall glass with ice and pour the cooled mixture to about 1/3 - 1/2 way up the glass, depending on desired sweetness and concentration of flavor. Fill the rest of the glass with sparkling water or club soda, stir gently and enjoy.

To make a perfect summer cocktail, pour 1 oz. simple syrup mixture into a cocktail shaker with 2 oz. of your favorite rum or vodka. Shake to combine and pour into an appropriate glass filled with ice. Top off with a splash (or more, to your liking) of club soda and enjoy.

Thanks to all of my new friends in Crofton for having me! I had a blast!

America's Test Kitchen and (Chocolate Chip Cookies)

First, let me be clear about the Cook's Illustrated/America's Test Kitchen empire: I love the magazine, the cookbooks, website and show. Recipes are precise, descriptions of techniques are detailed and include pictures and diagrams. My only problem is they are patronizing. The show leads with Christopher Kimball, the editor, talking about some all-American dish -- macaroni and cheese, roast beef, baked ziti, buttermilk biscuits, etc. He then proceeds to crap all over the way most home chefs make it. Kimball declares: "Whenever you taste baked ziti at your stupid pot lock dinners, it's almost always disgusting." Kimball sighs and continues, "Well, today we are going to show you fools how to make a baked ziti that's worth eating." I'm exaggerating, but only a little. (Here's how he actually describes the typical dish: "Overcooked ziti in a dull, grainy sauce topped with a rubbery mass of mozzarella.") My baked ziti could use some improvement but I think it's pretty tasty. "American's Test Kitchen" has never let me down. When they reinvent recipes the results are wonderful, but do they need to be such jerks?

Can you imagine a show about another regional cuisine that starts off by crapping on the way the average local cook prepares that very cuisine? Think how absurd it would be if Mario Batali had started off Molto Mario with a rant about how terrible the gnocchi was on his last visit to Italy. Of course, that could never happen because no Italian has ever made a bad meal, but let's pretend for a moment. I'm not disagreeing that American home chefs could use a little help, but don't break our spirit. If you want to attack someone, go after the real "bad guys," like Marie Callenders, Tysons, Stouffers, Lean Cuisine, etc. These companies are fooling everyday Americans into thinking that defrosting and reheating their food is simpler and healthier than roasting a whole chicken in your oven.

Listen up Kimball, ease up on us home chefs. We may have more to learn but that doesn't mean we aren't already making tasty food for our families and friends. Including baked ziti.

In honor of ATK's love of American food and hate of home chef's' execution, I'll be making a version of their chocolate chip cookies. I came to know this recipe from Mehan's Kitchen, which adapted it from an issue of Cook's Illustrated. These are truly the best chocolate chip cookies ever. Instead of using softened butter, this recipe uses brown butter. The cookie itself tastes like caramel.

What's more American then chocolate chip cookies? Well, I guess apple pie, that's first. Chocolate chip cookies are a very close second.

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
14 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 1/4 cups chocolate chips (use whatever you like, dark, milk, semi-sweet)
3/4 cup chopped pecans, walnuts or whatever nut you like or skip this altogether

Preheat oven to 350.

Whisk flour and baking soda first in small bowl. Heat 10 tablespoons of butter in sauce pan. Stir constantly. Butter will bubble and then brown. You will start to see brown flecks when the browning starts and then it will take a few more moments.

Remove from heat and pour hot brown butter in a large bowl. Add the rest of the 4 tablespoons of butter, and stir until melted and slightly cooled. Then whisk in sugars, salt and vanilla. Once smooth add in eggs. Beat until the batter is shiny and looks like caramel. Then fold in flour in increments. Then add chocolate chips and nuts.

Line baking sheet with parchment and measure 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons portions for each cookie. Arrange 12 cookies on baking sheet and bake for 12-14 minutes.

Makes 24 cookies.

Tony Bourdain & The Judgemental Toaster

OK, so this post isn't really about Anthony Bourdain, but I just want to take a moment to out-disdain Beth in regards to my beloved Mr. Bourdain. Yes, he did go to some lame-o pub thing in his DC episode, but it was in the name of meeting a CIA agent and in Baltimore he went only -and exclusively - to the ghetto. Anyone who has ever read Kitchen Confidential knows that Tony is no Baltimore tourism ambassador, but seriously, he called us "rust belt" (um, whhhaaat?) and ate only at fried-crap carry-outs and some dive-ass bar with actual gangsta-cum-"actors" from The Wire. WORST PART? He took the actual uniquely Baltimore-specific phenomena of The Wire and steamed crabs and threw them into the DC episode. So, while I totally get the sensation of being bummed-out by his choices whilst wandering your hometown, I am not sure he's ever done anybody as wrong as he done us here in Charm City.

