during our long hiatus many things have changed. we are all in los angeles and we are suddenly cooking mostly gluten free, which is turning out ok after all, because we are cooking all the time.
the most important thing i have learned so far is that you can make cookies out of basically anything if you have an egg or two and enough sugar.
we finally figured this out after finally making some of those fucking pecan cookies. they are incredible, by the way. we have since substituted pecans for almond flour, or oat bran, or oatmeal, or corn meal. it's all been pretty good. or really really good. you can probably even use wheat flour but we don't really know anything about that anymore.
basically this is a sort of caramelized meringue with stuff in it, when you get right down to it. equal parts (more or less) sugar- brown or white- and your 'stuff.' we tend to throw in an egg and a bit of baking soda, and maybe some nuts and vanilla or whatever if we have them. if it's runny, add more sugar/stuff, it should be pretty solid. or not. you know. you can also add a splash of half and half or soy milk or whatever if you feel like it.
cooking them is sort of tricky. we are still working on that. try about 375 or 400 degrees in the oven, but you want the cookies to cook pretty thoroughly because then they are crunchy, so you may have to leave them in there for a good half an hour or something like that. there is a good chance that leaving them in the oven as it cools is good too.
they are also going to be basically melted flat. the rising point is really elusive- we know it is potentially possible to get them out risen but we haven't yet. it's ok, they are really good. sort of like lacies or whatever. we also really want to make these with sesame and poppy seeds or something like that.
Monday, September 28, 2009
Sunday, November 9, 2008
bottomless chicken soup
this is roughly 2-3 weeks of soup depending how many soup-eaters there are in the household. do not make this unless there are a lot of them or you have space in your freezer to freeze a bunch of it. you will get sick of it so fast. if you keep it simple or already have some of the ingredients, you can get away with a lot of soup for $10-&20 bucks. the most i've spent on this was probably around $22, and it lasted longer than i could stand it.
-chicken. if you don't have a lot of money, meat is fucking expensive. you can get chicken broth, but i like to be able to control the sodium and seasoning, and also it's good to have the meat in the soup. you don't actually need a lot of it, just 4-6 drumsticks will do for, oh, i don't know, a fucking ton of soup, because it will be working in conjunction with chicken bouillon (yeah, yeah, sodium and seasoning, whatever). whatever you get, make sure it's got some skin and fat and bones in it, because that is what will really be flavouring the soup. none of that boneless shit. i hear frozen chicken is super cheap, but i haven't tried buying it yet.
-2 large tomatoes, diced
-one brown onion, diced
-ginger
-whatever vegetables you want, really. i like zucchini and root veggies- parsnips, carrots, turnips. keep it to one of each, because you'll run out of room in the pot really fast. oddly, when making things with root veggies i usually prefer anything that isn't fucking carrots, but in soup i always find that the carrots end up tasting the best.
-celery- not actual stalks, just use the leaves. i use celery as a seasoning. also this way you can just go to the supermarket and break the tops off and stick them in a bag that already has vegetables in it, because nobody gives a fuck about celery leaves.
-rosemary- fresh, if you can find it/steal it from the neighbors. a lot of it.
-garlic. also a lot of it.
-cilantro
-pepper and/or chili flakes to taste. i like a ton of both.
dump a couple of large medallions of ginger, a cube or two of chicken bouillon, and a big splash of balsamic vinegar into a large pot of water and let it boil for a little while, then lower it to a simmer.
in a pan, brown the garlic and onions and dump them into the pot. using the oil left in the pan from the aromatic stuff, brown the chicken a bit, and put that in without dismantling it at all. dice the tomatoes and put those in and just let the whole thing sit for a while. don't let it boil. brown the vegetables and salt and pepper to taste. you don't want to add things like root veggies and summer squash too soon, because they'll get soggy. they'll get soggy anyway from the soup sitting in your fridge for ever and ever, but at least the first couple of servings will have nice firm vegetables in them.
pull out the chicken and pull off the skin and fat and set it aside. shred the meat off the bone and put it back into the soup. toss or gnaw on the bones. mince up the skin, fat, and cartilage and brown the fuck out of it with a bit of salt and put it back in.
the soup is done whenever the chicken is cooked through and it tastes good.
notes on seasoning.
the celery leaves, minced, can go in the soup fairly early, but cilantro is a bit elusive and should be added at the very end. put in a good big handful, chopped very finely.
