Faultless Recipes

Apricot, Almond, Chickpea Tagine (Hello Fresh)

Fri, 07 May 2021 17:28:20 GMT

Posted by: sarah

1 zucchini
1 yellow onion
1-2 cloves garlic
Cilantro
1 lemon
1 jalapeno
14 oz canned chickpeas
1/2 c basmati rice
2 packs veggie stock concentrate (or substitute vegetable stock for water below)
1/4 c sour cream
1 Tbsp Tunisian spice blend
1/2 oz slivered almonds
1 oz dried apricots
Hot sauce
Olive oil, butter, salt, pepper

Wash and dry all produce. Halve, peel, and dice onion. Mince cilantro. Peel and mince or grate garlic. Zest and halve lemon (for 4 servings, zest 1 lemon and halve both). Mince jalapeño, removing ribs and seeds for less heat. Trim and halve zucchini lengthwise; cut crosswise into ½-inchthick half-moons. Drain and rinse chickpeas; pat dry with paper towels.

Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a small pot over medium-high heat. Add ¼ of the onion; cook, stirring, until just softened, 2-3 minutes. Stir in rice, ¾ cup water (1½ cups for 4 servings), half the stock concentrates (you’ll use the rest later), and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce to a low simmer. Cook until rice is tender, 15-18 minutes. Keep covered off heat until ready to serve.

While rice cooks, in a small bowl, combine cilantro, 2 TBSP olive oil (3 TBSP for 4 servings), a pinch of garlic, salt, and pepper. Add lemon juice to taste and as much jalapeño as you like. Taste and add more garlic if desired. In a separate small bowl, combine sour cream, a pinch of salt, and as much lemon zest as you like. Add water 1 tsp at a time until mixture reaches a drizzling consistency.

Heat a large drizzle of olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add zucchini and remaining onion. Cook, stirring, until softened and lightly browned, 5-7 minutes (7-10 minutes for 4 servings). Add Tunisian Spice, remaining garlic, and a big pinch of salt. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, 1-2 minutes.

Pour 1⁄3 cup water (2⁄3 cup for 4 servings) and remaining stock concentrates into pan. Stir in chickpeas and bring to a low simmer. Cook until liquid is slightly reduced, 1-2 minutes. Reduce heat to low; stir in 1 TBSP butter (2 TBSP for 4) until melted. Season with salt and pepper.

Fluff rice with a fork; stir in 1 TBSP butter (2 TBSP for 4 servings). Season with salt and pepper. Divide rice between plates and top with tagine. Sprinkle with almonds and apricots. Drizzle with lemon cream and chermoula. Drizzle with hot sauce if desired. Cut any remaining lemon into wedges; serve on the side.

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Oxford rolls

Sun, 22 Apr 2018 20:21:18 GMT

Posted by: sarah

oxfordhacker was kind enough not only to make these rolls three times during our week-long visit, but to write up the recipe for me as well. (We like rolls, okay?)

Ingredients
* 1.25 tsp bread-maker yeast [ed: this is instant yeast in the US]
* 600g strong bread flour [ed: just “bread flour” in the US]
* 2 tsp sugar
* 1.5 tsp salt
* 2 tbsp oil (or 25g butter. Doesn't seem to make much difference.)
* 320 ml water (I use warm, but I don't think it matters much)

Oxfordhacker’s bread machine instructions:

* Put in breadmaker on the 'rolls' setting (our one is 2 hrs 20 mins, which seems to be about 10 mins standing, an hourish kneading, then the rest heating & rising). When that's done:
* Put a sheet of grease-proof paper on an oven rack
* Split the dough into ~12 equal-sized lumps (though fewer, bigger rolls also work well) & put on the rack[1]
* Leave somewhere warm for ~20 mins to rise (I usually use our top oven on 50C). They should end up about twice the size they started. OTOH, if you cut this bit short you just get smaller, denser rolls which are still good.
* Shove into oven on 200C for 4 mins
* Turn rack and cook for another 4 mins[2]
* Done!
We find that, stored in an airtight box, they stay good for 5+ days

***

I could've sworn I had a bread machine, but I think I just thought about getting one, heh. But I do have a stand mixer with a dough hook.

