Monday, April 30, 2018

Seed-studded Anzac Biscuits

The name of these tasty little cookies originates in Australia/New Zealand. In fact, ANZAC stands for “Australian and New Zealand Army Corps.” On April 25th, citizens of AUS & NZ honor the soldiers who died in the conflict at Gallipoli, Turkey. Research tells us that these cookies were shipped to soldiers because they travel well and don’t spoil easily.

I happened upon a recipe from Nigella Lawson for these biscuits (which are really like oatmeal cookies that have been kicked up a notch) and since they have almost all of the flavors I love in a cookie, decided to give them a try. The only thing I left out was the coconut — not because I don’t like coconut, but because I didn’t have any in my pantry and didn’t feel like running to the store. Next time, definitely coconut! And based on a friend’s suggestion, possibly a quick half-dip of melted chocolate. I did throw in a handful of raisins to add another texture. Other than that, these little treats are perfect for so many reasons:
  1. easy to make
  2. no electric mixer required
  3. wonderfully chewy texture
  4. as mentioned above, they keep well and travel well (throw them in your backpack for a hike, or ship them to a well-deserving friend)
  5. nice lunch bag addition or for the 3pm slump
  6. not overly sweet
  7. chock full of good things like oatmeal, pumpkin seeds, and sunflower seeds
  8. great with a cup of coffee or tea
  9. nice historical connection
  10. um, do you really need another reason to bake these?!
Enjoy! 

PS: looking for organic raisins for this recipe (or any others)? Check out these Organic Monukka Raisins at Superedibles.com 

Seed-studded Anzac Biscuits 

Adapted from Nigella Lawson

Ingredients:

7 TB soft unsalted butter
1/2 C soft light brown sugar
2 TB golden syrup or light corn syrup (I used light corn syrup)
1/2 t baking soda
2 TB hot water from a recently boiled kettle
3/4 C all-purpose flour
3/4 C shredded unsweetened coconut
1 C sprouted or quick-cooking oats (not instant) (Iused quick cooking oats)
3 TB pumpkin seeds
3 TB sunflower seeds
3 TB sesame seeds
5-6 TB raisins

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. In a decent-sized saucepan, big enough to hold all of the ingredients, melt the butter, sugar, and syrup (golden or light corn) together, then remove from heat.
  3. In a bowl, dissolve the baking soda in the hot water, then add to the butter mixture in the saucepan.
  4. Now add the remaining ingredients to the pan and combine well.
  5. Scoop rounded tablespoons of the mixture onto the lined baking sheets, leaving about 1" between them to allow for the biscuits to spread as they bake. Then slightly flatten them with the back of a spoon.
  6. Bake for 8-10 minutes (or a little longer if you want them crisp) until golden brown, swapping the baking sheets over and rotating them halfway through cooking. When cooked, the biscuits will still feel slightly soft, but will harden to a desirable chewiness once cooled.
  7. Remove from the oven and let biscuits stand on their sheets for 5 minutes before using a spatula to transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Additional Information:

Storage: Store in airtight container at cool room temperature for up to 1 week. The crisper version will soften slightly over time.


Freezer note: Put cooked biscuits into a resealable bag, or stack in an airtight container with baking parchment between the layers, and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost individual biscuits on a wire rack for about 1 hour before eating.

Wednesday, April 18, 2018

Recipe-in-a-Flash: Asparagus Garbanzo Bean Salad

Well, technically it’s Spring…but you couldn’t win that argument with me (or most people in the northeast)! Today is April 18th; it’s 35 degrees in my north Jersey neck of the woods. Yesterday, a friend in Easton, PA and another in Newton, NJ posted that it was SNOWING! As you might suspect, we are all desperate for real Spring weather, and while I can't do anything about this never-ending winter, I can sort of “force” Spring to come alive inside my kitchen.

To save the day, the “Fresh Tastes” section of the PBS Food blog recently published this bright, healthy, and easy recipe. We made it yesterday as a light lunch, but this would be a terrific first course for dinner, perhaps of grilled lamb chops?

