Snowjam Cooking Marathon, Part 1

It’s Wednesday and I should be frying chicken at Watershed.  Instead, I am hunkered down in my house with Henry, waiting for the ice storm to subside and praying like hell that we don’t lose power like so many others in Georgia right now.  Also in the mix is the fact that our street is one very long hill which takes forever to thaw when iced over.  It means we’ll be lucky if we can escape the reservation by Friday afternoon.  

Captive in my own house!

What to do, except embark upon a cooking marathon?  Again.  You may remember this is Atlanta's second Snowjam in as many weeks.  (C'mon, you didn't miss Jon Stewart on that one, did you?)  For the last one, I made Black Pepper Gingerbread, Turkey Chili, No-Knead Bread and Chocolate Oatmeal cookies. No wonder Henry thinks I am trying to kill him.

Chef Joe

Up first this go-round:  Chef Joe’s Chocolate Terrine.  Joe Truex is our Executive Chef at Watershed and I have never eaten anything he prepared that I didn’t swoon over.  His chocolate terrine is no exception.  It’s a lovely offering for Valentine’s day and in will, in fact, be on Watershed’s menu that evening.  Since I’m not likely to get out of the house by then, I figured I may as well make it in my own kitchen.  If you are planning a romantic VD dinner at home, you can’t go wrong if you make this one!

CHOCOLATE TERRINE     (adapted from Chef Joe Truex)

½ lb. unsalted butter, cut into pieces

12 oz. (60 percent) dark chocolate, chopped (see note below)

8 eggs, separated  (I used extra-large)

1 1/3 cups confectioner’s sugar, sifted

1/3 cup cocoa, sifted (I used Valhrona)

½ cup heavy cream

Best quality extra-virgin olive oil

Sea salt flakes

Toasted pistachio nuts

Line a 5 x 8-inch loaf pan with plastic wrap to overhang all sides.  Set aside.

Place the butter in a medium saucepan and distribute the chopped chocolate over the top.  Place over low heat and melt, stirring frequently until mixture is smooth.  Be careful not to scorch the chocolate.  Remove from heat and set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk 4 of the egg yolks.  (You will not need the remaining 4 yolks, so save them for another use).  Whisk them slowly into the melted chocolate/butter mixture.  Stir in the sifted confectioner’s sugar and cocoa and combine thoroughly.  Remove the mixture to a medium-large mixing bowl.

Using an electric mixer, beat the 8 egg whites until they form soft peaks.  Fold this into the chocolate mixture.  Whip the heavy cream until it forms soft peaks and fold this into the chocolate mixture as well. 

Pour into the prepared loaf pan.  Smooth the top with an offset spatula and wrap the entire pan in plastic wrap.  Refrigerate at least 8 hours.

To serve, unmold terrine and cut into small slices.  Garnish with the olive oil, sea salt and toasted pistachios.  The terrine can be wrapped tightly and stored in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days (if you have electricity, that is!)

Serves 12

*  At minimum, use 60% chocolate.  If you want to amp it up a bit, use a combination of 60% and 70% bittersweet (not unsweetened) chocolate.  

*  The chocolate will melt faster than the butter, which is why I put the butter in the pan first, with the chocolate on top.

*  Pay attention when you fold the whipped egg whites and cream into the chocolate mixture.  You don't want to deflate it by overmixing, but at the same time, you want to make sure there are no white streaks remaining.  It's a fine balance!

*  The beauty of this recipe is that it requires no baking.  As long as you don't scorch the chocolate or overmix it, you really can't screw it up.  On the downside, however, it does contain uncooked eggs so keep that in mind and don't make this for women who are pregnant, the elderly or anyone with a compromised immune system.  Just use your good judgment.

*  For serving, Chef Joe uses a cutter to make a small hole in the terrine and fills it with extra-virgin olive oil.  If you don't want to take this extra step, you can simply drizzle it directly over the terrine, letting it pool along the sides.

*  Use a good quality sea salt, preferably flaky or coarse.  I use Maldon sea salt flakes.

*  I love the taste and the crunch of the olive oil, sea salt and pistachios in this dessert as they take front and center with the chocolate as a creamy backdrop.  If you want to make the chocolate a little more prominent, serve it with a dollop of whipped cream or a drizzle of raspberry coulis instead.

Alrighty then.  Stay warm, everyone.  If my electricity holds out, I will be spending the next few days in my kitchen.  Be forewarned!

Tis Not the Season

What happened to December?  I thought I had tons of time after Thanksgiving, but suddenly it's January.  Oh no!  Even if we don't really celebrate it, there was lots of baking to be done, gifts to be given and always, always chicken to be fried.

