Daring Baker Challenge, February 2011; Panna Cotta and Florentines

The February 2011 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Mallory from A Sofa in the Kitchen. She chose to challenge everyone to make Panna Cotta from a Giada De Laurentiis recipe and Nestle Florentine Cookies.

I have never made or had Panna Cotta. I loved the simplicity of this recipe; it's the perfect dessert for a dinner party. The only thing I changed was the milk/cream ratio which I inverted to 1 cup cream to 3 cups milk. The result was still seemed very rich to me. I will definitely make this again!

Orange-Lime Marmalade with Agave Nectar

(about 1 1/2 pints)

My sister mentioned she made some orange honey marmalade which got me to thinking agave nectar might work well too. I decided to give it a try by making a small batch.

I had hoped to find some organic Seville oranges, but they didn't have any at the market. I came home instead with one blood orange, one navel orange and one lime.

The main thing I noticed making this was the marmalade didn't "jell" the way it does when I use granulated sugar. I cooked it a bit longer until it thickened sufficiently. I suppose I could have added pectin, but I rarely use that. In any case the finished marmalade had a texture I quite like and it was very flavourful.

I will use agave nectar again the next time I make a jam or marmalade. It's definitely worth experimenting with.

No Knead Parmesan Bread

I haven't tired of Jim Lahey's method since first trying it out last year. It's so easy to make and there's so many possibilities.

This time a 1/4 cup of rolled oats found their way into this bread simply because that was all that was left in the tin and I wanted to finish it. I have no idea if the oats were responsible, but this loaf seemed moister to me than the previous ones (and the grain was finer), but I also used a smaller baking dish.

I was using a Le Creuset cast iron dutch oven for this which really is ideal, however I bake everything in a counter top convection oven and noticed the lid was getting scratched because it was barely fitting into the oven. I purchased a smaller ceramic dutch oven (2 quarts) the other day primarily for baking this bread. This smaller size created a rounder and fuller loaf; I was quite pleased with the result. 

Deviled Eggs

(4 servings)

I'm off work for President's Day (Washington's Birthday) and still in the mood for finger food. These deviled eggs rounded out the weekend for me.

6 large eggs
3 tbsp mayonnaise
1 tsp hot mustard
1 tsp prepared horseradish
1 tsp anchovy paste
1 tbsp green onion, finely sliced
1 tbsp roasted red pepper, chopped
freshly ground black pepper

Cover the eggs with cool water in a small pot. Set aside for a couple of hours until both are room temperature.

Place the pot on top of the stove and bring the water to a boil. Reduce the heat slightly and simmer them for 12 minutes. Remove from heat, drain and run cold water over them. Crack the shells and peel them when they are cool enough to handle.

Combine the mayonnaise, mustard, horseradish and anchovy paste in a small bowl.

Cut the eggs in half , remove the yolks and add them to the mayonnaise mixture. Mash everything with a fork until smooth. Add the green onion, red pepper, and a few grinds of pepper. Mix until everything is well combined.

Divide evenly and fill the egg cavities with the seasoned yolk mixture.

Apple Bran Muffins

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(12 standard muffins)

It's been a while since I made muffins, but I was craving some for breakfast this morning. This is a variation of my Bran Muffins; these are wonderfully moist.


1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
3/4 cup wheat bran
1/4 cup ground flaxseed
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp lemon zest, finely minced
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 granny smith apple, cored and chopped
1/3 cup agave nectar or honey
2 tbsp blackstrap molasses
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/3 cup buttermilk or plain yogurt
1/4 cup olive or canola oil
1 egg

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a standard 12 cup muffin tin with paper or grease and set aside.

Combine the flour, bran, flaxseed, cinnamon, lemon zest, baking powder and baking soda  in a bowl. Mix well. Add the chopped apples and stir to combine. Set aside.

In another bowl or large measuring cup whisk together the agave nectar, molasses, applesauce, buttermilk, oil and egg. Pour this over the dry ingredients and stir until just combined.

Spoon the mixture into the prepared muffin tin, dividing the batter evenly between the 12 cups. The batter will fill each generously coming up right to the top.

Bake for about 25-30  minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centre of a muffin comes out clean.

Pimento Cheese Spread

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(about 2 cups)

I wasn't familiar with pimento cheese spread before I moved to Dallas. It appears to be one of those southern dishes people grew up with and love with good reason; it's delicious.

Be careful though of the ready made stuff from the grocery store, it can be awful. Fortunately it's easy to make at home.

1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tsp prepared horseradish
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/4 lb smoked Gouda cheese, finely shredded
1/4 lb sharp cheddar, finely shredded
1/3 cup roasted piquillo peppers or pimentos, chopped
 freshly ground black pepper

Combine the mayonnaise, horseradish and mustard in a bowl. Add the cheeses, peppers and a few grinds of black pepper and toss to combine well.

Serve with crackers or use as a sandwich spread.

Bar-B-Q Chicken Quesadillas

I haven't felt much like cooking this week, so my menu was planned a bit around a rotisserie chicken I brought home for dinner the other night.

Stubb's Bar-B-Q sauce was on sale this week, so I thought these quesadillas would be the perfect way to use up the leftover chicken.

for each quesadilla
2 9" flour tortillas
2-3 tbsp Bar-B-Q sauce, (I used the Hickory Bourbon.. yum!)
1 tbsp red onion, chopped
1/4 cup leftover cooked chicken, shredded
1 tbsp cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup smoked Gouda, shredded

Spread the bar-b-q sauce evenly over one side of one of the tortillas, leaving about 3/4" of the edge clear; the sauce and cheese will spread. Sprinkle the onions, then chicken and cilantro evenly over the sauce and finish with the cheese.

