Sweet Potato Buns – Great for Burgers, and Learning How to Bake Without Fear

10:12 AM , 0 Comments

Not only does adding sweet potatoes to a burger bun make it more nutritious, delicious, and significantly more beautiful, but it also presents the perfect opportunity to get pass your flour amount phobia, and finally be able to make dough by feel.

Every once in a while, I’ll get an email from someone whose dough was way too wet, or dry, and I always think the same thing; why would you stop? Some actually tell me they had to throw out the whole batch, which is insane. Your dough’s too wet? Add some flour. Too dry? Add some water.

No matter how exact a recipe is written, you simply can’t go by measurements, volume or weight, and expect perfection. There are too many variables that effect how much flour is needed – like a cup of mashed sweet potatoes, for example.

The best strategy is to not add all the flour at once, and only add enough to achieve the soft, slightly tacky dough seen herein. One of the great advantages of video is being able to see what the dough should look and feel like.

Once you get comfortable with not worrying about exact amounts, but rather exact results, the world of bread opens up to you and your new-found powers. Now, you just need to practice, so with that in mind, I really hope you give these amazing sweet potato buns a try soon. Enjoy!


Ingredients for 8 large, 16 medium, or 32 slider-sized rolls:

For sponge:
1 package (2 1/2 tsp) dry active yeast (I used Fleischmann's “RapidRise” Yeast)
1/2 cup warm water
1/2 cup AP flour

Then add:
1 cup mashed orange sweet potato (also sold as yams)
2 tsp honey
1 1/4 teaspoons fine salt
1 large egg
3 tablespoons melted butter
3 to 3 1/2 cups flour AP flour, as needed to form the right texture dough (see blog post)

- Bake at 400 F. for 15 minutes, or until browned. Large buns may take an extra few minutes, and the sliders-sized may take a minute or two less.

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Blue Apron Miso Chicken

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There's nothing more frustrating than the dinnertime rut... that familiar tug and pull between making the same old thing, trying something new (but what??) and calling the delivery guy.  This is the main reason I've been dying to try Blue Apron, they take the guessing game out of your nightly routine!  If you don't know about Blue Apron, it's a pretty fabulous service that sends out weekly recipes with pre-portioned, fresh ingredients in one convenient box.  The meals are simple, yet unique, so you'll most likely try something you hadn't thought of making!  You still get to do the cooking, but they make your prep very easy, and the recipes are extremely easy to follow with step-by-step photos as you go along.  Carson and I tried out the 2-person meal plan for one week, and the other night I made the Miso Roasted Chicken with Spring Peas and Jasmine Rice.

As a fan of miso, I LOVED this.  The chicken was roasted perfectly in the oven, and the spring peas brightened everything up.  I had never worked with pea shoots before, so that was fun to try, and the chopped nuts sprinkled on top gave the meal a wonderful texture.  Some comments on the site say the dish is too salty, but I didn't really think so (I should mention, however, that I LOVE salt).  I give this dish a two thumbs up, and I give Blue Apron three thumbs up!  (I have three thumbs, it's amazing the things you learn about me on this site.)    



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Teriyaki Burgers and a Sweet Potato Bun Tease

8:09 AM , , 0 Comments

Your classic teriyaki burger is usually nothing more than a plain patty, which has been glazed in teriyaki sauce; and by “teriyaki sauce,” I mean a thick, one-dimensional syrup made from sugar, soy, and MSG. If you’re enjoying your third pint at a sports bar, these work out just fine, but good luck adapting them for your next cookout.

Here we’re using a different, drier approach, and adding the key teriyaki flavorings to the ground meat. This gives us a burger or slider with the taste of teriyaki, without having to deal with a sauce. This recipe should work no matter the cooking method, although a medium-hot charcoal grill would be my preference, weather permitting.

No matter how you grill these, I highly recommend they end up on a homemade sweet potato slider bun. Besides another way to tweak the humble hamburger, this clip was intended to be a sneak preview for some rather amazing buns. We’ll post that sometime Monday, just in case you want to add it to your 4th of July menu. So stay tuned, and as always, enjoy!


Ingredients for four (4-oz) burgers:
1 pound ground beef (85/15 lean to fat ratio)
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon sake
1 tablespoon mirin
1 tsp sriracha, or other hot sauce to taste
2 tsp brown sugar

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Michael Mina at Kapalua Wine & Food Festival

6:38 AM 0 Comments

I am just back from the 34th annual Kapalua Wine & Food Festival which is the longest running food and wine festival of its kind not just in Maui, but in the country.  

