Archive | March, 2013

K for P

26 Mar

Happy Passover, kids.

I don’t generally repost things– but I thought– ’tis the season, everyone should have these recipes top of mind.

Rachel H.’s Flourless Chocolate Torte (originally posted November 2010)- but new pic! as just made it for tonight’s seder at the Weiner house.

flourless choc2

This is the fucking bomb.  Like seriously, one of the best.  If my memory serves me right, when we were kids- Rachel- the entrepreneur- would sell these for Passover.  So when Jess P. said this was her favorite cake– even though I haven’t had Rachel’s in over a decade probably- I knew just who to ask for the recipe.  The lovely Dolores lent me her springform pan for this- but it was so good- that after this, I went out and bought by own– so I can make this again and again.

1/2 lb. [2 sticks] unsalted butter, cut into small pieces, at room temperature
8 oz unsweetened chocolate
4 oz semisweet chocolate
1/2 cup water
1-1/3 cup sugar
5 extra large eggs at room temperature

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
1. Grease 9″ cakepan or springform pan [springform works best], and place a circle of parchment or waxed paper  on the bottom that has been cut to fit.  If waxed paper is used, grease that too- parchment paper doesn’t need greasing.
2. Chop both chocolates and set aside.
3. Combine the water w. one cup of the sugar in a heavy 2-quart saucepan.  Bring to a boil over high heat, and cook about 4 minutes, or to a temperature of 220 degrees.
4. Remove the saucepan from the heat, and immediately add the chocolate pieces, stirring until they are melted and smooth.  The mixture may “seize,” but that is all right.  It will blend once the butter is added.  Immediately start adding the butter, stirring gently until it is all melted in
5. Place the eggs and the remaining sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer.  Start beating on high speed and continue until they are quite thick and pale yellow, and tripled in volume.  This takes about 15 minutes [watched some madmen to occupy myself through this]
6. Start mixing egg and sugar mixture at slow speed.  Add the chocolate mixture, stirring only until fully incorporated.
8. Pour the mixture into the prepared cake pan.  Set the pan inside a slightly larger pan, and pour boiling water around it.  Do not let the sides of the pans touch.
9.  Place in the oven and bake 25 minutes.  Insert a cake tester or point of a knife into the center of the cake.  If it comes out clean, the cake is done.  If not, continue cooking for up to 10 minutes longer.  Do not cook longer than a total of 35 minutes.
10.  Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes.  Run a sharp knife around the edge of the cake and unmold onto a cookie sheet.  Invert a serving plate over the cake, and turn it right side up.

Dust w. confectioner sugar.

Note: This cake may be eaten warm or cold, w. whipped cream and fresh fruit, or w. creme anglaise.

The texture of the cake will change if left overnight.  It is still good- but firmer.

 

(i should probably take a sexier picture of this— but really– what’s sexier than matzoh brei??)

Original Post- April 2011: Matzoh Brei. Takes about 5 mins to make. This passover dish– need not just be for holidays nor just for breakfast.  In fact, I enjoyed it for dinner a couple times last week. Top with whatever you like. Personally, I like cinnamon sugar, strawberry jam and maple syrup.  Yup, all three together.

3 eggs
3 sheets matzah- i like egg matzah

Break up the matzah into a colander.  Run it under hot water for 10-15 seconds. Press to get out excess water. Crack eggs in a medium bowl, whisk up. Add salt & pepper.  Add matzah into egg bowl. Mix up.  Heat skillet. Add tablespoon of butter.  Add egg/matzoh. Flip after a minute or so. Flip again. Might fall apart but just scramble around until eggs look done- just takes a few minutes.

Spaghetti Carbonara

15 Mar

carbonara_good

I last made this dish– and started a post on November 6, 2010 (ah, drafts box).  But, as tasty as this dish is, I was wholly unsatisfied with the picture– and it took me, oh, a few years to remake and reshoot. This dish is made to share— because it is basically a vat of bacons, egg and pasta– mmmm… Come to think of it– why isn’t this a more standard brunch dish?  What is great about this America’s Test Kitchen recipe– is that it does not use cream– it is has this ingenius method of heating a bowl, mixing in raw eggs, which cook as you mix them. Very clever guys.

America’s Test Kitchen recipe

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil [i know oil and bacon seems gratuitous but just do it]

1/2 pound bacon (6-8 slices), halved lengthwise, then cut crosswise into 1/4 inch pieces. [I only used 7 oz, because that’s what I had]
1/2 cup dry white wine
3 large eggs
3/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese [I really wanted to use both, but I am cheap and only bought Parm. Used 1 cup]
1/4 cup Pecorino Romano cheese
3 small cloves garlic, minced
1 pound spaghetti
sea salt
ground black pepper
Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position, set [big] heatproof serving bowl on rack, and heat oven to 200 degrees. Bring 4 quarts water to rolling boil in large stockpot.

While water is heating, heat oil in large skillet over medium heat until shimmering, but not smoking. Add bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and crisp. about 8 minutes. Add wine and simmer until alcohol aroma has cooked off and wine is slightly reduced 6-8 minutes. Remove from heat and cover to keep warm. Beat eggs, cheeses, and garlic together with fork in small bowl; set aside.

When water comes to boil, add pasta and 1 tablespoon kosher salt; stir to separate pasta. Cook until al dente; reserve 1/3 cup pasta cooking water and drain pasta for about 5 seconds, leaving pasta slightly wet. Transfer drained pasta to warm serving bowl; if pasta appears dry, add some reserved cooking water and toss to moisten. Immediately pour egg mixture over hot pasta, sprinkle with 1 teaspoon sea salt flakes or 3/4 teaspoon table salt; toss well to combine. Pour bacon mixture over pasta, season generously with black pepper, and toss well to combine. Garnish with basil and serve immediately.

[it starts to clump if don’t serve immediately. My serving bowl was way too small so mixed in the big pasta pot—which I figured was just as hot as the bowl I had sitting in the oven.]

 

Spanish Chorizo, Kale & Poached Eggs

1 Mar

kale chorizo eggI love when you google three terms—Kale, Chorizo, Egg— and find exactly what you are looking for. Ah, the internet. I bought this amazing Spanish chorizo from Formaggio- my favorite South End over-priced yet insanely delicious provisions/cheese shop.

Recipe found on serious eats- adapted from a Nigella Lawson recipe. I found it to be a high chorizo-kale ratio- so it is ok if you have a bit more kale/bit less chorizo.

12 oz curly kale, stems removed, roughly chopped

2 tablespoons vegetable oil [I used olive]

8 oz dried Spanish chorizo, halves lengthwise and slice ¼ inch thick [I peeled off casing, though not sure that is entirely necessary]

2 eggs

2 tablespoons white vinegar [I used a little less and white wine vinegar]

salt & pepper

bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add Kale and cook until tender but not completely soft, 5-7 mins. Drain in colander. Rinse in cool water. Squeeze out excess water.

Pour oil into large skillet. Add chorizo and cook until some of the fat renders out, 3-4 mins. [i looking in the pan- thinking it seemed like a lot of oil- ended up pouring some off– then adding it all back in. wasn’t greasy at all- was extra tasty.] Add kale. Season w. salt and pepper. Toss until kale is fully coated.

For eggs, pour water in med/small saucepan- 2-4 inches of water. Bring to a bare simmer. Crack each egg into a separate shallow dish. Once tiny little bubbles start to rise from the saucepan, add vinegar. Gently slide egg into the water. Cook until whites set [this says 3-4 mins… but I think I did mine a little less]