For Boston

Today I read an article somewhere in the great internets about how the current generation is so self-absorbed that they tend to co-opt tragedy as their own.  They regale people with stories of how they could have been there at the site of the tragedy du jour.  There but for the grace of God...

This Boston tragedy was not mine.  It belonged to others, some near and dear to me who were at the scene of the bombings.  Others I've known and cared about over the years.  But it could not have happened to me.  I have been a long time gone from that city.  But in a time when the Yankees are playing Sweet Caroline to honor Boston, certainly I can say that in my heart of hearts, Boston you're my home.

And that my heart is breaking for all of those who have no need to co-opt tragedy, because it is their own.  Because it came right up to their doors and into their homes. Should you want to help, rather than retell your own plans to someday maybe run the marathon, check out charity navigator's advice on ways to donate.

And since you came here for food (you did come here for food, right?) rather than lectures on how to properly handle your reactions to crisis, how about a recipe from The New England Clam Shack Cookbook for some delicious scallops?  It's a much better way to feel like an honorary New Englander.

Verdict:  If I have any common sense, I'll get this in regular rotation in time for the summer.  Curing homesickness through cooking is something I definitely sign on for.




PAN-SEARED SCALLOPS
modified slightly from The New England Clam Shack Cookbook

INGREDIENTS:
1 lb sea scallops - select scallops that aren't sitting in a lot of liquid, scallops are better when dry.  Also pick ones that haven't started to separate
1/4  t salt
1/4 t sugar
1/2 t thyme
1/8 t garlic powder
1/8 t onion powder
olive oil
lemon wedges

DIRECTIONS:
Mix together the salt, sugar, thyme, garlic powder and onion powder.  Heat a cast-iron pan to medium high and add a bit of olive oil, just enough to cover the bottom of the pan (I used a paper towel to help smear it around and make sure I didn't have too much oil).  Pat your scallops dry and then sprinkle them top and bottom with the seasoning mix.  When the pan is hot, place the scallops in the pan, not touching.  Cook for 2-3 minutes on the first side, then if they are golden brown, flip and cook for 2-4 minutes on the other side.  Cooked scallops should be more opaque than when they started, firm to the touch and have those nice golden edges.  Garnish with lemon wedges (you know, so you can squeeze lemon on them).

Best Quarter I Ever Spent

  A few years ago, I lived in Philadelphia, with access to its enormous and well-stocked library system.  Much as a supermarket seeds its checkout lanes with candy in order to inspire impulse buys, my local branch arranged a rack of books, recently removed from the collection right near the circulation desk.  So while you wait for the person in front of you to pay fines dating back to 1984 or argue that their adorable little cherub returned The Best of Barney DVD, at least, the nanny said she did, you would have something to browse, and hopefully purchase.  During one of these waits, I spied a copy of Sara's Secrets for Weeknight Meals for twenty-five cents.  An older edition than the one shown here, but nonetheless, a cookbook for a quarter?  That is a win, my friends.  It's been in use ever since, in fact, the falafel recipe and the Welsh rabbit recipe are both from the book.  But it had been a long time since I thumbed through it looking for something new.  Last week, spurred on by my recently neglected New Year's resolution I discovered Middle Eastern Meatball Sandwiches.  Mmmm.  They were ridiculously easy and completely delicious.

Verdict:  This cookbook is one of the MUST owns of my collection.  Also, I love Sara.

MIDDLE EASTERN MEATBALL SANDWICHES
adapted from Sara's Secrets for Weeknight Meals

INGREDIENTS:
1 recipe tzatziki  - you can use Sara's from here, I make mine up.  My edition of the cookbook is dated enough that it's called cucumber yogurt sauce.

1 lb ground turkey (or beef or lamb, but I used turkey)
1/2 C chopped onion
1 clove minced garlic
1 large egg slightly beaten
1/2 t or so oregano
salt and pepper

pita bread with pockets (warmed)
lettuce washed dried and cut into ribbons to stuff into the pita

Make it gluten-free: The pita is the only gluten containing component here, so serve these over rice or alongside a nice greek salad to enjoy the flavors without the wheat.

DIRECTIONS:
Mix the turkey, onion, garlic, egg, oregano, salt and pepper together.  Form these into oval patties, bigger than a meatball but smaller than a burger.  I divided my ground meat evenly into 8 sections and made each a patty and was quite pleased with the size.

