Cookbook Review

These days I find myself eating less animal protein. I am increasingly concerned about the provenance of the beef, pork, poultry and seafood in the markets. Food safety and the ethical treatment of animals has influenced my approach to cooking and eating more than ever before. So it shouldn't be surprising that this month's cookbook review features a book that I have used many times; in fact, as recently as yesterday. (Unfortunately we were so intent on devouring the Smoky Frittata that I didn't get a chance to snap any photos). Back in January, I wrote about green pancakes, the first dish I tried from "Plenty" by Yotam Ottolenghi.

They were so good and the zesty lime-chile butter was the perfect accompaniment. I have also prepared the dish that graces the cover of the book: eggplant with buttermilk sauce. Mr. Ottolenghi has devoted an entire section of the cookbook to eggplant, fittingly titled "The Mighty Eggplant". The other sections are organized by product categories which include Roots, Funny Onions, Mushrooms, Zucchini and other Squashes, Peppers, Brassicas, Tomatoes, Leaves, Cooked and Raw, Green Things, Green Beans, Pulses, Grains, Pasta, Polenta, Couscous, and finally, Fruit with Cheese. I am in awe of this young man's creativity and the way he combines flavors in ways I would never think to do. Sweet Winter Slaw is an example: a salad of red and savoy cabbage with mango, papaya, red chile, mint and cilantro. It's dressed with a combination of fresh lime juice, maple syrup, sesame oil, soy sauce, lemongrass and olive oil. And for another layer of texture and sweetness, caramelized macadamia nuts are added to the mix. Another favorite of mine is "Crunchy Pappardelle", a dish of wide noodles tossed with broccolini and mushrooms sauced with white wine and a little cream, and topped with crunchy panko enhanced with lemon zest, garlic, and parsley (in the style of gremolata). Mr. Ottolenghi is not a vegetarian and from time to time he will suggest that a certain dish might go well with roast chicken or (in the case of the green pancakes) some smoked fish. But his care and attention to the best raw materials are what make his food so exciting and interesting. In the introduction to the book Mr. Ottolenghi explains that his childhood in Israel and Palestine exposed him to "the multitude of vegetables, pulses, and grains that are celebrated in the region's different cuisines". I particularly enjoyed this paragraph where he says: "What I am getting at is how lucky we are (although unfortunately not all of us) to be living and cooking in a world that offers such a spectrum of ingredients and so many culinary heritages to draw on. And this is what gets me excited-the multitude of ingredients cooked and processed by so many people in so many ways with so many different purposes". It is an exciting book. My advice is if you want to move vegetables to the center of your plate, seek this one out. Here are some images from the pages of "Plenty".

Stir-Fried Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Several weeks ago I was browsing the Saveur magazine website and came across the nominees for best blogs of 2012. The categories of "bests" include cooking, baking, photography, food writing, celebrities, and so on. One in particular caught my eye. Under the category "Best Single Piece of Culinary Writing" is a post titled "My Chez Panisse Experience". It was written by the author of the blog  Cafe Fernando.  It is a truly outstanding piece that shares the author's experience of what he describes as "probably the best meal of my life".  The photography is beautiful and it makes you feel like a true participant in the event.  Of course I voted for it.  But as I browsed Cenk's website, I noticed on the list of most popular posts a title:  Devil's Food Cake.  Immediately I clicked and there was a beautiful chocolate cake, decorated with chocolate shards, and filled with a ganache made with Biscoff spread.  This is about the Biscoff spread.  It is the special ingredient I mail-ordered last week and have been waiting to try.   I was intrigued when I read about the many uses of this spread that is sometimes referred to as "Europe's answer to peanut butter".  It has the texture of peanut butter with the flavor of gingersnap cookies.  Here it is:

Who knew there was an entire constituency of Biscoff-lovers out there?  There are recipes galore for candies, cookies, cakes, ice cream, and all manner of sweet treats using Biscoff.  But I had another idea in mind.  One of my favorite things to eat is spicy Thai-flavored peanut noodles.  So I wondered if there was a savory recipe using Biscoff spread.  I found it and here it is:   a spicy, Thai-influenced, chicken stir-fry, served in butter lettuce cups.  It's easy, delicious, fresh, and light.  Now all you have to do is order some Biscoff spread and get cooking.  Here is the recipe:

Biscoff Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps (from the biscoffblog.com)
Serves 4

