Spork or Foon?

TWD: Mocha-Walnut Marbled Bundt Cake

  
If I thought yesterday was a short post, today is even shorter. It's been a crazy week - I got a new job (remember I said I was working on a huge project for something I really, really wanted?  Well, it was the job - working in Sports Marketing.) and my grandmother (whom I was very close with) passed away - both on the same day.  Talk about a wave of emotions.

So this morning, I am attending my grandmother's funeral.  

I chose to make this bundt cake instead of the coconut tea cake this week, as I wanted to save the tea cake for Easter. I've never been a bundt cake fan (sorry, Mary of The Food Librarian!), but I loved this bundt cake. Moist, flecked with finely ground walnuts, and flavored with a delicious duo of vanilla and mocha. Check out Erin of When In Doubt... Leave it at 350 (I always do that and think of her blog) for the recipe and click here to see what the rest of TWD baked up.

My grandmother would have loved this bundt cake.  She loved food.  I guess I got it from her.

My pretty little grandma. 

 

Quick Chicken Paella with Sugar Snap Peas

 
 

This'll be a short post today, as I have lots of things going on. 

I saw this quick Chicken Paella in Bon Appetit Magazine and thought it would be a quick, easy dinner to throw together.  And it was.  In about an hour, the entire dish was finished and I was left with a delicious dish that left me food for days (and days, and days... I think it's time to get rid of the leftovers). 

Tender chicken thighs are rubbed with smoky paprika and cooked on a bed of basmati rice, simmering in a broth of chicken stock, tomatoes, saffron, onions, white wine, and roasted red peppers as the grains soak up the juices and result in a deliciously tender, creamy rice and tossed with spanish chorizo (to keep it healthier, I actually used andouille chicken sausage) and crisp sugar snap peas that lends a wonderful textural contrast and a refreshing change to the dish.  

Now, paella purists may have me blackmailed for this one.  Is this exactly like paella? No.  Is it a nice substitute for those of us who lack paella pans (like... 99% of the population?) and the time to put in to make the beloved dish? Absolutely.

Jack especially loved this, but is now demanding more Top Chef-like meals, so you'll be seeing some very complicated recipes in the coming weeks. I'm going back to my roots. I've been slacking. 

Quick Chicken Paella with Sugar Snap Peas adapted from Bon Appetit

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 teaspoon saffron threads
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/4 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 6 large chicken thighs with skin and bones, excess skin and fat trimmed (about 2 1/2 pounds)
• 4 ounces 1/4-inch-thick slices fully cooked smoked Spanish chorizo (or, for a healthier option, spicy chicken sausage)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups chopped onion (about 1 large)
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 1/2 cups long-grain rice
• 2 cups low-salt chicken broth
• 1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes in juice
• 1/4 cup chopped roasted red peppers from jar
• 2 1/2 cups sugar snap peas, trimmed (about 8 ounces)

PREPARATION

• Preheat oven to 400°F. Mix white wine and saffron threads in small measuring cup; set aside. Combine salt, smoked paprika, and black pepper in small bowl; rub spice mixture all over chicken thighs. Heat heavy large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add chorizo and sauté until fat begins to render and sausage browns, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes. Transfer chorizo to large plate. Add olive oil to skillet. Add chicken thighs to skillet and cook until browned, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to plate with chorizo.

• Pour off all but 1 tablespoon drippings from skillet. Reduce heat to medium. Add chopped onion and cook until translucent, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Add minced garlic and stir 30 seconds. Add long-grain rice and stir to coat. Add wine-saffron mixture and bring to boil, scraping up browned bits from bottom of skillet. Add chicken broth, tomatoes with juice, and roasted red peppers. Bring to simmer. Stir in browned chorizo. Place chicken thighs, skin side up, atop mixture in skillet. Cover skillet tightly with foil, then cover skillet with lid. Bake paella until rice is almost tender, about 25 minutes.

