Smoky Navy Bean Soup

Delicious Fall.  Beans, ham hocks, chicken stock and crispy bacon.  Yep.  It's pretty tasty.  Get yourself some piggy knuckles and have at it.  I don't know why they call them 'navy beans' when they're white.  Anyway, puree this soup or leave it a bit brothy.  Either way, be sure to save the meat from the ham hocks and add back to the soup.  You can sub canned (rinsed well) beans for the dried variety.  This is a recipe when fresh stock matters since there are so few ingredients!  Yes, that is a light reflected in the picture.  I couldn't make it go away.  Ignore it and get cooking.

Makes a huge batch.

16 cups or so of fresh chicken stock 
20 ounces dried navy beans (great northern, small white beans)
6 ribs celery, chopped
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
3 smoked ham hocks
2-3 Tbs safflower or olive oil
5-6 strips bacon (optional)
Salt to taste

Prep beans:
If using dried, add beans and water (enough to cover by three inches or so).  Bring to a boil for 20 minutes.  Remove from heat and cover, 1 hour.
Drain beans and rinse well.  Reserve for soup.

Prep the soup:

1.  Heat safflower of canola oil in large soup pot over a medium flame.
2.  Add onions and celery and cook until onions are translucent.  Add ham hocks and stock.  Bring to a boil then lower to a simmer for about 1 hour.
3.  Add beans to pot and continue simmering until beans are tender, about an hour more.  If you are using canned beans, do not simmer for longer then 20-30 minutes, otherwise the beans will fall apart.
4.  Remove ham hocks and shred meat from the bone.  Discard fat and bones.  Add shredded meat back to the pot.
5.  Fry a few pieces of bacon and chop.  Ladle soup into a bowl or mug  (as you normally would when eating soup) top with the bacon.

Bingo. Navy bean soup.

Enjoy and Happy Fall!

MJM



  

Old School Chocolate Cake

Chocolate cake.  Simple and delicious.  I’ve been looking for a recipe like the one my Pop Pop used to make for me and my brother when we were little.  It may have come from a box, maybe it was from scratch.  Either way, this is a great old school chocolate cake.  Cook's Illustrated never fails to inspire.  I think it goes best with freshly whipped cream and sliced strawberries.

Cheers to nostalgia and chocolate.   

 

12 tbs unsalted butter, softened

1 ¾ cups (8 ¾ ounces) unbleached flour plus extra for dusting pans

4 ounces unsweetened chocolate

¼ cup dutch processed cocoa

½ cup hot water

1 ¾ cups (12 ¼ ounces) granulated sugar

1 ½ tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 cup buttermilk

2 tsp vanilla extract

4 large eggs

2 large egg yolks

Oven at 350°, rack in middle position

Grease 2, 9-inch round cake pans with butter and coat with flour

1. Whisk cocoa powder and hot water and set aside.  In a heat safe bowl or measuring cup, melt unsweetened chocolate.  Set aside until cool.
2. Add ½ cup sugar to melted chocolate and mix in cocoa powder/water mixture.
3. Whisk together flour, salt and baking soda and set aside.
4. Combine buttermilk and vanilla and set aside 
5. In a mixing bowl fitted with wire whisk, mix eggs until combined.  Add the remaining 1 ¼ cups sugar and mix on high for 3 minutes until light yellow in color and almost tripled in volume.
6. Change from whisk to paddle attachment.
7. Add cooled chocolate mixture and mix until incorporated.  Be sure to scrape down the bowl intermittently.
8. Add butter, one tablespoon at a time.  Be sure that each tablespoon of butter in incorporated before adding the next. 
9. On low speed, add 1/3 of the flour mixture. When flour is incorporated, added ½ of the buttermilk/vanilla mixture.  Continue adding another third of the flour, mixing until incorporated and then add buttermilk.  Finish by adding the remaining third of flour and scrape down the bowl to combine all ingredients.
10.  Divide batter between the two pans and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached.  If it is still slightly liquid-y in the center after 25 minutes, continue to bake but check every 2 minutes to avoid over baking. 
11. Cool cakes in their pans for about 10 minutes then invert on a cooling rack for an additional 40 minutes before frosting.

Enjoy!
MJM

Lite Bites: Lima Beet Salad

You're either a lima bean person or not.  If not, I would suggest using edamame or even green beans.  The texture contrast and the flavors here are a perfect combo on sweet and savory.  I scored some ultra ripe golden and candy cane striped Chioggia beets at a farmer's market last weekend. The colors speak for themselves.  If you can't find goldens or Chioggias, red beets work just as well. 



