LtDan'sKitchen.com

Friday, June 24, 2011

Blackberry Chocolate Ruffle cake

For my birthday early this year, I made the choice to treat myself to something more challenging in terms of baking a birthday cake for myself. For this to happen, there is this one cake that I've always wanted to bake but never had the guts to go for it. I've made the mistake of making a 14-layer cake for a friend once (not the choice of baking him a cake, just the choice of the cake) but that was nothing compared to this cake I had in mind, the Raspberry Chocolate Ruffle Cake.

Why was this a challenge? Well, for one, there are so many techniques involved in creating this masterpiece that I had to convince myself it was worth a try and that I can do it. The presentation of the cake depended on making chocolate ruffles so there is the first challenge for me. I have no experience when it comes to making forms out of melted chocolate except to make truffles (which is a no-brainer) nor do I have all the right equipment to do so. The second challenge is finding the right tool in making the chocolate ribbon. I finally settled on using a plastic kitchen liner so that was an easy fix to this problem. Third, I needed to make crème fraiche. I've tried different versions of crème fraiche recipes before but it usually takes days before I can get it to the right consistency. I decided to follow what was given in the recipe and it actually took me only one day to get it right so that is another problem solved. Suffice it to say that I just bit the bullet and took the chance on the ruffles and it came out quite good. Raspberries were not in season when I made this cake so I used blackberries instead and the overall result was still amazing.

I have the full recipe in my book but this cake was actually shown on TV in Julia Child's PBS show Baking with Julia. I'm enclosing the link to the recipe which also includes a video on how to make this cake. If you have the time and the chance, I say go for it. It is definitely worth the time and the stress but you end up with a truly wonderful cake that is actually very light in texture despite how heavy it looks with all the chocolate pieces that surrounds it. I will definitely have to give it another go this summer. Bon appetit!

Beef and Mixed Mushroom Stew

I've made this beef stew a number of times and it always turns out great. The first time I ever made it was to celebrate the graduation of a friend's daughter. As suggested in the recipe, I served it with wide egg noodles but I've also served it with rice pilaf, plain rice and french bread and it was still a great pairing. The other thing that I like about this dish is that it is versatile enough that you can exchange the mushroom with pearl onions if you so desire. Or, another option is to use both which I've also done as well. The cooking process is a bit involved but the stew is definitely worth the effort. I encourage you to give it a try.

Beef and Mixed Mushroom Stew - Adapted*

1 package dried porcini mushroom (½ oz)

2 lbs beef for stew, cut into 1½ inch chunks

2 tbsp vegetable oil

1 lb mushroom (cremini) or pearl onions

1 large onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

4 tbsp tomato paste

1 cup chicken broth

¾ cup dry red wine

2 medium carrots, diced into large chunks

salt and pepper

¼ tsp thyme

bay leaf

chopped parsley (for garnish)

1. Reconstitute the porcini mushroom in 1 cup boiling water for about

30 minutes. Set aside.

2. Pat the meat dry with a paper towel and set aside.

3. In a large pot, heat the oil at medium high heat and add the

mushrooms (or onions) and cook for about 10 minutes until

lightly browned. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

4. In the same pot, brown the meat on all sides. Do this in batches and

add more oil if necessary. Transfer the meat to another bowl and set

aside.

5. To drippings in the pot, add the garlic, thyme, bay leaf and diced

onions and lower the heat to medium. Cook until the garlic and

onions are lightly browned. Add the red wine to deglaze the pot.

Let it simmer for about a minute.

6. Return the meat into the pot. Add the chicken broth, the liquid used

to reconstitute the porcini (strained through a sieve) and the tomato

paste. Heat to boiling and let simmer covered for two hours or until

the meat is tender.

7. Add the mushrooms (softened porcini and cremini), carrots and

onions if using and check for flavor. Simmer for 30 minutes more

and adjust the flavor accordingly. If desired, you can also skim off

the fat depending on how fatty the cut of beef that you used.

8. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve with your choice of pasta or

rice.