• Transfer chicken to plate. Stir rice; season to taste with salt and pepper. Scatter snap peas over. Return chicken to skillet, nestling into rice. Cover with foil and lid. Bake until snap peas are crisp-tender, rice is tender, and chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes longer.

Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes

 

Earlier in the month, I was asked to make something special for a family member's best friend's 30th birthday party.  She asked me to make separate gift packages for each party attendee and gave me free reign as to what to put together.  She supplied me with a few credentials - said birthday girl loves strawberry shortcake, shoes, and fabulosity, and the plan was that the girls were going to go out for a night on the town and head back to a hotel in Midtown Manhattan where the gift bags would be waiting for them.

Well, since everything I do is FABULOUS, there was no problem covering the fabulosity part.

I joke! I joke!

But in all seriousness, it was fun to have carte blanche.  I decided to do sugar cookies decorated like different types of shoes and the Bailey's truffles, but I was unsure of how to include strawberry shortcake.

I obviously couldn't do a traditional strawberry shortcake, as the packages weren't actually going to be received until hours after I dropped off the packages (4 am, to be exact) and the biscuit would be stale and soggy by that time. So I decided to make strawberry shortcake cupcakes. 

I toyed with the idea of doing a strawberry cake with strawberry frosting, but I couldn't find a good strawberry cake recipe that was well reviewed (if anyone has one, it would be much appreciated).  I instead went with a vanilla cake with strawberry jam frosting.

I used a recipe from Billy's Bakery, a famed cupcake bakery in NYC, but the recipe was a little strange. The dry ingredients are mixed in with the butter until the butter is just coated.  The wet ingredients are then added, but not overmixed.  So I ended up with a batter filled with little lumps of butter.  So I broke a cardinal baker's rule and turned the speed up until high and beat. For, like, 2 minutes.

I know. I know.  I need to be banned to baker's detention.  But I didnt' want lumps of butter in my cupcakes!

Luckily, the cupcakes still came out light and fluffy, with a supremely tender crumb. I wanted to add a little more pizzaz to the cupcakes. I hollowed out the middle of the cupcake and filled it with diced fresh strawberries.

 

That little adjustment took these cupcakes from good to great!  The soft vanilla cake was the perfect vessel for perfectly sweet, ripe strawberries and a deliciously creamy strawberry frosting.

Luckily, the birthday girl was very happy with the surprise treats that awaited her at the end the night.  And I was happy with a new springtime cupcake creation. 

But seriously, on another note, what is up with March? Where was the whole "In like a lion, out like a lamb?" thing? Why did we have temps in the 70s in the middle of the month, but temps in the 40s and low 50s (getting as low as the 30s!) towards the end???

Out like a lamb, my ... butt.  

Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes

Cupcakes (cupcake recipe adapted from Billy's Bakery via Martha Stewart)

1 3/4 cup cake flour (not self-rising)
1 1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
3/4 tsp salt
1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), cut into 1-inch cubes
4 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/2 pint fresh strawberries, cut into a small dice

Frosting

12 tsbp unsalted butter, softened
4 cups confectioner's sugar, sifted
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2-3 tbsps milk
Strawberry Jam

For the cupcakes:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line cupcake pans with paper liners; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine flours, sugar, baking powder, and salt; mix on low speed until combined. Add butter, mixing until just coated with flour.

In a large glass measuring cup, whisk together eggs, milk, and vanilla. With mixer on medium speed, add wet ingredients in 3 parts, scraping down sides of bowl before each addition; beat until ingredients are incorporated but do not overbeat.

Divide batter evenly among liners, filling about 2/3 full. Bake, rotating pan halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 17 to 20 minutes.

Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat process with remaining batter.

Once the cupcakes have cooled, use a small, serrated knife (I actually like to use the hollow end of a piping tip) to cut the centers out of the cupcakes (about 1/2" in diameter).  Be careful not to go all of the way through the cupcakes. You want to cut the hole about 2/3 of the way down the cupcakes.  Fill the cupcakes with diced strawberries. Repeat with remaining cupcakes.