I was able to actually hear Tony's explanation for dissing us hard from the horse's mouth when he and his BFF (and my hunky culinary crush) Eric Ripert actually stopped into Baltimore on their "Cooks' Tour" speaking tour this past May. First of all, given his blatant distaste for my fair city, I was shocked - SHOCKED! - that they came here at all, but then I got to sit there and listen to Tony say that he actually finds Baltimore quite charming yet he is under no obligation to paint a fair and balanced portrait of the destinations he profiles for his viewers. Still, all ghetto, and no mention of, say the local James Beard nominee who is actually doing the local, sustainable thing that the rest of the world is endlessly prattling on about? No visit to the nation's oldest continuously-running public market wherein lies the world's finest crabcake? He did go to Chap's Pit Beef though, if memory serves. Props to that. Still, he was kinder to Cleveland...Uzbekistan, for that matter. I get that he's not obligated to show things as they are, but it's a shame. This city takes enough of a beating. The former Baltimore-city tourism drone in me dies a little.

So, why did I just buy Tony's newest book in hardcover and plow through it in a weekend? Because snarkiness is a quality that I admire. Also, I respect his frankness in terms of his own culinary limitations and I do enjoy his general bitchiness. (That's different from snarkiness.) But, he's a little judgemental, even for my tastes and you know I judge (especially when you crack open that commercial bottled marinade. NOT COOL!)

OK, so this post was all about Anthony Bourdain. But it's not just him. When you think about it, there's a lot of jugemental-ness (yeah, I know, you're judging my grammar) surrounding food. People have really strong opinions about what they eat and what you should or should not eat. We live in a food-porn world, but when you think about it, what you choose to eat and when and how and how much is a pretty intimate decision. It's not surprising that everybody and their mother throws in their two cents.

In fact, my mom even has a judgemental toaster! If you should decide that you might like your toast toastier than the toastiness achieved in one toasting, it usually says no and refuses to work, leaving you with unsatisfactory toast. What? Crazy? I like my toast a little dark. Don't judge.

I would like you to continue to withhold judgement as you read this next recipe. Although I know it is generally accepted culinary practice, I always feel a little indulgent and perhaps gluttonous when I begin a recipe with ample amounts of olive oil and butter sizzling away in a pan together. But judge if you want; you can't beat the result. Here's a fun recipe that has very few ingredients, comes together quickly and is sooo good. It's also all about the summer goodness of tomatoes and Vidalia onions. I spun it out of a dinner I watched my sister prepare a few months ago and the lime adds an unexpected something. Thanks Kat!

Sea Scallops with Vidalia Onion & Plum Tomatoes
Serves 4

Ingredients:
16 fresh, lovely sea scallops
2 T extra virgin olive oil
2-3 T butter
1 1/2 cups diced Vidalia onion
6 - 8 Plum (Roma) Tomatoes, chopped & seeded
the juice of one lime
kosher salt & fresh cracked pepper
freshly grated parmigiano reggiano (Don't buy it grated. Grate your own! I judge you!)

Instructions:
On two layer of paper towels, lay out the scallops to dry, flipping them once. Just do it quickly. doesn't take much, but makes a difference when searing. Season them liberally with salt & pepper on both sides once dried. In a large saute pan, heat the butter & olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and saute until slightly softened and translucent. Add the scallops, clearing little openings in the onions for the scallops to be in direct contact with the pan. No need to be anal about it. Sear the scallops on that first side for about 2 minutes. Flip them carefully and add tomatoes to the pan. Squeeze the lime juice over everything and simmer for about three minutes, stirring around the tomatoes and onions just a bit. Turn the heat off immediately. Overcooking scallops is easier than breathing through your nose.

Transfer the tomato-onion mixture directly from the pan to serving plates and nestle the scallops on top. Grate some fresh parm on top. Enjoy. This would probably be really good over pasta or a simple risotto, but it's nice just served with a good, crusty bread also. And a salad. Salad is my life. Eat more salad.

