FLORENTINE CREPES
cookingontheriver
Crespelle alla Fiorentina
Here is a recipe for some delicious crepes that I have been making for years. I learned the recipe while studying in Florence. Customarily, crepes are covered with bechamel sauce but these have a tomato sauce applied. The fillings can be variable depending upon your tastes and the rest of the menu. The ricotta is a good binder and I have been using the low-fat version.
Serves 6 to 8
For the Crepes:
1 cup flour
½ cup milk
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup water
pinch salt
1 tablespoon (plus ¼ cup) olive oil
Process it all together. Or make it by hand: gradually add the milk to the flour beating vigorously, then add the eggs, salt, olive oil and water. Beat until smooth. Leave to rest for at least half an hour. Either use a crepe pan or a non-stick frying pan to make the crepes. Usually the first one is just a tester. Heat the pan well and add the ¼ cup olive oil to heat. Pour the heated oil into a container that you will keep by the side of the stove.
Every time you want to make another crepe, take a little of the already warmed oil from the container. Okay. With the pan at medium to medium-high heat, pour a ¼ cup of batter into the pan. Move the pan so that the batter covers the surface making a nice round. As soon as the crepe sets turn it over and cook the other side. Repeat, staking the crepes into a pile. Keep warm. Or, you can make the crepes in advance and freeze them.
For the filling:
1-2 packages frozen chopped spinach, defrosted
1 pound ricotta cheese
pinch of nutmeg, freshly ground
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Drain and squeeze out the liquid from the spinach. Add the ricotta, nutmeg, salt and pepper and mix very well.
For the sauce:
1 large can chopped plum tomatoes, preferably San Marzano type
1 red onion, small chop
fresh garlic to taste, minced or large pieces, your choice
olive oil
salt and black pepper
Saute the onion in the olive oil. Once the onion is wilted add the garlic and sauté.
Stir in the tomatoes, salt and pepper. Let the mixture simmer for about 20 minutes.
Taste and see. If the tomatoes are slightly bitter, don’t be afraid to add a pinch of sugar or a teaspoon of honey. This is not a very cooked sauce and it will be cooked again in the oven.
To Assemble:
Oven 425F.
Put a small amount of the tomato sauce at the bottom of a ceramic or glass oven dish. Fill each crepe with a generous amount of filling, then roll up and arrange side by side the dish. Pour the sauce over the crespelle. You don’t have to use it all; sometimes just a covering is enough. Sprinkle some fresh Parmigiano cheese and/or mozzarella on the top if you like. A little bit of olive oil sprinkled on the top is nice too, but if you are counting calories leave it out. Bake for about 20 minutes or until it is all bubbling nicely.
Chef tip: adding a little uncooked olive oil over the top right before serving is a very Florentine touch.
The crepes will be pillow-y soft and unctuous to the taste. These can be served in individual portions for a starter or several as a main dish.
Don’t forget a light red wine to drink with these crepes.
Saturday, March 18, 2006
Sunday, February 26, 2006
HUDSON VALLEY MAGAZINE MARCH 2006
It's nice to be mentioned. I don't charge $55-65 per hour, yet. And if you sign up for 12 sessions the last one is FEE free. You who have had information about you published know that the incidence of incorrectness is extremely high, so remember when you read absolutely anything how off the mark it can actually be!!
Friday, February 24, 2006
ONION SOUP
(the long version)
TO MAKE THE BEEF BROTH:
Preheat oven to 400 F.
Collect enough beef bones, shin meat, ribs, meat scraps to fill a half-sheetpan
2 onions, washed, quartered with skins on
2-3 carrots, washed but not scraped, cut in 1-inch pieces
Spread bones and meat scraps out in one layer. Roast for about 1-1/2 to 2 hours. Toss or stir every 20 minutes. Bones should brown evenly but not burn. Add onions and carrots
after about 45 minutes and continue to roast another 45 minutes. Stir and turn over a couple of times.
Remove from oven and put the bones, meat, vegetables, into a stockpot using a spoon with holes. Pour out whatever fat is in the pan. Add some water and scrape up the cooked-on juices. Don’t burn them. Add to the stockpot.
Fill pot with water almost to the top by about 2 to 3 inches. Boil. Then boil gently for 2 hours. Skim fat off. Add a bunch of parsley, half head of unpeeled garlic, half a celery heart, 2-3 bay leaves, 2 teaspoons thyme, 2 teaspoons whole peppercorns, 1 cup chopped canned tomatoes without the juice. Simmer gently for 8 hours or overnight. Strain the broth through a sieve. Don’t press the pieces down just shake the sieve to allow the juices to pass through. Refrigerate and when cold skim off the fat.
Or, just buy some beef broth in a box…there are some organic brands on the shelves these days, such as Pacific, that are good.
You could also add some demi-glace to the liquids if you don’t think you’ve achieved a satisfactorily enough hearty broth. You’ll notice too that I have not indicated the addition of any salt. This is not, repeat not, an oversight.
FOR THE ONION SOUP:
Find some Onion Soup bowls, the ones that are ceramic and glazed brown. There are always some for sale in thrift stores. Looks like people buy them then don’t know what to do next. They are perfect for putting into the oven and practically indestructible. If you have a cuckoo clock you could pretend you are eating in Switzerland!
