ccrippes – Page 6 – Cooking the Books

April 10, 2020

This is hell, time for purgatory eggs

Another week of self-isolation, another simple recipe for the end times.

My sweetie found this simple egg dish from the Add a Pinch blog that managed to use ingredients we mostly had lying around the house. We did end up needing to get more eggs by the time I worked up the energy to make it, but so much of the dish called “eggs in purgatory” includes household staples that make this a simple and tasty breakfast, brunch, lunch, or dinner.

As is typical when I try to poach eggs, I overcooked them. I pretend that one day I’m going to solve this but I have eaten eggs where the whites aren’t quite done and I would rather eat hard yolks for an eternity than have to eat underdone eggs ever again. So, I will live with my choices.

However, for you dear reader, know that 9 minutes is likely waayyyy too long; three minutes definitely was still too short, so somewhere in between is probably good.

Other than that (not very) helpful advice, the only other key is to use a good tomato sauce as it makes up most of the flavor. I ended up using a straight up pre-made pasta sauce, particularly arrabbiata, so if you have that on hand, it’s even better. Oh, and a good bread to serve this with makes this dish go from good to great.

Here’s what I did, slightly adapting the recipe:

Ingredients

~1 T. olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 ¼ c. tomato sauce or pasta sauce (the more flavorful the better, but whatever you have on hand will work)
2 large cloves of garlic, minced
¼ t. red pepper flakes (I didn’t measure but did not use a lot as arrabbiata is already semi-spicy)
Salt and pepper, to taste
¼ c. fresh parsley, chopped, divided
4 eggs
¼ c. grated Parmesan cheese
Toasted bread, for serving (optional)

Directions

Drizzle olive oil into a 9- or 10-inch skillet set over medium heat. Once the skillet warms, add the onions and cook about 3 minutes until tender. Add the garlic and cook another minute.

Then, stir in the tomato/pasta sauce, red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper. Add about half of the parsley and cook for about 5 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken and flavors to meld.

Break eggs into each quarter of the skillet on top of the sauce (the recipe, of course, says to place it into a small bowl first, but I’ve never dirtied another dish *embarrassed face*). Top with the grated cheese and any additional salt and pepper, as desired.

Cover the skillet and cook until the whites are set and the yolks are done to desired level (see note above for how long-ish to do that). Remove from heat, sprinkle on the remaining parsley, and any additional cheese, and enjoy with a fancy bread!

April 3, 2020

More meat and mustard

Again, it’s the end of the world as we know it (and I feel fine!), so I splurged again on a meat cut I rarely get: pork tenderloin.

Mostly I got it because I liked last week’s recipe so much that I felt like there had to be a good recipe that used Dijon and mixed it with pork tenderloin. I was right and happy to discover that Food & Wine had one, as did many others to varying degrees of difficulty.

I finally settled on the one that also included paprika and also Dijon, and not much else.

Dijon and paprika pork tenderloin ingredients.

I thought about trying to figure out a way to also make vegetables in the same skillet like last week, but I really just wanted to spend more time being anxious and horrified about the world today. So, I opted for easy. No problem to fit 1 lb of pork tenderloin (halved) into my skillet, and then just use a sheet pan to roast some veggies to serve on the side.

The recipe technically called for 2 lb of pork tenderloin but that’s still a little too rich for my blood, even in the end times; plus, you make some good veggies on the side, and 1 lb still serves 4. I still used the full amount of the rest of the ingredients; I like a strongly spiced meal, what can I say?

Again, it’s super simple in these times when your mind might be elsewhere, and this way, you can serve it with whatever you like. My choice this time (after supporting my local co-op) was romanesco and fingerling potatoes with garlic and lemon. But you do you.

Here’s what I did:

Ingredients

~1 lb. pork tenderloin
2 T. Dijon mustard
2 t. smoked paprika (I mixed 1 t. each of smoked and hot, but adjust for your tastes)
1 t. salt
2 T. olive oil

Directions

Heat the oven to 425 degrees.

In a small bowl, mix together the Dijon, paprika, and salt. Rub the mixture on the pork. Halve or cut the tenderloin as necessary so it all fits in your skillet, preferably as little as possible.

In a 9- or 10-inch skillet, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the tenderloin (halves), and cook until browned on the bottom, about 5 minutes.

Use tongs to flip the pork, and then transfer the skillet to the oven.