Hoping this delicious salad brings Spring a little closer to your home.

Asparagus Garbanzo Bean Salad (PBS "Fresh Tastes")

Ingredients:

3 TB olive oil
1 TB lemon juice
1 t red wine vinegar
1/4 t salt
1/4 t dried oregano
1/4 t freshly ground pepper
4 spears asparagus, trimmed & thinly sliced
1 (15 oz) can garbanzo beans, drained & rinsed
1 Persian cucumber, trimmed & thinly sliced
1/4 red onion, thinly sliced

Directions:

In a large serving bowl or mixing bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, salt, oregano, and pepper. Then add the asparagus, garbanzo beans, cucumbers, and red onion. Toss until combined. 

This is a great "make-ahead" salad, so freel free to keep it in the fridge for up to 2 days.

Cook's Tour notes: 
  • we used a mandoline to slice the onion and cucumber (a mandoline is not advised for slicing the asparagus)
  • the recipe calls for 4 asparagus spears, but it didn't look like enough to us so we used 6
  • we didn't feel 1/4 t salt was enough so will up it a bit next time

Print recipe here.

Tuesday, April 10, 2018

Apple Buttermilk Loaf Cake

Anyone who knows me knows that I love a good coffeecake-type cake. Love ‘em more than chocolate, more than pasta (and that’s a BIG one in my book), more than ice cream. So when I come across a recipe that sounds like a winner, I’m going to give it a try. 

Since leaving the pharma industry in 2016, my normal baked goods distribution network has dried up. Back then, I would bake something at least once a week and bring my goodies to the office. I was happy, my colleagues were happy. 

Fast forward to present day. When I see a recipe that calls to me, I have to think twice before baking it because, really, what am I going to do with a whole coffeecake or an entire tray of cookies?! How much can two people eat? 









So anytime we invite a friend to dinner, or when we are invited somewhere, I jump at the chance to make dessert so I can fulfill my baking jones. And that’s where today’s cake comes in. We had invited a friend for a casual Sunday night dinner of pork roast stuffed with a savory mixture of bacon, sun-dried tomatoes, and sharp provolone; roasted butternut squash; and tender peas with pancetta and shallots. We served a wonderful Spanish wine (2011 Conde de San Cristobal) that paired perfectly with the pork. I needed a homey-cozy kind of dessert to go with that menu, and I found it in Melissa Clark’s delicious Apple Buttermilk Loaf Cake. It’s wonderfully moist due to the chopped apples incorporated into the batter, and the buttermilk glaze gives it a slight tang. 
Bake up this cake, I think you’ll like it. Let me know how it goes. I’ll be here looking for a good home for my future baked items (gratis, of course!). 

Ingredients:
1 C granulated sugar
2/3 C plus 2 TB buttermilk
3 large eggs
1 TB brandy or rum (optional)
1/2 t vanilla extract
1-3/4 C all-purpose flour
1-1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t grated lemon zest
1/4 t baking soda
1/4 t kosher salt
1/4 t nutmeg
1/2 C (8 TB) unsalted butter, melted and cooled; more for pan
1 large apple, peeled
1 C confectioners' sugar
Directions:
  1. Heat oven to 350F and butter an 8-1/2 x 4-1/2" loaf pan. Cut apple into quarters; core, then dice 3/4 of the apple into 1/2" pieces (you should have 1-3/4 C diced). Slice remaining quarter in half, then thirds (you should have 6 slices). Reserve.
  2. In large bowl, whisk together sugar, 2/3 C buttermilk, eggs, brandy, and vanilla. Whisk in flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg. Fold in butter, then diced apples. Scrape into loaf pan; arrange apple slices on top and bake until golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes up clean, 55-60 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes, then run a thin knife or offset spatula around edges and flip onto a wire rack. Invert (so apple slices are on top) and cool completely.
  3. In medium bowl, whisk together confectioners' sugar and remaining 2 TB buttermilk. Pour evenly over cooled loaf, let set, then slice & serve.
Cook's Tour note: I found that this cake is best the day baked or up to one day after.