Sarah’s stand mixer variation:

* Put all the ingredients except for the bread flour in the bowl of the stand mixer and stir gently. Place the mixer on a scale, tare, and add the flour.
* Fit bowl onto mixer, then attach the dough hook. Stir on the lowest setting until just incorporated, then knead for ten minutes (setting “2” on the Kitchenaid).
* Remove dough hook, then remove bowl from the mixer. Shape dough into a rough ball, cover mixing bowl with a damp tea towel, and place in a warmed oven (~100F) for one hour.
* Place parchment paper/silpat on a baking sheet. Punch down dough, then separate into. dozen chunks. Form into rolls, then back into the warmed oven until about double in size (took 40 min for me).
* Remove tray, let oven pre-heat to 400F, then bake rolls for about 8-10 minutes.[3]

***

Oxfordhacker’s Mods:

* I've had success with mixing some herbs & garlic paste into the dough before splitting it. That'd probably be easier just shoved into the breadmaker with the other ingredients if you wanted a whole batch of them.
* I've also tried mixing in currants or putting a blob of jam in the middle of each roll, then & dusting with icing sugar before baking. They both turned out quite nice, but those felt like imitation pastries, whereas the pure rolls feel like proper rolls, IYSWIM.

Footnotes

[1] If the dough is too sticky to divide up by hand you'll need to use a floured surface or something, but really you need to use less water in the recipe because otherwise it's way too much like hard work.

[2] The recipe suggests slightly longer cook times and brushing the rolls with egg before you cook, which I guess is to make them crustier, but we prefer softer, easier, quicker rolls :)

[3] Sarah brushed the tops with melted butter and dusted with caster sugar before baking, but that’s because she felt like being fancy.

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kickass rice krispie treats

Fri, 15 Jul 2016 07:53:39 GMT

Posted by: synecdochic

Started with this recipe, tweaked it further a whole bunch to reflect my tastes.

* 6 cups Rice Krispies
* 6 tablespoons butter
* 1 10-oz bag of marshmallows (use the minis, they melt easier)
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 1/4 teaspoon fine kosher salt
* Kosher salt flakes

Lightly grease, with butter, a 9x9 square pan and set aside. (You will be moving quickly once the marshmallow melts, and want it set out and greased ahead of time.)

Using a large pot or enameled Dutch oven -- something light-colored where you can see the color of the butter -- warm the butter on medium-low until it starts bubbling and begins to brown, stirring with a rubber spatula. (I am a wimp about browning butter and always take it off the heat too quickly, but you're aiming for a nutty color + smell.) Turn off the heat. (If you're using a cast-iron enameled Dutch oven, take it off the burner, too; otherwise leaving it on the burner is okay.) Add salt and vanilla extract (in that order); the vanilla will make the butter bubble and froth, so stir quickly once you do.

Dump half the bag of marshmallows in the pot; stir so that the hot butter coats them. Dump the other half of the bag into the pot as soon as the first half is pretty well coated. Continue stirring until the marshmallow is melted (with no lumps) and begins to get thicker/stickier. Dump in the Rice Krispies in stages, about 2c at a time, stirring thoroughly and using the spatula to 'fold' the bottom up onto the top; this results in the best and most even Rice Krispie dispersal.

Press the resulting mixture firmly into the greased pan and sprinkle salt on top. (Optional, if you like salty/sweet as much as I do: Press half the mixture into the greased pan; sprinkle a layer of salt flakes; add the other half of the mixture; add more salt flakes on top. This gives you a better chance of getting flecks of salt in any given bite.)

Let cool for at least an hour (or else there will be structural integrity failure when you try to eat it); cut into bars; inhale.

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Raspberry turnovers with rough-puff pastry

Mon, 14 Mar 2016 09:35:14 GMT

Posted by: synecdochic

I've been watching too much of the Great British Bake-Off. Recipe assembled as a consensus from about seven or eight different sources.

Pastry:
250 grams bread flour
2 sticks butter, room temperature but not soft
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
Between 1/2 and 2/3 cup very cold water (fridge temp is fine, but don't use room temp)

Raspberry filling:
6 oz fresh raspberries
1/3 c sugar
1.5 tablespoons corn starch
1 tablespoon water

For tops of turnovers:
Milk (for brushing)
Sugar (for sprinkling)

( Instructions )

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Garlic-cheddar quickbread

Sun, 14 Feb 2016 11:24:50 GMT

Posted by: synecdochic

Because I will be baking this in another few hours and wanted to have the recipe with my changes readily at hand.

Adapted from Stephanie Cooks, who adapted it from Taste of Home.