Take about 8 large onions (I like half Vedalia and half red onions)
Some oil – grapeseed or canola
1-2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
10 cups of the beef broth you made
An optional Baguette, thin sliced and toasted in 400 degree oven about 8-10 minutes
An optional mountain of grated Emmenthaler and/or Gruyere cheeses
1-2 cloves garlic, chopped
salt, yes, salt
Slice the onions on a mandoline – or thin slice by hand. Heat 1 tablespoon of butter and 2 tablespoons oil. Saute the onions in batches until well-browned. Add a dash of sugar if needed to help the browning.
Optional: Slice the bread and toast. Grate the cheeses. Put 6-8 slices (or less) in each soup bowl placed on a sheetpan. Sprinkle a little cheese on the bread.
When the onions are well browned add the stock (beef, chicken, or water: Yes, the French used water and sometimes chicken stock. Don’t be so shocked; it’s true.) Boil and simmer, uncovered, 20 minutes. Push the onions through a food mill and back into the broth. (Yes, a food mill, not a processor. If you really, really, want to just leave them stringy, though I don’t know why you’d want to do that and have to watch people struggling with the dripping onions. They’re going to have enough trouble with the stringy cheese, you sadist. Supply a copious amount of napkins.) Add salt and pepper. Then taste. You should have been tasting all along. You knew that.
Fill the bowls with the soup. Fill to the rim. Stir in some water, if needed.
Optional: but of course you must do it. Pile the cheeses on top of the bowls – half cup or more – make sure the cheese touches the edge of the bowl so it will stick and form a pretty crust that doesn’t sink into the soup. I did notice that when I only used 3 slices of bread, and not the full 8, the crust did drop down. You could probably live with it either way.
Bake, on the sheetpan, (you still have the bowls on the sheetpan, don’t you?) for 30 minutes to brown. Serve while hot.
Makes 6 bowls or more, but not much more.
Of course you could just eat the onion soup without the bread and cheese and it will taste just fine, really.
Onion Soup
(the short version)
6 onions sliced thin
2T butter
1t flour
1t sugar
6c beef broth
1/2c dry white wine
s&p
6 slices french bread
3T grated Swiss
Lightly brown onions in butter. Sprinkle with sugar and flour. Cook. Add beef broth, white wine, s&p. Simmer 10-15 minutes. Toast french bread. Pour soup over. Sprinkle with grated cheese. Put in oven or broiler to brown cheese.
(the long version)
TO MAKE THE BEEF BROTH:
Preheat oven to 400 F.
Collect enough beef bones, shin meat, ribs, meat scraps to fill a half-sheetpan
2 onions, washed, quartered with skins on
2-3 carrots, washed but not scraped, cut in 1-inch pieces
Spread bones and meat scraps out in one layer. Roast for about 1-1/2 to 2 hours. Toss or stir every 20 minutes. Bones should brown evenly but not burn. Add onions and carrots
after about 45 minutes and continue to roast another 45 minutes. Stir and turn over a couple of times.
Remove from oven and put the bones, meat, vegetables, into a stockpot using a spoon with holes. Pour out whatever fat is in the pan. Add some water and scrape up the cooked-on juices. Don’t burn them. Add to the stockpot.
Fill pot with water almost to the top by about 2 to 3 inches. Boil. Then boil gently for 2 hours. Skim fat off. Add a bunch of parsley, half head of unpeeled garlic, half a celery heart, 2-3 bay leaves, 2 teaspoons thyme, 2 teaspoons whole peppercorns, 1 cup chopped canned tomatoes without the juice. Simmer gently for 8 hours or overnight. Strain the broth through a sieve. Don’t press the pieces down just shake the sieve to allow the juices to pass through. Refrigerate and when cold skim off the fat.
Or, just buy some beef broth in a box…there are some organic brands on the shelves these days, such as Pacific, that are good.
You could also add some demi-glace to the liquids if you don’t think you’ve achieved a satisfactorily enough hearty broth. You’ll notice too that I have not indicated the addition of any salt. This is not, repeat not, an oversight.
FOR THE ONION SOUP:
Find some Onion Soup bowls, the ones that are ceramic and glazed brown. There are always some for sale in thrift stores. Looks like people buy them then don’t know what to do next. They are perfect for putting into the oven and practically indestructible. If you have a cuckoo clock you could pretend you are eating in Switzerland!
Take about 8 large onions (I like half Vedalia and half red onions)
Some oil – grapeseed or canola
1-2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
10 cups of the beef broth you made
An optional Baguette, thin sliced and toasted in 400 degree oven about 8-10 minutes
An optional mountain of grated Emmenthaler and/or Gruyere cheeses
1-2 cloves garlic, chopped
salt, yes, salt
Slice the onions on a mandoline – or thin slice by hand. Heat 1 tablespoon of butter and 2 tablespoons oil. Saute the onions in batches until well-browned. Add a dash of sugar if needed to help the browning.
Optional: Slice the bread and toast. Grate the cheeses. Put 6-8 slices (or less) in each soup bowl placed on a sheetpan. Sprinkle a little cheese on the bread.
