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What’s a turnip?

Calculated Risks – Seanan McGuire

Disclaimer: This is the 10th book in a series, and the second in a mini-series featuring a recurring character, so to avoid any spoilers for anyone new to the series (and in an effort to hopefully convince anyone new to the series to give it a shot), I will simply (humbly) attempt to give a summary and review of the series overall. 

Summary: There’s a religious order that is aware of “monsters”—otherwise known as cryptids, or species as yet identified by (and maybe hiding from) science—that hunts them down. There’s also a family whose previous generations worked for this order and who recognize that these creatures are no monsters and are deserving of protection, and the books follow this family and their descendents in their efforts to fight the real monsters and save the creatures. 

At least one of the vegetables responsible for the brownish gravy that covered the whole thing shared enough of the chemical makeup of tomatoes to taste like paradise. The rest of the flavors were harder to define. 

If that sounds weird, you try explaining what a turnip tastes like to someone who’s never tasted one. If you can manage anything better than “like a potato, but maybe sort of sweet,” you’re a culinary genius. Now imagine the person you’re talking to has never had a potato either. You have no common point of reference. I could tell I was eating something close to root vegetables, and some kind of herbs, and some kind of fungus, maybe, along with the large chunks of what could almost have been shrimp, and a piece of what was almost but not entirely like bread.

p. 289

As soon as I heard of Seanan McGuire’s fae series about October Daye, I went to the library to give the books a try. Within a matter of a few weeks, I’d caught up on the series and was mad that I’d spent so long denying my own interests to even consider giving such a book series a try. And yet. And yet I kept putting off reading her InCryptid series because it seemed sillier. As if sillier wasn’t exactly the sort of thing to appeal to me. 

Then, well, you know, the world went into quarantine, and we all thought we might die of this new virus, and suddenly, silly was exactly what I needed. Then, like the Toby Daye series before it, I had caught up on the series within a matter of weeks, this time deciding to buy the trade paperbacks since libraries were often closed, or we feared this new virus as something potentially spread through touch (rather than air). 

I managed to catch up before the last two books were released, and it’s been a struggle since to wait the time between publishing, while recognizing that McGuire is one of the more prolific authors and that authors are people living through the same times as the rest of us. Still, this series captivated me. 

So, when the latest came out this past winter, I went back through not the entire series but more than half of it, the ones that centered on my favorite characters, and bits of my favorite moments. 

For me, while I’d enjoyed the series through all its twists and turns to date, I fell in love with the youngest daughter of the main family branch (so far). I’m the oldest and nothing like Antimony, but her stories spoke to me, mostly because she was the odd man out, and who doesn’t love the black sheep? (I mean, several assholes don’t, but that’s not what we’re here to talk about.) When a perfectly perfect and dramatic arc finished with her, I almost doubted I could love any family member as much, and then along comes cousin Sarah. Introduced in the first book (and per McGuire, one of the first characters she imagined in this world), Sarah is given the spotlight in books 9 and 10, including Calculated Risks. Again, I don’t want to spoil the series, but I am happy to say that the distance between her introduction and her turn in the main role was worth the wait for having all the background of the world and the family to truly want to wrap your arms around someone who’d probably prefer you kept your distance lest she manipulate your mind. 

While there’s plenty of other food items to spotlight throughout the series, I couldn’t help but return to the passage about the possible shrimp gumbo-like product discussed near the end of this book. I just loved the way McGuire both captured the flavors of something Sarah was bound to love while acknowledging how difficult it can be to define flavors, especially when the species you’re talking to may not be your own. I am a hater of the dreaded fungi, so I skipped that bit, but otherwise I did my best to envision what she described, and make it edible to a mere human palate. 

