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Portobello, poached egg, and spicy sausage
May 25, 2012 — 4 Comments
Rainy day breakfast made easy – some spicy sausage from our evening at The Meat Hook, sauteed mushrooms, a poached egg, and a scattering of the freshest parsley.
The breakfast of champions, as far as I am concerned.
You’ll need:
- 2 portobello mushrooms
- 2 T olive oil
- 1/2 T butter
- 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
- 1 t za’taar
- pinch of salt
- 3 T fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 egg (you can use the 1 minute poached egg trick!)
- 1 spicy sausage
1. Scrub and wash mushrooms thoroughly. Trim the stems and give the stems and caps a rough chop.
2. Melt butter in the olive oil. Add garlic and mushrooms, salt and za’taar, and saute on medium heat until tender and fragrant.
3. In the meantime, cook the sausage (pierce it a few times with a fork before cooking so that it doesn’t burst). Depending on how much time you have, you can fry the sausage or ‘sear’ it and then finish in the oven. Chop roughly.
4. Mix prepared mushrooms with parsley and sausage; poach egg, and serve immediately.
Pig butchering class at The Meat Hook
May 24, 2012 — 15 Comments
Last night, Valerie and I took a pig butchering masterclass from the lovely Sara at The Meat Hook butcher shop.
I should point out that if you are a vegetarian or do not eat meat for whatever reason, you may not want to look at the images below.
There is absolutely nothing offensive about them as far as I am concerned – just fair warning. The butchers at The Meat Hook and their farmers/vendors treat each animal with a lot of care and respect. Plus, I think whatever you eat or cook, it is important to know – and not be afraid of – where it comes from!
The pig we worked with last night was a Berkshire heritage pig raised not too far away in upstate New York by farmer Bruce.
Sara showed us how to butcher the pig cleanly, with minimal cuts.
We discussed the use of various parts of the pig for various dishes – use everything you can, kitchen or storage space permitting – brining, curing, and smoking hams, ears, and heads. Skin can be fried, fat rendered, bones used for stocks, and leaf lard for baking.
And we cooked some wonderful sausages and shoulder sirloin chops – so delicious, cooked simply with olive oil, salt and pepper.
Proving once again that you don’t need any bells and whistles to make excellent ingredients shine!
Rhubarb and custard crisp
May 22, 2012 — 16 Comments
I’m back! My trip got extended by a more or less spontaneous trip to Munich (to see my favorite team win the Champions’ League!), and we have a lot of rhubarb-related catching up to do.
This is actually a ‘reverse crisp’ – here, the crispy topping is the crust, which is then filled with creme de patisserie and roasted rhubarb. I love the contrasting textures together and hope you will too.
You’ll need:
- 1 lb rhubarb, diced
- 2 T raw sugar
- 1 cup AP flour
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup ground almonds
- 1/4 cup rolled oats
- Pinch of salt
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup canola oil
For the pastry cream:
- 300 ml 2 % milk
- 1/2 t vanilla bean paste
- 3 egg yolks
- 50 g sugar
- 2 T AP flour
- 2 T cornstarch
1. Preheat oven to 350F. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, almonds, oats and salt – sort of a granola mixture you will recognize from the strawberry yogurt tart. In a large skillet, melt the butter in the oil. Add the granola mixture and cook over moderate heat, stirring constantly, until golden, 5 minutes; transfer to a 9-inch pie plate and let cool slightly.
2. Using a flat-bottomed sturdy glass, gently press the granola evenly over the bottom and side of the pie plate to form a 1/2-inch-thick crust. Freeze the crust for about 10 minutes, until completely cooled. Blind bake the crust for about 10 minutes.
3. In the meantime, make the pastry cream. Mix the egg yolks and sugar together then slowly mix in the flour and cornstarch until well-incorporated. Bring the milk to a boil in a saucepan just until it starts foaming and ‘climbing up’ the pan. Take off heat, and slowly add in egg yolk mixture and vanilla bean paste, stirring constantly.
4. Put the saucepan back on medium heat and whisk until it simmers and thickens (about 2-3 minutes). Let cool – keep stirring! – and cover the surface with plastic wrap.
5. Toss the diced rhubarb with sugar. In a skillet at medium heat, cook the rhubarb until just tender, about 10 minutes.
6. When you are ready to assemble the crisp, pour or spread the pastry cream on top of the baked crust. Then arrange the rhubarb on top, cover, and cool in the fridge until ready to serve.
Cut into generous wedges, otherwise, everyone will go for seconds!
Artichoke and radish tart
May 17, 2012 — 15 Comments
I feel like I have been saying this a lot recently – or maybe, it’s just been a particularly good cooking month – but this is another one of my new favorite things that I will keep making again over the summer.
That said, blogging from the road has its challenges! I just lost the entire ingredient list for this dish somewhere in the non-recoverable parts of mobile WP, but I couldn’t wait to share this recipe with you.
Satisfying but light, this artichoke and radish tart makes a perfect summer meal.
You’ll need:
- 1 sheet shortcrust pie pastry
- 2 globe artichokes or 4 baby artichokes
- 1 bunch (about 1 cup) French breakfast radishes
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 1/3 cup toasted pine nuts
- 3 shallots, sliced thinly
- 2 cloves of garlic, finely diced
- 3 T rice vinegar
- 1/2 t fresh thyme
- pinch of nutmeg
- olive oil
- vegetable oil
- salt and pepper
1. Preheat oven to 400F. Bring a medium sized pot of water to boil.
2. Clean and trim artichokes (never too much fun, but a good trick is to use kitchen shears), cut in half. Add to boiling water, add vinegar, and simmer for 5-6 minutes until just tender. Drain, rinse in cold water, sprinkle with a bit of lemon juice or more rice vinegar and set aside. Once they have cooled slightly, cut artichokes into quarters (if using globe artichokes).
