Apple Cider Foccacia

I am always looking for low-fat and fat-free treats to balance out my richer offerings.  This recipe eliminates all the oil and uses apple cider to give the bread a slight sweetness and a tender texture.  I used fast rise yeast but you can also use regular yeast and give it extra time to rise.  With the fast rise, it makes a great last-minute addition to dinner or brunch.

The main recipe is below and you can top the bread simply with kosher salt and rosemary or other herbs, brandy soaked apples as in the picture, or carmelized onions.

Apple Cider Foccocia

1. 1 cup fresh Apple Cider
   1 cup water
   2 Pkgs Rapid Rise Yeast
   4 1/2 to 5 cup Flour
   1/2 tsp Salt
   Oil or Non-Stick SPray for pans

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
Warm the water and cider together to 110 to 115 degrees
Add warm water and cider to the yeast in a large bowl or mixer
Stir in flour and salt to make a sticky dough
Knead additional flour into the dough by hand until it is smooth and soft but not sticky
Allow to rise about 20 minutes until doubled in size
Oil or spray two 8″ round baking pans
Pat half of the dough into each pan
Top with your choice of toppings
Bake for about 25 minutes until brown on top.  The bread should have a slightly hollow sound when tapped.

Potato Muffins

My Dad used to make potato puffs as a fancy and easy to serve alternative to mashed potatoes for large dinner parties.  Everyone loved them. 

Over the years, I have adapted the recipe;  adding a sweet potato version, making them with matzoh for passover,  and  baking them in muffin tins rather than scooping them onto a baking tray.  The first time years ago that my best friend’s daughter tried them she called them “potato muffins” and, although they are not really muffins, the name just stuck. 

The basic recipe is white or sweet potatoes mashed with butter and for white potatoes a little milk.  The mashed potatoes are then chilled and mixed with eggs and plain bread crumbs until stiff enough to hold their shape.   Then the real fun begins. 

I mix the sweet potato version with a bit of honey and spices and top with pecans.  Sometimes I mix in a little crushed pineapple and top with cinnamon sugar.

For white potatoes, I add cheddar cheese, sour cream, and a sprinkle of paprika on top.  Sometimes I add wasabi and green onions.  Anything that tastes good in a baked potato would probably work well in your muffins.

This weekend I am making mini potato muffins with bacon and goat cheese for a cocktail party.

I hope you will try these and let me know if you come up with any great new flavors!

Red Bean and Ginger Sufganiyot

 

Just before Rosh Hashonna I ate something that changed my view of Jewish Holiday food.  At an event called Beyond Bubbies Kitchen,  Chef Ming Tsai made brisket pot stickers.  Biting into one of these tender little dumplings was like having all of the  flavors of the holiday one tiny delicious package.  It had me begging for more (sneaking into line for seconds) but it also started me thinking about including more of the Asian flavors that my family loves in some of our traditional holiday fare.

For many years, as soon as Hanukkah started, I made batches of Sufganiyot, the little jelly donuts popular during the holidays.  Along with piles of traditional latkes, vegetable tsimmis , and cranberry rugulach, these were my holiday standards.  Not this year!   A quick trip to HMart and we had everything we needed for the experiment in East-West Hanukkah happiness. 

I used my standard donut recipe and made small donut hole sized treats, we then filled them with red bean paste and rolled them in ginger sugar.  I wanted to take some pictures but they just kept disappearing even while very warm from the fryer.  Finally I kicked my family out of the kitchen, catured the image and then ate the evidence.  The recipe is below if you want to try something new for the holidays.  Happy Hanukkah! 

Red Bean and Ginger Sufganiyot

1 cup Milk
1/2 cup Water
2 Tbs Butter
3 1/2 cups Flour
1 Tbs Rapid Rise Yeast
2 Tbs Sugar
1/2 tsp dried lemon peel (optional)
oil for frying
Prepared Red Bean Paste for filling
Ginger Sugar (see below)

Heat the milk, butter, and water until very warm
Mix yeast, sugar, lemon peel, and one cup flour in a large bowl or mixer
Add the warm milk mixture to the flour mixture
Beat well
Add additional flour to make a soft dough
Knead the dough adding flour as needed to make it soft but not sticky
Allow to rise until doubled
Pull off small pieces (about 1 inch) and roll into balls
Allow to rest for about 10 minutes
Fry in small batches until golden brown
Cool slightly then roll in ginger sugar
Using a pastry bag, fill with red bean paste

Ginger Sugar
1/2 cup Sugar
2-3 pieces of Crystalized Ginger

Place in a food processor and process until fine

Roasted Root Vegetable Salad

I created this salad to showcase the variety of produce available at the farmers markets in November in Massachusetts.  I served it at  the Public Radio Kitchen Meet Up, Eat Up event last week. 