Speaking of that fried chicken I make every Wednesday, I actually had the chance to try some of it recently.  Henry's brother was in town  (on a Wednesday no less), so we decided to take him to Watershed for dinner.  Now, you should know that once I stagger home after frying it all day, I am pretty much worthless - not to mention that everything about me smells like fried chicken.  Going out on a Wednesday night is never on my agenda, but I made the sacrifice for Danny, came home, cleaned up and raced back to the restaurant to meet him there for dinner.  As soon as we were seated, we were informed that they were about to "86" the chicken.  In restaurant speak, that means it's gone, baby.

I jumped on it and ordered it immediately.  About time I tasted my own work, don't you think?  And if I do say so myself, it was fantastic.  Whew!  I have absolutely earned my title of "Chicken Bitch."  If you live in Atlanta, get yourself over there (early) on a Wednesday to see for yourself.  If you don't live in Atlanta, then it might just be worth the price of a plane ticket......

If you are not on a diet right now (like the rest of the world), are you planning a brunch anytime soon?  If so, I have just the ticket for you.  I made it recently (for a brunch) and it was a huge hit.  Even I liked it and that's saying something.  Unfortunately it calls for berries, which aren't exactly seasonal this week (unless you live in Chile), but what the hell.  Make it anyway.  Yeah, it's that good!

Berry Long Cake with Ginger Crumb  (adapted from Vintage Cakes by Julie Richardson)

For the fruit:

1 pound berries (left whole if small, sliced if larger) to equal 6 cups, prepped

½ cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons brandy or pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375-degrees.

In a large bowl, toss together the berries with the sugar and the brandy or vanilla extract.  Set aside at room temperature.

For the topping:

1/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

¼ cup all-purpose, unbleached flour

Pinch of salt

¼ cup diced candied ginger

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, diced and at room temperature

Combine the brown sugar, flour, salt and ginger in a small bowl.  Blend the butter into the dry ingredients, using either your fingertips or a fork, until the mixture forms crumbs.  Place the topping in the freezer while you proceed with the recipe.

For the cake:

1 ½ cups unbleached, all-purpose flour

½ cup cornmeal

½ cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon fine sea salt

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into cubes

2 eggs (I used extra-large)

2/3 cup whole milk

Combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, ginger and salt in a large bowl.  Add the butter and using your fingertips, work it completely into the dry ingredients. 

In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs and milk together and stir them into the dry ingredients until combined.  Do not overmix.  Spread the batter into a 9-inch square, buttered baking pan.

Distribute prepared berries on top of the batter then scatter the chilled topping over the berries. 

Place the pan in the center of the oven.  Bake until the berries bubble and the cake is firm, about 40 – 45 minutes.

Cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes and serve warm from the oven.  Or, wrap and store at room temperature for up to 2 days, the cover pan with foil and reheat for 15 – 20 minutes until warm.

Serves 8 - 10

*  According to Ms. Richardson, the original recipe harkens back to 1945 and was called a long cake because the frugal amount of fruit in it went a long way.  Speaking of the fruit, feel free to use whatever works for you.

*  The great thing about this recipe is that you don't need any equipment, like an electric mixer.  Just a little arm action (and you can call it part of your January workout).

*   It will look like too much for your 9-inch pan, but persevere anyway.  It works.  Just to be safe, however, bake it on a parchment-lined baking sheet.  That way I won't feel guilty if it overflows and burns on the floor of your oven.

*   I love the earthy "peasant-ness" of this dish because of the cornmeal.  My friends loved it also and said that every bite tastes just a little bit different.  I think the ginger has something to do with that.

*  When it comes to cornmeal, I am a big fan of Nora Mills Granary, right here in Georgia.  You can order it from them online (along with their oatmeal and 10-grain cereal, which you should not miss).  Here is the link:

www.noramill.com

*  And just in case you are one of the two people on the planet who aren't on a diet right now, this is also a great dessert.  

Happy New Year to all of you.  May it be a year of peace, joy and good health for all of us.  Thank you for taking the time to read my blog.  I love you guys!

Make. These. Now.

I am just going to cut to the chase and dispense with my usual ramblings. That's because I want you to quit reading this blog RIGHT NOW and get yourself to a grocery store so you can buy the ingredients for Caramel Coconut Cluster Bars. Now, people, NOW!!!

You already know that I am a huge fan of Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito, the founders of Baked (in Brooklyn) and the authors of three cookbooks, all of which inspire me beyond belief in the kitchen.  I recently acquired their latest, Baked Elements and I couldn't wait for my kitchen to be functional so I could try out their newest recipes.  I even made a list (yeah, I'm that ridiculous) of the ones I want to make first:

Easy Candy Bar Tart

Triple Rum Black Pepper Cake

Toasted Pumpkin Seed Brittle

Pumpkin Almond Cake with Almond Butter Frosting

Cheddar Corn Souffle

Poppy Seed Pound Cake

Lemon Pecorino Pepper Icebox Cookies

Chocolate Cheesecake Muffins

Cream Cheese Chocolate Snacking Cookies

Brooksters

Need I say more, other than to give you their recipe for Caramel Coconut Cluster Bars?  (They were first on my list).  I didn't think so.  Here you go ...