Frost the tops of each cupcake. Decorate with sprinkles, if desired. Serve at room temperature.

For the frosting:

In a medium bowl, using a handheld electric mixer, beat the softened butter at medium speed until smooth. Add the confectioners’ sugar, vanilla extract and salt and beat the mixture at low speed just until combined. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat until smooth. Add the milk and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.  Mix the frosting and the jam, to taste.

TWD: Dulce De Leche Duos

 

Do any of you watch 30 Rock?  If so, you'll know about Liz Lemon's claim to fame "Deal breakers".  Basically, Liz Lemon finds things that are dealbreakers in relationships and she'll say, "That's a deal breaker!"

For example, Liz goes on a talkshow and doles out advice to audience members. "You have sexually transmitted crazy mouth! Deal breaker!" she tells one woman.

Well, Liz finally gets a book deal, which then turns into a TV deal and Liz imagines herself as a star as she sings, "I'm a STAR! I'm on TOP! Somebody bring me some HAAAAAAM!"

Well, these cookies are what I call "Diet breakers".  And my version of the song goes, "I love these!  These are great! Somebody roll me out of HEEEEERE!!!"

Really.  I mean, just really.  These cookies are dangerous. Soft and chewy dulce de leche cookeis (DULCE DE LECHE COOKIES) filled with more creamy dulce de leche and then sandwiched with another soft and chewy dulce de leche cookie (DULCE DE LECHE COOKIE!).

Heaven. Sublime. Diet breaker.

Check out Jodie of Beansy Loves Cake for the amazing (AMAZING!!) recipe.

Bourbon-Infused Mississippi Mud Cake

  

A while back, I mentioned a friendly cooking competition created by a friend of mine.  Each month, several judges, tasters, and cooks meet at her apartment and compete in a themed cooking competition.  For March, the theme was "Oscar Movies" (the competition took place the night before Oscar Night) and my movie was "The Blind Side".

I was at a loss.  Do I make football food?  Thanksgiving food (thinking back to the Thanksgiving dinner scene in the movie)?  Tacos (the father owned hundreds of Taco Bell stores)?

Then, I thought, what if I make something that represents the town where he came from?  I wasn't sure I was going to go that route, but then I spoke with another good friend of mine (who actually is one of the esteemed judges) and she also suggested doing a regional dish.  I was sold.

So I chose Mississippi Mud Cake, since Michael Oher, the main character, chose to go to college and play for Ole Miss, keeping in his family's tradition.

I know, I should have said spoiler alert. But it's a true story.  That's like saying "(SPOILER ALERT), the Titanic doesn't make it."

Now, I had never tried Mississippi Mud Pie.  All I knew about it was that it was a very popular dessert, believed to be created after World War II made with simple ingredients that could be found at any supermarket. I scoured through tons of recipes before I found the King Arthur Flour recipe.  They rarely falter, so I knew I wanted to base my creation off of their recipe.

I wanted to make some changes.  I wanted to make this a "Rags to Riches" Mississippi Mud Pie, since Michael Oher went from being a foster child, running between homes, to an adopted child of a very wealthy family. So I decided to use Scharffen Berger Chocolate for the ganache and I wanted to freshly melt real marshmallows on top of the fluff. And I wanted to do one more thing. I wanted to add alcohol.

Shocker.

I wasn't sure if standard Mississippi Mud Pies ever included bourbon, so I tweeted my question:

Tradionally, does Mississippi Mud Pie ever include Bourbon?

I received lots of "no"s, "not traditionally"s, and "I've never had it with Bourbon"s.  But then Susan of Doughmesstic wrote to me, "If it doesn't, then you should MAKE it a tradition!"

HOLLA!