Roast for about 15 minutes, until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part reads 135 degrees. Transfer to a cutting surface, and let rest for about 10 minutes.

Slice the pork, and serve with preferred veggies or side dish, and enjoy!

March 27, 2020

End times call for good steak

I had originally planned for this to be my obligatory spring is here post, but things have changed.

While I had almost balked at springing for a good New York strip for this springtime recipe I found from Bon Appetit, I am now quite glad that I ultimately decided it was worth the cost, as it’s one of the few remaining joys left in a pandemic.

Also, it turns out that good steak is pretty damn good.

The recipe allowed me to skirt the difficulty of fitting everything in my little skillet by searing the steak to perfection and letting it rest while the veggies cooked in the same dish. It all ultimately comes together when you place the steak (sliced) on top and drizzle on the Dijon mustard sauce, but it’s much easier than trying to stir it all together at the same time.

Plus, with peas, asparagus, and spring onions, it’s perfect for springtime.

Oh, and during these very stressful times, it’s also relatively simple and doesn’t require a lot of ingredients that keep you in close contact with people for too long at the grocery store.

All in all, pretty freakin’ worth it.

Ignore the dystopian hellscape, dream of steak.

Here’s what I did:

Ingredients

1 lb. boneless New York Strip steak
5 cloves garlic, divided, 1 grate and 4 thinly sliced
⅓ c. Dijon mustard
1 T. red wine vinegar
1 t. honey
¼ to ½ t. cayenne pepper
⅓ c. + 3 T. olive oil, divided
1 bunch scallions (white and green parts), thinly sliced and divided
1 (10 oz.) bag frozen peas
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

Pat the steak dry and season with salt and pepper all over. Let rest while you prepare the Dijon mustard sauce.

Whisk together the 1 clove of grated garlic, mustard, vinegar, honey, cayenne, ⅓ c. olive oil, and 1 T. water, in a medium bowl to combine. Add salt and pepper, to taste.

Heat a 9- to 10-inch cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Rub the steak with ~1 T. olive oil, and cook, turning every ~2 minutes, including some searing on edges, until medium-rare, so that a thermometer reads 120 degrees, for about 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer steak to a plate to rest.

Heat remaining 2 T. of olive oil in the same skillet, reducing heat to low. Add the slices of garlic and all but 2 T. of the spring onions, and cook, stirring often, about 3 minutes. Add the peas and a splash of water, and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add asparagus, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring regularly, until the asparagus is just tender, another 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

Slice steak and layer on top of the vegetables in the skillet. Drizzle some of the mustard sauce over the steak and top with the remaining spring onions.

Serve with any additional mustard sauce as desired, though be careful not to overdo it, and enjoy even in the end times!

March 21, 2020

Obligatory Lenten fish dish to happily enjoy year-round

Even though I’ve long since given up on giving up anything for Lent (or practicing Catholicism, for that matter), I still can’t help but mark the time of the year.

So, of course, I know that it’s the time of the year for fish Fridays (or possibly vegetarian, but if you’re my age and Midwestern, the idea of giving up “meat” entirely used to be unacceptable, so fish is not “meat,” but that’s a whole other discussion). I’ve also given up this practice, at least intentionally, but I do like a good excuse to make something with fish.

That is even more true as I practice sustainable fish-eating habits and have been sitting on 2 pounds of frozen haddock from my last trip to Whole Foods, where I can reliably get sustainable seafood. It turns out as much as I’m nostalgic for my Highlands honeymoon, I just don’t eat that much fried food, so it’s sat less used than I imagined when I bought it.

Thankfully, Jamie Oliver’s 5 Ingredients cookbook delivered with a “crazy simple” fish pie.

Not only was it an incredibly simple dish, it called for specifically haddock and still managed to recall my Highlands honeymoon even though we never had this particular meal there.

As the cookbook and this recipe’s name suggest, the pie is short on ingredients and crazy simple. It’s perfect for a weeknight meal, and yet still manages to taste like something special.

I even managed to use a much smaller skillet than called for and it all worked out (unlike some of my past plans), though it was slightly more juicy so maybe lay off the soaking water if you’re using a 9-inch skillet, but it still tasted great and I have no regrets.

It was a simpler time when I made this crazy simple (and delicious) fish pie.