Extra-dimensional gumbo

Here’s what I did to make extra-dimensional gumbo: 

Ingredients

  • Oil, for sauteing
  • 1 lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 12 oz. andouille/cajun sausage, sliced
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 bell pepper, chopped
  • 2 celery stalks, chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • ½ c. lard (or butter or other fat)
  • ½ c. flour
  • 1 ½–2 qt. vegetable or chicken broth
  • 1 (14 oz.) can diced tomatoes
  • 1 (14 oz.) can black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
  • 12 oz. frozen sliced okra
  • 1–2 T. creole seasoning
  • ½ T. dried thyme
  • 1 large (or 2–3 small) turnip, chopped
  • Cooked white rice, for serving
  • Scallions, for serving
  • Parsley, for serving
  • Bread, if desired and to match the book, for serving

Directions

  • Step 1: Add a small amount of oil to a large Dutch oven, and heat over medium heat. Add the shrimp and andouille, and saute until cooked through/browned. Use a slotted spoon to remove the meat, and set on a plate or in a bowl to cool. 
  • Step 2: In the same Dutch oven, melt the lard/fat and slowly add the flour, whisking to combine. Cook, stirring constantly, until golden brown, 3–5 minutes. 
  • Step 3: Add the onion, bell pepper, celery, and garlic, and cook in the roux until slightly softened, another 3–5 minutes. 
  • Step 4: Slowly add the broth, adding a cup or so at a time, to ensure the mixture remains thick. 
  • Step 5: Add the tomatoes, turnip(s), spices, and okra. Simmer the mixture for 40 minutes, covered, over low heat. 
  • Step 6: Add in the black-eyed peas, and cook for another 20 minutes, covered. 
  • Step 7: Add the meat into the mixture, and cook for about 5 minutes until reheated. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. 
  • Step 8: Serve the soup over rice, with scallions, parsley, and bread (if using), and enjoy!
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On chorizo burritos and coming out

The Lesbiana’s Guide to Catholic School – Sonora Reyes

Summary: Yami knows she’s a lesbian but desperately hopes no one else knows, as she and her brother start at a new Catholic school, but of course, she immediately befriends (and falls for?) the one out and proud lesbian at her school.

“So hey, if you still want to leave, you can. But I’d love for you to stay for breakfast. I was about to make your favorite.” 

“How do you know what my favorite breakfast is?”

“Because you’re about to tell me.” He smiles. “So, what’s for breakfast?”

“Chorizo burritos.” I don’t know why talking about my favorite breakfast food makes me tear up.

p. 241

I fell in love with this book from its opening line: “Seven years of bad luck can slurp my ass.” I immediately identified with (spoiler for the second sentence) being so rageful as to punch a mirror and the profane way the main character describes it. 

And the rest of the book did not disappoint. Yami—and her friends, frenemies, and family—proves to be as complicated as the emotions evoked in that first sentence. She is equal parts headstrong and stubborn as she is impulsive and sardonic. Throw in a healthy amount of self-doubt as evidenced by the foodie quote, and you’ve got a fully realized teenage girl, at least from my own experiences. 

Being a lesbiana is newer to me, but is yet another way of being seen. 

So, self-doubt? Check. Queerness? Check. How do we get to the chorizo burritos? 

Well, aside from the above, my wife introduced me to her recipe very soon after we became serious enough to start sharing meals. 

I’m not sure it’s exactly what Yami envisioned, but I can say that in 10+ years of marriage and dating, I don’t think I’ve ever made the meal myself, always trusting her with it. 

While it’s relatively simple, it’s always hard to make something you’ve long since entrusted someone else to do perfectly. Still, I think I did OK in my attempt. 

Chorizo burritos

Here’s what I did, following my wife’s instructions: 

Ingredients

  • Oil, for sauteing 
  • Butter, for cooking eggs
  • 1 lb. Mexican chorizo 
  • 1 large russet potato, chopped
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2–3 large eggs
  • Pickled jalapeno slices, for serving (optional)
  • Shredded cheddar or crumbled cotija, for serving (optional, and as preferred)
  • Burrito-sized tortillas

Directions

  • Step 1: Heat oil in a large skillet. Add the potato, cooking until the potatoes are almost fully cooked through. Add the onions, cooking until softened and translucent, about 3–5 minutes. Add the chorizo, cooking until the potatoes and chorizo are cooked to perfection. Remove from heat.
  • Step 2: In a separate large non-stick skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add eggs, being sure to break up the yolks. Cook until done, flipping halfway through, and remove from heat. Cut up the eggs into bite-sized pieces. 
  • Step 3: Add the eggs to the chorizo mixture, and add in jalapeno slices (if using). 
  • Step 4: To serve, spoon desired amount of mixture into tortilla, top with cheese (if using), and wrap burrito. Enjoy! 
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Soup and the depths of friendship

Hell Bent – Leigh Bardugo

Disclaimer: This is the second (so far?) of two books, so there is one pretty big spoiler that will recur in this review; however, I did my best to keep it general. 