When the onions are well browned add the stock (beef, chicken, or water: Yes, the French used water and sometimes chicken stock. Don’t be so shocked; it’s true.) Boil and simmer, uncovered, 20 minutes. Push the onions through a food mill and back into the broth. (Yes, a food mill, not a processor. If you really, really, want to just leave them stringy, though I don’t know why you’d want to do that and have to watch people struggling with the dripping onions. They’re going to have enough trouble with the stringy cheese, you sadist. Supply a copious amount of napkins.) Add salt and pepper. Then taste. You should have been tasting all along. You knew that.
Fill the bowls with the soup. Fill to the rim. Stir in some water, if needed.
Optional: but of course you must do it. Pile the cheeses on top of the bowls – half cup or more – make sure the cheese touches the edge of the bowl so it will stick and form a pretty crust that doesn’t sink into the soup. I did notice that when I only used 3 slices of bread, and not the full 8, the crust did drop down. You could probably live with it either way.
Bake, on the sheetpan, (you still have the bowls on the sheetpan, don’t you?) for 30 minutes to brown. Serve while hot.
Makes 6 bowls or more, but not much more.
Of course you could just eat the onion soup without the bread and cheese and it will taste just fine, really.
Onion Soup
(the short version)
6 onions sliced thin
2T butter
1t flour
1t sugar
6c beef broth
1/2c dry white wine
s&p
6 slices french bread
3T grated Swiss
Lightly brown onions in butter. Sprinkle with sugar and flour. Cook. Add beef broth, white wine, s&p. Simmer 10-15 minutes. Toast french bread. Pour soup over. Sprinkle with grated cheese. Put in oven or broiler to brown cheese.
Sunday, February 19, 2006
'AWAITING THE BLIZZARD' DINNER PARTY FOR SIX WINE TASTERS:
On a recent Saturday evening I prepared a dinner party for six people who were tasting Merlots and Shiraz wines.
We didn’t know when it would start snowing – at 4pm or 10pm – but the dinner was scheduled for 7:30 anyway.
After an arrival tasting with snippets of cheeses and a sun-dried tomato and artichoke spread, everyone sat down to begin dinner that began with a hot Onion Soup Gratinee made with beef broth that had been simmered and mellowed for hours. The steaming bowls were coated with a lavish grating of Gruyere and Emmenthaler cheeses.
This was followed with a fresh Salad of mesclun and red leaf lettuces, snow pea shoots, Macadamia nuts, and tiny cubes of red bell pepper. The salad dressing, designed not to interfere with the wine, was prepared with verjuice and blood orange juice, with walnut and canola oils, soy and mustard. Halved grape tomatoes and avocado cubes that had been soaking in the dressing were added.
No snow yet. Everyone sounded very jovial and friendly. Exclamations of “This is superb!” filtered from the dining room.
The main course, a prime beef Rib Roast, which had been coated with fresh herbs and black pepper rested at room temperature prior to a high heat blast and then a lowered temperature. It rested again, covered in foil, on the back of the stove for 30 minutes to relax. Then served au jus, crusty on the outside and warm in the center.
The roast was accompanied by a Yorkshire Pudding with sautéed leeks, and Green Peas cooked in the French way with bits of lettuce and scallion bulbs and a pinch of savory and thyme.
At this point the wine tasting was between two Shiraz wines, one mixed with other wines and one only Shiraz. The bottles were covered and the examining of tastes and preferences began.
Everyone wended ever so slowly toward dessert made mostly of fruits and designed to allow for optimum digestion. Bosc pears poached in sweetened red wine and vanilla beans were filled with creamy Mascarpone flavored with honey and lemon zest, then coated with Caillebaud chocolate, and garnished with marzipan leaves. They each stood on a deep purple strained reduction of the pear poaching liquid with blackberries. This was accompanied with a strawberry fan, fresh blackberries, small scoops of mango-vanilla sorbet and a petit triangle of Pyrenee with Green Peppercorn cheese, and more chocolate shavings.
Then….the snow flurries began and continued until the following afternoon.
On a recent Saturday evening I prepared a dinner party for six people who were tasting Merlots and Shiraz wines.
We didn’t know when it would start snowing – at 4pm or 10pm – but the dinner was scheduled for 7:30 anyway.
After an arrival tasting with snippets of cheeses and a sun-dried tomato and artichoke spread, everyone sat down to begin dinner that began with a hot Onion Soup Gratinee made with beef broth that had been simmered and mellowed for hours. The steaming bowls were coated with a lavish grating of Gruyere and Emmenthaler cheeses.
This was followed with a fresh Salad of mesclun and red leaf lettuces, snow pea shoots, Macadamia nuts, and tiny cubes of red bell pepper. The salad dressing, designed not to interfere with the wine, was prepared with verjuice and blood orange juice, with walnut and canola oils, soy and mustard. Halved grape tomatoes and avocado cubes that had been soaking in the dressing were added.
No snow yet. Everyone sounded very jovial and friendly. Exclamations of “This is superb!” filtered from the dining room.
The main course, a prime beef Rib Roast, which had been coated with fresh herbs and black pepper rested at room temperature prior to a high heat blast and then a lowered temperature. It rested again, covered in foil, on the back of the stove for 30 minutes to relax. Then served au jus, crusty on the outside and warm in the center.
The roast was accompanied by a Yorkshire Pudding with sautéed leeks, and Green Peas cooked in the French way with bits of lettuce and scallion bulbs and a pinch of savory and thyme.
At this point the wine tasting was between two Shiraz wines, one mixed with other wines and one only Shiraz. The bottles were covered and the examining of tastes and preferences began.