Here’s what I did (following the simple recipe other than size of skillet — which was meant to be 30 cm instead of 22 cm, so anything in between should work fine — and I did sneak in an extra phyllo dough sheet):

Ingredients

1 lb. haddock, skin off
~2 T. olive oil, divided
2 bunches of spring onions, chopped white and light green parts
250 g. baby spinach (about 1 ½ standard bags, though I could’ve fit 2 bags and been happy to enjoy more spinach … so there is some leeway, depending on tastes)
150 g. cheddar cheese (I sprung for the good-ish stuff, and it was slightly less than 1 block of Kerrygold cheddar)
Pepper, to taste
5 sheets of phyllo dough (thawed)

Directions

Heat the oven to 400 degrees.

In a large bowl or casserole dish, cover the fish with boiling kettle water.

Meanwhile, heat a 9- to 10-inch skillet (or up to 12-inch) on medium-high heat. Add in 1 T. of olive oil, and then add the spring onions, and pan fry for about 2 minutes. Add in the spinach in batches until all is wilted down, and then remove from heat.

Add a scant ½ c., maybe less if using a smaller skillet, of the fish-soaked water to the skillet, and then drain the remaining water from the fish. Break up the fish fillets using a fork and then place around the skillet. Grate over *most* of the cheddar, and season with black pepper. Layer 4 of the pieces of phyllo dough on top and slightly around the ingredients to form a pie topping. Tear up the last piece in a “nutty fashion,” per the recipe, sprinkle the top with the remaining cheese, and drizzle on the remaining olive oil.

Bake the pie for 15 to 17 minutes until golden and crisp, and enjoy!

March 14, 2020

Medium-shelf margarita cheesecake

One of the greatest — and most me — gifts I ever got was a cookbook called Booze Cakes.

As its name suggests, it’s cakes made with booze. Shocking, I know. It could have been just a novelty, but it actually has some great cake recipes, and ones that have clever ways of adapting classic alcoholic drinks into a cake.

Among my favorites are eggnog cupcakes. They have the eggnog ingredients in the cake, of course, but the cupcakes also have their centers cut out, and topped with a rummy eggnog pudding and a rummy whipped topping, that makes them actually resemble little cups filled with eggnog. Their tea cakes become Long Island ice tea cakes.

What I’m saying is, it’s inventive, and tasty.

Yet, even after the many years I’ve had it, I still haven’t tried them all, and I do tend to stick to my favorites. This year offers a chance to try some more. Even though, as cake, most recipes call for either a springform pan, or a pair of 9-inch pans, I figured this year is about making the most of what you have so I would give my little Le Creuset a shot.

I started easy enough, with a margarita cheesecake.

Or so, I thought.

While (spoiler alert!) the end result was still amazingly tasty and did manage to taste like both margaritas and cheesecake, the vessel was not as ideal as it seemed. I think partially because I pre-baked the crust too near the bottom of the oven but also because cast iron cooks hotter, much of the wonderful cornmeal crust stuck to the bottom of the skillet. Then, a 9-inch springform is a little different than a 9-inch pie plate so I ended up having way too much filling compared to the area I had left to fill.

I made a second all cheesecake bake but haven’t dared eat it yet so it will likely almost all go to waste. I guess what I’m saying is this might still be OK if not ideal for a cast iron (given the way it holds heat) but it’d work better in a 10-inch skillet than a little 9-inch braiser.

Either way, I’m pretty sure I’m going to make it again, because that cornmeal crust and the lime flavor (with a dash of tequila and triple sec) was just too good to only have once.

A note on the booze: I’m not much for buying top-shelf stuff to use for cooking even though the recipe was technically called a top-shelf margarita cheesecake. I’m cheap and already pay for good whiskey, so I went with what I’m calling the medium-shelf level. Kind of like the Medium Place, there are worse tequilas and triple secs, but I couldn’t talk myself into the good stuff. Besides, I’m no tequila aficionado so mediocre is fine by me. And it all worked out fine so don’t stress if you want to go cheap; the flavors will mix just fine without splurging on the good stuff (unless you really want to!).

