Cherry, Pistachio And Vanilla Biscotti

Happy Sunday, CT Readers!


It's been awhile, I know...but I'm here with a scrumptious biscotti recipe for you.  


This is the second in the series of baking my way through Susan Rosso's NYT article "Not All Biscotti Are Created Equal."  You may remember the earlier post on Traditional Italian Almond Biscotti.  


I really like this latest incarnation because they are hearty.  No delicate, fragile cookies here.  Of course, the whole point of biscotti is a cookie tough enough to stand up to dunking and these certainly make the grade.  But the sensual combination of vanilla (a whopping 2 TB!), toasted pistachios, and fat, juicy cherries put these over the top. 


I think next at bat in this series (well, it is Spring...) will either be the Anise, Orange And Pignoli Biscotti or Maple Walnut Biscotti With Maple Icing. Stay tuned...


Print recipe here!

Union Restaurant and Bar Latino

We discovered a wonderful restaurant in Haverstraw, NY a few weeks ago. When I say "discovered," I mean I read the very positive NY Times review and promptly got on the road to try it. What I love about this place, besides the delicious, inventive food and the charming, lively space, is that the chef, David Martinez, is totally self-taught. Raised in El Salvador and trained as an auto mechanic, Mr. Martinez came to the United States and sought work as a dishwasher at Xavier's in Piermont. Peter X. Kelly, chef and owner of Xavier's, recognized Mr Martinez's potential and trained him through the ranks of the kitchen. Mr Martinez, and his partner, Paulo Feteira, opened Union Restaurant in 2007. It is Mr Feteira who greets you at the door and makes you feel at home.


We have visited Union twice now and each time it has been terrific. The dish in the photo at the top of the post is Arepa Colombiana - a wonderful fusion of flavors beginning with pan seared shrimp topped with a mango salad and pomegranate vinaigrette, arranged neatly over a sweet corn cake. Also lovely was the Black Bean Soup with Chorizo and Pico de Gallo.

I hate to say this, but on both visits I had the same entree. The Pork Chop Milanese (on the specials menu both times) was so delightful the first time that I couldn't resist having it again. Although the second time around, it was not as tender but still full of the rich flavors of the panko-crusted pork chop and the arugula buffalo mozzarella topping.

If you go, do not pass up the Sangria (nothing like the cloying versions at some other venues) or the Mojito - both were top-notch and just the ticket for easing into a Latin-inspired meal.

Dessert is not to be missed here.  Also made by Mr Martinez, both desserts I tried were wonderful. On our first visit, I loved the Rice Pudding Brulee - a delicious twist on two of my favorites.  Another standout was a perfectly fudgy brownie served with vanilla ice cream and a Tahitian creme anglaise.

You know that I am a stickler for service and Mr Martinez and Mr Feteira have done a great job of hiring and training the service staff. Unobtrusive yet attentive - that is the golden ticket for wait staff, and they've punched it at Union Restaurant.  Case in point, midway through our meal, we inquired about two of the sides on the menu: Plantains Maduro and Tostones. The waiter confidently described the dishes and then offered to bring us a tasting of both. They were a wonderful example of well-known Latin dishes served with a delicious yogurt dipping sauce. And a fine example of the service level at Union.

I'm always a little leery (OK, maybe selfish) about promoting a good restaurant find for fear that I won't ever be able to get in again. But seeing as how a "little known or read" newspaper beat me to it, I guess that's a moot point. If you live within driving distance of Haverstraw, make a date to experience the Latin-fusion cuisine and warmth that is Union Restaurant and Bar Latino.

(A Lighter) Irish Soda Bread

Reaching back into the Cook's Tour archives for two terrific Irish Soda Bread recipes just in time for next week's St Patrick's Day festivities! What are your baking plans for this holiday? Leave a comment below. 

I recently subscribed to The Baking Sheet from King Arthur Flour and received my first issue last week.  And during a leisurely train ride on Sunday from Virginia to New Jersey I had time to leaf through the early Spring issue.  I love Irish Soda Bread so this recipe for Limerick Soda Bread caught my attention, but what really stood out was the fact that each slice has only 64 calories and 1 gram of fat. There is no sacrifice of taste here and I love the spongy feel to the bread and the play of the sweet and savory flavors. This recipe is courtesy of Ariel's Restaurant in Brookfield, Vermont. 


Some of you may remember my St Paddy's Day posting from 2009 with my usual go-to recipe: Barbara's Irish Soda Bread.  Well, this new lighter version has all the requisite ingredients, such as buttermilk, baking powder, raisins, etc., but it's a more traditional rendition than the 2009 recipe because it calls for whole fennel seeds.  Barbara's recipe is sweeter and more cake-like.  Believe me, they're both delicious and you won't go wrong with either one.


I took this up-close photo so you could see the tremendous height you get with this bread.  It's a good 2" high. 