Summary: Galaxy “Alex” Stern is not your typical LA girl trying to make it at Yale—but that is mostly because she can see ghosts and her friend is in hell, but worse still, her past is catching up with her and the semester is just getting started.

“Bad news first, please.”

“We have to go back to hell.”

“I see,” he said. “And the good news?”

“Dawes is making avgolemono.” 

“Well,” he said as they reached the stone columns that marked the end of Arlington property. “That’s a relief.”

p. 392

My memory isn’t what it used to be, and these past few years have tested that even more, but I did remember the sort-of cliffhanger that ended the previous book in this series, Ninth House, well enough that when I learned that there would be a sequel, I knew I would be reading it as soon as it came out. 

Despite some details being vague from the first book, it was easy enough to fall back into the world of Alex Stern and the actually magical houses that occupy much of elite Yale. It was even better to dive back into the many worlds that the complicated young woman finds herself in and find myself at home. 

To avoid too many more spoilers than the hints given, I will just say that beyond the magic and the complications, there’s a nice story of friendships and the different ways they unfold—the ones you might leave behind from your pre-college years, the ones who get one aspect of you and those who get another, and the adults in your life who make you feel like you’re *almost* one of them as well. 

While this world does more or less revolve around Alex, Hell Bent does show different sides of this young woman, how she is in some ways perceived differently by different people and talks to them as such, but it’s still the same person underneath. And that will definitely keep me coming back again for more (assuming another in the series is on the way). 

Again, without further spoilers, there are so many moments in this book that revolve around the curative properties of homemade soup. As we find ourselves in the depths of winter now, I am reminded this is true regardless of whether magic exists in this world. 

While the avgolemono soup in the book is not further described, I have made this soup more than once, including trying to give it a little more heft than a starter. As it’s cold out, the added character makes for a nice, restorative meal. 

Avgolemono soup

Here’s what I did, using my old recipe:

Ingredients

  • 4 c. broth, chicken or vegetable will work
  • ¼ c. uncooked orzo
  • 3 eggs
  • 3 T. lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 2 chicken breasts, cooked and chopped (or buy rotisserie and use about 2 c. of meat)
  • 14 oz. can quartered artichoke hearts, drained
  • Capers, for garnish, if desired

Directions

  • Step 1: In a large saucepan, bring the broth to a boil. Add the orzo, cover and simmer for about 7 minutes. 
  • Step 2: Mix together the lemon juice and eggs in a medium bowl. 
  • Step 3: Once the 7 minutes are up, ladle about 1 c. of the broth into the egg-lemon mixture, and stir well. Slowly add the mixture back into the saucepan, and stir until the soup thickens and becomes opaque as the eggs cook, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. 
  • Step 4: Add chicken and artichoke hearts and cook for another 3–5 minutes or so until the artichoke hearts are heated through. Ladle into bowls, top with capers (if using) and enjoy! 
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Treat yourself!

One of my goals for this silly little blog project is to make things that use equipment that many home cooks have on hand and then to use things that are mostly accessible in the non-metro areas where I live. 

This time, however, I was too intrigued by the ingredients and the chance to try something new, so I treated myself to a fancy dinner that required ordering cheese from Amazon (I know, sorry!), and since I was fancying up my cheese, I also went ahead and ordered some fancy pepperoni to go with it. 

If you can’t guess, I made a pizza. 

Detroit-style pizza ingredients.

It doesn’t sound all that fancy, or worth ordering special ingredients, but it was a Detroit-style pizza that works in a 9 x 13 in. casserole (technically it’s supposed to be a 10 x 14, but please forgive me, Detroiters). And curiosity got the better of me. 

I clicked buy before I could second guess myself. 

I got the recommended items and the recipe from Serious Eats, which I more or less followed. Part of it was it helped to know, say, the amount of dough to make to fit the 9 x 13, but also if I was going to spend extra time and money, I was going to do it right (mostly!). 

Though it took extra time for my order to arrive, the effort of cooking the meal was a fair amount of down time and not all that bad. The sauce was basically similar to what I make when I’m trying to be fancy, and the dough was easily made with a stand mixer. The rest was cubing cheese and slicing pepperoni (yeah, it was that fancy; I had to cut it myself). 

