Belly Says Feed Me

Meringue Cookies and How to get your eggs room temp on the quick

Other meringue cookie recipes are waaaaaay too sweet for me. I played with it a bit and like this version best - though, I think I’ll tinker with taking the sugar down even more for my next batch. Room temp egg whites were best - doesn’t have to be completely room temp, just needs to have the chill off. 

• 2 ROOM TEMPERATURE Egg whites*
• 1/8 tsp Cream of Tartar 
• 1/4 Cup Granulated Sugar
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1/8 tsp kosher salt (optional)

Preheat oven to 300.  Blend egg whites, cream of tartar and salt on medium high speed until egg whites are foamy. Add vanilla and keep mixing. Turn mixer on highest setting and blend in sugar, a couple table spoons at a time unti mixture is shiny and has stiff peaks (3-4 min). Place parchment paper on baking sheet. Put egg white mixture in the corner of a large ziplock bag and snip the tip off with scissors - just about 1/8 inch of the tip. Pipe egg white mixture onto parchment - each cookie should be about the size of a quarter. Bake for about 30-40 minutes. Let the pan and cookies cool completely before moving them into an air tight container. These cookies are not soft and chewy, but light and crispy.

*To quickly warm eggs to room temp, place cold eggs into luke warm water for 5-10 minutes. When you take the eggs out, they’ll be cool, but no longer super cold.

posted 5 months ago

Pecan and Pumpkin Pie - crust

PIE CRUST
A mixture of Ina’s Perfect Pie Crust and Smitten Kitchen’s Pie Crust 102. Tastes amazing and flakey and light. I know I said Ina’s was the best, but I think this is better)

Makes 2 crusts.
3 C. All purpose flour 
2 Sticks butter, cubed and cold
1/3 C. Vegetable shortening, cubed and cold 
1 tsp Salt
1 1/2 T. Confectioners sugar (omit for a savory crust)
1 C. Iced cold water

Mix Flour, salt and sugar together. Using a pastry mixer or your hands, mix butter and shortening into flour mixture until the mixture looks like the size of peas. DO NOT OVER MIX. You want to have large chunks of butter. Add 1/2 C. of the ice water and mix dough together - try not to overwork. Keep adding water by the tablespoon until the dough comes together. Form into a ball. Cut into 2 pieces. Wrap individually in plastic wrap. Form into disks. Refrigerate for 1 hour or overnight or freeze for future use.

Roll out dough to about 1/8th thickness and approx 13 inches. Put into 9” glass pie dish. Gently make sure dough gets all the way into the dish using your knuckles. Fold the overhang under itself and pinch to make that pretty pie crust shape. Put it in the freezer for 20 min while you get your oven preheated - if you’re blind baking (pre-baking) continue on.

FOR BLIND BAKING
Preheat oven 400. Take the pie shell out of the freezer and poke the bottom and sides with a fork. Put a double sheet of aluminum foil down and use dried beans or rice as weights. I used rice. Put shell in oven for about 15 min. 

Gently remove the weighted aluminum to a bowl (it’s hot in there). Poke more holes with your fork along the bottom/sides. This is where you choose your own adventure:

1) If the filling you’re putting in doesn’t need to bake at high heat (like pecan pie), then I say to finish baking the pie shell. Brush a coat of egg wash over the shell and top and put back into the oven for 10 minutes. This will make sure that the sides brown and the crust stays firm under any wet filling. Once it looks golden, pull out, add filling then follow filling directions.

2) If the filling your putting in will bake at high heat (like pumpkin pie) then you’re good at where you are. Fill it and follow filling directions.

Pecan Pie 
The original recipe found on this Chowhound board. I made it as is and it’s delicious. I think I have a few modifications though. 

Filling
8 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
3/4 cup light corn syrup
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
2 cup coarsely chopped pecans 
1 cup whole pecans for decorating top

Preheat oven to 275 degrees F.

In a fry pan put pecans in (I did two batches) and toast over medium-low heat until it smells like toasted pecans. Turn every now and again then remove into a bowl. Set aside the prettiest whole pecans - do more than a cup’s worth, just in case. When the nuts have cooled, coarsely chop the other pecans *until the chopped pecans make 2 cups* - not just two cups whole pecans chopped. 

In a bowl set over simmering water, melt the butter. Remove the bowl from the heat, and whisk in the sugar, salt, eggs one at a time, corn syrup, and vanilla. Return the bowl to the heat, and stir until the mixture is shiny and quite warm to the touch (about 130 degrees). Add the chopped pecans. Decorate top with whole pecans

Fill a warm pre-baked pie shell evenly with the pecan mixture. Bake in the oven for 40 to 50 minutes, or until the center feels set but still slightly soft. Cool at least 4 hours. 