Bourdain and Washington, DC (and Lemon Rosemary Pound Cake)

Can you believe that Anthony Bourdain came to Washington, DC and featured Chadwicks? This is old news (the show aired in 2008), but it still bothers me. "No Reservations" came to DC and spent 15 minutes in a place that serves loaded potato skins, soggy fries, and well-done burgers. I like Bourdain so I'm going to distribute the blame evenly between him and the producers of the show. How did they research DC? Did they Google, "I'm a sweaty tourist and I'd like to eat mediocre food in Georgetown, where should I go?" To be fair, the episode also featured Jose Andres, which is better. Andres is an awesome chef and brand with an equally awesome accent, but I see him more as an ambassador for Spanish food than a representative of DC. And if Bourdain wanted to showcase a Washington tradition, Old Ebbitt would have been the spot, not Chadwicks. You can get your raw oysters, crab cakes, rockfish and ribeyes. Very DC. It's not going to blow you away and it's painfully crowded but the food is consistently good and it's great for people watching.

Actually, I'm at a loss to think of a chef that captures this city's personality. When I think of the places I love to eat in DC none of them are very "DC." Brasserie Beck, Bistro Lepic, Palena Cafe, Indique, Et Voila, Blue Duck, Sonoma, Dino and Ardeo are fabulous but aren't exactly capturing DC's soul. I see Bourdain's dilemma. Let's examine DC for a moment. The native population seems more southern then northern, but there are lots of transplants from all over the country and the world. I need to find a chef with big personality and likability. They should have a southern style with an international edge. Hmmm ... who can be DC's culinary voice?

I thought for several days. Then it came to me. She has not blown up yet, but I nominate Carla Hall from Top Chef (Season 5). Jaques Pepin does not look like an easy guy to impress, and she blew him away with peas. I like Carla. Colicchio can roll his eyes all he wants when you talk about making food with "love," but when you make food with love you show respect to the food and the cooking process. I can drink and eat to that. Cheers! Bon Appetit! Carla now runs a catering business -- Alchemy Caterers == which is fine, but I want to eat her food whenever I want. Open a restaurant! I'd come a lot, and I'd bring friends. And I'd write about it on my blog, and the 3 people that read this blog will also go. Carla: Are you listening? You are the ideal candidate. You are southern-born, perfect for DC. You went to Howard University, awesome. You traveled to Europe as a model, so cool. You returned and went to L'Academie de Cuisine in Gaithersburg, Maryland, fabulous. And you are very very tall. Doesn't really have anything to do with anything, but I think it adds to your charm.

In honor of my nomination, I am posting a recipe inspired by one of Carla's winning episodes. She made a nectarine and strawberry tartlet with thyme, lemon and cream. I love the idea of including fragrant herbs like thyme, basil or rosemary in sweet dishes. Mint is not the only herb that gets to crossover from savory to sweet.

Watch your back, mint. Your friends are coming for you.

The pound cake recipe comes from Cook's Illustrated "Baking Illustrated" cookbook. I added the lemon and rosemary to honor Carla. This cake is very dense, and is almost like a short bread.


Lemon Rosemary Pound Cake

16 tablespoons softened unsalted butter
1 1/3 cups sugar
3 large eggs plus 3 egg yolks
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups cake flour
zest of 4-5 lemons
1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped rosemary

Pre-heat oven to 325, grease 9 x 5 loaf pan, and line it with parchment paper. You'll need to use two sheets that overlap each other. This is a fairly annoying step, but if you don't do it you might not get your cake out, and you'll have to hack into with a fork or spoon. Not pretty. Cut parchment paper to fit the length of the loaf pan, and then cut another piece to fit the width. You'll want the parchment paper to line the bottom and sides and have an inch or two hanging over each edge.

With a hand mixer beat sugar and butter together. In a separate bowl whisk eggs, vanilla, water and salt. Then add egg mixture in a stream to sugar and butter with hand mixer on. Once incorporated, fold in lemon zest and rosemary, then fold in flour in 1/2 cup increments.

Pour mixture into lined cake pan. Bake for 70-80 minutes. Mine took 75 minutes. Start checking at the 70 minute mark by inserting a toothpick. If it comes out clean, it's done.

Let the cake rest for 5 minutes, then pull it out of loaf pan. The parchment paper will make this easy.

Let cool for another 20 minutes.

It's delicious.

I bet it would also be awesome if you used basil or even thyme.

Speaking of Tom Sizemore...