Chioggia and Golden Beets wtih Limas

For amounts, it really depends on how much you want.  2-3 small or 1-2 large beets per person is probably a good rule.  I went, roughly,  2 to 1 on the beet to lima proportion. 

Bunches of beets
Limas
Extra Virgin Olive oil
Lemon juice
Red wine vinegar
Salt

Cooking the beets:

1. Roast or boil?  Do whatever you want.  If you roast, wrap in foil and cook for about 35-40 minutes in a 400 degree oven.  Or, boil on stove top for about 25-30 min.  They are done when easily pierced with a knife.
2. Let cool, then easily remove peel by rubbing it off.  Use a kitchen towel or food handler's gloves if you want to avoid getting your hands colorful.
3. Slice or chop beets and set aside.

Limas:
1. If using dried, cook according to package.  I never soak beans overnight. Just bring them up to a boil and cook for about 30 minutes until tender.  Cooking times may vary.
2. If using frozen, just defrost and drain before adding to beets.

Combine beets and limas.  Add oil, lemon, vinegar and salt to taste.

Mince some red onion and chives to garnish and this is a perfect little salad.  

Enjoy!
MJM  

Lite Bites: Fava Cuke and Radish

Bright, crunchy and fresh.  This one of my favorite salads.  When favas are in season, load up.  These little guys require a little extra work, but it is worth it.  Seed your cukes before chopping them up to avoid a slimy salad.  Even if you buy the English cukes, you need to scoop the middle…again, slime is not appealing.  Add a few toasted pine nuts on top and enjoy the goodness. 

2 lbs fresh fava beans

1 bunch radish

1 english cucumber, middle scooped

2-3 Tbs chopped chives

2-3 Tbs pine nuts, toasted

Extra virgin olive oil

Lemon

Salt

1.  Fava beans.  Delicious, but you have to work for them.  Remove beans from pods, then peel outer layer. Repeat.

Delightful little favas

1. Dice radishes and cucumber.  Add shelled and peeled favas.  
2. Toast pine nuts in a dry pan over medium heat.  These little guys burn fast, so keep an eye on them.  Note: always store nuts in the freezer to keep them from going rancid.  Rancid nuts are nasty. 
3. Toss with oil, lemon and salt.  Add chives.

Simple and delicious.  Don't be deterred by the favas.  These are little gems that should not be missed!  

Enjoy!
MJM







Kids Corner: Iced Cookies

With help from my favorite pint sized niece and nephew, we mixed up our dough, created a rainbow of icings and decorated our buttery sugar cookies.  At 6 and 4 years old, these two were dynamite.  Adults! Supervise, but don't take over.  They can and want to do more then just lick the spoon.  Never underestimate kids in the kitchen. They rock.



Pre measure ingredients and use small bowls for small hands

Buttery Sugar Cookie Dough

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 Tbs vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

Obvious, but needed reminders when baking with kids:

Monitor the mixer!  Never allow them to add ingredients while mixer is on.  Always shut it off in between additions.  You don't want to mame anyone.  That's no fun.

Ovens are hot. So are right out the oven baking sheets.  Enough said.


1. Combine flour, baking powder and salt together and set aside.  If baking with kids, divide this mixture so everyone can help.
1. In stand mixer or by hand: cream sugar and butter together. 
2. Add egg and vanilla extract and mix to combine.
3. Gradually add the flour mixture until dough forms.
4. Divide dough into 4 pieces.  Wrap each piece in plastic wrap and flatten into a disc.  Refrigerate until firm enough to roll out; about 30-45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Ready to roll?

1. Lightly flour a clean surface and flour rolling pin.  Roll out cookies and have at it with whatever cookie cutters you have.
2. Bake 10-11 minutes.  Cookies will be light in color and only slightly brown on the edges. 
3. Let cool completely before icing or you'll end up with a drippy mess. 



McKenna and Aiden patiently waiting for the cookies to cool!

Icing Time
Makes about 2 cups

1/8 tsp cream of tartar
3 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
2 large egg whites
2 Tbs lemon juice
1 Tbs vanilla extract (or another flavor)
Food coloring

1. Beat egg whites to stiff peaks.
2. Add confectioner's sugar and cream of tartar gradually untill incorporated.
3. Add lemon juice and vanilla.
4. If you want a thinnner consistency, add a pinch of water.
5. Divide icing among a few bowls and color them however you like.

Professional decorators

And of course, once the cookies have been baked, cooled, iced and eaten, enjoy the food coma that follows.

Wrapped up our baking afternoon with a little Scooby Doo.

