Salsa - So Fresh Tasting No One Will Know It's Made with Canned Tomatoes - And a Giveaway

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Salsa made with canned tomatoes? Yes! For a taste of summer any time of year, whip up a batch of salsa made with canned tomatoes. I know, I know--I'm all about fresh; but tomato season is not quite here, and I refuse to buy out-of-season imports or any of the pallid objects that pass for tomatoes in most supermarkets. I've found that really good canned tomatoes (I always use Muir Glen organic) make better salsa than the less-than-stellar fresh tomatoes available.

Granted, it's not the salsa fresca we can enjoy during tomato season, but it's much fresher tasting than any of the store-bought salsas I've tried. In fact ... This is how fresh tasting it is. We had guests for dinner--guests who are really into food and into salsa--and they were crazy about it! AND (yes, I'm shouting) they did not know the tomatoes were canned! And I didn't tell them, thought I'd save that little gem for another time. 

There was just a tiny bit left over, and when I tasted it two days later, I was blown away! How can something taste so fresh after nearly 48 hours in the fridge?! Since it was early in the morning when I did my two-day taste test, I just went ahead and made organic tortilla chips and salsa, with a side of leftover Mexican rice, my breakfast. It was that tasty! 

But I wouldn't try this with just any canned tomatoes. At the risk of sounding like a shill for Muir Glen, I would only make this with Muir Glen tomatoes. Truly, I am not on their payroll; they simply make the best canned tomatoes. 

Salsa

(Makes 2 cups)

1/4 cup finely diced onion, rinsed and drained
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 14.5-ounce can Muir Glen organic fire roasted diced tomatoes with green chiles, undrained
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 or 2 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
1/8 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

In 3-cup bowl, combine all ingredients; stir together. Cover and refrigerate for 6 to 24 hours before serving. Garnish with more cilantro.


Muir Glen Organic Giveaway
Two winners will each receive a Muir Glen Organic Reserve Gift Basket. All US residents who leave a comment (one entry per person) on this post before 11:59pm Eastern time Wednesday May 16 will be put into a random drawing. Winners will be announced here before noon Eastern time on Thursday May 17.

Other recipes you might enjoy: Mexican Rice and Homemade Flour Tortillas. 

Dulce de leche financiers - a genius idea

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One of the things I love the most about financiers is how moist and tender they are – their texture is really amazing. Besides that, financiers are a great way to use up frozen egg whites and they’re perfect for a baking urge as well – you don’t have to wait for the butter to soften to make these little beauties.

With a jar of dulce de leche in my pantry – apparently the ddl frenzy hasn’t ended yet – I decided to play around with my favorite financier recipe, tweaking some details to use dulce de leche instead of peanut butter, and what a genius idea that turned out to be (modesty is for the weak). ;)

Dulce de leche financiers
adapted from Rose’s peanut butter financiers

1 ¼ cups (125g) almond meal
½ cup + 1 ½ tablespoons (85g) all purpose flour
1 cup + 2 tablespoons (156g) icing sugar
6 large egg whites
pinch of salt
200g unsalted butter, melted and still warm
6 tablespoons dulce de leche
about 3 tablespoons dulce de leche, extra

Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°C; butter eight ¾ cup (180ml) capacity financier or muffin molds (I used this pan).
In a large bowl, sift together the almond meal, all purpose flour and icing sugar. Set aside.
In a large bowl, with an electric mixer, whisk the egg whites and salt until foamy. Add the almond flour mixture, beat well, then gradually drizzle the butter over the mixture, whisking well. Add the 6 tablespoons dulce de leche and whisk until evenly incorporated.
Pour the batter into the prepared molds, filling each about ¾ full. Place about 1 teaspoon of the extra dulce de leche in the center of each financier then, using a toothpick, marble the dulce de leche with the batter. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until the financiers are golden and a skewer inserted in the financiers comes out clean.
Let the financiers cool in the molds for 8-10 minutes, then carefully unmold onto a wire rack. Let cool completely.
Financiers can be kept in an airtight container, at room temperature, for up to 3 days, or 5 days in the fridge.

Makes 8

Dark chocolate, pear and pistachio cake

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A long time ago I told you that I was addicted to IMDb’s movie trivia – I still am, therefore it was a joy for me to find Gabrielle Wee’s gorgeous Tumblr: just be careful because you’ll probably lose track of time reading it (I speak of personal experience). :D

On that same post I also told you how much I loved browsing Gourmet Traveller’s recipes – I still do, and this delicious cake comes exactly from that magazine: I was so intrigued by the combination of pear, chocolate and pistachio in cake form that I had to try it – it was amazing.

Dark chocolate, pear and pistachio cake
slightly adapted from the always beautiful and delicious Australian Gourmet Traveller

Cake:
1 cup + 1 tablespoon (150g) all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
pinch of salt
200g dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids), coarsely chopped – I used one with 53% cocoa solids
½ cup (65g) unsalted pistachios
2/3 cup (150g) unsalted butter, softened
¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 Packham pear, cored and coarsely chopped

Chocolate ganache:
1/3 cup (80ml) heavy cream
100g dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids), coarsely chopped – I used one with 53% cocoa solids
handful of pistachios, for decorating

Cake: preheat oven to 180°C/350°F. Butter a 22cm (9in) springform cake pan*, line the bottom with baking paper and butter the paper as well.
In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.
Process chocolate and pistachios in a food processor until coarse crumbs form, set aside. Beat butter and sugar in an electric mixer until light and fluffy (2-3 minutes). Add eggs one at a time, beating until well combined, then beat in the vanilla. Stir in the flour mixture, followed by the pistachio and chocolate mixture and the pear. Pour into prepared pan and bake until risen and golden and a skewer inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, 30-40 minutes. Cool in the pan over a wire rack for 20 minutes then carefully unmold onto the rack. Cool completely.