i have a huge boner for rosemary, but too much of it can get bitter. also, it sucks to have those leaves floating around in the soup. put it in early, but put in the entire sprig (or three sprigs, if you're me), twig and all, so it's easier to fish out later. if the soup is bitter, throw in a pinch of sugar.
at the height of my living-with-my-parents, we had a tiny kitchen garden with marjoram, sage, thyme and lemon thyme, and rosemary. whatever you've got, toss it in, so long as you can get it fresh. i hate dried herbs. one solution (to having fucking plants floating around in your soup) that i haven't tried is tying it all up in a bit of cheesecloth or linen like a bouquet garni. or you could just go buy one that's already made. the ginger you don't need to take back out, because it's good to chew on.
this is optional, but my favourite flavour combination in the entire universe would have to be chicken, lemon, wine, and rosemary. i always put in a ton of lemon and probably at least a glass of red wine into the soup. this, along with the balsamic vinegar, is also a good way to refresh a soup that has been in the fridge for like a week and is losing its flavour- a splash of lemon, red wine, and/or vinegar is usually enough to bring everything back up.
other things:
i have a dirty secret, which is, i make super lush dense soups but i secretly only want the broth. one way to deal with this that i haven't been able to try because i don't own a blender is you take about half or two thirds of the solid stuff of the soup and a few cups of the broth and puree it and put it back in. it's not a clear soup anymore, but you get all of your dumb vegetables. this is good if you are feeding children who won't eat the solid stuff or childish adults like me.
-chicken. if you don't have a lot of money, meat is fucking expensive. you can get chicken broth, but i like to be able to control the sodium and seasoning, and also it's good to have the meat in the soup. you don't actually need a lot of it, just 4-6 drumsticks will do for, oh, i don't know, a fucking ton of soup, because it will be working in conjunction with chicken bouillon (yeah, yeah, sodium and seasoning, whatever). whatever you get, make sure it's got some skin and fat and bones in it, because that is what will really be flavouring the soup. none of that boneless shit. i hear frozen chicken is super cheap, but i haven't tried buying it yet.
-2 large tomatoes, diced
-one brown onion, diced
-ginger
-whatever vegetables you want, really. i like zucchini and root veggies- parsnips, carrots, turnips. keep it to one of each, because you'll run out of room in the pot really fast. oddly, when making things with root veggies i usually prefer anything that isn't fucking carrots, but in soup i always find that the carrots end up tasting the best.
-celery- not actual stalks, just use the leaves. i use celery as a seasoning. also this way you can just go to the supermarket and break the tops off and stick them in a bag that already has vegetables in it, because nobody gives a fuck about celery leaves.
-rosemary- fresh, if you can find it/steal it from the neighbors. a lot of it.
-garlic. also a lot of it.
-cilantro
-pepper and/or chili flakes to taste. i like a ton of both.
dump a couple of large medallions of ginger, a cube or two of chicken bouillon, and a big splash of balsamic vinegar into a large pot of water and let it boil for a little while, then lower it to a simmer.
in a pan, brown the garlic and onions and dump them into the pot. using the oil left in the pan from the aromatic stuff, brown the chicken a bit, and put that in without dismantling it at all. dice the tomatoes and put those in and just let the whole thing sit for a while. don't let it boil. brown the vegetables and salt and pepper to taste. you don't want to add things like root veggies and summer squash too soon, because they'll get soggy. they'll get soggy anyway from the soup sitting in your fridge for ever and ever, but at least the first couple of servings will have nice firm vegetables in them.
pull out the chicken and pull off the skin and fat and set it aside. shred the meat off the bone and put it back into the soup. toss or gnaw on the bones. mince up the skin, fat, and cartilage and brown the fuck out of it with a bit of salt and put it back in.
the soup is done whenever the chicken is cooked through and it tastes good.
notes on seasoning.
the celery leaves, minced, can go in the soup fairly early, but cilantro is a bit elusive and should be added at the very end. put in a good big handful, chopped very finely.
i have a huge boner for rosemary, but too much of it can get bitter. also, it sucks to have those leaves floating around in the soup. put it in early, but put in the entire sprig (or three sprigs, if you're me), twig and all, so it's easier to fish out later. if the soup is bitter, throw in a pinch of sugar.
