Ice Cream Sunday: Salted Caramel Ice Cream
27 May 2012 Leave a Comment
in Desserts, Ice Cream Tags: Caramel, caramel ice cream, Dessert, Desserts, Ice Cream, Salted Caramel
Caramel hates me. It mocks me. Totally mocks me. It burns. It hardens. It doesn’t harden. It’s too soft.
It harbors animosity toward me.
And I don’t really understand why. I mean, we got along the first time we encountered each other when I made flan.
But then came the caramel candy two holiday seasons ago. Disaster. Not once. Twice. And I soooooooo wanted to have buttery caramel candies releasing their sweet chewy goodness in my mouth. I had to just dream about them instead.
Finally, it decided to get along with me as I successfully cooked up a batch of toffee. Then more success as I made Coffee Toffee Crunch ice cream.
But then back to its mocking madness. Probably because of my cocky bragging. You see, last summer hubby and I discovered Starbucks Frappuchinos as we traversed the city streets of Washington D.C. in the intensely humid heat of summer. I bragged that I could make caramel at home and recreate the caramel fraps that he loved so much.
No go. The sugar seized and wouldn’t melt. I gave up. I threw my hands up in the air in frustration.
Caramel had me beat. It broke me. Too many failures over the past couple of years.
But then a couple weeks ago I had Pinkberry’s Salted Caramel yogurt.
Oh. My. God.
I get it now. I get the rage about the salted caramel–salted caramel cookies, candies, brownies, cakes, cupcakes…and ice cream. All over the food blogging world. I had just passed them all over, not interested. I’ve never been a big fan of caramel anyway. Give me chocolate instead.
But this Pinkberry. Oh my. Sweet and salty. Buttery. Ultralicious delicious yummilicious.
I converted. I craved. I caved in to the goodness.
So the Salted Caramel Ice Cream shot to the top of my must-try list.
And guess what?
F-A-I-L-U-R-E ! ! !
Argh! Ugh! Errrrrrr!
I burned the sugar. Oh, I burned it bad. Gross. Burned caramel is bitter. Disgusting. And I had the heat low, nursing the pan, watching it oh-so-carefully.
I’m determined to break the ill will, though, and get on good terms with caramel.
I waited a week and tried again. I intensely and insanely yearned for homemade Salted Caramel ice cream.
And this time I finally got through to caramel. My persistence paid off. Not with perfection, though. It seized. I patiently let it melt again. Well, somewhat patiently. I stopped while it still had a few lumps, knowing they would get held back when I strained the custard base.
Something funky happened when I let the ice cream base cool in the fridge overnight: it formed a “crust” on top which didn’t totally break down when I mixed it. I churned it anyway. At least this batch didn’t burn; it was still usable.
So, I finally managed to make Salted Caramel ice cream. And it is goooooooooooood. Sweet. Salty. Buttery. Heavenly.
Now, let’s see if I can make it with success each time. Because I will keep trying.
At Pinkberry’s I had brownie crumble topping. I might try mixing brownie chunks into the ice cream one day.
I can also envision salted chopped almonds in the ice cream.
And fudge ripple.
Or toffee crunch.
Maybe even crumbled oatmeal cookies.
Uh, I think the sweet tooth is on a roll right now.
Let me just suffice it to say that this ice cream was worth all the headaches and frustration of trying to make caramel. I’ll only get better with practice, so I’m glad I didn’t give up.
Caramel, you certainly provide a challenge, but I will persist. And conquer. And learn.
Salted Caramel Ice Cream
INGREDIENTS
- 2 cups whole milk, divided
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 4 tbsp. salted butter
- 1/2 tsp. sea salt
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 5 egg yolks
- 3/4 tsp. vanilla extract
DIRECTIONS
- Make an ice bath by filling a large bowl about 1/3 full with ice cubes and adding a cup of water so the cubes are floating. Nest a smaller bowl (at least 2 quarts) over the ice; pour one cup of the milk into the inner bowl. Rest a mesh strainer on top of it.
- Spread the sugar in a saucepan in an even layer. Cook over medium heat until the edges begin to melt (this took 22 minutes for me). Use a heatproof utensil to gently stir the liquified sugar from the bottom and edges toward the center, stirring, until all the sugar is dissolved–or most of it; there may be some lumps which will melt later (took 8 more minutes for the sugar to dissolve but it was still a bit clumpy looking). Continue to cook, stirring infrequently, until the caramel starts smoking and begins to smell like it’s just about to burn. It won’t take long (in 2 more minutes, the sugar began to smooth out, then in another 3-5 minutes it began to turn an amber color, meaning it was ready).