Chocolate ganache: Heat cream in a small saucepan over medium heat to just below boiling, add chocolate, stand until chocolate melts (3-5 minutes), then stir until smooth. Set aside until slightly thickened (5-10 minutes). Pour ganache over the cake, scatter with pistachios, set aside to set (20-30 minutes), then serve. Cake will keep, stored in an airtight container, for 3 days.

* I made the exact same recipe using a 20cm (8in) cake pan (with a removable bottom)

Serves 10

Lemon crumble tart - and Pinterest

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I’d like to start this post by telling you that I adore Pinterest: it’s a great way to keep track of interesting things and I usually find my morning humor dose there. Some of you have written to me asking me not to block my photos from being posted on Pinterest, and I tell you: I haven’t done that, and wouldn’t do it. I see no problem in my recipes getting pinned by you, much to the contrary. Therefore, I do not know what happened and why you’re no longer able to pin the photos – if anyone knows how to fix the problem I’m all ears. :)

***

This lemon tart is a variation of the easiest tart ever and despite not being equally easy – there’s a lemon curd to be made here – it’s just as delicious.

Lemon crumble tart
from the great The Grand Central Baking Book

Crust:
2 ½ cups (350g) all purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup (226g/2sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Lemon curd:
¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
finely grated zest of 3 lemons, divided use
4 egg yolks
6 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
¼ cup (56g) unsalted butter
1/8 teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Lightly butter a 25cm (10in) springform pan*.
Dough: whisk the flour and salt together. Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar together on medium speed for about 3 minutes, until creamy and light in color. Beat in the vanilla. Reduce the speed to low, add the dry ingredients and stop mixing when the ingredients are fully incorporated but the dough is still crumbly – this happens quickly; don’t overmix, otherwise you’ll end up with a ball of dough. Set aside 1 cup of the dough and refrigerate. Sprinkle the remaining dough onto the prepared pan, distributing it evenly. Bring the dough slightly up the sides of the pan (to hold the lemon curd), then press it onto the pan to hold it in place. Prick the dough all over with a fork, then bake for 25 minutes or until golden.

While the crust bakes, make the lemon curd: combine the sugar, half the lemon zest and yolks in a heatproof bowl and whisk together immediately; if you delay, the mixture will coagulate. Put the bowl over a saucepan of barely simmering water whisk continuously until the sugar dissolves. Add the lemon juice and, still whisking continuously, cook for about 5 minutes. Add the butter and salt, then use a spatula to stir constantly until the mixture has thickened, 6-7 minutes (is should be the consistency of sour cream).
Strain the curd through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl and stir in the remaining zest. Spoon the curd into the crust and smooth the top with a spatula. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of dough over the curd.
Bake for 40-45 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time. The topping should be slightly brown, and the curd will begin to caramelize on top.
Cool slightly before unmolding.

* I made the exact recipe above using a shallow 24cm tart pan with a removable bottom; I used 1 ½ cups of dough for the topping.

Serves 8

Carrot muffins (with spelt flour)

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One of my favorite cookbooks is Kim Boyce’s wonderful “Good to the Grain” – I have baked delicious things from it (her rhubarb tartlets are unforgettable and so are the whole wheat chocolate chip cookies), but unfortunately I cannot find certain types of flour here in Brazil.

A dear friend of mine spent glorious days in Italy and brought me a bag of spelt flour; these tender muffins were my choice to first use the precious gift – the spelt flour is used both in the topping and in the batter. Delicious, but unlike other muffins I have baked I found these a little on the heavier side once they cooled down – a problem quickly solved by reheating the muffins in a preheated oven for a couple of minutes.

Carrot muffins (with spelt flour)
slightly adapted from the wonderful Good to the Grain: Baking with Whole-Grain Flours

Streusel topping:
¼ cup + 2 tablespoons (55g) spelt flour
2 tablespoons rolled oats
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar, packed
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
pinch of salt
3 tablespoons (42g) cold unsalted butter, cut into 6mm (¼in) pieces

Muffins:
1 cup (140g) spelt flour
¾ cup (105g) all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon ground allspice
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ cup (29g) rolled oats
1/3 cup (58g) dark brown sugar, packed
¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
1 ½ cups coarsely grated carrots, about 2 medium
¼ cup (56g/½ stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
1 cup (240ml) buttermilk*
1 large egg

Make the streusel topping: place the flour, oats, sugars, and salt in a small bowl. Add the butter to the dry mixture. Rub the butter between your fingers, breaking it into smaller bits. Continue rubbing until the mixture feels coarse, like cornmeal. Place in the refrigerator while you make the muffin batter.

