My favorite carrot cake had a perfect 1:1 ratio of cake to frosting. That explains why it was my favorite. Rich, dense, moist and flavorful, it was perfection. However, I quickly realized that that much frosting had to be overcompensating for something. That's what fat, sugar, and salt does anyway, right? It adds flavor to the flavorless. So when it came time for me to make my own rendition of this classic cake, I aimed for flavor and moistness in the cake itself, with the frosting as an added bonus. The addition of pumpkin and butternut squash create an earthier flavor and richer texture, plus the addition of classic pumpkin pie spices (ginger, cardamom, nutmeg, cinnamon, etc) turned up the volume on this autumnal dessert. It ends up becoming the Great Pumpkin Cake, so be sure to have at least a dozen friends around to try it. Enjoy!
Spiced Pumpkin Cake:
2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 Tbsp baking soda
1 Tbsp cinnamon
1 tsp cardamom
1 tsp ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground clove
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups shelled pecans, roughly chopped
1 1/2 cups sweetened, shredded coconut
1 cup of finely grated carrots
1 cup grated butternut squash
1 cup of canned, pureed pumpkin
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and spices. Set aside. With a mixer, beat the eggs until frothy and pale. Gradually add the sugars and beat for a few minutes, until the batter is thick. Add the oil in a steady stream and then beat in the vanilla extract. Add the flour mixture and pumpkin alternatively and beat on low just until incorporated. Add the veg, pecans, and coconut and mix just to combine. Evenly divide the batter between three greased cake pans and bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack. After about 5 -10 minutes invert the cakes onto the wire rack and let them cool completely before frosting.
Pumpkin Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients:
3 cups unsalted butter, softened
16 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons orange zest
pinch of salt
2 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons canned pureed pumpkin
2-3 cups sweetened coconut flakes, lightly toasted
7-8 halved pecans
Directions:
Cream the cream cheese in an electric mixer until light and a little fluffy, add the butter, beating for 1-2 minutes, or until combined. Add the brown sugar, pinch of salt, zest and vanilla extract, and beat until combined. Turn the mixer to low and add the powdered sugar and pumpkin puree alternatively. Turn the mixer on a low speed so it doesn't blow out everywhere.
On a cake platter, place one layer of the cake. Working from the center outward, smooth about a half inch of frosting. Add the second layer, repeat. On the third layer, add a large deal of frosting and working outward push the frosting over the edge, covering the sides. Continue smoothing the frosting until the entire cake is covered. Grab a handful of coconut and gently press into the sides. Continue until the entire cake is covered. Decorate the top with pecans and enjoy!
Classic Almond Biscotti
Ingredients:
4 tablespoons softened unsalted butter
1 cup of sugar
3 extra large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
3 cups of flour, sifted
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup chopped almonds, lightly toasted
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1 egg, beaten
2 tablespoons sugar
Directions:
Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt and set aside.
Preheat the oven at 375 F. Mix together the butter and sugar until they form moist crumbs, clumping together. Add the 3 eggs and mix together until light in color and the mixture forms ribbons when you lift the whisk out of the batter. Add the vanilla and mix well. Then, add the dry ingredients in batches of about a 1/2 cup at a time. Mix on low until just blended. Add the chopped almonds and mix until just blended.
On a cookie sheet with a silicon pad or parchment paper, place the mixture (which is now a very thick dough). Heavily flour your hands and form the dough into a log about 1 1/2 inches high, and 3 inches wide. It may take up the entire length of the cookie sheet. Brush the beaten egg over the log, then cover with the sliced almonds. Sprinkle with the 2 tablespoons sugar.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and cut the loaf into 1/2 inch slices. Place the slices on the cookie sheet and bake for 15 minutes, flipping once. If the biscotti appear too moist in the center, put them back in the oven for an extra 5 minutes. Let cool and enjoy!
Tina's English Toffee:
For me, this toffee is the epitome of the Christmas Season (we start badgering Tina to cook it the day after Thanksgiving), and something I look forward to nibbling on every year. Nothing is more depressing than reaching for my family's toffee tin and finding it empty, like a dead Christmas tree in the gutter. So please cook up this toffee until your kitchen is heavy with the scent of butter, sugar, and the holiday spirit.