Cook them.  Now, I found this a bit tricksy.  Sara says you can skewer, brush with olive oil and grill for 8 minutes a side, which sounds heavenly, but I am without a grill.  She also says you can broil for 8 minutes a side, which is what I tried, but perhaps my toaster oven's broiler is inferior, because after the first 8 minutes in the oven, I began to panic and the rare state of things and had to improvise.  I slid them into a hot non-stick pan for 4 minutes (with the side that had been touching the broiler pan into the pan first because it was RAW) and then flipped for 2 more minutes. They ended up with a nice little crust but still very moist.  I'd hesitate to do it all in the pan, lest they dry out.  I'll let you know if I hit upon a better method, but this was still pretty painless.

Cut each pita in half, stuff each half with some lettuce and one patty.  Generously drizzle with tzatziki.  Start planning when you're going to make them again.

Pilgrimage

Last weekend, Ryan and I ate our way through Boston.  I could pretend my priorities were otherwise, but aside from seeing my best friend, I really only cared about the food.  We started with lunch Legal Seafood where I ordered my standard cup of chowder and steamers.  It's always the right choice. Dinner was at Mistral, which is still incredible after all these years.  And brunch the next day was at Zaftig's in Brookline where I devoured the challah french toast.  But with our spare time?  Our minimal spare time between meals?  Well, Ryan asked what I wanted to do.  And did I ask for a ride on the Swan Boats?  Or a trip to the MFA or the Isabella Stewart Gardner museum?  A stroll down Newbury Street?  Nope.  I asked to go to Mike's.  Home of the best cannoli evah.*  Our hotel was a conveniently short walk from the North End, and at 10am, Mike's is as empty as I've ever seen it.  I picked out 2 chocolate chip cannoli, Ryan opted for a pistachio and even though it's highly nontraditional, 

I got one chocolate ricotta with chocolate chips.  Ridiculously decadent, I know.  We've been slowly rationing them out, and they will be gone too soon, but oh, so worth it.

*Yes, I'm aware there's an ongoing debate as to whether Mike's or Modern is the best place to get cannoli. I am unwavering in my devotion to Mike's.  If you want to waste your time over at Modern, go for it.  It makes the line shorter for me.

Identity Crisis: Scottish Scones or English Muffins

I would not know a genuine Scottish scone if it introduced itself to me while wearing a kilt and playing the bagpipes, so whether or not these are authentic, I cannot say.  What I can say is that they are mighty tasty and um, they kind of taste like English muffins.  No nooks and crannies, but the flavor is very similar.  Those of you that know me well understand that being similar to an English muffin is a very comforting thing in my book.  And a homemade scone-muffin is even better.

Deepest apologies to anyone who is English or Scottish and is heartily offended that a) I consider these scones Scottish, if they're not or that b) I compared these to English muffins.  Despite being an American I know that England and Scotland are not in the least interchangeable whatever the status of these particular baked goods.   

SCOTTISH? SCONES

from Epicurious

INGREDIENTS:

2 1/2 C flour

2 t sugar

2 t baking powder

1 t salt

1/2 t baking soda

1/2 t cream of tartar

2 T unsalted butter, cut into small bits
1 C buttermilk (As always, I didn't have buttermilk.  I usually do 1 T white vinegar to a scant cup of milk, but this time I did 3/4 C plain yogurt to 1/4 C milk.  It was a bit thick and I had to sort of eyeball extra milk to make it work).
1 large egg, beaten

DIRECTIONS:
In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, baking soda and cream of tartar. Mix until well combined.  Using your stand mixer, or your fingers, mix in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse meal.  Stir in the buttermilk and the beaten egg lightly until it forms a soft dough.

Turn the dough out on a very well floured surface.  Get your pan ready, you'll need a cast iron pan or skillet.  Use butter or vegetable oil to grease the surface (butter burns more easily, so you might be better off with oil) and turn the heat up to medium.  Okay, return to your dough.  Divide it into two equal pieces.  Then roll each one out into a 1/2" thick circle and cut into wedges (I got between 4-6 wedges per circle, it all depends on how big you want your scones).  Make sure each wedge is well floured, and get the first batch into the pan (you'll need to do two batches).

Cook for 3-5 minutes on the first side, flip them, cook 6-8 minutes on the back, then stand the wedges on their sides, like so:

and cook for 1-2 minutes per side.  If you think they're not done, you can return them to the first side to cook for a few more minutes, but mine were always done.  Repeat with the second batch.  Then get your butter and jam and go to town.

