eggplant napoleon

This is less a recipe and more a collection of things in the fridge that sounded good together — and they were right.

an eggplant or sevengoat cheesefig preserves

Pull the little hat off the eggplant and cut a small piece off the top and bottom so both ends are flat. Stand the eggplant upright on the large end and cut longwise in 1/4 inch thick slices. (I cut the first to get the rounded part with the peel away so all the slices I use are all eggplant.)  I cut enough where each person had a stack of three slices. You can do more if you like.

Heat a grill pan and brush each side of the eggplant with olive oil and grill for about two minutes a side, until eggplants are marked and softened, but not wilted. Let them cool just a bit and then lay one slice on the plate and spread the goat cheese and then the fig preserves; add another slice and do the same thing; add the top slice and you’re done. (The dots on the plate in the photograph are a balsamic reduction I bought at Trader Joe’s.)

Peace

Milton

guinness barbecue sauce

Guinness. Barbecue Sauce. 'Nuff said.

4 tablespoons butter
8 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup molasses
1 can Guinness Stout
1/2 cup white vinegar
2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
*1/2 teaspoon cayenne
*1 teaspoon cumin
*1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
1 8 ounce can tomato paste
1 8 oz. can crushed pineapple 

Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat; add the garlic sauté until it is tender and beginning to caramelize -- six to eight  minutes. Add the molasses, beer, brown sugar, vinegar, salt, pepper and spices; bring to a boil. Lower the heat a bit and let it cook at a simmer for about ten minutes. Stir occasionally so that nothing sticks to the bottom of the saucepan. Mix in the tomato paste and pineapple and lower the heat and let the sauce simmer for thirty minutes, continuing to stir every few minutes. I used my immersion blender to puree the sauce. Let it cool to room temperature before serving.

*The spices are an approximation. I wanted a sauce more sweet than hot. Adjust them to your liking.

Peace,
Milton

creamed corn casserole

4 tablespoons of butter
4 tablespoons of flour
1 cup milk
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup white cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 eggs, beaten
8 ears corn, kernels cut off of the cob
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 13x9 casserole dish.

Melt the butter in a saucepan and add the flour. Cook over medium heat until the flour begins to brown. Add the milk and cream and cook until the liquids are warm, but not boiling; they may even begin to thicken up a bit. Add the cheese, corn, and cayenne. When the cheese has almost melted, slowly pour a ladle or two of the hot liquid over the eggs, stirring diligently, to temper the eggs and then add them back to the cream and corn mixture. Remove from heat and pour into casserole dish. Bake for forty minutes or until set.

Peace,
Milton

fried green tomato po' boys

King's Hawaiian Bread makes a mini-sub roll.

There was an abundance of green tomatoes at the Durham Farmer's Market.
I found a couple of ripe avocadoes at the grocery store.

Talk about your inspiration.

green tomatoes, sliced in relatively thin slices
flour
buttermilk
Torta masa (Mexican corn flour)
salt
pepper

Dredge the tomato slices in the flour and then toss them in the buttermilk. Shake them off a little and toss them in the masa. Heat about a half inch of canola oil in a skillet to about 350 and then drop the tomato slices into the hot oil. Cook them until lightly browned -- two-three minutes a side.

King's mini sub rolls
Iceberg lettuce, shredded
avocados, sliced
Sriracha mayonnaise (2 parts mayo to 1 part Sriracha)

Butter the King's rolls and put them butter side down on a hot grill pan or skillet just long enough to brown them. Set them on the plate. Put down two or three tomatoes, a couple of slices of avocado, a handful of the shredded lettuce, and then paint the top of the bun with the mayo.

Make enough for seconds.

Peace,
Milton

peach and cherry tomato caprese

This has been the summer of good peaches and great tomatoes here in Durham. Thanks to

some fresh mozzarella, a little basil, and some balsamic glaze, I came up with this version of the classic salad.

2 peaches, cored and then sliced
slices of fresh mozzarella about the same size as the peaches
cherry tomatoes, cut in half, longways
fresh basil, cut in chiffonade
olive oil
balsamic vinegar(I actually used a balsamic reduction I found at Trader Joe's.)