Ingredients:
3 cups all-purpose flour
4.5 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt ^*
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 Tbsp The Spice and Tea Exchange's Herb Sesame Spice Blend, divided ^**
1.5 cups milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 egg

(* Last time I made this, I did not include salt, but the result was really deficient in salt to the point where I was sprinkling kosher salt over each slice -- I think it was because the Stephanie Cooks version used all-purpose flour while the Taste of Home used self-rising flour, and self-rising flour includes baking powder and salt. Stephanie added back in the baking powder, but not the salt. The internet is fairly divided as to whether self-rising flour is 1/4tsp or 1/2tsp of salt per cup of self-rising flour; I'm splitting the difference for this next attempt and will report back.)

(Reporting back: yeah, a teaspoon of salt is about right.)

(** The Herb Sesame Spice Blend: sesame seed, garlic, onion, basil, parsley, oregano, paprika, thyme, dill, white pepper, cayenne pepper. Original recipe called for "Italian seasoning" instead, but this worked just as well.)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350*.

2. Combine flour, baking powder, salt, cheese, sugar, garlic powder, and 1/2 of the spice blend in a bowl; mix thoroughly.

3. In separate bowl, combine milk, oil, and egg. Mix thoroughly, then stir into dry ingredients until just combined. (Batter will still be lumpy.)

4. Pour into a greased loaf pan. Top with other 1/2 of the spice blend.

5. Bake for 55-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.

6. Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to finish cooling.

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Cavatelli with broccoli

Mon, 27 Apr 2015 19:25:53 GMT

Posted by: sarah

Cavatelli pasta (~4 oz per person)
Olive oil
Garlic (3 cloves, roughly chopped)
Broccoli
1/2 cup chicken broth
Parmesan reggiano, for serving

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil, and cook the pasta until al dente (9 mins for the Rao's brand that I used, but taste it as you go).

Meanwhile, cut the broccoli into bite sized florets. Steam in a pot with steamer insert (or microwave) for a couple minutes, until bright green. Drain.

In a medium saute pan, heat olive oil (medium-high), and saute the garlic until tender. Add broccoli, chicken broth, salt, and pepper, and simmer for 4-5 minutes.

Drain pasta and return to pot over medium heat. Add broccoli mixture and toss for a minute until well mixed. Serve with grated cheese.

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Shrimp & asparagus in lemon sauce

Thu, 09 Apr 2015 17:51:43 GMT

Posted by: sarah

olive oil
1/2 pound raw shrimp, peeled & deveined
1 bunch asparagus, ends trimmed and each stalk cut into 2-3" pieces
salt, to taste
1 tsp minced ginger (which I didn't have, so I used a dash of ginger powder)
1 tsp minced garlic

For the lemon sauce:
⅔ cup chicken stock
1 Tbsp cornstarch (or arrowroot powder)
1 Tbsp soy sauce (I used tamari, which is GF)
¼ cup lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest

In a small bowl, whisk together all of the lemon sauce ingredients and set aside.

In a large frying pan, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Add shrimp to pan and stir fry for 2-3 minutes, seasoning with a bit of salt. Remove when turning pink and opaque, but still underdone.

In same frying pan, heat another 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat. Add asparagus and cook for 4-5 minutes, or until nearly the way you like it (I go for tender, but still with a snap to it, and vivid green). Add salt, ginger, and garlic and cook for 1 minute more.

Pour in lemon sauce, and add shrimp back to the pan. Simmer for about a minute, until shrimp are fully cooked and sauce starts to thicken (it will thicken more upon standing).

Remove from heat and serve, preferably over something to soak up the sauce. Shown with cauliflower rice and a side of sauteed mushrooms and onions.

From Home Cooking Memories.

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Gluten-free apple pan-cake

Fri, 27 Mar 2015 02:11:39 GMT

Posted by: sarah

Note the hyphen: this is not so much a pancake as it is a cake-in-a-pan. Very luscious, its texture reminds me of a souffle. Definitely need to make this one again, especially as it's quick enough to toss together after a meal.

For the Batter:
1/3 cup gluten-free oat or sorghum flour (45g)
1/3 cup gluten-free brown rice flour (45g)
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
4 eggs
4 Tbsp milk (at least)
2 Tbsp butter, melted and cooled
2 tsp vanilla extract

For the Apples:
1/4 cup sugar (55g)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
4 Tbsp butter
1 apple, peeled, cored, and sliced (We've used granny smith, Honeycrisp, and Macintosh, and all were good.)

For the Batter: Preheat oven to 425 °F. Whisk together flours, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon in medium bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, melted butter, and vanilla. Pour egg mixture over dry ingredients. Whisk until smooth. Batter should be thin; if not, add additional milk one tablespoon at a time. Allow batter to stand for ten minutes.