- Once caramelized, remove from heat and stir in the butter and salt.
- When the butter is melted, gradually whisk in the cream, stirring as you pour. The caramel may harden and seize, but return it to the heat and continue to stir over low heat until any hard caramel is melted.
- Stir in the remaining 1 cup of milk.
- Whisk the yolks in a small bowl; gradually pour about 1 cup of the warm caramel mixture over the yolks, whisking constantly.
- Scrape the warmed yolks back into the saucepan and cook the custard over moderately low heat, stirring constantly with a heatproof utensil, scraping the bottom of the pan, until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon (if using a thermometer, it should register 160-170 degrees F). This should take about 5 minutes. Do not let it boil or you will have scrambled eggs in the mixture.
- Pour the custard through the strainer into the milk set over the ice bath; stir until it has cooled. Add vanilla. Refrigerate at least 8 hours or until thoroughly chilled.
- Freeze the mixture in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Yield: one quart
SOURCE: adapted from Brown-Eyed Baker (who includes a caramel praline mix-in) via David Lebovitz (who links to How to Make the Perfect Caramel, his very informative post with many pictures)
Ginger Beef Stir Fry
23 May 2012 Leave a Comment
in Asian, Main Dish Tags: Asian, Beef, Main Dish, Plum Sauce, Stir Fry, Vegetables
This stir fry actually tasted pretty good, which surprised me. I attempted it with some hesitancy since plum sauce is an ingredient I had never used, nor heard of, until I saw this recipe. Plum sauce is thick and sweet, and it just didn’t look appealing, but it came highly rated on the web site where I found the recipe, so I had faith it would be good. And it was. It ended up having a sweet taste, kind of like the sweet and sour dishes at Chinese restaurants only without the sour part…just the sweet part.
The 1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes left the dish a bit on the spicy side, so I reduced it to 1/8 the next time I made it. Much better for me as I don’t like overly spicy food.
I’ve used cashews rather than salted nuts before because that was what we had on hand. I like the sweetness of the cashews, but the salt of the peanuts adds a nice underlayer of flavor to the dish. As long as it has a crunchy element, whether it be peanuts, cashews, or just rice noodles, it satisfies my palate.
If you don’t have plum sauce, try the Asian section of your market or find an Asian store. Also, you can try a substitution which I’ll add to the recipe below.
Ginger Beef Stir Fry
INGREDIENTS
- ¼ cup cold water
- 1 tsp. cornstarch
- 3 tbsp. plum sauce (see below for plum sauce substitution)
- 1 tbsp. grated fresh ginger (I use my zester)
- 1 tbsp. low sodium soy sauce
- 1/8 – 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes, depending on how spicy you like your dishes
- 1 lb. boneless sirloin steak, cut into thin strips
- 1 tbsp. vegetable or canola oil
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced thin
- 1½ cups small broccoli florets
- 1 carrot, peeled and julienned
- 1 small zucchini, sliced/julienned (I added this to original recipe)
- 6 mushrooms, sliced (I added this to original recipe)
- 2 – 4 green onions, chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 3 tbsp. salted peanuts, chopped (optional)
- rice, for serving
- sesame seeds, for garnish
DIRECTIONS
- In a small bowl, combine the water and cornstarch; whisk until smooth. Stir in the plum sauce, ginger, soy sauce and red pepper flakes. Set aside.
- In a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat, cook the steak strips until no longer pink. Remove to a plate and set aside, draining the excess fat from the skillet if necessary.
- Add the oil to the pan and heat through. Add the red pepper, broccoli and carrot pieces to the skillet and stir fry until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes.
- Add mushrooms and zucchini about 2-3 minutes into cooking of pepper, broccoli, and carrots. Continue stirring for about 2 more minutes.
- Mix in the green onion and garlic and cook just until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Return the steak pieces to the pan. Add the sauce, stirring well to coat everything. Cook until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes more.
- Stir in the peanuts.
- Serve over rice and sprinkle with sesame seeds for garnish, if desired.