Monday, April 9, 2018

Till We Eat Again - Charleston Edition

Ricotta Cake at Chez Nous
As I mentioned in an early 2018 post, Charleston, SC was one of the trips we had on our calendar for this year. We just returned from a terrific few days in the holy city (so called because of the many churches there). 

It’s been 4-5 years since our last visit to this beautiful southern city and man, it is just exploding with growth! We saw new construction and rehabbing of older buildings all over town. Of course, with that comes many new food and hotel venues that were not in place during our last visit.

So, let’s start the tour! 

Day 1: we actually got an extra day in Charleston due to the snowstorm that was forecast in the northeast for our original departure date. In fact, our airline encouraged us to revise our travel plans, offering no change fees. Unfortunately, the hotel we had booked could not accommodate us a day early, but luckily their sister property had space. And it turned out to be a very pleasant happenstance. After scrambling to pack and change hotels, car service reservations, pet sitters, and everything else you do before a trip, we landed in a very wet, cold, and windy Charleston (my hopes of escaping the frigid NJ temps faded fast). 
Whole Hog BBQ at Rodney Scott's BBQ

After arriving at the French Quarter Inn (our home for night one in Charleston), we realized that since we flew in a day early, we had no restaurant plans (horrors!). We quickly hailed an Uber and raced over to Rodney Scott’s BBQ. This place has been on all the “must-eat” lists, not just for Charleston but for BBQ in general, so this was on our agenda anyway. However, to our profound disappointment, the person on line in front of us got the last order of ribs! AAAAAHHHH! Not to be defeated, we ordered the Whole Hog BBQ sandwich and platter so we could also try a couple of different sides. WOW! This was pulled pork to the nth degree - moist, smoky, succulent. Sometimes at BBQ joints, the sides are an afterthought - not here. The baked beans were tender (not mushy) and spicy, and the cole slaw was light and flavorful. We would have to come back later in the week to get those ribs!

Lovely ham biscuits and croissant from hotel
We returned to the hotel and were delighted to find a night cap of port and cookies waiting in the lobby. I would describe the French Quarter Inn as having an “old world” gentility, as one might expect to find in the South (hospitable, warm, gracious - without being fawning). The hotel does not have an on-site restaurant, but they offer a continental breakfast either delivered to your room, or available in the lobby. We took advantage of room service & enjoyed a leisurely breakfast before heading out for the day. Another nice feature we loved here was a coffee station on every floor for emergency refills.
Shrimp Bog at Hominy Grill

Around lunchtime, we made our way over to The Hominy Grill, a long-established venue in Charleston, that we had enjoyed during our last visit. Opened in 1996 by chef Robert Stehling, one of the pioneers of the low country food movement, this popular restaurant serves up traditional southern dishes such as shrimp and grits, biscuits, and fried catfish. Since I was on vacation, I opted for a New Old Fashioned made with Old Overholt rye, orange bitters, and vermouth; and the Low Country Shrimp Bog with Andouille and Carolina Gold Rice, with a side of cornbread. Mr B chose the Country Breakfast (eggs, grits, and biscuit), which was just OK.  My dish was well done, but I couldn’t help the feeling that the restaurant that was ahead of it’s time in Charleston had become something of a tourist trap. 

Lest you think all we did was eat and drink, we managed to do quite a bit of sightseeing. There is so much history to soak up in Charleston that if you are a civil war or American history buff, you should definitely add this city to your travel plans.

