Rugelach

I made this Ruglelach dessert for a family function - a spur of the moment little backyard get together. I used cream cheese in the dough to give the pastry a bit of tang, and mixed together some pecans, cinnamon, and semi-sweet chocolate for the filling. Although many others roll their Rugalach into a triangular croissant shape, this rugalech was made as a bar pastry (with two layers of dough and filling in the middle. The top is coated lavishly with egg yolk.


Unfortunately these pictures were taken of the last piece (one of the ugly Rugelaches I set aside not to serve!! But by the end of the party, there were not other pieces of Rugelach left! Apparently Claxtons are a fan.) All in all, I thought I added a bit too much cinnamon, I tend to be a little too generous with my pinches of this and that.

Garlic Potato Chips

I've never been a huge potato person. Even when I was a kid, a onion ring seem far more glorious than those soggy, paper-tasting fries that would never-the-less remain part of the junk food holy trinity of burgers, soda, and spuds throughout my childhood. Even if you don't like potatoes, there is something undeniably sacred about them. Rolling into into burger joints after prom dances and such throughout my teenage years, it was without a doubt a golden basket of fries that married my friends and I around a cold, cement table in the wee hours of the morning after our curfews had long since expired.  I, a sort of alien in the eyes of my friends and family, never had much liking for the vegetable (if that's what you should call it) and would abstain from fries, hash browns, and the like on almost any occasion - even during these episodes of late-night galavanting.  After all, a potato without all that salt and oil is pretty bland, is it not?

Recently however, I have been giving potatoes a second chance and have found that potatoes can be far from dull or conventional. Take potatoes a la francaise, cooked, seasoned and served in a fresh Nicoise salad. Or this recipe below, which is becoming a new addiction. Note the ample use of garlic :) yummmy

Garlic Potato Chips

My dad was surprised with how fast (and delicious) it was to cook these garlic potato chips. He swore they would take more than 25 minutes. Nope! This colorful little side takes about 5 minutes to prep and 20 minutes to cook. 

Ingredients: 

Potatoes -You can mix and match your potatoes to whats in season or fresh are your local market.  Sweet potatoes are my favorite, so I always use them. 

Chopped, fresh garlic to taste - I like garlic, so I tend to pile it on. Also, i make sure all the garlic pieces sit on top of the potatoes. 

Olive oil - I prefer using garlic olive oil to really exaggerate the garlic taste that I oh-so love)

Sea Salt 

Rosemary - My dad has a garden, so I just plucked a few fresh pieces and sprinkle the leaves on.  

To cook: 

Preheat oven to 425

Cut potatoes into thin chips and place them on a foil baking ship. Coat each side lightly with olive oil. Sprinkle garlic and rosemary on top.

Cook around 13 minutes on each side, until golden brown.     

Served with sauteed shrimp, steamed artichokes, and a fresh green salad, and parmesan reggiano cheese

Sensational Snacking

As a girl who rapturously leafs through a Vogue magazine as part of her ritual "me" time, I take snacking seriously. Who (even at his or her most abstemious) could deny the tangy bliss of an extra-salted tortilla chip, smothered with a green, gooey gob of guacamole? Certainly, not I. To add, this combo to add can be whipped up in 15 or less at home, and is relatively healthy (I bake my chips and use just a light coat of oil). 


I therefore have no qualms with replacing my lunch or dinner with such a snacking indulgence (avec a diet coke and BBC miniseries to seal the deal). Yet, there are a multitude of other treats that can provide that mid-afternoon pick-me-up, many of which are slightly more refined and yet no less versatile.  Thus, in the spirit of snacking, I decided to pay tribute to my dad's latest culinary concoction: his homemade version of a delectable little dish called 'tapenade'.  

What exactly is a tapenade? Essentially, tapendade is a paste (of French provencal origins) made of ground olives, capers, and olive oil. In my opinion tapenades qualify as a sort of super-snack, foremost because they illuminate the whimsy and insouciance that make snacking both artful and irresistible. Consider, tapenade can be dabbled on a hardboiled aid, spread onto good bread or a multigrain cracker, or served as a dip for fresh crudites. It can also be used, as David Lebovitz recommends, in omelettes (folded in with some goat cheese) or on sandwiches. Lastly, there are many  easy tricks that will instantly glamorize your tapenade, giving it a touch of elegance for a dinner party for instance. One way is to serve it aside plain yogurt, which provides dramatic contrasts in color and taste.