Ask and You Shall Receive...

My husband is many wonderful things, but he is not decisive when it comes to food.  In the interest of full disclosure, I'm not much better. Way back when we first started seriously dating and generally eating dinner together each night, choosing what we would make was an ordeal consisting largely of "I don't knows" on my side and "I don't feel likes" on his side.  This of course, leads to eating dinner at an ungodly hour. In a misguided attempt to solve our problem one day, I called him before he left work (this was back before texting was a thing) with some suggestions for dinner.  I guess I shouldn't have been surprised when he came back with "I can't choose.  I'm not hungry yet.  I won't know what I want until I'm hungry."  Needless to say, once we moved in together he pretty much lost all say in dinner entirely, and I just started cooking whatever I wanted.

Which is why last weekend when he suddenly developed a strong desire to have shrimp chowder for dinner, I was happy to oblige.  Not only was I thrilled that he was offering up a dinner suggestion, I just happened to have a recipe for shrimp chowder on hand that I wanted to try.  The recipe comes from a friend of my grandmother's. She hosted a lunch and my Nana thought the soup was so delicious that she got the recipe for me.  It had languished in my recipe file for awhile, but I'm glad Ryan gave me the motivation to finally try it.  It's definitely going into the rotation.

NAN JENSEN'S SHRIMP CHOWDER
altered slightly from the original

INGREDIENTS:
1 lb shrimp (peeled, deveined and chopped into bite sized pieces, but not too small!)
6 slices bacon (or turkey bacon)
1 1/2 C diced onion
2 celery ribs
2 medium baking potatoes, diced
3 bottles clam juice
1 C light cream
1 C milk
salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:
In a large heavy bottomed pot or dutch oven, cook your bacon.  You can do it as slices and crumble later, but I chopped mine ahead and then fished out the bits when they were crisp.  Crisping will take 5-7 minutes over medium heat.  Remove the bacon to paper towels and set aside until later.  Chop your celery, I do mine in a fine dice because Ryan hates celery, but you can gauge your chopping size however you please. Add the onion and the celery to the pan (no need for butter or oil if you have bacon drippings in the pan).  Cook for 7 minutes or until the onion is soft and translucent.  Then add the clam juice and the potatoes.  Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover.  Let simmer 15-20 minutes until your potatoes are tender.  Add the milk and cream (you can add all cream, even all heavy cream if you want full decadence).  Then add your shrimp and simmer for 3 minutes until they are pink.
Be really careful throughout these last 2 steps because if the heat is too high the cream will kind of separate and get grainy.  It'll taste fine, but look yucky. Add your salt and pepper to taste.  Once the shrimp are cooked you can add the bacon.  I served first and then used the bacon as a pretty garnish, but you're more than welcome to just stir it into the soup.

New Toy Test Run

For Christmas, I got many kitchen toys, including this super cool Cookie Dough Scoop.  The red part you see my mom pressing above sort of pushes out the dough making it much easier to use than say, a spoon.  I was kind of surprised that it has crappy reviews on Amazon because I was ready to marry the thing.  It did eventually get kind of sticky and less efficient, after the first 3 dozen cookies.  I can't say that I blame it.  I'm kind of sticky and less efficient after 3 dozen cookies too.  Anyway, I've basically been in a recuperating from Christmas trauma non-baking rut, and I called my mother to help me fix that.  And we whipped up my Oatmeal Raisin Apple Walnut Cookies as well as some scones I'll tell you about later.  And now I have plenty of delicious carbohydrates to enjoy.  Aren't you jealous?

Marching On

These days there is exactly one thing preventing me from becoming a total failure as a food blogger and home cook: Lent.  If it weren't for this whole meatless Friday conundrum I would continue with my downward spiral of leftovers, takeout and waiting for Ryan to get home and cook for me.  But if I want to actually observe the dietary part of Lent, I must take matters into my own hands.  Being not a Christian, much less a Catholic, Ryan finds the whole practice ridiculous.  So to avoid any arguments about whether or not I should be skipping meat (especially hard to win when there's no Pope about) I have to be on my game and have Friday night dinner planned and in progress before he has time to notice or comment on the lack of meat.  This week I needed something fully pantry supplied because with disgusting snowy icy conditions outside there was no way I was venturing to the supermarket.  So despite some initial misgivings about mixing seafood and cheese, I decided on clam pizza.  Ryan was skeptical to say the least (although he hid it well, he's really a saint once I've decided about dinner, supportive, kind and willing to eat it) but it was delicious I think we both wished I had another waiting in the wings.