And, you know what I got? A pretty good pizza. 

I really liked the cheese, which is bad because it is pricy. But otherwise, it was a pretty standard homemade deep dish pizza, with the sauce on top instead. Not having any specific nostalgia for that style, I can’t say it was worth it. 

But in a time when we’re still mostly stuck at home, the experience of getting to try something new was still fun, and treating ourselves made it all worth it. 

Oooh, saucy.

Here’s what I did, if you’re looking for a similar novelty: 

Ingredients 

For the dough: 

  • 300 g. bread flour (about 2 generous cups)
  • 2 ½ t. active dry yeast
  • 1 ½ t. salt 
  • 220 g. water (about a scant 1 cup)
  • Olive oil, for coating

For the sauce: 

  • 2 T. olive oil
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 t. dried oregano
  • Dash red pepper flakes
  • 1 (28 oz.) can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 t. garlic powder
  • 1 t. onion powder
  • 1 T. sugar

Salt, to taste

To finish: 

  • 16 oz. Brick cheese, cut into ½ in. cubes
  • 6.5 oz. high-quality pepperoni, cut into ⅛ in. slices 

Directions

For the dough: 

Combine the flour, yeast, and salt in a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment. Stir to combine. Then, add water. Mix on low speed until dough comes together into a rough ball. Shut off mixer and let dough rest for 10 minutes. Resume mixing at a medium-low speed until dough forms into a smooth, silky ball, about 10 minutes Remove dough hook, form the dough into a tight ball, and set in the bottom of the mixer bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and set aside until dough has nearly doubled in volume, about 2 hours. 

Pour a couple tablespoons of olive oil into the bottom of a 9 x 13 in. casserole dish (NOT glass; if using glass, do not cook pizza at temperature recommended below, instead reduce heat to 400 and cook longer!!), preferably aluminum. Press dough into oiled pan and turn to coat. You won’t be able to get it all the way to the edges, so just spread as much as you can without tearing, and then cover again and let rest while you make the sauce, about 30 minutes.

Heat oven to 500 to 550 degrees, or as close as your oven gets, or LESS if using glass; check OK temperatures for glass. 

For the sauce: 

Heat 2 T. olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add minced garlic, oregano, and pepper flakes, and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add tomatoes, garlic powder, onion powder, and sugar. Bring to a simmer, and cook until reduced to about 3 cups, about 30 minutes. Season to taste with salt. You will only need about 1 ½ to 2 c. for the pizza, so save the rest for a future use. 

For the pizza: 

Press down on the dough with your fingertips to remove any large air bubbles, and spread to the edges of the dish. Lay half the pepperoni evenly over the top of the dough. Top with the cheese, spreading evenly and all the way to the edges of the pan. Top with the remaining pepperoni. Spoon the sauce over the toppings in three even rows lengthwise, using about half the sauce, or 1 ½ to 2 c. 

Bake until the edges are black and bubbly and the exposed cheese on top is starting to lightly brown, about 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a trivet (or folded town) on the countertop. Run a spatula around the edges to loosen and carefully lift out and slide onto a cutting board. Cut pizza into squares and enjoy! 

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Easy like Sunday morning

After the first few weeks of this blog, I realized I’ve done a lot of complicated and time consuming recipes. So, I went looking for something super duper easy, and relatively quick. 

Thankfully, there’s always a variation of breakfast casseroles. 

Breakfast casserole ingredients.

I’ve made breakfast casseroles in a sheet pan and in a Dutch oven, and went with the traditional Denver omelet in my little skillet. But the fun thing is, they’re all a little different, and you can’t go wrong with breakfast foods. 

The one slight twist on this Taste of Home recipe is my sweetie accidentally didn’t get enough bacon but did mercifully come across wonderful spicy smokies (Li’l Bites) from Beeler’s for an extra breakfast treat, so I just used some of those. 

I can’t really take credit for it, considering I didn’t pick the smokies, nor did I make them, but man, they really made the meal. It would’ve been a delight with just bacon, but the smokies accidentally made this an extra special treat. All without extra effort.

MMmmmm, smokies.

