SoupSpoon

Daring Baker #9

January, how I love you.
After last month's Daring Baker challenge, the fine folks over there in the DB kitchen decided that we needed something light. This month's challenge is brought to us by Karen of Bake My Day and Zorra of 1x umruehren bitte aka Kochtopf. They have chosen Tuiles from The Chocolate Book by Angélique Schmeink and Nougatine and Chocolate Tuiles from Michel Roux.

I chose to make the Thomas Keller recipe for the savory Tuile option instead of the chocolate Tuile partly because I was tired of chocolate and partly because I have a little infatuation with Thomas Keller. (Whoops, did I say that?)

Of course, yet again, he did not disappoint. Although the shaping process is a little tricky, overall, this is a painfully simple recipe. My one word of caution is to make sure you have something small and heat proof ready to go for the shaping process. Little jelly jars do not work because the pretty little Tuiles slide right off. I saw that most people used a rolling pin or broom handle for the shaping. I ended up wrapping them around the thick handle of a butter knife. It worked just fine.

Another bonus is that the house smelled like brown butter for the rest of the day, and that is never a bad thing.

These precious little Tuiles were lovely alongside a simple soup such as Split Pea soup with Spinach. This Tuile thing might be visited again soon. Thanks Daring Bakers.

Savory tuile/cornet recipe
From Thomas Keller "the French Laundry Cookbook"

1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons (65 grams/2.1/4 ounces) all purpose flour
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt (= 2/3 teaspoon table salt)**
8 tablespoons (114 grams/4 ounces) unsalted butter, softened but still cool to the touch
2 large egg whites, cold
2 tablespoons black sesame seeds

In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, sugar and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk the softened butter until it is completely smooth and mayonnaise-like in texture. Using a stiff spatula or spoon, beat the egg whites into the dry ingredients until completely incorporated and smooth. Whisk in the softened butter by thirds, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary and whisking until the batter is creamy and without any lumps. Transfer the batter to a smaller container, as it will be easier to work with.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Make a 4-inch hollow circular stencil. Place Silpat on the counter (it is easier to work on the Silpat before it is put on the sheet pan). Place the stencil in one corner of the sheet and, holding the stencil flat against the Silpat, scoop some of the batter onto the back of an offset spatula and spread it in an even layer over the stencil. Then run the spatula over the entire stencil to remove any excess batter. After baking the first batch of cornets, you will be able to judge the correct thickness. You may need a little more or less batter to adjust the thickness of the cornets.

There should not be any holes in the batter. Lift the stencil and repeat the process to make as many rounds as you have molds or to fill the Silpat, leaving about 1 1/2 inches between the cornets. Sprinkle each cornet with a pinch of black sesame seeds.

Place the Silpat on a heavy baking sheet and bake for 4 to 6 minutes, or until the batter is set and you see it rippling from the heat. The cornets may have browned in some areas, but they will not be evenly browned at this point.

Open the oven door and place the baking sheet on the door.*** This will help keep the cornets warm as you roll them and prevent them from becoming too stiff to roll. Flip a cornet over on the sheet pan, sesame seed side down and place 4-1/2 inch cornet mold at the bottom of the round. If you are right-handed, you will want the pointed end on your left and the open end on your right. The tip of the mold should touch the lower left edge (at about 7 o'clock on a clock face) of the cornet.

Fold the bottom of the cornet and around the mold; it should remain on the sheet pan as you roll. Leave the cornet wrapped around the mold and continue to roll the cornets around molds; as you proceed, arrange the rolled cornets, seams side down, on the sheet pan so they lean against each other, to prevent from rolling.

When all the cornets are rolled, return them to the oven shelf, close the door, and bake for an additional 3 to 4 minutes to set the seams and color the cornets a golden brown. If the color is uneven, stand the cornets on end for a minute or so more, until the color is even. Remove the cornets from the oven and allow to cool just slightly, 30 seconds or so.
Gently remove the cornets from the molds and cool for several minutes on paper towels. Remove the Silpat from the baking sheet, wipe the excess butter from it, and allow it to cool down before spreading the next batch. Store the cornets for up to 2 days (for maximum flavor) in an airtight container.

one more orbit

Today is my birthday, and I am smiling. First because I really like being alive, and second because there are friends in my life that have already called and showed up at the door (with a birthday candle in an avocado!) to say they are glad I am alive, too.

As I type this, I am praying that you have someone, at least one friend, that you are glad was born. Who is that person in your life that you are just so deep down glad they exist? Think about it and then, may I suggest, you tell them? Tell them you are so glad they were born. Tell them that sometimes you think about them out of the blue like at the grocery store, at a traffic light, or on the bus. Tell them that when you think about them you smile thinking about that one time they said that one thing and how you just laughed and laughed.

