Scrumptious Street

Cardamom Red Beet-Pickled Eggs

One of my favorite Spring food traditions growing up was my Mom's fantastic pickled eggs. It was a tradition her mother and grandmother passed down through the family and always coincided with Easter. While the kids enjoyed the pretty hues of the hard-boiled dyed Easter eggs, the adults always snacked on vibrant bright purple hard-boiled eggs pickled with red beets. I have made them in the past but not consistently and this year I was craving them. So, I took my mother's basic recipe and spiced it up a bit to really satisfy my craving for the tangy and savory with a hint of exotic. They are delicious! Make them about 4 days before you want to start eating them. They get better after a few days. Here's the simple and wonderful recipe. 

Ingredients
makes 6 eggs

6 large organic good quality eggs, hard-boiled and peeled
1 c. red beet juice from plain canned beets or your own juiced fresh
1 c. apple cider vinegar
1/3 c. sugar
4 green cardamom pods
2 whole star anise

Method:

1. Remove the eggs from the fridge and let them warm to room temperature. Place in a large pan and cover fully with water. Bring the water to a good boil with big bubbles. (If you boil the water first and then lower the eggs into it, they usually crack and the white will leak out into the water). Once the water is boiling set a timer for 11 minutes. For medium eggs, 10 minutes will work.

2. While the eggs are cooking, add the red beet juice, vinegar, sugar, cardamom and star anise to a small saucepan and gently simmer just long enough to dissolve the sugar and get the spices to begin infusing the juice. Turn off the heat and let the pickling liquid cool down.

3. Drain the eggs after boiling and run cold water over them to cool completely. Peel the eggs by tapping the bottom end where the air pocket resides and then rolling along a hard surface to crack the egg all around. I usually do this with a paper towel under to keep it clean. Peel the egg and place in a bowl of cool water. Repeat with all eggs and let them cool completely in the water.

4. Add the eggs to a very clean jar with a tight lid. It doesn't need to be air-tight but a good seal will help. Make sure that your eggs and liquid are completely cooled before adding to the jar. If you are using canned beets, add the beets to the jar too. Gently pour the pickling liquid over the eggs and push down to submerge completely. I found that laying the beets on top of the eggs helps keep them under the liquid so that there aren't white spots or patches on the eggs. You want uniform purple.

5. Close the jar and place in the refrigerator and leave for at least 4 days. Then, open the goodies when you need a yummy snack.  I had a bonus surprise with the egg I used to photograph this post -- a double yolk! I like them simply sliced in half and sprinkled with a pinch of sea salt and ground white pepper.

Of course, for a larger household than one or two people you can double the recipe and do a dozen at a time. If you do this, you may not need to double the spices. It depends how strong you'd like it.

Enjoy!

 

Fresh Ricotta, Parmigiano and Ramp Wafers

My love affair with ramps has grown more experimental and luscious this year. I've been doing everything from sauteeing, to creating pesto, braising and juicing. This cracker was inspired by wanting to really get that ramp flavor INTO my food rather than on it. It shows another way to celebrate the wild leek and some of the stunning fresh sheep's milk ricotta cheese we have in New York this Spring. Here's a peek at "Fresh Ricotta, Parmigiano and Ramp Wafers".

This really turned out just beautifully, and accomplished the craving for that unique ramp taste to be really integrated yet subtle, rather than a sauce or simple garnish. These are hearty, and I struggled with the name. They're not super crispy so I hesitate calling them a cracker. They're more like a cookie or a savory biscuit but in the end Mr. Scrumptious and I settled on Wafer. They were absolutely divine as shown composed here with a slather of very fresh sheep's ricotta, paper thin slice of Macoun apple and a leaf of watercress. When served with a soft and effervescent Lambrusco, it turned into a special hors d'oeuvres on a Monday night.

Here's how I made them:

Ingredients
Makes about 26 wafers

1/4 c. fresh ramp leaves, finely sliced into chiffonade
1/2 tsp. fresh thyme leaves, chopped
1/4 c. very fresh sheep's ricotta
1/4 c. grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil

Method:

1. Mix the ramps, thyme, ricotta and parmigiano in a large bowl, folding gently to incorporate ingredients. Add the salt and pepper and mix again.

