vin chaud
Below is the mulled wine recipe written en français for those of you who want to practice your french.
À votre santé !
LM
vin chaud (en français)
December 9th, 2010fruit is dessert
December 3rd, 2010
fruit is dessert
Children today do not consider fruit to be dessert. To them, cake, ice cream, or a piece of pie is dessert and adults‘ ideas of what constitute dessert is no different. However, it is our routine and excess consumption of added sugar (sugar found in these commonly thought of desserts) that is ruining our health and the health of our children. The American Heart Association (www.heart.org/HEARTORG) estimates that one of three American children is overweight or obese which is causing children to have high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and elevated blood cholesterol levels. The statistics for adults are no better.
Are you consuming excess added sugar? The AHA recommends that women consume only 24 grams (100 calories) of added sugar per day which is equal to 6 teaspoons (or 2 tablespoons). The recommendation for men is 36 grams (150 calories) per day which is equal to 9 teaspoons (or 3 tablespoons). For reference, a 3 1/2 ounce piece of chocolate cake has approximately 428 calories, 38 grams of sugar, 16 grams of fat, and 73 grams of carbohydrates. While by no means am I advocating the elimination of chocolate cake, we need a reminder that fruit is dessert.
This week’s simple pleasure is pears poached in red wine and brewed chai tea. Pears are in season and they store well. They are nutrient dense with fiber, no saturated fat and no cholesterol, and a 3 1/2 ounce pear contains only 58 calories. Although fruit is typically poached in simple syrup (equal amounts of granulated sugar and water) combined with spices and sometimes wine, my recipe is different. The poaching liquid is a combination of the pears’ peels, brewed chai tea, red wine, reduced apple cider, spices, and only one tablespoon of agave nectar.
This dessert is simple to make. It takes 20-30 minutes to poach the pears. The pears can be served warm or at room temperature. They can be served out of the pot you poached them in or out of a large bowl and spooned into shallow soup bowls with some of the poaching liquid. You can also reduce the poaching liquid down to a syrup and spoon it over the pear. As an added bonus, the pears can be stored in the refrigerator in their poaching liquid for a few days, making it a great dessert to do ahead of time and have on hand. When you do store them, they become a deeper rose color going perfectly with the autumn season.
A quick note about the ingredients. Use a quality chai tea preferably loose leaf (it was actually the delicious chai tea at Caffe Luxxe which inspired me to write this recipe). The wine you use should be mild and fruity, I recommend something from the Loire Valley if you can find it. When deciding how much money to spend on the wine my general rule is that you should use a good wine that you want to drink, but not one that you would sip and savor. Lastly, use ripe pears (without soft spots or bruises) that are still firm but slightly give at the neck when pressed on. Pears should not be purchased soft unless you are going to use them immediately (pears decline rapidly). Rather, chose pears that are firm, put them in the refrigerator for a couple of days, then store them at room temperature in a brown paper bag. Do not use Asian pears for this recipe because they are too juicy and crisp and their best attributes will be lost. Rather, use European pears. Bosc pears (with their elegant long necks) and Seckel pears (also called sugar pears which are sweet and a perfect size) are my favorite. However, I also use Comice pears (Doyenne du Comice) and d’Anjou pears (Beurré d’Anjou) although of the two I prefer the taste of the Comice for this recipe because of their winey overtones. Simple. Easy. Delicious. Dessert is served.
Je vous souhaite un bon appétit !
LM
a bouquet garni – detail with a difference
November 24th, 2010
a bouquet garni
Ce sont les petits choses qui font toute la différence (it is the little things that make all the difference). In life and cooking the details matter. A bouquet garni (a little gathering of herbs) is a detail that makes all the difference.
A bouquet garni imparts flavor to its surrounding and typically used in anything that simmers (i.e., braises, stocks, and soups). A kitchen string keeps the herbs in a bundle and is usually tied to the handle of a stockpot (so when the garni has done its job, you grab the string and toss the bouquet).
Traditionally a bouquet garni is Italian parsley, thyme, and bay leaves wrapped inside a leek. However, the combinations are endless (some chefs will wrap the herbs in a slice of bacon or add a piece of citrus peel). A sachet is used like a bouquet garni but the herbs and spices (i.e., peppercorns, juniper berries) are placed inside a piece of muslin or cheesecloth. Sachets are preferable if you are using dried herbs and small spices. A bouquet garni (or sachet) should be small so not as to overwhelm the food, but create a subtle aroma.
This week’s simple pleasure is making a bouquet garni for use not only as a flavor enhancer but as a place-setting/party favor and a host gift. The bouquets can be used fresh or when they dry out. This project is easy to do. Moreover, it adds a personal, fresh touch to your dinner (or a thoughtful host gift) and is something you can do with your children to incorporate them in preparing for the festivities. Focusing on the detail of a few fresh herbs this Thanksgiving will impart more than flavor, it will impart smiles.
Je vous souhaite un bon appétit !
