tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-92009635131753002792024-03-13T05:22:34.415-04:00Bitter EndiveBitter Endivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11607703704887263004noreply@blogger.comBlogger47125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9200963513175300279.post-21853762385782870502010-12-14T16:28:00.000-05:002010-12-14T16:28:03.663-05:00Bitter Endive Holiday Gift Guide - #2<div style="text-align: center;"><b>#2 - <a href="http://www.muji.us/store/silicon-ice-ball-maker.html">Muji Ice Ball Maker</a></b></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.muji.us/store/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/5e06319eda06f020e43594a9c230972d/4/5/4548718428175_l.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://www.muji.us/store/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/5e06319eda06f020e43594a9c230972d/4/5/4548718428175_l.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br />
It is exactly what you think it is - the coolest (get it?) ice mold you've ever seen. I picked one of these up in London and went for two more when I was in New York (seriously Muji, why aren't you in Canada yet?). It makes a perfectly spherical ball of ice - my ice of choice for cocktails. Perfect for the scotch-on-the-rocks drinker on your list. <i>$11.75</i><br />
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Both images courtesy of <a href="http://www.muji.us/">www.muji.us</a>Bitter Endivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11607703704887263004noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9200963513175300279.post-85189458035154822012010-12-06T12:28:00.000-05:002010-12-06T12:28:43.090-05:00Bitter Endive Holiday Gift Guide - #1Now that you've had your fill of the wacky waving inflatable arm flailing tube man, it's time to get down to business: Christmas Shopping. So, I present to you, the Bitter Endive Non-Denominational Holiday Gift Guide.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><b>#1 - <a href="http://www.magisso.com/cake_server">The Magisso Cake Server</a></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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You know how normally when you go to serve cake, you need both a knife and a cake server? Well not anymore. This thing does it all for you! Because who doesn't need an easier way to eat more cake?<br />
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This thing is a work of art. And it is not just me saying this, the people at the <a href="http://www.red-dot.de/">Red Dot Design Awards</a> seem to think so, too. Magisso produces simple items that redesign the way we use tools and they do it with a beautifull, modern aesthetic. You just press it down on the cake for a perfectly uniform slice, give a little squeeze, and transfer it to the plate. Pretty amazing. Check out the video if you don't believe me.<br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" height="295" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/F4NVLcfXcfE?fs=1" width="480"></iframe><br />
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It's available through my <a href="http://astore.amazon.com/bittendi-20?_encoding=UTF8&node=4">Amazon Webstore</a> (<i>$44.95</i>) or in Toronto, at <a href="http://mjolk.ca/product/kitchen/magisso-cake-server/">Mjolk</a> - one of my favourite design stores that I am sure we will see more from this month.Bitter Endivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11607703704887263004noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9200963513175300279.post-82216606187882028242010-12-01T11:06:00.000-05:002010-12-01T11:06:43.768-05:00Back In ActionMerry Christmas!<br />
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It's been a crazy month (I think I'm saying that every month!) but we are settled into the new place and unpacking as quickly as can be so that I can get back into the kitchen. Here are some things to look forward to in the coming month and new year:<br />
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-Scandinavian Christmas Cookie Extravaganza!<br />
-Bitter Endive Holiday Gift Guide & eBay Store!<br />
-Blog Redesign with some spiffy new features<br />
-Design posts featuring some interesting things in the way of Kitchen Design<br />
-25% more Omar (he's grown a lot and become adverse to having his picture taken)<br />
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In the meantime (less than a week, I promise), enjoy this Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Man:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYdQeOOcEBM28ae_SMZ86UPY0bOe2WiigknzmdKHl8D8VpSz-On45hBfByg7ZZpwjFWwJc-opI7je_08zOJ0VnOfXLHkMz25ASMalVrsFo6252bFeIcRvLJuEabh3kUTHJr98LzA7Knxm6/s1600/images.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="177" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYdQeOOcEBM28ae_SMZ86UPY0bOe2WiigknzmdKHl8D8VpSz-On45hBfByg7ZZpwjFWwJc-opI7je_08zOJ0VnOfXLHkMz25ASMalVrsFo6252bFeIcRvLJuEabh3kUTHJr98LzA7Knxm6/s320/images.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Doesn't he look happy?</i></div>Bitter Endivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11607703704887263004noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9200963513175300279.post-62141535721650005302010-11-14T12:59:00.001-05:002010-11-14T13:01:22.365-05:00Pork Cutlets with Spiced Butter<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinzCtfqsvp38MQHT24QR6FOI2EndyHKYRb_ENVNRgEs7rJpryrMlF5hYw4uanDhnSbUe5G9b-Luv2aEcE3r_-HfQu54Oo7o3DIICTKSRalOhQMghcxYUHXimQUtZKpX_BzRktAdmjReRBf/s1600/DSCN2721.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinzCtfqsvp38MQHT24QR6FOI2EndyHKYRb_ENVNRgEs7rJpryrMlF5hYw4uanDhnSbUe5G9b-Luv2aEcE3r_-HfQu54Oo7o3DIICTKSRalOhQMghcxYUHXimQUtZKpX_BzRktAdmjReRBf/s400/DSCN2721.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
I know a lot of people don't eat pork. I can respect that choice whether it be for religious, cultural, or health reasons (or those of a family friend who just thinks pigs are too smart to be used for food) but I don't know that I'll ever really understand it. In the meat version of the Desert Island game my answer will always be the same: pork. From bacon and pancetta, to ribs and tenderloin, pork can be so easily transformed I could eat it for the rest of my life without getting bored. "The other white meat" is quite simply, to me, the only white meat (chicken has been done so poorly so frequently that the very idea of a skinless boneless breast has put me off poultry. Duck, you are not included in that sentiment).<br />
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I try not to buy too many cookbooks and food magazines. Recipes are so rampant on the internet (thank you, <a href="http://epicurious.com/">Epicurious.com</a>) that more often than not they just feel like a waste of money. Donna Hay Magazine is the exception. Photography worthy of a coffee table cookbook and accessible, doable recipes make it easily worth it's $10.00 price tag. If you can get your hands on the <a href="http://www.donnahay.com.au/Default.aspx?PageID=3657441&A=WebApp&CCID=9460&Page=5&Items=12">50th Issue Birthday edition</a>, I highly recommend buying it. So far, I've made the Chocolate Stout Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting (ridiculously good), the Pork, Apple, and Thyme Meatballs (deliciously sweet and spicy), and the Pork Cutlets with Spiced Butter. I'm still cooking my way through the 16 page, 12 recipe Pork section (complete with a breakdown of cuts).<br />
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The beautiful thing about the Pork Cutlets is how wonderfully easy and simple they are. They let the pork taste like pork. Because of this, quality, ethically raised meat is crucial (I get mine from <a href="http://www.rowefarms.ca/">Rowe Farms</a>). The chops are pan fried and topped with the delicious herbed butter (we used the leftovers on pasta and some grass-fed beef). The butter really couldn't be easier - through everything in a food processor, give it a whirl, then add the butter and whiz for a few seconds more. The leftover butter freezes well, too (freezing in an ice cube tray then storing in an airtight container lets you use just what you need later on).<br />
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Pair it with some brown rice and something green (green beans, steamed broccoli, sauteed spinach) and you have a perfect weeknight dinner. Thank you, Donna Hay!<br />
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Pork Cutlets with Spiced Butter</span></i><br />
<i>Adapted from <a href="http://www.donnahay.com.au/magazine/back-issues">Donna Hay Magazine - 50th Issue Birthday Edition</a></i><br />
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<i>2 green onions, chopped</i><br />
<i>1/2 cup coriander (cilantro) leaves</i><br />
<i>1/4 cup mint leaves</i><br />
<i>1 clove garlic, crushed</i><br />
<i>1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika</i><br />
<i>1 teaspoon ground coriander seeds</i><br />
<i>1/4 teaspoon chili flakes (I used Sriracha, my all-chili substitute of choice)</i><br />
<i>salt & pepper</i><br />
<i>100g softened butter</i><br />
<i>6 x 180g pork cutlets, trimmed</i><br />
<i>olive oil, for drizzling</i><br />
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<i>Roughly chop the onions, coriander leaves & seeds, mint, garlic, paprika, chili, and salt and pepper in a food processor. Add the butter and process until combined using short bursts.</i><br />
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<i>Season the pork and drizzle with olive oil. Cook in a hot pan over medium heat until done, 4-5 minutes per side. Top the pork with butter and serve.</i>Bitter Endivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11607703704887263004noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9200963513175300279.post-35677005353355629302010-10-28T16:07:00.000-04:002010-10-28T16:07:13.796-04:00Chocolate Sriracha Shortbread<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-0ns5RiWQ2yd8P5Grarl6r-KOufIFiPjVgmsvuS3wPabGsaYjpzlISrOpGauzMA0Yj-Tu2g_T9DgaamJAFwsPFvmTAmELqPMU8V_UF-Xb0_fj91_8gip5I3axSGzvVr9zwNk3eaEQrXEj/s1600/DSCN2686.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-0ns5RiWQ2yd8P5Grarl6r-KOufIFiPjVgmsvuS3wPabGsaYjpzlISrOpGauzMA0Yj-Tu2g_T9DgaamJAFwsPFvmTAmELqPMU8V_UF-Xb0_fj91_8gip5I3axSGzvVr9zwNk3eaEQrXEj/s400/DSCN2686.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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It's been a crazy couple of weeks with engagements (eek!), business trips to New York (three words: <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/5nUoJWnA-w-uPPZrCQHtzR7xSX2TUjg3vfSXhIhX3ho?feat=directlink">momofuku pork buns</a>!), and moving (pictures to come!). So it's been exciting and very stressful. When I'm stressed, I bake.<br />
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If you've read past posts, you've probably realized that I will find a way to incorporate Sriracha into almost everything I make. It's an illness, really. I've destroyed more than a couple of meals that way.<br />
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But, it's not a bad thing if the recipe is supposed to have chili, though right? Why, then I'm just reinterpreting a recipe. And there is nothing wrong with artistic reinterpretations. I just substituted chipotle chili powder with delicious, delicious Sriracha. (On a total side note, oh Gourmet Magazine, why did you have to leave me? Bon Appetit would never have the balls to mix chipotle and chocolate, but there you go mixing it up once again. Come back. Please.)<br />
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The recipe was easy, fun, and oh so delicious! Normally I would reduce the sugar in a recipe like this, but the Sriracha can take it, so I left it as is.<br />
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<i>Important Note: If you go to the trouble of making shortbread from scratch a day early to allow the flavours to develop a little bit, I highly recommend not leaving them out where a rambunctious kitten (He's two feet long. He weighs more than Simon. He's not a kitten. Don't try telling him this, though) can topple the entire plate onto the floor, breaking every last piece. Just a tip.</i><br />