Fabulous fried chicken at Leon's Oyster Shop
We checked out of our night one hotel & checked in to The Spectator for the rest of our trip. If the French Quarter Inn can be described as the “old” South, the Spectator is definitely the “new” South. Sleek, modern, and luxurious, this hotel is also all about gracious service. Upon arrival, we were greeted with the drink of the day (a refreshing Paloma) and introduced to our butler, who escorted us to our room and gave us an overview of  the hotel. The hotel has a very nice bar off the lobby and offers a “butler’s happy hour” every afternoon with a lovely selection of cheeses, olives, nuts, etc.
Oysters Casino at Leon's Oyster Shop


We planned this trip with our friends from Austin and when they arrived after a long travel day, we visited Leon’s Oyster Shop for an early dinner. Obviously Leon's specializes in oysters, but they are also famous for their fried chicken (which did not disappoint). This is a funky little spot with a very popular bar. People were crowded in waiting for tables, enjoying a nice selection of beer, wine, or cocktails. We got a table pretty quickly and immediately ordered up raw oysters, fried oysters, and that crispy, moist fried chicken (dark meat, thank you very  much!). Good results all around, our only negative was the noise level.

Sunbathing Alligator at Magnolia Plantation
Charleston has several antebellum plantations within 30 minutes of downtown. After reading many travel articles about these sites, we settled on a tour to Magnolia Plantation. I would have to say we did not choose wisely. This plantation, established in 1676, is more about the extensive gardens than the history of the founding Drayton family. After a 45 minute walking tour of the gardens (on a cold, windy day), we were herded onto a tram (ok, they call it a “nature train”) for a 30 minute ride to look for alligators, birds, turtles, etc. We did see several alligators trying to warm up on specially-designed alligator ramps in the ponds. Finally, we arrived at the house where we got a speed-of-light tour and were hustled out the door. For the rest of the week, we referred to this as the “Disney” plantation tour, as it was expensive and provided a glossed over version of plantation life. We made up for it later in the week with tours of more historically accurate plantations (read about them later in the post).

Being food-obsessed people, we had booked our dinner reservations prior to arriving. Charleston is known as one of the country’s top food destinations and we did not want to get shut out of specific spots. 

Husk was first on the list. Opened by chef Sean Brock (one of the early leaders of the authentic Southern food movement) in 2010, it still reigns supreme as a temple to Southern ingredients. Husk only has a service bar in the restaurant but next door they have a great little cocktail lounge where you can while away some time waiting for your table (which we did). 
Dinner Rolls at Husk

Relaxed, professional, friendly service is a hallmark of Husk and our server was all that. After reviewing the menu with us, he went off to grab our next round of drinks and a basket of benne seed dinner rolls with PORK-infused butter (these were off the hook!). I, of course, started with the Broadbent Country Ham with Buttermilk Biscuits, Dijonnaise, and House made Pickles. The fabulously flavorful ham came arranged on a large wood hunk (great presentation, but a little unwieldy). Loved the dijonnaise, a combo of Dijon mustard and mayo (I don’t know for sure, but given Chef Brock’s dictum that everything at Husk be of Southern origin, I bet the mayo was Duke’s, which I use at home and it has changed our mayo habits forever!). 
Country Ham at Husk

Biscuits, Dijonnaise, Pickles at Husk

Mr B ordered the General Tso’s Glazed Pig Ear Lettuce Wraps with Sweet Vinegar Cucumber and Red Onion. The consensus was this was a great concept, but the glazed pig ears were overdone, way beyond crunchy. 

My main course was the Carolina Heritage Pork with Pit Smoked Butterbeans, Collards, Cornbread Croutons, Sweet Potatoes, and Pot Likker. The pork was sort of a roulade of pork with tender pork belly wrapped inside. The dish sang with intense flavors!
My adorable Sweetgrass Basket

Day three saw us up bright and early, and after coffee and biscuits in our room (same continental breakfast offerings as their sister property), we were off to find real plantations. But not before stopping to see Corey Alston of Gullah Sweetgrass Baskets at the Meeting Street entrance to the City Market. Sweetgrass baskets are a significant part of the African culture that was transported to this country by enslaved African people (this was a way for them to keep a connection to their beloved homeland). Originally, the coiled baskets were used as a tool of rice production on plantations. The basket sewing handcraft tradition is passed down from generation to generation. In fact, the beautiful little basket I purchased was made by Corey’s daughter. Today, examples of sweetgrass baskets are on display at The Smithsonian Institute in Washington, DC, and art galleries around the world.