 

You can substitute any root vegetables that you find at the market but I used:

Kimball Fruit Farm Carrots (yellow, apricot, bright orange) and Onions
Grateful Farm Fennel bulbs
Busa Farms Beets (gold, red, and purple), Carrots, and Red Leaf Lettuce
Four Town Farm Macomber Turnips

The vegetables were all roasted in the oven until tender and then dressed while still warm with the fig, lemon, ginger dressing below.  I then chilled everything overnight.  To serve the salad, the vegetables were arranged over red leaf lettuce and a bit of extra dressing was drizzled over the entire salad.  This would make a lovely light supper with a selection of New England cheeses, a crunchy loaf of bread, and a nice glass of white wine.

 Fig, Lemon, & Ginger Vinegar Dressing
3 Tbs Fig Jam (homemade or store bought)
1/3 cup Balsamic Vinegar
2 Tbs Water
2 Tbs Olive Oil
1 1/2 tsp Crystalized Ginger (finely chopped)
1 tsp Fresh Lemon Juice
¼ tsp Lemon Zest

Blend all ingredients in a small bowl with a whisk or in a food processor
Chill until ready to serve

Fireplace Beans for Thanksgiving–warm tummy, toasty toes…

A simple sack of dried beans, a bottle of beer, a warm fire (or oven) and a good  night’s sleep are the recipe for classic New England comfort food.  The idea of cooking and baking in the fireplace has always seemed so inviting to me.  One hundred and fifty years ago, in the agricultural center that was Arlington, MA, I imagine an exhausted farmer’s wife tending the kitchen fire, soaking the beans saved and dried from the summer.  She could not even dream of something so magical as my restaurant style range and convention oven and yet her I was at least for a moment wanting to take her place. 

I will save details of fireplace cooking for another post, but you can also easily do this recipe in the oven overnight and either way it is a wonderful taste of another time.  You can use traditional white navy beans or many other types.  I decided on some beautiful red beans we found at Christina’s in Cambridge.  I chose to make a vegetarian recipe which works better for some of my family but some pork would be a lovely and traditional addition.  I hope you will enjoy the recipe below!

Fireplace Beans
1 pound White or Red Beans
1  quart Vegetable Stock
1/2 large Onion-sliced
1 bottle Lager Beer
4 oz Tomato Paste
1/4 cup Buckwheat Honey
1/3 cup Brown Sugar
2 Tbs Brown Mustard
1 Tbs Cider Vinegar
Salt & Pepper to taste

Soak beans overnight or boil for 10 minutes and soak for one hour.  Discard water.  Simmer beans in vegetable stock and onion for about two hours or until tender.  Drain beans and onions and reserve stock.  In a medium size cast iron dutch oven, mix the cooked beans with all remaining ingredients plus a cup and a half of the reserved stock.  Set the covered dutch oven on a cooking trivet or fire bricks over ash and coals in the corner of the fireplace or a place in the middle of a 225 degree oven.  Tend the fire as needed if cooking in fireplace.  Cook for about 8 hours, checking once or twice to make sure the mixture is not too dry.    If necessary, add a bit more of the cooking stock.  After 8 hours, remove the lid and sprinkle with a bit more brown sugar and cook for an additional hour.  Serve warm.  This recipe reheats very well and the flavor gets better the second day.

 

 

 

 

 

Fall Party Cocktails

A friend is having a drinks and desserts holiday party and she asked my advice on what to serve for cocktails, that were traditional but interesting; both alcoholic and non alcoholic. 

I was ready to suggest the usual nogs and spiced rums but I thought something lighter might be nice with all those rich desserts.  Into the kitchen I went and started playing with seasonal flavors and tasting, tasting, tasting. 

OK perhaps I had a little too much fun (giggle) but I came up with some nice choices pictured to the left.  Below are the recipes if you would like to try them for your holiday gatherings. Enjoy!

Cranberry Apple Fizzle
½ cup Cranberry Syrup (see below)
4 cups Apple Cider
1-1   ½ cups Lemon Seltzer 

In a tall pitcher, mix cranberry syrup and cider
Add seltzer just before serving
Pour a bit of good quality gin into champagne glasses and then add cranberry apple mixture
Also, great without the gin
Garnish with a skewer of cranberries

Cranberry Syrup
1 ½ cups Fresh Cranberries
¾ cup Sugar
¼ cup Water
Cinnamon stick

 Simmer all the ingredients for 20-30 minutes until cranberries get soft and release their juices
Strain the syrup and chill
Reserve the cooked cranberries to use in other recipes (tastes great mixed into applesauce)

 Port Orange
One part Tawny Port
Two  parts Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice
A touch of honey to taste (mix with a spoon of hot water to blend more easily)
Cinnamon stick
A few cloves stuck in an orange slice
Cointreau

 You can make just one glass or a batch of this in a pitcher. 
Chill before serving.
Garnish the glasses with a wedge of clove studded orange
Pour a drizzle of Cointreau on top

Market Wrap Up Party Treats

The last day of the season for the Arlington Farmers Market is traditionally a festive day with a party after pack up.  This year the bash was at the market managers house and I missed it!  Sometimes life hands you too many good things at once and I had tickets to the Big Event culinary celebration hosted by Jacques Pepin at Boston University.  So I said quick farewells to my farmer friends, many of whom I plan to visit over the winter and dropped off some desserts I made for the party.   