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<a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Chocolate-Chipotle-Shortbread-357999"><span style="font-size: large;"><a name='more'></a><i>Chocolate Chipotle Shortbread</i></span></a><br />
<i>from <a href="http://epicurious.com/">Epicurious.com</a></i><br />
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<i>1 cup all-purpose flour</i><br />
<i>1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder</i><br />
<i>1/2 teaspoon chipotle chile powder</i><br />
<i>1/2 teaspoon cinnamon</i><br />
<i>1/8 teaspoon salt</i><br />
<i>1 stick unsalted butter, softened</i><br />
<i>1/3 cup superfine granulated sugar</i><br />
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<i>Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle.</i><br />
<i>Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, chile powder, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl.</i><br />
<i>Beat together butter and sugar with an electric mixer at medium speed until pale and fluffy. At low speed, mix in flour mixture until well blended. Divide dough in half and pat out into 2 (7-inch) rounds (1/4 inch thick). Arrange rounds 2 inches apart on an ungreased baking sheet. Cut each round into 8 wedges (do not separate wedges). Prick all over with a fork.</i><br />
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<i>Bake until dry to the touch, 16 to 18 minutes. Recut shortbread while hot, then cool on sheet (shortbread will crisp as it cools).</i>Bitter Endivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11607703704887263004noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9200963513175300279.post-67360938622926209692010-09-21T09:47:00.000-04:002010-09-21T09:47:53.022-04:00Chocolate Stout Chili & Cornbread<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw4ScvVOp3gx9TYEYoyOMYiCL7amgr_Jgk5URIcI3nTCy7f1S45LTiF7mZuEqSW2gcbzoORuvNX_07swpBZoeTgVAeNLBNKHFIeHvv8W6ONiMKWmS2Nd1Gv-7T46VkjFxKQyokUOhhPXFF/s1600/DSCN2560.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw4ScvVOp3gx9TYEYoyOMYiCL7amgr_Jgk5URIcI3nTCy7f1S45LTiF7mZuEqSW2gcbzoORuvNX_07swpBZoeTgVAeNLBNKHFIeHvv8W6ONiMKWmS2Nd1Gv-7T46VkjFxKQyokUOhhPXFF/s400/DSCN2560.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
The great thing about fall is that there is still wonderful produce available, but it's not too hot to actually cook anything. I generally enjoy cooking autumn and winter dishes more: stews, casseroles, things that cook for a long time over low heat. So, as soon as the weather changed, I was eager to make chili.<br />
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There is a lot going on: chocolate stout, jalapenos, chipotle chilies in adobo. Somehow, through the magic of chili, it all becomes this wonderfully cohesive, rich mixture in the end. Plus you get to top it with sour cream and cheddar, and really, what doesn't taste good after being topped with that much full-fat dairy?<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Omar gets very impatient when he feels I am not meeting his exacting standards.</i></td></tr>
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</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsB9xqe5gJGVEX7XTweL1QKOsP2zW0sM2CBCdXiI7RbX2N79tOpb58WcwqSCZetKKBYvfgUEN9cZFyxSVM6E6PEeoqp1WMuKdZFQ1xoe6HpdOtL1mzcI83Egcm94GHryrapHAnxe9vFqtt/s1600/DSCN2535.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>On the lighter (ha!) side of the meal, I like to make cornbread. Only it really isn't corn bread, it's corn puddings. Seriously. These little corn-bread muffins are so rich and moist that Martha Stewart calls them puddings. She's not wrong. They are supposed to have corn niblets (like the frozen little pellet-like pieces of corn) in them, but there is something weird about that, so either do it with fresh corn or don't bother putting anything in. Some of the commenters on the recipe page have complained that they are not sweet enough. This is crazy talk. Middle-America, obesity epidemic-type crazy talk. They are plenty sweet.<br />
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I love this meal. And I fully encourage adjusting the spiciness with some added Sriracha. Also, use a quality chili powder. It calls for a freakishly large quantity but you can cut back on that if you are using one with actual flavour. You could substitute the beef with ground turkey or tofu, but I can't in good conscience give you my blessing to do so. It just isn't the same without slow-cooked chunks of red meat.<br />
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">Chocolate Stout Chili</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Loosely adapted from <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Beef-and-Dark-Beer-Chili-237096">Epicurious</a></span>.</i><br />
<i>Note: Chilis in Adobo have a really nice smokey flavour, so if that's your thing you can throw extra Adobo Sauce into the Chili. I added some Sriracha to adjust the heat. I used Young's Double Chocolate Stout, but I hear Rogue Chocolate Stout is the best so you might want to give it a try. In a pinch, regular stout and a little cocoa powder I am sure would do the trick.</i><br />
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</i><br />
<i>1 1/2 tablespoons ground cumin<br />
1 tablespoon ground coriander<br />
5 pounds stewing beef, cut into small pieces<br />
2 tablespoons canola oil<br />
2 1/2 pounds onions, coarsely chopped<br />
2 large jalapeño chiles with seeds, chopped (about 1/3 cup)<br />
7 tablespoons chili powder<br />
2 teaspoons (packed) minced canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce<br />
2 28-ounce cans crushed tomatoes with added puree<br />
2 15-ounce cans kidney beans, drained<br />
1 12-ounce bottle Chocolate Stout<br />
Sour cream<br />
Chopped green onions<br />
Coarsely grated extra-sharp cheddar cheese<br />
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Toast cumin and coriander in skillet over medium heat until darker and beginning to smoke, about 4 minutes. Cool.<br />
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Brown beef in batches and set aside. Heat oil in large pot over medium-high heat. Add onions and jalapeños. Sauté until vegetables begin to soften, about 15 minutes. Add the beef to the vegetables. Mix in toasted spices, chili powder, and chipotle chiles. Add crushed tomatoes, beans, and beer. Bring chili to boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat and simmer at least 45 minutes but longer is better, stirring often. Season with salt and pepper.</i><br />
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Ladle chili into bowls. Serve with sour cream, green onions, and cheese.</i><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKvGhbW2X2sjiV9Qeww_czoVxrBaIMUF01wka5tMO6rD2p-H5hxHOy6Go8qvUJpTZc0h_WY-_9zd0moQwENEtMx433-EhmNHVQ7G9NyueYNkII-8yyuCMxDgm1POBGUrFesONyD9TjJbQu/s1600/DSCN2552.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKvGhbW2X2sjiV9Qeww_czoVxrBaIMUF01wka5tMO6rD2p-H5hxHOy6Go8qvUJpTZc0h_WY-_9zd0moQwENEtMx433-EhmNHVQ7G9NyueYNkII-8yyuCMxDgm1POBGUrFesONyD9TjJbQu/s400/DSCN2552.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><i><span style="font-size: large;">Mini Cornbread Puddings</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">From <a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/mini-cornbread-puddings">Martha Stewart</a>.</span></i><br />
<i>Makes 24</i><br />
<i><br />
Butter, room temperature, for pan<br />
1/2 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)<br />
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal<br />
2 tablespoons sugar<br />
1 teaspoon baking powder<br />
1 teaspoon salt<br />
1/4 teaspoon baking soda<br />
1 large egg<br />
1 1/2 cups sour cream<br />
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Preheat oven to 425 degrees, with rack in upper third. Butter 24 mini muffin cups; set aside. <br />
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In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda.<br />
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Make a well in center of flour mixture. In well, whisk together egg, sour cream, and corn. Mix with flour mixture just until incorporated (do not overmix).<br />
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Dividing evenly, spoon batter into prepared muffin pan. Bake until tops have browned and a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean, 10 to 15 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes in pan; turn out onto a cooling rack. Serve, or cool completely and store at room temperature in an airtight container, up to 2 days.</i>Bitter Endivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11607703704887263004noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9200963513175300279.post-10534532986265944782010-09-16T17:35:00.000-04:002010-09-16T17:35:22.583-04:00Stracciatella Ice Cream, without an Ice Cream Maker<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpT69azHzzn_KnQDaoH_HS0GgJjlkdLvt2t0Lt2VNWl98VzhfEOaQVNn9Xpb3cbw7JHfZjua7vqBlHUmfLvRGi5RQBHLoHwAk8oLMBmdLeE0U4HGRoBnK6VpWpE8w3rVybIY1WaUj_Rag8/s1600/DSCN2469.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpT69azHzzn_KnQDaoH_HS0GgJjlkdLvt2t0Lt2VNWl98VzhfEOaQVNn9Xpb3cbw7JHfZjua7vqBlHUmfLvRGi5RQBHLoHwAk8oLMBmdLeE0U4HGRoBnK6VpWpE8w3rVybIY1WaUj_Rag8/s400/DSCN2469.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
The temperature outside is a delightful 16 degrees and I couldn't be happier. I know I am in the minority when I say this (and I can practically feel Simon cringe from the other side of the room), but I am no fan of summer. I downright hate it. When I make this proclamation to Simon he points out that I say the same thing in winter (which isn't true; I love winter), and he then begins to list (in a somewhat pleading fashion) his favourite things about summer: cottages, patios, beaches, swimming, bbqs. But I know that any of those tasks performed without a beer in hand loses Simon's interest immediately. And furthermore, each and every of those tasks requires free time - something I've had none of all summer. But then, then he comes up with the one redeeming quality of summer with which no other season can compete: ice cream.<br />
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I am something of an ice cream addict. It's an unhealthy vice (as most are) that lately can only be satisfied by a dark chocolate-peanut butter concoction sold at the video store down the street.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>So, it's late August. It's 36 degrees inside my apartment. On TV, Rachel freaking Ray is suggesting I make lasagna. The idea of turning the oven on, let alone cooking an entire meal, is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard. I decide to make ice cream. For dinner. Without an ice cream maker. I may have been suffering from heatstroke.<br />
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Before you think I've gone completely insane in my absence (sorry about that, by the way), you need to know that it can be done. It only takes about 10 hours. The whole game is about stopping the formation of evil ice crystal by whatever means necessary: food processors, wooden spoons, immersion blenders. You can give yourself an advantage by making it a custard-based ice cream using the creamiest cream you can get your sticky little hands on (apparently having a rich base makes the ice crystal formation less difficult to deal with). So once you've made your base, you stick it in the freezer and let the magic happen. Only you stop the magic every hour or so pulverize the ice crystals to death. But I promise, I PROMISE, that if you dutifully and diligently make those ice crystals your enemy, you will be rewarded with deliciously rich, home made ice cream.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh462sb0yKH-9B6CHkynRtZELq_jcFtTrwqoKbaBuYB1rFatEkeHpIt6V1YMUFipq6xg4axxjqdBiHgCJ3SLG0ewSmycpg_icHYOmqjz5QeTTm15cvnnha-tUDdToCMnEl2EfXH_CZtZq-/s1600/DSCN2455.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh462sb0yKH-9B6CHkynRtZELq_jcFtTrwqoKbaBuYB1rFatEkeHpIt6V1YMUFipq6xg4axxjqdBiHgCJ3SLG0ewSmycpg_icHYOmqjz5QeTTm15cvnnha-tUDdToCMnEl2EfXH_CZtZq-/s400/DSCN2455.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
