Berry Pudding Cake

During the summer, our Greenmarket gets what I can only describe as a "berry explosion." And, while I'm normally happy just to gobble them up right out of hand, sometimes I want something a little more planned, a little more exciting. And what more exciting than baking? When I made this, just before I put it into the oven, it was sticky and worrisome; I was convinced we'd just have ice cream for dessert, not that there's anything wrong with Ice Cream, but, well . . . it's not Cake. Luckily, my worries were in vain. The cake came out beautiful, with the inside still retaining the texture and creaminess of pudding, but the outside pleasantly crusty. I got the recipe from the Greenmarket; they always have a display of recipes using the season's produce. This particular recipe was from Gourmet Magazine's July, 2005 issue. Once I got home, of course, I tweaked the recipe; it called for Blueberries and I had purchased some Black Raspberries and Strawberries. If you're not familiar with Black Raspberries, please make a point to go out and try some. They're a little tarter and smaller than raspberries and absolutely divine. They may well be my favorite berry!

Berry Pudding Cake

1/3 + 1/2 cup Brown Sugar
1/4 cup Water
Juice from 1/2 Lemon
1 teaspoon Potato Starch
1 1/2 cup Black Raspberries
1/2 cup Strawberries
1 cup All-Purpose Flour
1 3/4 teaspoons Baking Powder
1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
1 teaspoon Allspice
1 large Egg
1/2 cup Whole Milk
1 stick Unsalted Butter, melted
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Preheat oven to 375 F. Butter a square baking pan (I think mine is around 8-inches).

In a small saucepan, combine 1/3 cup Brown Sugar, Water, Lemon Juice and Potato Starch. When mixed well, stir in Berries. Simmer, stirring occasionally, 3 minutes. Remove from heat.

In a medium bowl, mix together the dry ingredients--remaining sugar, Flour, Baking Powder, Salt and Allspice. In a large bowl, whisk together the wet: Egg, Milk, Butter and Vanilla Extract. Add the dry ingredients to the wet, whisking as you add, until just combined.

Scoop batter into baking pan, spreading evenly. Don't worry if batter is sticky; just spread it out as best you can. Pour berry mixture on top, again, distributin them as evenly as possible. ake for 25 minutes. Cool slightly before eating or eat cold.


Food and Baking and Recipe and Dessert and Vegetarian and Dairy

Natori

Not too long ago, Slashfood had a series on sushi. I'm a big fan of sushi and sashimi, but I always just get a combination plate rather than pick out specific roles. But when we returned to our favorite sushi place, Natori, I knew it was time to try something new.

We began with an order of Broiled Alligator in Ginger Sauce. Natori is actually known as being one of the few restaurants in New York to serve Alligator, the one animal I'm terrified of. Not only does it taste delicious, especially in the Ginger Sauce, but it's also extremely satisfying to know that this is one reptile that won't eat me. Aren't I terrible?

I ordered two sushi rolls and one kind of sashimi. What I love about Natori, rather than other sushi restaurants, is that when you order sashimi, rather than one small piece of fish, you are presented with a small pile of three or four. The sashimi I ordered was Hirame, a light white fish that is usually flounder but, at Natori, was fluke. It was beautifully seasoned and very mild--best to eat it all first! I then moved on to a special, Fatty Tuna and Scallion Roll. Fatty Tuna, or Toro, is one of my favorite kinds of sushi and this roll was the best. The Tuna is rich and sweet and the scallions are spicy, providing a perfect counterpoint. My final roll was one I'd never had before--a Salmon Skin roll. A little too salty for my tastes, I did enjoy how crunchy it was. All in all, it was a well-rounded selection.

The Boy is much more accustomed to ordering sushi this way, so he had no trouble picking his dishes. One of his perennial favorites is a Spicy Tuna roll and this one did not disappoint, being extremely spicy, but still with that nice, rich tuna. Like me, he had a Fatty Tuna and Scallion roll. And, finally, an Unagi, or, Eel, roll. The best Eel roll he's ever had, it's served almost warm, with a heavy smoky flavor that still doesn't overpower the eel. It's delectably moist, but still crunchy on the outside. I, who had never had eel before, completely agreed.

Natori
58 Saint Marks Place
New York, NY 10003
212.533.7711

Food and Restaurant and New York City and Sushi

Broccoli Raab

Back in March, the hunt was on for Broccoli Raab recipes and I happily complied by posting a recipe for Turkey soup with Broccoli Raab. As I believe I mentioned then, Broccoli Raab is a spicy, leafy green--very healthy and delicious. However, it can often be too tart for many people, so it's rather ignored. However, last Friday night, cooking side by side with Mom, preparing a Shabbat dinner meal, I developed a way to cook Broccoli Raab where it wound up almost sweet.

I wasn't planning on making Broccoli Raab at all Friday night. I was hoping for some nice Savoy Cabbage to braise, but the Broccoli Raab looked so beautiful at the Greenmarket, and Cabbage really isn't in season yet, so I just made a quick switch in my plans and everything came out wonderfully. We served it with a rich Salmon and the last Asparagus of the season.