2. Slowly add the flour and mix together. Bring together with your hands and gently form into a dough. Turn out onto a clean counter or cutting board and form the dough into a long cylinder about 2 inches wide by 18 inches long. 

3. Rub the teaspoon of olive oil over all of the dough. Cover the dough tightly in plastic wrap and freeze for 30 minutes. (No longer or the dough will be too hard).

4. Preheat oven to 350˚F. Remove the dough from the freezer and slice into 1/4" slices or wafers and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. 

5. Bake for 13 minutes until golden brown. Turn over each wafer and bake 13 minutes more until evenly golden. Remove from oven and place on a cooling rack to completely cool. Serve with a rich, fresh cheese and slice of firm sweet-tart apple and enjoy as snack or hors d'oeuvres.

 

Mache and Farro Salad with Salmon

After a snow-dumping, deep freeze kind of winter in New York, it's nice that the pounding, driving rains have arrived. Why? That means sunshine, spring and amazing produce are weeks rather than months away. Matter of fact, my raised flowerbed on my balcony currently has sprouting leaves from 10 of the bulbs I planted last Fall.  Hooray, looks like I will soon have crocuses and tulips! We're already starting to see some spring produce in the stores and a local farmer is now selling Mache, one of my favorite salad greens.  Thus, a quick and delicious main-course salad or elegant appetizer you can make now to bridge that gap between seasons. Here's my "Mache and Farro Salad with Salmon".

 

Farro is another really incredible product, an ancient grain that is packed with flavor, chewy texture and nutrition. It's a protein bomb! My favorite variety is from a producer that also has incredible oats and polenta and must be soaked first for the highest quality result. You can soak it overnight before you'd like to use it or just soak it and have it ready for a day or two in your fridge. Use these Instructions from the farro I most recommend.

After you've soaked and strained the farro, you can pick up with my recipe below. Enjoy!

Ingredients
Serves 2

2 six-ounce portions fresh salmon, filleted and de-skinned
Kosher salt
Black Pepper
1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
1/2 c. farro that's been soaked overnight, drained
2 1/2 c. homemade chicken or vegetable stock
1 fresh heirloom tomato, chopped
1/2 lemon, squeezed
1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 375˚F. Season the salmon liberally with kosher salt and black pepper, sprinkle on the smoked paprika and rub gently into the flesh. Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil and roast the salmon until cooked all the way through and opaque, about 12-15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool to room temperature.

2. In a saucepan bring the stock to a boil and add the farro and a couple pinches of kosher or sea salt. Stir occasionally and simmer gently until the farro is tender and cooked but still a bit chewy. Remove from the heat and place a lid on and let the farro absorb the rest of the stock for 5 minutes.

3. Wash and spin dry the mache and arrange on wide plates. Chop the tomato and sprinkle on the mache. Top each plate with a piece of salmon. In a small bowl whisk together the lemon juice, three pinches of kosher salt, a few grinds of freshly cracked black pepper. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while whisking vigorously to create a thick lemon dressing.

4. Remove the lid from the farro and fluff up. With a large tablespoon, sprinkle the farro all over the salad. Drizzle the salad with the lemon vinaigrette and enjoy!

 

Curried Yam and Apple Soup

Root vegetables, tubers, apples and warm spices are a perfect introduction to the soup season for me.  I love making all kinds of soup when the weather turns colder and always enjoy trying new things.  I've been toying with ways to make the classic Thanksgiving yams a little more unique, a little bit more refined and a bit more non-traditional just for fun.  If you're inclined to do the same, then give this lovely soup a try.  It's all of the above that and more but still works on the traditional holiday table.

 
It's simple and hearty, a strong opener to a winter meal or a meal all on its own with some crusty bread or Indian flatbreads like paratha and naan.

Experiment with the spices as per your taste, you will need a really sweet variety of apple to keep the spices from tasting too strong.  You're aiming for bold flavors but not overwhelming; think balance.

Here's the recipe and you can make it a day or two in advance, the flavor only gets better.

Ingredients
Serves 4-6

3 T. unsalted butter
1/2 medium onion
2 smashed garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. fresh ginger
1/2 bulb of fresh fennel, sliced
2 Gala or Fuji Apples
1 3/4 lb. yams, peeled and diced
kosher salt
black pepper
4 c. vegetable stock
1/2 c. plain yogurt
1 tsp. Garam Masala Indian spice mix
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
juice of 1 lime
2 tsp. toasted coconut

Method:

1. Heat the butter in a large saucepan and add the onion, garlic, ginger and fennel. Cover and cook on low heat.  Sweat these aromatics about 5 minutes, until tender but not browned.