Special thanks to my bakers, McKenna and Aiden.  Come back and see us again!

Enjoy!
Aunt Marisa






   

Mini Mud Pies with Coffee Ice Cream and Hot Fudge

It’s From Scratch, remember? I do cheat on the cookie crust, but we’re making the ice cream and the hot fudge, so I feel OK about it.  Make this dessert.  It’s worth the steps.  But, then again, I think all these recipes are worth the steps.  I like the idea of making these in smaller pans unless you’re serving a crowd, then use a 9 or 10 inch spring form pan.  They sell the little guys at Michael's or another baking supply place. 

Top with whipped cream and pass the spoons.  This one is a keeper.

Make sure you have a pre-frozen ice cream making vessel ready to go.  But, if you make ice cream often, splurge on a commercial quality machine.  It will always be ready when you are.   

Cookie Crust

This makes a bunch, but, when you’ve finished lining the pans freeze the rest.

1 box Oreo® cookies or other chocolate sandwich cookie

1 stick unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly

1. Add Oreos to food processor and let it go until you have fine crumbs.

2. Stream in cooled melted butter until fully incorporated into crumbs.

3. Pat crumb mixture into the bottom of your pans  and up the sides.  I used a combo of mini tart pans and spring form pans.  Place in freezer until ice cream is ready (If you’re not making your own ice cream, let freeze at least 30 minutes)

Coffee Ice Cream

3 egg yolks

1 ½ cups whole milk

¾ cups brown sugar

Pinch salt

¼ cup crushed coffee or espresso beans

2 cups heavy cream

1. Place your egg yolks in a small bowl and set aside.  Save your whites for another use.  Keep in the fridge or freeze!

2. Create an ice bath.  Fill a large bowl with ice and place a medium sized bowl inside.  Add the heavy cream to the medium bowl and set aside.

3. Bring whole milk, brown sugar and salt to a simmer in a saucepan.  Once sugar is melted and mixture is simmering, add crushed coffee beans to pan.  Be sure to use good quality coffee beans.  We want this to be better than the grocery store stuff.  Cover and turn off the heat.  Allow coffee to infuse the milk for 30 minutes. 

4. After 30 min, strain mixture and discard coffee beans.  Wipe out any remaining beans from pan and return strained mixture to pan.  Over medium heat, bring mixture back up to a simmer.  With a whisk on hand, add a ladle of the simmering mixture to your egg yolks and whisk to combine.  This is called tempering.  We don’t want to add the raw egg yolks directly to the milk mixture, because they will scramble.  No one likes scrambled eggs in ice cream.  Once you’ve tempered the eggs, add the egg/milk mixture to the pan to combine with the rest of the milk mixture.

5. Simmer over low heat until the custard coats the back of a spoon or until it reaches 175° on a candy thermometer.  Do not bring to a boil!!! 

6. Strain mixture into the bowl with the 2 cups of heavy cream.  Stir mixture to speed up the cool down process.  Refrigerate, if necessary 

7. When ice cream base is cold, add to ice cream maker and churn according to directions- they are all a little different.  It takes about 30 minutes in a commercial machine.

8. Once ice cream is ready, fill each cookie crusted pan, wrap with plastic wrap or top with wax paper and pop back into the freezer until ice cream has completely set.  This takes a few hours, depending on the size of your pans.

 

Hot Fudge

Again, make a bunch and freeze the leftovers so you don’t have to remake it next time.

16 ounces bittersweet chocolate

3 Tbs light corn syrup

3/4  cup heavy cream

1 tsp vanilla extract

1. Melt chocolate and heavy cream in a saucepan over medium low heat.  Be careful not to scorch the chocolate.  Once melted, add the corn syrup and stir constantly until mixture thickens.  Cool slightly before adding to mud pies.

This recipe is a bit of an experiment.  Sometimes, I need to add more cream if it’s too thick.  Play with it until it tastes the way you like it.  Don't obsess about the measurements. 

Assembly

Once ice cream is set and fudge is cool, spread as much fudge over top and enjoy!

MJM

Garlic Soy Pork Skewers with Bulgur Quinoa Stirfry

Some of my favorite things on a skewer: garlic, soy, piggy.  Simple marinade, nothing too crazy and just damn good.  If the bulgur and quinoa scare you, sub in some brown rice.  I also like to serve with with farro, but again, if you're phobic, make what you like.  The skewers are nice if you're entertaining, since you don't need to worry about cooking 30 individual pieces of pork.  I made this with slightly larger pieces of pork.  In hindsight, I suggest slicing thinner pieces and threading it onto the skewer (think satay).  This recipe uses one of the two pieces that typically come in pork tenderloin pack and made about 6 of these skewers.

