Best Food Styling nomination at IACP, Brooklyn Family Food Fest, Winter (wishing for spring) Eating

News that made my week: I've been nominated for Best Food Styling by the International Association of Culinary Professionals! Awards ceremony, tonight. It's terrific company to be in, so whatever happens will be amazing.

There are also recipes to share. Let these images serve as a proper tease, and look for an update here in the next day or two for the full goodies....

In further news, come see me at the Family Food Fest next Sunday. I'll be a participating author sharing tips and tricks with a recipe from Kid Chef, and signing copies! It's March 4 at noon - bring the whole family to experience cooking demos, hands on cooking classes, fun food-related interactive activities and more, at the Brooklyn Marriott. Use code familyfood for $5 off the ticket price - full details here. 

Hopefully by then, we'll start seeing glimpses of spring. I am r e a d y for it.

End-of-year giving + sublime black pepper-crème fraîche buttercream-topped brownie cake

Always game for a dense, terrific chocolate dessert, I brought this recipe over from a Donna Hay issue, to bake with my friend Jill a few weeks ago. After making a few tweaks it was out of this world, and prompted many hands raised online for "recipe please!"

Scroll down for the recipe.....


................................

Each year I like to share a variety of inspired goods to live more beautifully, holistically, and functionally. This year's gift guide is more an outline for giving well into the New Year.

Over and over again in 2017 my heart has burst or broken.
The women's march.
The travel ban protests.
Drilling in the Arctic.
The go-ahead for Pebble Mine in Alaska.
Charlottesville.
Needless lives lost from an increasingly militarized police.
The #metoo outpouring.
Reducing and auctioning off of our Public Lands.
Innumerable wildfires, floods, droughts, and earthquakes.
Alabama winning for all Americans.

We can all do more to fight for good, for war-torn or climate refugees, for Nature and all her beloved creatures. Instead of turning away and feeling overwhelmed, I am connecting to Nature and humanity more, and in ways where I feel a real contribution. I've assembled a few organizations or causes I support here - ranging from responsibly caught wild salmon, to animal rescue in the most recent wave of California wildfires - as well as a few creature essentials - since eating well is a must while fighting the good fight.

1. The Minos Moka pot is my go-to for a daily brew. This solid stainless stovetop pot produces a lush, intensely flavorful coffee in just a few minutes, and I absolutely love it. I've arranged a promotional rate of 15% off any of the items in their catalogue if you want one for yourself. Use this code, good for one month: XMASMOKA.

2. Sea Legacy, founded by National Geographic photographers Cristina Mittermeier and Paul Nicklen. This pair travels the far corners of the world (and in a new campaign called "turning the tide," are inviting us to come with them) to document what is happening in our climate breakdown, and educate at-large on why exactly we need to protect ocean ecosystems. Giving options include beautiful printed art, as well as giving directly.

3. Food52, a community resource for all things delicious, as well as timeless, stylish, functional goods. I have a running list of objects to incorporate into my projects and love that they support American artisans.

4. Susie's Senior Dogs, an advocacy group for older dogs which I discovered through Instagram. Post-after-post of older dogs just waiting for humans to love unconditionally have provided me much laughter, some tears, and definitely a place in my heart for these incredible pooches. This sweet boy is Tupac and has stolen my heart with that gaze... One day I am going to adopt a senior dog and give them all the comfort and love they can handle.

5. Everyday Refugees is another group I discovered via Instagram. Through poignant, heart-wrenching images a squalid purgatory is revealed, where innocent children play and their families wait out days in hopes for a better life. See for yourself and give what you can to mitigate their time spent in these conditions.

6. Sonic Sea is an incredibly beautiful film which draws focus to the vast noise pollution in our seas. Which might hit you like "huh...." except for the fact that all large marine mammals such as right, humpback, and other whales, orcas, porpoises, and more, all use the sound carried by their songs to communicate the enormous distances they travel. When they cannot hear one another, they go silent, then become distraught, then they stop breeding and eventually, go extinct. Yes it is very dismaying, but there are many solutions to this problem! Gather a few friends and watch the film together. I promise it will be cathartic.

7. Humane Society of Ventura County is a shelter which has rescued and received countless animals through the most recent outbreak of wildfires. They are caring for a large number of horses, goats, and other livestock, as well as dogs, cats and birds. If you are in the region and can volunteer, amazing! If you are not nearby but would like to help, they have a Thomas Fire animal rescue fund to which you can donate, here.

8. Plastic Free Foodie 'Zine is a collection of colorful & delicious recipes contributed from over 60 Instagram food stars - there is a delicious chicory, spiced nut, and persimmon salad by yours truly - and produced by my colleague Christine Wong. After watching another cathartic film, A Plastic Ocean, she was moved to get people thinking more about single-use plastics so pervasive in our everyday lives. Where does all that stuff go, anyway?? The film is another stunning, beautifully produced insight to what's-going-on-in-the-world. All proceeds from this e-magazine fund the campaign to raise awareness, with the hope that we will shift our buying choices. Opt for reusables and natural materials in lieu of plastic, rigorously recycle, and make less waste in general.

9. The Pollinator Project is a simple way to help bees thrive: plant non-GMO seed packets wherever you can, enjoy the beautiful wildflower blooms, extend the range of butterflies and honeybees, who are an intrinsic presence in maintaining the diversity of our food.

