Scrumptious Street

Anyway You Like 'Em Pannekoek (pancakes)

Mr. Scrumptious and I revere Pannekoek.  Literally translated, they mean "pan cakes" and are South African from Dutch roots, of course.  They are like crêpes when sweet, also very much like galettes when savory, but are not made of buckwheat flour.  They are like thin pancakes (not flapjacks) or German Pfannkuchen.  No matter the language, the country or the filling, there is something immensely satisfying, comforting and delicious about making a bowl of light and airy batter which you can turn into a soft and delicate snack, meal, appetizer or entree filled with your favorite savory stuffings.  Or your favorite sweet accents for desserts.

The sheer magnitude of variations left up to your imagination and edible wares and stores?  Bliss!!  This is not something I grew up making in my family.  This is not something my parents grew up making in their families.  In the States, it's usually pancakes or flapjacks, which mean thick and heavy and topped with butter, syrup or fruit.  These little babies are delicate and light, really meant to ensconce whatever beauty or treasure you tuck inside or eat with them. 

Mr. Scrumptious grew up eating these, as basic as flapjacks to kids from the States and his family always dusted them with cinnamon and sugar.   When I lived in Germany for a couple of years, I had them with sprinklings of confectioner's sugar and squeezes of fresh lemon juice.  Trust me, that's AMAZING.  So, a few months ago on a Sunday night we decided to make them.  We had so much fun standing at the stove together, making the pannekoek one at a time and eating them right there standing over the counter.  We'd make one and dust it with cinnamon and sugar, split it in half and each have a piece.  The next one would be confectioner's sugar and lemon we'd cut in half and share.  And Repeat.  We did this for nearly an hour.  We had so much fun, loving the intimacy, the playfulness and the simplicity of the delicious food. 

A couple of weeks ago we both got the craving again and decided this time we'd document it for the blog.  We also made a savory version, with mushrooms, leeks, basil and pinenuts.

Oh, it is so joyful to make these, to stuff or accent as you wish and to share them with someone you love.   There are few expressions of love that are quite as simple and powerful as making food together and feeding each other by hand.  Unfortunately, I only photographed the food, we didn't get any feeding shots.  Probably best.

Our recipe, however, is from an Afrikaans cookbook.  That means it's only in metric system and I'm translating as I go.  You may want to find an imperial version out there.  Otherwise, pull out your handy kitchen scale that converts between metric and imperial and you're all set.

Pannekoek Recipe:
Makes 8-10 large pancakes

250 ml flour
1 ml baking powder
2.5 ml (1/2 t.) salt
250 ml milk
2 small eggs
cinnamon-sugar if desired

Method:

1. Add flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl and stir with a spoon to mix.  Put in the milk and eggs and whisk until very smooth and the lumps are gone from the batter.  Whisk genty, you don't want to make the batter stiff, just light and fully mixed.

2. Cover the batter with plastic wrap and put in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.  Letting it stand for at least 4 hours is better, it helps make the batter fluffier.

3. Heat a large non-stick skillet over low-medium heat and add nonstick spray or a little margarine, depending on your preference.  Pour a very thin layer of batter in the pan when hot and tilt the pan to evenly coat the bottom of the pan.  Wait a couple of minutes until the first side is golden brown and comes free of the pan.

4. If you're Mr. Scrumptious, pull the skillet off the stovetop, turn sideways, stick out your tongue in concentration and toss the pannekoek in the air, flipping with your wrist and making it land on the opposite side.  Giggle whether success or failure at this point.  Cook the other side until very light brown and then slide onto a plate.

5. Dust your sweet topping of choice or fill with a savory stuffing of your choice and roll the pannekoek up into a long, thin tube.  Eat directly or cut in half and mouth-feed your loved one.

6. Repeat until you've eaten every last bite and don't wipe that smile off your face for the rest of the day!

We had three varieties: 1) cinammon and sugar 2) powdered sugar and lemon juice and 3) mushroom, leeks, basil and pinenuts with a tomato-garlic-cream dipping sauce.  On the savory ones, I did lightly saute the mushrooms and leeks first and used toasted pinenuts.  I left the basil raw for maximum flavor.  I didn't note the measurements for any of the fillings.  Just use your tastebuds and your judgement and you'll be fine. Have fun!