I started out making vanilla ice cream, but there is a small part of my brain (inherited from my father) that believes that if there isn't chocolate in it, it isn't dessert (I know it's wrong, and I try to ignore it, but sometimes it makes beautiful things happen). So when my vanilla ice cream was about a third of the way done, I melted some bittersweet chocolate, poured it over the frozen ice cream, and stuck it back in the freezer. Then when you take the immersion blender to the ice cream, the chocolate layer transforms it into delightfully Italian-sounding <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stracciatella">stracciatella</a>.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqow7-NFIYp-skPOzQRNYudukM8xOw_YhF6YcEZixl7HUAU2L84I9gByNSIN4iYOYFXK8Tco0aHsMysAUa04GI38LlVi9vza_CJMkLuoC-NKoOirz_yDx7p_NDuCnvGL7LZoonctTliPqp/s1600/DSCN2463.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqow7-NFIYp-skPOzQRNYudukM8xOw_YhF6YcEZixl7HUAU2L84I9gByNSIN4iYOYFXK8Tco0aHsMysAUa04GI38LlVi9vza_CJMkLuoC-NKoOirz_yDx7p_NDuCnvGL7LZoonctTliPqp/s400/DSCN2463.JPG" width="400" /></a></div> I don't know that I would do this again without an ice cream maker. But at the very least, it's given me yet another reason to purchase my coveted Kitchen Aid Mixer, complete with the ice cream maker attachment.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Vanilla Ice Cream Base</i></span><br />
<i><strong></strong><br />
4 egg yolks <br />
1/2 pint (250ml) milk <br />
1/2 pint (250ml) heavy cream</i><br />
<i> 4 oz (100g) sugar <br />
1 vanilla pod (scored down the middle)<br />
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Pour the milk into a saucepan and bring slowly up to boiling point without actually boiling it. Add the vanilla pod and let it infuse for 20 minutes.</i> <i><br />
<br />
In a bowl, beat and mix together the egg yolks and sugar until thick. Remove the vanilla pod and scrape the seeds into the milk. </i> <br />
<i><br />
</i><br />
<i><a href="http://bitterendive.blogspot.com/2010/07/vocab-lesson-4.html">Temper</a> your eggs with the milk, and then slowly whisk the remaining milk into the egg mixture.</i><br />
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<i>Put the mixture back on low heat, and stir constantly to avoid curdling, until thickened. Strain.</i><br />
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<i>When the custard base is cold stir in the cream and pop it into the freezer.</i><br />
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<i>Bludgeon/stir/process/mix to death every hour or so to keep it creamy.</i>Bitter Endivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11607703704887263004noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9200963513175300279.post-75046155159711151732010-08-12T19:06:00.001-04:002010-08-12T19:06:30.572-04:00Dinnertime!<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_TtSccz0XUMI/TGR-dGPF9lI/AAAAAAAAAfw/RLUv3KMx_gE/Dinnertime%21_img_1.jpg"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_TtSccz0XUMI/TGR-dGPF9lI/AAAAAAAAAfw/RLUv3KMx_gE/Dinnertime%21_img_1.jpg" style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left cursor: pointer;" height="240px" width="143px" /></a><br><br>I'm blogging on the go from my fancy new phone.<br /><br>Yum. Stockyards for dinner. Details to come...<br />Bitter Endivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11607703704887263004noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9200963513175300279.post-59971147523616869522010-08-10T11:59:00.001-04:002010-08-10T12:02:47.611-04:00Peach Brown Butter Buckle<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMUbhC6X-ajUffveDcQAPptIOkWDZ-m6pKLx1v57OnAPO3DuapyTBeSB05DdH1G90zO4NC6G7xV45S6D7mnw-TrVSyXDA71AkYlITvSS9y0jru3xtAikFbWLVoyFtb_L-X8H1Riv8-mJ3l/s1600/DSCN2389.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="330" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMUbhC6X-ajUffveDcQAPptIOkWDZ-m6pKLx1v57OnAPO3DuapyTBeSB05DdH1G90zO4NC6G7xV45S6D7mnw-TrVSyXDA71AkYlITvSS9y0jru3xtAikFbWLVoyFtb_L-X8H1Riv8-mJ3l/s400/DSCN2389.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Simon has this annoying habit of buying more fruit than he could ever possibly eat. So when he went up to a cottage this weekend and left me behind with a basket of just-shy-of-overripe peaches, something had to be done. Something with brown butter. And buttermilk.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy69trbITaUtiRMyRnG5AVB9kblgYgXRSw6EvLcnqaVspdT1rpLD-gdyGLTJF9WTngPnXYGR6mbyj8dDyAkMs_k0M9YeXYUuxHAAvNdBy8fEWUqLRWyB1A5jxMVRGeO87RgDBDlYSe8Vux/s1600/DSCN2313.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy69trbITaUtiRMyRnG5AVB9kblgYgXRSw6EvLcnqaVspdT1rpLD-gdyGLTJF9WTngPnXYGR6mbyj8dDyAkMs_k0M9YeXYUuxHAAvNdBy8fEWUqLRWyB1A5jxMVRGeO87RgDBDlYSe8Vux/s320/DSCN2313.JPG" /></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i> </i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Omar likes peaches.</i></span></div><br />
A couple weeks ago, <a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/">Smitten Kitchen</a> posted a <a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/2010/07/nectarine-brown-butter-buckle/">Nectarine Brown Butter Buckle</a>. What exactly is a buckle, you ask? Well it's a cake topped with so much fruit that the cake <i>buckles</i> around it. This one in particular has a buttermilk & brown butter cake topped with peaches and streusel.<br />
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I made some changes too: most obviously, I substituted peaches for the nectarines, used brown sugar in the streusel, and added <a href="http://bitterendive.blogspot.com/2010/03/vanilla.html">vanilla</a> to the cake. It turned out beautifully. The cake is deliciously moist, the streusel is crunchy and sweet, and the fruit is, well, it's fruit, you know what it's like. The brown butter flavour was, as <a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/">Smitten Kitchen</a> mentioned, too subtle. But with the <a href="http://bitterendive.blogspot.com/2010/03/vanilla.html">vanilla</a> (which I highly recommend), the fruit, the buttermilk, and the brown sugar, it's not lacking for flavour. You can use whole milk but why pass up an excuse to buy (or <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/printerfriendly/BUTTERMILK-SUBSTITUTE-1269438?printFormat=4x6">make</a> a reasonable substitute. I know, scary, right? I promise it doesn't involve churning.) buttermilk?<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDIqTA_XnikY7oLN6B9MXzBjna5Vi_vvelUUCg-UeQBbv7K-Hh6ncrI6oEW8rwqbxiYlZ5mlfLSvnwsmh8XikqMUYxD2Qv7gdheYG8UklxLf7OgtHnHo8TeonmcR-GJp1J0ge6Dd6GlhEy/s1600/DSCN2351.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDIqTA_XnikY7oLN6B9MXzBjna5Vi_vvelUUCg-UeQBbv7K-Hh6ncrI6oEW8rwqbxiYlZ5mlfLSvnwsmh8XikqMUYxD2Qv7gdheYG8UklxLf7OgtHnHo8TeonmcR-GJp1J0ge6Dd6GlhEy/s400/DSCN2351.JPG" width="400" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq_mBfv0ff-RjnjGKY75Ph-2CKJCM4fm6HNZBkzS7RiZASnSkYEWvQ52_htsltG-zhxr1fyFqLxFOp2ibv-ktOgHbB91Rvos37oz48New7TZNIqoZaT3hd5bU1hAyCJ2CatWd6hslRKJ0l/s1600/DSCN2344.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="330" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq_mBfv0ff-RjnjGKY75Ph-2CKJCM4fm6HNZBkzS7RiZASnSkYEWvQ52_htsltG-zhxr1fyFqLxFOp2ibv-ktOgHbB91Rvos37oz48New7TZNIqoZaT3hd5bU1hAyCJ2CatWd6hslRKJ0l/s400/DSCN2344.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji0V7Ym2rV5x7bWocZEbblZuuff8Y5gUZiOQiI_J3E0N-eNMx0nbiptGzIAbUk2t8y4VOUGC_oyUXnodLVY4zsuoBTtewxT8CVpMMu44EHt2-6wSrgr7fW7oEtXUw-NV7JfvxgyhMT_Yk7/s1600/DSCN2368.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji0V7Ym2rV5x7bWocZEbblZuuff8Y5gUZiOQiI_J3E0N-eNMx0nbiptGzIAbUk2t8y4VOUGC_oyUXnodLVY4zsuoBTtewxT8CVpMMu44EHt2-6wSrgr7fW7oEtXUw-NV7JfvxgyhMT_Yk7/s400/DSCN2368.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
I recommend not making this when home alone for a weekend. Even if the kitten promises he won't let you eat the whole thing. The kitten is an enabler and will not do a damned thing once it's done. I, also being an enabler, brought half the cake over to my parent's house, to my father who was also abandoned for cottage country (I might be more of an enabler than the cat). <br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i><a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/2010/07/nectarine-brown-butter-buckle/">Peach Brown Butter Buckle</a></i></span><br />
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Blatantly stolen from <a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/">Smitten Kitchen</a></span></i><br />
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<i>3/4 cup (6 ounces or 170 grams) unsalted butter, plus additional for greasing pan<br />
1 1/2 cups (6 3/4 ounces or 190 grams) all purpose flour<br />
2 teaspoons (9 grams) baking powder<br />
3/4 teaspoon (4 grams) salt<br />
Pinch of allspice<br />
1 cup (7 ounces or 200 grams) sugar<br />
2 large eggs<br />
2/3 cup whole milk or buttermilk<br />
1 1/2 pounds peaches, halved, pitted and cut into 1/2-inch thick wedges (about 4 cups or 5 medium sized peaches)<br />
1 tsp vanilla<br />
1 tablespoon lemon juice<br />
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Streusel<br />
Reserved butter from cake (above)<br />
1/2 cup (3 1/2 ounces or 100 grams) sugar<br />
1/2 cup (2 1/4 ounces or 64 grams) all purpose flour<br />
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon<br />
Pinch of salt<br />
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Brown your butter: Melt butter in a small/medium saucepan over medium-low heat. It will melt, then foam, then turn clear golden and finally start to turn brown and smell nutty. Stir frequently, scraping up any bits from the bottom as you do. Keep your eyes on it; it burns very quickly after it browns. Set aside and let cool (the fridge will hasten this along).<br />
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Prepare you pan: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line the bottom of a 10-inch round cake pan, springform or cast iron skillet with parchment paper and butter the paper and rest of the pan generously; set aside.<br />
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Make the cake: Whisk flour, baking powder, salt and allspice in medium bowl to blend. In a large bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup cooled browned butter (set aside remaining 1/4 cup for topping), vanilla, sugar and then eggs, one at a time. Stir in milk or buttermilk. Stir dry ingredients into this wet mixture; mix until just combined and spread batter in prepared pan. Toss peach wedges with lemon juice and arrange them in a single layer on top of the batter.<br />
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Make the streusel and bake the cake: Stir remaining brown butter, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon and salt (I think I added some nutmeg just because I had some and really like using a microplane) together until large crumbs form. Sprinkle the peach-topped batter with crumbs. Bake until top is golden brown and tester inserted into center comes out with moist crumbs, about 40 to 45 minutes. Let cool in pan for 5 minutes before flipping out onto a cooling rack.</i>Bitter Endivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11607703704887263004noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9200963513175300279.post-75252883767258827462010-07-26T22:57:00.000-04:002010-07-26T22:57:51.150-04:00petit pots de crème au chocolat<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGFzuV5hMBL7jT9XaJaJrhpZD38TSIQk7W4rVFFwh9ZlOZjEZJqNi3N_v2Sg1FTipBI4tRthTjw66VGIUiC_xwTZV8pXUMR7whnQqk-30PxT4FK5Cp6dbvH9ZTb_1kcKkbGqQmPZmE0Ro/s1600/DSCN2160.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGFzuV5hMBL7jT9XaJaJrhpZD38TSIQk7W4rVFFwh9ZlOZjEZJqNi3N_v2Sg1FTipBI4tRthTjw66VGIUiC_xwTZV8pXUMR7whnQqk-30PxT4FK5Cp6dbvH9ZTb_1kcKkbGqQmPZmE0Ro/s400/DSCN2160.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
I think desserts should be impressive. I tend to like simpler, fuss-less food: good ingredients don't require a lot of mucking around, especially in the summer. But I like to make desserts that impress and confound with silkily complex flavours.<br />