Lay the slice of peach on the plate. Stack the mozzarella on top and then cover cheese with a handful of tomatoes. Sprinkle the basil across the top and then drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

Peace,
Milton

guinness chocolate sauce

Good ice cream needs a good sauce.

1 cup Guinness Stout (about a half a can)
2 cups sugar
1 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt

Bring everything to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer and let it thicken up -- about five to seven minutes. Let it cool before serving.

This went with these cookies and this ice cream.

And I found the original recipe here.

Peace,
Milton

chocolate ice cream

I was trying to think of what should go with the Peanut Butter Sriracha Cookies for dessert

and decided, rather obviously I suppose, that chocolate ice cream would do the trick. I made this recipe in my Cuisinart countertop ice cream maker.

 3/4 cup sugar 
1 cup milk 
1/4 teaspoon salt 
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
3 egg yolk, lightly beaten 
3 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped 
2 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine sugar, milk, salt, and cocoa powder in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly. Bring to a simmer. Place the egg yolks into a small bowl. Gradually stir in about 1/2 cup of the hot liquid to temper the eggs and return all of it to the saucepan. Heat until thickened, but do not boil. Remove from the heat, and stir in the chopped chocolate until chocolate is melted. Pour into a bowl and then place that bowl in a larger bowl with ice and put both in the refrigerator for about two hours until the mixture is cold. Once that has happened, whisk in the cream and vanilla. Pour into an ice cream maker, and freeze according to manufacturer's directions (which will probably include letting the ice cream set in the freezer for a good couple of hours -- this is not a last minute recipe).

We also served it with this Guinness Chocolate Sauce.

I adapted the recipe from here.

Peace,
Milton

grilled asparagus, cherry tomato, and corn salad with basil vinaigrette

The only thing you cook in this salad is the asparagus.

I use my stove top grill pan. Trim the bottoms of the asparagus spears and toss them in a little olive oil and salt and pepper. Get the grill pan hot and then put a single layer on the pan. Grill them for four minutes or so, moving them around so they are heated on all sides. You don't want them to get squishy; just cook them long enough to get some grill marks. Set them aside. When they have cooled, cut them into one inch segments. I like to cut on the bias, which means an angled cut to give them a little flair.

Stand the corn cob on one end and, using a serrated knife, cut the kernels off the cob. (You can save the cobs in the freezer and add them to stocks or soups later.)

Cut the cherry tomatoes in half. Toss everything together in a big bowl and add the basil vinaigrette.

6-8 leaves fresh basil, chopped
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons honey or brown sugar
pinch of salt
1/3 cup olive oil

Blend together using an immersion blender or a regular blender until mixture is emulsified. You may need to add a little more oil. Pour over salad and serve. You also may not need all of the dressing -- your call.

Peace
Milton

peach and fig compote

It’s fig season, it’s peach season: it’s sauce season!

1 pint fresh, ripe figs, washed6 fresh, ripe peaches, unpeeled, washed1 cup brown sugar1/3 cup balsamic vinegar2 tablespoons bourbon1 teaspoon cinnamon1/2 teaspoon salt

Trim the stems and bottom core off of each fig and then quarter it.

Pit the peaches and then slice them thinly.

Put figs and peaches into large saucepan and add remaining ingredients. Cook over medium heat till fruit softens, then stir well to make sure the fruit is covered by the liquid. Reduce the heat to low and cook for about 1-1/2 hours, stirring occasionally. The sauce will thicken a bit. It works served either warm or at room temperature.

Peace,
Milton

baby beets, grilled romaine, and warm goat cheese croutons

This dish was assembled from experiences during my week: I found baby beets at the Durham

Farmer's Market and I had a Caesar Salad with grilled Romaine lettuce at a restaurant. The goat cheese was a memory from my days at the Red Lion Inn that came back as I tried to figure out what to do for dinner.

romaine lettuce, heads cut in half longways
beets (I had little ones; any will do)
goat cheese
flour
2 eggs
1 cup milk or buttermilk
Ritz crackers crumbs (use food processor)

Cut the goat cheese into one ounce slices (I use a piece of fishing line to cut them) and then roll each slice into a ball and then flatten the ball into a disc that looks like a marble with flat sides. Dredge the little discs in the flour and then drop them into the milk and egg mixture and then into the cracker crumbs. Place them on a cookie sheet or plate lined with wax paper or parchment and then put them in the freezer for at least two hours. When you are ready to serve, heat about a third of an inch of olive oil in a sauté pan and fry the croutons for about a minute a side, until they are browned. Drain and add to the salad. Basically, start with the croutons and end with them in your preparation.