CLAM PIZZA (no, this will probably not compare to Frank Pepe's in New Haven and any stories I may have about aimlessly driving through New Haven in search of Frank Pepe's will have to wait for another blog post)

INGREDIENTS:
1/3 recipe of dough rolled out thin
2-3 T extra virgin olive oil
pinch + a sprinkle of red pepper flakes (you'll need to follow your own taste on this)
3 cloves minced garlic
1-2 cans chopped clams (We buy Snow's.  Do you have a better brand?)
1 C grated mozzarella
1 C grated parmigiano reggiano
2-3 T clam juice (reserved from cans above)
sprinkle of oregano
cornmeal (optional)

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat your oven to 475 F.  In a small pan, heat your oil, minced garlic and pinch of red pepper flakes on low.  Let that gently cook while you roll out your dough.  Sprinkle your baking sheet with a bit of cornmeal to prevent sticking and then lay out your dough.  Use a fork to poke the dough to prevent bubbles. Brush the dough with the heated olive oil, saving the garlic and red pepper flakes for later (I just dipped the brush in the pan and then basted the crust, no need for formal separation or anything).  Pop the dough in the oven for 5 minutes.  Remove the crust and brush with the olive oil and garlic mixture, this time using the garlic and red pepper.  Poke at it a bit to make sure the garlic is sort of evenly distributed.  Mix together your two types of grated cheese and then lightly sprinkle the crust with it.  I started with a half cup of each and it wasn't quite enough to cover so we grated a bit more.  For how we'd rolled out the dough it was a light covering of cheese.  If you like yours super cheesey you'll need more.  Drain the clams reserving the juice. Sprinkle the crust with the clams.  One can was delicious, but I wouldn't have minded some more.  I think two cans (which was not an option for us because one was all we had might be too much, so eyeball it if you go beyond one can).  Then drizzle over a few tablespoons of the juice (don't do too much, no one likes soggy crust).  Sprinkle the whole thing with oregano (mine has a shaker opening and I just very lightly went over the whole pie).  Then if you like some spice, do a very light sprinkle of red pepper flakes too (these are VERY strong in flavor and heat so be very cautious with them).  Put the pizza back into the oven for 5 more minutes.  Remove, cut, eat and wish you had more.

Variation on a Theme

It's a month later and yet I have to confess to you, I'm still hung up on mixing cruciferous vegetables with cheese product.  I can't help it.  I've always loved cheesy comforting foods, particularly during the winter doldrums, but the addition of some nice healthy crunch is currently irresistible to me.  It keeps the cheese from becoming too rich (I know, I don't know what's wrong with me either).  So basically, rather than making anything new and fascinating, I'm just messing about with old favorites.

For this recipe, I started with the risotto and cheese I posted way back here.

BROCCOLI AND CHEESE RISOTTO
INGREDIENTS:
1 T butter
1 leek, pale green and white parts only, minced and rinsed to be free of grit
1 1/2 C arborio rice
2 T dijon mustard
4-5 C veggie stock (Watch this carefully, I needed slightly under 4 cups this time, over 4 last time).
1/2 C grated cheddar cheese
1/2 C grated colby jack cheese (yes, just a cup of whatever cheese makes you happy will work fine)
2-3 C broccoli
salt and pepper as needed

DIRECTIONS:
Chop your broccoli into bite sized pieces.  Then steam your broccoli and set it aside. We do ours stovetop in a steamer. I think it takes around 5 minutes, but don't quote me on that. Put the butter and leek in a large pan with high sides. In a pot next to it, heat up the stock. Melt the butter and cook the leek 2-3 minutes until softened. Watch closely so it doesn't burn. Add the arborio rice and cook another 2 minutes or so, turning frequently so the rice gets coated in butter and toasts a bit. Add the mustard, this was sort of a mixing smearing process for me. Add the warm stock about a ladleful at a time. Stir the risotto after you add the stock until it is mostly absorbed (I wait until I can pull a spoon through the risotto without having liquid fill up the track I've made). Then add another ladleful or two. Keep doing this until the stock is gone and the rice is soft (not mushy) but still has some texture. It should take about 18-20 minutes. When the risotto is nearly done, add the cheese and stir. About a minute before you pull it off the stove, add the broccoli and mix well (but gently). Taste to see if it needs salt and pepper. It may not need salt depending on your chicken stock and your cheese, both of which can be salty.