LM
persimmon and apple caramel with fleur de sel
November 24th, 2010
apple and persimmon caramel with fleur de sel
Easy and delicious. Make the most of those special persimmons and apples you found at the farmer’s market. This caramel is great to have on-hand and the perfect companion to a range of treats: yogurt, vanilla ice cream, warmed pears, or formage blanc. You can also brush the caramel on roasted fall vegetables (i.e., carrots or parsnips). If you are worried you will run out, preserve it and it will last until next year when brown sugar persimmons and caville blanc d’hiver apples reappear.
Je vous souhaite un bon appétit !
LM
perfectly mashed potatoes
November 19th, 2010
perfectly mashed potatoes
The mistake home-cooks often make at Thanksgiving is trying to do too much. Too many items. Too many new recipes. Too many ingredients. In an effort to do everything, the basics are neglected (and the host is left stressed and exhausted). This is unfortunate because when it comes to Thanksgiving, what people want is simple: they want a turkey that is not dry; stuffing that is neither soggy nor tastes like sawdust; and they want good mashed potatoes. Cranberries and vegetables are usually left-over, people are trying to move away from eating gravy, and if given the choice of yams or mashed potatoes, most people would choose mashed potatoes. While you may make the best gravy or perfectly brulée the marshmallows on the yams, if the mashed potatoes are gummy and the turkey is dry, no one will remember the gravy or the yams, they will remember the dry turkey and gummy potatoes. My advice is to focus your efforts on perfecting the basics: the turkey, stuffing, and mashed potatoes, and build your meal from there given your talents and time (i.e., if it is a question of making the stuffing or a pumpkin pie, focus your efforts on the stuffing and ask someone else to bring the pie or find a quality bakery where you can buy one).
Although turkey and stuffing may be enjoyed primarily during the holidays, Americans’ sincere affection for mashed potatoes lasts throughout the year. Mashed potatoes should be light, creamy, soft, rich and buttery without being greasy. Sadly, that is not often how they end up. The key to understanding how to make perfect mashed potatoes is to understand what can go wrong and how to prevent it (or correct it).
Below is a “do” and “do not” summary followed by my mashed potato recipe. There are only three ingredients in this recipe: potatoes, butter, and cream. My favorite potatoes to use are Russian Banana Fingerling but I provide suggestions of several other potato varieties that will produce equally wonderful results. As important as using quality potatoes is using quality butter and cream. You will notice that I provide a range of how much butter and cream to add. Use the low range for lighter and “healthier” potatoes, use the higher range if you want richer, more restaurant-like potatoes. If you follow these easy steps, you will have mashed potatoes that your guests will remember long after Thanksgiving and will be requesting all year long.
Je vous souhaite un bon appétit !
LM
apple and aged Gouda soufflé
November 12th, 2010
soufflés
Soufflés. Impressive to guests. Intimidating to cooks. This recipe will keep the impressive factor and eliminate the intimidation factor.
Sweet or savory, soufflés consist of three parts:
- Developing the flavor (Essentially, what is the soufflé supposed to taste like? Here, apples and cheese);
- Making the structure (This is the foundation for the soufflé, what gives the soufflé its strength. Here, it is a classic spice-infused béchamel bound with egg yolks); and
- Creating a lift (This is what makes it rise. In soufflés the rise is due to the air trapped in the whisked egg whites that turns to steam and expands with oven heat).
The first two steps can be done ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for up to two days. When you are ready to make it, let it come to room temperature, whisk the eggs, fold into the base and bake.
This soufflé recipe is perfect for Fall and it is versatile as it can be served as a side-dish or a dessert (after all, it really is apple pie just re-configured). As written, this recipe is also user-friendly because you have less chance of a fallen soufflé (the sugar in the egg whites acts as a stabilizer and the lower oven temperature allows the soufflé to cook in the middle, rather than be molten). Read the rest of this entry »
truffled omelet with mushrooms
October 29th, 2010
This recipe is another simple way to incorporate truffles into your cooking repertoire. The omelet can be made for breakfast, dinner, or something in-between. If you do not have truffles (fresh or canned), do not worry you can make this omelet with truffled butter and/or truffled salt.
Hen of the Woods mushrooms are my favorite mushrooms to use; however, I have listed some alternatives that are equally as nice. It is critical that you use fresh eggs. You can tell an egg is fresh if the yolk is firm and bright yellow and the white of the egg stays together. If the egg is old it will lose density and spread out thinly.
Serve the omelet with small, roasted potatoes (my favorites are ozette, Russian banana fingerling or red French fingerling) and/or a simple mixed green salad. Squeeze some fresh oranges and you have breakfast or brunch. Conversely, serve with red wine (or milk as the case may be as with my children) and the omelet is lunch or dinner. If you want a snack, you can scramble the eggs instead of making an omelet and serve it on toasted bread for a tartine. Versatile. Simple.
Je vous souhaite un bon appétit !
LM
truffled truffles
October 29th, 2010
Take advantage of the truffle season and satisfy your sweet tooth at the same time. This recipe takes a few hours but that is only to let the chocolate interior set – so do not let the “few hours” scare you. In fact, because the truffles can be made ahead of time or spread out over a couple days (you can make the interior one day and temper the chocolate exterior the next day), they are a perfect dessert for a dinner party.
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