   

Skewers

Pork Tenderloin, sliced thin or cubed

2-3 garlic cloves, smashed

2 scallions, sliced (white and tender green parts)

2 Tbs tamari/soy sauce

1 tsp Dijon mustard

½ cup sake or dry white wine

1 Tbs sriracha or dash of red pepper flake

Safflower or canola oil

4-6 skewers, soaked in water for 10 minutes

Stir fry

½ cup cooked quinoa

½ cup cooked bulgur

Broccoli florets, chopped

½ tsp sesame oil

1 tsp safflower or canola oil

Splash of soy sauce

1 Tbsp Sesame seeds

Scallions, chopped for garnish

1. Soak wooden skewers for 20 minutes. Set aside.

2. Cube pork tenderloin or cut into ½ inch slices.  Combine garlic, scallions tamari/soy, mustard and sriracha to bowl and mix well.  Add pork and coat with marinade.  Cover bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes (can sit in marinade up to 24 hours).

3. When ready to grill, take skewers and add 3-4 cubes to each one or thread 3-4 slices.  *Note: slices will cook faster then cubes.

4. Heat grill pan until smoking.  Combine sesame and safflower oil.  Brush skewers with the oil combo before adding to pan.

5. Sear for about 5 minutes before turning over.  Continue cooking over high heat for another 3 minutes.  Lower heat to medium, add the sake or white wine and cook skewers until pork is medium rare, about 15-20 minutes depending on how thick your pork is.  It’s OK for the pork to be slightly pink on the inside.  The internal temp should be 145°.

Stir fry

1. Over high heat, add sesame and safflower oil to pan.  Swirl to coat the bottom, then, add chopped broccoli florets.  Cook until slightly browned, then, add the cooked quinoa and bulgur to heat through. 

2. Add a splash or more of soy to taste and complete the dish with sesame seeds and chopped scallions.

3. Serve skewers on a bed of the stir fry and enjoy!    

MJM



Pan Roasted Chicken with Tomatoes and Zucchini

Inspired by a dish seen at the Food & Wine Classic, Jacques Pépin (Grandfather of French cuisine) dazzled the crowd with a simple but amazing pan roasted chicken dish.  Use simple, fresh ingredients and always include fat (butter/oil), acid (wine, vinegar) and salt.  These elements will balance your dish and make it pop! 

Whole, cut-up chicken
1 pint ripe grape or cherry tomatoes

2 ripe zucchini or summer squash

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1/4 cup dry white wine, sauvigon blanc (no chardonnay)
1/2 cup water
3 Tbs butter

1. Heat skillet and melt butter.  Add chicken pieces, skin side down, in batches.  Let brown, about 5 minutes over high heat.

2. Flip chicken and place the lid on the pan.  Lower heat to medium and allow to continue cooking until chicken is cooked through; about 20 minutes.  Dark meat needs to cook longer, so check the white meat for doneness sooner.  Juices should run clear and the internal temp should be 165 degrees.    

3. Remove chicken from pan and set aside. 

4. Add tomatoes and garlic.  Saute for 5 minutes until garlic is fragrant.  Add zucchini, vinegar, wine and water.  Stir ingredients together and cook over medium heat until wine is reduced and zucchini is tender.

5. Season with salt and pepper.  Plate vegetables as a side dish or over top of the chicken. 

*Note: if you wish to crisp the chicken skin before plating, heat under the broiler for a few minutes. 

Enjoy!

MJM

Meeting Chef Pépin was a true highlight of the weekend!

  

Aspen Cranberry Walnut Pesto with Goat Cheese

This is the definition of a perfect little bite.  Sweet cranberries, fresh basil a punch of garlic and smooth goat cheese (chevre for my foodie friends)  Particularly nice with a little bubbly, this is a re-creation of an hors d'oeuvre from the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen.  A few quick snaps of the event:

  

Sun, food, wine, mountains.

 

Amazing.

Now let's get to the pesto

Enough for about 25 crostini or crackers


1 clove garlic
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup fresh basil
¼ walnuts
½ grated parmesan or grana padano cheese
¼ extra virgin olive oil
pinch red pepper flake
½ cup goat cheese


1. Pulse garlic, basil in food processor until finely diced.  Add cranberries, walnuts and red pepper flake and pulse until ingredients are incorporated but still chunky.