It started out as a wine only event but morphed over the years. Today food is a big part of it with celebrity chefs, classes and tasting events. I got a chance to attend a lunch cooking demo class with Chef and restaurateur Michael Mina and was pleased to see RN74 Executive Chef Adam Sobel acting as right hand man. 

Michael Mina and Adam Sobel 
Here are some learnings from the event--

- Mina said the biggest mistake home cooks make is not tasting or not knowing what you’re tasting for. Following a recipe is not enough, you must taste. Ingredients are not consistent, they are different all the time and you need to adjust your recipes. 

- The four elements he considers most important? Acidity, spice, sweetness and richness, but not all dishes have all four. 

- When plating he said, put the pot down! You are going for control. If the pot is on the counter you will have more control of the spoon in your hand. 

Chilled Thai spicy lime vinaigrette with purple basil
- When it comes to cooking squid, he recommends that you cut squid then poach it for more tenderness than poaching whole. 

- When making a vinaigrette, he lets it sit for a day before using, so the flavors meld better. 

Tomato and cocoa powder dusted seared ahi with fried cauliflower, uni aioli and calabrian chiles.

- This dish had caponata an Italian vegetable dish that Mina said goes with everything--fish, chicken, seafood, etc. 

- When crusting fish or chicken, be sure to season on all sides before crusting, and season the crusting too.

Brioche banana custard brûlée
- For the French toast style dessert, the brioche was soaked a minimum of 30 minutes to an hour to allow the custard to fully hydrate the bread, then cooked in plenty of butter.

- Toasted flavors of caramel, nuts and brûlée banana complement the richness of the custard.

Thanks for the tips chef! 

Disclaimer: My thanks to the Outrigger Kapalua for hosting me at this wonderful event. I was not compensated monetarily for this or any other post on Cooking with Amy. 

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Today Food Contributor!

4:39 AM 0 Comments


Yesterday was a humbling, overwhelming and surreal day.  It was announced that I will be joining the Today Show family as a Today Food Contributor!  Every time I'm there, I feel like making a bedazzled poster and joining the energetic plaza crowd... and then someone comes to put a microphone on me and I'm like, oh, you want me to be on TV?  Are you sure?????  Pinch me.

What I'm even more excited about (if that's possible) is the launch of the new TODAY Food (check out this video if you haven't already).  It's a redesigned website with easy-to-follow recipes, tips, meal plans and videos... it's real, healthy, affordable and SIMPLE meals... it's finding your comfort-zone in the kitchen... it's Today.com/food.  HA!  I'm a commercial!  But seriously - no SIRIiously - my goal all along with this blog has been to make cooking FUN.  If a recipe freaks you out, change it, if you can't find a weird ingredient, skip it.  Cooking does not have to be intimidating!  

To answer one big question I got yesterday... NO, this new gig does not mean I will give up blogging.  In fact, I'll probably blog more!  I seem to be more productive when I'm busier, is that weird?  This blog is my happy place, and you virtual people are my virtual family.         

So in case you didn't see my segments yesterday, you can view them (and find the recipes) here:
One-pot Summer Vegetable Chowder and Creamy Chicken and Rice Casserole

Thanks for all the well wishes, you guys are THE BEST!

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Cauliflower with Chorizo, Tomatoes and Tahini Sauce Recipe

1:31 PM 0 Comments

I love how sometimes seemingly random ingredients come together. This dish of roasted cauliflower and chorizo with fresh tomatoes and greens and tahini sauce was created based on what I had on hand. But it was really tasty and something I would make again.

A lot of times when I interview chefs and cookbook authors, I ask how they come up with recipes. I have to admit, I don't usually get very satisfying answers. But recently I met cookbook author Anna Jones. Her book, A Modern Way to Eat has a really cool graphic to explain how she puts together dishes. It goes something like this:

Hero Ingredient
+
How Shall I Cook it?
+
Supporting Role?
+
Add an Accent
+
Add a Flavor
+
Add an Herb
+
Add some Crunch
+
Season and Finish

Her formula has a lot of components and is designed to add layers of flavor and texture to a dish. Do you have a formula that you use or can you deconstruct a dish according to elements? It's a fun exercise and can lead to some interesting new combinations. My formula for this dish was was hero ingredient+salty+green+acid+creamy.

Cauliflower with Chorizo, Tomatoes and Tahini Sauce
Serves 2 - 4

Ingredients

1 Mexican chorizo sausage, about 1/3 cup sausage meat
3 cups cauliflower florets, any color you like (I used golden)
1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Salt
1 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half
Greens (I used spinach but you could use anything you like)

Tahini sauce
2 Tablespoons tahini
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Pinch granulated garlic
Water
Salt

Instructions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a large skillet crumble the chorizo and cook until beginning to brown. Add the cauliflower and the olive oil and continue to cook until the meat is thoroughly cooked.