Ingredients:
1 pound unsalted butter (plus extra for greasing the pans)
2 cups white sugar
½ teaspoon salt
1/4 cup water
1 ½ teaspoon vanilla
2 cups dark chocolate, chopped
2 cups milk chocolate, chopped
2 cups finely chopped toasted almonds
Directions:
Melt the butter, sugar, water and salt over a low flame, stirring with a wooden spoon. When the mixture starts to boil, turn the heat up to medium. Meanwhile, grease two cooking pans with butter. After 15-20 minutes, the mixture has reached 305 F. Turn off the heat and add the vanilla, stirring to incorporate. Be careful not to burn yourself or the mixture, but if you do, and I have, run your hand under room temperature water (never cold or hot water) to subside the pain. Immediately take the hot toffee and pour into two greased cooking pans and smooth until evenly coated and about 1/8 or 1/4 inch thick. Put the pans into the fridge to let the toffee cool (this will take several hours, or leave the toffee in over night, uncovered).
Once the toffee has cooled, remove it from the refrigerator and carefully loosen the pieces (you can do this by hand or with a knife). If it cracks, it's not a big deal.
Melt the two types of chocolate over a double boiler, stirring to combine. Once the chocolate has melted, use a spatula to coat one side of the toffee, and then immediately sprinkle heavily with the chopped toasted almonds. This must be done immediately because the cold toffee can cause the chocolate to harden before the almonds can stick. Put the toffee back in the fridge to cool the chocolate. Once it has hardened (it takes about an hour), flip and coat the other side with the chocolate and almonds. You will probably have chocolate and almonds left over, which you can use for more toffee. Let the toffee cool in the fridge until hardened again. When it's ready, take the toffee out, and using your hands crack it into irregular pieces. Bag them or stick them in a tin for your own enjoyment.
SWEET TREATS FROM FOOD FOOR THOUGHT WITH CLAIRE THOMAS
SPICED PERSIMMON CAKE WITH BROWN SUGAR CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
Hachiya persimmons can be culinary head scratchers. They're mild in flavor, a regional specialty, and have the most delicate texture. Imagine a water-balloon filled with chocolate pudding that will burst if you so much as sneeze in its direction, that is a ripe hachiya persimmon. Gorgeous to look at, persimmons were meant for still-lifes. Even the trees possess drama, with waxy large leaves that turn a rich auburn as the season shifts toward winter. But like many things this beautiful, they seem otherwise useless. You don't just bite into a gooey hachiya persimmon, and even the crunchy fuyu persimmon can be uninspiring on its own. What to do...
Fuyus are wonderful sliced up in a salad or on a cheese board paired with something sweet and mild (imagine burrata or goat cheese), and the more I thought about the squishy hachiya, the more it reminded me of one of my favorite baking ingredients: applesauce. Unassuming but subtly delicious, applesauce adds moisture and sweetness to baked goods and is a staple in vegan cakes and pastries. I took applesauce cake as a jumping off point, and created a spiced persimmon cake. Dense and rich, it's perfect served with a hot cup of coffee on a fall afternoon. Finally, my persimmon conundrum resolved!
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cardamom
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups persimmon pulp
1/2 cup toasted walnuts, chopped (plus more for garnish)
Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle. Butter an 8- or 9-inch square cake pan.
MAKE CAKE:
Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices.
Beat butter, brown sugar, and vanilla with an electric mixer at high speed until pale and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in persimmon pulp. At low speed, mix in flour mixture until just combined, then stir in walnuts.
Spread batter evenly in pan and bake until golden-brown and a wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool in pan 15 minutes. Run a knife around edge of cake to loosen, then invert onto a cooling rack and cool completely.
Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting
3/4 cups unsalted butter, softened
4 oz cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons cup light brown sugar, packed
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch of salt
1 cup powdered sugar
Directions:
Cream the cream cheese in an electric mixer until light and a little fluffy, add the butter, beating for 1-2 minutes, or until combined. Add the brown sugar, pinch of salt and vanilla extract, and beat until combined. Turn the mixer to low and add the powdered sugar. Turn the mixer on a low speed so it doesn't blow out everywhere. Spread on the cake and coat the edges with chopped walnuts. Top with cinnamon.