Broccoli Raab

2 slices Turkey Bacon, chopped
2 bunches Broccoli Raab, chopped
2 tablespoons Butter
3/4 cup Chardonnay
leaves from 4 Oregano stems, chopped
Salt and Pepper, to taste
1/4 teaspoon Mustard Powder

Cook Turkey Bacon in a skillet until browned. Add Broccoli Raab, Butter and Chardonnay. Cover skillet and braise until Broccoli Raab is very soft and has adopted some of the wine's sweetness, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat and season with Oregano, Salt, Pepper and Mustard Powder. Serve warm.

Food and Cooking and Recipe and Broccoli Raab and Vegetable and Meat

'wichcraft

There are some times when you don't want a fancy meal. You want something easy that you can eat quickly, preferably using your hands rather than silverware. But that doesn't mean you don't want it to be tasty, with various flavor combinations that you perhaps never thought of combining before; flavors you'll want to repeat later in your own cooking. For these times, 'wichcraft is the place to go.

Owned by Tom Colicchio, 'wichcraft is the least expensive outpost to his ever-expanding food empire. And, after loving his astute criticisms in Top Chef, we were dying to try one of his restaurants. But, since money is tight right now and we're saving all we can while searching for an apartment, 'wichcraft was our only realy option for the time being. So, hungry for lunch yesterday afternoon, 'wichcraft it was!

A new outpost of 'wichcraft recently opened up on 8th street and Broadway, right in NYU territory, so we decided to head over there. The decor is industrial--painfully white, painfully clean--but, somehow, it works. The kitchen is out in front and that too is spotless. While deciding what to order, we watched the cooks put together other people's orders and, as it almost always does, that certainly helped influence our ordering choices.

When we finally did decide, I opted for a cool Sicilian Tuna sandwich. (The sandwiches are divided up into breakfast, cool, warm and ice cream.) Served on a baguette, there were hunks of dark pink tuna meat, thinly sliced fennel marinated in what tasted like olive oil with a splash of lemon and small specks of black olives. The sandwich was a great size--not so big I wasn't able to finish it, but still considerably more filling than bread.

The boy had decided on a warm Grilled Cheddar, but, watching a warm Meatloaf with Cheddar be prepared, he quickly changed his mind. The meatloaf was served on a ciabatta roll, with melted cheddar, bacon and tomato relish. The bacon was beautifully crunchy and the meatloaf and cheddar soft and creamy. To my surprise, the relish tasted sweet--almost like a homemade barbecue sauce. Again, there was a healthy amount of meat, but not so much it fell out all over the place.

The only part of our meal that was less than stellar was the Iced Coffee, having sat in a perculator all day. But that's certainly not enough reason not to return!

'wichcraft
60 E. 8th Street (@ Broadway)
New York City


Food and Drink and Restaurant and New York City and Sandwich

Mixology Monday: Mint Julep

As soon as I saw Kaiser Penguin's announcement of Mint as the theme for Mixology Monday, I knew what I wanted to make: a Mint Julep. A few years ago, while reading Gone with the Wind for what must have been the thousandth time, I noticed that Rhett Butler was drinking a Mint Julep. I mentioned this to the Boy, who admires Rhett greatly and he immediately announced that he wanted to try one. So, over Memorial Day weekend, I set about making one. Unfortunately, I had no Kentucky Straight Bourbon, so I used an old bottle of Jack Daniel's Sour Mash Whiskey instead.

I did enjoy the Mint Julep quite a lot, but Jack was a little too rough, it being so old. Also, Jack Daniel's has its own particular, wonderful taste, which didn't meld as well as it could have with the Mint. Now that I've bought a bottle of Bourbon, I will try this again.

Mint Julep

1/4 cup fresh Mint leaves
Ice
1 cup Sour Mash Whiskey
2 tablespoons Simple Syrup (equal parts Sugar and Water, cooked until sugar has fully dissolved and mixture become syrupy)

Put mint into pitcher and mash, using a muddler. Fill pitcher halfway with ice. (Ice balls are best, since they will not dilute the drink, but will keep it cold.)

Add Whiskey and Simple Syrup. Pour into glasses. Keep pitcher as cold as possible.

Drink and Cooking and Recipe and Mint and Mixology Monday and Pareve

Glace pomme-mangue

As I've said, it's been very hot here lately so we've been having quite a bit of ice cream. And after buying so much ice cream, I finally decided it was time to make my own.

For Chanukah this year (oops--forgot to blog about that; oh, well), the Boy gave me an Ice Cream Ball. Specifically designed for camping, this ball makes a pint of Ice Cream. You put the Cream ingredients in the small end and Ice and Rock Salt in the surrounding ball area. Then you roll it around for 20-40 minutes and *poof!* you have homemade Ice Cream! My Californian Ladies and I brought it down to Mexico with us where we broke it in by making Vanilla Ice Cream. I was so impressed I couldn't wait to try it out in NYC.