Transfer the cauliflower and chorizo to a lined baking pan and sprinkle with salt. Roast until cauliflower begins to turn brown, about 40 minutes. Arrange the cauliflower and chorizo on a platter with the tomatoes and as much greens as you like.

Make the tahini sauce by stirring together the tahini, lemon juice and granulated garlic. Stir in enough water to make a thick creamy sauce, about 2 tablespoons. Season with salt and drizzle the sauce over the salad.

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: This post includes an affiliate link. I was not paid to write this or any other post on Cooking with Amy

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Butter Puff Biscuit Dough – Faster, Easier, and Not Great for Shortcake

10:17 AM , 0 Comments

As promised, this is the puff pastry-like dough I used in the apple roses video, and while not exactly “ quick and easy,” this was definitely quicker and easier. Just don’t try and make strawberry shortcake with this stuff.

I wanted to use this dough as the centerpiece of our strawberry shortcake video, but unfortunately the cold pastry was way too hard to cut with a spoon, and so I ended up using a much more traditional, and user-friendly biscuit.   

That aside, as a puff pastry substitute, I think this was a huge success. Hopefully, you saw this in action in the apple roses video, which, by the way, was done with scraps. Besides fruit tarts, I’d love to try this for things like ham and cheese turnovers, and chocolate croissants.

With that in mind, I hope any and all successful experiments with this dough will be shared on social media; mostly so I can copy your ideas. By the way, there seems to a little controversy on YouTube as to the exact number of layers we got, so what say you? I hope you give this butter puff biscuit dough a try soon. Enjoy!


Ingredients:
2 cups self-rising flour (You can make you own by sifting together 2 cups of all-purpose flour with 1 tablespoon baking powder, and 1 teaspoon fine salt)
3/4 cup cold water (add enough water to make a soft, but not sticky dough)
*7 tablespoons frozen unsalted butter (a stick is 8 tablespoons)

*I grated on about 4 tablespoons for the first application, and about 3 tablespoons for the second.
- I generally bake this stuff at 400 F.  Time will depend on what it’s being used for.

0 comments:

Mini Cookie Butter Cake

4:24 AM , 0 Comments


Don't worry, no tuscan beans or rice were harmed in the baking of this cake.  Or used at all.  That photo is just for reference, because I baked this cake in a soup can!  (Which I've done before here and here.)  I mean, is there anything cuter than a tin can cake??  Not if you're a woman, because then you love mini things (don't get me started on the tiny tabasco bottles you get at hotels).

This cake is baked with Biscoff, and is topped with a cookie butter buttercream.  If you're a fan of the stuff, you will LOVE this tiny treat!  And you might do what Carson and I did, which is dip each bite in tequila.  Or rum.  Because that's a totally normal and logical thing to do.      


Mini Cookie Butter Cake
Recipe adapted from The Baker Chick
(Printable Recipe)

For cake:

1 egg white
2 Tbsp granulated sugar
2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 Tbsp cookie butter spread
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
Pinch of salt
1 1/2 Tbsp milk

For frosting:

2 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temp
2 Tbsp cookie butter spread
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray an empty, cleaned soup can with baking spray.  In a bowl, whisk together the egg white and sugar until combined.  Add melted butter, cookie spread and vanilla, and continue to whisk until creamy.  Stir in flour, baking powder and salt.  Finally, whisk in milk until everything is combined.  Pour into soup can, and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.  Let cake cool before applying frosting.

For frosting, vigorously stir together the butter and cookie butter spread.  Add the powdered sugar and milk, and stir until combined and creamy.  Spread onto cooled cake.

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Sauce for pickled salmon

3:34 AM 0 Comments

Untitled


Oh you guys, this sauce is SO delicious! It has the perfect balance between salty and sweet, tangy and briny.. you have to try it! It's perfect to go with pickled salmon, which in itself sounds strange but I promise you that it's not. I used my old recipe for that, but omitted the pink peppercorns this time. Great results!


1 tbsp capers, finely chopped
1 tbsp fresh dill, finely chopped
1 tbsp chives, finely chopped
2 tbsp mayonnaise
3 tbsp sour cream
1 tsp white wine vinegar
1/2 tsp sugar

Stir everything together, and let it sit for at least an hour in the fridge. Serve! 