Muffins: preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Butter a twelve cup muffin pan (1/3 cup capacity each cavity).
Sift the flours, allspice, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon into a large bowl. Stir in the oats and sugars. Stir the carrots into the dry ingredients.
In a small bowl, whisk together the melted butter, buttermilk, egg and vanilla and whisk until thoroughly combined. Using a spatula, mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir to combine.
Scoop the batter into the muffin cups, using a spoon or an ice cream scoop. Sprinkle the streusel topping evenly over the mounds of batter and press it into the batter slightly to adhere.
Bake the muffins for 30-35 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. The muffins are ready to come out when they smell nutty and their bottoms are a dark golden-brown (twist a single muffin out of the pan to check). Cool the muffins in the pan for 5-8 minutes then carefully unmold and transfer to a wire rack.
These are best eaten warm from the oven or later that same day. They can also be kept in an airtight container for up to 2 days, or frozen and reheated.

*homemade buttermilk: to make 1 cup buttermilk place 1 tablespoon lemon juice in a 240ml-capacity measuring cup and complete with whole milk (room temperature). Wait 10 minutes for it to thicken slightly, then use the whole mixture in your recipe

Makes 12

Olive oil bread + "The Hunger Games"

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I asked for your thoughts on “The Hunger Games” trilogy a couple of months ago and today I want to tell you that I’m hooked on the books! By some of my readers’ suggestion I started with “The Hunger Games” even though I’d watched the movie and I really liked the book – my love for the movie got even bigger. Last night I started reading “Catching Fire” and the only reason I’ve put the book aside is because I have to work. :D Suzanne Collins has hypnotized me pretty much like Stieg Larsson did last year.

Great suggestions are always welcome and that is why I made this bread a couple of weeks ago: my dear friend Ana Elisa had told me that it was a very easy recipe that yielded delicious bread and after having a slice of it at her house I had to make it too; it was hard not to eat both loaves in a couple of hours, I’ll tell you that much. :)

Olive oil bread
from the beautiful Falling Cloudberries: A World of Family Recipes

5g dried yeast (or 14g fresh yeast)
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 cup (240ml) lukewarm water
2 ½ cups (350g) all purpose flour, more if needed
1 ½ teaspoons salt
¾ cup chopped green olives

Put the yeast in a large bowl with the olive oil, sugar and water and mix together with a fork. Let sit for about 5 minutes or until foamy.
Add the flour and salt and mix until it comes together. Turn onto a clean surface and knead for about 10 minutes or until smooth and elastic – I used the Kitchen Aid mixer for that.
Lightly oil the bowl and place the dough back in it, cover with plastic wrap and place in a draft-free warm place until dough doubles in volume, 1 ½ to 2 hours.
Punch down the dough and divide it in half. Add the half the olives to each dough portion and then work the dough to form a baguette-like shaped loaf. Transfer the loaves to a large baking sheet lined with foil. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and set aside in a warm place for 20-30 minutes.
In the meantime, preheat the oven to 220°C/425°F.
Bake the loaves for 30 minutes or so or until golden and the bottom of the loaves sounds hollow when you knock on it.

Makes 2 loaves

Milk chocolate stracciatella ice cream

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The day is cold, gray, cloudy, the rain comes and goes, and I plan to spend the afternoon under the blankets, with a bowl of popcorn and a good movie. Too bad this delicious ice cream is long gone - it was so amazing I would certainly have a bowl of it even on this chilly day. :)

Milk chocolate stracciatella ice cream
from the always amazing The Perfect Scoop

225g (8oz) milk chocolate, finely chopped
1½ cups (360ml) heavy cream
1½ cups (360ml) whole milk
¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
generous pinch of salt
4 large egg yolks
2 teaspoons Cognac
140g (5oz) dark chocolate, finely chopped

Combine the milk chocolate and cream in a large heatproof bowl over a saucepan of barely simmering water and stir until melted and smooth. Remove bowl from the saucepan and set a strainer on top.
Warm milk, sugar and salt in a medium saucepan. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the hot mixture over the yolks, whisking constantly. Scrape the mixture back to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Pour the custard through the strainer onto the milk chocolate cream, add the Cognac and mix. Cool completely, stirring occasionally, over an ice bath.
Refrigerate, covered, at least 6 hours. Freeze custard in ice cream maker.
While ice cream is freezing, melt the dark chocolate in a clean metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water, stirring frequently, In the last minutes of churning, carefully pour the melted chocolate in a slow stream directly onto ice cream as it churns and continue to churn 30 seconds (chocolate will harden in streaks). Transfer ice cream to an airtight container and put in freezer until firm, at least 4 hours.

Makes about 1 quart (950ml)

Beetroot risotto with goat's cheese - to celebrate Valentine's Day

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Unlike most places in the world, Valentine’s Day is celebrated here in Brazil today, June 12th. And to celebrate it I bring you a delicious and nutritious risotto – my mom used to tell me all the time that “beets are good for you!” – easy to put together and very, very red: the color of passion. ;)

I know that goat’s cheese might sound a bit luxurious here and that not everyone likes it, but try to use it in this recipe if possible: I was blown away by how perfectly its tangy flavor compliments the sweetness of the beetroot.

Beetroot risotto with goat's cheese
from the oh, so beautiful Good Things to Eat (mine was bought here)

4 cups (960ml) vegetable stock
250g raw beetroot, peeled and grated
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
180g Arborio rice
½ cup (120ml) dry white wine
salt and freshly ground black pepper
125g mild, soft, rindless goat’s cheese
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon chopped chives

Put the stock in a saucepan, bring to a simmer and add the beetroot. Keep it warm, just below simmering point.
In a large heavy saucepan, heat the oil and cook the onion and garlic just until soft but not colored. Add the rice and stir to coat it with the oil. Add the wine and stir until the liquid has been absorbed. Now add 2 ladlefuls of stock, scooping some of the beetroot with it, and continue to cook, stirring, until the liquid is absorbed. Add another ladle of stock and cook the same way. Season with salt and pepper and continue adding stock and stirring until rice is al dente. Stir in the butter and half the goats cheese, cover the pan and leave off the heat for 3 minutes. Spoon the risotto into the bowls or plates, top with the remaining goat’s cheese and a sprinkling of chives. Serve immediately.