For the Apples: mix together sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a small bowl. Set aside. Melt butter in a 10-inch oven-safe skillet (I used a 9-inch cast iron pan and it worked fine) over medium heat. Sprinkle sugar mixture over melted butter. Stir and cook until sugar begins to bubble up. Reduce heat to medium-low and arrange apple slices. Cook about three minutes.

Slowly pour batter evenly into the pan. Some of the apple pieces might float and move. Transfer pan to the preheated oven. Bake until pancake puffs and is golden brown, about 15 minutes.

Remove pan from oven and serve warm.

From Serious Eats.

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Dinner menu

Fri, 27 Mar 2015 02:08:23 GMT

Posted by: sarah

Flank steak with tamari sauce, garlic green beans, and baked potatoes.

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Simple cheese fondue

Thu, 26 Mar 2015 01:32:11 GMT

Posted by: synecdochic

Sometimes you just want a pot of cheese for dinner.

* Several semi-soft cheeses, in equal measure, about half a pound of cheese per person. Good choices: fontina, butterkase, emmanthaler, gouda. Avoid harder cheeses like parmesan and manchego, and cheeses that don't play well with others, such as cheddar.

* One cup (8oz) of white wine per pound or so of cheese. It's not exact. You can also use beer, but the wine works better. (If using beer: double the lemon juice.)

* About a tablespoon or so of lemon juice, but keep the container on the table in case you need to perform emergency rescue proceedings.

* More flour than you think you need. Usually about a third of a cup per pound of cheese.

* A few cloves of garlic, minced

* A dash or two of nutmeg (I have never measured a spice in my entire life). Sometimes I toss in some ginger, too. Experiment.

* Salt and pepper to taste

Grate the cheeses together into a mixing bowl or other repository. Every now and then, sprinkle some more of the flour on top of the grated cheese and mix it around with your hands until the cheese is evenly coated and doesn't stick together at all.

In your fondue pot over 'warm' (if you have an electric fondue pot) or in a double boiler with the heat set to low (if you don't), pour in the wine and the lemon juice and let it warm until it's just thinking about simmering. Toss in the garlic and let it cook for about three to five minutes, then toss in the nutmeg. (Adding it here gets it more evenly incorporated than adding at the end!)

Add the grated cheese, a handful or so at a time, stirring constantly and waiting until the cheese you just added is melted before adding the next handful. Salt and pepper to taste; serve with whatever you want for dipping.

Failure modes: if the fondue is too thick, add a bit more wine; if it's too grainy, add a dash of lemon juice and a pinch of flour; if it's too liquid or you've added too much lemon juice and it's too tart, add more cheese.

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Thai red curry shrimp

Sat, 21 Mar 2015 16:58:42 GMT

Posted by: sarah

Haven't cooked shrimp since I moved in with D ten years ago. But when she's asleep in the evenings, I make seafood for dinner. If you need a primer on how to prep shrimp, I found this tutorial from Gordon Ramsay quite helpful.

2 Tbsp cooking oil (I used coconut)
1 red bell pepper, cut into strips
1/2 fresh red chile , sliced (I skipped this.)
2 Tbsp Thai red curry paste
1/2 lb shrimp, peeled & deveined
1 can coconut milk
1 Tbsp fish sauce
1 cup snow peas (I skipped these, because the ones at the store looked crummy.)
Cilantro
Lime juice, to taste (about a Tbsp)

Slice up the red pepper and chile. Rinse and remove stems from the cilantro leaves.

Heat skillet over medium heat, then add the cooking oil. Sautee the red pepper and chile for 2-3 minutes.

Add the curry paste. Stir and cook for about a minute. Add the coconut milk and fish sauce, and mix well.

Add shrimp and snow peas, and cook for 3 minutes. Shrimp are easily overcooked, so don't leave this on the heat too long -- remove the pan from the burner as soon as the shrimp pink up.

Stir in cilantro, and lime juice to taste. Serve over rice/noodles/cauliflower rice.

Pictured with cauliflower rice

From Vikalinka.

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Cauliflower rice

Sat, 21 Mar 2015 16:56:13 GMT

Posted by: sarah

I've been experimenting with some grain-free dishes. I only cooked cauliflower from fresh for the first time a few months back. I'm really digging the taste and versatility. A food processor is recommended for this recipe.

1 head cauliflower, cored & trimmed into florets
1 shallot, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp sea salt

Mince up your aromatics.

In two batches, pulse the cauliflower in a food processor to rice-like grains (about the size of couscous). If you don't have a food processor, you can grate it using a box grater.