DINNER PARTY RECIPES FOR FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Braised Chicken with Garlic, Fennel, and Walnuts
For 4
1 3 1/2-pound whole chicken, each cut into 8 pieces
1/2 head of garlic, cloves separated (about 10), peeled and sliced
1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced
1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 very large fresh thyme sprigs
Salt and Pepper
1 cup white wine
3 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup walnut halves
Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad
5 cups quinoa, cooked (1 cup uncooked)
1 cup medium red bell pepper, diced
1 cup red onion, finely chopped
1 cup cucumber, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
2 limes, juiced
1/4 cup olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1/4 cup chopped mint
1/2 cup parsley
Salt and Pepper
Roasted Cauliflower with Salsa Verde
2 large cauliflower heads
5 tomatillos
1 poblano chili
4 garlic cloves
Hot Sauce
A handful of cilantro
1/4 cup grated parm
Olive oil
Salt and Pepper
Pre heat oven to 425 F. Clean the cauliflower and slice into halves. Break off the florets, slicing the big ones in half. Coat with olive oil (2 tablespoons-1/4 cup, depending on how much cauliflower you have) and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pop in the oven for about 15 minutes, shake the pieces around, flipping them, and roast for another 10. You should think, "Oh crap I burnt it," when you pull them out. But try it, the more caramelized and crispy the better. Meanwhile, peel and broil the tomatillos for about 5-10 minutes, or until charred and juicy. Char the poblano over an open flame, then scrape off the skin and deseed it. Chop it roughly and pop it, the tomatillos, the garlic, cilantro, and hot sauce in a food processor. Pulse it and taste for season. Drizzle it over the cauliflower and top off with grated parm. Enjoy!
Cheese Platter: Playing with texture and flavor combinations
Cheddar
Brie
Aged gouda
Sliced figs
Whole grain mustard
Cornichon
Baguette
Honey
Your favorite nuts
Plate your favorite combination and serve with plenty of bread and crackers.
Affogato
4 scoops of ice cream
4 tablespoons chopped bittersweet chocolate
HEIRLOOM TOMATO ROASTED EGGPLANT SALAD WITH FETA AND CRISPY PITA
I can't believe I'm writing this, but I'm sort of over caprese. Shhh shhh shhh shhh. I know. I KNOW. Crazy talk. But it's true. My threshold for caprese was met, I have full caprese saturation. During the summer, and what has become that typical Los Angeles post-summer phase where it's in the 80s through November, caprese is my answer to anything. Tomatoes are at their peak in flavor and texture, basil is growing like mad, and the combination with milky mozzarella is always delicious. But always delicious can get a bit boring, and in an attempt to avoid a desert island scenario where I only eat caprese, I decided to mix it up.
Sumac, a Turkish spice, gives the eggplant a tart kick, and when combined with cumin and chili powder, this basic salad of tomatoes, basil, and feta takes a decidedly middle eastern and delicious turn.
Ingredients:
For 4-6
3 cups tomatoes, wedged or chopped into 2 inch sections
1 garlic clove, minced
2 small eggplant (net 2 cups)
1 teaspoon sumac (or lemon zest if you can't find it)
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon chili
salt and pepper
1 pita, cut into 1-2 inch pieces
1/4 cup basil, chiffonade
2 tablespoons mint, chopped
balsamic
1/2 cup olive oil, plus more for garnish
1 cup feta, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
FOOD FOR THOUGHT GOES SOUTH
Considering I was born and raised in California, I am most definitely not a southerner. But this doesn't stop me from loving Southern food. On today's episode of Food For Thought, I try out my favorite Southern recipes, some classic and some with a twist.
Garlic Grits with Sauteed Shrimp
Grits, just like polenta or oatmeal, have a bad reputation of little flavor and mushy texture. But the grits I'm used to eating are creamy, rich, and pure delicious comfort. For mine, I like to load them up with garlic and sour cream and serve them with shrimp sauteed with creole-inspired spices. For a full creole experience, you can use your favorite spice blend or mix together garlic, onion, black and red pepper, oregano, thyme. I kept mine simple with a touch or oregano and cayenne pepper.