Serves 2

Raspberry-swirl sweet rolls + a performance I love

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I love Michael Mann – he’s one of my favorite directors; so when I saw that “The Insider” would be on cable a couple of weeks ago I knew I was going to watch it again. At the end my husband, who had never watched that movie before, told me: “wow, that is an excellent movie!”, and I instantly knew he’d really loved it, like I do.
Russell Crowe is really easy to love, I’m aware of that, but to me Jeffrey Wigand is his finest role so far, even greater than Maximus – I know many will disagree with me here, but think of how much more difficult it is to play a guy with lots of flaws than it is to play a hero, and yet Crowe gets the audience by his side. To top it all off, Crowe’s physical transformation is another thing of beauty and a sign of an actor extremely committed to his craft, and yet his performance is so much more than putting on dozens of pounds – it’s the whole thing, all the details connected, blessed by a talented director. It makes me of think Robert De Niro’s Jake La Motta which to me is the best performance ever delivered by an actor, so you get the idea.

***

I have been baking bread quite often lately but mostly savory ones – I decided to switch to sweet mode after seeing this recipe on a magazine that has been growing on me a lot lately; I am crazy for cinnamon rolls and found this raspberry twist so interesting I had to try it. And the rolls turned out delicious, very tender, irresistible. The dough, perfumed with lemon zest, is very soft, easy to work with and tastes wonderful – I bet that a number of different fillings would be used with great results.

Raspberry-swirl sweet rolls
from the delicious Food & Wine

Dough:
1 cup (240ml) lukewarm whole milk
2/3 cup (133g) granulated sugar
1 ½ tablespoons active dry yeast
½ cup (113g/1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
¼ teaspoon salt
4 ¼ cups (595g) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

Filling:
One 10-ounce package IQF (Individually Quick Frozen) raspberries, not thawed
¼ cup + 2 tablespoons (74g) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon cornstarch

Glaze:
¾ cup (105g) confectioners' sugar, sifted
3 tablespoons (42g) unsalted butter, melted
1 ½ tablespoons heavy cream

Dough: pour the warm milk into the bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with the dough hook and stir in the sugar and yeast. Let stand until the yeast is foamy, about 5 minutes. Add the softened butter, eggs, lemon zest and salt. Add the flour and beat at medium speed until a soft dough forms, about 3 minutes, then continue beating until the dough is soft and supple, about 10 minutes longer.
Scrape the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead it with your hands 2 or 3 times. Form the dough into a ball and transfer it to a lightly buttered bowl. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let stand in a warm place until doubled in bulk, 1 to 2 hours.
Line the bottom of a 22x32cm (13x9in) baking pan* with parchment paper, allowing the paper to extend up the short sides. Butter the paper and sides of the pan. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and, using a rolling pin, roll it into a 25x60cm (10x24in) rectangle.
In a medium bowl, toss the frozen raspberries with the sugar and cornstarch. Spread the raspberry filling evenly over the dough. Tightly roll up the dough to form a 60cm (24in) long log. Working quickly, cut the log into quarters. Cut each quarter into 4 slices and arrange them in the baking pan, cut sides up. Scrape any berries and juice from the work surface into the baking pan between the rolls. Cover the rolls and let them rise in a warm place until they are puffy and have filled the baking pan, about 2 hours.
Preheat the oven to 220°C/425°F. Bake the rolls for about 25 minutes, until they are golden and the berries are bubbling. Transfer the pan to a rack to cool for 30 minutes.
In a small bowl, whisk the confectioners' sugar with the butter and heavy cream until the glaze is thick and spreadable.
Invert the rolls onto the rack and peel off the parchment paper. Invert the rolls onto a platter. Dollop glaze over each roll and spread with an offset spatula. Serve warm or at room temperature.

* I made the exact recipe above using a 20x30cm (8x12in) baking pan

Makes 16

Peanut butter-yogurt Bundt cake with ganache glaze + my good mood anthem

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I no longer complain about chaotic traffic here in Sao Paulo – I have accepted the fact that it is part of my city and that I have to face it on weekdays. Period. There’s no point in bitching about it – it is what it is. The key to survive it is to try and make those hours a little more pleasurable, and music is a very helpful tool. There is one song I absolutely love and that, for over 10 years now, has been a sort of instant mood enhancer: every time I feel sad or angry (or both), I listen to Phats & Small’s “This Time Around” and it immediately makes me feel better. My good mood anthem. :)

I also keep a small notebook at hand because it seems that traffic jams bring great recipes to my mind – it was on a very rainy and chaotic day that I remembered the peanut butter cake with chocolate glaze from this wonderful book, and now it is here so you can try it too – it is oh, so delicious.