at the height of my living-with-my-parents, we had a tiny kitchen garden with marjoram, sage, thyme and lemon thyme, and rosemary. whatever you've got, toss it in, so long as you can get it fresh. i hate dried herbs. one solution (to having fucking plants floating around in your soup) that i haven't tried is tying it all up in a bit of cheesecloth or linen like a bouquet garni. or you could just go buy one that's already made. the ginger you don't need to take back out, because it's good to chew on.
this is optional, but my favourite flavour combination in the entire universe would have to be chicken, lemon, wine, and rosemary. i always put in a ton of lemon and probably at least a glass of red wine into the soup. this, along with the balsamic vinegar, is also a good way to refresh a soup that has been in the fridge for like a week and is losing its flavour- a splash of lemon, red wine, and/or vinegar is usually enough to bring everything back up.
other things:
i have a dirty secret, which is, i make super lush dense soups but i secretly only want the broth. one way to deal with this that i haven't been able to try because i don't own a blender is you take about half or two thirds of the solid stuff of the soup and a few cups of the broth and puree it and put it back in. it's not a clear soup anymore, but you get all of your dumb vegetables. this is good if you are feeding children who won't eat the solid stuff or childish adults like me.
"fuck i'm poor" recipes
"fuck i'm poor" rice soup
one bowl of strong green tea (sencha is tasty but expensive. otherwise just double-bag.)
as much rice as you can put in it
a bunch of this shit. it is not super cheap, but there is a lot of it in a jar and there are a lot of different kinds. you can find it at most asian markets and a lot of places like whole foods or fred meyer's that have 'asian' sections, but it will be more expensive. get a couple of kinds, they are good to mix. i like anything with a lot of fish in it and the one with shiso.
anything else savoury that you feel like or that is in the fridge. i like okra fried in olive and sesame oil with salt and pepper, or zucchini prepared the same way. if you can find it, ume is really good.
this is good if you:
-are sick
-are drunk
-are hungover
-have a lot of leftover rice
it is also good for breakfast.
one bowl of strong green tea (sencha is tasty but expensive. otherwise just double-bag.)
as much rice as you can put in it
a bunch of this shit. it is not super cheap, but there is a lot of it in a jar and there are a lot of different kinds. you can find it at most asian markets and a lot of places like whole foods or fred meyer's that have 'asian' sections, but it will be more expensive. get a couple of kinds, they are good to mix. i like anything with a lot of fish in it and the one with shiso.
anything else savoury that you feel like or that is in the fridge. i like okra fried in olive and sesame oil with salt and pepper, or zucchini prepared the same way. if you can find it, ume is really good.
this is good if you:
-are sick
-are drunk
-are hungover
-have a lot of leftover rice
it is also good for breakfast.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Chocolate Molten Cakes
Lava Cake Batter
36 oz 64% chocolate
12 oz. 99% chocolate
2 1/4 lb. butter
6 oz. cornstarch
6 oz. flour
2 oz. cocoa powder
3 lbs.2 oz. sugar
30 eggs
12 yolks
2 Tbs brandy
1 Tbs. vanilla
Melt chocolates and butter over bain-marie. Whisk together dry ingredients in large bowl, then whisk in chocolate-butter mixture. Whisk together remaining ingredients and add to chocolate mixture. Stir together just until smooth. Butter foil cups and fill 1/3 with batter. Place a ball of ganache in center (imagine a sphere the size of a 50cent piece--be sure to put enough). Top with more batter (just enough to cover the ganache totally). Cover with plastic and store in refrigerator until ready to bake (they will keep for a week or so--otherwise you can bake them for 6 or 7 minutes (so they're still not done), and then freeze them for a month or two, but be careful to cover them completely for the freezer.) Otherwise, bake right before serving: 350ºF, with fan, for 8 to 12 minutes. When done, the cake will still look slightly batter-y in the middle. Eat it anyway!
Ganache
2 lbs. 64% chocolate
1 quart (4 cups) cream
1 Tbs. vanilla
Heat cream and pour over chocolate. Let stand 5 minutes, add vanilla and stir gently to combine.