• 1 3/4 cups milk
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 cup coarse ground grits (I used Bob's Red Mill Grits. Cornmeal or polenta will also work)
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1 lb medium shrimp
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
Parsley, finely chopped, for garnish
In a medium saucepan, bring the chicken broth and milk to a boil. Add the garlic and slowly stir in the grits. Reduce the heat to moderately low and cook, stirring frequently, until the grits are tender, 15 minutes. You will have to babysit it. Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the butter and sour cream. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately. If it gets gummy or sets up, add a little milk and stir it in.
Meanwhile, in a pan over medium heat, add the olive oil. While that heats up, sprinkle the shrimp with the spices and a pinch of salt and pepper. Saute the shrimp until just pink on both sides (about 5 minutes total). Serve on top of or with the grits. Garnish with parsley.
Sour Cream Chive Biscuits
Biscuits are a classic southern staple, and to make yours as mile high as possible, mix the dough together right before baking and use ice cold butter for the flakiest texture. I love these savory biscuits with a touch of honey and butter, still warm from the oven.
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup butter, cold and cubed
• 2/3 cup sour cream
• 2 tablespoons chives, snipped
Pre heat to 450 F
Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into the bowl. Drop in the butter and use your fingers to casually mix it in with the dry ingredients. Don’t over mix. There should still be a few lumps of butter, the size of peas, or even a little bigger. Two minutes or less of mixing should do it. Next add the sour cream and chives. Stir it up into a soft dough. Form the dough into a soft ball. Get a piece of waxed paper and lay it on your counter. Sprinkle the waxed paper with a little bit of flour. Place the dough ball on the flour and knead it about 5 to 10 times. Flatten out the dough with a rolling pin or your hands so it is about 3/4″ thick. Cut into biscuit shapes with a biscuit cutter, or the rim of a clean cup or can. Lay the biscuits onto a baking sheet and bake them at 450° for 10-15 minutes, depending on their size. Makes about a dozen medium sized biscuits. Brush with melted butter before serving.
Bacon Chicory Salad
Chicory is a bitter green typically served cooked in butter or sautéed, but for my spin on this classic southern ingredient, I found inspiration from the bitter green salads so popular in LA. Dandelion greens, arugula, frisée, radicchio, or any other green with a bite are wonderful contrasts to sweet bacon, pungent blue cheese, and toasted walnuts in this salad. Paired with rich and savory southern style cooking, this bright salad balances out the meal.
1 lb chicory greens, arugula, frisée, or radicchio (any bitter greens)
4 oz bacon, diced
2 oz blue cheese
1/4 cup walnut halves
Vinaigrette:
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon honey
Salt and Pepper to taste
In a pan over medium heat, cook the bacon until just crisp. Mix together the vinaigrette and combine with the bacon and chicory. Sprinkle in the cheese and walnuts.
Classic Pecan Pralines
Melt in your mouth pralines (prah-lines if you're from the south) are the perfect way to end a meal. I add a touch of bourbon to mine, but otherwise, this is a pretty simple take on a classic recipe.
1 cup pecans
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/4 tsp salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon Bourbon
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spread the pecans on a cookie sheet and bake until lightly toasted (about 5 minutes). Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Fit a heavy-bottomed saucepan with a candy thermometer. Over high heat, cook the cream, butter, salt and brown sugar to 240 degrees (soft ball). If necessary, stir once to help dissolve the sugar. Remove from the heat and let sit for 15 seconds. CAREFULLY stir in the vanilla, bourbon, and toasted pecans. (It might spit and sputter) Stir until the mixture looks creamy and slightly thickened. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto the prepared cookie sheet. Cool for 20 minutes.
PARTY NIGHT FOR FOOD FOR THOUGHT WITH CLAIRE THOMAS
It's party night, and I'm serving my favorite cold bites to please a crowd. Whitney Adams, from the awesome wine blog Brunellos Have More Fun and one of my favorite ladies EVER, joins me for some tips and help eating these tasty treats.