As you can see in the picture my dad served his tapenade on a multi-grain herb cracker, though I would have paired it with yogurt considering the lamb. Either way, tapenade works well as an appetizer due to its strong, salty taste. I swear I could eat spoonfuls of it, just like guacamole and peanut butter. But it can also be used for a very classy, elegant hors d'oeuvre.    


Ingredients for a classic tapenade:
-1/2 lb mixed olives
-2 anchovy fillets (rinsed)
-1 small clove garlic, minced
- tablespoons capers
-a couple leaves of basil
-a good splash of lemon juice
-two table spoons olive oil

1. Step one: Place the ingredients in a food processor for a couple of minutes until it forms a paste, scraping sides occasionally. 

2. Step two: Indulge properly (on a picnic bench with a comic book...and a cracker)

smooshy apples

Smooshy Apples! This delicious and quite simple breakfast will fuel you for the whole morning and takes only a few minutes to whip up - perfect if you are in a rush but craving something wholesome. The breakfast consists of toast coated with delicious goat cheese spread and cinnamon-apple topping. We made extra cinnamon-apple topping to eat a la carte with some homemade granola (see recipe below). The texture of the cooked apples is key to this embellished version of your classic toast with confiture combo. The apples should be tender and soft (slightly smooshy, but not soggy), offsetting the crunchy texture of the toast. 

Don't worry, its easy to do:

Chop up or slice the apples and cook them in a pot on medium heat with a spoonful of water and a little honey. Add a cinnamon stick broken into a few pieces (ground cinnamon will do too). If you like add nuts and/or dried fruit. We added chopped walnuts, pecans, almonds, and some chopped dried persimmon, because it's what we had, although raisins, dried cranberries, dates, or prunes might better complement the cheese and apples. Cook on medium heat until the apples are "smooshy" and the nuts are nice and toasty; around five minutes. Toast some bread (we used a whole wheat sourdough) but anything would be good. I especially think the chevre and apples would be great with a walnut or raisin walnut levain (ACME makes my favorite cranberry-walnut loaf of all time). Spread a generous amount of the chevre onto the toast, and top with the warm cinnamon-apples.

xox

granola

i came across this granola recipe on another blog, lettuce eat kale. the recipe is from lois de domenico, who is actually one of the co-creators of rice-a-roni (it was her recipe for armenian pilaf that her brother-in-law, who was part of the Golden Grain Macaroni Company, revised, packaged and marketed as "rice-a-roni.") anyways, now lois is in her eighties, and often has this granola for breakfast.

it's delicious and just packed with nutrition. and it's not super sweet, which is my biggest qualm when it comes to granola. there's also a great little story she tells about how she acquired this particular recipe, which i'll post below, because i just liked it so much! stories have the ability to add another dimension to a dish- many of our attachments to particular dishes are not because of the dish itself, necessarily, but because of our memories associated with preparing and eating it. many dishes are tied to traditions. and many dishes we acquire through relationships with other people. i must say, a major factor in my deciding to make this granola (other than the enticing ingredient list) was the story that goes along with it.

About 40 years ago I was going on a hiking trip and I needed some hiking boots. I went to a store in Berkeley and I sat next to a young girl. Today you’d call her a hippie. Somehow we started talking about food and she gave me her recipe for granola. Well, I’ve been making it ever since and I think it’s about the best granola in the world. It has five kinds of grains and three kinds of nuts, as well as sesame and sunflower seeds, wheat germ, sesame oil, and honey. It’s just delicious...


here's the recipe~

ingredients: 1 pound rolled oats • 1 pound rye flakes • 1 pound wheat flakes • 1 pound barley flakes • 1/2 pound bran flakes • 1/2 pound wheat germ • 1 pound chopped almonds • 1 pound chopped cashews • 1 pound chopped walnuts • 1 pound sesame seeds • 1 pound sunflower seeds • 1 cup sesame oil • 2 cups honey

preheat...300°
pans...baking sheet
bake time...around 1 hour (varies)

to make the granola: mix grains, seeds, and nuts together. bake in two pans, slowly adding sesame oil and heated honey, and mixing regularly. bake until golden brown, at least one hour.