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I wanted to make my brother something festive and chocolate for his birthday a few weeks ago but the heat this summer is oppressive and my apartment is without air conditioning so a cake or pie was out of the question. I decided on these wonderful little chilled <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Chocolate-Espresso-Pots-de-Creme-109140">custards</a>. I had just bought new <a href="http://www.duralexusa.com/">Duralex</a> glasses and was looking for an excuse to show them off.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitDkycoDPASfD8TQZarSoHTZPiBpybpp2LcRkxOfAe-End3a27sqi-uBCecXFrMkXQeFEmiR_64qMjxeharPykKMUKh69BRvFEy1J2WBSJDM9-BDRuI1TRoEVnBspU1XXU0Sn3QKvBMsk/s1600/DSCN0265.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitDkycoDPASfD8TQZarSoHTZPiBpybpp2LcRkxOfAe-End3a27sqi-uBCecXFrMkXQeFEmiR_64qMjxeharPykKMUKh69BRvFEy1J2WBSJDM9-BDRuI1TRoEVnBspU1XXU0Sn3QKvBMsk/s400/DSCN0265.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>My Dad, always the original, wanted his with strawberries while everyone else opted for raspberries</i></span>.<br />
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They were really easy to do. The hardest part was fashioning my bain marie (my springform was the perfect size and shape but leaked, so after trying every pan in the kitchen I realized I could line it with parchment paper to stop it from leaking in my oven). Go light on the espresso. Like, really light. It's nice, and worth adding, but the flavour comes through a little strong.<br />
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The texture is perfect. Creamy and cool but not too soft. I think the flavour was lacking a little. I wanted it to either be sweet and milky like milk chocolate or sharp and bitter like dark, but it was too mild to be either. This is the perfect kind of recipe to start messing around with, though. Vanilla and almond? Lemon and raspberry? Fresh mint, even. I always thought I could use more custard in my life.<br />
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<i><a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Chocolate-Espresso-Pots-de-Creme-109140"><span style="font-size: large;">Chocolate Espresso Pots de Crème</span></a><br />
from <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/">Epicurious</a></i><br />
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<i>6 oz fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened), finely chopped<br />
1 1/3 cups heavy cream<br />
2/3 cup whole milk<br />
1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons instant-espresso powder*<br />
6 large egg yolks<br />
2 tablespoons sugar<br />
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Special equipment: 8 (4- to 5-oz) ramekins or pot de crème cups </i>(Who in the world has a "pot de creme cup"? I used juice glasses but a stemless wine glass or tea cup would work just as well)<i><br />
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Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 300°F.<br />
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Put chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Bring cream, milk, espresso powder (to taste), and a pinch of salt just to a boil in a small heavy saucepan, stirring until espresso powder is dissolved, then pour over chocolate, whisking until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth.<br />
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Whisk together yolks, sugar, and a pinch of salt in another bowl, then add warm chocolate mixture in a slow stream, whisking constantly. Pour custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a 1-quart glass measure and cool completely, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes.<br />
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Line bottom of a baking pan (large enough to hold ramekins) with a folded kitchen towel and arrange ramekins on towel. Poke several holes in a large sheet of foil with a skewer. Divide custard among ramekins, then bake custards in a hot water bath , pan covered tightly with foil, until custards are set around edges but still slightly wobbly in centers, 30 to 35 minutes.<br />
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Transfer ramekins to a rack to cool completely, uncovered, about 1 hour. (Custards will set as they cool.) Chill, covered, until cold, at least 3 hours.</i>Bitter Endivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11607703704887263004noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9200963513175300279.post-56102050795305679992010-07-26T16:42:00.000-04:002010-07-26T16:42:05.018-04:00Back to WorkAs you may have suspected, I've found real, paying work and my blogging discipline has gone out the window. General work exhaustion combined with apartment hunting and a heat wave so excruciating it makes even the <i>idea</i> of turning your oven on unbearable have meant I haven't really cooked a thing in the past two weeks. Two weeks. I know. If there was some sort of blogging institution they would take my licence away.<br />
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But I'm back, and I promise a new post tonight (yes, as in 4 hours from now). I asked Omar to look for some good recipes while I was at work so we've got some exciting stuff to look forward to: Petit Pots de Creme au Chocolat, Sriracha-Lime grilled chicken, and Zucchini Vichyssoise. Pretty eclectic tastes for a kitten, no?<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ7lZRBDn_QskC0bIYwkB_5qiGHoWQCXuGaRaCrprN8IUcqo2KB-5OKfAzjE6AwdQdCQ2pIlwycCqVirEQ5L4SG9ywKy55FR83xZS9kVKVNHt6Fr3Pb6yFKmNlgh5M9rrt4DLCLGwCE6xE/s1600/DSCN2124.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ7lZRBDn_QskC0bIYwkB_5qiGHoWQCXuGaRaCrprN8IUcqo2KB-5OKfAzjE6AwdQdCQ2pIlwycCqVirEQ5L4SG9ywKy55FR83xZS9kVKVNHt6Fr3Pb6yFKmNlgh5M9rrt4DLCLGwCE6xE/s400/DSCN2124.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Omar checking his email before getting down to business.</i></span></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Bitter Endivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11607703704887263004noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9200963513175300279.post-39489649028786867172010-07-11T22:32:00.000-04:002010-07-11T22:32:08.779-04:00Paneer Curry with Peas<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSdq87AYoEtvdlwk1p-Q8OP550wn2BldN41J_Du6wPPcSC2iyGD0o0rzkSXecOqmjlKVd6N57i0PwsiL3XFyiWqk4XYHcc9jntiWpdsbHwTC3CwOTwTSU2PzB1H-xVruGMzWCeOq94o97T/s1600/DSCN2103.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSdq87AYoEtvdlwk1p-Q8OP550wn2BldN41J_Du6wPPcSC2iyGD0o0rzkSXecOqmjlKVd6N57i0PwsiL3XFyiWqk4XYHcc9jntiWpdsbHwTC3CwOTwTSU2PzB1H-xVruGMzWCeOq94o97T/s400/DSCN2103.JPG" width="385" /></a></div><br />
I have a bit of a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palak_paneer">Palak Paneer</a> addiction. The spinach-cheese-curry mixture represents all that is good in this world. My frequent cravings often result in a drive to <a href="http://www.blogto.com/restaurants/motherindia">Mother India</a> for their palak paneer roti. But you see, Simon is working in California for 3 weeks. Simon who knows how to drive the car and is therefore the bringer of rotis. So, instead of starring longingly at the unusable car outside the window I decided to do something about it. (Before anyone comments: I know, I need to get a driver's license. I am grossly aware of this fact).<br />
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I made<a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Paneer-Curry-with-Peas-358211"> Paneer Curry with Peas</a> from Epicurious.com. Can I just say how impressed I am with my local natural food store for carrying fresh <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paneer">paneer</a>. So, anyway, I buy the thousand different ingredients needed for any Indian cooking.<br />
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And I decided to add some chicken thighs. I did the chicken by mixing some<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garam_masala"> garam masala</a> with yogurt, marinating the chicken in it, then baking them. Other than that, I followed the recipe exactly and I have to say, it was kind of gross. It was overly tomato-y and didn't have the rich gravy that I associate so much with delicious Indian curries.<br />
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It was really not good. The paneer tasted <i>funny</i>, and sort of tinny. I had enough leftovers to last the three weeks Simon is away (why do I feel the need to cook for ten times the number of people I will be serving?) so I had to do something to revive it.<br />
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The next night, I fried up some more onion and added three tablespoons of garam masala. Once that was cooked, I added half a cup of yogurt and the left over sauce. I have to say - it was a lot better.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWFVRBR5S-UElPCo6oavM9NjrQ-jyz0zQw49qqa_mZcNUpFsk_YK8VVZJnLTyFWtYR3HtQYr4TgjMaC-wY4N8c_JkYTKUt5fatkIDrKwxVXJdJR83VHndLanNkj-VgGZeqSl4WuD7oP_G2/s1600/DSCN2132.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="397" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWFVRBR5S-UElPCo6oavM9NjrQ-jyz0zQw49qqa_mZcNUpFsk_YK8VVZJnLTyFWtYR3HtQYr4TgjMaC-wY4N8c_JkYTKUt5fatkIDrKwxVXJdJR83VHndLanNkj-VgGZeqSl4WuD7oP_G2/s400/DSCN2132.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>This is the curry after altering it the second night. Less pretty, but definitely more tasty. </i></span><br />
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It was richer and much less tomato-y. I don't think I would make this recipe again, though. As much as I love a cooking challenge, some things are better left to the pros and the fine people at <a href="http://www.blogto.com/restaurants/motherindia">Mother India</a> make better, cheaper food than I could ever hope to. I do feel that I have to add, though, that Simon's mum has mastered Rogan Josh. So, once I get my hands on her recipe, I'll be up for trying another curry.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i><a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Paneer-Curry-with-Peas-358211">Paneer Curry with Peas</a></i></span><br />
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">from Epicurious.com</span></i><br />
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<div id="ingDiv"> <i><span>2 tablespoons all purpose flour</span><br />
<span>1 pound paneer or firm or extra-firm tofu, cut into 3/4- to 1-inch cubes</span></i> <i><br />
<span>5 tablespoons usli ghee, divided</span></i> <i><br />
<span>1 large onion, cut into 1- to 2-inch pieces</span></i> <i><br />
<span>1 teaspoon cumin seeds</span></i> <i><br />
<span>2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger</span></i> <i><br />
<span>3 garlic cloves, minced</span></i> <i><br />
<span>2 teaspoons ground coriander</span></i> <i><br />
<span>1 serrano chile, minced with seeds</span></i> <i><br />
<span>1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes with added puree</span></i> <i><br />
<span>1/2 cup water</span></i> <i><br />
<span>1 teaspoon turmeric</span></i> <i><br />
<span>1 1/2 cups shelled fresh peas (from about 1 1/2 pounds peas in pods) or 1 1/2 cups frozen peas, thawed</span></i> <i><br />
<span>1 teaspoon garam masala</span></i> <i><br />
<span>1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro</span></i> <i><br />
<span>Steamed basmati rice</span></i> </div><div id="ingDiv"><i><br />
</i> </div><div id="prepDiv"> <i>Place flour in medium bowl. Add paneer to bowl; toss to coat with flour. Heat 2 tablespoons ghee in heavy large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Shake excess flour from paneer; add to skillet and cook until browned in spots, turning occasionally, about 4 minutes. Transfer paneer to plate; set aside. Reserve skillet.</i><br />
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<i>Place onion pieces in processor. Using on/off turns, process until finely chopped but not watery. Heat remaining 3 tablespoons ghee in reserved skillet over medium heat. Add cumin seeds and stir until aromatic, about 1 minute. Add chopped onion and cook until beginning to brown, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Add minced ginger, minced garlic, ground coriander, and minced serrano chile with seeds; stir 1 minute. Add crushed tomatoes with puree, 1/2 cup water, and turmeric; bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium low; cover and simmer until mixture thickens slightly and flavors blend, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes.</i><br />