Peanut butter-yogurt Bundt cake with ganache glaze
slightly adapted from the amazing Cake Keeper Cakes: 100 Simple Recipes for Extraordinary Bundt Cakes, Pound Cakes, Snacking Cakes and Other Good-To-The-Last-Crumb Treats

Cake:
1 cup (260g) plain yogurt
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 ¼ cups (315g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup (1 stick/113g) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup smooth peanut butter
1 ¼ cups (250g) demerara sugar

Glaze:
¼ cup (60ml) heavy cream
85g (3oz) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, room temperature

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Grease a 12-cup Bundt pan and dust with flour. Whisk together the yogurt, eggs, and vanilla in a large glass measuring cup. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
Combine the butter, peanut butter, and demerara sugar in a large mixing bowl and cream with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl once or twice as necessary.
On low speed, alternately add the dry ingredients in 3 additions with the yogurt mixture in 2 additions, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients, scraping the sides of the bowl between additions.
Turn the mixer to medium-high speed and beat for 1 minute.
Scrape the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until golden and risen and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, 40-45 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then invert it onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Glaze: heat the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until it comes to a boil. Remove from the heat, add the chocolate and butter and let stand for 5 minutes. Whisk until smooth.
Pour the warm glaze over the cake.

Serves 10-12

Orange nutmeg cookies

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I’ve been using the Internet for ages now – 5 ½ years of blogging alone – but it still amazes me how much good, useful information I have at the tip of my fingers. And how wonderful it is to find people who share my opinions about several things, after spending years loving/hating those things alone. Therefore, it was sheer joy to find this video to find out there is someone out there who has pretty much the exact opinion I do about certain movies; I’d throw in three more nominations for “Hanna” – Saoirse Ronan, Cate Blanchett and Eric Bana – but other than that the list of “nominees” on the video is pretty much perfect. :)

And this very same useful Internet showed me, many years ago, the domestic goddess Martha Stewart shaping cookie dough with a ruler and my life making slice and bake cookies was never the same again. :D
These orange cookies are delicious and if you have a ruler at home they’ll be a breeze to make.

Orange nutmeg cookies
slightly adapted from the wonderful The Grand Central Baking Book

2 cups (280g) all purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt
1 ½ teaspoons freshly ground nutmeg
1 cup (226g/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar + a little extra for sprinkling the cookie logs
1 egg
finely grated zest of 2 oranges
1 egg, extra, lightly beaten with 2 teaspoons water (I used an egg yolk I had left from another recipe)

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and nutmeg. Set aside.
In the large bowl of an electric mixer, using the paddle attachment, beat the butter, sugar and orange zest until creamy. Add the egg and mix to combine.
In low speed, add the dry ingredients and mix only until incorporated. Cover and chill for 30 minutes.
Divide the dough into two equal parts. Place each on a piece of parchment paper; shape dough into logs. Fold parchment over dough; using a ruler, roll and press into a 3cm (1 ¼in) log – like Martha does here. Wrap in parchment. Chill in freezer until very firm.
Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F; line two large baking sheets with baking paper.
Unwrap one log at a time (keep the other in the freezer). Brush the log with the egg wash and sprinkle with the extra sugar. Cut into 6mm (¼in) thick rounds; space 2.5cm (1in) apart onto prepared sheets. Refrigerate for 20 minutes, then bake until just golden around the edges, 20-25 minutes. Cool in the sheet over a wire rack. Repeat the procedure with the remaining dough log.
Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.

Makes about 40 cookies

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

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If you're gearing up for summer, it's time to get out the ice cream maker. If you don't have one, it's time to get one! I put it off for years, telling myself "Be sensible. It's one of those things you'll use once or twice and then ..." Turns out, I use it all the time! The gel-filled canister must be placed in the freezer 24 hours ahead of time, so I just keep it in the freezer at all times. I may even order a second canister for my machine so I can make two flavors without waiting for the canister to freeze.

For links to the nine other ice cream, frozen yogurt, vegan ice cream and sherbet recipes I've developed, just type "ice cream" in the "Looking for Something?" search box on the right or hit the "Recipes/Reviews" page link at the top and look under "Desserts." 

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

(Makes about 5 cups)

1 cup creamy natural nothing-added organic peanut butter
2/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt, if peanut butter is unsalted

1 1/2 cups organic whole or 2% milk3/4 cup organic heavy whipping cream1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate mini chips or chopped chocolate

1 In medium bowl (I use a 2-quart glass measure to make pouring into the machine easier), stir together peanut butter, sugar, vanilla extract and salt until the mixture is well blended. stir in a little milk to thin the mixture, then gradually whisk in remaining milk and cream. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.

2 Assemble the Cuisinart ICE-21 Frozen Yogurt-Ice Cream-Sorbet Maker; turn it on. While it is running, pour the chilled mixture through the spout. Let mix until thickened, about 15 minutes. Or follow the directions for whichever brand ice cream maker you have. If you have a KitchenAid, you can use their KitchenAid Ice Cream Maker Attachment. Add the chopped chocolate or chips during the last 2 minutes.

3 Transfer the soft ice cream to a freezer-safe airtight container. Place in freezer for at least 4 hours. If it is super hard when you're ready to use it, remove it from the freezer 15 minutes before serving.

Strawberry Shortcake - Gluten-Free or Not

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Strawberry shortcake is the quintessential summer dessert. A bit rustic in appearance, it is the perfect finale to a cookout or other casual dinner. Let's get real--it can even be dinner!

