Sunday, September 27, 2009

Ice Cream Accompaniment

Wanna hear about something awesome I did the other day? Yeah! Oooooo! OK I cut up some rhubarb I had lying around, and put it in a saucepan with some blueberry jam I also had. I cooked it for a while and got some compote-like substance that goes great on vanilla ice cream. AWESOME!




"Deconstructed Butternut Squash Risotto"

Butternut squash is one of my favorite things to eat when it starts to get cold, so I've been making it a lot lately. I made a butternut squash risotto the other day that didn't turn out as well as when I had made it last year, but we all can't be winners all the time.

So I decided to do something to the risotto effect (but not really) by making something like creamy polenta with pan-roasted butternut squash and goat cheese. I used a little something in my spice cabinet I like to call IMPROVISATION! I followed the recipe for polenta on the back of the cornmeal bag (1 C cornmeal, 3 C. water) but I added cream and butter and parmesan at the end because why the fuck not. And I don't like when it gets gelatinous. So they were more like grits I guess.

In the theme of the Top Chef episode this week, I would like to call it "deconstructed butternut squash risotto", and like most of the contestants on Top Chef, lose sight of the challenge completely and not make what the challenge called for, but something tasty nonetheless.

All in all, it was really tasty, and just the kind of warm comfort food that I need when the weather begins to change. Too bad Adam had to work late that night- SUCCCKKAAAAAAA!




Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Sushi cupcakes

A couple of weeks ago Mia and I collaborated on some sushi cupcakes at Magnolia for a special order. Below is the result- I created the fondant parts, she did the final assembly.  I'd say those are some fishy looking cupcakes! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!








Curry Shortbread w/ Lemongrass Buttercream Sandwich Cookies!

I came across this recipe for curry shortbread while parusing Epicurious the other day.  So instead of cleaning the apartment I decided to experiment with it. 

I decided to throw some jazz in the mix by making a lemongrass buttercream meringue to make little sandwich cookies. I used the recipe we use for meringue buttercreams @ Magnolia (1/4ed) and boiled the sugar syrup with cut lemongrass. It didn't taste very lemongrassy so I have to try something else to impart flavor next time (grinding it and adding it in?). Otherwise, tasty sandwich cookie.  The curry made it taste different, but you couldn't quite pinpoint what it was right away. I'm going to try different spices too- I have made rosemary shortbread before- maybe lavender, cayanne, black pepper, oooooo salt and pepper, hmmmm.





Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Spotted Dick!

Adam and I, when shopping at Fairway, always snicker when we see in the weird British food section Spotted Dick in a can. Its always reassuring to hear that our immaturity is something shared by many.














Tuesday, September 8, 2009

PROJECT$

Things I would like to make
Pickled green almonds
Blueberry + corn
Bread schedule
Brioche + laminated breads

Books I need to get
Bonnie Slotniks(?)
Carole Walter- Great cookies
Classic Stars Desserts
Fannie Farmer Baking Book
Bakewise
Claudia Flemming
Donna Ho

Monday, September 7, 2009

Dinner!

Smoked pork chops, creamy corny polenta, tomato & onion relish
I totally winged this dinner, and it was one of the best I've ever made.  I was in a good mood that night and made beautiful magic in the kitchen! SHABAAAAAMMM!

To make:
Bring 1C chix stock to a boil, add about 1/2C cornmeal, simmer. Add some cream. Add a whole can of corn. Simmer on low, stirring constantly until creamy.

Cook in skillet smoked pork chops- seasoned with salt, pepper, and rosemary. Take off after a couple minutes on each side and tent with foil.

In same pan, I threw in some sliced onions, and whole cherry tomatoes until they popped.








popsicles!

They came out a little too icey, have to figure out why that happens. Its hard to fuck up popsicles too much, I guess I just have to figure out the texture.







Tuesday, September 1, 2009

I will make this next....

I was looking around things and found this recipe, published in 1965 by James Beard:

Indian Pudding

1/2 C. cornmeal
5 C. milk, scalded
1/2 C. molasses
1/2 t. salt
1 t. ginger

Put cornmeal in top of a double boiler and pour scalded milk over it. Blend well and cook over hot water for 20 minutes. Add molasses, salt and ginger. Pour into buttered casserole and bake in a 300°F. oven for 2-2 1/2 hours. Serve warm with ice cream or heavy cream.

Will make this the next chance I get.