Here’s what I did: 

Ingredients

  • 1 package (32 oz) frozen cubed hash brown potatoes, thawed
  • 8 oz bacon, cooked and crumbled
  • 8 oz smokies (we used the jalapeno and cheese Li’l Bites from Beeler’s that are highly recommended if you can find them), thickly sliced and cooked in bacon fat to brown if desired (they’re fully cooked so it’s not necessary!)
  • 1 to 1 ½ c. shredded cheddar cheese, divided
  • 8 large eggs
  • 2 c. whole milk 
  • Paprika, to taste (I used hot paprika to build on the spice)
  • Pepper, to taste
  • Butter for greasing the casserole dish

Directions

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 x 13 in. casserole dish.

In a large bowl, combine the hash browns, bacon, smokies, and ½ to 1 c. cheese. Spoon into the prepared casserole dish. In a separate large bowl, beat the eggs and milk until blended. Pour the egg mixture over the hash brown mixture. Sprinkle with paprika and pepper. 

Bake uncovered, until a knife inserted at the center comes out clean, about 45 to 50 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining about ½ c. cheese, and enjoy! 

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Pierogies, unwrapped

When I think of my family, I almost always think of food. I don’t know if that says more about me or if we are all just incredibly food-oriented. 

I think it’s the latter, but this week’s recipe is maybe a case for the former. 

Though I’ve never been to Poland or even really raised with traditional Polish foods, I’ve always been fond of the things that remind me of my maternal grandma’s familial homeland. I’ve written about my family dumplings, the one sorta traditional recipe that did pass down. 

Pierogi casserole ingredients.

But when I’ve made bialys or used pierogies in other recipes, I’ve always felt like Grandma Verbrugge was with me in spirit. 

Well, Grandma is gone now, leaving us this past Christmas, so I have been even more in want of a connection. Enter a recipe from the Food Network that is pierogies—but without the frustrating experience of filling dough and hoping it all stays intact. 

I won’t lie, it’s not totally without effort, but like any wonderful dish that comes together and offers comfort, it was more than worth it. Maybe that’s why a good meal is like family. 

Here’s what I did, more or less sticking with the original recipe from an Iron Chef fave Michael Symon. 

Underneath that crust is potatoes, cheese, bacon, and onions. Amazing.

Here’s what I did: 

Ingredients

For the dough: 

  • 1 egg
  • 8 T. softened butter, plus more for greasing the 9 x 13 
  • ¾ c. sour cream, plus more for serving
  • 1 T. chopped chives (I used freeze dried, though fresh is called for), plus more for serving
  • 1 t. salt 
  • 2 c. all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling the dough

For the filling: 

  • 2 lb. potatoes, cut into large chunks
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 c. heavy cream, heated until hot 
  • 8 T. cold butter
  • 1 small container (about 15 oz.) ricotta cheese
  • 1 T. olive oil
  • 1 lb. bacon, chopped
  • 2 large onions, thinly sliced
  • 1 ½ c. shredded Gruyere

Directions

For the dough preparation: 

Combine the egg, butter, sour cream, chives, and salt with your hands in a medium bowl. Add the flour and mix with your hands until a dough forms. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least two hours and up to a couple days. 

For the filling:

Put the potatoes in a large pot and cover with 2 inches of cold water. Bring to a boil, season with salt, and reduce heat to maintain a simmer. Cook until a knife easily pierces the potatoes. Drain and return to the pot and mash the potatoes, slowly mixing in the hot cream and cold butter. Add in the ricotta, and season with salt and pepper. Set aside. 

Warm the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the bacon, stirring occasionally, until crisp. Transfer to a plate with a slotted spoon. Reduce the heat to medium, add the onions, and toss to coat with the bacon fat. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until the onions are caramelized and sweet. Let cool. 

For the casserole/To finish: 

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. 

Butter a 9 x 13 in. casserole dish. Roll out the pierogi dough on a lightly floured surface to a ⅛ in. thick rectangle, and cut into 4 x 13 inch strips (kinda like lasagna), rolling scraps as necessary. You’ll need about 12 strips (the original called for more, but I couldn’t make it work, and mine turned out fine). 

To assemble the casserole, arrange one layer of pierogi dough strips on the bottom of the dish, slightly overlapping the edges of the strips. 

Spread about half the potatoes on the dough. Top with onions, bacon, and a sprinkling of Gruyere. Place another layer of dough strips, and repeat the filling layers, finishing with the dough, followed by a little more Gruyere and some pepper. 