I was sold yet again. Bourbon it was.  So I got to work.  I baked my cake, infused it with a Bourbon simple syrup, toasted my pecans, created my chocolate ganache  that I also infused with bourbon that would be drizzled on the cake and packed up my marshamllows and fluff and hit the subway.

The competition at the event was tough. These were some very talented chefs.  The Judges dined on Profiterole "IED"s filled with olive oil ice cream and chocolate sauce representing "The Hurt Locker", an amazing Blueberry Basil sorbet topped with Blue Cheese and served with an apple slaw that maybe sounded a little out there but was one of the best things I have EVER EATEN for Avatar, and Chicken Mole served in wonton cups for UP (because they tried to capture the chicken using chocolate, brilliant idea!) among many others. When it was my turn to plate, I was all arms. Because I brought my creme brulee torch.  As I explained my concept, I went around to each plate, warning the judges to sit back as I torched their marshmallows.

Note to readers:  If you are ever trying to impress judges, bring a torch. Always fun. But only for food.  Not if it is a wood building contest.

Alas, I didn't win, but I did receive an honorable mention as the judges called this cake "Lick the plate good".  But it wasn't the most creative as the dishes I mentioned above were (and they were incredible creative.  All of those ideas were phenomenal), but it doesn't change the fact that this cake is INCREDIBLE. IN. CRE. DI. BLE.  Soft chocolate cake infused with a Bourbon simple syrup, drizzled with rich chocolate ganache, gooey marshmallow fluff, crunchy toasted pecans, and of course, torched marshmallows.

Rags to riches, indeed.

Bourbon Infused Mississippi Mud Cake (adapted from King Arthur Flour)

Cake
1 cup (2 sticks, 8 ounces) butter
1/3 cup (1 ounce) Dutch-process cocoa
1 cup (8 ounces) hot water
2 cups (8 1/2 ounces) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
2 cups (14 ounces) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon espresso powder
1/2 cup (4 ounces) sour cream
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla

Bourbon Simple Syrup
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
2 tbsp bourbon (I used Jim Beam, keeping it real "down home")

Topping
2 cups (11 ounces) Marshmallow Fluff or marshmallow crème
1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips or finely chopped semisweet or bittersweet chocolate
1/2 cup (4 ounces) heavy cream
1 cup diced, toasted pecans
2 cups marshmallows

Equipment: Creme brulee torch (optional)

Cake: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9" x 13" cake pan, or our 2-quart casserole pan.

Melt the butter, then stir in the cocoa and hot water. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, sugar, soda, salt, and espresso powder. Pour the cocoa mixture over the dry ingredients, stirring to blend; the mixture will be a bit lumpy. Add the sour cream, eggs, and vanilla, beating till nearly smooth; a few small lumps may remain.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake the cake for 30 to 45 minutes (longer for the casserole pan), or until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove the cake from the oven. Immediately poke holes throughout the cake with a fork and brush the bourbon simple syrup onto the cake.(I actually did not do this next step. When I made the cake, I melted the fluff in the microwave and spooned it onto the cake before serving) Wait 1 minute, then spoon on the marshmallow; wait another 2 minutes, and gently spread the marshmallow over the surface of the cake. Allow it to cool to lukewarm, at least 1 hour.

Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl.  Bring heavy cream to a boil in a saucepan over medium high heat. Immediately pour over chopped chocolate and let sit for 30 seconds.  With a wooden spoon or silicone spatula, stir until the chocolate has just melted and the mixture becomes smooth (do not over mix).  Top with the diced nuts and marshmallows.  If desired, toast marshmallows.  Yield: 1 rich cake, about 3 dozen servings.

Soba Noodles with Grilled Shrimp

 
 

I've become newly obsessed with spinning. Not in-a-circle-with-my-arms-outstreched-until-I-feel-like-I-want-to-vomit spinning, but actual spin class.  