* Good Housekeeping Step-By-Step Main Dishes: Hearst Books, New York,1999

Monday, June 20, 2011

Acorn Squash in Coconut Milk

Sauteed vegetables are quite common as a side dish to the numerous meat dishes in a Filipino meal. It usually involves sauteing any green leafy vegetables with garlic and onions and seasoning with soy sauce, fish sauce or even shrimp paste (depending on the region). Cooking in coconut milk though is something not very traditional in the region where I grew up at. However, we do enjoy a few dishes cooked in coconut milk specifically a stew of fresh water snails and yams that my mom makes to name one.

Sauteed squash cooked in coconut milk is something I learned while living in the US with friends who grew up from other regions of the Philippines. I actually grew to love it for several reasons: one, it is a healthy dish and two, it is very easy to make. The only tricky part is peeling the acorn squash (I've nicked myself a couple of times doing this) which is what I prefer to use for this dish. If you feel like skipping this part though, you can always buy the pre-cut version available in select grocery stores.

Why acorn squash? Well, the texture and flavor are very similar to the squash that we have back home. I have used a variety of winter squashes including but not limited to the butternut squash but the flavor always seems off. So I stick to the acorn squash which I think has the right sweetness and the firm texture to counter the slightly strong flavor of the coconut milk in the dish. I use very minimal flavoring allowing the squash to be the star of the dish which in itself is quite good. Additional greens are added in the form of green beans and spinach leaves which further adds to the nutritional value of the dish.

Acorn Squash in Coconut Milk

2 lbs acorn squash, peeled, cored and sliced into chunks

2-3 cloves garlic

1 medium onion, diced

1/2 lb green beans, cut in half

2 lbs spinach leaves

1 16oz can coconut milk
1 cup broth (your choice)

salt and pepper

3 tbsp olive oil

1 bulb garlic, peeled and sliced thinly and toasted* (to garnish)

1. Saute the garlic and onion in olive oil over medium heat.

2. Add the squash and season with salt and pepper. Add the broth and
    half of the coconut milk and simmer for about 10 minutes. Check
    regularly to make sure the squash is not getting overcooked.

3. Add the green beans and simmer uncovered until it turns bright green.

4. Add the spinach leaves and cook until wilted. Add the rest of the
    coconut milk and adjust the flavor with salt and pepper.

5. Garnish with toasted garlic.

* To toast the garlic, heat 3 tablespoons of light olive oil over low heat and add the garlic. Toast until the garlic turns golden brown. Drain the toasted garlic on a paper towel and use the garlic infused oil to cook the dish. Spinach is also optional if you are not too fond of it and the dish can stand on its own without it.

Sunday, June 19, 2011

Lumpiang Shanghai

Lumpia was something I love to cook ever since I was old enough to help prepare the food for family celebrations like my parents' Anniversary party every April or every fiesta which also happened to be my Mom's birthday. I always made sure we have lumpia. Lumpia or spring rolls can take form in a lot of ways. A common version is made with cooked ground meat and shredded vegetables wrapped in a rice crepe and deep friend until golden brown. Another similar version is named the Shanghai, a version from the city of which this spring roll was derived and named from. This version is a bit quicker to prepare with very minimal ingredients in comparison to other spring rolls plus it also freezes well. Another advantage it that the meat used for the dish can be interchanged from ground pork to ground chicken or turkey. It even works with canned tuna. Served with sweet chili sauce, this dish is perfect as an appetizer or served as a main dish together with steamed rice.

Pork Lumpiang Shanghai - Pork Spring Roll Shanghai style

1 lb ground pork

1 onion, grated

2-3 gloves garlic, finely minced

2-3 medium sized carrots, grated

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

salt and pepper

1 large egg

1 packet square spring roll wrapper (20 wrappers)

1. Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and season with salt and pepper. To

check for flavor, take a teaspoon of the mixture and cook in the

microwave until the meat is cooked. Adjust the flavor as needed.

2. Take 2 tbsp of the filling and lay on the one edge of the wrapper as a

tube. Roll as you would a leaf of tobacco and seal the edges with

water.

3. Cut the filled wrapper into 1 1/2 inch size rolls using a sharp knife

or a kitchen shear.

4. Cook in a preheated oil at medium heat until golden grown. Drain on

paper towels as you prepare to cook the rest of the lumpia.

5. To freeze the extra rolls, lay them individually on a baking sheet
and freeze until solid. Store in a freezer bag and store until
needed. To cook frozen lumpia, thaw for about 5 minutes on a

baking sheet. Cook in preheated oil at medium heat.