CARAMEL COCONUT CLUSTER BARS  (Adapted from Baked Elements by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito)

For the toasted coconut:

3 cups shredded, sweetened coconut

Preheat oven to 300-degrees.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Spread the coconut in an even layer on the pan and place in oven.  Bake, turning coconut with a spatula every 4 minutes until it just starts to turn golden, about 15 minutes total.  Remove from oven and set aside to cool.

For the base:

2 cups all-purpose, unbleached flour

½ teaspoon salt (I used kosher)

2 sticks unsalted butter, cut into cubes and softened

½ cup granulated sugar

½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Increase oven temperature to 350-degrees.  Lightly grease a 13x9x2-inch baking pan and line it with parchment paper to overhang sides.  Lightly grease parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and salt.

In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar until fluffy, about 2 minutes.  Add the vanilla, then add the flour mixture and beat on low speed until just combined.

Turn the dough onto the prepared pan and press into an even layer on the bottom of the pan (do not press up sides).  Prick the dough with the tines of a fork and bake for 25 – 30 minutes or until just golden.  Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool.

For the caramel layer:

1 cup light corn syrup

½ cup granulated sugar

½ cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1 cup heavy cream

1/3 cup sweetened condensed milk

½ stick unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes and at room temperature

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

½ teaspoon salt (I used kosher)

In a medium saucepan, combine corn syrup, granulated sugar, brown sugar and 2 tablespoons of water.  Stir gently to combine and cook over medium heat until mixture reaches 240-degrees (soft ball stage).  Do not stir.  This will take 7 – 10 minutes and watch it carefully so it doesn't burn. 

Remove from heat and stir in the cream, sweetened condensed milk and butter.  Be careful as it will bubble up.  If needed, place back over medium heat until mixture is smooth.  Stir in vanilla extract and salt.

Fold in 2 cups of the toasted coconut, then pour mixture over the baked crust, using a spatula to spread it out in an even layer.  Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup of coconut and press lightly to adhere.  Let cool at room temperature for 2 hours, then refrigerate for at least one hour.

To assemble:

6 ounces good quality dark chocolate

2 ounces good chocolate milk chocolate

Melt chocolates until smooth.  Remove bars from pan and cut into desired pieces (I cut mine into 3 x 1-inch bars).  Have ready a baking sheet lined with parchment.  Dip the bottoms of each bar into the chocolate and scrape off excess with a small spatula.  Place bottom-side-down on prepared sheet and repeat with remaining bars.

Scrape remaining melted chocolate into a pastry bag and drizzle over tops of bars.  Refrigerate 30 minutes to allow chocolate to set up.

Yield:  24 bars (or more, depending upon how you cut them)

Alrighty then.  Here is what I have to say about these babies.....

*  First off, these are addictive.  I could eat the entire batch in just one sitting, which doesn't bode well for my ever becoming a skinny cook.  It's why I had to give them away immediately, to my personal trainer no less.  Haha, Luis - better on your thighs than mine!

*  Make sure you use sweetened condensed milk, not evaporated milk.  They are not the same thing!

*  I think the addition of the chocolate is fifty-fifty.  If you are a chocoholic, then by all means go for it, but I actually liked these better without it.  Your call, or do what I did and only put chocolate on half of them.

*  You guys might think that I'm the baking maven, but trust me, I screw up often.  In making this recipe, I got ahead of myself and added the sweetened condensed milk to the corn syrup/sugar mixture.  Oops!  Rather than trashing it, I proceeded with the recipe and it caramelized just fine.  Moral of the story:  see if you can make something work before you hurl it in the trash.  Just sayin'.

*  One more kitchen postscript:  while my new kitchen is well-designed (and fabulous!), I did not go with a ridiculous number of bells and whistles.  A budget can only withstand so much.  I did, however, incorporate a stand for my ratty old KitchenAid mixer which I've had for a million years.  It hides neatly in a cabinet and when I'm ready to use it, I just pull out the shelf and rev it up.  Awesome!

Wishing all of you a lovely Thanksgiving.  For the first time, we have no kids coming home and I'm a little bereft.  And of course, the irony is that I now have a great kitchen!  Ah, life.......

But that said, we all have much to be thankful for.  Enjoy your holiday and I hope you are spending it with those you love the most.  Happy cooking!

Malfunction Junction

It rained like crazy here recently.  Naturally, it was on a day when there were a gazillion construction vehicles crammed into our driveway, so I had no choice but to park my car on the street.  I figured it was a fair exchange for all that hammering, painting and nailing going on in my kitchen.  Even if it was on Rosh Hashana.