2. Add apples and yams and cook a couple of minutes. Season with kosher salt and black pepper.

3. Add the stock and simmer until the vegetables are fully tender and cooked through.  Add the spices and yogurt and stir.  Taste and season again with salt and pepper for a balanced and delicious taste.

4. Let the soup cool slightly and ladle into a blender and puree to smooth consistency in batches.  Add more stock to reach desired consistency and texture.  Add the lime juice and season again.

5. Serve immediately or reheat if cooled too much and garnish with toasted coconut.

 

My Soft-Shelled Blue Crab with Mango and Arugula Salad

These few weeks of May are a really special and inspiring time of year for anyone who loves to cook.  Or loves to eat, for that matter.  In North America, our tender spring vegetables like asparagus, ramps, fava beans and morel mushrooms make their decidedly long-awaited but fleeting appearance.  I usually celebrate them in a blog posting but this year, I wanted to remind you of another delicacy that is in its "peak" during this wonderful pre-summer warmup: the soft-shelled crab.  Now, I hesitated posting this because I know how much eating these really turns some people off.  If you're one of them, I apologize and please just look away and move on.  But, for those of you who love the Maryland-style Soft-Shelled Crab, read on! This is my fantastic "Soft-Shelled Blue Crab with Mango and Arugula".

It's really a very simple recipe, the hardest part is finding the soft-shelled crab and doing it before they disappear some time in July.  They're available now, because the growing crabs have just shed a harder exoskeleton and are growing their adult shells.  So, they're tender and fully-edible, every last piece.  the key is to get them fresh as possible, (read reputable fishmonger) have them cleaned by that fishmonger and to cook them hard and fast for a short time.  I went with a pretty traditional method; dredging them in flour and my own home-made spice mix redolent of the famous Old Bay Seasoning.  Then a quick flash in the pan with a little oil to fry them up super crispy.  I tossed up a gorgeous little arugula and mango salad as a bed for the little guys.  It was   delicious combination! The sweet and fruity mango really tastes awesome with the oceanic and spicy crabs.  I sprinkled the spice mix directly on the mango slices to and wow, was that good!

Typical soft-shelled crabs from the East Coast of the United States are blue crabs.  You can see in the photo below, the tinge of blue on their bodies.  When you're frying them, they turn varying shades of orange, red and brown.  Similar to shrimp, that's when you know they're cooked -- they go from bluish transparent to full opaque and a red, orange, pink tints.  You want the shells to be crispy and crunchy too so watch them carefully, there is a perfect moment when they're "done" and it depends on your pan and stovetop.   Opaque, red-orange everywhere and crunchy are the guidelines.

 

Here's how I made them:

Ingredients
Serves 2 as first-course

For the spice mixture similar to Old Bay:

1 T. ground dried bay leaves
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1 tsp. dry mustard like Coleman's
1 tsp. ground black pepper
1 1/2 tsp. sweet paprika
1/2 tsp. ground fennel
1 tsp. celery salt
1/2 tsp. ground white pepper
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. ground allspice
1/8 tsp. ground cardamom

For the dish:
2 fresh soft-shelled crabs, rinsed and thoroughly patted dry with paper towel
2 T. flour
2 T. Old Bay seasoning or spice mixture above
2 pinches kosher salt
2 c. fresh arugula, washed and dried
1 mango, peeled and diced
2 T. lemon juice
3 T. extra virgin olive oil
2 pinches kosher salt
4 grinds black pepper

1. (Optional step, making the spice mix) Note: if you're going to toast whole spices and then grind them, you will need to back off the winter spices like cardamom and allspice.  I used pre-ground for speed. In a spice grinder, grind up the bay leaves and red pepper flakes to a fine powder.  Dump into a small air-tight plastic container.  Add the remaining spices and stir together to incorporate.  Remove two tablespoons and store the rest in an airtight container in a cool, dark cupboard.

2. Add the arugula and mango to a bowl. In another small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper for a quick vinaigrette.  Pour over the mango and arugula salad and let it sit while you finish the crabs.