I can say that as the one celebrating the day I was born, I am so grateful for the people that have told me they are celebrating too.

What good is this life if we do not make it better for others? What good is one more orbit if I find myself in the same dug out rut I was in last time around the sun? Loving people, I find, is richer and grander when they know how much I love them. Words mean little if I do not act like I love them, but when you put words and action together, Wow. It is like a symphony.

My purpose is to love. Love beauty and people and God. Loving is rather lovely I think, and I would send it to you wrapped in a basket of flowers and cookies if it would fit.

Feeling loved, for me, happens usually in those moments when I realize that the person I am with paid close attention to something I said or did in the past. This morning I feel loved.  Last week, Mozart's Piano sonata 15 in F major came on the radio, and I could not move until it was completely over because I felt certain that something that perfect might break if I moved to quickly. Well, Stephen paid close attention to my rapture, and he gave me a CD of this sonata as my birthday gift. We put it on this morning before the sun was even awake, and listened over and over and over. It is quite possibly the most light and sincere piece of music I have heard in my life. I did find out that you can in fact move and twirl all around the kitchen to this gorgeous piece of music, and it does not break. Actually, it kept me twirling. Maybe that person that you love would like this sonata too. (Go ahead and tell them it is ok to twirl.)

This is not a recipe for food, obviously, but I hope you are tempted none the less to give it a go.

p.s. (thanks mom and dad for making this whole life thing possible.)

I like that, a lot.

There is a lovely blog that I look through sometimes, and she posted about a savoy cabbage slaw that she had read about somewhere else. The ripple effect gets me in the juggler every time. (Is that the right expression? 'the juggler'? Does that mean your 'weak spot'? I hope that is what it means.)

I like when recipes and ideas start in one place, and ripple out to a whole new place that connects us back to the first place. The very nature of food does this. Food nourishes and connects us to the earth, our friends, and the hands that prepared it. Sitting around a table filled with heaping bowls of history, tradition, and ideas, makes a plate feel full and Satisfying. Trying someone's idea and then liking it, is such a completely full feeling that it compels me to want you to try it too. This recipe is like that. I want to share it with you.

This slaw is simple and sweet, tangy and tart, with the crisp fresh crunch much needed in the winter months, while still using seasonal ingredients.

I like that, a lot.

Being a sort of mayo-snub that loves slaw has led me to seek out slaws with vinaigrettes. Typically I just toss cabbage with a dab of olive oil, a splash of apple cider vinegar, pinch of salt, a few cracks of pepper, and call it slaw. This recipe goes to a whole new level; a new dimension of cabbage in vinegar. Apples, and mustard seeds, and radishes and toasted walnuts... oh I want to make it again already!

If you have any sort of affinity for cabbage or slaw or sharing ideas, I strongly encourage you to give this one a go.

Savoy Cabbage Slaw with Applesauce Vinaigrette and Mustard Seeds
I found this on the Wednesday Chef, and she found it in a Thanksgiving article. (Oh, the ripple)
Serves 6

FOR THE VINAIGRETTE:

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon applesauce
1/3 cup olive oil

FOR THE SALAD:

4 cups savoy cabbage, sliced as thinly as possible
1 large bunch red radishes
1 Granny  Smith apple
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped
Salt and black pepper to taste

1. Make vinaigrette: In a bowl, mix together mustard, salt, vinegar and applesauce. Slowly whisk in olive oil a little at a time until dressing emulsifies. Set aside.

2. Make salad: Put cabbage in a large bowl. Using the shredding blade of a food processor or a box grater, shred radishes until you have 1 cup. Add to bowl.

3. Core apples and shred in food processor or with box grater until you have 2 cups. Put shredded apple into a bowl filled with lemon juice and 2 cups water, to prevent apple from browning.

4. When ready to serve, gently squeeze water from apple, add to cabbage and toss slaw with vinaigrette. Add mustard seeds and toss again. Sprinkle walnuts on top of slaw. Season with salt and pepper.

a date to share

We were pulled from the bed today by a sharp frigid morning, and to be honest I did not mind. I like how winter is chilled around the edges. The cold outside makes my focus shift inward, and I begin to clean house. Figuratively speaking, I picture my heart stacked into little rooms. Some need a good scrub.

Winter gives me a season for reflection. Reflection seems only as useful as the force with which it pushes me forward. Looking backwards long enough to miss the present, or to smack into the future, seems futile at best and dangerous at worst. Reflection, as personal as it is, must not be self-centered. I reflect inwardly in order to be better outwardly. This seems to be the point that I am coming to with winter, and thus I am in decent spirits about the cold. I am challenged to fight it with a fiercely warm heart.