Heat a skillet over medium-high heat, then add the olive oil. Sautee the shallots and garlic for a minute until tender.

Reduce heat to medium and add the cauliflower and salt. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until it reaches your preferred tenderness.

Pictured with red curry shrimp

From Cool Hunting.

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Breakfast scramble: pepper and spinach edition

Sat, 14 Mar 2015 13:44:11 GMT

Posted by: sarah

My new favorite quick breakfast is a scramble of eggs and whatever veg, meat, and cheese I have on hand. This one is eggs, red peppers, spinach, and goat cheese crumbles. Took less that ten minutes, including slicing the peppers.

Start by sauteeing the peppers in a little fat for a couple minutes (I used coconut oil). Remove from pan into your serving bowl. Then cook the scrambled eggs. A minute or two before the eggs are done to your liking (i.e. still a little too wet), add in the spinach and stir until wilted. Add back the red peppers and mix. Serve with blue cheese crumbles.

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Italian meringue cookies

Sun, 08 Mar 2015 02:29:17 GMT

Posted by: sarah

Since you've got all those egg whites left over from making the creme brulee, let's make some meringues!

1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup water
5 egg whites (from large eggs), at room temperature
1/2 tsp cream of tartar (or a bit of lemon juice -- something acidic to set the egg whites)

Preheat oven to 200° F (95° C), and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a small saucepan, combine the sugar and water. Heat over high heat, stirring occasionally but gently (you don't want it to splash up the sides and solidify). Cook until the syrup hits 240° F (115° C).

Meanwhile, combine the egg whites and cream of tartar. You can be awesome and do this the traditional way with a whisk and a lot of elbow grease, but I cheat and use a stand mixer. Mix until you have soft peaks (about 3 mins on medium speed).

With the mixer running on low, slowly drizzle in the hot sugar syrup. I recommend a gravy spoon or a ladle, rather than trying to handle a hot pot over a moving appliance. Increase speed to high and whip until it's nicely thickened.

Now, you can do these the pretty way, with a piping bag and fancy tips, or you can do it the ugly-but-still-delicious way with a ziplock bag with the corner snipped off (as seen in the photo below). Doesn't matter! Just spoon your meringue into the bag, and portion out onto the baking sheet. These don't really spread while baking, not like your usual cookies.

In my oven, I bake at 200° F for two hours, until they're slightly golden, then I turn off the oven and leave them in there for another hour. I've seen recipes that say bake for 45 mins, then leave in the warm oven for two more hours, but I find they're still a little gooey in the middle when I do that. Depends on the oven! If you try one, and it's sticking to the parchment paper, or it's still chewy inside, then turn the oven back on and give it more time.

Meringue recipe from Serious Eats, and a concordance of baking times and temps from all over the interwebs.

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steak fajitas

Sun, 08 Mar 2015 01:38:27 GMT

Posted by: sarah

Steak (I used 1lb flank steak for 3 people)
Bell peppers (tricolor is very pretty!)
Onion (I used 3/4 of a large Spanish onion)
Fajita seasoning (I used the pre-mixed McCormick packet)
Rice or fajitas
Toppings, such as shredded cheese, sour cream, pico de gallo

If serving over rice, get your rice cooker set up and going in advance.

Prepare the steak. I cooked it sous vide at 130 F for 45 minutes, then sliced into strips. Alternatively, slice first and stir fry in a pan with a tablespoon of oil.

Set aside the steak. In a large skillet, heat a tablespoon of oil, and sautee the onions and peppers for 3-5 minutes. Add the steak, seasoning, and about 1/4 c. of water. Stir and simmer for 3-5 minutes.

Serve over rice, or in tortillas. Top with cheese, sour cream, and salsas.

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Creme brulee

Sun, 08 Mar 2015 01:37:57 GMT

Posted by: sarah

160g egg yolks (10-12 yolks)
90g granulated sugar, plus more for dusting
1/2 tsp salt
600g heavy cream
Berries for garnish (optional)

Equipment:
Sous vide setup
Wide mouth canning jars
Blowtorch
Fine-mesh strainer

Heat water bath to 176° F (80° C).

Combine yolks, sugar, and salt. Whisk until smooth.

In a pot on the stove, heat cream to 158° F (70° C). Then slowly (very slowly: a thin drizzle) whisk this into the egg mixture. Pour too fast, and you'll curdle the eggs.

Strain the mixture, then allow to rest for 20-30 minutes so that most of the bubbles dissipate. Gently skim away any remaining bubbles with a spoon.