0 comments:

Vanilla Bean Angel Food Cake

5:57 AM , 0 Comments


It's Carson's birthday!  We are on day 3 of celebrating over here, after having a little party on Saturday and of course Father's Day yesterday.  It's all very confusing for our almost-three-year-old daughter, who thinks every birthday party is HERS.  On Saturday, Carson requested a "light fluffy cake" with berries and whipped cream, so I found this recipe for a Vanilla Bean Angel Food Cake.

For the first time, I made this type of cake properly with a grocery store-bought angel food cake pan.  Follow these three pointers, and you TOO can enjoy this deliciously "light and fluffy" treat:

1. As tempting as it may be, do not grease the pan.  Apparently the cake needs something to cling to. 
2. Fold your ingredients together!  Google "how to fold cake batter" if you need a tutorial.
3. Once baked, turn the cake upside down on top of a beer bottle to prevent cake from collapsing.

Happy Birthday Carson :)

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Chef John’s "Sunset" Michelada – I Only Refer to Myself in the 3rd Person When I Drink

3:33 PM , 0 Comments

About halfway through this video production for how to make a Michelada, I realized I was getting paid to drink beer, which made the experience that much more enjoyable, and that’s saying a lot.

This spicy, savory, tangy, amazingly refreshing beer-based cocktail is considered one of the best hot-weather, adult beverages ever. I’ve heard it described as “Bloody Mary meets Mimosa,” which makes me never want to go to brunch again, but it’s also kind of accurate.

While that may not sound like something you would enjoy, most people do, and very much so. And the hotter it is, the more they enjoy, both literally and figuratively.  There’s something about how that slightly bitter, effervescent beer works with the sweet-sour-spicy profile of the other ingredients.

Even though they may seem like odd additions, things like the soy and Worcestershire are very important here, since they bring savoriness, or “umami” as the foodies would call it, to the drink.

I would never wish a horrendous heat wave on anybody, but, if one were to come your way, I hope you give this delicious, and restorative, Michelada “beertail” a try soon. Enjoy!


For Each Michelada:
lots of ice
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp hot sauce or to taste
1/8 tsp soy sauce
juice from half a lime (use other half to rim glasses with salt, freshly ground black pepper, and chili pepper)
1/4 to 1/3 cup tomato juice or homemade vegetable juice (see below)
1/2 bottle ice-cold Mexican lager (6 oz)
lime slices to garnish

For the vegetable juice (makes about 3 cups):
2 pints sweet cherry tomatoes, washed, drained
1/4 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
salt and pepper to taste (unless you use a ton on the rim like I did)

0 comments:

Unforgettable: Bold Flavors from a Renegade Life

8:30 AM 0 Comments

I'm a big fan of Paula Wolfert. She has an amazing talent for a kind of culinary cultural anthropology, exploring various cuisines, digging in deep, learning and documenting recipes like nobody's business. I have relished my time with her, especially at her home in Sonoma and subsequently in a class. I love hearing her stories, getting her career advice, not to mention having her cook for me. So I couldn't be more excited to learn of the plan to document her extraordinary life, along with some of her most important recipes. Leading the charge is former Food & Wine editor and cookbook author, Emily Thelin. The top team also includes photographer Eric Wolfinger and my friend, Andrea Nguyen who is acting as project manager.

I was planning to run this interview with Andrea in hopes of encouraging you to support the project and help it to meet its goal. Fortunately the initial goal has been reached. Now it's time to s-t-r-e-t-c-h and make this project even more special by lending your support to help reach the next milestone. Visit the kickstarter page to learn more. 

1. How did this project come about?
Andrea Nguyen: Last year, my friend Emily Thelin (formerly of Food & Wine) told me she wanted to write Paula’s biographical cookbook, and that Eric Wolfinger had offered to be the photographer. Eric had also suggested that they publish it themselves as an experimental project, true to Paula's renegade spirit. Emily told me she saw parallels between Paula's and my immersive approaches to our books. Given my experience writing and publishing four cookbooks, she asked if I would help.


2. Who is publishing the book? 
AN: We’re self-publishing Unforgettable. 



3. Why did you decide to go the kickstarter route?
AN:Crowdfunding this project allows us to do meaningful, small-batch cookbook publishing. It has its challenges but it hasn't been as hard as we thought. We're lucky to be pros in our respective areas and plucky enough to get this going. Knowing people like you is invaluable.


4. What is the process for the book? Are you cooking all the recipes with Paula? 

AN: Incredibly, we’ve met our minimum funding goal. If we’re lucky to reach our stretch goal of $80,000 we’ll be able to double the print run and comfortably cover costs. From now until July 11 when the campaign ends, it’s full tilt boogie to garner community backing for Unforgettable.