2.  Place mixture into a medium sized bowl and stir in cheese and oil.

3.  Spread about a teaspoon of goat cheese on a piece of crostini or cracker and top with pesto.

Enjoy!  More Aspen recipes to come!
MJM

Ricotta Pecorino Spread

On a cracker, crostini or cucumber slice; pretzels, pitas or peppers.  Add a little or alot to a bowl of macaroni or layer between your lasagna noodles and enjoy the magic.  This is a simple alternative to store bought, (ahem) junk. 

A little lesson first.  I can't help myself.  Ricotta means, re-cooked.  It is traditionally made by re-cooking the whey leftover from sheep's milk cheese making.  This is generally hard to come by unless you have access to a dairy farm or sheep.  I don't.  Here's the short cut:

Ricotta
Yields about 2 cups

7 cups whole milk
½ cup heavy cream½ tsp salt
6 Tbs fresh lemon juice

1. In a nonreactive pot (anything but aluminum), add milk, cream and salt.

2. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally, and heat until it reaches 190° on a thermometer.  Do not boil or you will scorch the liquid. 

3. Once it hits 190°, remove pot from heat add lemon juice.  Stir once to incorporate then leave, undisturbed for about 10 minutes.

4. In the meantime, line a colander with 3 layers or so of cheesecloth or if you have a clean flour sack towel, that will work, too.

5.  After 10 minutes, drain mixture into colander.  Allow to drain completely; occasionally lifting colander to be sure whey is draining.  Leave it be for an hour.

6.  Once it's drained.  You're ready to transform into a spread or use as is.  Turns out this freezes well, too.  Make a larger batch and pop into small freezer bags for future use.

Finally, Ricotta Pecorino Spread

1-2 cups fresh ricotta
1 cup grated Pecorino cheese
3 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
Salt, black pepper to taste
Pinch red pepper flake


1.  Combine all ingredients until fully incorporated.  Spread onto crostini


2. Topppers:  smoked sea salt, thinly sliced prosciutto, radish wedge, a sliced cherry tomato, small basil leaf, drizzle of balsamic...make it your own.


Enjoy!

Shiitake Dashi Pho

Change it up.  You can do a ton of variations of this recipe.  I am not claiming this to be traditional Pho, but it's simple and delicious.  These are the noodles I had on hand, but Soba would work here, too.  Use fresh ginger to spice up the flavor.  Leave out the shrooms, especially if you're making this for my fungi phobic bro.  Can't find dried bonito? No problem, add some miso instead.  Throw in some chicken or pork if you're not a fan of tofu. Either way, let's Pho.


2 quarts fresh vegetable stock

2-3 small packets dried bonito (0.2-0.3 oz) see below for product info

2-3 small baby bok choy, cleaned and chopped

7-8 caps shiitake mushrooms (save $ and buy dried ones at an Asian market)

1 package firm tofu, cubed

Pho noodles, soba noodles...

1-2 cups baby spinach, cleaned

Sriracha

Soy Sauce

Red pepper flakes

Salt to taste


Make the broth or dashi:

1.  Add dried bonito flakes to stock, bring to a boil then simmer on low for 30 minutes (15 minutes minimum).  If stock is unseasoned, salt to taste.  The bonito imparts a smokey flavor that is pretty much fantastic.  This infusion is known as dashi and is also the base for miso soup.

Here are some brands I've bought.  The first one is a legit Japanese product.  And yes, I know Pho is Vietnamese.  Just go with it. 

Prep Mushrooms:

1. If using dried shiitakes, soak in hot water for 15 minutes or until soft.  Drain and squeeze out excess water.  You can reserve the liquid (after straining any grit) for another use.  If you add it to the soup, the flavor will be quite strong.  Depending on what you're going for, you may or may not want to do that.

Make the soup:

1. If using Pho, soak in boiling water for a few minutes until soft.  Drain noodles and set aside. If using Soba, boil as you would any pasta; drain and set aside.

2. Strain dashi and discard bonito.  Return dashi to soup pot, add cubed tofu and bring to simmer. Slice shiitakes and add to simmering soup.  Allow ingredients to meld with dashi and simmer for 20 minutes.  Add chopped bok choy and simmer until tender, 10 minutes longer. 

3. Take a large soup bowl and add noodles and handful of spinach.  Ladle soup over top.  Spinach will wilt but retain it's color and earthy flavor.  If you're not down with spinach, leave it out. 

4.  Garnish with sliced radishes and taste for salt.  Add a floater of soy, sriracha, dash of sesame oil...whatever you like.  I prefer to add red pepper and soy.  Happy slurping.  

Enjoy!
MJM