Pumpkin Pie
Libby’s filling
I pre-bake the pie shell, but do not finish it. Next year I might try not prebaking but just adding the filling directly since the pie cooks at such high heats.

NOTES
- I added a little nutmeg to the pie filling. 
- I will do the 3Cups white sugar plus 1/3C brown
- I wonder if blending the filling will make it less grainy? Maybe try an immersion blender to the pumpkin mixture before putting it in the pie shell
- Put the shell on a sheet pan then fill it. Or fill it while the sheet pan/shell is in the oven.  

***edit: I liked but not loved Libby’s recipe. Felt it tasted too grainy. Probably won’t make this one again. Instead, I’d like to try the Cook’s Illustrated version (filling only).

Pumpkin Pie from CI

Published November 1, 2008.   From Cook’s Illustrated.

MAKES ONE 9-INCH PIE

• Filling
• 1cup heavy cream
• 1cup whole milk
• 3large eggs plus 2 large yolks
• 1teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1(15-ounce) can pumpkin puree
• 1cup drained candied yams from 15-ounce can (see note)
• 3/4cup sugar
• 1/4cup maple syrup
• 2teaspoons grated fresh ginger
• 1/2teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1teaspoon table salt

1. 6. For the Filling: While pie shell is baking, whisk cream, milk, eggs, yolks, and vanilla together in medium bowl. Combine pumpkin puree, yams, sugar, maple syrup, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in large heavy-bottomed saucepan; bring to sputtering simmer over medium heat, 5 to 7 minutes. Continue to simmer pumpkin mixture, stirring constantly and mashing yams against sides of pot, until thick and shiny, 10 to 15 minutes.

2. 7. Remove pan from heat and whisk in cream mixture until fully incorporated. Strain mixture through fine-mesh strainer set over medium bowl, using back of ladle or spatula to press solids through strainer. Rewhisk mixture and transfer to warm prebaked pie shell. Return pie plate with baking sheet to oven and bake pie for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 300 degrees and continue baking until edges of pie are set (instant-read thermometer inserted in center registers 175 degrees), 20 to 35 minutes longer. Transfer pie to wire rack and cool to room temperature, 2 to 3 hours. Cut into wedges and serve.

posted 6 months ago

Tiny Apple Pies

A couple weekends ago, a friend and I decided to go apple picking. In my mind I saw myself gathering half a bushel of apples in my skirt, walking through the orchard, stopping to let a horse nibble on a sweet treat then strolling along my merry way, apples in tow. I mean, what’s half a bushel anyway? 10 apples? Actually, it’s 21lbs. One bushel is 42lbs. and the orchard gives you a sturdy plastic bag that’s supposed to hold half a bushel - which is approximately 50 or so apples. But if you’re me and someone tells me to take as much as the bag will hold, then flashbacks of Supermarket Sweep come to mind and you go on a mad rampage filling your bag with more than half a bushel and end up lugging home somewhere near 60 - 70 apples. Without a car, mind you. And puny arms. But it was a beautiful day and there was a country band and corn dogs involved and honestly, what could be a better way to spend a Saturday morning than apple picking in upstate New York? 

I gave away as many apples as I could, and with the rest, I made apple chips and, of course – the whole point of going apple picking – apple pie. Instead of making a big pie, I decided to make tiny ones in cupcake tins (portioning out then freezing the dough and filling) so I could have single-serving fresh apple pies when ever I want. 

I used Ina Garten’s recipe for perfect pie crust and indeed, it was PERFECT. I modified her recipe for filling based on my tastes and honestly, it was incredibly delicious. 

TINY APPLE PIES (filling adapted from Ina Garten - crust done exactly as she says)
Will make approximately 12 cupcake-size pies, or one large deep dish pie 

Ina’s Perfect Pie Crust:
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) very cold unsalted butter
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1/3 cup very cold vegetable shortening
6 to 8 tablespoons (about 1/2 cup) ice water

Dice the butter and return it to the refrigerator while you prepare the flour mixture. Place the flour, salt, and sugar in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse a few times to mix. Add the butter and shortening. Pulse 8 to 12 times, until the butter is the size of peas. With the machine running, pour the ice water down the feed tube and pulse the machine until the dough begins to form a ball. Dump out on a floured board and roll into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Apple Pie Filling

• 4 pounds mix of  tart and sweeter apples, peeled, quartered, and cored 
• 1 orange, zested
• Orange juice from one whole orange (about 1/4 Cup)
• 1/3 cup white sugar, plus 1 teaspoon to sprinkle on top
  1/3 cup brown sugar 
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Cut each apple into small chunks (remember, this is going into cupcake size pies) and combine in a bowl with the zest, juice, sugars, flour, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice.