Rinse the beets well and then cover them in a saucepan with water. I added two cinnamon sticks, a bay leaf, some peppercorns, and some dried lemongrass. You could also add a

cut up lemon or orange for a little flavor. Bring them to a boil and let them cook for about an hour. Drain them, peel them, let them cool, halve them, and then toss them in a little lemon juice and olive oil.

I used a grill pan on my stovetop for the lettuce. I got the pan hot, brushed the cut side of the lettuce with olive oil, and set it on the grill for about three minutes: until I could see the grill marks. I did not turn them over; I only grilled one side and then set them aside as I did the rest. The lettuce does not have to be warm when you serve it.

Peace,
Milton

beer-battered fairytale eggplant

This past week at the Durham Farmer’s market I came across some beautiful, small, and

variegated eggplant. When I asked the farmer about them, she said they were “fairytale eggplants,” which I then had to buy, of course, merely because of the name. As with most everything else, what was new to me was not new at all. I found this recipe when I got home to start thinking about Thursday Night Dinner and adapted it to suit my needs. I served it with my Summer Peach Marinara and we all ate happily ever after.

oil (for frying)
1 12 oz. bottle of beer (I used Sam Adams because that was what I found in the fridge.)
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
16-20 fairytale or miniature eggplants

Gently remove the green stems and then cut the eggplants in half longways. Mix the dry ingredients and add the beer; whisk until it makes a batter. Heat the oil to 350°. Pour the eggplants into the batter and stir to cover them all. When the oil is hot, drop them one at a time into the batter and cook about two minutes a side, or until they are golden brown. You will need to do them in batches. The batter gives them the look of tempura vegetables. 

Peace,

Milton

lemon buttermilk ice cream

• This is one of the easiest ice cream recipes I have found because you don't have to cook
  

  

  anything. The texture is more like a sorbet. Very flavorful.

  3/4 cups sugar  

  1/2 cup fresh lemon juice 

  1 cup heavy cream 

  1 cup whole milk 

  1 cup buttermilk

  Combine sugar and juice in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk until sugar dissolves. Add half-and-half, whole milk, and buttermilk. Pour mixture into the freezer can of an ice-cream freezer; freeze according to manufacturer's instructions. Spoon ice cream into a freezer-safe container. Cover and freeze 1 hour or until firm.
  
  
  I adapted this recipe to fit my Cuisinart counter top ice cream maker and served them with these cookies.
  
  
  Peace,
  Milton

summer peach marinara sauce

Let me begin by saying that I realize when you write a recipe you are expected to give amounts of ingredients. The problem with a good pasta sauce is there is a fair amont of improvisation, of wiggle room, when it comes to exactly how much of something goes in the mix. With that in mind, a couple of weeks ago I got a great deal on a big box of tomatoes at the Durham Farmer’s Market. I also two big bags of basil. I keep a bunch of garlic around the house all the time. I came home to make Marinara. When I got home, I remembered the box of ripe peaches we had and decided to try something based on a recipe I have for a tomato-peach jam. The result was a Tomato-Peach Marinara that is light and sweet and awesome.

Here’s the recipe. Find your way to the taste you want.

40 garlic cloves, crushed 

10-12 large tomatoes, blanched, peeled, and crushed 

8-10 ripe peaches, blanched and peeled 

all the basil you can get your hands on 

salt 

pepper 

cinnamon (start with 1/4 teaspoon)

The easiest way to peel tomatoes and peaches is to blanch them, which means to get a big pot — and I do mean a big pot — of water boiling, cut a one-inch “X” in the bottom of both the peaches and the tomatoes, and then drop them in the boiling water. I did the two fruits separately because the peaches need to boil for about three minutes and the tomatoes should go no more than thirty seconds. Lift them out of the water and put them in a bowl to cool for a minute (again, I kept them separate), then peel them. Slice the peaches and set them aside. Put the peeled tomatoes in a  bowl and crush them with your hands until they are a big chunky mess.