Everyone wended ever so slowly toward dessert made mostly of fruits and designed to allow for optimum digestion. Bosc pears poached in sweetened red wine and vanilla beans were filled with creamy Mascarpone flavored with honey and lemon zest, then coated with Caillebaud chocolate, and garnished with marzipan leaves. They each stood on a deep purple strained reduction of the pear poaching liquid with blackberries. This was accompanied with a strawberry fan, fresh blackberries, small scoops of mango-vanilla sorbet and a petit triangle of Pyrenee with Green Peppercorn cheese, and more chocolate shavings.
Then….the snow flurries began and continued until the following afternoon.
Wednesday, February 01, 2006
AWARD-WINNING DELICIOUS NEWS
Last night, January 31st, was the Annual Winter Potluck for the New York Women’s Culinary Alliance. This year’s theme was Chinese New Year. The event was totally sold out as all the members like to come to this gathering and see and meet each other. The membership is comprised of women in all areas of the culinary field. About 120 members gathered this year at the Institute for Culinary Education (ICE) on 23rd Street in Manhattan. Gotham Wine Mart supplied all the wines and alcoholic beverages.
Three prizes were awarded: one for the best presentation; most delicious, and best use of theme. I won for most delicious! The prize was a beautiful Analon non-stick wok. My good friend, Judy, won for best presentation with her fried dumplings with stir fried napa cabbage. The best use of theme was for a dish of jelly fish that also tasted good.
The dish I made was Soy Sauce Chicken. This is something I have often purchased ready-prepared in Chinatown, but I learned how to make it almost as good. The way I do it, it is almost a reverse marinade. First I boil the chicken in the marinade and then let it sit in the juices. Making it the day before seals in the flavors. And, the marinade, once strained, becomes a master sauce than can be used again and again.
Here is the basic recipe from the Chinese Cooking book of the TimeLifeBooks Foods of the World series, followed by what I did:
1 4-5 pound roasting chicken
2 cups cold water
2 cups soy sauce
¼ cup Chinese rice wine, or pale dry sherry
5 slices peeled, fresh ginger root
about 1 inch in diameter and 1/8 inch thick
1 whole star anise, or 8 sections star anise
¼ cup rock candy broken into small pieces,
or substitute 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon sesame-seed oil
I used: approximately!
8 pounds chicken wings, separated and well-washed
1 cup light tamari
1 cup double black soy sauce
½ cup of thick soy sauce
1 cup Shao Hsing [Shaoxing] rice wine
1 cup or more cold water
½ pyramid of piloncillo sugar
½-1 cup light brown sugar
8 slices fresh ginger with peel
5-6 star anise
1 tablespoon Sechuan peppercorns, roasted
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon anise seeds
2-3 cinnamon sticks, or Chinese cassia bark*
4-5 pieces dried orange or tangerine peel**
Boil everything up to the ginger together and stir until the sugars melt.
Put the rest of the ingredients into some cheesecloth and tie it up. Or just add the spices to the marinade and strain them out later. Boil together for a few minutes. Taste to see if more soy or water, and so forth, is required.
If you are using chicken wings put them in now. Or, if you are using a whole chicken, you can put that in at this time. Bring it back to a boil while immersing all the chicken parts. Lower to a simmer and cook, covered, for about 20-30 minutes, depending on the size and quantity of the chicken. Then turn off the heat, cover the pot and let the chicken marinate 2 to 3 hours.
If you have cooked the whole chicken, take it out and cut the chicken up ‘Chinese-style’, which means hack or chop the pieces across the bones with a cleaver. If you used the chicken wings, just leave them.
If you make this a day or two in advance, refrigerate the chicken with a little sauce. Strain the sauce, or take out the cheesecloth sack with the spices, and pour into a clean container. It is now a master sauce and can be refrigerated for about 2 weeks or put into the freezer for several months. When you want to make Soy Sauce Chicken again you can add a bit more of everything to refresh the sauce and use it again.
To reheat: Preheat oven at 350F and lay the chicken out flat until it is warmed through, about 15 minutes.
To serve: pile up and brush with roasted sesame oil, sprinkle with chopped green onions. If you like, put some of the warmed sauce on the side. Don't forget the chili sauce in a little bowl. Eat with fingers.
Notes:
*The bark-like cassia is better for this, but I had run out of it, so I used the common cinnamon sticks
**If you peel an orange carefully, without the white pith, and let it dry, you have dried orange peel (or tangerine, or grapefruit...whatever)
I used the piloncillo sugar because I had it for a long time. It lasts forever and is a good substitute. If you only have white sugar, you could use that too.
There is no good substitute for the Sechuan Peppercorns.
Last night, January 31st, was the Annual Winter Potluck for the New York Women’s Culinary Alliance. This year’s theme was Chinese New Year. The event was totally sold out as all the members like to come to this gathering and see and meet each other. The membership is comprised of women in all areas of the culinary field. About 120 members gathered this year at the Institute for Culinary Education (ICE) on 23rd Street in Manhattan. Gotham Wine Mart supplied all the wines and alcoholic beverages.
Three prizes were awarded: one for the best presentation; most delicious, and best use of theme. I won for most delicious! The prize was a beautiful Analon non-stick wok. My good friend, Judy, won for best presentation with her fried dumplings with stir fried napa cabbage. The best use of theme was for a dish of jelly fish that also tasted good.