Last night my heart felt so warm as I gazed across the table at my very best friend. He looked so handsome, and was making me smile; and I remembered once again what a gift it is to love him. What a gift it is to work at loving him well. This is one of those things I reflect upon in the nooks of my heart: how do I love him to the heavens and back?

We started planning a date once a week. A real Date where we focus on one another without trying to do other work like email or laundry. Last week our friend Sarah caught us out at a local coffee shop while we celebrated our Date with backgammon, a scone, and chamomile tea. Part of us felt like grandparents, but it did not matter. We enjoyed every second of it.

Last night's Date was extravagant. Stephen took me to dinner which is a bit of a risk, because we typically end up regretting having eaten mediocre food at jacked-up prices when we could have had lovely food at low prices at home. (anyways). He had high hopes for this little place, and I am pleased to say we were completely impressed. It was wonderful to gaze across at his handsome scruffy face, in the dimly lit room, that was cozy and warm (just like our hearts).

Giddy and grateful is how I fell asleep.

This morning I woke in a celebratory fashion, still feeling luxurious about our dinner, and made a batch of muffins. Last week I saw a recipe for date muffins with a streusel top, and today was the perfect day for such a recipe. We are driving to Stephen's parents' tonight in honor of his mom's birthday, and I plan to tote these along. In a way, I feel like I am spreading the Date love so to speak. A little love here and a little love there makes even the coldest winter morning feel warm.

Date Muffins with a Streusel Topping makes 12
based on this recipe, but I changed a few things.

STREUSEL TOPPING

2 tablespoons flour
3 tablespoons rolled oats
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
pinch of salt

MUFFINS

1 1/2 cups chopped pitted dates
3/4 cup boiling water
2 cups flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla

Procedure

To make the streusel topping:
In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, oats, brown sugar, and walnuts. Using a fork, cut in butter until well combined and mixture begins to hold together a bit. Set aside.

To make the muffins:
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 12-cup muffin tin. Place the dates in a shallow bowl (in a single layer if possible), pour the boiling water over them, and soak for 5 minutes. Transfer the dates and soaking liquid to a food processor and puree until almost smooth but a few pea-sized fruit pieces remain. Set aside to cool slightly.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, ginger, and salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the butter and brown sugar. With the motor running, mix in the eggs, one at a time. Add the vanilla. Add half of the flour mixture and mix until moistened. Follow with the date puree, and when thoroughly combined, mix in remainder of the flour mixture. Scrape down the sides and give a final stir with a spatula to make sure all ingredients are thoroughly combined. Divide the batter among the muffin cups. Top with the streusel and press down gently to adhere. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes.

Roasted Cauliflower

Cauliflower gets a bad rap, and I can sort of see why. Usually it is cooked to mush or served raw with a heap of ranch dip. There is another option, and it redefined how I feel towards cauliflower.

When I lived in Manhattan for Culinary school, my friend and I would get together for dinners at her place. Broccoli or cauliflower would inevitably be part of the meal. Perhaps it was because they were in season, or perhaps she just had a strong affinity, either way, I did not protest because they were delicious.  She always roasted them. Roasting these friendly cruciferous vegetables turns them into golden-edged confident companions on a plate.

Often I have conversations with people who have lost inspiration for how to prepare vegetables well. I love these conversations because often people just need a new idea to get them falling for vegetables all over again.

Now that we are 9 days into New Year's Resolutions, I thought a few folks might be looking for ways to 'eat healthier' or (the other killer) 'get in shape'. Perhaps, just perhaps, a simple cauliflower recipe that actually tastes delicious might come in handy.

1. First you pick a fresh head of cauliflower with no brown or black spots on the white florets.

2. Pull off the outer most leaves. Cut the Cauliflower down the center or, depending on if you can get your knife down around the stem, cut out just the stem.

3. Break off the florets into bite size pieces.

4. Rinse well, but do not worry about getting them dry. A little water creates steam and helps them cook faster.

5. Toss them in a bowl with 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, and 2 tablespoons olive oil. (Optional: Curried cauliflower is also amazingly delicious. Add about 1 teaspoon curried powder and toss well.)

6. Spread onto a silpat or parchment paper lined baking sheet.

7. Roast for 25 minutes at 400 degrees or until the edges are golden and the stems are fork tender.
If you notice half-way through the cooking time that they appear to be drying out, pull them out and flip with a spatula. Sometimes this can happen if they did not get a good toss in the olive oil.

9. Once tender and golden, pull from oven, let cool slightly, and enjoy.

Even if you do not have a vegetable resolution, I hope you are feeling inspired.

good morning, 2009