Plum sauce substitution:
Mix together the following:
- 1 tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tbsp. plum jam or apricot preserves or orange marmalade
- 1 tbsp. honey
- 1 clove garlic, minced
Source: adapted from Annie’s Eats, who adapted from The Comfort of Cooking, originally from Allrecipes
Ice Cream Sunday: Chocolate Sorbet
20 May 2012 4 Comments
in Ice Cream Tags: Chocolate, Cinnamon, Dessert, Desserts, Sorbet, Vegan
All day I’ve found myself sneaking into the freezer to snag a few spoonfuls of this deviously devilish and delectably delicious chocolate sorbet. It’s surprisingly rich–intensely rich, I should say, considering it has not a drop of heavy cream in it. Wouldn’t that make it far fewer calories, thereby allowing me to indulge in a bit more ice cream than usual? Hee hee…
I would have kept this batch secret from hubby because it’s so sinfully scrumptious, but he spotted me scooping it for the blog photo and suspiciously said, “What’s that?” Uh oh, secret is out! Darn! I could bury it deep in the freezer and hide it…hmmmmm….
Or I can just whip up another batch…and another…and another…
I love mixing up ice creams but hate the high price of heavy cream. However, this sorbet fills my chocolate cravings and costs less to make because it is sans cream. It calls for cocoa powder, and I imagine high-quality cocoa, such as Pernigotti, would make the intensity factor and flavor soar, but let me tell ya, it’s pretty darn tasty even with the the Hershey’s brand cocoa. Next time I might try the Hershey’s dark cocoa…
Chocolate Sorbet
INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 1 heaping tsp. instant espresso
- 1/8 tsp. kosher salt
- 1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 2 1/4 cups water
- 1 1/2 tbsp. coffee liqueur (I used Kahlua)
- 1/4 tsp. pure vanilla extract
DIRECTIONS
- In a large saucepan, mix the sugar, cocoa powder, instant espresso, salt, and cinnamon.
- Stir in 2 1/4 cups water; cook over low heat until the ingredients are dissolved.
- Off the heat. Stir in the coffee liqueur and vanilla. Transfer to plastic containers; refrigerate at least 8 hours or longer.
- Freeze the mixture in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. The sorbet will still be soft, so place it in a plastic container and freeze for several hours until firm enough to scoop.
Yield: 1 quart
SOURCE: slightly adapted from foodnetwork.com (Ina Garten of Barefoot Contessa)
P.S.
Some reviewers from foodnetwork.com have the following recommendations:
- reduce sugar to 3/4 cup
- use Grand Marnier in place of coffee liquer (chocolate and orange pair well)
- on the show, Ina used 1/4 tsp. cinnamon and 1 1/2 tsp. liqueur
- my notes: I bet Chambord with its raspberry flavor would work beautifully, too; I might add orange zest to the mixture one of these days
P.S.S.
I found heavy duty, reusable plastic containers at Garnish that work superbly for freezing ice cream and other goodies, such as soups, stock, pesto… They are far superior to the flimsy containers I’ve been using from Smart and Final, and they will last longer than the cardboard cartons I had previously purchased on amazon.com. At 88 cents each, they are a bargain! Thanks to Annie at Annie’s Eats for sharing where to get them.
Chocolate Zucchini Cake
18 May 2012 Leave a Comment
in Cakes, Desserts Tags: Cakes, Chocolate, Chocolate Cake, Chocolate Zucchini Cake, Desserts, Walnuts, Zucchini
Our zucchini plant starting sprouting big giant gorgeous yellow flowers, almost tropical looking. We’ve been growing squash every season for about 4-5 years now, and it wasn’t until this year that I noticed those flowers are the beginnings of the actual squash.
I mean, I had noticed them wilting on the ends of the regular-sized squash and realized the flower was part of the veggie, but I just noticed this year how teensy tiny the zukes are on the other end of these enormous flowers. I also noticed that many blossoms are waiting their turn to burst into bloom–and burst is certainly how these flowers look. I love walking out to check on the garden in the early morning light right before I head off to work and finding those gorgeous flowers smiling at me.
Last week I picked our first zucchini. I chopped it up and tossed it into our salad. I aimed for the healthy route.
This week I picked our second zucchini and decided to make one heck of a yummy dessert recipe: Chocolate Zucchini Cake.
Yes, you read that right. Zucchini in a cake. And it actually tastes pretty darn good. You can’t even tell veggies are hiding out in there. They help keep the cake super moist and tender.
I was skeptical when a friend first shared the recipe with me, claiming its fame. “Uh huh, right,” I thought. But this is someone whose opinion I trust, so I tried it. And I liked it. Actually, I loved it. The cake, like I said, is tender and moist. The chocolate chips on top along with the walnuts add extra sweetness and crunch.