Well hello there! Remember me? It's been a while. While my co-blogger Beth has been picking up the slack this summer, I've been moving twice, living out of a suitcase and trying to exist without an internet connection. Can you imagine? No internet at all? I don't think you can. Regardless, my family and I are settling into our new home and the internet is up and working so I'm back, Baby! I'mmmm BACK!

Well, sort of. Our loyal reader will recall that in her last post, Beth was mentioning how, some days, she feels a little bit like Tom Sizemore in Blackhawk Down. Beth & I are in sync about most things, so it should come as no surprise that I, too, have been feeling a lot like Tom Sizemore, but not Tom Sizemore, the beleaguered, tough-as-nails American soldier in Blackhawk Down or the heroic, tough-as-nails American soldier in Saving Private Ryan or the cynical, tough-as-nails DEA Agent in point break or even the psychotic, tough-as-nails gangster in Reservoir Dogs. Oh wait...that was Michael Madsen. Anybody else think they might be the same person? I digress.

No, my friends, I am afraid I feel like real life Tom Sizemore. Yes, I am in a very bloated, overweight, exhausted to my core, vaguely hungover, in and out of a toxic relationship with Heidi Fleiss, Dr. Drew's Celebrity Rehab sort of place right now. As a result, I am in the midst of a nutritionist-prescribed "re-calibration" diet, intended to, at long last, get my system back on track after the removal of my gall bladder earlier this year. Essentially, I can eat lean protein, vegetables, brown rice, oatmeal, fruit and nuts. No gluten, no sugar, no dairy, no alcohol, no caffeine. But, ya know what? It's all right. Not as bad as you might think. I really only miss cheese. And wine. And ice cream which I only ever want when I'm told I cannot have it. Plus, it's only two or three weeks. I figure I can do almost anything for that long, especially if it's for the greater good. In this case, the greater good of me.

With all of that in mind, here's a little recipe I whipped together for dinner the other night. Health-wise, you can't go wrong with salmon, so that's where we'll begin. And, if you think I'm sitting here steaming everything, I think I mentally signed on to be re-calibrated when the aforementioned nutritionist said "you can have olive oil and butter." Try this on salmon, chicken, pork...might even work on swordfish and stuff! I served it with brown rice with all of the extra pan drippings stirred in. Yum. Even my parents and husband thought this was delicious and they are not on any weird diets.

Please note that the sauce must come together quickly, so please be sure to have all of your chopping, etc. done before you begin, lest you overcook your salmon.

With any luck, soon I'll be feeling a lot less like Tom Sizemore and a lot more like Uma Thurman, his co-star in Kill Bill. Oh, shoot...that was Michael Madsen again. Seriously, has anybody ever seen them in the same place at the same time?


Roasted Salmon with Whole Grain Mustard & Cremini Mushrooms

Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs. fresh Salmon fillet
2 T. olive oil, divided
1 lemon
2 medium shallots, diced
2 T. old style whole grain Dijon mustard (Maille brand is what I use)
1 T. capers
2/3 cup cremini (baby portobello) mushrooms, stems removed, halved or quartered into bite-size pieces
1 clove chopped garlic
1/2 cup delicious dry white wine or chicken stock (for deglazing)

Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and place a baking dish in there to preheat along with it. In a large saute pan, heat 1 T. of the olive oil over medium high heat. Season salmon liberally with kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper and a drizzle of additional olive oil. Place the salmon flesh side down in the saute pan. Allow to brown for about 1 minute and carefully turn it with a spatula. Cook for one more minute, skin side down. Transfer salmon to the baking dish that has been preheating in the oven.

In the pan you just took the salmon out of, quickly add the shallots, mustard, capers & mushrooms, plus at least 1 T. of lemon juice, more if you like. Saute, stirring constantly for about 2 minutes. Add the garlic. Saute for another minute. Turn up the heat just a bit and add the wine or stock to deglaze the pan. Allow mixture to simmer for a minute and then carefully pour it all over the salmon that has been cooking away in the oven. Allow to roast for about 12 more minutes (after searing, the salmon should cook for a total of about 15 minutes or until it separates easily when poked with a fork, but not until it's "flaky." No one really wants their fish "flaky." "Flaky" is dry.) To serve, transfer salmon carefully to plate and sort of mound all the good mushrooms & stuff from the sauce on top. Reserve the pan jus for rice if you so desire. Enjoy.