Scrumptious Tea Time

Some Sundays, I make a full-on feast and other days I just want to relax and spend quiet time with Mr. Scrumptious. On those days, one of our favorite rituals is late afternoon tea.

This weekend after cleaning up the brunch dishes, Mr. Scrumptious came into the kitchen to find me busy with the bowls and pans and pulling ingredients from the pantry.  He smiled gently and asked "What are you making?" I replied, "Mini Banana Pecan Muffins" and he laughed, saying "The smell of overripe bananas got you, didn't it?"  Indeed.  I spied two ripe and browning bananas and knew they were bound to be the snickey snack for our afternoon tea. 

I used a pretty standard banana and pecan bread recipe but added a couple of my unique touches.  We bought the tea set you see in the photos at a great store here in New York called Subtle Tea and since the set is so festive and whimsical I decided to do mini muffins instead of a bread.  Actually, I did 24 muffins and a small loaf of bread since I still had some extra batter after filling the cups.  I used the mini silicone baking cups for the first time and loved them! I should have bought 36 of them, however.  I'll be writing them up over on one of my other blogging gigs.  If you happen to live in New York, I heart this tea shop! They have incredible quality and mixes available.

Here's my recipe for the "Mini Banana, Pecan and Ginger Muffins".

Ingredients:
Makes 36 mini muffins or about 18 small muffins

2 ripe bananas, peeled and mashed
1/4 c. whole milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1 c. sugar
1 medium egg
1/2 c. salted butter
2 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 c. pecans, toasted and chopped

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 360˚Farenheit.  Place the bananas in a medium bowl and mash.  Add the milk, vanilla extract and ground ginger and continue mashing and stirring until thoroughly mixed and the consistency of very thick soup.

2. In a large bowl cream together the sugar, egg and butter making a smooth and even consistency. Set aside.

3. In another bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder and baking soda.

4. Add one-third of the flour mixture to the creamed butter and mix evenly with a wooden spoon, stopping as soon as the flour is incorporated.  Add one-half of the banana mixture and stir gently.  Repeat with the remaining flour and banana and stir only until it's all incorporated.  Do not overmix this batter or the muffins will be dense and chewy instead of light.  Add the chopped pecans and fold in gently. 

5. If using the silicone muffin cups, you don't need to prepare them, you'll simply fill them and place them on a baking sheet.  If using regular or small muffin tins, grease thoroughly.  Fill the muffin cups of choice to a level just below the rim, a little over 2/3 full.

6. Bake the muffins until golden brown, springy to the touch and a toothpick comes out clean.  The length of time will depend upon your muffin cups.  My mini silicone cups took 16 minutes.  Small muffin tins would take about 20-25 minutes and large muffins would probably take 30-35 minutes.

7. Remove from the oven when done and set the baking sheet on a cooling rack for a few minutes.  Move the muffins to the rack directly and let cool completely before removing the silicone muffin cup.  Serve and enjoy!

These are delicate, moist and the classic combination of bananas and pecans works so well as always.  The vanilla and ginger give them a more balanced flavor but I promise I haven't used so much  that they taste of ginger.  They do not, it simply has a deeper flavor and it goes extremely well with the light and floral flavor of the rooibos tea we drank.  Sunday tea is such a treat when it's done with love.

Soup from Mr. Scrumptious' Childhood

When Mr. Scrumptious and I first got married, he told me about his wonderful childhood friend whose parents were Greek.  Every Sunday afternoon their family would have a delicious soup and Mr. Scrumptious loved it so much he'd magically appear at their home Sunday evening around dinner time.  He described it as a very basic soup with leftover roasted chicken, rice, broth and lemon with a few light spices.  He explained its simple delicacy and creaminess.  I did a little research and a little improvisation and seem to have re-captured that soup perfectly in my own recipe.  According to him, it's just as he remembers and every once in a while (although not every Sunday) the craving hits.  Here is my "Greek Chicken and Lemon Soup". 