Here’s what I did (following the recipe, except the garnishes, even though it is a little off for a 9-inch pie plate/braiser):

Ingredients

For the crust:

1 stick (½ c.) unsalted butter (plus more for coating pan)
¼ c. sugar
½ c. all-purpose flour
½ c. yellow cornmeal
¼ t. salt (about a hefty pinch)

For the cheesecake filling:

3 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese (I softened mine but the recipe doesn’t specifically call for it)
1 c. sugar
4 eggs
¼ c. fresh lime juice
2 T. tequila
2 T. triple sec
Zest of 1 lime (the recipe called for zest of half a lime, but I really like lime flavor)

For the whipped cream:

1 c. heavy cream
½ c. confectioners’ sugar
1 T. fresh lime juice
2 T. tequila
2 T. triple sec

Directions

For the crust:

Heat oven to 350 and grease the bottom and sides of a 9- to 10-inch skillet (or other container as appropriate).

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Gradually add flour, cornmeal, and salt, and mix to combine. Press the mixture into the bottom of the pan and up the sides as much as possible, and bake 15 to 20 minutes until golden brown. Let cool.

For the cheesecake filling:

In a mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese and sugar and beat until smooth, 3 to 5 minutes. Beat in eggs one at a time. Then, add in the lime juice, tequila, triple sec, and lime zest, and stir or beat to combine.

Pour mixture over the cooled crust, and bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until the filling is cooked through (still at 350 degrees). Remove from oven once done and let cool for about an hour; then, refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight.

For the whipped cream:

In a mixing bowl, combine the cream, confectioners’ sugar, lime juice, tequila, and triple sec, starting on low speed but gradually increasing until peaks form.

To finish:

Spread the margarita cream on top of the chilled cheesecake, and enjoy (preferably with a good, homemade classic margarita)!

March 7, 2020

Honest artichoke dip

One of my go-to cookbooks since I discovered it is Amy Thielen’s The New Midwestern Table cookbook. As a nearly life-long Midwesterner, it’s perfect. Its recipes are rustic, delicious, mostly not that healthy, and not terribly pretentious, kind of like most Midwesterners.

As I was looking for a simple appetizer for something to share with friends, I was ecstatic to find a recipe that also fit my little Le Creuset/small skillet mission. It also happened to have artichokes, wine, and a butt-ton of cheese, aka, most of my diet.

So, basically, I moved the artichoke fondue dip to the top of my queue.

Two things about it appealed to me specifically — OK, OK, in addition to the aforementioned wine, cheese, and artichokes.

The first was that she correctly labels it a fondue dip; let’s be honest about what a Midwesterner’s (or really, everyone’s) idea of spinach artichoke dip is, mostly cheese. The second thing is not so much that it ditched the spinach, which I enjoy, though it does have a tendency to get stuck in between one’s teeth, but that there was a note about her choice in an alternative.

She not only replaced spinach with edamame, which has an entirely different texture and reasonably different taste, but noted that she’d been called out for how egregious it was to add to the point that she makes the edamame optional in her recipe.

I couldn’t resist seeing what the fuss was about.

My assessment, it was pretty good with it, and it didn’t scare off any of my friends who tried it.

All in all, it’s a damn good, and incredibly easy dip.

Here’s what I did, following the recipe (edamame and all):

Ingredients

1 (14 oz.) can brined, quartered artichoke hearts
½ c. heavy cream
1 c. shredded Parmesan cheese
1 c. shredded aged Gouda cheese
3 T. dry white wine (preferably Sauvignon Blanc)
2 T. chopped parsley
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 t. cornstarch
½ c. shelled edamame, fresh or frozen (optional, but come on, you want to try it!)
A baguette, sliced, or crackers for serving

Directions

Heat the oven to 325 degrees.

Drain the artichokes, and preferably, give each a little squeeze to release excess brine. Chop the artichokes roughly.

In a medium bowl, combine the artichoke hearts, cream, both cheeses, wine, parsley, salt and pepper, and cornstarch. Stir until well mixed. If using frozen edamame, ensure there are no ice particles on them, or rinse until they’re removed, and shake off any excess water, and add to the artichoke mixture.

Pour the mixture into a 9-inch skillet, and bake until the dip begins to brown at the edges and is bubbly, about 35 to 40 minutes. Serve with bread or crackers, or both, and enjoy!

February 29, 2020

Any equipment fits chicken cacciatore

Once I started enjoying cooking, chicken cacciatore was one of the first things I asked my mom to teach me how to make, even though the recipe came from my paternal grandmother. Mom’s way has always been the way I knew it.