3. Put the flour and spice mixture onto a plate and stir with a spoon to mix evenly.  Dredge each of the crabs in the mixture, making sure to coat all sides and pieces and then shake off any excess.  Set aside for a few minutes.

4. Heat a very large non-stick skillet and add 3 T. extra virgin olive oil or canola oil.  When oil is shimmering hot, gently add the crabs shell-side down using a pair of kitchen tongs.  Beware: they will splatter and pop as they're cooking so stand back! Fry each crab until orange-red-brown and crispy and fully opaque, about 2-3 minutes.  Flip and repeat on the second side.  When both sides of each crab are fully crispy and cooked through, remove from the heat.

5. Place a mound of salad on the plate, add one crab on top and sprinkle with more kosher salt and spice mixture.  Serve immediately and enjoy!

Mizuna Salad with Poached Egg, Crispy Leeks and Tarragon Vinaigrette

It's been above 80˚F each day since Saturday here in New York.  Let me tell you, this hyper-Spring weather feels so good and is making everyone happy and pushing us outside as much as possible.  In my moments not working, I've been readying my patio garden, buying gorgeous tulips and perusing the Farmer's Markets.  The tender spring lettuces and micro-greens are out and one of my favorites is the star of this dish.  Here's my gorgeous Spring "Mizuna Salad with Poached Egg, Crispy Leeks and Tarragon Vinaigrette".

Now, I know many of you believe that salads are a cook's little break.  But I'm an expert in salads and I firmly believe that if you put as much thought and care into the flavors of your salads as you do main dishes you'll never get bored of salads again.  And, you won't feel like it's just a warm-up for the entree.  If in the case of a salad like this you involve a little cooking too -- your results will be spectacular.  Get the freshest, best ingredients you can find.  Take your time and do the techniques properly.  You'll be rewarded with a fresh and delicious salad with a perfectly poached egg that acts as an ooey, gooey condiment and delicately crisp leeks that add more interesting flavor and texture.  It's a beautiful dish.  Still simple despite several steps and a real treat whether it's a Wednesday lunch or an opening course for a 5-course meal.  Mizuna is like a very delicate, slightly peppery cross between mustard and arugula.  You can substitute mache, watercress or tatsoi.  Just make sure the green you pick has lots of flavor, nutrients and is young and tender.

Have fun and Happy Spring!

Ingredients
Serves 2

3 c. fresh mizuna or other tender young lettuce greens
1 vine-ripened tomato, medium dice
1 T. extra virgin olive oil
1/4 c. fresh leeks, purged of dirt and finely sliced
2 fresh eggs
1 T. fresh tarragon, finely chopped
1 tsp. sherry vinegar
2 T. grapeseed oil
1 large pinch kosher salt
6-8 grinds fresh black pepper
shaved parmigiano-reggiano cheese

Method:

1. Wash and spin dry the mizuna.  Cut tomato into medium dice or use small grape tomatoes, cut in half.  Place the mizuna and tomato in a medium bowl. 

2. Heat a small non-stick skillet on the stovetop and add the olive oil.  When shimmering, add the leeks and saute on medium-high heat until brown and crispy.  You want them crunchy and brown, not soft so keep going until they're just short of burned.  Remove from heat and place on a paper towel to cool.

3. Add about 4 cups of water to a medium saucepan and bring to a very hot steaming, but just below a simmer.  You don't want to see bubbles on the surface of the water or any boiling, but just below.  It should be about the temperature you'd use to steep tea.  Hot enough to burn you but not hot enough to boil.  Crack each egg into a single small cup or prep bowl.

4. Make the vinaigrette while waiting for the water to come to the right temperature.  Combine the chopped tarragon, sherry vinegar, kosher salt and black pepper in a bowl.  Slowly drizzle in the grapeseed oil with one hand while whisking vigorously with the other. The dressing should begin to emulsify and get thick as you're whisking.  Drizzle over the greens and tomato and toss thoroughly.

5. Return your attention to the water and when super hot and steaming, gently pour one egg into the water.  Take a rubber spatula and gently fold some of the rapidly spreading egg white over and around the yolk. Be careful not to puncture the yolk.  Leave it alone now for exactly 1 minute 30 seconds (at or near sea level) and about 2 minutes if at altitude.  You are aiming for a very soft yolk, with the whites just cooked.  At the end of your time, take a large slotted spoon and scoop under the entire egg, lifting from the water.  Set egg on a slippery plate or surface and do the other egg exactly the same way.