Cover the bottom of your stock pot with garlic. I mean cover it. Then cover the garlic with olive oil. Yes, cover the garlic. I don't mean pour deep fry the stuff, but you're going to put about a cup of oil over that much garlic. Then put it on medium heat, cover, and let the garlic cook for about ten minutes, until it begins to brown and it softens. Add the tomatoes and peaches and reduce the heat to medium and cover the pot. When the sauce begins to simmer, lower the heat a bit and uncover it and let it cook for two or three hours, until the tomatoes have mostly cooked away and the peaches are falling apart. Chiffonade or chop the basil and add it to the sauce and stir. Let it simmer another fifteen minutes or so and then purée the sauce using an immersion blender, or you can transfer it in batches to a food processor or a blender. (If you do it that way, be very careful.) Once it is smooth, add salt, pepper, and cinnamon, tasting and adjusting the flavors to your liking.

I’ve used it on ravioli and pasta and eggplant parmigiana. I’ve also just eaten it with a spoon. This summer sauce is amazing. And yes, you can freeze it.

Peace
Milton

beet tortilla chips

Ginger and I were in Parker and Otis, one of our favorite stores here in Durham, and they had a bag of beet chips out to sample. They were good. I looked at the ingredient list, came home, did a little research, and made some chips.

I already had some beets handy from our last visit to the Farmer's Market, so I put those on to boil with a couple of cinnamon sticks, a sliced lemon, some peppercorns, and a tablespoon of dried lemongrass -- only because those were things I had in my pantry and fridge. I brought them to a boil and then let them cook about forty minutes. After they cooled a bit (and I saved the beet water, by the way), I peeled them, diced them, and put them into the food processor with about a tablespoon of olive oil and processed them until they were smooth.

I had some Torti Masa on hand from earlier attempts at making tortillas, so I used that as the base. I got it from our local Latino grocery store, Compare Foods, where I go to get lots of fun stuff. Anyway, here's the recipe:

2 cups Torta Masa (Masa harina)
1 1/2 cups puréed beets
1/2 cup beet water
4 tablespoons olive oil
Canola oil (or your choice) for frying

Put the masa in a bowl and add the beet purée and the oil and stir together. Add enough of the beet water to make it come together as a dough. It needs to be wet enough to roll out, but not sticky. Add the water in small batches; you can add more easier than you can take it out.


Preheat the oven to 350. Pinch enough dough for about a one inch ball and then flatten it into a disc. Spread some of the masa on the counter and dust the disc and roll it out so that it is a thin and even circle. Cut it into wedges (you may even want to use a pizza cutter) and place the pieces on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a Silpat. Bake the chips for ten minutes. Let them cool. (You will need to do this in batches; I had about five sheet pans worth.)

Pour about an inch and a half on oil into a saucepan and heat the oil to 350. Fry the baked chips in batches -- don't crowd them. They only need to fry about two minutes or so. Drain on a sheet pan lined with paper towels. Sprinkle with salt while they are still hot and a little oily.

These are vegan chips and are also gluten free.

And they're good.

Peace,
Milton

maple bourbon bacon waffle bread pudding

First, the bacon — two ways:

8 strips bacon
brown sugar

Press the bacon into the brown sugar to get it to stick to both sides. Sprinkle with black pepper and lay across a cooling rack that is sitting on a parchment lined baking sheet. Put in a 375 degree oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the bacon is well cooked. Set aside to cool and then chop into pieces.

10 slices center cut bacon, cooked until pretty crisp, chopped into small pieces.

Next the waffles:

3/4 cup flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar

Mix first five ingredients together in a bowl. Add the last five and mix well. Spray the waffle iron with cooking spray. Pour the batter according the the waffle maker’s instructions and then sprinkle part of the cooked (not candied) bacon on top and cook the waffle.

Now the pudding:

8 cups 1" waffle pieces (four full sized Belgian waffles)
12 large egg yolks
2 cups whole milk
2 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup pure maple syrup
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Cut waffles into bite-sized pieces and set aside. In a large bowl combine egg yolks, milk, cream, syrup, vanilla and kosher salt. Mix well until combined. Add waffle pieces and candied bacon. Stir mixture together until waffles pieces are coated with the egg mixture. Pour into prepared 13x9 baking dish, confer with plastic wrap and let sit in the fridge for at least an hour.