I usually bake this in a 9×13 pan, but this time I baked half the recipe in a round cake pan and the rest in cupcake form. Happy to report that it works in all forms and looks more elegant in round form for party serving while the cupcakes make a handy-dandy portable size–perfect for the lunch box.
So, if you like chocolate, try this recipe.
If you have squash galore growing in your garden, try this.
If you want to be adventurous and experience something different, try this.
I dare you to not like this Chocolate Zucchini Cake!
Chocolate Zucchini Cake
INGREDIENTS
- 1/2 cup margarine or unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup oil
- 1 3/4 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 1/2 cup buttermilk (substitute options: 1 cup milk + 1 tbsp. lemon juice, vinegar, or cream of tartar, then let stand for 10 minutes; will have similar sour/acid content of buttermilk but not as thick)
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 4 tbsp. cocoa
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp. cloves
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 2 cups peeled and grated zucchini (I don’t peel mine)
- 1 cup chopped walnuts
- 1 cup chocolate chips
DIRECTIONS
- Cream together butter, oil, and sugar.
- Add eggs, vanilla, and buttermilk; beat well.
- Stir together flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt; add to butter mixture.
- Stir in grated zucchini.
- Pour into 9”x13” pan; top with nuts and chips. Pat those chips and nuts down into the batter a bit or else they come loose when the cake is done baking.
- Bake at 325 degrees F for 40-45 minutes (30-35 min. if baking in cake pan; 20-25 min. for cupcake pan).
Cake freezes well…just wrap in plastic wrap and then foil.
SOURCE: Ann R., family friend
P.S. If you need more zucchini recipes to help you work through your garden’s abundant production of squash, check out these, which helped me use up last year’s harvest:
Zucchini and Carrot Slaw with Asian Dressing
Stuffed Zucchini in Tomato Sauce
Strawberry Basil Lemonade
16 May 2012 3 Comments
in Drinks Tags: Drinks, Lemon, Lemonade, Strawberries, strawberry lemonade
After an early Sunday morning of pruning trees in the garden followed by a bike ride to the Farmer’s Market, my thirst buds yearned for relief.
“Strawberry lemonade! Strawberry lemonade! Strawberry lemonade!” screamed my mind (think that had anything to do with the fact that I had just purchased a bunch of berries at the Farmer’s Market?).
Hesitant as I was to use up perfectly sweet, juicy strawberries in a drink–for they are so darn delightful to bite into instead–I listened to that voice in my mind, grabbed a handful of the berries, and pureed them with some of the basil growing in the backyard. You can skip the basil if that doesn’t tickle your fancy, but I enjoyed the sweet surprise it added to the drink.
Add this to the best lip-smacking lemonade recipe and you have a fancy drink that is simplistic to throw together.
Yep, that satisfied the thirst buds. And the concoction came in handy later that night after the hot and sweaty vaudeville act of me and hubby trying to hunt down the second possum of the spring season who decided he rather enjoyed living inside our house–in our bedroom no less! It’s always quite the chore to capture those little guys and relocate them away from the house. I build up quite a sweat and thirst when possum hunting.
Strawberry Basil Lemonade
INGREDIENTS
- 1 large lemon, thinly sliced, ends discarded
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 7 cups cold water
- 2 cups fresh lemon juice (takes 6-12 lemons, depending on size and juiciness; also, roll lemons on counter to make them juicier)
- 10-12 strawberries
- 1/2 cup basil
DIRECTIONS
- Using a potato masher, mash lemons and sugar in a deep bowl until slices release their juice and sugar begins to dissolve (the oils from the lemon give a boost of flavor to the drink).
- Stir in water and lemon juice until sugar completely dissolves. Strain out lemon slices.
- In a food processor, purée strawberries and basil. Add to the lemonade.
SOURCE: adapted from America’s Test Kitchen lemonade recipe (www.americastestkitchen.com, also known as www.cooksillustrated.com)
Ice Cream Sunday: Oreos in My Ice Cream–Vanilla & Chocolate
13 May 2012 Leave a Comment
in Desserts, Ice Cream Tags: Chocolate, Cookies N Cream Ice Cream, Desserts, Ice Cream, Oreos, Vanilla
What to do with a 7-pound box of Oreo’s from Costco? Make Oreo Cheesecake Bites — twice: once for practice and once for a party. Then make Oreo Truffles. Eat bunches as you bake. And for snacks between meals.