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<i>Add shelled fresh peas and cooked paneer; gently fold to incorporate evenly. Cook mixture over medium-low heat until peas are tender and paneer is heated through, folding occasionally, about 5 minutes. </i><br />
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<i>Fold in garam masala and cilantro. Season curry to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with steamed basmati rice.</i></div>Bitter Endivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11607703704887263004noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9200963513175300279.post-21034097640436655642010-07-08T22:26:00.003-04:002010-07-08T22:28:40.164-04:00Vocab Lesson #4<i><span style="font-size: large;">Temper</span></i><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://0.tqn.com/d/australianfood/1/0/U/4/-/-/Making-Custard9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://0.tqn.com/d/australianfood/1/0/U/4/-/-/Making-Custard9.jpg" width="169" /></a></div><br />
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<i><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Image Courtesy of <a href="http://daymix.com/Vanilla-Custard-Recipe/">Daymix.com</a></span></span></i><br />
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<i><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></i><span class="pron" onclick="pron_key()" onmouseout="m_out()" onmouseover="return m_over('Click for pronunciation
key')">(tem'per)</span><br />
<span class="pron" onclick="pron_key()" onmouseout="m_out()" onmouseover="return m_over('Click for pronunciation
key')">Temper can refer to two different cooking practices. The first meaning refers specifically to the process of heating and cooling chocolate to form crystals. This assures that the chocolate will be firm at room temperature.</span><br />
<span class="pron" onclick="pron_key()" onmouseout="m_out()" onmouseover="return m_over('Click for pronunciation
key')"><br />
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<span class="pron" onclick="pron_key()" onmouseout="m_out()" onmouseover="return m_over('Click for
pronunciation
key')">The second meaning refers to a process most commonly used when cooking with egg yolks, as when making custard. When adding a hot liquid to egg yolk you must temper them first to avoid cooking or curdling the yolks. A small amount of the hot liquid is whisked into the yolks before the yolks are added to the remaining hot liquid.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: verdana,geneva,helvetica; font-size: x-small;"> </span><span class="pron" onclick="pron_key()" onmouseout="m_out()" onmouseover="return m_over('Click for pronunciation
key')"><br />
</span>Bitter Endivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11607703704887263004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9200963513175300279.post-72505964733210012562010-07-03T07:48:00.002-04:002010-07-03T07:50:04.940-04:00Parmesan & Thyme Crackers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjEWH8o1gMJbZG7Sgdk2KVGMtuOX4A18fSphN5HBWEq0erU6TuhTfchxihgJk-INyCaWtdFyS9sXudscSeb-X5-S4MLCLvcUSCWOJGrO7bMS1kjlFUTKYLuU_h6hBzvxwQIZBLyNSxi-6D/s1600/DSCN2021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjEWH8o1gMJbZG7Sgdk2KVGMtuOX4A18fSphN5HBWEq0erU6TuhTfchxihgJk-INyCaWtdFyS9sXudscSeb-X5-S4MLCLvcUSCWOJGrO7bMS1kjlFUTKYLuU_h6hBzvxwQIZBLyNSxi-6D/s400/DSCN2021.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
It's 7:10am on a Saturday. Ew. Omar decided at 5:30 this morning that jumping on my head and biting my cheek every 26 seconds was not only a productive start to his day, but something I would thoroughly enjoy. So here I am, coffee in hand, blogging at 7:00am <i>on a Saturday</i>.<br />
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I decided to give Ina <a href="http://bitterendive.blogspot.com/2010/06/chicken-with-forty-cloves-of-garlic.html">another chance</a>. These home-made<a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/parmesan-black-pepper-crackers-recipe/index.html"> crackers</a> were just too pretty not to make. They turned out <i>ok</i>. I have learned to read the comments posted about Ina Garten's recipes because so far every recipe has needed a tweak or two. It's not that the recipes are bad, or wrong. It's just that the instructions miss important little tips that end up ruining what you are trying to make.<br />
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This recipe called for 1 stick of unsalted butter, creamed with a stand mixer with a paddle attachment. It probably should state that the butter absolutely needs to be room temperature. And I probably should have read through the recipe more carefully and realized that the butter is the only liquid in the dough, so of course it would need to be close to liquidy.<br />
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I also need to realize that my hand mixer with it's regular beater attachments is absolutely not the same thing as a stand mixer (The KitchenAid Stand Mixer Fund is now at $15.00!! Keep clicking!!).<br />
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I was left with this dry, course meal that wouldn't hold together. So I added milk, et voil<strong style="font-weight: normal;">à</strong>, dough! It was super fun to roll and slice though I probably should have read the instruction better (this is becoming a pattern) and realized that the dough was too short and thick.<br />
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So, they turned out. They were a bit big, a bit thick (err on the side of thin), and a bit rich, but they are good. And they certainly make for an impressive hors d'œuvre (who makes there own crackers? seriously?). Alright Ina, I'll admit that we are both at fault.<br />
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Now there's a certain, troublesome little kitten I have to wake up.<br />
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<a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/parmesan-black-pepper-crackers-recipe/index.html"><span style="font-size: large;">Parmesan & Thyme Crackers</span></a><br />
by Ina Garten, from <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/">The Food Network</a><br />
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1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter<br />
3 ounces grated Parmesan<br />
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour<br />
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt<br />
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves<br />
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper<br />
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Place the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix until creamy. Add the Parmesan, flour, salt, thyme and pepper and combine.<br />
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Dump the dough on a lightly floured board and roll into a 13-inch long log. Wrap the log in plastic wrap and place in the freezer for 30 minutes to harden.<br />
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Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.<br />
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Cut the log crosswise into 1/4 to 1/2-inch thick slices. Place the slices on a sheet pan and bake for 22 minutes.Bitter Endivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11607703704887263004noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9200963513175300279.post-44106485896635692692010-06-26T13:09:00.000-04:002010-06-26T13:09:37.121-04:00Chicken with Forty Cloves of Garlic<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTqJyBw6qayIz4fkqzgAy947iiHseoMcikQJe2iGOUkJ5-tN5xu5-6ZIBKDsPCQU1bTm_Hm8LHm23Nvw0PBUKGGyeW55cYHeWI0t6nT2tOHn5bcwUtUd_64QndhsGMjeX7QaoOgkw6h63Q/s1600/DSCN1964.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTqJyBw6qayIz4fkqzgAy947iiHseoMcikQJe2iGOUkJ5-tN5xu5-6ZIBKDsPCQU1bTm_Hm8LHm23Nvw0PBUKGGyeW55cYHeWI0t6nT2tOHn5bcwUtUd_64QndhsGMjeX7QaoOgkw6h63Q/s400/DSCN1964.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Ina Garten! You were my hero. <a href="http://bitterendive.blogspot.com/2010/04/brownie-tart.html">I trusted you.</a> <a href="http://bitterendive.blogspot.com/2010/06/blue-cheese-cole-slaw.html">I touted your recipes.</a> I sang your praises to anyone that would listen. But in the end, you, like all the rest, just disappoint.<br />
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I wanted to make chicken. I had the exact idea of what I wanted in my head but I didn't have a recipe for it. I wanted beautifully browned chicken pieces with crispy skin and juicy, tender meat. I wanted to smother it in a flavourful cream sauce that had shallots, and garlic, and mushrooms, and brandy, and unhealthy amounts of cream. I called Simon, thinking maybe his mental recipe Rolodex could help me out.<br />
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"That sounds good. Just make that."<br />
"But I don't have a <i>recipe</i>. I need a <i>recipe</i>."<br />
"You just described a recipe. Just wing it."<br />
"Urgh. I'll keep looking."<br />
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So, I kept looking and in the end settled uncomfortably on the <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/chicken-with-forty-cloves-of-garlic-recipe/index.html">Barefoot Contessa's Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic</a>.<br />
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It's not a bad recipe. The flavour is strong and delicious, and the colour is beautiful. It's an easy dish and turns out great. So, what went wrong? Well my friends, there is one fatal flaw at the end of this recipe:<br />
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"Remove the chicken to a platter and cover with aluminum foil to keep warm. In a small bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup of the sauce and the flour and then whisk it back into the sauce in the pot."<br />
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Aha! <i>"Remove the chicken...whisk together 1/2 cup of the sauce and the flour and then whisk it back into the sauce in the pot." </i>Really, Ina? Really? So I'm standing there, whisking away like a perfect little idiot, watching all of my garlic cloves dissolve into the sauce. It went from Chicken with Forty Cloves of Garlic to Chicken with One Clove of Garlic and Super Garlicky, Lumpy Sauce.<br />
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I'll forgive you Ina, but just this once. And only because you reveal Martha for the frigid con artist she is, and Nigella annoys the hell out of me. And for all of you <i>actually</i> reading this, do make this recipe because it is delicious, but for the love of god, remove your chicken and garlic cloves prior to whisking.<br />
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<i><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_149214292"><span style="font-size: large;">Chicken with Forty Cloves of Garlic</span></a></i><br />
<i><a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/chicken-with-forty-cloves-of-garlic-recipe/index.html">by Ina Garten, from the Food Network</a></i><br />
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<i>3 whole heads garlic, about 40 cloves<br />
2 (3 1/2-pound) chickens, cut into eighths<br />
Kosher salt<br />
Freshly ground black pepper<br />
1 tablespoon unsalted butter<br />
2 tablespoons good olive oil<br />
3 tablespoons Cognac, divided<br />
1 1/2 cups dry white wine (I used red)<br />
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves<br />
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour<br />
2 tablespoons heavy cream<br />
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Separate the cloves of garlic and drop them into a pot of boiling water for 60 seconds. Drain the garlic and peel. Set aside.<br />