Take out of the fridge a half hour before cooking and preheat the oven to 375. Cover with foil and bake for an hour. Remove foil and bake another 20-30 minutes, or until center is set. Remove from the oven and brush top with melted butter. Can be served warm or at room temperature.

Peace,
Milton

pig in a blanket waffles

1 package Li'l Smokies

2 packages Crescent Roll dough

Cut each triangle of dough into five relatively similarly sized pieces and wrap each one around one of the little sausages.

3/4 cup flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar

Mix first five ingredients together in a bowl. Add the last five and mix well. Spray the waffle iron with cooking spray. Dip each pig in a blanket in the waffle batter and place on waffle iron. Cook according to waffle maker’s instructions. We served them with honey mustard sauce.

Peace
Milton

chocolate chip cookie waffles

1 cup butter
1 1/2 cups brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
2 1/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 12 oz. package of chocolate chips

Cream butter and sugar together in mixer for 5-7 minutes. Add vanilla and eggs and mix to combine. In a separate bowl, mix flour, baking soda, and salt. Add gradually to butter-sugar mixture. Add chocolate chips.

Spray the waffle maker well and, using a one ounce scoop, drop the cookies on the waffle iron and close the lid. Cook for 3-4 minutes.

Peace
Milton

maple cornbread waffles

1 cup cornmeal
1 cup flour
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup sugar (for sweet cornbread)
1/3 cup melted butter
3/4 - 1 cup buttermilk
1 egg
1/4 cup maple syrup

Mix the dry ingredients together in a bowl and whisk the butter, buttermilk, egg, and syrup in another. Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and pour in the buttermilk mixture. Stir until combined. Cook according to waffle maker’s instructions.

We topped these with a piece of fried chicken and some honey butter.

Peace
Milton

sweet potato waffles

1 1/2 cups cooked and mashed sweet potatoes (one large or two smaller sweet potatoes)

1 cup milk
1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 egg whites, at room temperature

Prick the sweet potatoes -- I used purple ones -- with a fork until there are holes all over. Put in a microwave on high for five minutes. Then do it for another five. Take the potatoes out of the microwave, wrap them in foil, and set them aside for about fifteen minutes, then mash them in a bowl and add the butter, sugar, and milk, mixing until well combined.

In another large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir the sweet potato mixture
into the flour mixture and thoroughly combine.

Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Gradually fold egg whites into batter 1/3 at a time. The batter will be thick.

Spray your waffle iron with cooking spray and then cook the batter according to the waffle maker’s instructions. We served these with Cackalacky pulled pork (which is to say I put a Boston Butt in the crock pot, covered it with Cackalacky sauce, and let it ride all night on low) and pimento cheese.

NOTE: Strain and save the drippings from the crock pot, let it cool and skim the fat off, add a can of Guinness and a handful or two of brown sugar, and let it reduce by about half and you’ll have
yourself a mean barbecue sauce.

Peace
Milton

pimento cheese

Almost eight years ago, I posted a recipe for pimento cheese. It's a good recipe. But after six years in Durham and a great deal of exploration, I have to say it is not my go to recipe any more.

2 red bell peppers, roasted, peeled, and diced
16 oz. cheddar cheese, grated
8 oz. goat cheese
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1 tablespoon lemon juice
tabasco sauce
black pepper
1 tablespoon of bourbon

Put the two peppers right on my gas burners on my stove and roast and turn them until the outsides are charred. Then put them in a bowl and cover them with plastic wrap and let them sweat for about fifteen or twenty minutes. Take a couple of paper towels and wipe the charred skins off and brush the seeds out of the middle. Don’t wash them to clean them; it takes away from the flavor. When they have been cleaned, cut them in a small dice and set aside in a bowl.

Grate the cheddar cheese (don’t buy it pre-grated) into a large bowl and then crumble in the goat cheese. Add the rest of the ingredients, along with the peppers (and the juices that have accumulated in the bowl) and mix them together. I find it works best to do this by hand.

If you aren’t a goat cheese fan, you can substitute cream cheese.