I was a spinning newbie up until a few weeks ago. Then, I walked into this new state-of-the-art spin studio down in Chelsea.  I walked sheepishly to the counter and asked how to register.  The pretty girl behind the counter handed me a waiver and a pair of shoes with metal clumps on the bottom.

Now, I am always wary when I have to sign something that says, "We are not responsible for your death." Especially when all I am doing is riding a stationary bike. But seriously, I thought, what are these metal things? 

I walk into the spin studio and see women on their bikes, spinning furiously (class hadn't started yet) and chatting away with one another.  I found my way to my bike and began to examine.  The pedals were tiny little magnetic bars. OK.  So these attach to my feet. 

Um?

I got on the bike and tried to attach my feet to the medal bars.  Of course, I slipped right off, knocking off the little meter showing the Torq and Resistance. CLANG! CRASH!

Great.  I'm that girl right now. I thought to myself, as I sheepishly tried to get back on. After I finally was able to keep my balance on the seat, I struggled with attaching my feet to the medal bars.  Finally, I heard the click and suddenly, I was locked in.  No way out now. 

Now, I am a workout nut. I love working out. I love athletic challenges.  So I. Loved. Spinning.  I didn't want to stop.  The studio has a Torq Board where you can see your position against all of the other spinners in the class on a large screen in the front of the room.  Some people call that torture.  I call that... well, I guess it is torture. I didn't sign up for it and was glad that I didn't. 

Class was over and it was time to stretch.  The instructor told us to unlock our feet (such an odd statement).  Of course, I did not know how to do that.  I pressed the red release knob and of course, nothing.  I struggled and pulled but my feet were stuck.

This sucks. I'm totally that girl.

I gave up and just pulled my feet out of my shoes, falling forcefully backwards as I released myself.  Luckily, I was in the back row. I stretched and ran out before the lights went on, just to save face.

I went back the next day.  Some may call me a masochist.  But I loved it. 

In the March 2010 Issue of Food and Wine Magazine, Editor-In-Chief Dana Cowin stated that she wanted to redirect the focus of the recipes in F&W to feature healthier recipes.  

I'm down for some healthy recipes. It energizes me when I get stuck on my spin bike. 

So I tried the cover recipe from the magazine.  Soba noodles, tossed with a tamari-soy sauce sauce,topped with lime marinated shrimp and sprinkled with pan-fried garlic and shallots, cilantro and scallions. 

Easy enough.

It was quick to make and smelled delicious.  But I was a bit disappointed with it.  I found the sauce to be very salty on the already salty soba noodles. Sure, I loved the crisp garlic and shallots, the lime flavored cilantro (and I never like cilantro) and the scallions.  And the lime shrimp were incredible.  But I wasn't crazy about the dish.

But the next day. Oh, the next day was different. The flavors mellowed.  The sauce became a subtle coating to the tender noodles.  The lime flavor of the shrimp was even more pronounced.  Definitely a winner.  A nice, healthy winner.

Click here for the recipe.

TWD: Soft Raspberry and Chocolate Tart

 
I have to apologize to all the TWDers for this late post.  I have been working tirelessly on a very important (and totally awesome) project for something that I really, really want. And when I say tirelessly, I mean three-to-four-hours-of-sleep-a-night-and-then-living-at-my-desk tirelessly.  But if I get said thing that I really, really want, I'm going to go all Johnny Weir style and dress up in sequins and do triple luxes or whatever they are called. 

So yeah, I'm tired. And this post will be short (FINALLY! A Short post! You're all probably thinking, "Yeah, right."  And you're all probably right).

This was a tasty tart but maybe not my favorite.  And I HATE saying bad things about anything Dorie creates, or anything any fellow blogger picks, or any dessert in general, because really, that's just blasphemy. I don't have anything bad to say, per say, it just wasn't my favorite.  But it was still warm when I had a bite, so I'm going to give it a second bite when it cools down. 