Portion out about 12 golf ball sized pieces of dough to line the tin and 12 gumball sized pieces of dough for the tops of each pie. It’s important that the dough stay cold so once you portion them out, wrap them in plastic wrap (I did each by top/bottom) and throw them into the freezer. Or put them in the fridge and don’t work more than 2 at a time (I guess unless you’re quick). Don’t stretch the dough; if it’s too small, just put it back on the board and re-roll it. I rolled it pretty thin (about 1/8 inch) since they’re going in cupcake tins. I did 4 in one batch, lining them first, filling them then rolling out each top. Make sure there’s a little overhang with the inside dough so you can tuck it into the top and make a nice, thick crust. 

Fill the pie with about 1/2 C. of the apple mixture.  Top with the second crust and tuck the edge of the top crust under the edge of the bottom crust and crimp the 2 together with your fingers or a fork. Brush the entire top crust with the egg wash, sprinkle with 1 teaspoon sugar, and cut 3 or 4 slits.

Place the pie on a sheet pan and bake for 45min to 1 hour, or until the crust is browned and the juices begin to bubble out. Serve warm.

posted 8 months ago

When the French Stormed my stomach, or my first time preparing moules marinieres

Bonjour! It was Bastille day last week and I celebrated the French by making moules marinieres and being smug. Disdainfully delicious!

Since this was my first time preparing mussels, I wanted the easiest recipe I could find. Turns out, they’re all pretty easy and varied only slightly (butter v. olive oil, more herbs v. less herbs). So, factoring in the variables and cross-referencing web results, my conclusion resulted in a complexity of flavors on my palate. Actually, constructing that sentence was way more time consuming than making this dish. Cook time, about 5 minutes. Prep time…well…

So I gave those moules a bathing the French could never comprehend. I took extra super duper care that I scrubbed each mussel squeaky clean. I de-bearded and scraped with a knife and loved them and held them and squeezed them about 45 minutes worth, all the while realizing that restaurants most definitely do not give this kind of TLC and I should probably stop thinking about it lest I never eat out again. Anyhow, long story long, the next day, I consulted some foodie friends of mine who are well-tasted in the art of shellfish and they said that besides the de-bearding (pulling out the hipster strands that some of them have [and if they didn’t all die a delectable death, the ripping of the beard would surely be a bloggable offense]), all I really needed to do is give them a good rinse.

OK, let’s fast forward to the actual cooking: Big pot. Butter. Shallots. Garlic. White wine. Parsley. Mussels. Lid. Steam. Baguette. Voila!

__________

Moules Marineres
This is just a super basic recipe. There are fancier ones, but I chose to disregard them as is the way of the French. Everything is eyeballed so these measurements are estimated.

2lbs. Mussels
1/2 stick butter
3-4 cloves garlic, chopped
4 shallots (or half an onion) diced
1 handful of parsley, chopped
1 C. dry white wine
Crusty baguette (to soak up the delicious broth)

Clean and prepare mussels. Set aside. Chop garlic, shallots and parsley. In a pot on medium heat put butter in and melt. Remember that the mussels will open up, so make sure the pot you use is large enough to accommodate. Add shallots and let it sweat until translucent. Add garlic and half the parsley and put the lid back on for a minute or so. Turn the heat to medium high and add wine. Let it cook for a minute or two and come up to a bubble. Add mussels and close the lid. Give the pot a shake. 3 minutes, maybe 4, they should be open and steaming. Add the rest of the parsley and stir. Some recipes say that you should remove the mussels and let the sauce cook down for a little longer. I didn’t do that and they were still delicious. Serve with a crusty baguette. Bon appetite!

posted 1 year ago

Salted (yes) Brown Butter (yes) Rice Krispies Treats (a thousand times yes)

I love butter. It’s the base of everything delicious. It’s the topping that make everything even more delicious. Popcorn? Yum. Popcorn with extra butter? Delicious! Fresh, steamed lobster? YUM. Fresh, steamed lobster drenched in clarified butter? EXTRA DELICIOUS. If you ever find that something is missing in your recipe, add a little butter. But don’t go getting all obese on my account.

Out of no where one night, I had this intense craving for Rice Krispies treats. I remembered this recipe I found on Smitten Kitchen and immediately walked down 4 flights of stairs and went to 3 different deli’s (apparently no one eats Rice Krispies anymore) then proceeded back up 4 flights of stairs and straight to my kitchen. What do Rice Krispies treats have to do with my love for butter you ask? Well, only that an entire stick goes into this recipe is all. One. Entire. Stick. (On occasion, I use 3/4 stick. But let’s just keep that between us OK?)

I don’t have much of a sweet tooth but there are a few things that pass under my toothy radar. Rice Krispies Treats are one of them. Especially when they’re made with an entire stick of butter. Then there’s the browning of the butter that make it all nutty and the salt that gives you that sweet/salty sensation. Does this still count in the sweets department? Yes, I suppose the bag of marshmallows says it does.