6. Spoon the mizuna and tomato onto plates and shave some parmigiano-reggiano over the greens.  Gently slide a poached egg onto each plate in the center of the greens.  Sprinkle with the crispy leeks and serve immediately.

7. Each guest should gently break the yolk with a fork to release the gooey yolk over the salad. 

Corn and Porcini Mushroom Chowder

The cold weather is here and if you're anything like me, it's time to Get Your Soup On.  I love a hot bowl of soup after a brisk, sometimes bracing walk home and this is a recent favorite.  So much a winner, that I actually served it as the opener for my Thanksgiving dinner this year.  It's lush, hearty, delicious and wholly satisfying.  Here's my "Corn and Porcini Mushroom Chowder".

It's perfectly acceptable to use dried porcini mushrooms in this soup, since you can't find them fresh anyway this time of year.  Just make sure they are pale light brown and beige, not dark brown or black.  Also for the corn fresh tastes best but frozen is also good.  I can find it still with fresh cobs here in New York and you can in most places with Whole Foods or gourmet stores.  Make sure that there's no other additives or preservatives if you're using frozen corn.  You just want pure, natural and simple corn and we'll jazz it up with other ingredients.  It's simple and hearty and one that made both Mr. Scrumptious and our friend mmmm and ahhhh.  Matter of fact, this is one of those excellent soups that tastes even better the next day so make sure you have plenty for leftovers!

Ingredients
Serves 2

1 oz. dried Porcini mushrooms, reconstituted, washed and finely sliced
2 T. unsalted butter
1/2 small yellow onion, diced small, about 1/4 cup
1/2 rib celery, diced small, about 1/4 cup
2 T. all-purpose flour
1 1/2 - 2 c. homemade chicken or vegetable stock, heated
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
2 c. corn kernels (fresh or thawed frozen) 1 cup whole, 1 cup pureed
2 small Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced small
1 fresh bay leaf
1/2 tsp. fresh thyme
1/4 c. heavy cream
1/2 c. milk
1/4 tsp. Worchestershire sauce
pinch of cayenne pepper

Method:

1. Put the porcini in a medium bowl and pour hot nearly boiling water over them until covered.  Stir lightly to make sure all mushrooms are getting wet and set aside to steep.  Heat the stock on a low simmer in a small saucepan.

2. In a large saucepan or medium stock pot melt the butter and add the onions and celery and cook on medium-low, sweating the onions until tender and translucent making sure they don't brown, about 6-8 minutes.  

3. Add the flour to the saucepan with onions, butter and celery and stir to incorporate fully.  Cook about 10 minutes, until a light blond roux is formed and the flour is no longer raw.  Gradually add the stock and whisk to remove all lumps.  Add the salt and pepper and simmer for 30 minutes. 

4. Meanwhile strain the porcini mushrooms, reserving and straining half the liquid.  Rinse the mushrooms and pat them dry, slice into thin long strips.  Puree half of the corn in a food processor or immersion blender.  Add the pureed corn, whole corn kernels, potatoes, bay leaf, porcini mushrooms, mushroom water and thyme.  Simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 25-30 minutes.

5. Combine the cream and milk and add to the soup. Add the Worchestershire sauce and cayenne pepper.  Taste and adjust salt and pepper if necessary.  Serve immediately.

Indonesian Corn Fritters with Sweet-Hot Chili Sauce

Rarely do I cook from another person's recipe and when I do, I often regret it.  When cooking, I have a specific vision in my mind and my tastebuds can "imagine" exactly what the result should be.  Often, if I cook from another person's recipe, the results are not what my culinary imagination craves.  So, I end up tossing it out and starting over, utilizing any new concepts the recipe might have introduced but basically executing on my vision.  It's a good thing I try again, however, because the second-efforts are always much more successful.  Here in San Francisco, I've been incredibly inspired by the fantastic produce available year-round and the plethora of Asian markets.  I've also met some great chefs, one of whom happens to be Malaysian.  I consulted her on this concept and thank her for some great ideas and starting points.  In the end, however, I came up with my own recipe, which still is quite authentic and yet even more flavorful than the other variations I tried.  This is a typical Indonesian street food called Perkedel Jagung, otherwise in English as "Indonesian Corn Fritters".  