Chicken cacciatore ingredients*. (*Wine and oregano not pictured because I forgot.)

I’ve also found ways to incorporate it into pretty much every dish that I’ve used since starting to make it into a weekly blog. It’s been in a casserole. It’s been in a Dutch oven. OK, it never made it into a bread or a pie. But this year, thanks to Rachael Ray, I had a way to make it into a small skillet.

Her recipe wasn’t too different from how it’s traditionally made, in that it had mushrooms that I’ll never use. However, because it’s meant to be a sandwich, it skipped the less common sandwich topping of artichoke hearts. I refused to use mushrooms or skip out on one of my favorite vegetables.

So, mine was a little different, and used slightly smaller amounts so that I could have it all fit in my little Le Creuset. It was, like some of my previous attempts, a bit close to full, but workable. My little skillet is 9 inches; this is perfect for 10, but 9 inches will work with some more careful stirring.

Since I made it my way, and my sweetie tested it first, it was no surprise that this worked and tasted delightful. However, it was no less delicious for being one of my favorite meals and working according to plan.

Steam for effect. Or, really because I needed the pic so I could eat it sooner.

Here’s what I did:

Ingredients

1 lb. chicken, sliced or chopped
~2 T. olive oil
6 to 7 oz. marinated quartered artichoke hearts
1 bell pepper, seeded and sliced
1 large onion, peeled and sliced
½ c. red wine (or broth)
1 (14 oz.) can crushed tomatoes
2 to 4 cloves garlic, minced
2 t. dried oregano
1 t. crushed red pepper flakes
2 to 3 T. flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste
4 sub rolls, for serving, or some cooked pasta, for serving
Provolone cheese, for topping the rolls (or frankly the pasta, if preferred, provolone is never bad)

Directions

Heat oven to broil if making sandwiches. Alternatively, prepare pasta if using.

Heat half the oil in a 9- to 10-inch skillet on a stove over medium heat. Add the chicken, and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes until mostly cooked through. Add the remaining oil, and then the onions, peppers, and artichokes, and cook until the vegetables have softened, about another 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic, oregano, crushed red peppers, and cook for another minute.

Add the wine to deglaze the pan, and then add the crushed tomatoes and parsley. Cook for another few minutes until the tomatoes are simmering and the flavors have melded. Once ready, remove from heat.

Pile about a quarter of the chicken mixture into a sliced sub roll, and cover with one to two slices of provolone (as preferred). Repeat with as many sandwiches as you’re planning to serve immediately. Place the sandwiches on a sheet pan or aluminum foil or both, and place in the oven on the top rack, and broil for 1 to 2 minutes (keep watch!) until the cheese has melted and the edges of the bread have turned golden, and enjoy!

February 21, 2020February 21, 2020

But there’s time now … for caramelized onions

I still can’t get over the fact that since the caucuses have ended, my weekends seem freer. Sure, I’m doing my damnedest to fill them up still, but it’s nothing compared to the anxiety of door-knocking, waiting for door knocks, ignoring the multiple calls and texts a day, and all the ways that I worried about the results. (Going to resist a joke about being careful what I wish for here, but needless to say, it’s not like the weeks since have been any smoother for this recovering political reporter.)

So, with an entire extra day of my weekend to do nothing but clean, go to the library, and talk to my mom, I decided it was a good use of my time to once again try to caramelize onions. It has never once turned out the way it looks on TV and in magazines, but it has continued to taste pretty good. This time was no exception.

Surprise, caramelized onions ingredients include mostly onions.

Also, thanks to a picture-filled guide from Food & Wine, I had more guidance, and a good use for my finished product in a quiche.

That’s right. This is a two-fer.

However, I quickly disposed of the quiche recipe provided and substituted my own version that mirrored something my sweetie had made before. I learned the joys of adding walnuts to a pie crust, of the potentially overwhelming flavor of moldy cheese, and of the fact that a braiser is an amazing pie dish (As a long-time pie lady, I will remember that last one!).

Even if the onions overcooked, didn’t get as moist, and blackened the bottom of my pan, it really only sped up the process of cooking the onions (and reminding me again to adapt!), and they tasted fine. My only regret on the onions is halving the recipe that means we ended up with just enough left over after the cup that went into the quiche to add to the top of two veggie burgers.