10. Driftersfish for wild Alaskan salmon, a husband-wife duo who care about responsibly caught fish, so that we can rely on these incredible animals for our sustenance for decades to come. I visited them in Cordova this year and was struck by so many nuances: the use of different fishing nets based on the character - and color - of the water throughout the season; the recognition of indigenous fishing rights region-to-region; differing species of salmon throughout the season, and even witnessing the salmon for myself as they met their final path. (photos coming soon....!) You can order fresh or smoked fish at their store, and once you've feasted on their collection, discover which is your favorite.

11. Jessie Lazar makes thoughtful, functional ceramics, perfect for your every day. She is a native New Yorker - lucky for me, because that meant I could make a studio trip to drool over her collection in person! She is part of a large community of ceramic artists I cannot live without. Their beautiful works literally frame the food I produce and further the "handmade" quality I so prize on-set. Holding one of her bowls or mugs feels great, and makes the daily activity of eating special. One of her mugs is part of a special giveaway I am currently hosting on Instagram. Check it out!

Would love to hear your thoughts on any or all. Thanks for reading and finding your way to contribute!

..................................

Black pepper-crème fraîche buttercream-topped brownie cake - adapted from Donna Hay
serves 10-15

for the cake
1 c AP flour, sifted
225g unsalted butter, chopped
400g 60-70% dark, bittersweet chocolate, chopped
4 pasture-raised eggs
1/2 c organic cane sugar
1/2 c light brown sugar
1 tsp Aleppo pepper
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp kosher salt

for the frosting
250g unsalted butter, room temperature
1 c crème fraîche, room temperature
3/4 c confectioner's sugar, sifted
1 tsp cocoa powder
1/4 tsp freshly cracked pepper
3 tbsp smoked whisky - I used a home-infused Lapsang souchong spirit, which turns out quite similar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Line a springform pan with parchment, fasten the collar, and butter all sides.

Place butter and chocolate into a double boiler placed over low heat and melt, undisturbed. Stir together to incorporate and set aside to cool slightly.

Place eggs, sugars, and vanilla in a medium bowl and whisk vigorously for a few minutes, or until frothy. In a medium bowl, stir together dry ingredients: flour, pepper, and salt.

Pour chocolate mixture into egg mixture and whisk to combine. Add flour mixture and stir until incorporated. Pour into lined springform pan and bake for 40 minutes or until just a couple crumbs cling to a skewer when inserted into the center. It should look fudgy. Allow to cool completely in the tin, set on a wire rack.

Place the butter, crème fraîche, confectioner's sugar, and cocoa in a large bowl. With an electric mixer on high speed, beat for 5 minutes or until fluffy and pale. If the frosting curdles, run a hairdryer around the periphery of the bowl as you beat to raise the overall temperature and reincorporate until silky. Add the black pepper and whisky/infused spirit and beat to combine. Taste and add more pepper or crème fraîche as needed. (the pepper serves as an accent, not an overall flavor) Use an offset spatula to spread over the cooled cake and cut into wedges to serve.

Jill and I fed it to our husbands, who groaned with delight between forkfuls. It was brought to a dinner party, where everyone enthusiastically nodded with approval. I fed the remaining slices to my parents visiting from out of town, to similar delight. If you make this cake, I want to hear about it!

.................................

One more thing - my book Kid Chef is a national best-seller! If you're contemplating what to get a foodie friend or kid, it makes a great gift. Any home cook who hasn't attended culinary school will learn something from the thorough explanations and break-down of processes throughout. Each recipe is truly good eating - no gimmicks or dumbed-down food, something for everyone's ability and taste. Links to purchase your copy in the sidebar at the top ^^^, as well as here, through Powell's independent books.

Happiest of holidays to you all!!

Otherworldly Pie: make this for your Thanksgiving table

Last year I put my foot down and stayed home so I could prepare a Thanksgiving meal worthy of the knowledge I've accumulated, instead of a mad dash to visit this-or-that family and, well.... not rejoicing in the special food I've grown to love.

I cooked a 9-dish feast, including Paris market carrots in garlic and honey (similar recipe as in my book Kid Chef), a shaved Brussels sprouts salad with hazelnuts and shaved Parm, and my favorite spatchcock turkey (a riff on this beauty). It took a huge amount of effort, all just to feed my husband and me (I was possessed, I'll admit, but it prepared me for this project a couple weeks ago). It was totally worth it.

We ate like royalty for the next week-and-a-half. Many sandwiches and soup were made from the glorious leftovers. :D

It was this pie however, that stopped us both in our tracks. Basically, HOLY SHIT.

I'd seen this recipe in Bon Appetit and was compelled to make it, and then made some tweaks 'cuz I can't leave anything without adding my two cents...

Brûléed spicy smoked pumpkin pie with chocolate crust, adapted from Bon Appetit
serves 8-10

for the pastry

• generous ¼ cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
  1¼ cups plus 1 tbsp AP flour, plus more for dusting
  3½ tbsp organic cane sugar
  1 tsp kosher salt
  6 tbsp butter, cut into cubes and freezer-cold
  2 tbsp coconut oil, cut into small pieces and freezer cold
  1 large egg yolk
  1 tsp apple cider vinegar
  1 egg, for wash
  demerara sugar, for sprinkling
  
  for the filling
  AP flour, for dusting
  3 pasture-raised eggs
  2 cups pumpkin or kabocha squash, seeds discarded and cut into wedges
  ¼ cup sour cream or crème fraîche 
  1 tsp ground cinnamon
  ¼ tsp ground ginger
  ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
  ⅛ tsp ground allspice
  ¼ teaspoon cayenne
  ½ tsp kosher salt
  ¾ cup grade B maple syrup
  2 tbsp bourbon (I used Woodford - Bulleit is also good)
  1 cup heavy cream
  2 tablespoons organic cane sugar, for sprinkling
  pecan or apple wood chips, pre-soaked for a couple hours for smoking, liquid reserved
  
  
  
  • To make the dough, pulse cocoa powder, sugar+salt, and 1¼ cups plus 1 tbsp flour in the bowl of a food processor to combine. Add butter+coconut oil and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal with a few pea-size bits of butter and coconut oil remaining. Add egg yolk and pulse until just combined. Drizzle vinegar, combined with a couple tablespoons of ice water, through the feed tube and pulse until just combined. Squeeze a clump of dough between your fingers: it should hold together but not be wet. 

    Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface, flatten slightly, and cut into quarters. Stack pieces on top of one another, placing unincorporated crumbly pieces of dough between layers and press down to combine. Repeat process twice more (all pieces of dough should be incorporated at this point). Shape dough into a disk about 1 inch thick. Wrap in cellophane and chill at least 1 hour.

    Roast pumpkin wedges on a rimmed baking sheet, rubbed with a little good olive oil, for 20 minutes or until beginning to become tender when pierced with a knife - there should be a slight resistance. Lower heat to 250 degrees and transfer pumpkin wedges to a smoker (or to an aluminum roasting pan, set on a roasting rack to separate the wood from the pumpkin, and sealed securely with aluminum foil). Smoke pumpkin for 30-45 minutes over a single layer of wood chips, or until smoky to your liking. Check after 20 minutes to ensure wood is smoking but not igniting. Add reserved soaking liquid as needed to keep wood chips from catching fire.

    Let pumpkin cool fully, then scrape flesh from skin and mash with a fork until smooth. Alternatively, use a hand-held blender and purée. Raise oven temperature to 350 degrees.

    Separate 1/4 of the dough, and roll out the remainder on a lightly floured surface into a 12” round. Transfer to a 9” pie dish. Gently lift edges to allow dough to slump into the dish. Trim any overhang and add to the reserved dough. Separate reserved portion into 4 equal chunks and roll out into thinnish ropes, each about 12 inches long. Twist rope in pairs, then line the border, pressing lightly to affix. Lace ends together for a seamless effect. Chill in the fridge for 1 hour or in freezer 15 minutes.

    Line pastry with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake until crust is dry at the edges, about 20 minutes. Remove paper and weights and bake until surface of crust looks dry, about 7 minutes more. Brush bottom and sides of crust with 1 beaten egg and sprinkle twisted edge with sugar. Return to oven and bake until dry and set, about 3 minutes. (Brushing crust with egg and then baking prevents a soggy crust.)

    Whisk pumpkin purée, sour cream or crème fraîche, bourbon, cinnamon, salt, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, cayenne, and eggs in a large bowl. Set aside.
    
    
    Pour maple syrup in a small saucepan and bring syrup to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-high and simmer, stirring occasionally, until syrup has thickened and small puffs of steam release, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and add cream in 3 additions, stirring with a silicone spatula after each addition until smooth. Gradually whisk hot maple cream into pumpkin mixture.
    
    
    Place pie dish on a rimmed baking sheet and pour in filling. Bake pie, rotating halfway through, until set around edge and center jiggles just barely, about 50 minutes. Transfer pie dish to a wire rack and let it cool fully.
    
    
    Just before serving, sprinkle pie with sugar. Use a kitchen torch, brûlée the sugar to melt and turn into a dark brown "glass" on the surface. I scorched mine in places and the results furthered the overall. A total delight. 
    
    
    If you make the pie, please let me know. I was shocked to realize it's been a year since I made it and plan on remedying that error pronto!
    
    
    
    
    
    My dear parents arrive tomorrow for a week - to be spent largely in great conversation and similar eating. We will visit family together for Thanksgiving and eat their food, catch up on the year's stories, and return home more full than I prefer. But, there is humanity in connecting with food and folks not exactly like me - something we all could probably benefit from. Happy Thanksgiving!

Making magic spontaneously, the recent story of my life

This year has been so busy, that in a search through my archives for a recent project I realized I've been playing catch with food in my fridge on repeat, for months. Catch. Toss. Repeat.

It is true that sometimes I am able make space in my schedule and a grocery run for a deliberate drool-worthy dish (hello peach and squash blossom pizza, 2x!). Usually though, with the juggle of work projects and my abomination of waste, I eat all the leftovers - giving them new leases on life for our daily sustenance.

Really, there are no complaints. Especially fortuitous is that this method has at its foundation, refined my "let's-spontaneously-create-something-amazing" muscle. Lucky for husband and me, we like eating this way.

Last Sunday's breakfast is a perfect example. Freshly harvested squash blossoms from a neighborhood volunteer and the community garden, some plump shiitakes, and things-needing-using-up frittata. The weather was still quite hot so I opted not to turn on the oven, and instead cooked the thing using just the stovetop.

It turned out gloriously. There was a slight crust on the bottom from the hard seared greens + mushrooms, and soft eggy top studded with delicate flowers.

Scroll down for the recipe......

With a much-needed moment of pause between projects - its own sort of vacation before the momentum of fall kicks in - I thought with all the recent Instagram requests to share a few more recipes from the last week or two. These creations happily passed through the kitchen and our bellies, and they are each worth making for yours.