GIRLS' NIGHT IN ON FOOD FOR THOUGHT WITH CLAIRE THOMAS
My sister and I are pretty busy ladies, and even though we live together, "quality time" isn't necessarily a guarantee. I'm an early bird, she's a late sleeper. I pass out by midnight and she'll burn that oil until two or three. So setting aside a night to just hang out on the couch requires both of us to pull out our calendars and see what can work. This week on Food For Thought, I make some of Amanda's favorites and she swings by the set to try them out. Delicious Roasted Brussels Sprouts with homemade aioli, gooey mac and cheese, molten chocolate cake with maple whipped cream, and Amanda's favorite salad with mango chutney vinaigrette round out this decadent meal for two.
Rosemary Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Garlic Aioli
*1 large egg
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
Pinch of pepper
Pinch of paprika
1/2 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon snipped chives
Cut off the ends of the Brussels sprouts and pull off any yellow outer leaves. Mix them in a bowl with the olive oil, shallot, rosemary, salt and pepper. Pour them on a sheet pan and roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until crisp on the outside and tender on the inside, stirring half way through so they evenly brown. Sprinkle with more kosher salt and enjoy right away.
For the garlic aioli, combine the garlic, egg, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and paprika in a medium bowl. With a whisk (electric is easiest), mix together to combine. While whisking quickly, drizzle in the olive oil and combine until it forms a pale yellow sauce and not a moment more (it can break down pretty easily). Garnish with chives and serve immediately with the Brussels sprouts for dipping
Much like when I have attempted to speak a foreign language, making macaroni and cheese has proven to be a frustrating, awkward experience, where I inadvertently insult the people on the receiving end of my efforts. And much like the 5 years of Spanish under my belt, my 20-some attempts at a good macaroni and cheese seemed in vain, leading me no closer to my goal. My problems varied from attempt to attempt: too dry, too gummy, too dense. But this last round: success! Flavorful and silky with an even ratio of cheese to pasta. The trick is in the béchamel, and using common sense when choosing the amount of pasta. The gremolata breadcrumbs add a bright and fresh flavor to this rich mac and cheese. So get ready to curl up with one of the ultimate comfort foods. Enjoy!
Classic Mac & Cheese with Gremolata Breadcrumbs
Gremolata Breadcrumbs:
1 teaspoon lemon zest
4 slices Italian bread
small handful flat leaf parsley, plus more for garnish
3 cloves of garlic
2 oz Parmiggiano
1/4 cup Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper
For White Sauce:
3-4 cups milk (you might need more to get the right consistency)
1 yellow onion, roughly sliced
1 bay leaf
Pinch of chili flakes
1 tablespoon black pepper cloves
1 garlic clove, halved
For Roux:
3 oz butter
1/4 cup flour
1 cup Gruyere, grated
1/2 cup gouda, grated
1 cup sharp Cheddar, grated
1/2 cup Parmigiano Reggiano, grated
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated
8-12 oz elbow macaroni
Preheat oven to 375 F.
The first is the topping, which is bread, lemon zest, garlic, parm, and olive oil. All this goes in a food processor. Pulse until well combined and the parm has become small crumbs. Add the parsley and pulse a couple of times (you don't want green bread crumbs).
For the sauce for the mac and cheese, heat the milk in a small saucepan with all of the milk ingredients, but be careful not to boil it. Add butter to another pot and let it melt. Add the flour, and stir to create a roux (this will give something for the cheese to cling to).
Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring with a whisk. While whisking, add the hot milk through a strainer and cook for a minute or two more, until thickened and smooth. Off the heat, add the cheese half the pepper, and nutmeg. Salt to taste. Stir well.
Cook the macaroni according to package instructions. Start with about 8 oz and fold into the cheese sauce. If you like more pasta, add more. Pour into greased ramekins (or baking dish). Put the crumbs on top of the mac and cheese, covering the entire top layer.
Do you have 20 minutes? Good. Here's how you play this out:
Molten Chocolate Cake with Maple Whipped Cream
12 oz dark chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup unsalted butter, cubed
4 large eggs, room temperature
1/4 cup white sugar
Pinch of salt
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1/3 cup all purpose flour
1 vanilla bean, split and scraped (or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract)
1 large pinch cayenne (about 1/4 teaspoon)
1 cup heavy cream
2-3 tablespoons maple syrup (depending on how sweet you like it)
1 vanilla bean, split and scraped (or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract)
Preheat oven to 400 F
Meanwhile, whisk together the eggs and salt, and add it to the melted mixture. Whisk it together quickly so the eggs don't cook. Add the vanilla, cayenne, and flour. Mix until just incorporated.
