Thursday, September 25, 2008

Quick and Easy Cannoli

Why?

I needed dessert for four in a hurry!


What?

Okay, so I didn’t make these cratered, crunchy, creamy cannoli, but I was clever enough to hunt them down! I bought these at Jennifer Glasgow’s Fine Sweet Shop in Eastern Market (7th Street & North Carolina Avenue, SE - Washington, D.C.) The cannoli were delicious; crispy, crunchy outside and creamy, not-too-sweet inside. The Fine Sweet Shop also carries a variety of cookies, cakes, and cookies; some elegant, some simple. This was the first item I’ve bought from them, but they are now my go-to place for desserts.


I served them to friends for dessert the other night with a scoop of Laloo’s brand goat’s milk ice cream from Whole Foods.


How Much?

Cannoli - $9.00 ($2.25 each)

Ice Cream - $3.98

Total - $11.98


The Recipe:

Well…ya’ drive to Eastern Market with 9-bucks in your pocket.

Sunday, September 7, 2008

Figs are in season!

"I might try to plant a fig tree. A man's entitled to that, isn't he?" - Zefram Cochrane

Why?
I planted a fig tree in the backyard about four years ago (thank you Joanie and Lawrence!) and this year it is mega-producing.
Our figs are a vibrant green tinged with yellow when ripe and have a gorgeous pomegranate-pink inside. They are delicious to eat plucked right off the tree. It reminds me of the farm I grew up on where we grew apples, cherries, apricots and more. They were so good fresh off the tree. Now, with such an abundance of figs, I thought I’d try them in a recipe.


What?
Last night I made Figs Wrapped in Bacon as an appetizer.
I'd looked at similar recipes online and I created this one myself. I stuffed the figs with creamy, white goat cheese, wrapped them in bacon, and hit them with a little freshly ground black pepper just before they went the oven for a few minutes.

How much?

Figs – free

Goat Cheese - $1.80

Bacon - $1.00

Total - $2.80



The Recipe

Figs Wrapped in Bacon

Serves 2

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15-minutes

Ingredients:

6 fresh figs

2-oz goat cheese

3 strips bacon, sliced in half lengthwise

Freshly ground black pepper

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 375-degrees

2. Slice a fig vertically down to about the center. Stuff fig with about a teaspoon of goat cheese. Wrap the half bacon strip around the stuffed fig and secure with a toothpick. Repeat with remaining figs.

3. Arrange stuffed figs on a baking sheet lined in parchment paper. Give each fig a grind or two of black pepper. Bake until back starts to crisp, 12 – 15 minutes.

4. Allow to cool about 5 minutes before serving.


The Results

As I mentioned, this was my first cut at this recipe. I think it worked pretty well. The warm creamy goat cheese blended well with the warm creamy fig. However, my figs are not really that sweet. The flavor contrast I'd wanted between the salty bacon and sweet fruit was too subtle. Next time I will try using a mild blue cheese. That should give the same creamy results but with some added flavor. To enhance the sweetness I’ll try a little honey on each fig.

End Note: I am also thinking about a “raw” version of this recipe using prosciutto instead of bacon and skipping the oven!

Wednesday, September 3, 2008

Beef Stew on a Wednesday night?

More often than I like to admit, I come across a recipe that I obsess about trying. It’s like a song stuck in my head, I keep thinking about it and it has be made. My latest fixation is Joues de Boeuf aux Agrumes (Beef Cheeks Braised in Red Wine with Orange Zest) from the September 2008 issue of Gourmet Magazine.

Why?

An obsession is a preoccupation with an often unreasonable object or idea. What could be unreasonable about making a beef stew? Well for one, it was 90-degrees outside today and a stew seems a bit too hearty. Also, it’s a weeknight; the beef has to braise for 3-hours. We’ll be eating at 10pm! Oh well, I’m cooking on the right side of my brain, logic and reason don’t usually play center stage.

What?

For this recipe, I am using the chuck roast from Brookville Market (since beef cheeks are a little scarce this side of the Atlantic). I also have a huge red onion and a package of rainbow baby carrots (white, yellow, and orange). My wine is Fish Eye Cabernet Sauvignon.

How much?

Meat - $9.62

Onion- $1.15

Carrots - $2.99

Wine - $8.99

Total $22.75

The Recipe

Joues de Boeuf aux Agrumes

(Beef Cheeks Braised in Red Wine with Orange Zest)

Serves 4

  • Active time:45 min
  • Start to finish:3 1/4 hr

September 2008

The flavor of the wine looms large in this meaty braise, lending an extraordinary savoriness to the melt-in-your-mouth carrots. For more recipes inspired by the City of Light, visit our Paris City Guide.

2 lb beef cheeks or boneless beef chuck roast

2 tablespoons grapeseed or vegetable oil

1 lb onions, coarsely chopped

1 lb baby carrots, peeled

1 (750-ml) bottle dry red wine

6 to 8 (3- by 1-inch) strips of orange zest

  1. Preheat oven to 350° with rack in middle.
  2. If using chuck, cut across grain into 4 pieces.
  3. Pat beef dry and season with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. Heat oil in a 4- to 6-qt heavy pot over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Brown beef on all sides, 6 to 10 minutes total. Transfer to a plate with tongs.
  4. Add onions, carrots, 3/4 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper to pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened, 8 to 10 minutes. Add wine and zest and bring to a boil. Add beef and return to a boil. Cover pot and braise in oven until meat is very tender, 2 to 4 hours (beef cheeks take longer than chuck). Season with salt and pepper. Serve beef with carrots and sauce.

The Results

Post script: YUM! The meat and veggies were wonderful, velvety done! The stew’s broth was very thin. I scooped out the meat and most of the veggies and then used an immersion blender to puree the rest into a thicker sauce. Next time I will dredge the beef in flour to thicken the sauce as it cooks.