Strawberry shortcake can be made with those little store-bought sponge cakes or slices of pound cake or angel food cake, but I've always favored the kind made with slightly sweet baking powder biscuits. I draw the line, though, at buttering the biscuits before piling on the strawberries and whipped cream. 
If you are not on a gluten-free diet, just replace the first four ingredients of the biscuit dough with 2 packed cups (10 ounces) of unbleached all-purpose flour. And if you don't use alcohol, or are serving the shortcake to children or people who don't use alcohol, just leave out the orange liqueur. I just put it in because I think orange is the perfect accent for strawberries. 
So, tell me, how do you like your strawberry shortcake? 
Strawberry Shortcake 
(Makes 8 servings) 
Berries
2 1-pound clamshells (or 3 baskets) organic strawberries, stemmed and sliced
4 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons orange liqueur or fresh orange juice
Drop Biscuits3/4 packed cup sorghum flour
3/4 packed cup potato starch
1/2 packed cup tapioca starch
1 1/8 teaspoons xanthan gum
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
Zest of 1 medium orange
1 cup milk or organic rice milk
Whipped Cream1 cup heavy whipping cream 1 tablespoon sugar1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 About an hour before serving time, stir together strawberries, sugar and liqueur or juice in 2-quart bowl. Cover, and let stand at room temperature while you're making the biscuits. 
2 Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Line an insulated baking sheet with parchment; set aside.
3 In 2-quart bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. With your fingers or a pastry blender or two knives, cut in the cold butter until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs with some bigger chunks remaining. Pour milk or rice milk over flour mixture and gently mix until just combined.
4 Using a greased 1/3 cup measure, scoop out 8 mounds of dough about 2 inches apart on the parchment-lined insulated baking sheet. If you have dough left over, scrape it out and divide it among the 8 mounds. Bake for about 12 minutes, or until golden brown. Let biscuits cool slightly on wire rack while you're making the whipped cream. 
5 In mixing bowl, combine cream, sugar and vanilla extract. Whip to soft peaks.
6 Slice the biscuits horizontally and place the bottom halves in serving bowls. Divide the strawberries among the bowls, reserving some berries and juice to spoon on top. Divide the whipped cream among the bowls. Top each serving with a biscuit top. Garnish with remaining berries and juice. Serve immediately.

Chelsea Buns and Cinnamon Rolls

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Chelsea buns are what I make (or call what I make) when my traditional English baking genes are stirring. Other times, I might make (or call what I make) ordinary American cinnamon rolls. Of course, cinnamon is optional in a Chelsea bun but not so in a cinnamon roll. And currants, or other dried fruits, are optional in a cinnamon roll but not so in a Chelsea bun. Unlike the thick glaze on a cinnamon roll, the thin glaze on a Chelsea bun is invisible except for the shine.

Though the original London shop that started Chelsea buns in the 18th century is long gone, Chelsea buns are alive and well and being produced in vast quantities by the beloved 91-year-old Cambridge institution, Fitzbillies. Fitzbillies was closed briefly last year before being rescued by UK food writer Tim Hayward. One can actually place an order at fitzbillies.com and get Chelsea buns by post.

Back in the day when I tried to "health" everything up, I used a fraction of the butter and sugar in the filling. Then I decided to just go for it! I know 3/4 cup sounds like an awful lot of brown sugar, but it's really just one tablespoon each--not that bad. I still make most things with far less sugar than is typical, but this is a splurge. 

So which is it going to be for you--Chelsea buns or cinnamon rolls?


No-Knead Overnight Make-Ahead Cinnamon Rolls or Chelsea Buns

(Makes 12)

Dough

4 packed cups (20 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour, divided
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons instant (rapid rise) yeast
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 cup milk, microwaved 1 to 2 minutes in 2-cup glass measure
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces and added to heated milk
3 large eggs, room temperature, slightly beaten

Filling

3/4 cup dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons cinnamon (optional in Chelsea buns)
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon (for Chelsea buns only)
Pinch salt
1/2 to 1 cup currants and/or other finely chopped dried fruit
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened completely

Glaze for Chelsea Buns

3 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons milk

Brown Butter Glaze for Cinnamon Rolls

3 tablespoons butter
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 Start rolls the day before. In large bowl, whisk together 2 cups flour, sugar, yeast and salt. Add milk, butter and eggs, and stir until thoroughly combine. Stir slowly for 1 minute. Stir in 1 cup flour a half cup at a time. The dough will be elastic and sticky.

2 Leave dough in the bowl. Using reserved 1 cup flour, flour hands and sprinkle some flour over the dough. Lightly squish the dough around in the bowl with one hand (not really kneading!), adding a little of the reserved flour at a time. Save about 1 tablespoon of the flour for shaping the rolls. Gently shape the dough into a smooth ball (it will be sticky). Place in lightly oiled bowl (I use a 2-quart glass measure so I can easily see when the dough has doubled); lightly oil surface. Cover with oiled plastic wrap. Let rise until doubled, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours (took a little over an hour in cold oven).

3 Punch down dough by pressing down in center and folding in edges; cover an let relax in bowl for 20 minutes. In small bowl, stir together brown sugar, flour (save 1/2 teaspoon for the currants), cinnamon (and, for Chelsea buns, lemon zest) and salt. Put the currants or other dried fruit in another small bowl and stir in that little bit of flour, separating any currants that are clumped together. Grease with soft butter or cooking spray a 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish.