Cast ~150g of mixture into each jar, pouring in a slow, low, steady stream to avoid creating more bubbles. I used these 4 oz Ball jelly jars, and filled them nearly full (a couple cm of space at the top, where the threads are). Note: you may want to pre-warm the jars with a dip in some hot water to reduce the chance of cracking in the sous vide.

Close with lids and bands, but only finger-tip tight: place the lid on top of the jar, then twist the band to tighten using just your fingertips. When you begin to feel resistance, twist once in the opposite direction, then once more to tighten. (This is necessary to let the trapped air escape when submerged, otherwise the air will crack the jars as it expands.)

Sous vide for an hour. If you are using an Anova circulator, turn it off while you are placing the jars in the pot: this will keep them from jostling before they settle.

After removing the jars, let them sit on a trivet for 10-15 minutes to cool a bit, then place into an ice bath to chill completely. (If you go straight from the sous vide to the ice bath, the jars may crack.) Once the jars are cold they will last up to a week, sealed, in the refrigerator.

When ready to serve, let them warm a few minutes, then remove the lid from the jar. If condensation has pooled on the surface of the custard, gently dab with the corner of a paper towel to remove.

Using a small sieve or your fingers, dust a layer of sugar over the surface of the custard. The more sugar you use, the more crunchy and caramelized your top layer will be.

Set blowtorch to a low gas-release setting. Holding the torch in your dominant hand, and the jar in the other, focus the flame on the custard, while rotating the jar. Once you have achieved the color you want, allow the sugar to set for five minutes.

Top with berries, mint leaves, or whatever you desire. Then lick clean.

from Chef Steps

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Maple glazed butternut squash

Sun, 08 Mar 2015 01:37:07 GMT

Posted by: sarah

1 butternut squash
1 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp maple syrup
salt & pepper

Preheat the over to 400 F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, and lightly coat with cooking spray.

Halve the squash lengthwise, scooping out the strings and seeds with a spoon. Place cut side down and bake for 45-55 min (until a skewer goes through easily).

Meanwhile, melt butter in a small pot or pan, and stir in maple syrup, salt, and pepper. Turn off the heat.

When squash is done, turn over so the cut sides are facing up, and spoon on the butter/syrup mixture. Return to the oven for about 5 minutes, to set the glaze.

from Jack Bishop's Vegetables Every Day

Photo also includes our chicken francese.

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Chicken, potatoes, and veg

Wed, 18 Feb 2015 01:11:09 GMT

Posted by: sarah

Rosemary-marinated chicken breasts, cooked sous vide @ 150° for an hour, then pan-seared in a little butter for browning;

Oven-roasted potatoes (butter, salt, garlic powder, thyme, & oregano, @ 400° for 1.5 hours, stirring occasionally);

Asparagus, tossed with kosher salt and pan-seared in olive oil for about five minutes (sub lima beans for D).

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Latkes

Mon, 02 Feb 2015 03:26:58 GMT

Posted by: sarah

This is the second time we've made these, but I had two additional pieces of kitchen gear that made it much easier this time around: a food processor, and a cast-iron skillet.

For 12-15 small/medium latkes:

3 good sized russet potatoes, washed and peeled
2 cups diced onion (about 2 medium onions)
2 eggs
1/2 to 3/4 cup matzo ball mix
salt to taste (several tsp -- more than you'd think)
applesauce and/or sour cream, for serving

Shred the potatoes using the grater disc of a food processor. Dump the shredded potatoes in a piece of cheesecloth, folded over twice. Tie the corners around a wooden spoon and twist the bundle to wring out as much moisture as you can over a very large bowl. Get the potato as dry as possible.

Set the potato aside, and let the bowl of potato water sit undisturbed while you dice up the onion. Then carefully pour off the water (which will be red-brown), leaving the off-white potato starch in the bottom of the bowl.

In the cast-iron skillet, heat 1/2 inch of vegetable oil over medium-high heat.

Dump in the shredded potato and diced onion, and mix well with the starch (you could use a spoon, but it's easier if you get your hands dirty). Add an egg, followed by 1/4 c. of matzo mix, then the other egg, then another 1/4 c. of matzo mix, mixing after each addition. If necessary, add some more matzo mix, until the consistency is such that it all holds together when you make a patty. Add salt.

When the frying oil is hot, make a small test latke (about the volume of a golf ball), and use a spatula to slide it into the hot oil and press flat. Fry a few minutes on each side, until golden brown. Put several layers of paper towel on a plate to pat dry. Taste to see if it needs more seasoning, and repeat if necessary.