The dish I made was Soy Sauce Chicken. This is something I have often purchased ready-prepared in Chinatown, but I learned how to make it almost as good. The way I do it, it is almost a reverse marinade. First I boil the chicken in the marinade and then let it sit in the juices. Making it the day before seals in the flavors. And, the marinade, once strained, becomes a master sauce than can be used again and again.
Here is the basic recipe from the Chinese Cooking book of the TimeLifeBooks Foods of the World series, followed by what I did:
1 4-5 pound roasting chicken
2 cups cold water
2 cups soy sauce
¼ cup Chinese rice wine, or pale dry sherry
5 slices peeled, fresh ginger root
about 1 inch in diameter and 1/8 inch thick
1 whole star anise, or 8 sections star anise
¼ cup rock candy broken into small pieces,
or substitute 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon sesame-seed oil
I used: approximately!
8 pounds chicken wings, separated and well-washed
1 cup light tamari
1 cup double black soy sauce
½ cup of thick soy sauce
1 cup Shao Hsing [Shaoxing] rice wine
1 cup or more cold water
½ pyramid of piloncillo sugar
½-1 cup light brown sugar
8 slices fresh ginger with peel
5-6 star anise
1 tablespoon Sechuan peppercorns, roasted
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon anise seeds
2-3 cinnamon sticks, or Chinese cassia bark*
4-5 pieces dried orange or tangerine peel**
Boil everything up to the ginger together and stir until the sugars melt.
Put the rest of the ingredients into some cheesecloth and tie it up. Or just add the spices to the marinade and strain them out later. Boil together for a few minutes. Taste to see if more soy or water, and so forth, is required.
If you are using chicken wings put them in now. Or, if you are using a whole chicken, you can put that in at this time. Bring it back to a boil while immersing all the chicken parts. Lower to a simmer and cook, covered, for about 20-30 minutes, depending on the size and quantity of the chicken. Then turn off the heat, cover the pot and let the chicken marinate 2 to 3 hours.
If you have cooked the whole chicken, take it out and cut the chicken up ‘Chinese-style’, which means hack or chop the pieces across the bones with a cleaver. If you used the chicken wings, just leave them.
If you make this a day or two in advance, refrigerate the chicken with a little sauce. Strain the sauce, or take out the cheesecloth sack with the spices, and pour into a clean container. It is now a master sauce and can be refrigerated for about 2 weeks or put into the freezer for several months. When you want to make Soy Sauce Chicken again you can add a bit more of everything to refresh the sauce and use it again.
To reheat: Preheat oven at 350F and lay the chicken out flat until it is warmed through, about 15 minutes.
To serve: pile up and brush with roasted sesame oil, sprinkle with chopped green onions. If you like, put some of the warmed sauce on the side. Don't forget the chili sauce in a little bowl. Eat with fingers.
Notes:
*The bark-like cassia is better for this, but I had run out of it, so I used the common cinnamon sticks
**If you peel an orange carefully, without the white pith, and let it dry, you have dried orange peel (or tangerine, or grapefruit...whatever)
I used the piloncillo sugar because I had it for a long time. It lasts forever and is a good substitute. If you only have white sugar, you could use that too.
There is no good substitute for the Sechuan Peppercorns.
Saturday, January 28, 2006
PEANUT-SESAME CHICKEN BALLS
Peanut-Sesame Chicken Balls ©
This recipe won $500 from the Peanut Advisory Board.
makes 20 appetizers
For the balls:
1/ 1/2 pound ground chicken
2/ 1/4 cup onion, roughly chopped
3/ 1/3 cup peanut butter, smooth or chunky
4/ 1 egg
5/ 1/4-teaspoon red pepper flakes
6/ 1 Tablespoon soy sauce
7/ 1 teaspoon or less of salt
8/ 6 whole waterchestnuts, roughly chopped
9/ 2 Tablespoons roasted peanuts, roughly chopped
10/ 1/2 cup unhulled white sesame seeds
11/ Oil for sautéing
12/ 1 whole Boston lettuce, washed, leaves separated
For the Sauce:
1/ 1 Tablespoon smooth 100% peanut butter
2/ 2 Tablespoons Hoisin Sauce (Koon Chun brand)
3/ 2 Tablespoons Water
4/ dash or more of Tabasco, to taste
5/ a few squeezes of fresh lemon juice
To make the balls:
Put the first seven ingredients into a food processor and pulse until chopped and combined.
Take out and put into a non-reactive bowl. Fold in the chopped water chestnuts and chopped peanuts. Refrigerate one hour or up to overnight.
Put the sesame seed into a flat-bottomed bowl or pie plate. Wet your hands and, with the help of a teaspoon, roll the chicken mixture into spheres about the size of golf balls. Then roll them in the sesame seeds. (Optional: Place them on a parchment lined baking tray and refrigerate, covered with plastic wrap, until ready to cook.)
Heat the oil over a medium flame until hot. Fry the chicken balls about 6 at a time in hot oil, turning frequently until well-browned all around. Add more oil as necessary. Take out and drain on paper towels while you cook the rest.
To make the Sauce:
In a small bowl mix all the ingredients together adding enough water to get the consistency you want. Don't make it runny - a little bit thick is good. Double the recipe for additional sauce.