Paula wrote nine cookbooks and as you can imagine, can come up with a recipe off the top of her head. A group of folks familiar with Paula’s work will work through roughly 100 select recipes to find ones that are most suitable for the book. Vivid, doable, compelling recipes that speak to Paula’s life journey are what we’re aiming for.

Once we’ve got our short list, we’ll cook through many of them with Paula at her home. Those sessions will enable us to convey the connection between food and memory, the savors of life.

Right now, with the campaign just having been launched, we’re focused on making it super successful. With everybody’s support, we’ll cross the finish line with the ability to make a stellar publication.


5. Paula has greatly changed her own personal diet since her diagnosis, how many recipes will reflect this? 
AN: Many of them will but not all of them. It’s hard to pin point a number because making a book is a fluid process. We do want to incorporate recipes, ideas and techniques that speak to Paula’s current lifestyle. She has ironically been ahead of the curve for most of her life. This time, she has a few companions with her.

Thanks Andrea!

Now please do watch the video above if you haven't already, and head to the kickstarter page to support this project (yes, there are thank you gifts!)

0 comments:

Homemade Treats for Dad

5:15 AM , , , , , 0 Comments

I always find Father's Day hard to shop for.  Most of the cool, techy toys I know Carson would LOVE are like, stupid expensive (I'm talking to you, drones).  I've found homemade gifts are the most meaningful, whether that's a customized beer bottle label from this site, or a baked treat from MY site!  Here are some ideas!  Exclamation points!  (Or is it marks?)


0 comments:

Father's Day cooking...

11:13 AM 0 Comments


First of all, my heart is breaking for those affected by the tragedy in South Carolina.  I can't wrap my head around something so cruel.  It may seem silly, but when unfathomable things like this happen, I think of this Mr. Rogers' quote because it's a simple reminder that there is good in the world.

There's no easy transition from that, so I will just move on.  This morning I was on the Today Show with Carson, making his favorite Father's Day meal, which consists of a grilled bone-in ribeye and a zucchini and summer squash gratin (honestly, HOW do you pronounce that word?).  You can check out the segment in its entirety and view the recipes here.  And if you care to read the article I wrote about Father's Day that Carson references, you can check that out here.

I'll be back at Today next week, so please continue to tune in!



All photos by the lovely Samantha Okazaki.

0 comments:

Mocha Semifreddo – Bad Technique Makes for a Great Frozen Summer Dessert

6:17 PM 0 Comments

I got a request for semifreddo recently, and since it is a massively underrated summer dessert, I decided to give it a go. I love the rich taste, and the fact that you get what’s basically an airy, custard-style ice cream, without having to use a machine. However, it all comes at a cost.

The classic procedure is a little bothersome, since you need to make three separate components – a zabaione, a meringue, and whipped cream – so, I decided to simply use the eggs whole, and make a “zabaringue.” I knew I wouldn’t get as much volume, but I didn’t care.

One of my issues with semifreddo is that they’re sometimes too airy, and the flavor gets spread too thin.That wasn’t a problem here, and yet this much simpler version retained a wonderfully light texture despite the shortcut. I decided on a mocha-flavored semifreddo, since coffee is a pretty manly ingredient, and this sure would make a nice Father’s Day dessert. I hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!

Warning: Answering questions about how to use this technique to make other flavors is tough, since there are many variables. Theoretically, if you replace the coffee and liquor, with other “stuff,” then you should get a similar product. Good luck!



Ingredients for 2 portions:
- For the egg/coffee mixture:
 2 large egg eggs
 2 tbsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp instant coffee
1 tablespoon Kahlua
1 tsp unsweetened cocoa
tiny pinch salt
 - For the whipped cream:
1/4 cup ice cold heavy whipping cream
1 tbsp sugar
-Combine and freeze until firm. If using a loaf pan, line with plastic first!

0 comments:

Cranberry Cornmeal Cookies

3:26 AM 0 Comments

Untitled

This awesome cookie is from an equally awesome book - The Perfect Egg - from a likewise awesome pair of bloggers: Spoon Fork Bacon. I made them with Dante on a cold and rainy afternoon, and I'm happy to report success. But beware of a few things:

1. Don't overbake. It's easy to do, but will result in crisp rather than chewy cookies, and worse, slightly bitter ones. So watch them.

2. Space. These cookies need their space. A lot of it. So don't overcrowd them. I say six per baking sheet would be perfect. I tried nine, and ended up with big blobby cookies that ran into one another.