Crunchiest summer salad

Plump buttery scallops with Meyer lemon, peaches, and fennel

Wild blues, blacks, and wineberry galette

Squash blossom - shiitake frittata
Serves 2-4

1 large handful (or what you have) fresh squash blossoms, brushed of debris and any clingy insects
5-8 shiitake mushrooms, stems trimmed and halved (or quartered if large)
1/4 cup heavy cream
3-5 pasture raised eggs
Parmigiano-Reggiano, for grating
extra virgin olive oil, for sautéing
sea salt and freshly cracked pepper

Add to the foundation your mix of "needs-using-up" greens or other support veggies
I had:
a small gem lettuce
wilting arugula
a handful of parsley
the tops from a bunch of amaranth
a few sprigs of thyme
there were also some wayward pepitas and purslane tips (leftovers from a composed salad)

Whisk eggs and a pinch of salt in a medium bowl until frothy. Set aside.

In a medium heavy-bottomed enameled or cast-iron skillet over medium high heat, brown the shiitakes in a small glug of olive oil on all sides, about 7 minutes total. Add gem lettuce or other greens/veg and hard sear without disturbing, for 3-5 minutes.

Lower heat to medium, drizzle olive oil around the perimeter of pan and lean so that pan sides get a light coating in oil. Use tongs or a wide spatula to prevent the cooked veg from spilling out as you do so.

Pour beaten eggs into pan and arrange mushrooms and greens to your liking. Nestle squash blossoms into mixture, followed by thyme sprigs. Season with s+p.

Tilt pan to one side to allow beaten egg to seep to pan edge and repeat on opposite side, until only a very light surface liquid remains. In a circular gliding motion, use the blade of a silicone spatula to separate egg from inner edge of hot pan. Once that is done, after another minute, give the pan a good jostle to ensure frittata is not stuck to pan bottom. If any portion remains stuck, gently glide spatula under frittata to free it.

Drizzle cream over frittata, followed by grated Parm. Lower heat to medium-low and cover, leaving pan lid slightly askew. After 3 minutes longer, frittata should be just-done. Check, cook a couple minutes longer if needed, then remove from heat.

Give a final shower of Parm - to your liking - and cut into wedges. If you are using soft herbs (dill or chives, for example) add them just before serving. Serve warm or room temperature.

Crunchiest summer salad
Serves 1 hungry body 

1 corncob, shucked and silk removed
2-3 small zucchini
pickle brine - I pickled field garlic back in spring and used the brine from it
good olive oil
1 large handful sugar snap peas, ends trimmed and seams removed
1 handful fresh parsley, chopped
1-2 thin scallions, finely sliced
finely grated zest from 1 organic lemon
sea salt and freshly cracked pepper
flake salt, for serving

Make zoodles - I use a mandoline placed over a bowl. Dress zoodles with the pickle brine and a glug of oil and carefully toss to coat. Season with s+p.

Cut kernels off the cob. Use the freshest available as you won't be cooking the corn, and the juicy sweetness fades over time (leaving only starchiness). Slice snap peas on the diagonal and toss with corn. Season with s+p.

For presentation, shape zoodles into nests on a serving dish and spoon corn-snap pea mixture on top. Add as much freshly cracked pepper as you like, and a sprinkle of flake salt. Scatter parsley and scallions, drizzle all with a little more olive oil and another spoonful or two of brine, and serve at once.

Scallops with Meyer lemon, peaches, and fennel
Serves 2

6 large day boat scallops
1 small fennel bulb
2 tree-ripened peaches
1 Meyer lemon
1 tbsp grain mustard
1 tbsp butter
good olive oil
sea salt and freshly cracked pepper

Remove scallops from refrigerator, pat dry, and allow to come to room temp. Season with salt and pepper on both sides.

Trim top and bottom from lemon and place a flat side onto cutting board. Working along the curve, slice skin-pith layer from flesh in strips, turning as you go. Squeeze any juice in the strips into a large bowl then discard. Cut lemon into supremes into the bowl, then squeeze the juice from the membrane.

Cut fennel in half lengthwise. Use a mandoline placed over the bowl to shave fennel, reserving the fronds. Add a drizzle of oil and the mustard, and season with s+p. Gently toss the mixture to combine.

Heat a cast-iron skillet over high heat until near smoking. Add a glug of olive oil and quickly swirl, then place scallops into pan equidistant from one another. They should immediately vigorously sizzle. After a minute or two - do not disturb them - add 1 tbsp butter, dragging it in between each scallop.

Sear for 3 more minutes, tilting pan once or twice to keep the hot fat flowing around them. Turn scallops over and baste their caramelized surfaces with spoonfuls of the hot fat. Repeat basting as you sear for one minute longer, then remove scallops from heat, transfer to a plate, and pour pan juices over.

Cut peaches into slices. On two plates, divide fennel mixture and layer with peach slices and reserved fennel fronds, and nestle scallops on top, pouring the pan juices over all. Add a final sprinkle of sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, and eat at once.

Wild berry galette
Serves 6-8

for the filling
2-2 1/2 cups mixed berries, rinsed and drained - I went foraging and Nature provided this gem-mix of wild black and blueberries, and wineberries
juice from 1/2 lemon
2 tbsp tapioca flour
3 tbsp organic cane sugar

for the dough
1 1/4 cups AP flour
3/4 cup Honoré Farm+Mill Sonora wheat flour
1/2 cup Farmer Ground rye flour
8 oz unsalted butter, cut into cubes, freezer-cold
1/4-1/3 cup goat milk plain yogurt
1 tsp organic cane sugar
1 tsp kosher salt
freshly cracked pepper for subtle spice, to your taste (optional)
1 egg, for wash
demerara sugar, for sprinkling

I am a huge fan of mixing dough by hand but truly have not had the time in recent day-to-day work. If you prefer to make dough that way, bravo. Click here for a bit of guidance.