4 Turn dough out onto lightly floured (from the reserved flour) surface, and pat out to 12x16-inch rectangle. Spread on softened butter, leaving 12-inch border, then spread on the filling. If using the currants or other dried fruit, sprinkle evenly over the filling. Starting with the long edge nearest you, roll (not too tightly) away from you; seal edge by pinching together. Measure and see that the roll is 18 inches long, not counting the ragged ends. 

5 Using dental floss or serrated knife, trim away the ragged ends and cut roll into twelve 1 1/2-inch slices. Put in prepared baking dish. Cover loosely with lightly greased plastic wrap, let stand at room temperature for 20 minutes, and then place in refrigerator overnight.

6 Remove rolls from refrigerator 2 hours before baking. During last 15 minutes of that time, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake rolls for 20 to 25 minutes.

7 For Chelsea buns, prepare glaze during last 5 minutes of baking time. In small pan, heat sugar and milk to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer for a minute. Brush hot glaze on hot rolls the minute they come out of the oven.

8 For cinnamon rolls, prepare glaze during last 10 minutes of baking time. In small saucepan, heat butter over medium heat until golden brown, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; whisk in powdered sugar, milk and vanilla extract. Spread over warm rolls. 

Salsa - So Fresh Tasting No One Will Know It's Made with Canned Tomatoes - And a Giveaway

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Salsa made with canned tomatoes? Yes! For a taste of summer any time of year, whip up a batch of salsa made with canned tomatoes. I know, I know--I'm all about fresh; but tomato season is not quite here, and I refuse to buy out-of-season imports or any of the pallid objects that pass for tomatoes in most supermarkets. I've found that really good canned tomatoes (I always use Muir Glen organic) make better salsa than the less-than-stellar fresh tomatoes available.

Granted, it's not the salsa fresca we can enjoy during tomato season, but it's much fresher tasting than any of the store-bought salsas I've tried. In fact ... This is how fresh tasting it is. We had guests for dinner--guests who are really into food and into salsa--and they were crazy about it! AND (yes, I'm shouting) they did not know the tomatoes were canned! And I didn't tell them, thought I'd save that little gem for another time. 

There was just a tiny bit left over, and when I tasted it two days later, I was blown away! How can something taste so fresh after nearly 48 hours in the fridge?! Since it was early in the morning when I did my two-day taste test, I just went ahead and made organic tortilla chips and salsa, with a side of leftover Mexican rice, my breakfast. It was that tasty! 

But I wouldn't try this with just any canned tomatoes. At the risk of sounding like a shill for Muir Glen, I would only make this with Muir Glen tomatoes. Truly, I am not on their payroll; they simply make the best canned tomatoes. 

Salsa

(Makes 2 cups)

1/4 cup finely diced onion, rinsed and drained
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 14.5-ounce can Muir Glen organic fire roasted diced tomatoes with green chiles, undrained
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 or 2 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
1/8 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

In 3-cup bowl, combine all ingredients; stir together. Cover and refrigerate for 6 to 24 hours before serving. Garnish with more cilantro.


Muir Glen Organic Giveaway
Two winners will each receive a Muir Glen Organic Reserve Gift Basket. All US residents who leave a comment (one entry per person) on this post before 11:59pm Eastern time Wednesday May 16 will be put into a random drawing. Winners will be announced here before noon Eastern time on Thursday May 17.

Other recipes you might enjoy: Mexican Rice and Homemade Flour Tortillas. 

No-Knead Bread and Equipment Review - Wusthof Classic 10-Inch Bread Knife

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Bread, as you know if you've been reading Delightful Repast for any length of time, is my one weakness. I could live on bread and tea. I love everything about it--the look, feel and smell of it at every stage, as well as the taste. Making homemade bread is even more satisfying than making pies. I get just as giddy now over the magic of yeast as I did when I made my first loaf as young girl.

And I love the kneading. It's like a meditation for me. So why make no-knead bread? Because it's an entirely different bread than you get with kneading. This is a rustic bread--crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside with lots of big holes. If you are someone with arthritis or neuropathy in your hands who cannot knead, this is one homemade bread you should try. And if you are someone who does not own a food processor or heavy-duty stand mixer, this bread's for you; all you need is a bowl and a spoon to mix it up.

Though I sometimes use gluten-free and whole-grain flours, the only white flour I ever use is unbleached all-purpose flour. Life is simpler when the gluten-free and whole-grain flours are in the freezer and there is but one white flour in the cupboard. Why keep cake flour and bread flour on hand when any recipe can be adapted to unbleached all-purpose? Also just for the sake of simplicity, I make all my bread with instant yeast, sometimes called rapid rise or bread machine yeast.

This is my version of the famous Jim Lahey baked-in-a-pot no-knead bread that became a phenomenon of the blogosphere in 2006 when Mark Bittman wrote about it in The New York Times. I got around to trying it a few months later and made the first loaf according to the recipe, then immediately starting experimenting and improving it (or making it better suit my needs, I should say).

I've made the loaf larger (9 inches in diameter and 4 inches high in the middle) and eliminated some of the messy steps. Don’t let the “24-Hour” bit scare you off; it’s really just a few minutes of work and 24 hours of waiting. And it doesn't have to be exactly 24 hours either; it can be several hours less. But when you're trying to figure out how to make it come out at a certain time, it's easier to do the math with 24 hours! 


What are you going to use to cut this big, crusty loaf?

Good kitchen equipment, as you know if you've been reading Delightful Repast for any length of time, is also my one weakness (any Lark Rise to Candleford fans out there?). I'd been on the hunt for a really good bread knife, having been dissatisfied with several over the years, when the Wusthof Classic 10-Inch Bread Knife 4151 was sent to me for review.