The crust, as always, was tasty.  And chocolate and raspberries are a winning combination.  But I think the filling was a bit too soft in my opinion.  I was hoping for a more truffle-like texture, but I think the use of the eggs gave it the texture it has.

I did, however, LOVE the cocoa whipped cream that I made to top this tart.  I'm going to make it all of the time and use it as a pillow.

Mmm... sleep. 

Wow. I'm tired.  I don't even know what I'm writing right now. My mind is so jumbled that I just realized I actually titled this "Soft Raserry and Pear Tart" (actually spelled Raserry). Yes, it is St. Patrick's Day. No, I am not drunk.

Check out Rachelle of Mommy I'm Hungry for what I'm sure is actually a delicious tart that I'll love in an hour or two from now. Or after a nap. 

Seriously, go look at the photo on her page. WOW. 

And check out the rest of TWD! 

 

Bailey's Caramel Irish Cream Truffles

 

I. Love. These. Truffles.

If you've read this blog long enough, you'll know that I love adding alcohol to dishes at any available chance. Some may call that a problem, I call that good taste.

A few weeks back, Tracey of Tracey's Culinary Adventures posted a truffle recipe, and they have been on my mind ever since. I have never tried to tackle truffles and I know they are not all that difficult, so I decided to go for it.  

I looked at many different recipes, but finally decided to just throw a million recipes together into one deliciously tiny, creamy bite.  Truffle recipes suggest different types of alcohols for filling: Grand Marnier, Kirsch, Kahlua, you name it.  But frankly, I was feeling quite lazy that day and didn't want to walk to walk the two blocks to the liquor store.  I looked through my available liquors:  Tequila (shudder), Dewars (gross), Cucumber and Rosewater scented gin (interesting, but no thanks), Schnapps (huh?), Jim Beam (double huh?)... Caramel Baileys. Bingo.

Now, I love me some Baileys.  I like to pour a little bit on chocolate ice cream and indulge my senses a bit.  But I had never heard of a Bailey's truffle.  So I decided to invent it. And it's a perfect treat for St. Patrick's Day! 

I adapted the Joy of Baking Truffle Recipe with the Cooks Illustrated Chocolate Truffle method, incorporating their method of mixing the chocolate with butter and cream, letting it set, and then whipping it until it is light and fluffy. Sure, chocolate flew everywhere, and I'm sure if I look closely, I can still find tiny little nuggets of Bailey's chocolate gripping onto a cabinet door in my kitchen.  But at least my truffles are creamy! 

I saw that most truffles were rolled in cocoa powder or some sort of nut or coconut flakes.  But I love that delicious chocolate shell that pops in your mouth as you bite down, pushing the smooth chocolate out through the crevices.  I knew that involved tempering chocolate, which is annoying, but totally worth the outcome.  The shell came out beautifully smooth (until I decided to touch them and then got my grubby little prints all over them) and crisp, and I was left with 60 dangerously delicious little bites.

To. Die. For.  Remember that scene at the beginning of Julie and Julia, where Meryl Street takes a bite of the fish in the buerre blanc sauce (or was it Sole Meunier?) and can't even get out any words, so she just mumbles, and stutters, and moans and giggles so wonderfully? Well, that was me (even though Meryl looked better doing it. Love her.).

Unbelievable. Love. Cannot express. Want more. Seriously. So, so good. Had to give away because I could have eaten 10 at a time. ACK! Why? 

Sigh. 

Bailey's Caramel Irish Cream Chocolate Truffles

8 ounces (227 grams) bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine 
3/4 cup (180 ml) heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons (28 grams) unsalted butter
2 tablespoons alcohol (Cognac, brandy, Grand Marnier, kirsch, rum, bourbon, or Kahlua to name a few) (optional)
1/4 cup Bailey's Irish Cream (any flavor is fine)

Coating

8 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped (about 1 1/3 cup)
2 ounces extra chocolate, in 1 or 2 chunks

For Truffles: Place the chopped chocolate in a medium sized stainless steel bowl. Set aside.  Heat the cream and butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil.  Immediately pour the boiling cream over the chocolate and allow to stand for 5 minutes. Stir with a whisk until smooth.  If desired, add the liqueur. 

Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until cool and texture resembles firm cream cheese, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. (If mixture has chilled for longer and is very stiff, let stand at room temperature for 1 hour.)

With an electric mixer, beat the mixture at high speed until fluffy, mousse-like, and the mixture forms medium stiff peaks, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes.

Spread the mixture into a shallow pan and freeze until firm enough to scoop, at least 3 hours.

Have ready a bowl of hot water, a melon baller, a sheet pan lined with wax paper, and the firm filling. Dip the melon baller into the water and wipe dry. Scoop out a scant 1-inch ball of the filling. Set on the prepared sheet and repeat with the remaining truffle base. If you don’t have a melon-baller, use a sharp knife to cut the base into little squares. Roll each piece between your fingers.

Freeze the filling again until firm, about 1 hour.

If you prefer to have the shell on the truffles, follow these instructions on David Lebovitz's page to temper the chocolate. If you don't want to, just roll the truffles in nuts or unsweetened cocoa powder and call it a day! 

Line another sheet pan with wax paper.

Using a fork to cradle the filling, dip the filling in the bowl of melted chocolate and coat with chocolate. The the excess drip off, then place on wax paper.  Repeat with remaining truffles. Store for up to 1 week in an air-tight container. 

 

Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Pear, Potato and Bacon Salad and a Rosemary Mayonnaise

 
 

This is yet another recipe that I am revisiting from a page in the history of Spork or Foon?  The last time I wrote about this recipe, back in April of 2009, I discussed the friendly cooking competition that took place between Jack and myself.  Jack was an incredible cook. He was the reason I started cooking. But I never wanted to admit to Jack that sometimes his dishes were, in fact, better than mine for two reasons: 1. he's likely to rub it in a lot and 2. I'm a big baby. 

Well, since April of 2009, Jack has completely stopped cooking.  His reason, he states, is because "Why would I cook when I have a girlfriend who cooks everything perfectly?" 

First of all, I don't cook everything perfectly. I make mistakes. I'm human.  And if people tell me the food is good, I don't believe them.

But it is nice to hear.

Jack has gone so far in his self-imposed cooking strike that he doesn't even help me prep food anymore.

"Hey, Jack can you chop this onion for me?"

"I don't know how."

So. Ridiculous.

So when I was searching my archives for a meal to prepare for dinner and came across the aforementioned blog post, I had to chuckle to myself.  And I wonder, what do I like more?  Not being told that I come in 2nd place in this household or not having someone help me chop an onion.

It is a question for the ages. 

At least this dish is as good as ever.  I actually forgot how good it was.  It is another Top Chef Recipe, this time by Dale of Season 3.  It features a deliciously moist pork tenderloin perched atop a salad of roasted potatoes, crisp haricot verts, diced onions quickly cooked in red wine vinegar and a bit of sugar to give it a wonderful, almost-pickled flavor, sweet and tender pears and bacon. Sweet, sweet bacon. And of course, the incredible rosemary mayonnaise flavored with woody rosemary, soy sauce, and delicate honey that adds the perfect finish to an already wonderful dish.

Grilled Pork Tenderloin - from Top Chef

Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Pear:

2 pork tenderloins, silver skin removed

2 pears, peeled, diced

2T butter

Salt and pepper to taste

Potato & Bacon Salad:

1 lb new potatoes, cubed (in water until use)

4T extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

1/4 lb haricot vert, blanched, shocked

1 red onion, diced small

1/2 cup red wine vinegar

1/4 cup sugar

8 slices bacon, cooked to crisp

3T sherry vinegar

Rosemary Vinaigrette:

2 egg yolks

1/4 cup sherry vinegar

1T Dijon

1 cup grapeseed oil

1/4 cup rosemary (ground in spice grinder)

2t soy sauce

1t honey

Salt and pepper to taste

Potato & Bacon Salad:

Toss potatoes in olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast at 450 degrees until golden but not overcooked, about 1 hour. Cut blanched and shocked haricots into bite-sized-pieces. Place diced red onion in nonreactive pot with red wine vinegar and sugar; bring to boil and remove. Let cool and strain. Cook bacon until very crispy and drain on paper towels. 