Please note that this will make a whole lot of lava cakes. Either scale down or make room in your freezer! (Unless you have a ton of people to feed)
36 oz 64% chocolate
12 oz. 99% chocolate
2 1/4 lb. butter
6 oz. cornstarch
6 oz. flour
2 oz. cocoa powder
3 lbs.2 oz. sugar
30 eggs
12 yolks
2 Tbs brandy
1 Tbs. vanilla
Melt chocolates and butter over bain-marie. Whisk together dry ingredients in large bowl, then whisk in chocolate-butter mixture. Whisk together remaining ingredients and add to chocolate mixture. Stir together just until smooth. Butter foil cups and fill 1/3 with batter. Place a ball of ganache in center (imagine a sphere the size of a 50cent piece--be sure to put enough). Top with more batter (just enough to cover the ganache totally). Cover with plastic and store in refrigerator until ready to bake (they will keep for a week or so--otherwise you can bake them for 6 or 7 minutes (so they're still not done), and then freeze them for a month or two, but be careful to cover them completely for the freezer.) Otherwise, bake right before serving: 350ºF, with fan, for 8 to 12 minutes. When done, the cake will still look slightly batter-y in the middle. Eat it anyway!
Ganache
2 lbs. 64% chocolate
1 quart (4 cups) cream
1 Tbs. vanilla
Heat cream and pour over chocolate. Let stand 5 minutes, add vanilla and stir gently to combine.
Please note that this will make a whole lot of lava cakes. Either scale down or make room in your freezer! (Unless you have a ton of people to feed)
Monday, September 22, 2008
Vanilla Crème Brûlée
Vanilla Crème Brûlée
4 cups cream
7/8 cup sugar
1 vanilla bean, scraped
12 egg yolks
Heat cream, sugar and vanilla to a simmer. Whisk into yolks. Pour through strainer into large pitcher. Fill flat ramekins and bake 325ºF, no fan, on a sheet pan with water (1/2 to 2/3 way up sides of ramekins).
4 cups cream
7/8 cup sugar
1 vanilla bean, scraped
12 egg yolks
Heat cream, sugar and vanilla to a simmer. Whisk into yolks. Pour through strainer into large pitcher. Fill flat ramekins and bake 325ºF, no fan, on a sheet pan with water (1/2 to 2/3 way up sides of ramekins).
Blond Brownies
Blond Brownies
3 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
3/4 Tbs. salt
1/2 lb. butter, melted
3 cups brown sugar
4 eggs
3/4 Tbs vanilla
2 cups chocolate chips
Stir together flour, salt and baking powder and set aside. In large mixer, combine melted butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, then add vanilla, then dry ingredients, then chocolate chips. Do not mix too much. Spread into a papered pan. Bake at 325ºF, with fan.
3 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
3/4 Tbs. salt
1/2 lb. butter, melted
3 cups brown sugar
4 eggs
3/4 Tbs vanilla
2 cups chocolate chips
Stir together flour, salt and baking powder and set aside. In large mixer, combine melted butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, then add vanilla, then dry ingredients, then chocolate chips. Do not mix too much. Spread into a papered pan. Bake at 325ºF, with fan.
Brownies
Brownies
10 oz. 64% chocolate
4 oz. 99% (unsweetened) chocolate
1/2 lb. butter
6 Tbsp. cocoa
6 eggs
2 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp vanilla
1/2 Tbsp salt
2 cups flour
Melt chocolates and butter, then whisk in cocoa. In large mixer, gently combine eggs and sugar, then add salt and vanilla. Add the melted chocolate mixture and stir gently to combine. Fold in the flour. Bake at 325ºF, with fan, in a quarter-sheet pan. Bake until the tops look shiny and the brownies are somewhat puffed up, but not totally puffed up or they will be over baked.
10 oz. 64% chocolate
4 oz. 99% (unsweetened) chocolate
1/2 lb. butter
6 Tbsp. cocoa
6 eggs
2 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp vanilla
1/2 Tbsp salt
2 cups flour
Melt chocolates and butter, then whisk in cocoa. In large mixer, gently combine eggs and sugar, then add salt and vanilla. Add the melted chocolate mixture and stir gently to combine. Fold in the flour. Bake at 325ºF, with fan, in a quarter-sheet pan. Bake until the tops look shiny and the brownies are somewhat puffed up, but not totally puffed up or they will be over baked.