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Dry the chicken with paper towels. Season liberally with salt and pepper on both sides. Heat the butter and oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. In batches, saute the chicken in the fat, skin side down first, until nicely browned, about 3 to 5 minutes on each side. Turn with tongs or a spatula; you don't want to pierce the skin with a fork. If the fat is burning, turn the heat down to medium. When a batch is done, transfer it to a plate and continue to saute all the chicken in batches. Remove the last chicken to the plate and add all of the garlic to the pot. Lower the heat and saute for 5 to 10 minutes, turning often, until evenly browned. Add 2 tablespoons of the Cognac and the wine, return to a boil, and scrape the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Return the chicken to the pot with the juices and sprinkle with the thyme leaves. Cover and simmer over the lowest heat for about 30 minutes, until all the chicken is done.<br />
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Remove the chicken to a platter and cover with aluminum foil to keep warm. In a small bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup of the sauce and the flour and then whisk it back into the sauce in the pot. Raise the heat, add the remaining tablespoon of Cognac and the cream, and boil for 3 minutes. Add salt and pepper, to taste; it should be very flavorful because chicken tends to be bland. Pour the sauce and the garlic over the chicken and serve hot.</i>Bitter Endivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11607703704887263004noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9200963513175300279.post-89375850559791439342010-06-23T17:17:00.002-04:002010-06-23T20:49:26.443-04:00Ragu alla Bolognese<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2H119-7grvDE78qpw-IoaKUcNfmfS479lkaoE1VUh6V6ppz59ybih0l_WTl2Sh2moGJgCvgetaKezRY8LeU9l6mbMl7Y4-9ej1fq0BGLg7MGrAt3Z5uQu3JU6cGi-HTe6b4t3h6jt-6oV/s1600/DSCN1931.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="321" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2H119-7grvDE78qpw-IoaKUcNfmfS479lkaoE1VUh6V6ppz59ybih0l_WTl2Sh2moGJgCvgetaKezRY8LeU9l6mbMl7Y4-9ej1fq0BGLg7MGrAt3Z5uQu3JU6cGi-HTe6b4t3h6jt-6oV/s400/DSCN1931.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Blog posts have been sort of sparse lately. I've had go looking for actual <i>paying</i> work and I asked Omar to hold down the blogging fort in the meantime. I don't think he was the right man for the job.<br />
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I did find time to make bolognese, though. I wanted to make a really authentic one with chicken livers. I found this recipe which looked really good and called itself "An Authentic Ragu Bolognese". I don't know how much truth there is to that statement. Any Italians out there who can verify? Anyone?<br />
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It's a bit crazy because it has to cook in the oven for four hours (I made it before this crazy heatwave started). The four hour cook time made me a little hesitant but there is a distinction to be made between meals that take forever to make and meals that take forever to cook. This recipe was actually super simple and took about a half hour to put together and then into the oven it went. I thought about doing it in a slow cooker but I don't think it would work. You cook it with the lid off to get rid off all the liquid so I think a slow cooker would just be way too moist. (Once again, any Italians out there with an opinion?). But you could put it in the oven and then go read for a few hours. Or nap. Or even cuddle with a particularly troublesome little kitten. See? there's lots to do while it cooks.<br />
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<i>Warning: I got a little carried away taking pictures of raw meat. I had never cooked with livers before and had no idea they were so </i><i>pretty and tactile and fun. So, if you are a vegetarian or the type of person who doesn't like looking at pictures of raw liver, look away now. But really, if you are the type of person who doesn't like looking at pictures of raw liver than you probably shouldn't come back - 'cause that's just the type of person I am. The liver-picture-taking type. </i><br />
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In the end, the sauce was dry but succulent, and so, so flavourful. Plus it made enough to freeze 3 additional 2-person batches and I can't wait to eat it again.<br />
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<i><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/anauthenticragubolog_66229">An authentic ragù bolognese</a></i></span><i> </i><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>By Delia Smith<br />
Adapted from <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/anauthenticragubolog_66229">BBC - Food</a><br />
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Makes 8 x 225g/8oz portions (I made half the recipe listed and it was still tons)<br />
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450g/1lb lean minced beef<br />
450g/1lb minced pork<br />
6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil<br />
1x225g/8oz tub chicken livers<br />
2 medium onion, finely chopped<br />
4 fat garlic cloves, chopped<br />
2 x 70g packs (or 140g/5oz) pancetta or streaky bacon, finely chopped<br />
2 x 400g/14oz tins Italian chopped tomatoes<br />
2 x 200g/7oz tubes double concentrate tomato purée (what we call Tomato Paste in North America)<br />
1 x 37.5cl half bottle red wine (or 400ml/14fl oz)<br />
2 x 15g packs or 30g/1oz fresh basil<br />
½ whole nutmeg, grated<br />
salt and freshly milled black pepper<br />
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Preheat the oven to 140C/275F/Gas 1.<br />
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First take a large frying pan, the largest you have, heat 3 tbsp of the oil and gently fry the onion and garlic over a medium heat for about 10 minutes, moving it around from time to time.<br />
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While the onion is softening, chop the pancetta: the best way to do this after opening the pack is to roll the contents into a sausage shape, then using a sharp knife slice it lengthways into four, then slice the lengths across as finely as possible. After 10 minutes, add this to the pan to join the onions and garlic and continue cooking them all for another 5 minutes.<br />
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Now transfer this mixture to the casserole. Add another tbsp of oil to the pan, turn the heat up to its highest then add the minced beef and brown it, breaking it up and moving it round in the pan. When the beef is browned tip it into the casserole. Heat another tbsp of the oil and do exactly the same with the minced pork. While the pork is browning, trim the chicken livers, rinse them under cold running water, dry them thoroughly with kitchen paper and chop them minutely small. When the pork is browned, transfer it to the casserole, then heat the remaining tbsp of oil and brown the pieces of chicken liver. Add these to the casserole.<br />
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Now you've finished with the frying pan, so get rid of that and place the casserole over the direct heat, give everything a good stir together, then add the contents of the tins of tomatoes, the tomato purée, red wine and a really good seasoning of salt, pepper and nutmeg.<br />
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Allow this to come up to simmering point. Then strip the leaves from half the basil, chop them very finely and add them to the pot. As soon as everything is simmering, place the casserole on the centre shelf of the oven and leave it to cook slowly, without a lid, for 4 hours. It's a good idea to have a look after 3 hours to make sure all is well, but what you should end up with is a thick, concentrated sauce with only a trace of liquid left in it, then remove it from the oven, taste to check the seasoning, strip the leaves off the remainng basil, chop them small and stir them in.<br />
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Then when the sauce is absolutely cold, divide it, using scales, by spooning 225g/8oz into polythene freezer bags. Seal them leaving a little bit of air at the top to allow room for expansion. Each 225g/8oz pack, thoroughly defrosted and re-heated, will provide enough ragù for 225g/8oz pasta, which will serve 2 people.</i></div>Bitter Endivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11607703704887263004noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9200963513175300279.post-19587544508458721632010-06-16T07:02:00.002-04:002010-06-16T07:03:36.553-04:00DublinWe were only in Dublin for four days but still managed to get a real feel for the city. It is a lot like Toronto in atmosphere. The people are all friendly but low-key and comfortable. Simon and I both felt like we could easily live there. While I look Irish and have an Irish name, I am only Irish on my dad's side, and his family moved to Canada four generations ago. I don't know if I was expecting to feel some sort of connection to Ireland, and as much as I enjoyed it, certainly didn't feel as though I was coming home at last. Maybe that's the nice thing about growing up in Canada - where everyone is a (relatively) recent immigrant - you can travel anywhere and be free to allow yourself to feel a natural affinity for wherever you end up. Take my parents for example, one is Irish and the other is Danish and yet they both feel some inexplicable tie to Italy. I think my family (and probably many people's), having not grown up with a strong sense of cultural heritage, turn to food to experience culture. So, with that in mind, here is our tasting tour of Dublin.<br />
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Breakfast at the <a href="http://www.elephantandcastle.ie/index.html">Elephant and Castle</a> - <i>Eggs 'n Apples Benedict with Maple Syrup on French Toast</i> - less disgusting and lots more delicious than it sounds.<br />
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<i>Braised Pork Belly with Chorizo & White Bean Cassoulet</i> at <a href="http://www.green19.ie/">Green 19</a>. This place was amazing. The atmosphere was great, the cocktail list was impressive, and all of the mains were 10 euros.<br />
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Simon's <i>Szechaun Lamb in Chili Broth</i> also from Green 19.<br />
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Their very creative drink list. I had the Mexican Green - Tequila, Maraschino Liquor, Pink Grapefruit Juice, Fresh Chili, & Bitters. It was delicious, spicy, and boozy. I can't remember what Simon had.<br />
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That's it for Dublin (I don't remember not taking any pictures!). There are lots from London though, so don't be disappointed!Bitter Endivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11607703704887263004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9200963513175300279.post-54667220450492868352010-06-12T10:34:00.007-04:002010-06-12T10:37:50.217-04:00Vocab Lesson #4<em><span style="font-size: x-large;"><u>Bard</u></span></em><br />
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<em><span style="font-size: x-small;">Image courtesy of Taste of Home: </span></em><a href="http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Chicken-Wrapped-in-Bacon"><em><span style="font-size: x-small;">http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Chicken-Wrapped-in-Bacon</span></em></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">[\ˈbärd\]</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">To dress meat for cooking by covering with strips of fat. Used most often for fowl and other lean meats, barding is only necessary when natural fat is absent and the meat might otherwise dry out. The barding fat (often bacon) bastes the meat, keeping it moist and adding flavour. It can be removed a few minutes before the meat is done to allow the meat to brown. </div>Bitter Endivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11607703704887263004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9200963513175300279.post-77404614338914261512010-06-09T11:42:00.003-04:002010-06-09T12:56:47.746-04:00HousekeepingThere are a few matters I wanted to discuss with you all before we get back to business as usual:<br />
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1) There will be more pictures from Ireland & England (I know, I'm sorry, there is nothing worse than other people's travel pictures).<br />