Besides the taste, the biggest advantage of this recipe is it can be heated and melted. Face it — who likes hot mayonnaise?

Peace
Milton

tzatziki

1 6 oz. container of Greek yogurt (I use Face)
1/2 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and finely diced
1 tablespoon fresh dill leaves, finely diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste

Though some recipes encourage you to put all of the ingredients in a food processor, I suggest you dice everything well and mix it by hand to give it a chunkier texture. Make it as early as possible -- even the night before -- so the flavors have a chance to marry. We made this sauce to go with the falafel waffles and avocado hummus.

Peace,
Milton

falafel waffles

1 15-ounce can chickpeas,  drained and rinsed

1/3 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 egg whites, beaten until stiff

Put all of the ingredients except the egg whites in a food processor and puree until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and fold in egg whites until combined. Spray the waffle iron with cooking spray and follow waffle maker’s instructions. We topped ours with avocado hummus and tzatziki.

Peace,
Milton

avocado hummus

1 can (15 oz.) garbanzo beans (chickpeas)

2 avocados
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup tahini
1/2 cup olive oil
salt and pepper

Open the can of garbanzo beans and drain them in a colander, then rinse them well. Place them in a food processor with the avocados, lemon juice, and tahini. Puree the mixture and stream in the olive oil. Salt and pepper to taste.

That's right -- it's sitting on a falafel waffle with tzatziki on the side.

Peace,
Milton

kickin' peanut butter cookies

I’ve been contemplating new cookie adventures and here is my latest sojourn. The idea map for these

looks something like this: peanut butter and chili go together in Thai cooking; chocolate and chili go together in Mexican cooking; let’s make cookies. Though it may feel like a lot of Sriracha, the balance of sweet, spicy, and savory came out well.

Preheat oven to 375.

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups peanut butter (crunchy or creamy — your choice)
2 cups brown sugar, packed

Cream the butter, then add the sugar and let the mixer run for 5-7 minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy.

1/2 cup Sriracha
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla

Add the Sriracha with the mister on low and then the eggs, one at a time, and then the vanilla. Beat until combined. In a separate bowl mix

2 3/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 12 oz. packages chocolate chips

Gradually add the flour to the peanut butter mixture until well combined and then add the chocolate chips. Refrigerate the dough for 1-2 hours. I used a 1 oz. cookie scoop and then rolled the scoops into balls — about 1” in diameter, placed them on a lined baking sheet and pressed them down gently with a fork.

Bake for 8-10 minutes. (I bake them 9, actually.) If you want a bigger cookie, use a 2 oz. scoop and bake them for 13 minutes.

Peace,
Milton

pumpkin cornbread

This recipe came about after a conversation with a colleague at work who sent me searching for a recipe. After looking several, I ended up with this one because I could use a whole can of pumpkin.

Preheat the oven to 425.

In a large bowl, mix together

2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups corn meal
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

In another bowl combine

4 eggs
1 can pumpkin puree
1 cup brown sugar packed
1/2 cup canola oil

Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the pumpkin mixture. You could also add some chopped nuts or raisins or pumpkin seeds. We didn’t add anything. Grease two muffin pans and divide the mixture evenly. Bake for 15-17 minutes. Makes 24 muffins.

I served it with a chicken and black bean mixture I created out of what I had in the kitchen to feed friends during our last snow storm (see photo -- the muffin is under there, I promise!). You could also use the mixture here.

Peace,
Milton

ice cream variations

One of my favorite food books of the past year is Michael Ruhlman’s Ratio: The Simple Codes Behind the Craft of Everyday Cooking in which he talks about the basic ratios that make cooking possible. His basic ice cream recipe is as follows (this does well in one of the countertop ice cream makers):

1 1/2 cups milk
1 1/2 cups cream
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
3/4 cup sugar
6 ounces egg yolks (9-10 large egg yolks)

I have made ice cream twice over the last couple of weeks. Once was a curry ice cream to go with these cookies; the other was a Limoncello ice cream to go with an almond pound cake baked by my friend Laura (I don’t yet have that recipe). My point is, with this base, you can make most any flavor you like with a little help from your friendly web browser.

For the curry ice cream, I replaced the milk with coconut milk

(one can is right at 1 1/2 cups) and added 1 1/2 tablespoons of Madras curry powder.