In a 12" skillet, you can fry up 3-4 latkes at a time, if they're smallish (about the volume of a kiwi fruit). Best served hot, topped with applesauce or sour cream (but not both in the same bite ;).

Adapted from Serious Eats; see this post for more latke tips.

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Chicken Francese

Sat, 20 Dec 2014 15:55:45 GMT

Posted by: sarah

I think this is an NYC-area regional dish. Never heard of it, except in restaurants up there and within D's north-Jersey family. When I asked the butcher (here in Baltimore) to pound the chicken breasts thin for Chicken Francese, he gave me a blank look and said, "Oh, you're making chicken scallopini." Similar, but not quite the same.

I've done this with the chicken prepared differently, depending on the butcher: either fat breasts sliced thin (into 3-4 pancake-like pieces), or a fat breast sliced in half, then pounded thin (~1/4 inch). Pounded thin seems traditional for this dish, but both have turned out delicious. A pound of chicken will give you 4 larger or 6-8 smaller cutlets, depending on preparation.

1 lb chicken (sliced/pounded into thin pieces, as above)
Salt & pepper
4 Tbsp butter
4 Tbsp oil
4 Tbsp chicken broth
4 Tbsp lemon juice
4 Tbsp dry white wine (optional)
Lemon slices (optional garnish)

In a 10- or 12-inch pan, over medium-high heat, heat the cooking fats (butter & oil) until sizzling. You can cook 2-3 cutlets at a time.

Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Prepare two deep dishes, one with flour and one with 2 lightly beaten eggs. Dredge a chicken slice in the flour, pressing down to coat it heavily. Dredge in egg, then back through the flour again.

Place in pan, and fry 2-3 minutes per side, turning once.

When all cutlets are cooked, deglaze the pan with the chicken broth, lemon juice, and white wine. Reduce to taste: should be golden brown and slightly thickened. Pour over cutlets and serve. Garnish with lemon slices, if you're feeling particularly fancy.

source: The Food Maven

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A Faultless Pajama Thanksgiving

Mon, 01 Dec 2014 01:34:17 GMT

Posted by: sarah

* spatchcocked turkey
14lbs, from Eddie's. Forgot to ask for the backbone for gravy, so cut off the wing tips and used those. Turkey was perfect, and gravy was spectacular.
* Parker House rolls
* Hasselback potato gratin
* sweet potato casserole, using Kenji's mashed sweet potatoes as the base, and Grandmom C's pecan topping
* stuffing, from D's mom's recipe, but prepared in the slow cooker
* roasted cauliflower with pine nuts & raisins (omitted capers)
* canned cranberry sauce
* Fordhook lima beans
* corn

appetizers included Arie's stuffed mushrooms, a cheese platter with figs, and a veg platter with these three dips:
* green goddess, subbing fish sauce for the anchovies
* ranch
* blue cheese dip

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waffles

Sun, 09 Nov 2014 17:09:21 GMT

Posted by: sarah

A light & crisp recipe, but the batter was thin and thus so were the waffles. Great flavor, though. Original recipe calls for 1:1 dry:wet ingredient ratio; increase this to 3:2 next time.

3-1/2 oz. (3/4 cup) all-purpose flour
1 oz. (1/4 cup) cornstarch
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 cup milk (or 3/4 c. buttermilk and 1/4 c. milk)
6 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 large egg, separated
1 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Heat the oven to 200°F and heat the waffle iron. Mix the flour, cornstarch, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in a medium bowl. Measure the milk and vegetable oil in a Pyrex measuring cup; mix in the egg yolk and set aside.

In another bowl, beat the egg white almost to soft peaks. Sprinkle in the sugar and continue to beat until the peaks are firm and glossy. Beat in the vanilla.

Pour the buttermilk mixture into the dry ingredients and whisk until just mixed. Drop the whipped egg white onto the batter in dollops and fold in with a spatula until just incorporated.

Pour the batter onto the hot waffle iron and cook. Repeat with the remaining batter, holding the waffles in the oven, directly on the oven rack (don't stack them) until ready to serve.

Makes 4 waffles (not counting the first sacrificial one).

via Fine Cooking

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lighter fettuccine alfredo

Tue, 21 Oct 2014 01:15:56 GMT

Posted by: sarah

This was slightly modified, as I (a) prefer cooked garlic to raw, and (b) wanted to add bacon. Because bacon. So leave out the bacon, and it'll be vegetarian again. Far superior to any alfredo sauce I've had out a jar.