3. I've made some adaptions. I changed quantities a little and I'm using metric measurements. I can't find corn meal in Sweden, and as I was baking with a two-year old, I skipped any refrigeration and resting time. (which probably explains the massive spreading.) Need the original recipe? I heartily recommend buying the book.

Got all that? Well, let's go bake.

Cranberry Cornmeal Cookies
about 20-25 cookies, depending on size
adapted from The Perfect Egg by Teri Lyn Fischer and Jenny Clark

180 ml flour (bread flour is recommended, all-purpose is fine)
175 ml polenta (we don't have corn meal in Sweden.)
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
110 g butter, at room temperature
120 ml sugar
120 ml honey
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla  extract
150 ml dried cranberries

In a bowl, combine flour, polenta, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

In another bowl, cream butter, sugar and honey until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla, and mix well. Add the dry ingredients, and finally the cranberries.

At this stage, you could (and probably should) chill the batter. Or go ahead and bake, which is what I did. Drop about 1 tbsp of batter per cookie (a little more), very well spaced, on lined baking sheets. Bake at 175°C for about ten minutes - start checking at eight! They should get a little brown around the edges but you don't want them to brown too much.

Let them cool before removing from the sheets, or they're very prone to breaking.

These freeze well!


0 comments:

Frozen Peanut Butter Banana

5:05 AM , , , , 0 Comments


Carson came home from work the other day and was raving about this easy recipe: a banana, sliced in half, smothered in peanut butter and frozen.  What a great thing to keep in your freezer for a sweet, savory, healthy snack!  I, of course, would dip it in dark chocolate, maybe roll it in coconut... but I don't know when to stop.  You should make this, thanks Joy Bauer!    



Speaking of Carson, I wrote a little something about him for Father's Day here.  If you enjoy, please share, and vote, or better yet... join the site and write your OWN!    

0 comments:

Nectarine Salsa – Stone Cold Delicious

8:51 PM , , , 0 Comments

I’ve always loved the marvelous contrast between a hot, smoky piece of meat, and a cold, fruity salsa; and this version featuring nectarines did not disappoint. In fact, the only thing that pairs better with this fresh fruit salsa is a basket of crispy tortilla chips.

This salsa will work with any stone fruit, but nectarines are my favorite. They’re usually sweet, even when still a bit firm, which I prefer texturally over a perfectly ripe price of fruit. Having said that, if you do have a few peaches to use up this summer, this is something to keep in mind.

As I said in my closing arguments at the end of the video, if you think fruit salsa is just too weird, then you need to be reminded that tomato, a fruit, is the most popular salsa ingredient of all time. I rest my case…again. Hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!


Ingredients for about 2 cups Nectarine Salsa:
*Note: everything here is “to taste,” so adjust accordingly.
1 cup finely diced nectarine
1/3 cup finely diced onions
1/2 cup finely diced red bell pepper
2 tbsp finely diced jalapeno pepper
1 tbsp chopped cilantro
2 tsp olive oil
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
1/2 tsp salt, plus more to taste
pinch cayenne
pinch freshly ground black pepper

0 comments:

Interview with Hugh Acheson

10:56 AM 0 Comments

Chef Hugh Acheson | Photo by Andrew Thomas Lee
Chef Hugh Acheson released his third book, The Broad Fork: Recipes for the Wide World of Vegetables and Fruits, last month, which I reviewed in a round up of Southern cookbooks recently. It's an exciting cookbook with truly creative combination of ingredients and a focus on using vegetables you might just find at a farmers market or in a CSA box. We got a chance to meet and talk while he was in San Francisco just last week. 

Where have you been eating in the Bay Area? Any standouts?
Octavia, La Taqueria, Deli Board. For coffee--Sightglass, Blue Bottle and Coffee Cultures. Up in Healdsburg--Healdsburg Shed, Scopa, Dry Creek Kitchen. Hana for sushi in Rohnert Park was phenomenal. I'm looking forward to checking out Souvla today. 

What kinds of restaurants appeal to you the most? 
I’m always looking for current and contemporary and "ethnic" food. When I travel it’s usually long days, so I don't want a three hour, 12 course meal, I find them exhausting, I don’t eat much, I like to try a lot of things.  I like a place with good wine, with good burgundy.

Your culinary influences are so diverse—French, Southern, Japanese, Indian, Mediterranean—what is your process for creating a dish? 
I’m trying to pick up on nuances of flavor. It’s important that recipes are grounded in culinary logic. I try to make sure I’m putting together a puzzle that works, and in the case of  The Broad Fork, respecting the actual vegetable. I don’t like overwrought food—I prefer food to be light on the palate. I just want people to cook more. 