Ingredients:
Serves 4

4 cups chicken stock (homemade if possible)
2 T. fresh lemon juice
¼ tsp. lemon zest
½ cup rice already cooked
½ cup cooked chicken, left-over roasted chicken is best
4 large separated egg yolks – slightly beaten
Black pepper, freshly ground to taste
Nutmeg, freshly ground to taste

Directions:
1. Separate the egg yolks from the whites and put in a small dish.  Whisk gently or beat with a fork.  Cut the leftover chicken into small pieces.

2. Heat stock in 2qt. saucepan until steaming. Homemade chicken stock is best but if you don't have it, make sure to use fresh stock or broth. (Do NOT use bouillon or mixes.) Stir in the lemon juice and zest.  Add the rice and chicken and heat. 

3. Whisk ¼ cup of stock into the egg yolks to temper then quickly whisk mixture back into the stock on the stove.  Heat gently, stirring occasionally, until steaming, about 2-3 minutes.

4. Pour into serving bowls and sprinkle with pepper and nutmeg if desired.  I added parsley here for the photos but I don't usually include it in the recipe.

Enjoy this one on a cold winter's day, or when you're feeling under the weather for maximum delight!  If anyone out there is Greek, I'd like to know how close my version is to an authentic recipe.

Making Gnocchi Part I: The Gnocchi

Even though I'm not of Italian blood, I feel Italian.  Or, more precisely, Sicilian.  I was born under the volcano, Mount Etna, in a tiny town called Motta Santa Anastasia.  In childhood, I was fascinated with my foreign birthplace and longed to go.  I finally made my pilgrimage there when I was 21 years old and have visited a few times since. It is one of my favorite countries in the world.  I love the culture, the passionate people, the delicious food, the focus on quality and process and the intensity with which Italians live their lives.  I am a fiery kindred soul that has nothing to do with heritage and everything to do with spirit.

During Christmas, it is a tradition in many Italian families that all women hands are called to the deck to make homemade gnocchi.

I have never participated in the tradition, but have dreamed of it and this year, decided we'd try it out at Scrumptious Street.  It turned out perfectly and was so much fun.  I cannot thank my darling husband enough for shooting the beautiful photos of the process.  He's an excellent photographer and he perfectly captured every step in the making of the gnocchi.  Thanks, Mr. Scrumptious!

Having never made it before and not wanting to blow it, I thought it best to turn to Mario Batali for the gnocchi recipe and used his "Basic Gnocchi or Gnocchi di Patate" from my beloved Molto Italiano cookbook. This recipe worked perfectly but I used a ricer instead of a food mill, to great effect.  As well, I used a bench knife to cut the dough and the gnocchi pieces. It was vital to the success of this recipe, make sure you have one.  Mine has a ruler on the edge of it so that you can easily measure to 3/4 inch diameter. I did make the mistake of cutting the gnocchi too large, they were delicious but very filling.  I recommend you roll and cut yours even smaller.

Here's Mr. Batali's recipe, which was perfect!
Ingredients:
Serves 4 as a main course, 8 as an appetizer

3 lbs. russet potatoes
2 c. all-purpose flour
1 extra-large egg
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 c. canola oil

Method:
1. Put the potatoes in a large pot, add water to cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and cook at a low boil until the potatoes are tender, about 45 minutes, drain.

2. While they are still warm, peel the potatoes, then pass them through a vegetable mill (I used a ricer and it was perfect) onto a clean work surface.

3. Bring 6 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot, and add 1 tablespoon salt.  Set up an ice bath nearby.  Make a well in the center of the potatoes and sprinkle them all over with the flour.  Break the egg into the center of the well, add the salt, and using a fork, blend the egg and salt together.  Using the fork, begin to incorporate the flour and potatoes as if you were making pasta.  Once the dough begins to come together, begin kneading it gently until it forms a ball.  Knead gently for another 4 minutes, or until the dough is dry to the touch.