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut crosswise into 1/2 inch strips
1 teaspoon ground coriander
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon minced ginger root
2 teaspoons canola or vegetable oil
1 red or green bell pepper (or half of each), cut into thin strips
1/4 cup hot or medium-hot salsa
2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
2 tablespoons Biscoff spread
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil or cilantro
8 large washed Boston or leaf lettuce leaves

Toss the chicken strips with the coriander, garlic and ginger.  Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Add bell pepper strips; stir-fry 2 minutes.  Add chicken mixture; stir-fry 4 to 5 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.  Add salsa (I only had medium heat salsa, so I added a jot of Thai red curry paste) and soy sauce; stir-fry 1 minute.  Reduce heat to low; stir in Biscoff spread until melted.  Stir in the basil.  To serve, spoon the mixture into lettuce leaves and roll up.  You could also serve the stir-fry over rice, but I love the contrast of the warm spicy chicken wrapped in the cool crunchy lettuce leaves.

You can order Biscoff Spread from amazon.com  There is also a product at Trader Joes called speculoos spread, which is apparently similar to Biscoff.  

Carrot Cookies

Here's a quick weekend baking project that will satisfy any craving for cake: cute little carrot cake sandwich cookies, complete with a cream cheese filling. These little gems are easy to make and have the same luscious flavors of a regular carrot cake. I had in mind something completely different for this post, but my special ingredient, which I mail-ordered earlier this week, did not arrive. So I'll leave you to wonder what I might be cooking up in the next few days, and enjoy these sweet treats in the meantime.

Carrot Cookie Sandwiches with Cream Cheese Filling
(from the "Blue-Eyed Bakers" blog who adapted it from "The Craft of Baking")
Makes approximately 14 cookie sandwiches

3/4 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1 cup unbleached flour
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed
14 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 large egg
3/4 cup roughly grated carrots (about 2 medium carrots)
1/4 cup raisins

Filling:
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
Finely grated zest of 1 small orange
2 tablespoons of sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 350F. Line two baking sheets with parchment and set aside. Grind the oats in a food processor until they are fine. In a bowl, mix together the oat flour, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, brown sugar, and sugar on medium speed until blended. (I used a hand mixer and it worked fine for this small-scale dough). Add the egg and vanilla and mix until incorporated. With the mixer on low add half of the dry ingredients and mix until blended. Add the remaining dry ingredients and stir until just incorporated. Fold in the carrots and raisins. Drop rounded tablespoon-sized mounds onto your baking sheets about an inch apart.

Bake until the cookies are golden brown and spring back when gently touched in the center, about 11-14 minutes. Cool cookies on wire racks completely before filling.
To make the filing, in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or with a hand mixer),beat the cream cheese, butter , orange zest, sugar and salt on medium speed until fluffy. Use a small knife to spread a tablespoon (or more) of the filling over the flat side of half of the cookies. Sandwich together with the remaining cookies. Cookies will keep in an airtight container for 2 days.

Ham and Pineapple Fried Rice

This has been a week of leftovers. I prepared a spiral-sliced ham for Easter dinner and was faced with the challenge of what to do with all that leftover meat. If you google "recipes for leftover ham", you get about three hundred thousand results. There are many "top ten" lists that include the usual suggestions: ham sandwiches, ham and scalloped potatoes, split pea or bean soups, casseroles, pasta with ham, frittatas, and on and on. First of all, I am not a fan of leftovers. My style of cooking is to prepare what can be comfortably consumed at one sitting and start fresh the next day. But a large roast necessitates a different approach.  Tuesday I carved all the meat from the ham bone and set about preparing soup. I wasn't in the mood for a bean or pea soup; it just seemed too wintery. I simmered collard greens, kale, and garlic with the ham bone until the greens were meltingly tender. Then I scooped the greens from the pot and cooked cornmeal dumplings in the ham broth. I served the greens and additional diced ham with the broth and dumplings. It was really good; not heavy, and very satisfying. The next leftover ham dish was ham and pineapple fried rice. This dish is very easy and lends itself to improvisation. My recipe is just a guideline of sorts, you can personalize it with whatever vegetables you have on hand. Tonight I will make a Hawaiian pizza, and that will be the end of "leftover ham week". But the next time I want ham for a recipe, I need look no further than my own freezer.