Back to the train ride. I had a work event in Virginia over the weekend and while I was away, a huge Nor'easter blew across the mid-Atlantic states. We're talking torrential rain with wind gusts of 60 mph in some places. There was flooding, downed power lines and trees torn out of their roots all over the tri-state area. All flights in/out of the area were canceled on Saturday and if they weren't canceled, they were backed up for hours. So rather than risk being stuck at the Richmond airport all day on Sunday, I opted to ride the rails. I grabbed a business class ticket, arrived at the beautiful 1901 Beaux Arts Richmond Main Street station about 30 minutes before departure, and then settled in for the trip. Complementary beverages, NY Times, power outlets at your seat, and the landscape of America rolling by your window. You see every kind of town on a train - from the quaint charm of Ashland, Virginia to gritty industrial towns like Rahway, New Jersey. But when the Jefferson Memorial, the Washington Monument, and the Capitol appeared right in front of me, I thought, more people (including me) ought to take advantage of this mode of transportation and really see America. Even while waiting in the station, there was a sense of unhurriedness - a throwback to a time when the country operated at a more relaxed and genteel pace. 


The six-hour ride gave me time to read not only The Baking Sheet newsletter, but also the complete Sunday NY Times, two magazines, and watch an old episode of Monk on my iPod. But for a good portion of the trip, I just watched the scenery as it came to me. There's something to be said for traveling this way if you've got the time. Even if you don't, you might want to make time. 


Happy St Patricks Day to you!


Limerick Soda Bread (courtesy The Baking Sheet and Ariel's Restaurant)


3-1/2 C all-purpose flour

1/4 C sugar

1 t salt

4 t baking powder

1/2 t baking soda

1/4 C whole fennel seeds

1 C dried currants or golden raisins

1 LG egg

2 C buttermilk

Preheat oven to 350. Butter and flour, or spray with pan spray, a 10" round cake pan.

In large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Whisk until well mixed. Add fennel seeds and currants/raisins and mix well.

Whisk together egg and buttermilk in small bowl. Add to dry ingredients and stir with spatula or wooden spoon until just combined. Do not overmix. The batter will be quite stiff. Scrape into the prepared pan and spread out to cover pan evenly. Bake until golden brown, about 50 min. Cool before removing from pan. Yield: 40 slices, 1/2" x 4-6".

Per serving: 64 cal, 1g fat, 1g fiber, 13 carb

Print Recipe Here!

Sunday Night Supper

Whew!  That was quick - another weekend over.  I don't know about you, but on Sunday nights with the work week looming ahead of me, I want dinner to be easy and comforting - something that doesn't take alot of time, is simple to prepare, and tastes fabulous.  Well, step right up, my friends, I've got a terrific little meal for you. 

The centerpiece of this dinner comes from Mark Bittman (the New York Times' "The Minimalist").  It's called 15-Minute Fried Herbed Chicken. Now, you know traditional fried chicken is quite the production and not something I want to be doing on a Sunday night (or maybe not ever).  So Bittman's 15 minute version sounded very inviting. And, I loved the fact that he recommends using boneless, skinless thighs (one of my favorite parts). You can use breasts, but this will be juicier and tastier with thighs. This so simple - you throw almost everything into the food processor, whip it up with a little olive oil to make a paste, rub the puree onto the chicken, dredge in flour, and voila, you're ready to fry. The thighs cook for about 8-10 minutes in 1/4" of olive oil. The only change I would make to Bittman's recipe would be to salt and pepper the chicken before slathering on the paste. This chicken is tender on the inside and deliciously crispy on the outside (hmmm...just like fried chicken...imagine that). 

While I was frying the chicken, I thought, "what would be a nice accompaniment to the chicken?" To go along with my simple, homey meal, the obvious answer was sauteed spinach and some buttered orzo. The only thing missing was a salad but I just couldn't get to that - oh well. I think a nice Pinot Noir would go great with this if you are so inclined. Another nice thing about this chicken is that you can serve it hot right out of the pan or at room temp so it would be a good make-ahead dish.  Oooh, I also just thought that the leftovers would make a fabulous lunch the next day - maybe on a nice semolina roll with some arugula and a little fresh mozzarella?

I realize this post is probably coming too late for your Sunday Night Supper (unless you are on the West Coast), but there's always next week. In fact, this recipe is so quick and easy, you could even make it during the week - how about that?  Thanks, Bittman.

15-Minute Fried Herb Chicken

1 medium onion, roughly chopped

1-2 TB mixed fresh herbs, like tarragon and sage

2 TB tahini or peanut butter (I used tahini)

1/4 C olive oil (more for frying)

Flour for dredging

6 bonless, skinless chicken thighs or 4 half-breasts

Chopped fresh parsley leaves for garnish

Lemon wedges for serving

1. In a blender or the container of a food processor, combine the onion, herbs, and tahini. As you puree the mixture, slowly add just enough olive oil through the feed tube to make a thick, smooth paste; do not let it get too thin.

2. Put flour in a shallow bowl. Place chicken in another bowl. Rub pureed mixture over chicken, then dredge each piece in flour. Gently shake off any excess flour, coat again with paste and dredge once more in flour.

3. Heat 1/4 inch olive oil in a skillet; when it is hot, fry chicken for about 4 minutes each side, until well browned and cooked through; it will take longer if you use chicken with the bone in. Garnish with parsley and serve hot or warm, with lemon wedges. Serves 4.