Assembly:
Place a chicken ball inside a lettuce leaf and coat generously with the sauce. Roll up loosely.
Or, put out the balls, the sauce, and the lettuce and let your guests make their own!
Serve warm or room temperature.
Penelope Casas Cooking Demonstration
Thursday night, the 26th, I went to Chef Central on Route 17 in Paramus, to see and hear Penelope Casas of Spanish food fame give a demonstration based on her new book of Spanish homecooking. She mentioned that in Spain these days it's all about experimenting scientifically with food, started by Adria at El Bulli. All sorts of experiments are taking place such as change liquids into solids. The kitchen has virtually turned into a laboratory and the restaurant into a source of entertainment. But where do the chefs themselves eat? They go home to their mothers cooking.
She demonstrated some simple tapas: Pequino chiles mixed with garlic, parsley, raisins and pine nuts - not even salt and pepper added; Chorizo sausage minced with garlic then wrapped in phyllo and deep fried; shrimp (vein left in) sauted in Spanish olive oil, garlic, and a small amount of Amontillado sherry.
Thursday night, the 26th, I went to Chef Central on Route 17 in Paramus, to see and hear Penelope Casas of Spanish food fame give a demonstration based on her new book of Spanish homecooking. She mentioned that in Spain these days it's all about experimenting scientifically with food, started by Adria at El Bulli. All sorts of experiments are taking place such as change liquids into solids. The kitchen has virtually turned into a laboratory and the restaurant into a source of entertainment. But where do the chefs themselves eat? They go home to their mothers cooking.
She demonstrated some simple tapas: Pequino chiles mixed with garlic, parsley, raisins and pine nuts - not even salt and pepper added; Chorizo sausage minced with garlic then wrapped in phyllo and deep fried; shrimp (vein left in) sauted in Spanish olive oil, garlic, and a small amount of Amontillado sherry.
Monday, January 23, 2006
Cooking Today:
I have a client who lives in a building on the western side of the Hudson River with a terrific view of practically all of Manhattan and the river. But mostly it is possible to gaze out the window and view the sky all day and night. If I lived there I could never get anything done because I would always be watching the clouds. This is what I cooked for her today:
Chicken Marbella, Greek Turkey Meatballs in an Avgolemono Sauce, Beef Carbonade made with onions and Belgian beer, Baked Chickpeas and Lamb Greek Style, Creamed Spinach,
Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes, Roasted Artichokes, Carrots and Potatoes.
Since she said she loved beets, I also made some beet borscht. This borscht is definitely one of my specialties. It is a sweet and sour borscht and is made just from beets with the addition of lemon juice or vinegar and sugar or honey. Sometimes in the summer I will add enough sour cream to turn it a bright shocking pink! It is fabulous cold or hot. The addition of a boiled potato or a hard-cooked egg and some cubed cucumber turns it into a meal.
I've also made her a sample of the grain 'Quinoa' (pronounced keen-wah) which is originally a South American grain that disappeared for a long while and has been reintroduced in current years. It has a high protein content and is very palatable.
I'll let you know how she likes it.
Bon Appetit!
I have a client who lives in a building on the western side of the Hudson River with a terrific view of practically all of Manhattan and the river. But mostly it is possible to gaze out the window and view the sky all day and night. If I lived there I could never get anything done because I would always be watching the clouds. This is what I cooked for her today:
Chicken Marbella, Greek Turkey Meatballs in an Avgolemono Sauce, Beef Carbonade made with onions and Belgian beer, Baked Chickpeas and Lamb Greek Style, Creamed Spinach,
Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes, Roasted Artichokes, Carrots and Potatoes.
Since she said she loved beets, I also made some beet borscht. This borscht is definitely one of my specialties. It is a sweet and sour borscht and is made just from beets with the addition of lemon juice or vinegar and sugar or honey. Sometimes in the summer I will add enough sour cream to turn it a bright shocking pink! It is fabulous cold or hot. The addition of a boiled potato or a hard-cooked egg and some cubed cucumber turns it into a meal.
I've also made her a sample of the grain 'Quinoa' (pronounced keen-wah) which is originally a South American grain that disappeared for a long while and has been reintroduced in current years. It has a high protein content and is very palatable.
I'll let you know how she likes it.
Bon Appetit!
REMINDER THAT VALENTINE DAY IS JUST THREE WEEKS AWAY.
Cooking on the River is offering a
Special Dinner for Two on February 14th
or the preceding weekend.
TIME TO RENEW AND DEEPEN YOUR ROMANCE
ROMANTIC LOVE CAN ALWAYS USE A LITTLE
ENCOURAGEMENT AND TENDING.
DON'T LET YOUR FLAME GO OUT!!
DELIGHT YOURSELF AND YOUR LOVED ONE
WITH A FABULOUS private DINNER for two
IN THE INTIMACY OF YOUR HOME.
simply irresistible!!!
PICK FROM AN ENTICING MENU FROM WHICH I WILL
PREPARE AND SERVE YOUR DINNER.
SAMPLE MENU:
OYSTERS IN CHAMPAGNE MIST
LOVER'S SALAD: AVOCADO, PRAWNS, WALNUTS, ETC.