For the quiche, I skipped the 1 c. of diced ham, and replaced it with walnuts and Gorgonzola, about a cup-ish of each. However, the 4 oz. of Gorgonzola was a tiny bit overwhelming for me, even as my sweetie adored its flavor. In addition, I added some parsley and some pepper, and tested adding about a half cup of ground walnuts into the pie crust for extra walnut flavor.

The crust was an extra joy, and I have plans for doing that again already. Everything else was also a joy, though YMMV with the Gorgonzola.

It actually couldn’t have been a better way to celebrate the day off than to spend it in the kitchen making something this special.

Couldn’t resist eating some before taking a picture. Oops.

Here’s what I did:

Ingredients

For the caramelized onions

2 lb. yellow onions, halved and sliced vertically
2 t. vegetable oil
2 t. salt
~¼ to ½ c. water

For the quiche

1 pie crust (my typical is 1 ¼ c. flour, 8 T. butter, 1 t. salt, ice water to form; with this I used ¾ c. flour and added ½ c. ground walnuts… but any crust will due)
1 c. caramelized onions
6 eggs
1 c. heavy cream
2 to 4 oz. Gorgonzola (use according to your love of Gorgonzola; 4 oz. was a bit much for me)
1 c. chopped walnuts
2 T. chopped parsley
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

For the caramelized onions

Heat the oil in a 9- to 10-inch skillet or braiser on the stove top over medium-high heat. Add half the onions, turning to coat them in oil. Cook for about 2 minutes, and then add the remaining onions by the handful, using tongs to continue to coat the onions. The pan will be kind of full, but the onions will reduce, and continue to reduce. Once the onions are added, continue to cook for about 3 more minutes, adding salt to draw more moisture out. Reduce heat to medium, cover the skillet (braiser), and cook about 10 more minutes, when hopefully a pool of liquid will have collected (it didn’t for me). Remove lid, and continue to cook the onions, folding them over each other and scraping the bottom of the pan as necessary. Cook until liquid has evaporated, about 35 minutes. (If like me, there’s not much liquid, just keep stirring and cooking and gauge by color, not by time.) Scrape the bottom of the pan and shape the onions into a patty; add water as/if they stick to the pan, until the browned bits are loosened as much as possible. Keep cooking, stirring often, until the onions look the color of bourbon (that’s from the recipe but good advice!), up to another 35 to 45 minutes, as needed. Remove from heat and use/serve as desired.

For the quiche

Heat the oven to 350 degrees.

Roll out the pie dough to fit in a 9- to 10-inch braiser, or skillet. Lay the dough into the braiser/skillet, pressing around the edges, and shaping the ends as desired. Poke with a fork, layer with pie weights or aluminum foil and dried beans. Bake for about 15 minutes, until parboiled.

Meanwhile, in a large boil, mix together the eggs, cream, onions, gorgonzola, walnuts, parsley, and salt and pepper.

When the crust is ready, remove pie weights, and pour in the egg mixture.

Carefully place braiser/skillet back in the oven, and bake for about 35 minutes until the eggs have set and the top is browned, and enjoy!

February 15, 2020

The un-pearable lightness of being

OK, now that we’ve survived the Iowa caucus, if not unscathed, and it’s a holiday of sorts, I think it’s time for a light, easy dessert that includes strong alcohol.

A few weeks ago, my sweetie turned me on to a French dessert called clafoutis as a possible option for my little braiser. Once I started looking at the options, they appeared endless. And delicious.

Cherries are traditional, which are fine if unexciting. Chocolate and nuts sound like something to save for later, as is the one with raspberries for a more summer seasonal option. This endless winter calls for pears.

I don’t know why I associate pears with this season, but I do. Even better, my sweetie found a pear eau de vie liqueur that is meant to be served with and on top of the clafoutis. It was a bit pricey so I’m grateful he didn’t look at the cost until after he was home with it in hand. It’s also quite good, and I’ll probably be splurging on a raspberry one later to go with the summer version of this.

The process of making clafoutis is so easy that Epicurious has a base recipe it compares to waffle batter, and then includes some common ways to make it, that mostly includes adding 2 c. of some kind of fruit. To be honest, as much as I have enjoyed the eau de vie, it’d be fine without adding 2 T. on top.

The flan-like finale with fruit is just fine on its own. However, as with so much these last three years, the alcohol helps.