I also made my own riff on a sweet and hot chili dipping sauce to accompany the fritters and add great spice, coolness and that addictiveness I always crave from hand-eaten snacks.  It's too bad I didn't photograph the first attempt to show you the difference.  Mr. Scrumptious is always encouraging me to do that, but I'm usually so disgusted by the failed expectations that I don't want to make it permanent.  The first attempt was doughy and dense like a hush puppy and I was craving more moist inside/crispy outside and flatter like a crab cake.  It was poorly seasoned but with overwhelming spice and bite of raw garlic and raw shallots.  Often in my cooking classes I focus a lot on the difference between seasoning and spice.  They are very different things and one should never forgo seasoning for spice.  Otherwise you have bland, hot food that burns but doesn't taste like anything.  Properly seasoned food should taste like the main ingredient and that ingredient should be elevated and showcased.  In this variation of the dish, the corn is that main ingredient and everything else is there to make corn taste deep and fresh I want the layers of flavor to be built from the corn up. Tangy, sweet, crispy, soft and salty all come together for a complex and fantastic celebration of corn at its most exciting, instead of corn as a staple at its most bland.

So here's how I did it and please, if you try this and don't like MY recipe, please let me know!

Ingredients

Serves 4 as appetizer

1 tsp. freshly toasted and ground coriander

1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1 medium shallot, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 tsp. fresh galangal, minced

1/2 tsp. fresh ginger, minced

1 tsp. kosher salt

1 T. sugar

4 ears fresh sweet corn, kernels cut from cob OR 3 c. frozen corn thawed and squeezed dry

1 T. minced green garlic (now in Farmer's Markets!) or green scallions

1/2 lime juiced and zested

4 T. brown rice flour

1 large egg, beaten

canola oil for frying

For the Sweet-Hot Chili and Cucumber Dipping Sauce (Saus Lado)

4 fresh red Thai chilies, finely sliced

1 clove garlic, sliced lengthwise in four pieces

1 T. seedless English cucumber, minced

1 lime, juiced

3 T. sugar

1/4 tsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. palm vinegar or rice wine vinegar

2 T. ketchup (optional)

2 T. warm water

Method:

1. Make the dipping sauce first so it has time to meld flavors and lose some of the raw taste.  Make sure to leave the garlic in big chunks.  You want the flavor of garlic, but not small pieces of raw garlic to stick to the fritter when you dip.  In a small bowl add the chilies, garlic, cucumber and lime juice.  Stir to cover all veggies with the lime juice.  Add the sugar, kosher salt, rice wine vinegar and ketchup if using.  Go for ketchup if you want a milder and sweeter flavor, leave it out if not.  Stir thoroughly and add in the warm water to thin slightly.  Set aside.

2. In a small skillet toast the coriander seeds and let cool.  Put the coriander, black pepper, shallots, garlic, galangal, ginger, kosher salt and sugar in a small food processor and puree until a smooth paste.  A mortar and pestle is an even better tool for the job if you have one and the inclination to do it manually.

3. In a medium bowl, lightly mash some of the corn kernels with a fork and leave others whole.  This helps create a combination of textures and the mashed corn helps in binding the fritters.   Add in the spice paste mixture and combine well.  Add in the green garlic or scallions and lime zest and lime juice.  Let sit for 20 minutes or so to let the flavors meld.   

4. Add in the rice flour to the corn mixture after sitting a bit and toss thoroughly.  Pour in the beaten egg and stir lightly until well incorporated.

5. In a large skillet, cover the bottom of the pan to 1/4" in high, for a shallow fry.  Turn the heat to medium and when the oil is shimmering hot and sizzling, it's ready.  Drop carefully a large tablespoon of the corn batter into the oil.  You can drop probably 3-5 into a normal sized skillet but do not crowd the pan.  Lightly press each one flat with the back of the spoon.  Fry until the fritters are golden brown on the first side, about 2 minutes and then flip.  Fry the second side until deep golden brown, anothe 2-3 minutes.  Remove fritters from the oil and let drain on a cooling rack with paper towels underneath to catch any excess oil. Repeat in batches.

6.  Serve the fritter while still hot, on a large platter and garnish with chopped chives and lime wedges.  Put the dipping sauce on the side.  Encourage people to give a quick squeeze of lime over the fritters and then dip in the sauce and enjoy!