Pulse dry ingredients in the bowl of a food processor to combine. Add butter and pulse in 3 second intervals until the mixture resembles a coarse meal with numerous pea-sized bits. Drizzle in the yogurt with the machine running at 3 second intervals until the dough holds together. Be careful not to over-mix. To test: remove processor top and if when squeezed, it holds together, it is ready. If not, add a small drizzle more, pulsing as you do so.

Empty dough out onto cellophane laid onto your work surface, into two equal piles. Work all the bits in one pile together into a cohesive ball, then flatten into a disk and wrap securely. Repeat with the second pile. Refrigerate for at least 20 minutes for the dough to mellow, up to 3 days in advance. If you don't have another galette waiting in the wings for the second disk, it can be frozen (wrap in a layer of foil and then a resealable plastic bag) for up to 3 months.

For the fruit filling, combine all ingredients and gently toss to coat. You can do this step a day in advance.

Remove the dough from refrigerator 10 minutes before you plan to roll it out. On lightly floured parchment, roll dough, making a 1/8 turn with each pass of the rolling pin. Be deliberate - if dough is too cold it will split as you roll. If it is too warm it will smear. Transfer dough to a rimmed baking sheet and refrigerate if too warm, or give it another minute or two sitting on your work surface if too cold.

When ready, dough should be 1/8-1/4 inch thick, about 14 inches across. Leave a 3-inch border all around and make a shallow pile of the fruit mixture in the center. Reserve most of the liquid for just before baking.

Fold pastry onto fruit, gathering and pleating as you go. Seal creases together with a light paint of water and pressure from your fingers. On the baking sheet, transfer galette to the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, up to overnight, or freeze for 1/2 hour.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Before placing galette in the oven, whisk together the fruit juices/tapioca/sugar mixture and carefully spoon it over the fruit. Beat egg, paint eggwash all over pastry, then sprinkle Demerara sugar for a light, glittery coating.

Bake for 30 minutes until golden, checking after 20 for even browning. Reduce the temperature to 375 once the crust has become golden brown, baking until the juices bubble, about 10-15 minutes more.

Cool galette completely on a wire rack. Slice and serve plain, or with ice cream or crème fraîche.

Now I want to make each of these again and relive the delight they provided me the first time 'round....

........................

For some of my recent work out in the world:

amazing wild salmon and fried sage gremolata with this season's Driftersfish sockeye and La Tourangelle walnut oil

The New York Times butteriest fish all-Amatriciana, watermelon chaat, and namoura semolina cake

Cover beauty for the newest Edible magazine on the block

Kid Chef minty lamb burgers in the latest Cooking with Kids, Where Women Cook

New best-selling Instant Pot book cover and new Air Fryer cover

Food styling, Knorr selects Pinterest campaign - here, here, here, and here 


Follow my daily adventures in food over on Instagram for round-the-clock inspiration. Make something delicious for yourself this weekend. :)

Kid Chef Holiday Giveaway & Edible Gifts

It's been a terrific year empowering young folks in the kitchen. Happily, Kid Chef is actually making a mark on people of all ages, giving countless people new adventures in cooking! To celebrate, my publisher is hosting a special holiday giveaway…. It's the perfect gift for the kid on your list who loves to cook. 

*Feed your Kid Chef's Curiosity* Giveaway: order your young one - or another budding chef in your life - a holiday copy of Kid Chef and be entered to win a kid-friendly cooking kit, complete with BPA-free mixing bowls, measuring cups+spoons, kitchen timer, and a kid-size chef's apron. Click here for all the details. When you place your order and forward confirmation, you’re automatically entered to win! Giveaway ends this Saturday, December 17th, at 11:59pm EST. Good luck and happy cooking!

For this holiday season, I am sharing good food with family and friends, with the understanding that handmade and delicious makes all hearts full. 

For some lucky folks, I made membrillo - aka quince paste - using my friend Leda Meredith's recipe. 

In late summer, I infused a nice brandy with local wild black cherries. I made dark chocolate truffles and added some of the fragrant liqueur while mixing together these heady treats.

The great thing about both of these edible gifts is that they'll keep in the refrigerator for a while. Which means, in the midst of the rest of holiday plans and prep, you can parcel the process into manageable bits, making truly wow-factor gifts without coming up depleted. It's a win-win for everyone… :)

Membrillo
makes enough for 9 x 11 pan

3 1/2 pounds quinces
2 pounds granulated sugar

Wash and peel the quinces, reserving the peels. Core them, adding the cores to the reserved peels. Chop the remaining quince into approximately 2-inch chunks. Tie the peels and cores up in cheesecloth or in a clean muslin bag.

Put the chunks of quince and the bundle of peels and cores into a large pot. Add water to cover by approximately 1 inch. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours until the quince chunks are mushy-soft.

Remove and discard the bundle of peels and cores. Strain the remaining cooked quince through a very fine meshed strainer or a double layer of cheesecloth set in a colander (you can use the liquid that strains out to make quince jelly). Leave the quince to strain for 1-2 hours.

Puree the strained quince mash in a food processor or run through a food mill. Weigh or measure the puree, then transfer it to a large pot. Add an equal amount by weight of granulated sugar.