Bake until the casserole is bubbly and the cheese on top is golden brown, about 40 minutes. Let rest about 15 minutes, serve with a dollop of sour cream and sprinkle of chives, and enjoy!

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Heading to Israel, via Italy, for pastel

Of course, times being what they are, my title is metaphorical not literal. The few times I’ve left my house to go anywhere other than for a walk in the neighborhood I’ve been asked the laughable (to me) question: Have you traveled outside the state? 

“[Person]”, I say, “I have not even left my house.” Because my trips are mostly to the doctor’s office, I hear a “Same,” and we both sigh. 

Anyway, my recipe this week is a pastel, which I understand is an Israeli breakfast item, and definitely is a delightful meat pie. However, I found the recipe through an Italian food site called Labna, and I loved that it included a red wine, which I’m not sure is traditional. 

Pastel ingredients.

It was supposed to be an easy dish, so I made it on a weekday. As I got more than halfway into the process, I realized some steps involved cooling/chilling the parts, and I decided for my sanity and our hunger, to make a quick box meal while I continued the steps to the pastel. 

So, be smarter than me, and read the entire directions before assuming how quick this will be. 

However, other than the down time, it is actually pretty easy and simple; the pie crust is pre-made puff pastry; otherwise, it’s cooking some meat and vegetables together. 

I mean, I’m still glad I made it, after finally tasting it the next day, but next time, I’ll try to be better about reading all the directions.

So puffy, so full of meat. Yum.

Here’s what I did, tweaking the recipe to add carrots and also upping the spice amounts: 

Ingredients

  • ~2 T. vegetable oil
  • 3 medium onions, chopped
  • 3 medium carrots, chopped
  • 2 lb. ground beef
  • 1 T. ground cinnamon
  • 2 T. ground cumin
  • 3 T. chopped parsley
  • 1 c. red wine
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 2 sheets of puff pastry
  • 3 eggs, divided
  • 2 T. sesame seeds (I probably used a little more, but didn’t measure)

Directions

Heat a couple tablespoons in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and carrots and saute until the onions have softened, but not browned. Add the beef and the spices and parsley, and stir to combine. Cook until the beef begins to brown. 

Pour in the wine and cook until the wine has evaporated, about 5 more minutes. [Time consuming direction incoming!] Let the mixture cool completely. 

While the beef is cooling, line a 9 x 13 baking dish with parchment paper, and then place one layer of pastry on the paper, pulling and pressing on the dough to cover the sides of the baking dish. Refrigerate until ready to use. 

Once the beef is cool, add in two whisked eggs, and stir to combine. Spoon mixture over the prepared pastry dough, and then top with the remaining sheet of pastry dough. Pinch the two pieces of puff pastry together to lock in the filling. 

[Another time consuming note incoming!] Chill the pie in the refrigerator for at least an hour. Once ready to bake, heat the oven to 400 degrees. 

Whisk the remaining egg and brush it over the pastry. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Bake the pie until golden and puffed on top, about 40 minutes, and allow to cool about 15 minutes before cutting, and enjoy! 

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New year, new knowledge

One of my favorite things about doing this blog is regularly challenging myself to try something new. Sure, I like getting my favorites written down and sharing them, and of course, eating my creations, but that’s not all!

This week’s joy, after a whole year of making breads, was learning about tangzhong. It’s a technique to get softer bread and doesn’t take much time or effort. And, well, it works really well. It didn’t hurt that this week’s recipe — in my new equipment for the year, the ever-useful 9 x 13 in. casserole dish — was full of butter and sour cream, as well as chives: sour cream and chive dinner rolls from Bon Appetit. 

Sour cream and chive dinner roll ingredients.

Spoiler: they’re so good, they were not just eaten at dinner. They were anytime rolls, and they’re already nearly gone after making them a few days ago. 

I didn’t do much to alter the original recipe, but for once, I wish I would have read the comments in an article. At least before I ran into the exact same issue and could have saved myself some time, and a little bit of yeast and milk. The recipe says to use the same saucepan from the tangzhong steps to warm a little milk and add yeast until it dissolves; mine clumped. I, instead, ended up using a small bowl and microwaving the milk for a short bit until it was warm, then adding a pinch of sugar, and then the yeast. Worked like a charm on the second go.