Rosemary Mayonnaise:

Place yolks, vinegar and Dijon in blender. Slowly drizzle in oil until thick. Add in other ingredients and season to taste with remaining ingredients.  (If you want, you can use pre-made mayonnaise and just add rosemary, honey, and soy sauce).

Pork:

Grill pork until done, about 2-3 minutes on each side, depending on size of the tenderloin.  Saute pears in butter until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Season with Salt and Pepper.

To Serve:

- Season pork tenderloins and grill until desired doneness. 

- In a large bowl, toss roasted potatoes, haricot verts, onions, bacon and pears with sherry vinegar.  If it has cooled, heat up potato salad. 

- Top with slices of pork and rosemary mayonnaise.

TWD: Ginormous Strawberry and Pistachio Thumbprint Cookies

Winter must have read my haiku because it looks like it has finally left the Northern Hemisphere.

You can all thank me later.

But in all seriousness, it seems that the dreary days of rain, sleet, snow, and holing up at home until the thermometer passes 40F on a consistent basis are over.  Birds have returned North, singing their lovely songs as they perch on tree branches adorned with tiny green buds.  I can hear the sounds of children playing on the streets of Manhattan below.  I can run outdoors and feel the cool breeze of the Hudson River caress my face as I run along Riverside Park, or smell the nascent flowers as I join the joggers in Central Park to get my daily dose of cardio.  The only thing missing are the sounds of lawnmowers mowing and the smell of fresh cut grass, but unfortunately there is very little grass in Manhattan, so I'll just have to recall those scents and sounds from my childhood memories. Or find a patch of grass and wait until someone comes and mows it, but that would just be weird. 

 

I have recently stocked up on delicious, fresh strawberries that only cost $3.50 a pint ($3.50 a pint!) from the vegetable carts on the street.  They are one of my favorite things about this city. I can buy crappy strawberries at the supermarket for $6.00 a pint ($6.00 a pint!) or I can get them from the wily vendor on the street corner who always tries to get me to spend more money by offering me a taste of a cherry, then placing a whole bag of cherries in my hand to get me to buy them, but I'm smarter than that and resist his advances. So away I walk with my deliciously inexpensive strawberries, humming to myself as I walk back to my apartment, passing young mothers on their daily walks with baby carriages in tow and dogs trailing by their sides.

I love Spring. 

These are the perfect spring cookie.  I wanted to change the flavors from raspberry and hazelnuts to strawberries and pistachios to celebrate the oncoming of the new season.  I followed the traditional route and cooked some strawberry jam, spooned it into the depths of the cookie, and waited for it to cool so it would become deliciously smooth and slightly chewy to contrast with the soft crunch of the cookie, but I also decided to macerate some strawberries and pool the freshly macerated strawberries into the thumb-made canyon of the cookies. Now THOSE were extraordinary.  The sweet, juicy strawberries still had a little texture and were absolutely phenomenal.  If me trying this cookie were a daytime commercial, little cartoon birds would have flown around my head as I raised my head and took a deep breath and smiled as I chewed as the voiceover artist spoke my inner monologue. But beware, they need to be eaten right away, because the macerated strawberries will make the cookies soft and they will fall apart.  But eating them right away was fine by me. 

 

Happy Spring. :) 

 

Check out Mike of Ugly Dude Food for the recipe and don't forget to look at the rest of TWD!