a note on ingredients

• this makes a lot of granola- A LOT. but you can really play around with amounts, and even with what you choose to include. That's what i love about granola- it is flexible and allows for experimentation and adjustment. I actually only baked about half of mine (and i made less than the recipe called for), and left the rest mixed but uncooked in a container in the fridge

• i used brown sesame seeds (in general they are more nutrient-packed than the hulled, white, seeds)

• i also added flax seeds, which i just love in granola and highly recommend

• i made one portion of granola with some shaved coconut, which turned out really good! i just toasted the coconut separately, then mixed it in the cooked granola to avoid burning the flaky and delicate coconut! this version of coconut granola was delicious

• some dried fruit (craisins, in particular) would be a delicious addition, which i will definitely include next time

the uncooked, mixed grains, seeds, and nuts

the cooked, finished granola

xox

encuentro

the restaurant: one of my new favorite places to dine. this small- very small- single room restaurant just opened in december. actually, it is considered a wine bar/cafe. i only know about it (it's very new and very small...) because it is next door to the apartment complex where my parents live, in the outskirts of jack london square. the short menu features small plates and appetizers that reflect local, seasonal ingredients, and everything is vegetarian. and everything, and i mean everything, sounds delicious. rarely do i come across a menu in which everything appeals to me, but at encuentro, literally everything does, in fact, appeal to me. my favorite part about the food, besides the no-meat, is that the ingredients are so fresh. the menu changes according to season and market. i had been once before, in december, and then for then a second time this past weekend, and the menu was different. basically, it's just pure, delicious, fresh, simple food. in addition to the wonderful cuisine, the restaurant is incredibly inviting and friendly, and has a very pleasant atmosphere. it has a very intimate feel. the room is, like i said, very small with limited seating, and it seems like most of the staff is acquainted with most of the diners. it's the kind of place where you can comfortably linger over good food, good wine, and good company.

the people: eric tucker, lacey sher, and linda braz are the collaborators behind this fabulous little restaurant. eric tucker is the head chef at millenium restaurant in san francisco. i've never been to this vegetarian restaurant, but i have been meaning to try it! lacey sher is also a chef, has had a restaurant, and lives in the building with my parents.

the food: we ordered two things, the cauliflower bruschetta and a bowl of the "soup of the moment." My parents had raved about the roasted golden cauliflower bruschetta with sesame/cumin after trying it last week (my dad has already recreated his own version- yes, it's that good). the cauliflower is roasted and pureed, and served, warm, on top of baguette-toasts. it actually looks very much like, and is the consistency-equivalent of, hummus. it is truly amazing. i'm excited to have tried this dish- it's definitely something i would order again, and is something that is simple enough to make at home (my dad's version actually turned out very good!). The soup was black lentil and mushroom. thick and rich. the waiter said they used a homemade vegetable stock and ample olive oil, which, along with the lentils and sliced mushrooms, pretty much makes the soup. simple. and delicious. oh and their soups and salads (they have some fabulous salads; my mom and i shared two last time i tried the restaurant) are all served with a feel good bakery cheese stick, for an extra $1.50. we always get the cheese sticks at the temescal market on sundays. they are absolutely wonderful. some other things i want to try on the menu (well, really, i want to try it all!) include the peppered portobello mushroom sandwich with caramelized fennel and onions, smoked goat cheddar cheese, and caper aioli • orange-rosemary caesar salad with crispy tempeh and shaved dry jack • bruschetta with avocado, olive oil, cilantro, chile jam and black salt

i can't wait to visit this little gem again soon!

xox

red velvet

i have never made red velvet cake before. it's not a cake i would generally desire to bake, but for lindsey and my valentine's day soiree it was the perfect choice. rich, moist, a beautiful shade of red, with just a touch of chocolate and the creamiest cream-cheese frosting. It took a while to decide on a recipe, but we eventually settled on the joy of baking recipe (the frosting combines cream cheese and mascarpone- yum! i just couldn't resist).