Otherwise, while it was time-consuming, nothing was difficult and about all of it was expected for a yeast bread, so it was a nice way to kick off the new year. And stay away from the news for a few hours. 

Such yum, much tasty.

Here’s what I did: 

Ingredients 

  • ½ c. plus 2 T. whole milk
  • 5 ⅓ c. bread flour (667 g), divided, plus more for dusting
  • 1 ½ t. active dry yeast
  • 1 c. sour cream, room temperature
  • ¼ c. sugar, plus a pinch more for yeast
  • 2 ½ t. kosher salt
  • 3 large eggs, divided
  • 1 stick (8 T.) unsalted butter, room temperature, divided
  • ½ c. finely chopped chives
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

Make the tangzhong: whisk together ½ c. milk, ½ c. water, and ⅓ c. flour in a small saucepan until smooth. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until a stiff paste forms (per the directions: it should resemble mashed potatoes), about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and scrape the mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer, which is fitted with a dough hook. 

Warm the remaining 2 T. milk until lukewarm. Add a pinch of sugar and the yeast, and whisk until dissolved. Let sit about 5 minutes until the mixture is foamy. 

Meanwhile, add the sour cream, salt, 2 eggs, 4 T. butter, and 5 c. bread flour to the tangzhong. Scrape in the yeast mixture, and mix the dough together on low speed until it’s shaggy. Increase the speed to medium and mix, scraping as necessary and adding any more flour by the tablespoon if needed, until the dough is smooth, about 8 minutes. 

Dust the dough with flour and shape into a smooth ball. Place the dough inside a large bowl and cover. Let sit at room temperature until doubled in size, about 1 to 1 ½ hours. 

Meanwhile, coat a 9 x 13 in. casserole dish with 2 T. butter.

Punch down dough and turn it onto a lightly floured surface and stretch into a square. Roll out into a 12 in. square, dusting with more flour as needed. Sprinkle chives evenly on top of the dough. 

Starting at one end, loosely roll up dough, and flatten into a long rectangle using your hands. Roll out dough again, dusting with flour as needed, into about a 6 x 16 in. rectangle. Cut into 24 squarish pieces, in a 3 x 8 grid. 

Working 1 piece at a time, pinch the corners together to form a teardrop shape. Then, seam side down, roll the dough into a round ball. Place in prepared casserole dish and repeat with the remaining pieces of dough, making about a 4 x 6 grid. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature until doubled in size, about 45 to 60 minutes. 

Meanwhile, place a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 375 degrees. 

Whisk remaining egg in small bowl, uncover the dish and gently brush the tops of the rolls with egg, and then sprinkle with salt and pepper. 

Bake rolls until tops are deep golden brown, about 25 to 30 minutes. 

Remove from oven and immediately brush tops with remaining 2 T. butter. Let cool about 5 minutes and then slide the entire grid of rolls onto a wire rack. Serve warm or let cool and enjoy!

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Queso syrah syrah

Well, if you’re following along, we’ve made it to the end of the year. Good riddance to 2020, and I’m sending it off with one final dip. 

For some small frivolity in this downer of a year, my sweetie and I were bantering about who knows what when I stumbled onto the phrase “queso syrah.” As a regular crossword puzzler, I am shocked I’d not thought of it sooner. 

Queso syrah ingredients.

But as soon as I spoke the phrase, I realized this could just be an adaptation of port wine cheese spread. I found several recipes for port wine cheese, and ultimately decided to mash up the pounded cheddar with port sauce from Amy Thielen with a more typical port wine spread from Rachel Ray.

The port syrup is a very simple addition of brown sugar to port to make a little syrup-y wine. Since I used the less sweet syrah than port, I thought this especially a good addition and added a little more sugar than called for, but your mileage may vary on how sweet you want your cheese spread. 

I also think I overdid it a little on the garlic. Rarely, for me, has doubling the recipe’s amount of garlic gone wrong, but in this case, it tended to overwhelm the gentler flavors of wine and cheese. Still, it tasted good for garlic lovers, so again, YMMV. 

Other than that, I used my small skillet to make the sauce and also to serve the dip rather than rolling it into a ball, like the traditional recipe. So, I got double use and still a nice serving platter (even if it was just me and my sweetie enjoying it). 