Heat a non-stick skillet over medium-low heat and cook the quesadilla. When the cheese begins to melt (about 2-3 minutes), cover it up with the second tortilla and gently flip it over and cook the other side.

Serve.

Carbonnade; Beef and Beer Stew

(6-8 servings)

It's been unusually cold here the past few weeks. We've had snow a couple of times as well as freezing rain which virtually paralyzes this city. This weather makes me crave stew.

Carbonnade is wonderful served over egg noodles or with a side of crusty bread. It's one of those dishes which seems to taste even better the next day.

2 slices of bacon, diced
2 medium yellow onions, sliced
3 cloves garlic sliced
2-3 bay leaves
2 sprigs fresh thyme
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 tbsp red currant jelly (or 1 tbsp brown sugar)
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tsp Better than Boullion, Beef, or a bouillon cube
750 ml strong dark ale beer (large bottle with cork)
1/2 lb carrots, sliced
1/2 lb parsnips, sliced
1 lb mushrooms, sliced
2  lbs beef chuck, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes

2 tbs cold water, optional
2-3 tsp flour, optional

salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste 

cooked egg noodles or crusty bread for serving


Cook the bacon in a dutch oven or pot with tight fitting lid over medium-low heat until it begins to get crispy. Add the onions and garlic and cook for about 15-20 minutes or until the onions soften and begin turning light brown.

Add the bay leaves, thyme, mustard, currant jelly, vinegar, bouillon and beer. Stir to combine, then add the carrots, parsnips, mushrooms and beef. Stir again. The liquid will barely cover the meat and vegetables.

Lower the heat and cover the pot. Cook for about 3 1/2 hours. Remove the lid and cook for another 1-2 hrs or until the meat is fork tender.

If the stew has a lot of liquid and you prefer it a bit thicker, then combine the water and flour in a glass until smooth. Add a small amount of liquid from the stew and mix well, then return everything to the pot. Cook for a few more minutes. Check for seasoning. Use the salt and pepper if necessary. Remove the bay leaves and the stems from the thyme.

You may serve the stew now.*

*I like to let it cool overnight. The next day I remove any fat which has risen to the surface and then heat the stew again to serve. The flavours seem more developed to me the next day.

Baba ghanoush; Eggplant Spread

(about 2 cups)

If you prefer your Baba ghanoush to have a smokier flavour, then bake it longer until the outer skin begins to blacken.

1 large eggplant, about 1 lb
3 tbsp tahini
2 tbsp greek style yogurt
1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 small clove garlic, chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste 

fresh parsley, chopped
olive oil

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Wash, then prick the eggplant with a fork a few times and place onto a baking sheet. Bake for about 25-30 minutes or until it feels soft to the touch. Leave in longer (until the skin darkens)  if you prefer a "smokey" flavour.  Remove from the oven and cool.

Cut the eggplant in half lengthwise and scoop out the flesh; discard the skin.. Place the eggplant, along with the tahini, yogurt, lemon juice and garlic into the bowl of a food processor and process until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste and pulse a few more times.

Serve with freshly chopped parsley and drizzle with a bit of olive oil. Nice with crackers or pita.

Frikadellen; (Danish) Fried Meat Patties and Creamed Mushrooms

(4 servings)

There are many different versions of Frikadellen. I'm not even sure how mine compare to my mum's.

The traditional method calls for day old bread to be cubed and soaked in milk. The milk is then squeezed out and the remaining bread added to the meat mixture. I have a food processor, so I just make fresh bread crumbs instead.

The butcher had some nice smoked Black Forest bacon this week, so I picked up a few slices for the Frikadellen.

Frikadellen are often served on their own, but I made these with roasted potatoes and thought creamed mushrooms would be nice too.

Frikadellen
3/4 cup fresh bread crumbs, about 2 slices
1/2 lb lean ground beef
1/2 lb lean ground pork
2 slices smoked bacon, finely chopped
1 egg
2 green onions, finely sliced
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
1 tbsp German hot mustard, or a mustard you prefer
1 tsp fresh lemon zest, minced
1/2 tsp dried marjoram
salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tbsp unbleached flour
1-2 tbsp butter for frying

Place all of the ingredients except the flour and butter into a large bowl. Hands seem to work best here; thoroughly mix until everything is evenly combined.

Shape about 8 patties from the meat mixture. Roll each one in the flour and shake off the excess.

Heat the butter in a skillet and fry the patties on both sides until brown and cooked through. Keep the Frikadellen warm while you make the creamed mushrooms using the same skillet.


Creamed Mushrooms
1/2 lb mushrooms, sliced
1/3 cup dry red wine
2 tbsp water
1 tsp Better than Bouillon, Beef
1 tsp unbleached flour
2 tbsp heavy cream
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Add the mushrooms and wine to the skillet, and cook for a few minutes stirring and scraping the bits from the meat into the mushroom mixture.

Combine the water, bouillon and flour until it's well mixed and add that to the mushrooms. Cook, stirring for about 2 more minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in the heavy cream. Adjust the seasoning if necessary with the salt and pepper.

Serve with the Frikadellen.

Oven Roasted Potatoes

( 4 servings)

1 lb small potatoes
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Cut the potatoes up if they seem too large to you. Place them into a bowl with the garlic, oil, salt and pepper.

Toss everything until evenly coated, then place them in one layer in a baking dish.

Bake in the oven for about 30-35 minutes or until tender. Broil for a few more minutes until browned.