For the Limoncello ice cream, I used the base recipe and added 2 tablespoons of lemon extract and a half a cup of Limoncello.

(I might also add Ruhlman adds 2-4 tablespoons of Maker’s Mark Bourbon to his vanilla recipe.)

The actual making of the ice cream is as follows:

Heat the cream and milk in a double boiler, or in a saucepan over medium heat, until the milk is to a simmering stage. Don’t bring it to a boil. Whisk the eggs and sugar (and curry powder or lemon extract and Limoncello) until the sugar is dissolved. Ladle about a half a cup of the hot milk into the egg mixture very slowly, whisking the whole time. This is called tempering the mixture. You are trying to raise the temperature of the eggs without cooking them. Repeat until you have added at least two cups of the milk to the eggs and then pour the mixture slowly back into the double boiler and cook the mixture until it thickens like a custard, which will take about six or seven minutes. This should require your complete attention.

When the mixture is ready, Pour it into a clean and cold bowl and then set that bowl in an ice bath to let it cool. After about 10-15 minutes, Put the bowl in the fridge and let it sit for at least two hours. It can sit overnight, if you like. If you do so, cover the top with a piece of plastic wrap so it doesn’t develop a skin.

Pour the chilled mixture into the ice cream maker and let it run for 25-30 minutes. The longer you leave it, the harder the ice cream will become. Transfer the ice cream to a container and put in the freezer for at least two hours before serving.

This one takes some work, but it sure is good.

Peace,

Milton

chicken, corn, and black bean chowder.

This is one of those soups that takes time, if you have it or are willing to make it. And there is a short cut version as well. I did the whole thing in my slow cooker.

Day One:

1 whole chicken -- neck and organs removed, washed 

1 onion, chopped2 medium carrots, rough chopped 

1 stalk celery, rough chopped 

5 cloves garlic salt, pepper, paprika (or whatever else you would like to rub on the bird) 

1 cup white wine

Pat the chicken dry and rub with salt, pepper, and paprika.
Put the vegetables and garlic in the bottom of the slow cooker and the chicken on top. Add the wine and turn the cooker on low. Let it cook overnight, or for at least six hours. 

Remove the bird and pull the meat off the bones. Discard the skin. (You can save the bones to make more stock later.) Pour the liquid in the slow cooker through a sieve or chinois or some cheesecloth and put it in the refrigerator to cool. (The fat will separate and will be easy to remove.Discard the vegetables.

SHORTCUT VERSION: Buy a roasted chicken and a box of chicken stock. 

Day Two:

4 tablespoons butter or olive oil 

1 or 2 poblano peppers, diced (depending on the heat you want) 

1 onion, diced 

2 cups corn kernels (this time of year, I use frozen ones 

1 tablespoon cumin 

1 tablespoon dark chili powder 

salt and pepper

Melt the butter or heat the oil in a large sauté pan. Add the peppers and onions, along with the cumin, and cook until tender -- about 5 minutes. Add the corn and chili powder. Stir and cover. Check and stir occasionally. Cook for another seven or eight minutes. Empty pan into slow cooker and add

2 medium sweet potatoes, diced 

1 small can of crushed pineapple 

shredded chicken (from Day One) 

stock (from Day One) and enough water to make four cups

Set slow cooker on low and let it cook overnight once more (or you could do it on high for two to three hours). The next morning, turn the cooker to high and add

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed 

1 cup heavy creamsalt and pepper to taste

Turn it to high and let it cook for another hour or so. Another option here is to move everything to a stock pot and add the beans and cream while it is on the stove. For that matter, all of Dayer  Two could be done on the stove. The slow cooker just lets me make a great soup in the background.

Peace
Milton

avocado hollandaise

I found this recipe in a recent issue of Food and Wine. It works on everything from breakfast to dinner. The picture shows in on top of roasted pork with a corn, black bean, and plantain salsa.

1 ripe avocado
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2/3 cup hot water
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper

Chop up the avocado and put it in a food processor or blender. Add lemon juice and hot water and blend until smooth. This will take a couple of minutes. As the machine is running, slowly add the olive oil. I also think it would work if you wanted to add a little jalapeño or poblano to give it a little kick.

Peace

Milton