Oh my gosh, days and days later and you mean I still have some left? These were the never-ending box of cookies.
Okay, I’ll break ‘em apart and put them in my vanilla bean ice cream to make Cookies ‘n Cream ice cream.
Whew, only a handful left after that. Not too worried about getting rid of them now. I’ll just continue snacking on them…
…until a friend who was eating the Cookies ‘n Cream ice cream said, “This is good, but next time put the cookies in chocolate ice cream.”
Whoa, why hadn’t that thought crossed my mind? (thanks for the idea Jamie ; )
So I did. Yum–i–lish–ous!! (Sorry Jamie, I ate it all before we had a chance to have dinner again.)
What a chocolate whammy.
Know what I love best about Oreos in my ice cream, whether it’s vanilla or chocolate? I love how the cookie chunks get a bit soft yet still maintain a crunch. It’s kinda like dunking your cookie in a glass of milk or chocolate milk: part of the cookie begins to absorb the milk and get soft while some of it’s still got that crunch.
I just might have to buy another 7-pound box of Oreos!
Vanilla Bean & Oreo Ice Cream (Cookies ‘N Cream)
INGREDIENTS
- 3 cups heavy cream (or 2 cups heavy cream + 1 cup whole milk)
- 3/4 cup sugar
- pinch of salt
- 1 vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise
- 3/4 tsp. vanilla extract
- 6-10 Oreo cookies, roughly broken up
DIRECTIONS
- Pour 1 cup of the heavy cream into a medium saucepan; add sugar and salt. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean into the saucepan, and add the vanilla pod to the pot. Warm over medium heat, stirring, until the sugar dissolves.
- Remove from heat; add remaining 2 cups cream and vanilla extract.
- Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, preferably overnight. When ready to churn, remove the vanilla bean, then freeze the mixture in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Add the cookie chunks during the last 2 minutes of churning (caution: if the chunks are too small, the vanilla ice cream will turn murky from the chocolate in the cookies).
SOURCE: adapted from The Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz
Super Chocolate & Oreo Ice Cream
INGREDIENTS
- 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
- 1 cup milk
- 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- pinch salt
- 6-8 Oreo cookies, roughly broken up
DIRECTIONS
- Melt the unsweetened chocolate in the top of a double boiler over hot, not boiling, water. Gradually whisk in the cocoa (I like to sift it first to break up the cocoa) and heat, stirring constantly, until smooth. If the chocolate “seizes” or clumps together, don’t worry. The milk will dissolve it.
- Gradually whisk in the milk, a little at a time, stirring constantly until smooth. Remove from heat and let cool.
- Whisk the eggs in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy, 1-2 minutes.
- Whisk in the sugar, a little at a time, then continue whisking until completely blended, about 1 minute more.
- Add the cream, vanilla, and salt; whisk to blend.
- Pour the chocolate mixture into the cream mixture and blend. Cover and refrigerate until cold, 1-3 hours…preferably overnight.
- Transfer the mixture to an ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer’s instructions. Add the cookie chunks during the last 2 minutes of churning (caution: if the chunks are too small, the vanilla ice cream will turn murky from the chocolate in the cookies).
SOURCE: adapted from Ben & Jerry’s Homemade Ice Cream & Dessert Book
Broccoli Soup
09 May 2012 Leave a Comment
in Soups Tags: Broccoli, Cheddar Cheese, Soups
Hubby and I love broccoli. We always have some crowns in the fridge. This week we had excess, though, because I had bought some and housed it toward the back of the fridge. Hubby didn’t see it, so then he bought some, too. Hence, excess broccoli.
So what to do with all that? Broccoli soup!
Until the night I made this, I had never eaten broccoli soup before. I remembered seeing a recipe for a lightened version in Cooks Illustrated, though. Sure enough, great recipe as per usual from the cooks at America’s Test Kitchen. This soup is not laden with cream, hence its lightness. Instead, it’s flavored with a few other goodies. And of course, it has cheese, both parmesan and cheddar. Since hubs loves to slather melted cheddar on his steamed broccoli, I knew he would love this soup. And indeed he did.
Broccoli Soup
INGREDIENTS
- 2 tbsp. unsalted butter
- 2 pounds broccoli, florets roughly chopped into 1-inch pieces; stems trimmed, peeled, and cut into 1/4-in thick slices
- 1 medium onion, rough chopped (about 1 cup)
- 2 medium garlic cloves, minced (about 2 tsp.)