Wensleydale-Cranberry and Port Wine Glaze Spirals

This holiday season has been incredibly busy for me, more time cooking and teaching and in the kitchen than ever before.  While I regret that my blogging has taken abuse for it, I've really been creating some terrific new dishes.  Sadly, not able to document everything, I'm just going to be sharing the best of the holiday season with you now.  This one, is spectacular! I'd recommend it for all your winter parties, including those for New Year's and even Super Bowl parties.  I tell you, it's a hit!   Here are my "Wensleydale Cheese-Cranberry and Port Wine Glaze Spirals".

I served them in this photo with walnuts that I also candied with the port wine glaze and some plump and lucious Medjool dates.  It is a spectacular and very special hors d'oeuvre that is full of warm and comforting flavors that are very unique and memorable.  

Wensleydale is one of my favorite cheeses from England, that is similar to a mild white cheddar with floral notes and a crumbly texture.  It melts nicely, but not smooth and creamy like a brie.  Rather, it also melts like a cheddar.  Good for an appetizer that you want to retain its shape.   You can usually find it in specialty cheese shops and sometimes, even in your local supermarket.

The port wine glaze recipe I made below is terrific for making candied spiced nuts, particularly walnuts or pecans.  Both times I made the spirals, I made extra for port-wine glaze for the nuts.  I'll give you enough glaze here to do the same.  To make the nuts, you simply toss them in the glaze after it's thick enough to coat a wooden spoon and just short of a caramel consistency.  

For the spirals, I made the glaze first while the puff pastry was defrosting.  Then, the filling.  I used frozen pastry but I think I'm ready to tackle making my own.  Here's how the recipes for the spirals worked out:

Ingredients

Makes about 60-70 spirals

For the Port Wine glaze (includes enough extra to spice nuts):

1 c. good, robust Ruby Port

1 c. fine granulated sugar

1/8 tsp. ground allspice

1/8 tsp. ground cloves

1/8 tsp. ground black pepper

2 small fresh bay leaves

For the Wensleydale-Cranberry Spirals

1 package or two full sheets of puff pastry, thawed according to package directions

8 oz. fresh Wendsleydale cheese, crumbled

1/4 c. dried cranberries, finely chopped

1/4 c. spiced pecans or walnuts, chopped

1/2 tsp. fresh oregano, finely chopped

1/4 tsp. kosher salt

1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Remove puff pastry from freezer and let thaw according to package directions.  Preheat oven to 400˚F.

2. Make the port wine glaze: In a saucepan, bring all the ingredients for the glaze to a gentle simmer and stir to dissolve the sugar.  Let the wine and spices simmer without stirring and while the sugar melts it will begin to thicken into a glaze.  When the glaze is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon, remove from heat.  Pour 1/3 cup of the glaze into a small bowl and set aside.  Use the rest of the glaze to make spiced walnuts or pecans: add the nuts to the saucepan with the port glaze and stir to evenly coat. Cover a sheet pan with parchment paper and spread the nuts evenly into a single layer.  Bake for 8-10 minutes in the oven, making sure not to scorch the nuts. (Check at 7 minutes.) Remove pan from oven and let nuts cool completely, then break apart any that are stuck together.  Store in an air-tight container or serve.

3.  In a medium bowl combine the cheese, dried cranberries, oregano, chopped nuts, salt and pepper.  Toss gently with a fork to incorporate.

4. Spread out the thawed puff pastry, and cut each sheet into thirds lengthwise. Most brands (including Pepperidge Farm which is the most common) will have folds in the puff pastry, so you can cut right on the fold line.  One sheet at a time and roll out to 1/8" thickness and a rectangular shape using a loured surface and rolling pin.  Take the reserved port-wine glaze and using a pastry brush, gently brush a light layer of the glaze on the rectangle of the puff pastry.  Leave about 1/4" space on one long side and both short sides of the rectangle. Leave about 1/2" space on one long side of the rectangle.

5. Spread the cheese mixture evenly over the glaze, using a spoon to scatter it and your finger to make it even. Make sure to cover it evenly but not too thickly, since you'll be rolling up the pastry.  Also, you will make about 6 of these individual rolls, so try to reserve the proportionate amount of cheese mixture. 