DUCK BREAST WITH POMEGRANATE GLAZE
FIG CHUTNEY
OR
FISH POACHED IN CARROT JUICE
VIENNESE RICE PILAF
SEASONAL VEGETABLES WITH LEMON AND GINGER
BRAISED VANILLA ONIONS WITH PINE NUTS AND SAFFRON
CHOCOLATE HEART CAKE WITH EDIBLE GOLD
or any menu of your choice, for instance:
• Sea Scallops on a Salad Medley
• Venison with Red Wine-Cherry Sauce
• Rutabaga and Carrot Whip
• Fudge Whip Parfaits with Sweetened Whipped Cream
Cooking on the River is offering a
Special Dinner for Two on February 14th
or the preceding weekend.
TIME TO RENEW AND DEEPEN YOUR ROMANCE
ROMANTIC LOVE CAN ALWAYS USE A LITTLE
ENCOURAGEMENT AND TENDING.
DON'T LET YOUR FLAME GO OUT!!
DELIGHT YOURSELF AND YOUR LOVED ONE
WITH A FABULOUS private DINNER for two
IN THE INTIMACY OF YOUR HOME.
simply irresistible!!!
PICK FROM AN ENTICING MENU FROM WHICH I WILL
PREPARE AND SERVE YOUR DINNER.
SAMPLE MENU:
OYSTERS IN CHAMPAGNE MIST
LOVER'S SALAD: AVOCADO, PRAWNS, WALNUTS, ETC.
DUCK BREAST WITH POMEGRANATE GLAZE
FIG CHUTNEY
OR
FISH POACHED IN CARROT JUICE
VIENNESE RICE PILAF
SEASONAL VEGETABLES WITH LEMON AND GINGER
BRAISED VANILLA ONIONS WITH PINE NUTS AND SAFFRON
CHOCOLATE HEART CAKE WITH EDIBLE GOLD
or any menu of your choice, for instance:
• Sea Scallops on a Salad Medley
• Venison with Red Wine-Cherry Sauce
• Rutabaga and Carrot Whip
• Fudge Whip Parfaits with Sweetened Whipped Cream
Saturday, January 21, 2006
LATEST NEWS
On Thursday night I participated in Garrison Institute's Hudson River Project. This is a series of free public 'Conversations' relating to protecting the river and its environs. On January 19th the discussion was entitled: The River and The Beauty of Creation: Preserving Our Pastoral Landscapes. This translates to farms and farmlands.
We were all greeted (it was full to capacity) in the main room and then ushered into the dining room where we sat at about a dozen or more tables holding about ten people at each and shared a supper. The menu: roasted cubed winter root vegetables in a sherry-mustard-hazelnut dressing; onion and potato soup(with a porcini base) with Ouray cheese and sour rye toast; followed by apple, pear & quince tarts and a daub of creme fraiche. All the ingredients were supplied by local vendors and prepared by Garrison's Chef Shelley Boros of Fresh Company, her firm. In between the courses a different speaker presented aspects of the edible environment from meat to farm and then the diners were requested to converse.
Prior to each discussion period, and at the start of the event, a brief moment of silent contemplation was held that supplied a pause or a gap to let go of the busyness of our lives and allow the concerns of the day to abate.
The main concerns voiced were about how to raise awareness about locally-grown healthy, organic and fresh foods and how to keep farms and farmers in the Hudson region. It was stated that in moderation it is possible to eat organic foods when available.
Farmlands are being rapidly turned into residential areas as the value of the land is increasing by 30% or more. It was noted that a great obstacle was the publics habit of getting whatever food they want without thinking.
Conversations at the table I sat at, headed by Shelley, reflected the need for a clearer relationship to 'earth'. Someone mentioned that at a recent farmer's market there were patrons who were repelled that the vegetables still had 'dirt' on them.
It was a very pleasant exchange, an enjoyable evening, and the food was good. The population had more concerned beings than foodies. Everyone wanted the recipes.
On Thursday night I participated in Garrison Institute's Hudson River Project. This is a series of free public 'Conversations' relating to protecting the river and its environs. On January 19th the discussion was entitled: The River and The Beauty of Creation: Preserving Our Pastoral Landscapes. This translates to farms and farmlands.
We were all greeted (it was full to capacity) in the main room and then ushered into the dining room where we sat at about a dozen or more tables holding about ten people at each and shared a supper. The menu: roasted cubed winter root vegetables in a sherry-mustard-hazelnut dressing; onion and potato soup(with a porcini base) with Ouray cheese and sour rye toast; followed by apple, pear & quince tarts and a daub of creme fraiche. All the ingredients were supplied by local vendors and prepared by Garrison's Chef Shelley Boros of Fresh Company, her firm. In between the courses a different speaker presented aspects of the edible environment from meat to farm and then the diners were requested to converse.
Prior to each discussion period, and at the start of the event, a brief moment of silent contemplation was held that supplied a pause or a gap to let go of the busyness of our lives and allow the concerns of the day to abate.
The main concerns voiced were about how to raise awareness about locally-grown healthy, organic and fresh foods and how to keep farms and farmers in the Hudson region. It was stated that in moderation it is possible to eat organic foods when available.
Farmlands are being rapidly turned into residential areas as the value of the land is increasing by 30% or more. It was noted that a great obstacle was the publics habit of getting whatever food they want without thinking.
Conversations at the table I sat at, headed by Shelley, reflected the need for a clearer relationship to 'earth'. Someone mentioned that at a recent farmer's market there were patrons who were repelled that the vegetables still had 'dirt' on them.