I heard that my chocolate pear tart (pictured left) was a big hit.  I used eggs from Golden Egg Farms, Tazo chocolate from Somerville, and sickle pears from Kimball Fruit Farms.  I made a simple tart crust and filled it with a chocolate, sour cream custard and then topped the tart with port and cinnamon poached pears.  I finished it with a drizzle of caramel made from the pear poaching liquid.

 

Chocolate Fig Feather Cake

I entered my first baking contest sponsored by King Arthur Flour a few weeks ago.  Facing some tough competition, my cake didn’t place but I got some wonderful feedback from the judges.  They thought the cake was beautiful and the ganache was perfect (pictred above) but the cake was a little light for the rich ganache-so I might find another cake to match it. 

I often make a similar cake with a light chocolate glaze and strawberries or raspberries as a garnish (recipe below). 

 

Mocha Cake Decorated with Fresh Strawberries
The beautiful bright red of ripe strawberries dresses up this rich cake made from local specialty ingredients found at the Arlington Farmers’ Market.

3 ounces good quality dark chocolate (I used Taza)
1 cup sugar
1 cup flour
1/3 cup unsalted butter
¼ cup cold strong coffee
¼ cold water
1 egg
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp cinnamon

Glaze
2 oz semi-sweet chocolate
1 ½ tablespoons butter
¾ cup powdered sugar
1 ½ Tablespoons cold strong coffee

Garnish
1 cup sliced strawberries
Several mint leaves or tops

For the Cake
1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Melt chocolate in double boiler or in a heavy pan over very low heat
3. Place chocolate aside to cool
4. Sift together flour , cinnamon
and baking soda in a small bowl
5. Mix together coffee and cold water
6. Cream butter and sugar in a large bowl or mixer
7. Add egg to the butter and sugar mixture and mix well
8. Add cooled chocolate to butter and sugar and mix well
9. Add ½ of the coffee and water to the butter and sugar and beat well
10. Add ½ of the flour mixture and continue beating
11. Add the remaining coffee and water and beat well
12. Add the remaining flour and beat until fully combined
13. Allow the batter to rest for a few minutes and then pour into a greased 9” layer cake pan
14. Bake for about 30 minutes until set and gently pulling away from the sides of the pan
15. Cool on a wire rack

For the glaze
1. Melt chocolate and butter in a heavy saucepan over low heat
2. Cool slightly and pour into the bowl of a mixer
3. Add coffee
4. Sift in powdered sugar
5. Beat until shiny and smooth
6. Pour over cake layer
7. Allow glaze to set

Finishing
Decorate with strawberries and mint

Prize Winning Pickles

My Peculiar Pickles won first prize at the Topsfield Fair this past weekend!  They were a combination of home grown cucumbers and those purchased at the Arlington Farmers Market and Heirloom tomatoes.  The big hit (and curiosity) of these pickles every time I serve them is the spiny little Maxixe which I purchase from the Hmong Farms stall at the farmers’ market.  Oddly enough, I had a visit schedule to tour the farm today and take some photos  for my book.  I guess I owe the farmers a big thank you when I get there for growing these glorious vegetables!  And thanks too for my wonderful friends at Kimball Fruit Farms for their outstanding tomatoes even in a tough tomato year.

Prize Winning Pickles
2 pints Lemon Cucumbers pickled in brine
2 pints Heirloom Tomatoes pickled in brine
2 pints Maxixe pickled in brine

Brine Recipe
1 quart apple cider vinegar
1 quart water
½ cup sugar
1/3 cup salt
1 tsp coriander seed
1 tsp each brown and yellow mustard seeds
1 tsp black peppercorns
5 dill fronds*

Wash cucumbers and slice in large chunks
Wash tomatoes and slice in large chunks
Combine vinegar, water, salt, and sugar in a large saucepan
Place spices in cheesecloth and add to vinegar mixture
Simmer for 15 minutes
Clean and heat 6 pint jars and lids
One at a time:
Pack cucumbers or tomatoes into hot jar leaving ¼ inch headspace
Ladle hot vinegar mixture over cucumbers or tomatoes
Remove air bubbles
Seal jar with two piece cap
When all jars are filled, process for 15 minutes in a boiling water canner
Rest jars for 24 hours and then check seals
Store in a cool dry place

Baby Chocolate Caramel Apples

Little Gala apples from the Arlington Farmers’ Market and an experiment in making chocolate caramel resulted in two dozen delicious, mini caramel apples.  They are all gone now leaving behind sticky fingers, smiling faces, and making one little boy’s loose tooth ready for the tooth fairy. 

For the last few years I have made caramel apples for Sukkot and I either made the reliable sweetened condensed milk coating or used prepared caramel.  Since I love making caramel sauce from scratch I thought I would try making a richer, tastier wrapper for caramel apples.  Lots of butter and brown sugar, a little honey, lemon juice, and heavy cream , and some semi-sweet chocolate made a great coating that was glossy and clung to the apples but soft enough to bite through and melt quickly in your mouth.

Happy Fall!  Happy Harvest time!  Happy Sukkot!