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2) Add me to facebook and twitter! <a href="mailto:bitterendive@gmail.com">bitterendive@gmail.com</a><br />
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3) I love to hear from you. Don't be shy! Comment, comment, comment!<br />
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4) You may have noticed a few obnoxious ads around the site. Revenue generated from you (yes, you!) viewing and clicking those ads goes straight to charity - the "Buy Bitter Endive a KitchenAid Stand Mixer Fund". So far, we've raised $1.56 - only $398.44 to go!<br />
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That is all. Thank you for your patience.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBqKB3YNWJKw9U1MtqzDCAITpwJPxknE7GFAbS7mNRBd1H6EnbxDKraJ58Hl0SvOTof9MEf9Femj6rx-9qah8526R4b1QNcRcrtbbHyPe71t3otIkF0itp6xdJ5QmVZM4tI1QxBSBMrM8R/s1600/13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBqKB3YNWJKw9U1MtqzDCAITpwJPxknE7GFAbS7mNRBd1H6EnbxDKraJ58Hl0SvOTof9MEf9Femj6rx-9qah8526R4b1QNcRcrtbbHyPe71t3otIkF0itp6xdJ5QmVZM4tI1QxBSBMrM8R/s320/13.jpg" width="277" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiphvq-V5ivW12ngNl0Fcqsw3_6tVSF37zM4oUqBnxURUZ_W3583gN-wnIm5mdBsB2nmDl_RxIJHD27iAcIZBmkGscbrm7G2lURB5Gf_WdPQ6jWj2B51ppQwSaYSIYhHeFexwU1u_DV_QHV/s1600/14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiphvq-V5ivW12ngNl0Fcqsw3_6tVSF37zM4oUqBnxURUZ_W3583gN-wnIm5mdBsB2nmDl_RxIJHD27iAcIZBmkGscbrm7G2lURB5Gf_WdPQ6jWj2B51ppQwSaYSIYhHeFexwU1u_DV_QHV/s320/14.jpg" width="309" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Omar gets angry when we have to knead dough by hand (or paw). It is a lot of work for a little kitten; a KitchenAid Stand Mixer could vastly improve the quality of his life</i></span>.<i><span style="font-size: x-small;"> Please click generously.</span></i></div>Bitter Endivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11607703704887263004noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9200963513175300279.post-63648442934757765772010-06-09T10:15:00.003-04:002010-06-10T13:17:48.464-04:00Blue Cheese Cole Slaw<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT7myrj9MV4omHTwx2WX0xBuQsXdTzGNUC3VV80WOJhIb_EBASKbE6x_X2-BKwC3ZNuFaNzGuHdK8ZRZpf5dau7qD2F5TmqHvAHV8tb4XAOLKOMUjxUCsZ2FeW0pOut6NW8cH9vMsiWccC/s1600/DSCN1880.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT7myrj9MV4omHTwx2WX0xBuQsXdTzGNUC3VV80WOJhIb_EBASKbE6x_X2-BKwC3ZNuFaNzGuHdK8ZRZpf5dau7qD2F5TmqHvAHV8tb4XAOLKOMUjxUCsZ2FeW0pOut6NW8cH9vMsiWccC/s400/DSCN1880.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
The whole time we were away, Simon and I kept thinking of things we wanted to make when we got home: <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Chocolate-Stout-Cake-107105">Chocolate Stout Cake</a>, <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Beef-and-Dark-Beer-Chili-237096">Stout Chili</a> (yes, I see the pattern, too. We were in Ireland. We had stout on the brain), that <a href="http://bitterendive.blogspot.com/2010/05/fettucine-with-peas-asparagus-and.html">Asparagus Fettuccine</a> from Bon Appétit, and more things with cabbage.<br />
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Cabbage is just so cool. It's cheap, <a href="http://www.nutritiondata.com/facts/vegetables-and-vegetable-products/2373/2">it's healthy</a>, and it can be cooked in a <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/tools/searchresults?search=cabbage&att=691&type=simple&threshold=53&sort=1">myriad of delicious ways</a>. Before we left, we went to <a href="http://www.thestockyards.ca/">The Stockyards</a> - the best barbecue place in Toronto (argue yours is better - I dare you). They put this delicious, crunchy coleslaw on their pulled pork sandwich ($8.00 - it will change your life). So other than stout, we've kind of had slaw on the brain. And while sitting on the 7 hour flight home, eating our rubbery, microwaved, airplane burrito, we started fantasizing about the different types of Slaw we would make on our return.<br />
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First slaw of the season:<a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/blue-cheese-cole-slaw-recipe/index.html"> Barefoot Contessa's Blue Cheese Cole Slaw</a>. She has<a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/chicken-with-forty-cloves-of-garlic-recipe/index.html"> never steered me wrong</a> and her name amuses Simon ("Ina Garten! Like 'In A Garden'!").<br />
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My god, she is good. I'm sure it loses it's healthy-cabbage points due to the ridiculous quantities of mayonnaise and blue cheese in it, but it makes it up in delicious-fat points.<br />
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The mustard in the sauce adds the perfect sharpness to combat all that dairy-goodness. And the colours are really pretty (I'm sorry - I'm still a bit jet lagged and not quite as sharp as usual. There may be a larger-than-normal amount of "Pretty Colour" comments in the coming days.)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-XJpGcPpCd9MpIuByDKn_U5BHrqxCGpYjvzP7IAwlwFvSAm9ghLzUEJlzx1tAQWlKMsv8GtMgvfNmL6hSIYsD1clM9SwY-s89X7r7D_5RbaOUJ7vaHMZ1COk00y-97JUzrOljKxMjrghM/s1600/DSCN1883.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="337" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-XJpGcPpCd9MpIuByDKn_U5BHrqxCGpYjvzP7IAwlwFvSAm9ghLzUEJlzx1tAQWlKMsv8GtMgvfNmL6hSIYsD1clM9SwY-s89X7r7D_5RbaOUJ7vaHMZ1COk00y-97JUzrOljKxMjrghM/s400/DSCN1883.jpg" width="400" /></a> <br />
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<a name='more'></a><a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/blue-cheese-cole-slaw-recipe/index.html"><span style="font-size: large;">Blue Cheese Cole Slaw</span></a><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">from <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/">www.foodnetwork.com</a><br />
2005, Ina Garten, All Rights Reserved<br />
Show: Barefoot Contessa Episode: Barefoot Reunion</span><br />
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1/2 small head green cabbage<br />
1/2 small head red cabbage<br />
4 large carrots, scrubbed or peeled<br />
2 cups (16 ounces) good mayonnaise<br />
1/4 cup Dijon mustard<br />
2 tablespoons whole grain mustard<br />
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar<br />
1 teaspoon celery salt<br />
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt<br />
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper<br />
1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) crumbled Roquefort blue cheese<br />
1 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves<br />
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Cut the cabbages in half and then in quarters and cut out the cores. Thinly slice cabbage either by hand (yikes!), <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Good-Grips-V-Blade-Mandoline-Slicer/dp/B001THGPDO/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1276092478&sr=1-10">mandolin</a>, or food processor. Transfer into a large bowl, discarding any very large pieces. <br />
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Julienne the carrots. Transfer to bowl with the cabbages. <br />
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In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, both mustards, vinegar, celery salt, kosher salt, and pepper. <br />
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Before you pour the dressing on the salad, save a handful of the grated vegetables to decorate for serving. Pour enough mayonnaise dressing over the grated vegetables and toss to moisten well. <br />
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Add crumbled blue cheese and parsley and toss together. <br />
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Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for several hours to allow the flavors to meld. Serve cold or at room temperature. <br />
<h1 class="fn"> </h1><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Bitter Endivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11607703704887263004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9200963513175300279.post-73402564439853603192010-06-08T15:08:00.001-04:002010-06-08T15:11:36.982-04:00We're back!After a fantastic two weeks, we have returned! The trip was really amazing - rolling hills, the ocean, mountains, sheep, what more could you ask for? FOOD! Here are some pictures from the Cork-portion of the trip. We were in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glengariff">Glengariff</a>, way down south on the water.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLLFK_UNy55aZ1yB6BGanJqV8MwA162cp1zPjOlzP4uGh-hbWomj6plSN9oDSkvnnpmH8H3WKps2l25_Pu4qB65C_B0MVYbsnCtcxRKbNh8JpLEi6IeWTGfJOXSBqY0tvyYE0Jq-ZlTLXO/s1600/DSCN1418.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLLFK_UNy55aZ1yB6BGanJqV8MwA162cp1zPjOlzP4uGh-hbWomj6plSN9oDSkvnnpmH8H3WKps2l25_Pu4qB65C_B0MVYbsnCtcxRKbNh8JpLEi6IeWTGfJOXSBqY0tvyYE0Jq-ZlTLXO/s320/DSCN1418.JPG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC2M4m2tWXJDXwoX7IxQv56_jdneLy24o7MlyHMGo1CcvYYQgu85eb47betIIcNc5FBoxL99QPA6Vo42qK96ahy32IpubcplwHkS5rxAMzPdTxubyWTD9zpQk8dXPqkkcRYEsCTOA5ZkOV/s1600/DSCN1420.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC2M4m2tWXJDXwoX7IxQv56_jdneLy24o7MlyHMGo1CcvYYQgu85eb47betIIcNc5FBoxL99QPA6Vo42qK96ahy32IpubcplwHkS5rxAMzPdTxubyWTD9zpQk8dXPqkkcRYEsCTOA5ZkOV/s320/DSCN1420.JPG" /></a></div><br />
The first meal of the trip was really disgusting: airplane food. Our flights were with Air Canada and the food was just about the worst I've ever tasted. Air Canada, if you're reading, you should be ashamed. So, instead of eating, we just drank:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5hvZdQP-bTmnRK0Vuty8tMoD2hoXvl-Wy9PkvsDv9WmNjaKwwo3hLwl3LWjXfe-UewtevSGUrygjMhlTSCU7R2LLExr6YvF3Osj0iFD6n6EAYN4_8QpqRUVDkyEopJnerpIN0wfQXmQjo/s1600/DSCN1422.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5hvZdQP-bTmnRK0Vuty8tMoD2hoXvl-Wy9PkvsDv9WmNjaKwwo3hLwl3LWjXfe-UewtevSGUrygjMhlTSCU7R2LLExr6YvF3Osj0iFD6n6EAYN4_8QpqRUVDkyEopJnerpIN0wfQXmQjo/s320/DSCN1422.JPG" /></a></div><br />
We stayed in Dublin for a night before driving to Cork. We went to <a href="http://www.fallonandbyrne.com/section/104">Fallon & Byrne</a> which is this great Food Hall with a restaurant above it. The dinner was delicious but due to a starvation-induced haze I forgot to take pictures. I got a picture of my dad's dessert though:<br />
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We stayed in a house in Glengariff so Simon and I actually did a lot of cooking. Check out the kitchen:<br />
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Cooking is surprisingly easy when you have space and there isn't a kitten trying to run off with your ingredients. (We really did miss Omar though. He would have had so much fun on that marble island).<br />
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We made lamb.<br />
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And lemon risotto.<br />
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Lobster.<br />
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And scallops. We found this great meat and cheese shop called <a href="http://www.goodfoodireland.ie/Member252/Mannings-Emporium-Cork.html">Manning's Emporium</a>, specializing in local charcuterie. We got a little overexcited testing cheeses and talking to Val, the owner. The 30 minutes we spent in his store were among the best of the trip. Plus, it made for a fantastic lunch.<br />