Cook over low heat until very thick, approximately 1 1/2 hours. Stir constantly initially, to dissolve the sugar, and frequently after that. 

When it is done the quince paste will stick to a wooden spoon, and if you drag the spoon over the bottom of the pot it will leave a rut that does not fill in immediately with the quince. Be careful towards the end of the cooking time to stir often, so that it doesn't burn.

Lightly grease a 9 x 11 inch baking dish. Spread quince paste in the dish, smoothing the surface with the back of a spoon. It should be about 1 1/2-inches thick. Let the paste cool in the baking dish.

Dry the paste in your oven at the lowest setting, not higher than 125F/52C, for 8 hours or overnight. If your oven doesn't go this low, prop its door open with a dishtowel or the handle of a wooden spoon. 

The surface should be glossy, not sticky to the touch. Place the quince paste in its baking dish into the refrigerator for 2 hours. Run a knife around the edges. Invert the quince paste onto a plate or sheet of parchment. Cut into small blocks and securely wrap in cellophane or parchment paper, and store in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 3 months.

Black cherry brandy-infused chocolate truffles

makes 30-40 truffles

1 lb semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate disks or chips (62% cacao or higher), or a block chopped into small pieces - I used Callebaut1 cup heavy whipping cream
3 tbsp brandy or liqueur of your choice (Gran Marnier, Luxardo, and Poire Williams are all good) - if you want to infuse, allow at least a month for the infusion to meld, up to 6 months
unsweetened cocoa, for dusting
1/2 tsp kosher salt

Place the chocolate disks or pieces into a mixing bowl. 

In a small saucepan, bring the cream, brandy (or other liqueur), and salt to a simmer, stirring and scraping down the sides occasionally. Pour mixture over the chocolate and let sit for 5 minutes. 

Fold the cream and chocolate into each other, until uniform and silky. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until slightly firm, then, using a melon baller, scoop ganache into rough spheres. Refrigerate the lot, placed on a parchment-lined baking sheet, for 30 minutes-1 hour, then quickly roll them (so that they do not melt) between your palms to even their shapes. 

Place enough cocoa to easily coat the truffles in a small shallow bowl. Roll truffles around through the cocoa, then tap each lightly to free any excess. Refrigerate again, layers separated by parchment, in a sealed container until gift-giving time, and at that time, bring to room temperature.

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwaanza. Give time to slow down, even if only a day or two, and enjoy your family and loved ones. By so many an account 2016 has been a rough one, but it doesn't make the precious nature of our time any different. See you in 2017! xxx

Sultry Umami Dandelion Greens, Favorite Brussels Salad, Thanksgiving Thoughts

I hadn't planned on making this, a fridge bursting with work projects and all. But I seized upon this bunch of greens so bright and crisp and decided there was room for *one more* recipe, a tangent to indulge myself in the mix of cooking and shooting out-soon cookbooks and far-away magazine stories.

I realized recently that a lot of what I make is what-to-do-with-leftovers, or rescuing food, as I like to call it: creating an exciting meal from the stragglers leftover from work. Sometimes my best eating comes from this spontaneous way of working; I'm not complaining. But it isn't often I go to market and just buy food that I want to make.

A good dandelion salad can be cathartic. I was determined to make the best that I knew how.

And then it almost didn't happen... There was the month-long, seemingly never-ending move (the second in two years!) which had me maxed out. We moved house, office, and studio. Add to that, I am a collector and supply the props for nearly all that I shoot, so this was a certain kind of, ahem, undertaking…. Then hosting family in the first week at new home, new jobs to tackle….you understand.

Despite coming up short for long enough that the greens were near spent, I set aside time and relished the experience. At last.

And, ate almost the entire platter, save for a few stems for dear husband later. So he, too, would know just how magnificent it was.

Consider this at your Thanksgiving feast. It strikes a bright note to offset the many rich foods you may be serving, and is just So. Damn. Good.

Sultry-umami dandelion greens salad

1 bunch dandelion greens, rinsed, patted dry, ends trimmed
2 tsp white wine vinegar 

3 cloves garlic

6 anchovy filets

freshly cracked black pepper

about 1/3 cup good extra virgin olive oil

1/2 tsp finely chopped (rinse beforehand) preserved lemon rind, or more, to your taste*

1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs

a couple good glugs of evoo - or a tablespoon of bacon fat - to fry them in

Over medium heat in a cast iron or enameled skillet, melt bacon fat or heat olive oil until it shimmers in the pan. Add breadcrumbs and mix together. Stirring occasionally, move breadcrumbs around the pan to brown evenly, no more than 5 minutes. Transfer them to a dish.

Mash garlic and anchovies in a mortar and pestle to make a thick paste - kind of like this dressing. Add freshly cracked black pepper and the vinegar, and whisk to combine. At a bare drizzle, whisk in the olive oil to emulsify. 

If you are unsure about the consistency or if the dressing is in fact emulsifying, drizzle the oil more slowly, or stop altogether and look at the whisked mixture. Taste. Keep whisking. Add more oil as needed. The end result will be a deeply savory-tangy, velvety, uniform dressing which coats the leaves once tossed together in a large bowl.

After you have tossed the leaves and coated them well in the anchovy dress, transfer to a serving platter. Sprinkle the diced preserved lemon, then the crisp breadcrumbs over all. Give a final shower of black pepper, and serve at once.