- 1 1/2 tsp. dry mustard powder
- pinch cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp. table salt
- 3-4 cups water
- 1/4 tsp. baking soda
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 ounces baby spinach (2 loosely packed cups)
- 2 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (3/4 cup)
- 1 1/2 ounces Parmesan cheese, finely grated (about 3/4 cup)
- ground black pepper
DIRECTIONS
- Heat butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. When foaming subsides, add broccoli, onion, garlic, dry mustard, cayenne, and 1 tsp. salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 6 minutes.
- Add 1 cup water and baking soda (baking soda speeds up the release of the broccoli’s sulfurous compounds). Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook until broccoli is very soft, about 20 minutes, stirring once during cooking.
- Add broth and 2 cups water; increase heat to medium-high. When mixture begins to simmer, stir in spinach and cook until wilted, about 1 minute (the spinach will give the soup a bright green color).
- Add cheese a handful at a time, allowing each handful to melt before adding more.
- Transfer soup to blender (in batches, if needed) and process until smooth. Alternatively, you can process in a food processor or you can use an immersion blender (which I preferred because I could control the chunkiness of the soup).
- Return soup to Dutch oven, place over medium heat, and bring to a simmer. Adjust consistency of soup with up to 1 cup water. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
SOURCE: adapted from Cooks Illustrated, March/April 2011
Ceviche
02 May 2012 Leave a Comment
in Appetizers Tags: Ceviche, Seafood, Shrimp
Ceviche (seh – BEE – chay) reminds me of Lol Ha Restaurant on the beach in the Yucatan Peninsula–in Akumal, to be exact. Several years ago, we found that lovely little bay by chance via internet research and rented the adorable Cannon House, steps from the ocean. Akumal is one of those places that imprints itself on my mind: quiet, relaxing atmosphere; uncrowded area; snorkeling in tropical waters; memorable food; lots of sun…
Ahhh, if only we could vacation there often.
Alas, we cannot; however, we can mimick that vacation feeling by making ceviche at home. We ordered it almost nightly at Lol Ha during our week stay. The waiters would bring out a cart elegantly covered in white cloth, atop which sat the various chopped fresh seafoods for this appetizer. We had the task of saying yes or no to the variety of goodies that were mixed into the dish, then watched the waiter mix the magic right before our eyes. Thank goodness we got to make choices, otherwise I would not have had the pleasure of discovering ceviche, for onions are typically included. And I’m not fond of raw onions. Needless to say, I emphatically said no the the onions, although they left a little dish of them for hubby to add to his half of the ceviche plate.
Just last year we finally got around to making our own ceviche. We had been on the hunt for octopus to include, and a friend directed us to the Asian superstore not too far from our home. Score! Not only did we find octopus, but we found conch and loads of other seafood yummies. Now ceviche often finds its way into our menu.
And who knew it was so darn easy to make? Basically, you chop up your raw seafood into bite-sized pieces, soak in lemon or lime juice (or a combo) along with some seasonings, and voila! The citrus juice “cooks” the fish–not technically, though, since heat isn’t used at all. The juice does this thing called denaturation which makes the fish flesh turn white, looking like it has been cooked. Check out chow.com for more info on this process and a few other tidbits.
Although this is an appetizer, we like to make a meal out of it. Just give us a bag of chips and we’ll polish off a big bowl of ceviche!
Ceviche
INGREDIENTS
- 2 pounds white fish, such as cabazon or calico or even catfish, cut into 1/2-inch pieces of fish
- 12 large, raw shrimp, chopped (3/4 cup)
- 1/2 cup chopped cooked octopus (we bought it at the fish section of an Asian market)
- conch, about 1/2 cup
If you can’t find the octopus or conch, just leave them out. The white fish and the shrimp are the must haves, in my opinion.
for Marinade
- 3/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, about 1-2 medium lemons
- 1/2 cup lime juice, about 3 large limes
- 4 serrano chiles, finely diced
- one small red onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 tsp. (or more) of red pepper or any other seasonings to give a spicy kick
- salt & pepper to taste
Post Marinade
- 3 small tomatoes, diced
- 1 avocado, diced
- 3 tbsp. roughly chopped cilantro
DIRECTIONS
- Chop all seafood into bite-sized pieces and place in a large bowl.
- Combine marinade ingredients: citrus juices, chiles, onion, garlic, seasonings; add to seafood (the juice should just cover the seafood). Allow to soak in marinade 1-2 hours.