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There is high end food to be found in Cork, and my personal favourite was O'Connors in Bantry. They specialize in seafood (a fact my mum, never one to turn down duck, was unable of recognizing). The fish was all top-quality and simply prepared.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG7xegStLKLHNCbWH17NERyrnbnVLg9zg6_qR4-3F2OHlonjEIIgbKBRwnzSEbkp6Zqj9pYZlo3sdOa4mbEiYbJf5RXqWFi9QCo8ahIVkcM4gmhU-XEk5Gn7iHV8ZyTZPtZQqh5LsaAd89/s1600/DSCN1538.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG7xegStLKLHNCbWH17NERyrnbnVLg9zg6_qR4-3F2OHlonjEIIgbKBRwnzSEbkp6Zqj9pYZlo3sdOa4mbEiYbJf5RXqWFi9QCo8ahIVkcM4gmhU-XEk5Gn7iHV8ZyTZPtZQqh5LsaAd89/s320/DSCN1538.JPG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjB5kem32P5IUhlxtF8-aODK5Eskf6WPrCWQKry2MOeZYSpimlnUeIi9POeBwTgnBdH47PjMbNmT0bwXIsrneHCM8ekFdZfkzXq0kMYFBDdzKgFAYI9apByLYd4nnH3xzXhGFV6oORsZLC/s1600/DSCN1539.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjB5kem32P5IUhlxtF8-aODK5Eskf6WPrCWQKry2MOeZYSpimlnUeIi9POeBwTgnBdH47PjMbNmT0bwXIsrneHCM8ekFdZfkzXq0kMYFBDdzKgFAYI9apByLYd4nnH3xzXhGFV6oORsZLC/s320/DSCN1539.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>My mother's duck confit.</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_ouXLJzOk-aqspqcC1XkHQLP7q4Yy_3OpSMNHyCTbgxlehfb1YaRyHGTm1BjCn5OODUO7r55Qk5f6OBEetHa7FYiH2SV0Vok4All3rARAvsrsBlvk0K_dZp4qNiC7Rw_DQlNNdqIakWP_/s1600/DSCN1540.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_ouXLJzOk-aqspqcC1XkHQLP7q4Yy_3OpSMNHyCTbgxlehfb1YaRyHGTm1BjCn5OODUO7r55Qk5f6OBEetHa7FYiH2SV0Vok4All3rARAvsrsBlvk0K_dZp4qNiC7Rw_DQlNNdqIakWP_/s320/DSCN1540.JPG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJoN2vFkx_kZFI61lWTow0XPejDsKPEVT-Uoijj6ufejtbU6gRJlKDTwkZtMBzKC82IOEOMD4InT_wQoZsUrdixgOMJt1FcaOirIAK5H_INQ14DnAtjhrA4jMbOCV2kdeIl6uZ82ghn5sQ/s1600/DSCN1536.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJoN2vFkx_kZFI61lWTow0XPejDsKPEVT-Uoijj6ufejtbU6gRJlKDTwkZtMBzKC82IOEOMD4InT_wQoZsUrdixgOMJt1FcaOirIAK5H_INQ14DnAtjhrA4jMbOCV2kdeIl6uZ82ghn5sQ/s320/DSCN1536.JPG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQdR-OI7xYiKgyn_L6F47UJiJXwdQdxvfyFo8alC2_A9IzuphO5gfyLvDoaf5YHpahr2UePf6LxBKuG89HqrxciGJTJMYX9qJLRtlyNjOOTx0VcsGVKmoxXL3gL48gFI1ixrcQ3UEwIorL/s1600/DSCN1544.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQdR-OI7xYiKgyn_L6F47UJiJXwdQdxvfyFo8alC2_A9IzuphO5gfyLvDoaf5YHpahr2UePf6LxBKuG89HqrxciGJTJMYX9qJLRtlyNjOOTx0VcsGVKmoxXL3gL48gFI1ixrcQ3UEwIorL/s320/DSCN1544.JPG" /></a></div><br />
Next stop: Dublin!Bitter Endivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11607703704887263004noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9200963513175300279.post-64351883517254675792010-05-30T19:21:00.000-04:002010-05-30T19:21:02.416-04:00CorkFrom Killarney to Kinsale...<br />
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I promised a Sunday post, so here I am. The dubious wifi of our hotel in Dublin, however, dictates that it be short and light on pictures. I promise a meal-to-meal account of the trip on my return (though I warn you now that I have barely a single picture of a meal that I wasn't halfway through eating before remembering to take a photo).<br />
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County Cork was stunning. The people were the kindest I have ever met and the scenery is breathtaking. There being six of us (my parents, my brother & his girlfriend, Simon & me), we had to rent this huge <a href="http://www.city-car.ro/img/cars/rent_mercedes_vito.jpg">8 seater van thing</a> which would have been fine, except for the fact that we actually had to drive it. On mountains. At 100 km/h. On roads so narrow they could barely be considered bike paths (I suspect Simon enjoyed the crazy turns and high speeds; I was gripping the edge of the door so hard my hands went numb).<br />
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I can`t upload any more pictures because my camera and computer both need charging and I only thought to purchase one adapter. So that`s all you are getting for now: a picture of somewhere in Southern Ireland and a half-assed post about beautiful scenery and the kindness of strangers. <br />
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We have another day in Dublin and then we are off to London on Tuesday, where (wifi permitting) I will have more to post (and maybe even some pictures).<br />
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No news from Omar - He is having lots of fun with his new friend. I always suspected he was really a feral leopard cat who was only placating me with his domesticity, and now that he has Oscar (his new Ginger buddy) I fear our days of cuddling and playing together are over. We`ll have to see.Bitter Endivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11607703704887263004noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9200963513175300279.post-25974795779049364832010-05-27T11:52:00.000-04:002010-05-27T11:52:22.122-04:00Ireland<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuCQRpoY5la6lwEBPGXZpZajk8uuHWBE922-FiHvfKtRDNj_UPMANSqsESAdLLdySvoi2LjaBN3RbXoSU_N8liqTWFXm2zym7nNcRZ8I4X8hy2ZNledd8ico6aoV6t5pHaqfMJOhvNL9qm/s1600/DSCN1585%5B1%5D" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuCQRpoY5la6lwEBPGXZpZajk8uuHWBE922-FiHvfKtRDNj_UPMANSqsESAdLLdySvoi2LjaBN3RbXoSU_N8liqTWFXm2zym7nNcRZ8I4X8hy2ZNledd8ico6aoV6t5pHaqfMJOhvNL9qm/s400/DSCN1585%5B1%5D" width="400" /></a></div><br />
3 things I've learned about Ireland: <br />
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1) The have lots of mountains and hills.<br />
2) They drive ridiculously fast on ridiculously narrow roads.<br />
3) They have some of the best seafood, cheeses, and cured meats I have ever had.<br />
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Our cottage is lovely but is without Internet access (egads!) so this is going to be a short post. I promise more, in detail, on Sunday when we head off to Dublin - including the story behind this lobster, part of a delicious seafood platter Simon and I cooked up.<br />
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Omar had to stay back at home (Simon wouldn't let us smuggle him over in our luggage. He doubted Omar's ability to stay still for the 6+ hour flight), but he's having fun staying with a ginger cat named Oscar.<br />
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That's it for now (there's a line forming behind me at the Internet cafe)! More to come...Bitter Endivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11607703704887263004noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9200963513175300279.post-65525010430106171982010-05-20T08:46:00.002-04:002010-05-20T08:47:24.323-04:00We're going to Ireland!<span style="font-size: large;">And you're coming with us!</span><br />
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Ok, not really. But I'm bringing my camera and fully intend to upload pictures while there. If I was someone who used terms like live-blogging, I would use it now. Check back soon for updates from Cork & Dublin!<br />
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<span class="green"><b>Sláinte!</b></span>Bitter Endivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11607703704887263004noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9200963513175300279.post-37804246967299842192010-05-16T11:10:00.002-04:002010-05-19T20:07:16.552-04:00Cream of Asparagus Soup<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiceZihMgPSqkxr527qPRCN1umnDUfbU73kPm-SQQeXLGYz0ppREO0k3jdL0qAbrExgpDkPl12ABkO-zi39AwEj5T7qquuyaNOg83LAJr-Mqh0cR_-sk7TPceIryAex41rQue8qbmHj424Z/s1600/5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="277" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiceZihMgPSqkxr527qPRCN1umnDUfbU73kPm-SQQeXLGYz0ppREO0k3jdL0qAbrExgpDkPl12ABkO-zi39AwEj5T7qquuyaNOg83LAJr-Mqh0cR_-sk7TPceIryAex41rQue8qbmHj424Z/s400/5.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Earlier this week, my aunt mentioned that she wanted to find a good asparagus soup recipe. The asparagus available right now is really amazing (if you hadn't noticed, it's been in pretty much everything I've made this month), so I figured I'd test one out.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrTIJNq1aftabZ4WqJfsNAIn2zG3RsvZHCm_MzXK6lV8433YKKC-0ZvX9FuMQWsiVLNMNaqEauFzs6B5D2PMvrFj8e3gVg7ySLbHII3Az98IC_KFI3Yaq0JAHUjNfpegV22rhH1UkPFjPU/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="383" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrTIJNq1aftabZ4WqJfsNAIn2zG3RsvZHCm_MzXK6lV8433YKKC-0ZvX9FuMQWsiVLNMNaqEauFzs6B5D2PMvrFj8e3gVg7ySLbHII3Az98IC_KFI3Yaq0JAHUjNfpegV22rhH1UkPFjPU/s400/1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Omar inspects all ingredients before we begin cooking; his high standards are often a point of contention between us. Note the shredded paper towel in the top-right corner; he prefers it that way.</i></span></div><br />
I chose the <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Cream-of-Asparagus-Soup-Creme-Dasperges-104746">Cream of Asparagus Soup</a> from <a href="http://epicurious.com/">Epicurious.com</a> because reviewers seemed to love it (though some were adding questionable ingredients) and it was pretty simple and to-the-point.<br />
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I like vegetable soups because I can pretend they are healthy. Green food is good for you. It doesn't matter if the shade of green happens to be wonderfully pale from copious amounts of creme fraiche, right? It also doesn't matter that I decided to cook my shallots in bacon fat, right? Or that I decided then to garnish the soup not with the asparagus tips recommended in the recipe, but with the pieces of fried bacon and some old cheddar (further proving my hypothesis that there isn't anything bacon can't improve)?<br />
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While I was making it, Simon mentioned that it was odd that there were no carrots or celery or leeks (Simon gets outraged over a missing <a href="http://bitterendive.blogspot.com/2010/04/vocab-lesson-2.html">mirepoix</a>). I used shallots instead of onions (because they are fancy and delightfully French sounding), and whipping cream instead of creme fraiche (because I already had some. Should I be concerned that whipping cream has a permanent spot in my fridge?).<br />
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The soup was nice. It was quick, easy, and asparagus-y. But it wasn't very thick and was missing the richness that I expect in my creamed soups. Some of the people who commented on the recipe on <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/">Epicurious </a>suggested adding a potato, but I think there was just way too much chicken broth (5 cups!). And Simon might be right, a <a href="http://bitterendive.blogspot.com/2010/04/vocab-lesson-2.html">mirepoix</a> might really be worth adding.<br />
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<a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Cream-of-Asparagus-Soup-Creme-Dasperges-104746"><span style="font-size: large;"><i>Cream of Asparagus Soup</i></span></a><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>from <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/">Epicurious</a></i></span><br />
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<i>2 pounds green asparagus<br />
1 large onion, chopped<br />
3 tablespoons unsalted butter<br />
5 to 6 cups chicken broth<br />
1/2 cup crème fraîche or heavy cream<br />
1/4 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, or to taste<br />
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Cut tips from 12 asparagus<br />
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1 1/2 inches from top and halve tips lengthwise if thick. Reserve for garnish.<br />
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Cut stalks and all remaining asparagus into 1/2-inch pieces.<br />
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Cook onion in 2 tablespoons butter in a 4-quart heavy pot over moderately low heat, stirring, until softened. Add asparagus pieces and salt and pepper to taste, then cook, stirring, 5 minutes. Add 5 cups broth and simmer, covered, until asparagus is very tender, 15 to 20 minutes.<br />
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While soup simmers, cook reserved asparagus tips in boiling salted water until just tender, 3 to 4 minutes, then drain.<br />
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Purée soup in batches in a blender until smooth, transferring to a bowl (use caution when blending hot liquids), and return to pan. Stir in crème fraîche, then add more broth to thin soup to desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper. Bring soup to a boil and whisk in remaining tablespoon butter.<br />
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Add lemon juice and garnish with asparagus tips.<br />
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Cooks' note: ·Soup keeps, covered and chilled, 2 days. If making ahead, add last tablespoon butter and lemon juice after reheating.</i>Bitter Endivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11607703704887263004noreply@blogger.com1