*The idea for the preserved lemon is to impart occasional tangy-pickled citrusy-yum, rather than a heaviness of "salt". So, taste. Add the 1/2 teaspoon at first and see if it is indeed enough. You can add more as you like, or place a small dish with a bit extra beside the salad as you serve it, to pique interest, offering your guests their own taste.

 See that you don't devour every last leaf and crumb.

Yesterday I shared another great salad on Instagram, which received many requests for "recipe please?" It too makes an ideal accompaniment to your Thanksgiving plans….

Shaved Brussels sprouts & apple salad with hazelnuts and Parmesan

15-20 Brussels sprouts, rinsed and ends trimmed
3-5 Granny Smith or Pink Lady apples (any tart, crisp apple is good)
2 lemons
good olive oil
2/3 cup hazelnuts, toasted, rubbed of their skins, and crushed gently under the weight of a pan
shaved Parmigiano Reggiano
sea salt and freshly cracked pepper

Slice sprouts very thinly using a sharp knife or mandoline. Transfer the lacy pile to a large platter or serving bowl.

Slice apples into narrow wedges and add to the shaved Brussels sprouts. Cut a lemon in half and squeeze it over the apple slices to prevent oxidation. Gently toss the apples, lemon juice, and sprouts together. Drizzle olive oil over the mixture and taste for fat-acid balance. Add the other lemon - or just a half - and more oil as needed.

Top with the crushed hazelnuts. Using a vegetable peeler or cheese plane, shave Parm over all. Add freshly cracked pepper, a sprinkle of sea salt, and eat at once.

For more Thanksgiving ideas,

This cornbread dressing I made for The New York Times -

In today's New York Times, which features 15 American Thanksgiving traditions, I produced the ultra cheesy baked Sweeney Potatoes, and the brioche-like Venezuelan "Pan de Jamon." We are a nation of immigrants, of many wonderful traditions, and so much terrific food.

When Thanksgiving has passed, turn your mind to the end-of-year holidays and celebrate with these sour cherry ganache chocolate rye sandwich cookies, my last Bounty column with Where Women Cook. Yes, the Creating from the Bounty column is ending, but don't worry. We dreamt up a new column for the next year, one which features Kid Chef! It'll be out December 1st...

But before Thanksgiving comes - and then goes - I want to share a few organizations that could use our help in the name of justice for all, and giving thanks. Whether you contribute time and/or money, give what you can in lieu of the recent election results.

http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org

https://350.org

http://blacklivesmatter.com/

http://sumofus.org

https://actnow.prochoiceamerica.org/

http://presente.org

Happy Thanksgiving. I hope the journey through this year brought you closer to good food in every form, and to the great people you can cook and eat it with.

Savory Crostadas and The Perfect Aioli

I've been baking this season's bounty into lots of delectable galettes and crostadas, i.e. free-form pies.

The tender crumb of buttery crust - recently flecked with citrus or parmesan and black pepper - perfectly cradles sweet or savory fillings. My impulse of late is almost an automatic, "oooh that would be great made into a galette!" You can see why….

One of yesterday's projects was to use the second disk of dough I'd made when prepping the tomato-olive-scape crostada, which - thank you all! - was very loved on Instagram. 

For the broccoli galette, I devised a base layer of barely-steamed waxy potato slices, mascarpone smeared over the potatoes (heavily seasoned with black pepper and garlic, grated on a microplane), and piled on top of that, delicate broccoli stems which I'd harvested while at Seven Arrows last week, where I've been making some time to help out with the huge work that is the season's planting and harvesting.

The dough itself is magic. It is made particularly pliable with the addition of a goldeny yolk egg - also thanks to Farmer Meg and her sweet, plucky free roaming hens. 

I use this dough often and modify the add-ins (citrus zest/ cheese/ herbs/ black pepper/ etc) depending on what I plan to make.

After thoroughly enjoying how folks responded upon seeing this creation, my week got even better when "proper bad-ass LA made aprons" co. Hedley and Bennett decided to share it, too. 

Which - I am reminded of an important aside - Saveur Magazine is holding their annual Blog Awards *right now* and have created a new category for Best Food Instagram. I pour my heart into Instagram every day and would very much appreciate your nomination! Here is the link to vote - you can do so as often as you like, until July 18th. -> http://lickingtheplate.com <- Best Food Instagram - yippeeee!

Okay, back to the tarts…. ;)

Made with the same parmesan-black pepper-flecked dough, this tart has a base layer of goat cheese I'd made from milk brought home from Seven Arrows' Farm, and seasoned with herbs, boursin-style.

After a good schmear of that onto the pastry (to help the crust from becoming soggy from the juicy tomatoes) I placed tomato slices on top, then studded the surface with torn olives. I had Kalamatas; use whatever you have, in the directions of something deeply savory. 

Before folding the pastry onto its contents I scattered thinly sliced garlic scapes for a little more punch, and then as I folded, sealed the pastry seams with beaten egg.

This crostada was quite easy to make once the dough had been prepped. Plan the time to make the dough, because the results are completely worth it.

Tomato, olive, garlic scape crostada

for the dough
1 1/2 cup AP flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp kosher salt
2 sticks butter, cut into small cubes, freezer cold
1 pasture-raised egg
2 tbsp cider vinegar plus 4 tbsp ice water
1/4 cup Parmiggiano-Reggiano, finely grated
lots of freshly cracked black pepper

for the filling
3-5 tomatoes, depending on their size, sliced into rounds
1/4-1/3 cup goat cheese, boursin, etc.
a handful of pitted olives, torn into halves
2-3-inch segment of a garlic scape, sliced thinly
extra virgin olive oil
sea salt and freshly cracked pepper

1 pasture-raised egg, lightly beaten, for brushing onto pastry

Stir together all dry ingredients in a large bowl - flours, salt, grated cheese, black pepper.