__________________

Salted Brown Butter Rice Krispies Treats (adapted from Smitten Kitchen)

4 ounces (1/4 pound or 1 stick) unsalted butter - I’ve been using 3/4 of a stick the last few times I’ve made this (so sue me - but know that I still love butter).
1 10-ounce bag marshmallows
Heaping 1/4 teaspoon coarse sea salt
6 1/2 cups Rice Krispies cereal
1 tsp. Vanilla extract

In a large pot, melt butter 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. Don’t take your eyes off the pot as while you may be impatient for it to start browning, the period between the time the butter begins to take on color and the point where it burns is often less than a minute.

As soon as the butter takes on a nutty color, turn the heat off and stir in the vanilla and add marshmallows. The residual heat from the melted butter should be enough to melt them, but if it is not, turn it back on low until the marshmallows are smooth.

Remove the pot from the stove and stir in the salt and cereal together. If you have a 9x13 inch pan, put the treats in there and flatten it. Frankly, I like to wash as few dishes as possible so I put a large sheet of wax paper on the counter and put the treats on to that and form it into a rectangle with my hands. 

posted 1 year ago

Butternut Squash, Sage, and Chicken Risotto, because I said I would

Well, well, would you look at that? Months have gone by since my last post, a new year has rolled around and I haven’t actually done a whole lot of cooking in a while. I skipped Thanksgiving last year in lieu of travels to London, Paris, Toronto, and home to Los Angeles through Christmas. I wish I was better about taking photos of food, but honestly, who can think about composing a photo when there is inhaling (and some chewing, but mostly mmmmmmm-ing) to be done? Generally having a terrible memory myself, I tend to rely on my other senses to help me remember events that have taken place. So these are some of the things I remember from my travels. London: roasts - lots of roasting done here and don’t believe what you hear, the food in London was delicious. Paris: beef (tartar, burgers, steaks…the Parisians love their boeuf) and Foie Gras. Yes, yes, I know the controversial nature (and amazing, serotonin-releasing deliciousness) of foie gras. But I love it. And so does Anthony Bourdain. And it’s everywhere in Paris. Beef, foie gras, oysters and escargot…but don’t be fooled, I find that most of the restaurants in Paris are meh, but the good ones, oh man, they’re worth remembering. Toronto: seafood. All I ate was boatloads of seafood…and the best salmon Nova Scotia had to offer. Los Angeles: Mexican, Korean and In N Out. Not necessarily in that order. It was more of a constant rotation.

But I digress. A friend of mine gave me her recipe for butternut squash, sage, and chicken risotto. It’s pretty fantastic. I’ve made it a couple of times since and have used short cuts like buying frozen cubed already cooked squash (think you can taste the difference when there’s truffle oil involved? I think not) and also omitting the chicken all together - usually because I forgot to defrost before I left my apartment. I also added a cup or so of white wine as the first round of liquid on top of the rice.

2 cup arborio rice
1 1b. butternut squash, diced
1 boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut in inch pieces
4 cups chicken broth
4 cups water
3 tbsp fresh sage, chopped, plus 4 extra sage leaves
2 tbsp parsley, chopped
3 tbsp butter
3 cloves garlic - minced
1/2 cup pecorino romano or parmesan cheese
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon white truffle oil
(optional: a cup - or just enough to cover the rice - of dry white wine)

Combine the chicken broth, water, and the 4 sage leaves, and bring to a boil. Add the butternut squash, and boil gently for about 10 minutes, until the squash begins to soften. Remove the squash with a slotted spoon, reserving the liquid. Set the squash aside and keep the liquid on low heat. Discard the 4 sage leaves.

Melt the butter on medium heat nonstick pan. Add the garlic, onions and 1 tbsp sage, sautee until onions soften, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken and cook until it begins to turn white on the outside. Add the rice and stir for about 2 minutes, until the rice is thoroughly coated with butter.

Begin ladling the liquid into the rice pan, about 1 cup at a time. I used white wine as the first introduction of liquid, then used stock after. After adding a cup of liquid, gently stir the rice virtually nonstop. When the cup of liquid has been absorbed, add another cup and repeat the process.

The cooking time for the risotto (once you begin the ladling) is about 30 minutes. When all the liquid has been absorbed, check the consistency of risotto. It should be tender but still have firmness. If it seems too hard, add additional water and follow the same process until you get to the desired consistency. Note when the risotto is done, it can’t absorb more liquid, so there’s a bit of liquid left. This helps to mix in the cheese.

Stir in the reserved squash, the cheese, 1 more tbsp. of sage, pepper to taste, and truffle oil if you’re using it. Offer additional cheese and the remaining herbs for optional toppings (a pinch of the herbs add a very nice lively flavor).

posted 2 years ago