Around 4pm, they all disappeared, so I decided to pull my car back into the garage.  After a quick sprint through the pouring rain, I jumped into the car, revved up the engine and hit the switch for the windshield wipers.  Nothing happened.

WTF?  I tried multiple times, all with the same result.  I managed to get the car back into the garage and yelled for Henry.  He showed up immediately, no doubt thinking a roach was somewhere in the vicinity.  (Hey, isn’t that what husbands are for?)

Except that he couldn’t make the wipers work either.  “Clearly, it’s some kind of electrical problem,” he pronounced.  Crap.  Since rain was in the forecast for the next two days, I knew I had to do something, since I couldn’t be without a car (the Chicken Bitch had to get to work) but I also knew I couldn’t get it to the car dealer until the rain stopped.

I immediately jumped into damage control mode.  Called the dealership to get an appointment for three days down the road and found a cheap rental car.  Since it was now 4:30 and the rental folks closed at 5, we had no time to waste.  We jumped into Henry’s car and headed out.  We got caught at the traffic light at the bottom of our street.

It’s crucial to mention here that Henry and I drive the same brand of vehicle.  Mine is smaller than his, but the interiors and dashboard configurations are basically the same.  As we sat at that traffic light, my eyes fell on his steering column, where the control for the windshield wiper was right there … on the right.

A light bulb exploded in my head.  In the frenzy of everything, we had been trying to activate the wipers using the (wrong) controls on the left side of my steering wheel.  Oh, Liz.  Oh, Henry.  What were we thinking?

Suffice it to say, we turned the car around, skulked back into the garage, canceled the rental car, canceled the repair appointment and looked at each other.  “I can’t wait to tell your kids about this,” said Henry.  “I can’t wait to tell them that you were just as stupid as me,” I retorted.  Stalemate.

Just goes to show you what stress and chaos can do to you.  We are about three weeks away from having a real kitchen (and the rest of our house) again and it won’t be a moment too soon!

In the meantime, I took solace in my temporary kitchen and baked up a batch of Caramel Apple Bars.  It seemed like the only way to make sense of our ridiculous afternoon.  And hey, it's autumn, right?

CARAMEL APPLE BARS

For the crust:

2 cups all-purpose, unbleached flour

2 cups rolled oats

1 ½ cups light brown sugar, packed

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt (I used kosher)

1 ¼ cups unsalted butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350-degrees.  Line a 9 x 13 x 2-inch pan with heavy duty foil to overhang sides and grease well with cooking spray.

Combine the flour, oats, brown sugar, baking soda and salt in a large bowl.  Stir in the melted butter and mix until well-blended.  Place ½ of this mixture into the prepared pan and press well into the bottom of the pan.  Bake for 12 – 15 minutes until lightly browned.  Remove from oven and set aside to cool.

For the filling:

3 apples, peeled, cored, halved and cut into thin slices

1 cup chopped pecans

1 ½ cups salted caramel sauce (see below)

½ cup all-purpose, unbleached flour

Arrange the apple slices evenly over the cooled crust.  Sprinkle the chopped pecans over the apples.

In a nonstick pan, heat the caramel sauce over medium heat.  Add the flour and stir well.  Bring to a boil and cook for about 3 minutes, stirring constantly.  The mixture will pull away from the sides of the pan.

Dollop the cooked caramel over the apples/nuts in the prepared pan and use a small spatula to spread it evenly.  Then sprinkle the remaining crust mixture over the top.  Bake for 25 – 30 minutes until the top is just golden.  Cool on a baking rack, then remove from pan and cut into squares.

Yield:  24 bars

This is not an original recipe.  It's been around for years and most versions call for caramel sauce that you buy in a jar.  You know I would never stoop to that, so instead I subbed the Sweet and Salty Caramel Sauce from  Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito, those genius boys at Baked in Brooklyn.  I highly recommend that you do the same.  So worth it!

SWEET AND SALTY CARAMEL SAUCE  (from Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito)

1 cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons light corn syrup

½ cup heavy cream

1 teaspoon fleur de sel

¼ cup sour cream

In a medium saucepan, combine sugar and corn syrup with ¼ cup water, stirring them together carefully so you don’t splash the sides of the pan.  Cook over high heat until an instant-read thermometer reads 350-degrees or mixture is dark amber in color.  Keep a close eye as it can burn in an instant.  Remove from heat and slowly add the cream.  Be careful as it will bubble up then add fleur de sel.  Whisk in the sour cream and set aside to cool.

I'm going to make up a batch of this caramel sauce and bury my face in it right now.  Maybe when I surface, the kitchen will be finished and I can get back to baking and blogging as normal.  Cheers!