I decided to start with something a little fruity, but something where you could still taste the cream and milk. So I went to see what the supermarket had to offer by way of inspiration and found an organic Mango Apple Sauce made by Leroux Creek. So I decided to use this as the flavoring for my Ice Cream. What follows is my recipe for the Ice Cream base. Since I assume not many (any?) people have the Ice Cream Ball (although I highly recommend it!), just put the mixture into your ice cream maker and follow the instructions.

Glace pomme-mangue

1 cup Milk
1 1/2 cup Heavy Whipping Cream
1/4 cup Brown Sugar
3 tablespoons Mango Apple Sauce (or more, if you want the taste to be stronger)

In a bowl, stir together Milk and Heavy Whipping Cream. Add sugar slowly, stirring well so it dissolves completely. Stir in Mango Apple Sauce, making sure it is perfectly incorporated. Let chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour to strengthen flavors. Freeze according to your ice cream maker's instructions. If you desire a harder ice cream, pack into a metal container (I used an old coffee can) and freeze until desired consistency.

Makes 1 pint.


Food and Cooking and Recipe and Ice Cream and Mango and Dessert and Vegetarian and Dairy

Focaccia d'ail, asperges. fraises & romarin

May certainly is Asparagus month! First there was Blog-Appetit, whose theme this month was Asperge-Fraise [Asparagus-Strawberry] and now Kevin at Seriously Good is searching for Asparagus recipes for his Asparagus Aspirations. The idea is that after this month we'll have a collection of Asparagus recipes for next Asparagus season, when Asparagus takes over the gardens of those lucky enough to have them.

For us city-dwellers, Asparagus is in season as well. Almost every trip to the Greenmarket results in my bringing home yet another bunch (0r two) of Asparagus. Usually I just roast them with Olive Oil, Salt, Pepper and maybe a little Garlic to preserve their fresh flavor. But yesterday I decided I wanted to do something more interesting.

I have never successfully cooked with Yeast, so I decided now was as good a time as any to try again. In Garlic, Garlic, Garlic, a cookbook the Boy gave me as a Chanukah present this year, there was a recipe for Focaccia that looked simple enough. I used their recipe for the Dough, which worked perfectly, making only one change, which was to add some Cardamon. Next time I would grind the Cardamon Seeds as that is the only way to release their flavor. I made my own topping, taking my cue from Blog-Appetit. Although time-consuming, this is not difficult. Dad loved it and the Boy and I are already discussing the possibility of other toppings.

Focaccia d'ail, asperges, fraises & romarin

Dough
1 tablespoon Active Dry Yeast
1 cup Warm Water
3 cups All-Purpose Flour
Salt and Black Pepper to taste (I used a little over 1 teaspoon of each)
Seeds from 4 pods Cardamon, ground
Leaves from 3 sprigs Rosemary, snipped
3 tablespoons Olive Oil

Dissolve yeast in 1/4 cup Warm Water and let stand until foamy. In food processor with dough blade, combine Flour, Salt, Pepper, Cardomon and Rosemary. Add Yeast, remaining 3/4 cup Water and Olive Oil. Mix until dough forms a ball. Add more Flour if dough is very sticky. Coat a large bowl (big enough for the dough to double in size) with Olive Oil. When dough has formed a ball, move it from food processor to bowl. Roll dough around bowl to coat in lightly in Oil. Cover with plastic wrap and set it in a warm place to double in size. This should take 1 hour.

While it rises, make the Topping:

Topping
1/4 + 2 tablespoons Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
2 1/2 cups Asparagus, chopped
1 1/2 cups Strawberries, chopped
10 cloves Garlic, thinly sliced
Leaves from 4 sprigs Rosemary, minced
Salt, to taste

Heat 1/4 Olive Oil in heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add Asparagus, Strawberries, Garlic, Rosemary and Salt. Stir to combine ingredients, then lower flame and cook, covered, 15 minutes. Remove saucepan from flame and reserve.

Lightly coat pizza stone with 1 tablespoon Olive Oil. After dough has doubled, place on lightly-floured surface and roll into circle the same size as stone. Place on stone and stretch dough to fully cover stone. With the tips of your fingers, press "dimples" (small indentations) all over the dough. Cover with a clean towel and let rest 20 minutes. Drizzle with remaining 1 tablespoon Olive Oil, distributed as evenly as possible. Spoon Asparagus-Strawberry mixture evenly onto dough using a slotted spoon so no excess liquid seeps in. Cover with towel and allow to rise for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 450 F. Place pizza stone on a large baking sheet. Put about 10 ice cubes on sheet around border of stone. Place in oven. Reduce heat to 425 F. Bake for 25 minutes until golden around edges. Place towel or old rug at floor of oven to catch melting ice cubes.

Allow focaccia to cool on cake rack. Cut like pizza and serve warm.


Food and Baking and Recipe and Bread and Asparagus and Strawberry and Vegan and Pareve