Grease the ramekins and fill until almost full with batter.
These are ready to go right into the oven: Bake for 10-11 minutes, 12 if you don't want if super gooey.
Meanwhile whip together the cream, maple syrup, and vanilla until soft peaks form.
While I’m waiting for Amanda, I can’t resist, I have to try this. Here’s how I present it: Flip the cakes onto plates and serve with a dollop of cream. It’s beautiful and no one will know how easy it was.
Amanda's Favorite Salad
8 oz arugula
1 grilled chicken breast, sliced
1 pear, (bosc or anjou) thinly sliced
1/4 cup thompson raisins or dried currants
1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted
1/4 cup finely sliced red onion
Vinaigrette
1 tablespoon mango chutney
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and Pepper to taste.
Just combine all of the ingredients, except for the chicken breast, and mix thoroughly.
In a sealed container, combine all of the vinaigrette ingredients and shake to combine. Lightly dress the salad, plate, and fan out the chicken breast on top.
HOLD THE DRESSING until you’re ready to serve salad; greens start to wilt as soon as they come into contact with an acid, which starts the process of breaking them down.
GRILLING FROM FOOD FOR THOUGHT WITH CLAIRE THOMAS
I love the smell of smoke: fireplaces, barbecues, dragons, anything that produces smoke gets my immediate attention and an obvious comment. "Smells like winter," or "Smells like summer," or "Smells like slaying season." And as much as I love eating things cooked over an open flame, I do very little cooking over an open flame myself. It's such a dad thing that I leave it to him, which means my grilled food is limited to meat and vegetables. This isn't a bad thing, but little did I know everything could be grilled. Seriously, everything.
Every Sunday during the summer my family tries to get together for dinner and some form of entertainment. My sister and I are such an awesome Cranium team that it's simply too demoralizing for the rest of my family to play. Emotions run high in the Thomas household, and bruised egos, wine, and giant dodecahedron shaped dice are a less than sportsmanlike combination. So it's apples to apples now! My dad is the only person frustrated by a game based entirely on subjective inside jokes and obscure knowledge of another person's humor, so, too bad if the winning card isironic, dad, we're still playing. Note: best moment of the night was when he put down "Joan of Arc" for "eccentric", and lost to "Cher." In the midst of arguing his case he claimed to "know" Joan of Arc, which we all assumed meant personally, and teased him for the rest of the night for knowing a 15th century saint.
Jane's Shrimp on the Barbie
My mom's shrimp share their origins with my childhood birthday cakes, sausage rolls, and a few other Aussie treats, which all derive from the same tome: The Australian Women's Weekly. Stacks of paperback cookbooks from the early 80s protrude from her cupboards, filled with ugly photography and lots of mayonnaise. And yet, with a little tweaking they produce delicious and unexpected results. These shrimp are a little sweet, a little spicy, and have that "what is this flavor?" factor. They're perfect on their own or tossed in a salad. Enjoy!
3 lbs fresh medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons of honey
2 tablespoons chili sauce (not hot sauce)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3 large shallots, finely chopped
2 tablespoons of finely chopped parsley
2 tablespoons finely sliced green onions
1/4 teaspoon ground Chinese five spice
Combine all of the ingredients, adding the prawns last, and marinate in the fridge for one to two hours. Put the prawns onto wooden skewers, about 4 to a skewer. I submerge my skewers into water while the prawns are marinating so they don't burn on the grill. On a medium-high grill, cook the prawns until just firm, about 1 minute per side. Brush the prawns with the marinade as they cook. I usually serve about 2 skewers per person. Enjoy!
Grilled Corn with Honey, Lime, and Ancho Chili Butter
Grilled sweet corn is one of the staples of summer, and the slightly sweet and spicy butter only brings out its delicious and delicate flavor. Enjoy!