We went through a period 20 years ago of using ingredients and coming up with dishes like wasabi mashed potatoes. It showed a shallow knowledge of cultures. Now we’re cooking a lot more from scratch. Our understanding is much more relevant as ingredients are more accessable. Umami type flavors are more prevalent than ever before. Most of the recipes in the book are not complicated, I’m not having you stuff a chicken and age it in a tree for three months.  

For years the press has talked about “vegetables moving to the center of the plate.” It’s starting to happen in some San Francisco non-vegetarian restaurants. Will it happen with home cooking, in restaurants? At any of your restaurants?
We are moving towards it, protein prices have become exceptionally difficult and it’s hard to have quality and not charge $45 a plate. I don’t eat 6 ounces of protein anymore, 3-4 ounces is plenty. 

What role does pickling and preserving play in your cooking?
The Southern larder is all about pickling and preserving, as we get to the bottom of it and nerd out on it you can see the world’s pantry revolves around those things too. We’re nerds, we are learning whole new genres and saving the season's bounty. 

What are some good recipes for home cooks who are just getting started with pickling and preserving?
Americans get scared by fermentation but they eat and drink fermented food all the time. The fears are real, but there are smart common sense rules. I’d recommend making vinegar, but not just adding tarragon to white vinegar and hoping for the best. Or make sauerkraut. Or carrots with ginger or pickled peppers. Kimchi. Making these things is like science projects for my kids. 

You are one of the only chefs I know to advocate the use of a slow cooker and pressure cooker. How do you recommend using them?
You can make chicken stock in both! I think the slow cooker is just an evenly tempered cooker. You can slow cook lamb shanks over 8 hours.

Pressure cookers may not be the chefs favorite things, but they are used everyday in Asia and Mexico—anywhere with legume rich cuisine. Both are excellent at tenderizing. You can make corned beef in 55 minutes, of course that’s after brining for a week. The best beans ever are cooked in the pressure cooker. Once you get used ot it you can control it. They are pretty versatile machines. 

What’s next for you? More restaurants, cookbooks, TV? 
Not another book! My full time job is running 4 restaurants. We're opening a coffee shop, we’re very into coffee at the restaurant.

I do a lot of public speaking. I have a charitable organization. We are creating a family consumer science program for grades 6-8 to give kids life skills--so they can make a vinaigrette, roast a chicken, poach an egg. So they don’t run into the dilemma of how to feed a family of 4 on 8 dollars. We have a school district that is going to put it into place. 

I’m also working on a healthy fast food concept. It’s called Broad Fork and we’re trying to form the right alliances. Think large plates, based on the Southern meat and 3 formula.  You will make your own plate with protein and lots of salad elements. A cafetaria model kind of like Chipotle.

Is healthy fast food the wave of the future? 
In San Francisco you're going to have Locol—I think Patterson and Choi are on to something. Beefsteak in DC. There’s a big market for changes and disruptive markets. When we say fast food and fast casual, it’s how America eats.

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Chipotle Bowls at home!

12:19 PM , , , , 0 Comments


Who doesn't love Chipotle?!  (No, that's not a rhetorical question, I really need to know if someone in this world exists who doesn't love Chipotle.)  It's a magical place with fresh ingredients, quick service, salty chips and BEER!  There's even beer.  The kid portions rock, the guacamole is insane, and you can customize your order pretty much any way you like it.  Unfortunately, or maybe fortunately, we don't live very close to one, so I decided to make our own bowls at home!  

I followed this recipe using black beans instead of pinto (that I warmed on the stove with some chopped cilantro and green onions) and leftover grilled corn off-the-cob (with lime juice and zest).  Oh, and I may have gone to the restaurant to get their guacamole and chips to-go.  In case you're wondering, the Chipotle cheese is a blend of monterey jack and white cheddar.  Brilliant.  

What's your Chipotle go-to order?

*Even though I wrote their name 1700 times, this post was NOT sponsored by Chipotle, but hey, IF YOU'RE OUT THERE READING THIS, YOU MAGICAL PLACE YOU, FEEL FREE TO SEND ME COUPONS.  That was classy.   



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Beef, Bean, and Beer Chili – What a Great Way to Lose a Beer

11:15 AM , , , 0 Comments

As the legend goes, someone was making a batch of chili one day, while drinking too much beer, and due to a series of unfortunate events, a bottle was dropped into the pot. 

By the time it was fished out, the contents had escaped, and a new, delicious version of chili was born. As a former line cook, I'd say that sounds about right.