3. In the meantime, sauté the shallots and garlic in vegetable oil until lightly golden. Add artichokes to pan and reduce heat. Cut radishes in half and add to pan as well. Season with salt and pepper, a bit of olive oil. Toss, and cook for 4-5 minutes.
4. Drape rolled out pastry in a round springform pan, leaving a two inch border up the sides.
5. Mix ricotta with a tsp of olive oil, nutmeg, a bit of pepper, and half of the pine nuts. Spread cheese evenly on the bottom of the pie crust.
6. Arrange vegetables on top of the cheese. Sprinkle with remaining pine nuts and a bit of olive oil, salt and pepper, and thyme. Crimp crust lightly along the edges of the springform.
Bake for about 30 minutes or until crust is just browning lightly.
Postcard from London
May 14, 2012 — 12 Comments
Hello from (periodically) rainy London!
I’ve extended my stay here for a bit, and we’ve been having so much fun. Brunching on savory waffles at the Modern Pantry, enjoying the old-world charm at Quo Vadis, discovering the pork lover’s heaven that is the Ginger Pig, buying runny St James cheese at Neal’s Yard Dairy, or escaping the rain for tapas at Jose.
In other exciting news, Saffron & Honey was recently featured on Foodpress.com! Thanks to everyone who has stopped by since then!
Chili soft-shell crabs
May 14, 2012 — 16 Comments
Another one of my favorite springtime treats are soft-shell crabs.
They are so easy to cook and so easy to eat – which is not always true when it comes to crab! – and taste sweet and delicate.
You’ll need:
(for 4 crabs)
- 4 soft-shell crabs, cleaned
- 1 large juicy tomato, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1/2 tsp chili paste
- 4-5 T walnut oil
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup cornmeal flour
- salt, pepper
- 2 t sherry vinegar
- 1 t mustard powder
1. Set up two bowls – one with a lightly whisked egg, another with a mix of flour, mustard powder, salt and pepper.
2. Heat up oil in a large deep pan. Add garlic, chili, and tomatoes.
3. Dip crabs in egg, then dredge in flour mixture. Add the crab to the pan and stir-fry for 5-7 minutes or until just cooked, flipping halfway through. Top with some chili flakes, if desired.
Rhubarb-pink peppercorn and ricotta crostini
May 13, 2012 — 11 Comments
Here is a new cocktail party snack for you – I think rhubarb pairs incredibly well against the creamy ricotta, with a little bite of the pepper and vinegar.
You’ll need:
- 1 lb rhubarb, trimmed, chopped into 1/4 inch pieces
- 1 loaf of bread
- a tub of fresh ricotta cheese
- 5 T honey
- 1 t balsamic vinegar
- 1 t pink peppercorns
- olive oil
1. Cook rhubarb with honey on medium heat 6-8 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until rhubarb is very soft and just starting to fall apart.
2. Add vinegar and peppercorns. Let cool while flavors combine.
3. Toast bread – french bread or I even like the nuttiness of walnut bread for this – sprinkle or brush with a little olive oil, spread ricotta, and top with rhubarb.
Fiddlehead ferns with lemon
May 10, 2012 — 19 Comments
What are fiddleheads? They are another amazing, fleeting flavor of spring – a furled baby fern.
They taste fresh and green – like a mix between green beans and young asparagus – and have a wonderful crunch.
Note: Clean fiddleheads thoroughly! Soak in cold water, then shake dry. Trim the stems and any brown bits/furries.
You’ll need:
- 1/2 lbs fiddlehead ferns (about 2 cups)
- 1 1/2 T walnut oil
- 1 T balsamic glaze
- juice of half a lemon
- salt
1. Trim and clean the fiddleheads thoroughly. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil.
2. Blanch the fiddleheads for approximately two minutes in boiling water. Drain and immediately immerse in ice cold water.
3. Drain once cooled and dress with oil, vinegar, and plenty of lemon juice. Add a sprinkle of coarse salt before serving.
On my way to London
May 9, 2012 — 11 Comments
So excited for dinner (and pudding) in London this weekend!
I have scheduled a view exciting posts for you – fiddleheads, crabs, and more rhubarb – while I am gone.
I cannot wait to see my friends, have some cozy tea at the weekend, return to my old favorites, and check out new places like Quo Vadis (dessert menu above), Hedone, and The Riding House.
Rhubarb with blackberries and ginger cookies
May 8, 2012 — 6 Comments
We have already established that I love Speculoos cookies, and I love finding new ways to work them into various recipes. Ginger and sweet and tart rhubarb compliment each other beautifully.
And you can have any leftovers for breakfast!
(adapted from Deborah Madison’s Local Flavors)
You’ll need:
- 1 1/2 lbs rhubarb, trimmed
- 1/3 cup raw sugar
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1 t lemon zest (keep it in long strips)
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 3 T vanilla sugar
- pint of blackberries
- cream/creme fraiche
- speculoos cookies (or gingersnaps etc.)
1. Chop rhubarb into 1/2 inch pieces and arrange in an oven-proof ceramic dish or a gratin pan. Preheat oven to 400F.
2. Toss rhubarb with lemon zest, sugars, cloves, and maple syrup. Cover with foil and bake for about half an hour – you’ll be able to smell it once it’s done, with the rhubarb softened and fragrant.
3. Layer blackberries on top of rhubarb and cover again with the foil – the heat from the rhubarb will gently cook the berries.
4 Garnish with whole and crumbled speculooos/ ginger cookies and serve with a dollop of yogurt or creme fraiche.