Puchero

Puchero is a Sunday dish my Mom used to make for the family as a Sunday lunch meal. We would go to mass at 7am and after mass, we go straight to the market to buy what we will need to prepare for lunch and the rest of the week. I have always loved going to the market as a child with all the different sights and smells to savor. The meat section will smell strongly of freshly butchered meat while the seafood area was always wet and muddy. There is also the area where they sell street fare and a favorite of mine is the halo-halo which is why it is no wonder I was fat as a child (or maybe I was just born fat).

We seldom buy meat for the fact that my Dad has certain unexplained allergies to them so we were stuck with fish which was okay by me as well. Every now and then though, we will have a meat dish especially on Sundays and it is always a highlight of the week for the family. This version of puchero is the only one I knew growing up and it was actually quite a surprise for me to learn later on in life how different it is compared to versions offered in restaurants. My Mom's puchero is earthier and more basic but will definitely satisfy anyone who yearns for a home-cooked meal. She even takes it a notch further by cooking the stew in a clay pot fed with charcoal and chopped wood which I thinks adds another dimension to the otherwise simple flavor. I'll have to cook mine on a glass top electric stove though.

In honor of my Dad this Father's Day weekend, I'm offering my Mom's pucehro, one of my Dad's favorites.

Puchero ala *Lagring

2 lbs pork, cut into chunks

1 onion, diced

2-3 cloves of garlic, minced

2-3 bay leaves

2 tbsp olive oil

4-6 cups water

2-3 medium sized carrots

1 lb cabbage, cored and chopped into large pieces

2 medium sized yams

2 pieces plantain bananas (almost ripe)

salt and pepper to taste

1. Saute the garlic and onions in the olive oil on medium heat. Add the

bay leaves and saute until they release their aroma.

2. Brown the pork in the saute mixture and season with salt and pepper.

3. Add the water and let it simmer for about 40-50 minutes. Add the

carrots, yams and bananas and simmer for another 20-30 minutes.

4. Check for flavor and adjust accordingly. Add the cabbage and let it

cook for a minute or two until just tender. Serve with white rice.

I like to keep my stew a bit thick so I use less water. It concentrates the flavor more and you end up with a very good broth to slurp on. Also, make sure that you chop the vegetables the same size as the meat.

* Lagring is my Mom's nickname to her friends.

Erratum

Folks, it finally came to pass. My greatest fear when I started this blog was that I might make a mistake in my post and cause somebody to make something less than perfect and because of a simple omission on my part. On the chocolate cake post, I wrote 1 stick butter and alongside it, 8oz as an equivalent amount. Unfortunately, I meant 8tbsp for each stick of butter which corresponds to 4oz. Sorry for this.

Also, as stated in the same post, the caramel has to be perfectly cooked before it can be used as a filling. To prove my point, I just made a fresh batch so that everyone will know what it should look like.

Saturday, June 18, 2011

Potatoes au Gratin

Side dishes I believe are equally important as the main dish and I always try to find the right dish to complement what I plan to serve for dinner. A favorite of mine is rice pilaf but in some cases, a potato dish is the more appropriate accompaniment. Using a very basic recipe of potato gratin, I've tweaked it to suit my tastes and my needs.

Potatoes au Gratin

3 cups thinly sliced potatoes

6 tbsp unsalted butter

3 tbsp all purpose flour

11/2 cup milk

1/2 cup sharp cheese (I prefer Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano Reggiano)

¾ cup soft bread crumbs

1 tsp chopped herbs (parsley, thyme or herbes de provence)

1. Melt 3 tbsp butter and blend in the flour. Add the milk gradually and
cook, stirring, until smooth.

2. Add the potatoes and cook until the milk mixture has thickened.

3. Add half of the cheese and stir until melted and pour the potatoes
into a 9x13 baking dish. Melt remaining butter and mix with the
crumbs. Sprinkle over contents of baking dish and cover with

aluminum foil.

4. Bake at 375°F for about 45-60 minutes. Check to make sure that the

potatoes are tender. Remove the foil and sprinkle the remaining

cheese and herbs and bake until the top is golden brown.

Recipes

Friday, June 24, 2011

Monday, June 20, 2011

Sunday, June 19, 2011

Saturday, June 18, 2011