6. Begin at the long end with filling closest to the edge and turn it so it's facing you.  Slowly roll up the dough and filling, taking care to roll evenly and tightly as you go.  Roll until you reach the long end of the dough that has extra space.  Dip your fingers in a small bowl of water and wipe your forefinger along the blank dough.  Seal the pastry into a roll, squeezing any extra air from the edge you sealed with water.

7. Wrap the roll in plastic wrap and immediately refrigerate.  Repeat this process with all of the sections of your pastry.  In most packages you will have two full sheets, which will make six rolled-out rectangles of dough.  Refrigerate all the dough at least an hour before baking and up to one day in advance.  You can also freeze the dough rolls and thaw in the refrigerator the day before you want to bake them off.

8. Preheat oven to 400˚F 30 minutes before you want to bake the spirals.  Line baking sheets with parchment paper and remove the pastry rolls from refrigeration.  Take off the plastic wrap and cut the dough into equal pieces (about 12 per rectangle) that will be a "spiral" when laid on its side. Spread these out evenly on the baking sheets.  Bake each sheet 10-12 minutes until golden brown and bubbling.  Remove from the oven and cool just enough so that you won't burn your mouth, about 5 minutes.  Serve immediately! They go deliciously with champagne!

Cheers and a very Happy New Year to you all!

Fava Bean and Tomato Salad

Fava beans are another of my very favorite Spring ingredients and I always peruse the Farmer's Markets for them in April and May.  I hit the jackpot this past week and found some Favas that were so beautiful and fresh that I knew I wouldn't want to boil them, sauté them or otherwise cook for very long.  Thus, these babies called to be eaten just the other side of raw, barely blanched and in a simple manner to show off their freshest taste.  Here is my resulting "Fava Bean and Tomato Salad."

This dish was so wonderful but it's not going to work if you don't have incredibly tender and fresh beans.  Two great ways to recognize them are that the pods should not contain any black spots and should not feel flimsy or mushy if you gently squeeze them.  Should you find good ones, they'll turn anyone into a lover of this healthy legume. Another very important part of this dish was the green garlic stalks.  You should also be able to find this at any good Farmer's Market in the Spring months and I chose to use them because they taste of garlic but are much milder and softer, perfect because you can eat it raw, like I did with this salad.  I think this is a scrumptious little side salad for all those summer barbeques and is similar to a typical Mediterranean meze or Spanish tapas. 

I only had a small amount and they're a bit intensive to shuck, blanch and shell so this is just a recipe that feeds two people as a small little nibble.  In case you've seen them at the markets but aren't sure how to get the beans out of the funny-looking pod, here's the basic plan.  Snap off the top stem and pull the long string along the seam, exactly like you do with fresh snap peas.  Pull out the bean inside and put them in a bowl.  The beans are covered in a soft, waxy casing that you will remove before eating.  So, in essence, you have to shell them twice.  Blanch them inside the casing and when done, put them in an ice bath.  One at a time, pinch the end of the casing and slice it open with your thumbnail.  Push the opposite end of the casing and the inner bean should slide right out. I'm sorry I didn't take photos of the process but there are some very illustrative photos here.

On with the recipe!

Ingredients
Serves 2

1 cup fresh fava beans, blanched and shelled (about 1.5 lbs. fresh in their pods)
1 small very ripe tomato
2-3 fresh basil leaves, minced
1/2 tsp. fresh marjoram, minced
1/4 tsp. spring green garlic stalk, minced
1 1/2 T. fresh lemon juice, squeezed
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
4 T. very good extra virgin olive oil

Method:

1. String, shell, blanch in boiling water for 2-3 minutes and then cool fava beans in an ice bath.  One at a time, shuck the fava beans and put them in a bowl.  Add the chopped tomato, basil, marjoram and green garlic.  Toss gently with a spoon to mix.

2. In another small bowl add the lemon juice, salt and pepper.  Whisk to mix.  Slowly stream in the olive oil, about one tablespoon at a time, making an emulsified vinaigrette.

3. Pour the vinaigrette over the fava, tomatoes and herbs in the first bowl.  Mix thoroughly and taste, adding a pinch more salt and pepper if desired.  Serve either as is, or placed atop a very fresh bed of arugula.

Have a great time with this one and believe me, it's worth the effort with the beans and the rest of the preparation is very quick and simple!