Here’s hoping for a better 2021 and thanks for reading!

Pretty and tasty.

Here’s what I did: 

Ingredients

  • ½ c. syrah 
  • 1–2 T. brown sugar
  • 2 c. sharp white cheddar, shredded
  • 4 T. butter, softened
  • 4 oz. cream cheese, softened
  • 2 t. Dijon mustard 
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • Pepper
  • Pinch of cayenne, optional
  • ½ c. chopped walnuts, optional
  • 3 T. fresh parsley, chopped, optional
  • Crackers or bread, for serving

Directions

Combine syrah and brown sugar in a small skillet or small saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer, uncovered, for about 3 minutes, until the mixture slightly thickens and all the sugar has dissolved. Pour into a large bowl and let cool. 

Once the wine syrup is cooled, add in the cheddar, butter, cream cheese, mustard, garlic, and peppers. Stir with a fork or spatula until all ingredients are well combined. 

In a cleaned small skillet, spread the cheese mixture. Press to create an even layer. Add the walnuts and parsley on top, if using. 

Chill for at least an hour, or overnight, for the mixture’s flavors to combine, and enjoy! 

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Ham, apple, and a half-day quiche

The recipe for this ham & apple quiche from Food & Wine warns up front that it takes about 4 hours to come together, so I figure I should offer the same caution in starting this post. Granted, most of that time is passive, and none of it is all that taxing if you’re prepared. But this is not the dinner to start after work. 

This is a good dinner for snow days, holidays, or other days off from work. *wink wink, nudge nudge*

Ham and apple quiche ingredients.

Like with any good pie crust, this one should chill for about an hour in the fridge, and then another half-hour or so once it’s rolled out and put into the skillet. This one also calls for pre-baking the crust. 

Once that’s all done, the next step involves trying desperately to create these beautiful little florets of ham and apple that are kind of a pain but do look quite nice if you can pull it off. (If not, honestly, getting thin slices and then chopping them up small will perhaps work just as well, if not as pretty.) 

Then, finally comes the cheese, and then the egg and half and half mixture.

Oh, and then the baking. While it says to bake for 40 to 50 minutes, I found myself looking at upwards of an hour before the thing set, though I didn’t use the larger tart pan called for but rather my small skillet. The ingredients, with slightly fewer florets, otherwise worked in the differently sized equipment, but perhaps that was the reason for the time difference. 

Either way, I quite enjoyed this one, even with all the work. It had a nice presentation and a better flavor. 

Nom noms.

Here’s what I did, altering the Food & Wine recipe to fit 9-inch skillet: 

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ c. all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
  • 1 stick (½ c.) unsalted butter, cubed
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • Ice water, for crust 
  • 8 oz. thinly sliced Black Forest ham, cut into 1 ¼ in. strips
  • 1 medium Granny Smith apple, quartered, cored, and very thinly sliced on a mandoline
  • 1 c. shredded sharp white cheddar cheese
  • 1 ¼ c. half and half
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 1 t. fresh thyme

Directions

Mix together the flour and a little salt and pepper. Add the cubed butter and mix in using a pastry blender until you have chickpea-sized pieces. Drizzle in ice water until dough comes together. Work until it comes together and pat into a disk. Cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, about 45 minutes to an hour. 

On a lightly floured surface, roll out chilled dough into about an 11 in. round. Fit dough into a 9- to 10- in. skillet. Chill rolled out and placed dough for about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, heat oven to 375 degrees.

Line the pie crust with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for about 40 minutes, and then remove weights and parchment and bake until golden and crisp, about another 10 minutes. Let cool. 

Place a strip of ham on a work surface. Arrange a row of slightly overlapping apple slices lengthwise on a ham strip; roll up loosely and place in the pie crust, spiral side up, and repeat as appropriate to fill up the pie shell. (I had to use other utensils to keep the florets from unraveling, but if you dear reader find a better way, please let me know!) Sprinkle cheese on top.

Whisk together the half and half, eggs, egg yolk, thyme, and salt and pepper to taste. Pour in and around the apple and ham rolls. 

Bake at 375 degrees until the custard is set, about 50 minutes, loosely tenting with foil to prevent the crust from burning. Remove from heat, and let cool for about 15 minutes, and enjoy!