the frosting is sooooooo good. if i ever play around with red velvet recipes it will be with the cake only. in my opinion, red velvet cake has to have cream cheese frosting, and this is the best cream cheese frosting ever. the combination of the cream cheese with the mascarpone is so creamy and delightful; then mixing in whipped cream lightens up the consistency, making it and extra fluffy...

we topped our cake with coconut and mini chocolate chips and shaved white chocolate.

here's the recipe

for the cake: 2 1/2 cups sifted cake flour • 1/2 teaspoon salt • 2 tablespoons dutch-processed cocoa powder • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature • 1 1/2 cups granulated white sugar • 2 large eggs • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract • 1 cup buttermilk • 2 tablespoons liquid red food coloring • 1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar • 1 teaspoon baking soda

preheat...350°

pans...two 9-inch round cake pans, buttered

bake time...25-30 minutes

to make the cake: sift together the flour, salt, cocoa powder. set aside. in another bowl (large), beat the butter until soft. add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy. add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. add the vanilla extract and beat until combined. in another bowl (small) whisk the buttermilk with the red food coloring. now, add half of the flour mixture to the butter mixture and beat lightly. add the buttermilk and beat lightly. add the rest of the flour mixture and beat lightly. in a small cup combine the vinegar and baking soda. the mixture will fizz, then immediately fold it into the cake batter. working quickly, divide the batter evenly between the two prepared pans. bake for 25 to 30 minutes (test with toothpick). cool the cakes for about ten minutes in the pans, then remove them from pans and cool completely. it is recommended to refrigerate the layers for at least an hour before frosting- it will make frosting the cake easier.

for the cream cheese frosting: 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream • 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature • 8 ounces mascarpone cheese, room temperature • 3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract • 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted

to make the frosting: beat the cream cheese with the mascarpone cheese until smooth. add the vanilla and powdered sugar and beat until smooth. in a separate bowl, whip the cream until stiff peaks form. with a large spatula, gently but quickly fold a little of the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture to lighten it. then fold in the remaining whipped cream, in two stages.

to assemble the cake: this recipe suggests to cut each layer in half, horizontally, to make a four layer cake. we skipped this step, preferring to make a two layer cake. while the cake looks beautiful just frosted creamy white, there are many possible garnishes. some recipes garnish with pecans, which i think would be delicious. you can even mix chopped pecans into the cream cheese frosting. like i mentioned before, we sprinkled shredded coconut, mini chocolate chips, and a small amount of finely chopped white chocolate over the top and sides of our cake, which i loved. if that's a bit much, sticking to just coconut would be gorgeous. i also like the idea of covering it in white or dark chocolate ribbons, or white or dark chocolate shavings. there are a lot of options!

a couple modifications

• instead of 2 tablespoons cocoa powder we used about 1/4 cup sweetened cocoa powder + about 1/4 cup melted chocolate chips...we only had sweetened cocoa powder (our college-student budget preferred to use the cocoa powder my parents had at home instead of buying an $8 container of unsweetened. the recipe only calls for 2 tablespoons anyways). we then decided it wasn't chocolatey enough (haha) so we added some melted chocolate chips (this was after we had mixed everything together). i was a little worried about ruining the consistency, but it turned out sooooo good. perhaps it was the extra chocolate?

• instead of 1 1/2 cups sugar, we reduced it to 1 cup sugar...because of the sweetened cocoa powder, we needed to reduce the sugar. when we tried the batter, it was a little under-sweet, but i liked it and once we added the melted chocolate chips it was perfect

• instead of 8 ounces cream cheese, we used 8 ounces whipped cream cheese...not that it's a huge difference, but i've got to admit, the frosting was unbeatable. i can't stop raving about it!

• • • • •

if i am ever tempted to make red velvet again i would love to try using beets to color the cake- i don't really like the idea of red food coloring in the first place. my sister was also considering baking red velvet for valentine's day and she sent me this recipe for red velvet cupcakes reddened with beets, from the blog coconut & lime. i would love to try it!


and, in the spirit of the holiday for which this cake was made, happy valentine's day!~

xox