 

4. Divide the dough into 6 balls.  Roll one ball into a rope 3/4 inch in diameter and cut it into 1-inch pieces.  Roll each piece down the back of a fork to create the characteristic ridges. 

Drop the gnocchi into boiling water and cook until they float to the surface, about 1-3 minutes.  Use a slotted spoon to transfer the gnocchi to the ice bath.  Repeat with the remaining dough, replenishing the ice as necessary.

5. When all the gnocchi have been cooked and cooled in the ice bath, drain them and transfer to a bowl.  Toss with the oil.  The gnocchi can be stored, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours.

Next posting will feature the dish I made cooking the gnocchi here.  Stay tuned.

Happy Birthday Mr. Scrumptious!

My darling husband, Mr. Scrumptious, had a birthday yesterday!! We were so busy celebrating I didn't get to let you all know about it until a day late.

My husband is the most wonderful, kind, gentle and brilliant person I have ever met.  We have an extremely deep and powerful bond which makes us much more than husband and wife.  Each and every day I am so very grateful, thrilled and profoundly awestruck that I am married to the greatest person I have ever known.  I love and cherish him with my entire being and our three years of marriage have been the best years of my life.  Every day is better than the one before. His birthday is a special day to shower him with all the love and spoiling I can muster.

Last year before our Christmas party, I discovered a decadent and very rich recipe from Food & Wine magazine for a Fudgy Chocolate Cake by Andrew Shotts.  This three-layer beauty is unique, dreamy, intense and scrumptious.  Just like my husband.  So this year, I made this luscious cake to match him, my darling Mr. Scrumptious.  Happy Birthday, my love.

P.S.  I used Jacques Torres 70% bittersweet chocolate. Wow.

Scrumptious Street Thanksgiving

For all of our friends and family in the United States, we wish you a heartfelt Happy Thanksgiving!

Mr. Scrumptious Cornish Game Hen, Mushroom and Chestnut Spaetzle and Cranberry Compote.

We are extremely lucky to have a healthy life full of love, curiosity, exploration and passion.   And, a kitchen with a dishwasher.

Enjoy the Holiday weekend, everyone.

Yams with Autumn Ricotta Cream and Mr. Scrumptious Filet Mignon

While I do most of the cooking at Scrumptious Street, it's time to recognize Mr. Scrumptious' own culinary talents.  He is THE sandwich maker in our home, I will surely devote posts to his yummy noshes in the future.  He also is a whiz with the meats.  So, in this post, we have yams by me and filet mignon by Mr. Scrumptious. 

I intended to make this with sweet potatoes instead of yams since both Mr. Scrumptious and I prefer them to yams.  Alas, sometimes we are at the mercy of the local grocer's and the gods of time when shopping on a late Sunday afternoon.

I'll start with Mr. Scrumptious Fabulous Filet Mignon.  Um, there is no recipe, he just threw some Worchestershire sauce, chutney, balsamic vinegar and luscious spices into a dish.  He mixed it up, threw in the filet mignon and pricked it all over with a fork.  Next, he flipped it over a few times in the marinade and covered it.  Refrigerate it for about 8 hours.  When we were ready to cook we heated up the grill pan and grilled it medium rare.  Of course, when the meat is done it had to rest for 10-15 minutes, perfect for my photo shoot.

For the yams, here's my recipe, to serve 4 people.

Ingredients:

4 yams, peeled, quartered
3 T ricotta cheese
1/3 cup cream
1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
4 pats unsalted butter
Minced sage for garnish

Method:
Fill a pot with the yams and cold water, covering the yams by at least an inch of water and bring to boil on stovetop.  Reduce heat to medium and boil gently until yams are tender and the tines of a fork slide in easily, about 20 minutes.  While the yams are cooking, combine cream and ricotta in a small saucepan and heat gently.  Add the nutmeg and cloves, whisking gently until yams are ready.  When yams are tender, drain and mash or rice thoroughly, depending on your tool of choice.   Return the yams to a very low heat, add the butter and melt completely.  Slowly add the ricotta and spice cream to the yams and incorporate completely into yams.  Remove from heat, garnish with sage and serve immediately.