It was a very pleasant exchange, an enjoyable evening, and the food was good. The population had more concerned beings than foodies. Everyone wanted the recipes.
Here is a recipe for a chocolate cake that will be in Rockland magazine's next issue. It is expressly for Valentine's Day.
Chocolate Heart Cake to Adore for Valentine’s Day
Certain foods are thought to have aphrodisiac or love-inducing powers. Though there is no firm scientific evidence to affirm the claims, we do know the substances that have been identified to stimulate body and mind. Leading the list is the ‘nourishment of the gods’ …Chocolate…
Following is a recipe for a chocolate cake, adapted from one of my Italian teachers, that is guaranteed to produce a swoon:
Flourless Chocolate Heart Cake with Chocolate Mousse, Gold leaf and Berries
adapted from Stefano Innocenti, Acqua al Due, Florence, Italy
1 teaspoon unsalted butter
3 eggs, separated
1/2-3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (Valrhona or Droste)
1/4-1/2 cup whole milk
pinch salt
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Butter an 8-inch heart-shaped pan. Coat the pan with cocoa powder.
Separate the eggs into two bowls. To the bowl with the yolks add 1/2-3/4 cup sugar and beat well until it gets ribbon-y. Sift in the cocoa powder. Beat together until well blended. The mixture will be stiff. Add enough milk to get it smooth but not runny.
Beat egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff. Take a small quantity and stir it in to the chocolate mixture. Then fold in the rest gently.
Pour into the prepared cake pan. Tap the pan gently but firmly on the counter a couple of times to release the air bubbles.
Bake 20-30 minutes until the cake pulls away from the sides. The center will be firm but soft. Take out and cool. The cake will flatten a bit as it cools.
For two cakes, as required in the following recipe, double the ingredients.
You can stop here and sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar or continue for a light but intense chocolate experience….
While the cakes are cooling prepare the Chocolate Mousse:
2 cups heavy cream
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate
In a saucepan boil ½ cup plus 3 tablespoons of heavy cream. Remove from the stove and add the chocolate. Stir well to melt.
Whip the rest of the cream into soft peaks then fold it in to the chocolate mixture.
Use the mousse to put between the two stacked flourless chocolate heart cakes and on the top. Decorate with 24K edible gold and raspberries. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve. Place on a red heart-shaped doily and serve. Or call me and I’ll make it for you, plus the loving dinner that precedes it.
from Phyllis Segura, Cooking on the River, personal chef, Piermont, New York
info@cookingontheriver.com 845-365-0042
Chocolate Heart Cake to Adore for Valentine’s Day
Certain foods are thought to have aphrodisiac or love-inducing powers. Though there is no firm scientific evidence to affirm the claims, we do know the substances that have been identified to stimulate body and mind. Leading the list is the ‘nourishment of the gods’ …Chocolate…
Following is a recipe for a chocolate cake, adapted from one of my Italian teachers, that is guaranteed to produce a swoon:
Flourless Chocolate Heart Cake with Chocolate Mousse, Gold leaf and Berries
adapted from Stefano Innocenti, Acqua al Due, Florence, Italy
1 teaspoon unsalted butter
3 eggs, separated
1/2-3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (Valrhona or Droste)
1/4-1/2 cup whole milk
pinch salt
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Butter an 8-inch heart-shaped pan. Coat the pan with cocoa powder.
Separate the eggs into two bowls. To the bowl with the yolks add 1/2-3/4 cup sugar and beat well until it gets ribbon-y. Sift in the cocoa powder. Beat together until well blended. The mixture will be stiff. Add enough milk to get it smooth but not runny.
Beat egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff. Take a small quantity and stir it in to the chocolate mixture. Then fold in the rest gently.
Pour into the prepared cake pan. Tap the pan gently but firmly on the counter a couple of times to release the air bubbles.
Bake 20-30 minutes until the cake pulls away from the sides. The center will be firm but soft. Take out and cool. The cake will flatten a bit as it cools.
For two cakes, as required in the following recipe, double the ingredients.
You can stop here and sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar or continue for a light but intense chocolate experience….
While the cakes are cooling prepare the Chocolate Mousse:
2 cups heavy cream
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate
In a saucepan boil ½ cup plus 3 tablespoons of heavy cream. Remove from the stove and add the chocolate. Stir well to melt.
Whip the rest of the cream into soft peaks then fold it in to the chocolate mixture.
Use the mousse to put between the two stacked flourless chocolate heart cakes and on the top. Decorate with 24K edible gold and raspberries. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve. Place on a red heart-shaped doily and serve. Or call me and I’ll make it for you, plus the loving dinner that precedes it.
from Phyllis Segura, Cooking on the River, personal chef, Piermont, New York
info@cookingontheriver.com 845-365-0042
Wednesday, January 18, 2006
Here is what I looked like at the start of 2004!
WELCOME to Cooking on the River blog.
Today I had a couple of requests for information about what I do. And especially about dinner parties, which I love to do. Later today I will post some dinner party information and menus. First up will be the special Valentine Dinner for Two which will be coming up in less than a month from today. On February 8th, in Rockland Magazine, there will be an article about a Chocolate Mousse Cake that I created especially for Valentine's Day. You can also find the recipe on this blog.
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