10 ears of white corn
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and Pepper
12 oz unsalted butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon ancho chili powder
2 1/2 teaspoons lime zest
2 teaspoons honey
Mix the butter, zest, ancho chili powder, and honey together. Salt to taste and put butter into butter dishes. I decorated mine with an extra pinch of ancho chili powder and lime zest. Set aside or refrigerate. Set your grill to high and drizzle olive oil evenly over the corn, rolling the ears to cover all sides. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook until each side has a little color, about 2-3 minutes a side. Serve hot and butter with the back of a fork (it works better than a knife) and enjoy!
BBQ Sauce:
2 cups ketchup
Combine all of the ingredients in a saucepan and slowly bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and gently simmer until dark, thick, and richly flavored, for 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer the sauce to a clean jar and store in your refrigerator.
BBQ Rub:
For the chicken, I am starting with a rub. This is so simple, it’s just salt, pepper, paprika, cayenne, cumin and fennel seed, but the flavors pack a punch. Mix these up, and it’s ready to go.
For the Chicken:
1 fryer chicken, broken down into 6 pieces (breast, wings, thighs + legs)
Give these a rub thoroughly with a tablespoon or two of the BBQ Rub and transfer to a plate. Take to grill.
Brush the grill with oil and immediately add the chicken, skin side down. Grill breast halves, thighs, and drumsticks, skin side down, over direct heat for 10 minutes to get nice, deep sears. Flip, move to indirect heat, and grill, covered, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of thighs registers 165 degrees, 10 to 15 minutes.
Grill wings over direct heat, flipping often, until cooked through, about 10 minutes. At the last second, brush the chicken with the BBQ sauce, flip, and brush the other side. Transfer chicken as cooked to bowl with BBQ Sauce and turn to coat. Cover with foil.
1 large red onion (or 2 small), sliced 1/2 inch thick
1 zucchini, sliced 1/2 inch thick
1 red bell pepper, sliced in half
1/2 bunch asparagus
1 ear of corn
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper
8 oz mesclun greens
Vinaigrette:
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
6 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon shallot
1 teaspoon finely chopped parsley
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
Salt and Pepper
Heat the grill on high. Coat all of the vegetables in olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pop on the grill and cook until they get nice and marked (about 2 minutes per side) and flip. Then, take the vegetables off heat and chop them up into 1/2 inch pieces (slice the corn kernels off the cob). In a large bowl, mix together the vegetables and lettuce, and drizzle with 1 tablespoon of vinaigrette or serve on the side for people to dress themselves.
Grilled Peaches with Lemon Mascarpone and Toasted Almonds
I've seen grilled peaches rolling around magazines before, but I've always been kind of "meh" about them. I don't know, it just never really got me going. I'd just rather have a cobbler. But this summer, just like the smoke of flaming grills, change was in the air. I bit into a ripe yellow peach at the farmers market and in that moment I knew: "This could be grilled!" I went home and immediately cranked up the grill. I threw on the peaches and before I knew it, I had all kinds of ungrillables grilling away. The smoke imparts a savory earthiness to everything laid near it. Served with lemon mascarpone and toasted almonds, these peaches are the perfect balance of brightness, nuttiness, and bursting juiciness. They're the ultimate dessert for a balmy summer night. Enjoy!
4 ripe, delicious yellow peaches, halved and pitted.
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup salted butter
1/2 cup blanched almonds, pulverized in the food processor
8 oz mascarpone cheese
4 oz creme fraiche
2 ounces heavy cream
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons lemon zest, plus more for garnish
1 teaspoon honey, if necessary
Heat your grill up to high. Blend the sugar and butter together to form a paste and smear it on over the faces of the peaches. You will probably have some left over that you can eat with a spoon.
I whipped together the mascarpone, creme fraiche, lemon zest, and lemon juice until combined. Add the heavy cream and whip a few times to incorporate. Taste, and if you would like, add the honey.
Now, Grill the peaches. I would do no more than three at a time, because they cook quickly, about 30 seconds or less. You simply want dark grill marks. Set the cooked peaches aside face up. Eat hot off the grill with the mascarpone mixture on the side, plus a sprinkling of almonds and lemon zest. You can also enjoy these peaches cold, or with ice cream.