This was a lovely autumn meal, so full of flavor and simple delicate beauty.  The filet combined with the spices of the yams quite well, as we were eating Mr. Scrumptious spread the yams onto the beef  to get a combined bite.  That's always a good sign.  We paired it with the bright and fruity Bodegas Palacios Remondo Herencia Remondo Vendimia 2003 Rioja that didn't get lost in the flavors or dominate the palate.

Sweet Tooth Sandwich

Mr. Scrumptious asked me after we devoured this wonderful lunchtime sandwich, "you've developed a bit of a sweet tooth, haven't you"?  I admit it.  He called me out.  I do attribute a lot of it to him; his sweet tooth was always much more developed than mine and I've migrated his way.  But, just LOOK at this Grilled Fig and Goat Cheese Sandwich.

It was a dynamite lunch and so what if a little sweet? It was savory too.  Seriously, this was a very scrumptious and fast meal.  It gave us the energy to get through the rest of the day...

Serves 2 with two small sandwiches or one large sandwich
Ingredients:
4 ripe fresh figs
1 T. extra virgin olive oil plus extra for bread
1 tsp. high quality balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. finely chopped fresh spearmint
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1 large fresh bread roll or two small
2 oz. flavored goat cheese (I used orange, walnut, honey)
drizzle of fresh honey

Method:
Wash figs and dry with paper towel.  Slice in half and put in small bowl.  Add the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, mint and kosher salt.  Toss together and marinate for at least 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat grill pan on stove top at medium heat.  When pan is hot, slice the rolls and brush each side with olive oil.  Place cut side down on grill and leave on for 2-3 minutes to toast the bread.  Remove bread and immediately slather both inside halves of bread with the flavored goat cheese. 

Place figs on hot grill pan, cut side down and grill for 2 minutes.  Flip to round side on the pan and grill 2 minutes more.  Remove the figs and place directly on the bread, nestling in the goat cheese.  Drizzle with just a little fresh honey.  Garnish with a little more fresh mint and serve.  We found eating these worked best as an open-face sandwich but our rolls were very thick. Enjoy!

Reflection Picnic

I love the autumn so much that often I become a little extra pensive, even more spontaneous and well, ahem, extra romantic.  Mr. Scrumptious travels a lot for his job but when he's home with me on a perfect autumn evening it makes me thrilled to be alive.  It was such a stunningly beautiful and warm evening in New York that on my way home I decided we should have a picnic with a view of the sunset over the Manhattan skyline. What a great decision. 

I threw a simple picnic together of Le Chevrot cheese, red delicious apples, sicilian green olives, almonds, pecans, proscuitto, crackers and white wine.   

We snacked and talked, shot photos and held quiet and intimate conversation; the perfect calming close to a hectic day.  We admired the simplicity of the food, I reflected on a year in our lives fraught with intense change and emotional extremes and we relished the transition from warm summer day to cool autumn night that you feel only these few days each year.  I wouldn't trade this spontaneous moment for a three-Michelin star meal.

We are indeed so very priveleged to lead such a beautiful and rich life.

Headed for Adventure

Mr. Scrumptious and I are headed on a much-needed adventure today.  (Mr. Scrumptious is the pseudonym I've given my husband over the weekend, do you like it?) We're going to St. Lucia for some time off and major relaxation.  We are hard-core scuba divers and it is our primary means to chill out and de-stress.  I tell you, we both need it desperately. 

However, now that I have you, devoted blog readers, I have not forgotten you! I've worked hard over the weekend and have done some cooking, photographing and writing to leave you with new postings while I'm gone.  Hopefully, this Typepad auto-publish feature will work properly. So, keep coming back and commenting and I'll catch up on replies when I return next week.  I'll also bring back some great culinary treasures from our trip.  Ciao!