Using a pastry blender, cut in the butter, just until pea-sized bits remain. Add the egg and cut in to incorporate. Drizzle in vinegar-water mixture a little at a time, cutting the liquid into the dough, pausing to check and see if dough holds together when squeezed between your fingers. Use only as much as needed for the dough to come together.

Empty dough out evenly onto two large segments of cellophane. With your hands underneath, use opposite diagonal ends of the cellophane to press dough together, into a solid mass. Seal dough in cellophane, then pat into a disk. Repeat with second batch.

Refrigerate dough for at least 20 minutes to allow it to mellow. Remove it 5-10 minutes prior to rolling out. Makes two crostadas, one top+bottom crust pie, or, freeze the second disk (as I did), wrapped in cellophane and foil, then placed inside a resealable bag, for up to three months.

Unwrap dough and sandwich between two sheets of lightly floured parchment paper. Roll out into a circle, 1/4-1/8-inch thick. Transfer pastry to a sheet pan and refrigerate at any point during this process, if it becomes smeary (aka not cold enough).

Peel away the top layer of parchment and begin: leave a 1 1/2-2 inch border and slather on the goat cheese or boursin, followed by the tomato slices. Nestle olive pieces around, and then scatter surface with sliced scapes.

Season the whole thing with freshly ground pepper and a light drizzle of olive oil, then crimp the pastry over the fillings, brushing the seams with egg wash and pressing to seal. Evenly brush the pastry surface with egg wash, then chill for at least a half hour, so that it retains its shape once in the blazing hot oven.

During this time, preheat oven to 425 degrees, with oven rack positioned in the bottom third. Transfer chilled crostada to the oven and bake until cheese bubbles and crust is deeply golden, about 40 minutes. I like to check about halfway through to rotate the pastry for even browning.

When ready, use the sheet of parchment to slide finished crostada to a wire rack to cool. This delightful tart can be enjoyed hot, cold, or at room temp. Perfect for brunch, dinner, or your next picnic.

Broccoli, potato, and garlicky mascarpone galette
2 waxy potatoes, such as Yukon gold, peeled and sliced
4 oz mascarpone
2-4 cloves garlic, depending on your taste
1 handful thin broccoli stems, or 1 head broccoli, cut into thin florets
sea salt and freshly cracked pepper
good olive oil, for drizzling
buttermilk, for brushing

Use the same pastry recipe for this galette.

Lightly steam broccoli until stems turn bright green. Shock in an ice water bath. Briefly steam the potato slices, enough to soften.

Use a microplane to finely grate your preferred amount of garlic into a small bowl (or mince it with a knife and transfer). Add mascarpone, season with salt and pepper, and stir to combine. Set aside.

Roll out pastry as detailed in the tomato crostada recipe. As above, pastry should be transferred on its parchment paper onto a baking sheet once you are ready to make the galette.

Pat potato slices dry and arrange in a concentric circle leaving a 1 1/2-inch border, and slightly overlapping them as you go, as your base. Slather mascarpone onto potatoes. Drain and shake broccoli dry (or pat dry with a tea towel). Measure and cut broccoli into lengths so that when arranged onto the pastry, their florets meet in the center (or, as you like - feel free to get creative). I had enough to make two layers of broccoli; consider which stems are most attractive as you make yours and save them for the top layer.

Fold dough onto fillings, painting the seams with a little buttermilk and crimping to seal, until the galette is complete. Paint buttermilk evenly onto pastry and refrigerate for at least 1/2 hour (or freeze for 15 minutes).

For this preparation I transferred the cold galette onto my pizza steel, which I'd placed to preheat in the oven. The results worked out quite well. If you have a stone or steel, I'd recommend doing the same! Bake with similar timing/attention as for the tomato crostada.

I was extremely pleased with how this broccoli galette turned out and will definitely be making it again! If you make it too, please let me know what you think. ;)

---------------------------------------

Another recent, vocal request has been for my aioli. I made a caper version for my Anthology column some time back, paired with aromatics-poached salmon. I referred to that recipe, minus the capers, for a recent dinner party. I served it with all manner of steamed and crunchy veg that night and was so present to my guests, I forgot to document the evening (!!).

Here is a plate of leftovers we devoured, the morning after.

And, more of the richly hued leftovers (which you could say I didn't mind having extras of), slathered onto quick & easy pan roasted fish - a seriously great recipe unto its own and included in my new book, Kid Chef. This unexpectedly delicious meal made for an incredible midday interlude.

Perfect Aioli

4 pasture-raised egg yolks

1-2 cloves garlic, finely grated on a microplane, or minced

a pinch of kosher salt

juice from half a lemon

grapeseed oil and good olive oil, to emulsify 

Rest a small mixing bowl onto a tea towel draped over a pot of similar size. This helps the bowl stay put so you can use both hands. 

Whisk together the egg yolks, salt, and garlic. Squeeze a little lemon juice and whisk again. In the thinnest stream, drizzle grapeseed oil as you whisk continuously. You'll add about 1/4 cup or so, stopping at intervals to make sure the mixture has emulsified. Keep whisking! The mixture should thicken; when ready, the aioli should appear plump. 

Add the olive oil now, again in the thinnest drizzle. Add about 1/8-1/4 cup, whisking continuously. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.