- Drain marinade; add cilantro, tomatoes, and avocado.
- Serve with chips and enjoy!
SOURCE: a Greg-and-Maria concoction
Fresh Strawberry Pie
28 Apr 2012 2 Comments
in Desserts, Pies and Tarts Tags: baked pie shell, Desserts, fresh strawberry pie, Pie, Pie Dough, Strawberries, Strawberry Pie
I’ve been waiting since last strawberry season to try a mile-high strawberry pie–specifically the one published in the Cooks Illustrated magazine. I adore two kinds of pie: strawberry and berry. I have a thing for tart and sweet flavors : ) When I saw the recipe, my mind bookmarked it, and I’ve been patiently waiting for berry season to begin–and time to test this out.
Years ago I tasted strawberries from the stand, and from that point on, the bland grocery store strawberries were banned from my shopping list. There is absolutely no comparison. The stand berries burst with sweetness and are the most gigantic strawberries ever. I highly recommend farmer’s market or local stand strawberries for this dessert.
I’ve only tried making pies a couple times, and not with the greatest of success. There is just something elusive about that pie crust and the overall attractiveness of my final products. But just like I tell my students, practice makes perfect, so I felt ready to tackle a pie again. And the results were satisfactory.
The gel that helps to hold the strawberries together is made from pureed berries, so the flavor is intensely fruity and sweet. It’s not overly thick and produces a lovely sheen to the overall pie.
Although the slices of pie crumbled into a mass of strawberries once cut, it was a moot point with a dessert that tasted this scrumptious. Besides, the mound of whipped cream decorated the mass of strawberries, hiding the crumbled pile.
By the way, this turns kind of mushy the following day, so it’s best eaten within a few hours. I still ate it in the day or two following, and although it was still yummy, it begins to lose its flair.
Fresh Strawberry Pie
INGREDIENTS
Baked Pie Shell
- 1 1/4 cups (6 1/4 ounces) unbleached, all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface
- 1 tbsp. sugar
- 1/4 tsp. table salt
- 8 tbsp. cold, unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
- 3 tbsp. ice cold water
Filling
- 4 pints (about 3 pounds) fresh strawberries, gently rinsed and dried, hulled
- 3/4 cup sugar (5 1/4 ounces) sugar
- 2 tbsp. cornstarch
- 1 1/2 tsp. Sure-Jell for low-sugar recipes (the pink box)
- generous pinch table salt
- 1 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 baked pie shell
Whipped Cream
- 1 cup cold heavy cream
- 1 tbsp. sugar
DIRECTIONS
Baked Pie Shell (for 9-inch pie)
- Combine the flour, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in the bowl of a food processor. Mix briefly to blend.
- Add the butter pieces and mix on medium-low speed to cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse sand and the largest pieces of butter are not much bigger than peas.
- Mix in the cold water on low speed just until the dough comes together.
- Flatten the dough into a 6-inch disk, wrap in plastic, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. (This dough can be frozen for up to two months.)
- Remove from the refrigerator. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured work surface, making a 12-inch circle and dough that is about 1/8 inch thick. To transfer the dough easily to your pie plate, wrap it loosely around your rolling pin, then unroll it over the pie plate. Gently press dough into bottom of pie plate, and leave overhang in place. Refrigerate until dough is firm, about 30 minutes.
- Trim overhang to 1/2 inch beyond lip of pie plate. Fold overhang under itself, aligning folded edge of dough with edge of pie plate. Flute dough or press tines of fork against dough to flatten against rim of pie plate. Refrigerate dough-lined plate until firm, about 15 minutes.
- Remove pie plate from refrigerator, line crust with foil, and fill with pie weights or beans (toss beans afterward as I’ve read they aren’t good for cooking after use as weights). Bake for 15 minutes; remove foil and weights, rotate place, and bake for additional 5-10 minutes, until crust is golden brown and crisp. Let cool to room temperature.
Yield: 1 (9-inch) pie crust
Filling
- Select 6 ounces (about 1 1/2 cups) misshapen, underripe, or otherwise unattractive berries, halving those that are large. In a food processor, process berries to smooth puree, 20-30 seconds, scraping down bowl as needed. You should have about 3/4 cup puree.
- Whisk sugar, cornstarch, Sure-Jell, and salt in a medium saucepan. Stir in berry puree, making sure to scrape corners of pan. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly with heatproof rubber spatula, and bring to a full boil. Boil, scraping bottom and sides of pan to prevent scorching, for 2 minutes to ensure that cornstarch is fully cooked (mixture will appear frothy when it first reaches boil, then will darken and thicken with further cooking). Transfer to large bowl and stir in lemon juice. Let cool to room temperature.