Despite this, I admit I did forget the melted butter the first time. I was not disappointed I had to make it again. It also didn’t taste that much different, just fluffed more with the addition of butter, and still stuck to the bottom of my braiser either way. It was also delicious both ways.

Basically, it’s almost impossible to mess up, and it’s a perfect way to celebrate the end of all the texts, calls, and door-knocks, and if you’re into that sort of thing, Valentine’s Day.

Here’s what I did, following the Epicurious recipe, but adding some ginger for a tiny kick:

Ingredients

1 c. whole milk
3 eggs
½ c. sugar
1 t. vanilla extract
3 t. grated ginger, optional
2 T. butter, melted (I guess also optional, but I’d stick with it)
½ c. all-purpose flour
1 pear, cored and cut into pieces
2 T. pear eau de vie liqueur, optional, and more for serving, if using

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, sugar, vanilla, ginger if using, and butter. Mix until sugar is dissolved. Add in the flour and whisk until smooth.

Pour into a 9- to 10-inch skillet or braiser.

Scatter the fruit on top.

Bake until the clafoutis is puffed and golden, about 35 to 40 minutes. Just before serving (immediately), drizzle on 2 T. of the eau de vie, and enjoy!

February 8, 2020

A tortilla by any other name

It’s been nearly a decade since my family made a trip to Spain. It was, as many family trips, an experience filled with unforgettable moments, both good and bad. I’m thinking Vacation here, but like, scaled-to-reality levels of joys and traumas.

Among my favorite memories, though, was our cooking class with Josetxo.

I learned about drinking wine to cure hangovers, how to make mayonnaise from scratch, and the joys of anchovies. I also learned how to make a tortilla.

Frittata (*cough cough* tortilla) ingredients.

To American ears, this is not what you’d expect. It’s like a large frittata, not a flat flour- or corn-based wrapper for tacos or burritos. It was also the simplest and most satisfactory meal I knew immediately I’d be bringing to my kitchen at home.

My only issue with it is that it’s an egg dish that requires flipping, which usually results in a kind of eggy plate. Of course, in Spain, they make matching skillets that take care of this with ease. I never sprung for one, so I do it the difficult way.

That is, until I found a frittata — the French version of the Spanish dish — that had all the Spanish flavors I was hoping for … and some greens too.

Thanks to Bon Appetit I could make this at home easier.

However, I still am no expert in using my own broiler. The recipe said to cook in the broiler for 5 minutes; it was brown after 2 and not jiggly, but cutting in to the eggy dish revealed it was not finished yet. Trial and error minutes later it was ready. Thankfully, it never got browner but it was touch and go there for a bit.

Either way, it was worth it. I got a cleaner plate but still got my fix of eggs, potatoes, and Spanish chorizo.

Seriously, eggs, potatoes, and chorizo (and sure, greens) are the simplest but most incredible meal.

Here’s what I did:

Ingredients

8 large eggs
1 c. Manchego cheese, grated
1 T. flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1 T. chives, chopped
4 oz. Spanish chorizo, thinly sliced (I used D’Artangnan chorizo, and 1 sausage link was 1 oz, shy but I went with it because I used extra cheese)
½ small onion, diced
6 fingerling potatoes, thinly sliced
1 small bunch Swiss chard, ribs and stems removed and leaves coarsely chopped
1 T. olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

Heat broiler.

Whisk eggs in a large bowl, and whisk in the cheese and herbs. Season with salt and pepper.

On the stove top, add the oil and cook the chorizo in a 9- to 10-inch cast iron skillet, over medium heat. After the chorizo is crisped, about 3 minutes, transfer to plate. Then, add the onion to the oiled skillet (or braiser), and season with salt, stirring often. Cook for about 1 minute, and then add the potatoes, until they are just softened, about 5 more minutes. Add the chard in batches, and cook each batch until wilted and fits in the skillet. Add salt and pepper, and mix back in the chorizo.

Pour the egg mixture on top of the sausage mix, tilting to ensure even distribution. Cook for about 2 minutes on the stove top, and then transfer to the oven and broil until the egg is cooked through, about 5 minutes. (Again, it seemed to me to be done after about 2 and then wasn’t so keep a close eye to ensure it’s not burnt but the eggs are also cooked through.)

Run a spatula around the edges to loosen, and slide on to a plate (or cut into wedges), and enjoy!