I've tried all sorts of bread knives: expensive, cheap, long, short, offset handle, regular handle, straight blade, curved blade, scalloped teeth, regular teeth, combination teeth. They all either squash my bread or don't cut at all! Perhaps my being left-handed has something to do with it? 


The Wusthof Classic knives, which were always razor-sharp, are now 20 percent sharper and will maintain their edge twice as long, thanks to new technology. I'll let you read all the technical details at Wusthof's new microsite. It's quite interesting, but the burning question that needs to be answered here is: Can the Wusthof bread knife cut bread, crusty on the outside and soft on the inside, without squashing it?

Yes, it can! If you saw my review of the Wusthof Classic 8-Inch Cook's Knife, you know I love the way the Wusthof Classic handle feels in my hand. And this 10-inch blade is the perfect length for a bread knife, handling loaves of any size and splitting cake layers beautifully.  

24-Hour No-Knead Bread
Adapted from New York baker Jim Lahey's famous recipe 
(Makes one round 34-ounce European-style boule)

4 1/2 dip-and-sweep cups (22.5 ounces/638 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon instant yeast
2 cups water, room temperature

Note: I use my Le Creuset Enameled Cast-Iron 5-1/2-Quart Round French Oven with 9-inch bottom interior diameter and a 9-inch parchment round sprayed with cooking spray. My pot has the stainless steel knob, so no worries about it cracking at high temperatures. If your pot has the phenolic (plastic) knob, you might try covering it with foil or just order a Le Creuset L9403-45 Stainless-Steel 2-Inch Replacement Knob.

1 Start dough 24 hours before you plan to serve the bread. In large bowl (I use a straight-sided 4-quart glass bowl so I can easily tell when the dough has doubled), whisk together flour, salt and yeast. Add water and stir with dough whisk or large spoon until the dough just comes together into a shaggy, sticky dough. Cover with lid, plate or plastic wrap and let stand 18 1/2 hours on countertop. 

2 Sprinkle a tablespoon of flour over the dough (right in the bowl). With floured hands, pat the dough gently to deflate it a bit. Fold it in thirds (very irregular thirds as this is a very slack dough), then in thirds again, sprinkling on a teaspoon of flour with each fold. Cover with lid, plate or plastic wrap and let it rest for 2 1/2 hours. When you’ve got about a half hour left, place pot (without its lid) in the oven and preheat to 450 degrees. 

3 When it is ready, dough will be more than double in size. Remove hot pot from oven. Put a round of cooking-sprayed parchment in the bottom (sprayed side up) to prevent sticking. Using floured hand or a untensil, dump the dough into the heated pot. Cover and place in oven. Reduce heat to 425 degrees, and bake 40 minutes. Uncover, bake another 25 minutes or until the crust is beautifully golden and middle of loaf is 210 degrees.

4 Remove and let cool on wire rack for 2 hours. If not eating right away, you can re-crisp crust in oven at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. It's best the day it is baked but can be kept, wrapped in foil, at room temperature for up to 2 days. Or keep cut side down covered with a towel to preserve the crust's crunch. This bread makes terrific toast!

5 My favorite way of slicing a boule is to cut the loaf in half, turn the cut side down and slice, but you can make long slices if you like.

Note: You might like some of my other bread recipes. Look under Breads on my Recipes/Reviews index page.

Father's Day Recipe Round-Up

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It is that time again! Time to round up all of Dad's favorite meals. Tomorrow is the day to spoil your Dad, and here is over 60 recipes Dad will love!
Father's Day Recipe Round-Up

Sweet and Spicy Asian Steak	Honeybaked Ham
Gluten Free Broccoli Beef	Crockpot Carne Asada
Gluten Free Linguine and Meatballs	Asian BBQ Kebabs
Gluten Free Salisbury Steak	Gluten Free Baked Creamy Taquitos
Crock Pot Sweet Glazed Pork	Gluten Free Pulled Pork Sandwich
Garlic and Herb Shrimp	Best Hamburger

Potato Gratin	Roasted Potato Stacks
Restaurant Salsa	Quick Easy Hashbrowns
Pepper Cilantro Chutney	Grilled Chile Lime Corn
Adult Tater Tots	Gluten Free Oatmeal Cookies
Gluten Free Rhubarb Crisp	Black Bean Chicken Taquitos
Gluten Free French Fries	Gluten Free Cheese Bread
Guacamole	Carmelitas
Deviled Eggs	Gluten Free Potato Patties
Pico De Gallo	Homemade Ranch Dressing
Gluten Free Cinnabon Pancakes	Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
Bacon Wrapped Scallops	Gluten Free Sinful Chocolate Layer Cake
Loaded Mashed Potatoes	Red Velvet Pancakes
Gluten Free Banana Pancakes	Black Bean Dip
Spicy Cauliflower	Roasted Mushrooms
Gluten Free Strawberry Shortcake	Crispy Potato Roast
Green Beans and Caramelized Pancetta	Cheesey Cauliflower
Mushroom Risotto	Sauteed Mushrooms
Benihana Fried Rice	Quick Easy Spanish Rice
Gluten Free Pound Cake	Baked Garlic Fries
Caramel Apple Crisp Gluten Free	Creamy Cucumber Salad
Spicy Thai Fried Rice	Sweet and Spicy Asian Meatballs

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