This recipe reminds me of the decision we’re faced with whenever we make beef stew. Should we deglaze with wine, or just our broth? Both make great, but differently flavored stews, so it really just depends on your mood, and also whether you're willing to sacrifice your adult beverage.

As I mention in the video, hot chili is a very underrated summer menu item. Bring a big ol’ thermos of this to a picnic, or other warm weather cookout, and it makes a great side to those grilled burgers and dogs. Just have some insulated cups around, and maybe some hot sauce, and you’re in business. I hope you give this beef, bean, and beer chili a try soon. Enjoy!


Ingredients for 6 portions:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 diced onion
2 pounds ground beef
2 tsp salt, plus more to taste
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
3 tbsp ancho chile powder, or to taste (I like ancho, but any high-quality ground chili pepper will work)
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tsp paprika
1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 (12-oz) bottle of beer
1 cup tomato puree or crushed tomatoes
2 cups water, or as needed
2/3 cup diced green pepper (I used poblano, but a combo of jalapeno and green bell works great too)
2 (12 ounce) cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed well

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Wine of Alsace: Wine on Friday

6:00 AM 0 Comments

Orschwihr--Copyright ZVARDON-ConseilVinsAlsace
Many years ago I explored the little villages and towns on the famous “route du vin" in the Alsace. I was charmed by the rolling landscape of vineyards, dotted with medieval towns with cobblestone streets, castles and half-timbered houses with colorful flowering window boxes. And I was excited to see magnificent white storks nesting on rooftops.

The food in the Alsace is outstanding, two typical dishes are choucroute with sausages and sauerkraut and potatoes and flammekueche, a wood fired tart with creamy onion topping and lardons, that is like a French version of pizza. I would eat one right now if I could! 
Some postcards from the Alsace
The region has a German influence and shares many of the same wine varietals, but there are clear differences. While German wines tend to be lower in alcohol and sweeter, the French wines of this region are often floral, fruity, dry and richer with just a bit more alcohol, little or no oak and well priced. Needless to say, the wines of the Alsace are well worth getting to know. They have a clean and concentrated characteristic along with terrific acidity that makes them the perfect pairing for the food of the region and far beyond. Perhaps 20% of the wineries are organic or biodynamic, although as is typical in France, this isn’t something you’re likely to find on a label. Many of the best known wineries have been around for hundreds of years. 
Recently I had a number of Alsatian wines at a dinner with Moroccan inspired food. The range of wines showed how they could cool warm spicy chiles, yet stand up to the richness of a creamy eggplant dip. The wines of the Alsace are labeled by the varietal and only a small percentage are ever blended. The Alsace is dominated by white wines, here are the major varietals to know: 

Gewurtzraminer—aromatic with fruit, flowers and spice. It’s richer and less sweet than the German ones, but the fruitiness can make you think it’s sweeter than it is. 

Pinot Gris—the Alsace is just north of Burgundy, and Pinot Gris is in some ways like the white wines of that region. It’s bold and concentrated and often has smoky aromas with spice and fruit such as ginger or peach as well as earthy notes. Whatever you do, don’t compare it to Pinot Grigio, it’s a much weightier wine.

Riesling—dry and fruity, this varietal in the Alsace has fantastic minerality and a bright citrus quality. They are much bigger wines than the ones in Germany and  bit higher in alcohol too. Older ones become rich with age.

Muscat—unlike Muscat from other regions, this one is dry, and is known for being the perfect complement to asparagus. It’s full bodied, floral and citrussy.  

Pinot Blanc—I have to admit, I’m generally not a big fan of Pinot Blanc. It’s creamy and subtle but doesn’t have much “star power.” That said, I had a blend of 65% Pinot Auxerrois, 20% Pinot Blanc, 15% Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir from Meyer-Fonné that was outstanding. 

A few other wines:

Cremant —the Alsace is right next to Champagne and Cremant is the Alsatian bubbly wine made in the same manner. There are lovely versions made from either Pinot Blanc or Pinot Noir rather than Chardonnay and they represent 25% of wine sales from the region. They are light, refreshing, clean and make a terriific apperitif. They are also very affordable, I tried two that retail at just $20 a bottle. 

Grand Cru— a relatively new designation, Grand Cru wines come from one of 51exceptional terroirs and are limited to Riesling, Muscat, Pinot Gris and Gewurtztraminer. They tend to be more elegant and complex and not surprisingly, much higher in price.

To learn more visit Wines of Alsace

Disclaimer: While I was guest at a dinner featuring the wines of the Alsace, I was not compensated monetarily for this or any other post on Cooking with Amy. 

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