5 ounces grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more for sprinkling
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 large egg
1 teaspoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound fresh fettuccine, or 12 ounces dried fettuccine
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 oz bacon (about 5 slices), diced
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Minced fresh parsley or chives (optional)

Combine cheese, heavy cream, egg, cornstarch, and olive oil in a large bowl. Season lightly with salt (there'll be plenty in the pasta water later) and black pepper to taste. Whisk to combine, then set aside.

In a large saucepan, bring 2 quarts of water and 2 tablespoons of salt to a boil over high heat. Add pasta and cook, stirring frequently to prevent sticking, until cooked but still very firm (not quite al dente), about 45 seconds for fresh pasta or 1 minute less than package directions for dried pasta. Drain pasta into a colander set over a large bowl. Transfer 2 cups of cooking water to a liquid measuring cup and discard the rest. Transfer pasta to the now-empty bowl. Add the butter and toss to coat.

In the still-hot saucepan, sauté the bacon until desired level of crispiness. Toss in the garlic for about 45 seconds. Drain excess bacon fat and discard, then dump bacon & garlic into the pasta and toss to coat.

Whisking constantly, slowly add 1 1/2 cups of the pasta cooking water to the bowl with the cheese mixture. Transfer the cheese mixture to the now-empty pasta cooking pot. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil and thickens (about 1 min). Transfer pasta to sauce mixture and turn to coat. Just before serving, stir in more pasta water to thin the sauce out as necessary.

Serve immediately, sprinkled with minced herbs, black pepper, and cheese (if you're feeling fancy).

via Serious Eats

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Stir-fried cauliflower and spinach with red curry sauce

Wed, 01 Oct 2014 00:58:54 GMT

Posted by: sarah

Red curry sauce:
1/2 c. coconut milk
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbps minced fresh cilantro or basil
2 tsp Thai red curry paste

2 Tbsp roasted peanut oil
1 medium head of cauliflower, trimmed, cored, and cut into florets
1 medium onion, chopped
1 lb spinach, stems removed, washed, shaken dry, and chopped
salt to taste

0. If serving over rice, get your rice cooker set up and going now.

1. Combine the coconut milk, soy sauce, cilantro, and curry paste in a small bowl and set aside. Chop your veggies.

2. Heat most of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until almost smoking. Add the cauliflower and stir-fry until lightly browned, about 4 mins.

3. Push the cauliflower aside and place the onion in the center, Drizzle the remaining oil over the onion and cook until translucent, about 1 min. Add the red curry sauce, toss well to coat, and cover. Cook until the cauliflower is tender (about 3 mins).

4. Remove the cover, add spinach, and stir. Cover and cook, stirring once, until the spinach has wilted (about 2-3 minutes). Adjust seasonings and serve immediately.

from Jack Bishop's Vegetables Every Day

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Hasselback Potato Gratin

Sat, 23 Aug 2014 23:58:24 GMT

Posted by: sarah

3 ounces finely grated Gruyère or comté cheese (or any soft cheese)
2 ounces finely grated Parmigiano-reggiano
2 cups heavy cream (1 pint)
2 medium cloves garlic, minced (I use 4)
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, roughly chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/8th-inch thick on a mandoline slicer (~5 medium potatoes; you can also slice by hand if you've got good knife skills, like D :)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 400°F. Combine cheeses in a large bowl. Transfer 1/3 of cheese mixture to a separate bowl and set aside. Add cream, garlic, and thyme to cheese mixture. Season generously with salt and pepper. Add potato slices and toss with hands until every slice is coated with cream mixture, making sure to separate any slices that are sticking together to get the cream mixture in between them.

Grease a 2-quart casserole dish with butter. Pick up a handful of potatoes, organizing them into a neat stack, and lay them in the casserole dish with their edges aligned vertically. Continue placing potatoes in casserole, working around the perimeter and into the center until all potatoes have been added. Potatoes should be very tightly packed. If necessary, slice additional potato, coat with cream mixture, and add to casserole. Pour excess cream/cheese mixture evenly over potatoes until the mixture comes half way up the sides of the casserole. You may not need all excess liquid.

Cover tightly with foil and transfer to oven. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking until top is pale golden brown, about 30 minutes longer. Carefully remove from oven, sprinkle with remaining cheese, and return to oven. Bake until deep golden brown and crisp on top, about 30 minutes longer. Remove from oven, let rest for a few minutes, and serve.

via Serious Eats

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