Valentine's Day Sweets and Treats

Valentine's Day usually signals my annual baking fail.  Years past have included an inedible chocolate cake and slightly burnt cookies. So rather than put myself through certain frustration, I'll simply recommend any number of delicious recipes from my archives which I already know will work.  If you're really bent on impressing someone this year, you may want a trial run, just in case you share my bad luck.

Chocolate Cake with Whipped Cream and Strawberries

Oooey-Gooey Caramely Turtle Brownies

Chocolate Mousse

Angel Food Cake with Blackberry Coulis

Blizzard = Baking

Except we didn't really get a blizzard here.  We got a pretty pathetic snow storm that dropped around five inches of fluffy stuff which started melting as soon as the sun came out.  It was highly disappointing.  This is the cost of living in the mid-Atlantic; you hardly ever get any decent snow. I think it's been two years since we've seen anything even remotely impressive around here.  Sigh.  I wish I were in Boston.*  Anyway, I am nothing if not good at pretending, so I figured I'd bake some bread just as though we'd actually had a blizzard and needed something warming and delicious to snack on.  Of course bread baking means that I'm reaching for Beard On Bread.  Usually, I bake his Homestyle Bread, but keeping my New Year's Resolution in mind (and of course the fact that I didn't have any milk in the house), I flipped through looking for a new recipe. I briefly considered his French Style Bread until I read the part where he advised that it would keep for half a day.  Excellent.  A bread that will go bad in less time than it takes to bake it in the first place.  I finally decided on the Basic White Bread.  As you can see, much like the blizzard, it was a bit of a disappointment.  It had none of the height and color of the Homestyle loaves and while it was tasty, it just wasn't quite as tasty.

*I lived in Boston for the blizzard of 2003, which hit President's Day weekend.  I think it tenuously clings to its place as the most snowfall in record history,  hitting Boston with over 27 inches of snow, so I swear, I know what I'm saying when I wish I were there.


Verdict:  Beard on Bread is a requirement for anyone who wants to bake. Even if I won't be making the White Bread again.

WHITE BREAD
which honestly was tasty, I just prefer the other, and also I probably did something wrong causing it to not rise enough, I swear, it's much more likely that I messed up than James Beard did.

INGREDIENTS:
1 package active dry yeast (this is 2 1/4 tsp if you use a jar)
1/2 C warm water + 3/4 C warm water (100 - 115 F)
2 t sugar
2 t salt (Beard calls for a tablespoon.  He is a salt fiend)
3 3/4 - 4 C flour
softened butter, for buttering pans and bowls

DIRECTIONS:
Put your yeast, sugar and 1/2 C warm water into a bowl.  Let it sit for about 3-5 minutes. The yeast should get all nice and puffy. While you're waiting for that, combine your flour and salt in a large bowl (I use the KitchenAid stand mixer with dough hook, but Beard works without machinery).  Mix well.  Then add 3/4 C warm water and mix again (not too long, just until incorporated).  Then add your yeast and water and sugar mixture and  mix again. I just let the dough hook do the kneading for me - about 5-10 minutes.  If you want real kneading instructions, go buy Beard on Bread.  I'd be awful at trying to explain it.  Basically, it's done when it's nice and elastic and when you poke it, it springs back.  Butter a very large bowl.  Take your round of dough, and sort of roll it around the bowl, coating it with butter.  Then cover and let sit in a warm draft free place (usually my counter or even in an oven that is not on) until doubled in bulk.  This takes 1-2 hours depending on weather, temperature, etc.  It will no long spring back when you poke it.  Knead it for 3 minutes on a floured board.  Cut it in two and let it sit for five minutes. Pop it into well buttered loaf pans.  You can make one big loaf (maybe in a dutch oven?) or two smaller ones (either in loaf pans or whatever you think will work - I use one loaf pan and one casserole dish).  Let this rise covered in a warm draft free place for 45 minutes to 1 hr 15 minutes until it doubles in bulk.  Then you use water to lightly baste the tops and slit them with a knife.  This slitting was my undoing as the loaves deflated (maybe my knife wasn't sharp enough?) and never returned to their former glory.  Bake for 35 minutes in a 400 F oven and then check for doneness.  It will sound hollow when you knock on the top. If it needs longer, just pop it back in the oven.  It may need up to 50 minutes (mine was done at 35).  Beard advises letting cool for 2-3 hours before cutting into it.  I can't support this. Eat your bread whenever you want.