Ham and Pineapple Fried Rice

3 cups leftover, cold rice ( freshly cooked rice just doesn't work as well)
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
1 fat garlic clove, minced
a 1 inch chunk of fresh ginger root, peeled and finely minced
1 cup diced ham
1/2 cup diced sweet red pepper
1/2 cup diced fresh pineapple
1/4 cup peas ( frozen peas work fine, just rinse with hot water before adding to the skillet)
2 scallions, thinly sliced, a portion of the green tops reserved for garnish
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1-2 tablespoons vegetable or peanut oil
1-2 tablespoons soy sauce
a drizzle of sesame oil
coarsely chopped cilantro leaves for garnish

In a large preferably non-stick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until softened. Add the minced ginger and cook until fragrant. Toss in the red pepper and let it soften a bit, then add the ham, scallions, and the rice. Add 1 tablespoon of soy sauce. Stir-fry everything together until it's well mixed. Now push the mixture to the far edge of the pan, and add the beaten eggs (add a little more oil if the pan seems dry). Scramble the eggs quickly and then incorporate them into the rice mixture.

Fold in the peas and the pineapple, and adjust the seasoning with additional soy sauce, if desired, and a drizzle of sesame oil. Serve immediately, sprinkled with scallion greens and chopped cilantro.

Hot Cross Buns and a Baking Challenge

If you enjoy baking, particularly hot cross buns, you may be interested in the Fresh from the Oven April challenge.  The information about this baking round-up is at Purely Food.  This month's host of the challenge is talented food blogger The Little Loaf.  Here is my contribution to the many variations of the hot cross bun:
The traditional English hot cross bun was a familiar treat in our home when I was growing up, always a part of the Easter holiday.  This week I have taken up the challenge of presenting a different version of the hot cross bun:  a hot cross muffin.  This recipe produces a kind of hybrid pastry with the flavor and texture of a yeast roll, and the convenience and ease-of-preparation of a quick bread.  For anyone who is fearful of working with yeast, this one is for you.  There is no kneading, no portioning and shaping of all those little rolls, and no waiting for hours to enjoy the fruits of your labors.  If you are an organized person you can mix up the dry ingredients the night before, then have these muffins in the oven in just over an hour or so.  I baked mine in silicone baking cups which produce a slightly smaller pastry than a standard muffin tin. 

If you use a standard tin you should get eighteen perfect little hot cross muffins. Here is the recipe:

Hot Cross Muffins (from King Arthur Flour**)
Batter
1 cup(6 ounces, 170 gm) raisins, golden raisins, or sultanas
2 tablespoons (1 ounce, 30 ml.) rum or water (I used Crown Royal whiskey)
3 3/4 cups (1 pound, 455 gm) unbleached all-purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup (1 1/2 ounces, 45 gm) potato flour or dried potato flakes
1/3 cup (21/2 ounces, 72 gm) sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast
1/2 teaspoon each of cinnamon and nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
2 large eggs
1 3/4 cups (14 ounces, 400ml) warm water
1/4 cup (1/2 stick, 2 ounces, 58gm) butter, melted
finely grated zest of 1 medium orange and half a medium lemon (this is my addition to the recipe)
Icing
1 1/4 cups (5 ounces, 144gm) icing or confectioner's sugar
2 tablespoons (1 ounce, 28gm) soft butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon milk or cream

Batter:
Mix together the raisins and rum or water in a non-reactive bowl, and set the mixture aside. In a large bowl, whisk together all of the dry ingredients; its important to whisk thoroughly, so that the potato flour doesn't clump when the liquids are added. Stir in the cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, eggs, water, melted butter, raisin mixture (including any remaining soaking liquid) and the citrus zest, if you are using it. Beat until all of the ingredients are incorporated and the dough is cohesive. It won't be smooth; that's okay. Cover the bowl and let the dough rise in a warm place for 45 minutes; it'll get a bit puffy, but won't really increase much in size. Preheat your oven to 400F. Stir the dough briefly to deflate it, and use a muffin scoop or a 1/4 cup measure to fill 18 greased muffin cups; each should be about two-thirds full. Let the muffins rise, covered, for 20 minutes, until they've risen almost to the top of the cups. (I covered mine with a sheet of plastic wrap sprayed lightly with non-stick spray).

Bake them for 20 minutes, until they are a light golden brown. Remove them from the pans and allow them to cool before icing.
Icing: Combine all the icing ingredients in a small bowl and beat until thick. Use a pastry bag and tip to pipe thick crosses onto the muffins. (If you don't have a pastry bag, fill a sturdy plastic bag with the frosting, squeezing it down into one corner. Snip the tip of the bag off, and squeeze the frosting onto the muffins).

** King Arthur Flour company, of Norwich, Vermont is a wonderful source of ingredients and supplies for  baking.  Visit their website at:  www.kingarthurflour.com.