We began our day by visiting the Charleston Museum, which showcases the complicated history of Charleston, including pre- and post-Civil War life. In addition, two homes are owned by the museum and are well worth your time for an in depth look at how plantation owners and their slaves lived. We started with the Joseph Manigault House (directly across the street from the museum), built in 1803. This was the home of a wealthy planter family and the house features many historic pieces from the family (current generations of Manigaults still live in Charleston).
All that sightseeing makes you hungry! Luckily, I thought ahead and made a lunch reservation before we left the hotel for Chez Nous. Tucked away down an unassuming alley in an out of the way Charleston neighborhood, this charming bistro took my award for “best meal” of the week. 
Chez Nous 

With a menu that changes daily, and consisting of only two choices for each course, along with no chance to peruse the menu beforehand, a meal here is sort of like a mystery train ride. Chez Nous is housed in a small, cozy building which makes you feel like you’ve somehow been beamed to the south of France. But it’s the Mediterranean influences (southern France, northern Italy and Spain) that really transport you.
Mushroom Salad at Chez Nous

The day we visited the appetizer choices were a Raw Button Mushroom Salad or a Tuna Nicoise Salad. We shared the mushroom salad, which sounded very mundane in print, but was a joy to eat. Fresh, thinly sliced mushrooms, simply tossed with shaved Parmigiana Reggiano, bright parsley, and one of the best olive oils (Molino la Condesa) I’ve ever had. This salad was sublime. 
Stewed Octopus at Chez Nous

Our main course choices were Stewed Octopus with Butterbeans and Potatoes, or a Roast Chicken with Sautéed Radicchio. To fully experience this charming restaurant, we ordered one of each and shared. The chicken was “roast chicken perfection.” When you dream of the ultimate French countryside roast chicken with crisped skin and super moist meat, this is it. And the stewed octopus? One of the best things I’ve ever eaten. Ever. I’ve never had such tender octopus. The broth was so delicious we asked for extra bread to sop it up. Our server suggested two lovely wines to accompany our dishes, and we indulged in the kind of long, relaxed lunch that don’t come along too often.
Luscious Ricotta Cake at Chez Nous

Dessert?  Lemon Mousse or Ricotta Cake with Fresh Berry Compote? No decision dilemma here - definitely the Ricotta Cake. Fabulously light, creamy, flavorful, with a side of sweet berries. This is the kind of lunch you do not want to end. 
Gardens at the Heyward-Washington House

But end it must, as we had tickets for a tour at The Heyward-Washington House. Through a stroke of luck, we were the only people for the afternoon tour so we had a friendly and knowledgeable docent all to ourselves. Built in 1772 by Thomas Heyward, Jr, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, it is loaded with beautiful examples of fine furniture craftsmanship from that period. It’s called the Heyward-Washington house because the city of Charleston rented the house for George Washington to stay in when he visited the city in 1791. The property features the only 1740s kitchen building open to the public in Charleston (something we really wanted to see), as well as beautiful formal gardens, which were just starting to bloom when we were there. The house was opened as Charleston’s first historic house museum in 1929.

There is too much great stuff going on in Charleston to cram it all into one post, so 
next time on The Cook’s Tour: our visits to Fort Sumter (where the first shots of the Civil War were fired), historic McLeod Plantation (established in 1851 and definitely not a "Disney" version); meals at FIG, and The Ordinary, drinks at the very cool Felix Cocktail Lounge, and more about those fabulous ribs at Rodney Scott BBQ. Stay tuned!

Iris bloom at the Heyward-Washington House 
Beautiful tulips- Heyward-Washington House