Blackberry-Red Wine Jelly Candies
Blackberry-Red Wine Jelly Candies
Simmer together for 15 minutes:
2 bags frozen berries
1 orange, peeled and sliced
1 lemon, peeled and sliced
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 vanilla bean
2 cups red wine
1 cinnamon stick, toasted
Then add:
1 1/2 oz. raspberry liqueur
salt
(At this stage you should have 4 cups)
Then add:
3 cups sugar
2 cups corn syrup
When boiling, stir together and then whisk in:
1 cup sugar
4 Tbs. plus 2 tsp. apple pectin
Whisk until 220 degrees, then whisk in:
½ tsp. to 2 Tbs. citric acid (vitamin C powder) depending on taste, dissolved in a little water
Pour into foil-lined, sprayed ½ sheet and let set for several hours
Simmer together for 15 minutes:
2 bags frozen berries
1 orange, peeled and sliced
1 lemon, peeled and sliced
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 vanilla bean
2 cups red wine
1 cinnamon stick, toasted
Then add:
1 1/2 oz. raspberry liqueur
salt
(At this stage you should have 4 cups)
Then add:
3 cups sugar
2 cups corn syrup
When boiling, stir together and then whisk in:
1 cup sugar
4 Tbs. plus 2 tsp. apple pectin
Whisk until 220 degrees, then whisk in:
½ tsp. to 2 Tbs. citric acid (vitamin C powder) depending on taste, dissolved in a little water
Pour into foil-lined, sprayed ½ sheet and let set for several hours
Vanilla Brown Butter Bundt Cake
Vanilla Brown Butter Bundt Cake
1 Vanilla beans
1 lbs. butter
2 1/6 cups sugar
5 eggs
1 1/3 yolks (1 1/2 should be perfectly fine)
2 tsp vanilla
18 oz. flour
1 1/3 Tbs. baking powder
2 tsp salt
13 1/2 oz milk, room temperature
Brown butter with vanilla beans, strain and chill several hours (until completely cold.) In mixer, beat brown butter until smooth, then add sugar and beat until very light and fluffy. Add vanilla, eggs and egg yolks, little by little, until incorporated. Combine dry ingredients and add alternately with milk. Beat smooth, but do not overbeat.
Fill aluminum cups or miniature bundt pan (already buttered well--not oiled--and frozen for at least 20 minutes) 2/3 of the way full. Bake at approximately 350ºF for 8 or so minutes. Cakes should be a slightly dark golden brown on top.
1 Vanilla beans
1 lbs. butter
2 1/6 cups sugar
5 eggs
1 1/3 yolks (1 1/2 should be perfectly fine)
2 tsp vanilla
18 oz. flour
1 1/3 Tbs. baking powder
2 tsp salt
13 1/2 oz milk, room temperature
Brown butter with vanilla beans, strain and chill several hours (until completely cold.) In mixer, beat brown butter until smooth, then add sugar and beat until very light and fluffy. Add vanilla, eggs and egg yolks, little by little, until incorporated. Combine dry ingredients and add alternately with milk. Beat smooth, but do not overbeat.
Fill aluminum cups or miniature bundt pan (already buttered well--not oiled--and frozen for at least 20 minutes) 2/3 of the way full. Bake at approximately 350ºF for 8 or so minutes. Cakes should be a slightly dark golden brown on top.
Crackers
Crackers
2 cups flour
3/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1/8 lb. butter
1/2 cup cold water
poppy seeds
Rub butter into dry ingredients to cornmeal consistency. Add cold water and poppy seeds. Chill, then roll very thin. Cut shapes and bake 325ºF with fan until golden brown around edges. Flip crackers towards the end of baking so bottoms crisp up.
Alternately: don't add the poppy seeds until after you have rolled out the dough very thin. Sprinkle poppy seeds over the dough and roll them into the dough once or twice.
These are really buttery and wonderful, and absolutely perfect with a nice cheese.
2 cups flour
3/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1/8 lb. butter
1/2 cup cold water
poppy seeds
Rub butter into dry ingredients to cornmeal consistency. Add cold water and poppy seeds. Chill, then roll very thin. Cut shapes and bake 325ºF with fan until golden brown around edges. Flip crackers towards the end of baking so bottoms crisp up.
Alternately: don't add the poppy seeds until after you have rolled out the dough very thin. Sprinkle poppy seeds over the dough and roll them into the dough once or twice.
These are really buttery and wonderful, and absolutely perfect with a nice cheese.
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