- Meanwhile, pick over remaining berries and measure out 2 pounds of the most attractive ones; halve only extra-large berries. Add berries to bowl with glaze and fold gently with rubber spatula until berries are evenly coated. Scoop berries into pie shell, piling into a mound. If any cut sides face up on top, turn them face down. If necessary, rearrange berries so that holes are filled and mound looks attractive. Refrigerate pie until chilled, about 2 hours. Serve within 5 hours of chilling.
Whipped Cream
- Just before serving, beat cream and sugar with electric mixer on low speed until bubbles from, about 30 seconds. Increase speed to medium; continue beating until beaters leave trail, about 30 additional seconds. Increase speed to high; continue beating until cream is smooth, thick, and nearly doubled in volume and forms soft peaks, 30-60 seconds.
SOURCE: Cooks Illustrated (May/June 2011 issue); crust adapted from both Cooks Illustrated and Annie’s Eats
Ice Cream Sunday: Crunchy CoffeeToffee Ice Cream
22 Apr 2012 Leave a Comment
in Desserts, Ice Cream Tags: Desserts, Espresso, Ice Cream, Toffee
Coffee flavor ice cream.
Yum
Buttercrunch toffee.
Double yum.
Homemade buttercrunch toffee.
Triple yum.
Toasted almonds wrapped in toffee and chocolate.
Quadruple yum.
Need I say more?
Not really, but I want to add that this homemade buttercrunch toffee comes out softer than the other toffee I’ve made. I was a bit hesitant to add such a hard candy to the ice cream (my teeth don’t enjoy the bite of cold), but the toffee is actually on the softer side. This ice cream explodes with a sensation of coffee, caramel toffee, crunchy nuts, and sweet chocolate. Oh my.
Crunchy CoffeeToffee Ice Cream
INGREDIENTS
Ice Cream
- 2 large eggs
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1 cup milk
- 3 tablespoons espresso
Buttercrunch Toffee
- 1 cup toasted almonds, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp. water
- 4 tbsp. butter, salted or unsalted, cut into pieces
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp. light or dark brown sugar, packed
- 1/8 tsp. baking soda
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup semisweet or bitter chocolate chips, or 3 oz. chocolate, chopped
- optional: coarse salt
DIRECTIONS
Ice Cream
- Using an electric mixer, whisk the eggs in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Whisk in the sugar, a little at a time, until completely blended.
- Add cream, milk, and espresso powder (either add powder as is, or dissolve it in a bit of hot water). Whisk until blended.
- Transfer the ice cream base to a covered container and refrigerate for several hours–even better to refrigerate overnight.
- Transfer ice cream to an ice cream maker and follow the manufacturer’s instructions. In the last couple minutes of churning the ice cream, add the crumbled toffee. Store ice cream in an airtight container in the freezer.
Buttercrunch Toffee
- Spread almonds on a jellyroll pan and bake in oven at 350 degrees F for about 7 minutes, until toasted. When cooled, coarsely chop, then spread out 1/2 the almonds on the jellyroll pan.
- Measure vanilla and baking soda in separate bowls; have them ready to add to toffee.
- Fit a small, heavy-duty saucepan with a candy thermometer; add water, butter, sugars, then mix together.
- Cook mixture over medium heat, stirring as little as possible. When mixture reaches 300 degrees F (150 degrees C), remove the pan from the heat and immediately stir in the baking soda and vanilla. Mix just until combined; do not overstir.
- Right away, pour the hot toffee mixture over the almonds on the baking sheet. Using as little movement as possible, spread the toffee over the almonds.
- Scatter the chocolate pieces over the toffee, and wait two minutes to allow them to melt. Using a spatula, spread the chocolate into an even layer, the scatter the remaining almonds on top, pressing them into the chocolate. Sprinkle with coarse salt, if desired.
- Cool completely, until chocolate is firm. You can speed up the cooling by placing the toffee in the freezer for 10-20 minutes.
- Break into coarse chunks when ready to use in ice cream. You will only need about half the batch for the ice cream.
- Store in an airtight container for up to two weeks. Can be stored frozen as well.
SOURCE: ice cream: adapted from Ben & Jerry’s Homemade Ice Cream & Dessert Book; toffee: adapted from The Perfect Scoop
