Rum-ish Goodness: Captain's Blood and Jade

First posted in 2010.

It's pretty obvious that I haven't been cooking much lately. And what I've been cookin' ain't been new stuff.

However, we have been trying new cocktails.

What a hobby. Simply pour a few ingredients together in a different way and you can sample a brand new taste sensation with relatively little effort.

So here are our latest discoveries.

Captain's Blood
Sounds tailor-made for Halloween, even if it isn't orange. Though it is  almost black. Almost.

1-1/2 ounces dark rum
1/4 ounce lime juice
1/4 ounce simple syrup
2 dashes Angostura Bitters

Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker, add lots of ice, shake up well, and pour into chilled cocktail glasses. Garnish with a spiral of lemon peel.

Jade
You wouldn't think that adding such small quantities of the other ingredients would change the rum so much. But they do. And it's also a lovely greenish color.

1-1/2 ounces light rum
1/2 teaspooon creme de menthe, green
1/2 teaspoon Triple Sec
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 teaspoon simple syrup

Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker, add lots of ice, shake up well, and pour into chilled cocktail glasses. Garnish with a slice of lime.

Zombie

First posted in 2011. 

Can you have Halloween cocktails and not include the Zombie? I'm pretty sure that's against the rules. Somewhere.

These are, in a word, delicious. In another word, tangy. In a third word (or two), potential lethal.

As a side note: I'd never tasted passion fruit syrup before. It is like a curious combination of pineapple, orange, and mango on the tongue. Quite good.

We now return to the Zombie ... it never does to take one's eyes off of a zombie for too long, after all.

Do not overindulge. Or you will become that thing we all dread. A zombie.

But one Zombie won't hurt. At least we all came out alive. And since we were testing these while watching last weekend's Cowboys game, we needed something to dull the pain.

Zombie
1 tsp. Brown Sugar
1 oz. Lemon Juice
1 oz. Lime Juice
1 oz. Pineapple Juice
1 oz. Passion Fruit Syrup
1 dash Angostura Bitters
1 oz. Gold Rum
1 oz. 151-proof Rum
1 oz. White Rum

Dissolve brown sugar in juices. Combine all ingredients, shake with ice, and pour into chilled Collins glass. Garnish with a mint sprig.

Satan's Whiskers

First posted back in 2011. I'd forgotten about this one but will be trying it again soon!

It's interesting to me that Hannah and Rose both seem to choose cocktails to try based on the name. We have discovered some delicious cocktails that way, to be sure, but it is it so different from my method of scanning the ingredients to see if my mind's palate thinks it would be a good drink.

With Halloween coming up, Rose is at it again. Hence, Satan's Whiskers, which filled me with dread because of the double vermouth whammy ... which my mind's palate was nudging me in the ribs about (too much vermouth is not something I adore). Also orange juice. Which none of us are very fond of.

Based on my fears, we made sure we had ingredients for Zombies on hand also. There was no need as it turned out.

Satan's Whiskers was a lovely orange cocktail with no one ingredient overwhelming the others. A rich, deep flavor is the only way I can think of to describe it. Delicious. You'll just have to try it for yourself and see what you think. (More about the Zombies later.)

Satan's Whiskers
3/4 oz. Gin
3/4 oz. Dry Vermouth
3/4 oz. Sweet Vermouth
1/2 oz. Orange Juice
1/2 oz. Grand Marnier (our house orange liqueur is Cointreau so we used that)
1 dash Orange Bitters

Shake with ice and strain into chilled cocktail glass.

Tomato-Basil Soup

This has become a classic soup during my lifetime. I recall when La Madeleine restaurants in Dallas served it to rave comments, sold it bottled at grocery stores, and yet ... I never tried it.

I love regular Tomato Soup and though I believed the accolades I just didn't think I needed to eat Tomato Soup that often. It turns out I was wrong.

Rose came across it when living in L.A. and immediately found a recipe which she made regularly. She's been back in Dallas for years now, living at home, and it has become a staple for our meatless Friday meals. We love it, especially paired with a Grilled Jalapeño Jack Cheese Sandwich.

As my husband observed, "I always just thought I didn't like Tomato Soup before. Turns out I was eating the wrong soup!"

It helps that it is super easy.

Note: this freezes well and we often make a double recipe so that there's always some on hand.

Tomato-Basil Soup

Step 1:
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 red onions, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced

Heat olive oil over medium-low heat in a dutch oven or large pot. Once hot, add onions and season generously with salt. Cook the onions, stirring occasionally, until soft and starting to turn golden brown, about 15 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute, stirring to avoid burning the garlic.

Step 2:
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
4 cups good-quality chicken stock
Salt and pepper

Stir in the tomatoes and chicken stock. Season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Bring the soup to a boil, then lower heat to maintain a simmer for at least 15 minutes. Feel free to leave it longer if you forget about it.

Purée mixture using an immersion blender or carefully transfer soup to a blender and blend until smooth. If using a blender, return mixture to the pot.

Step 3:
1 cup heavy cream
1 bunch basil, torn into small bite-size pieces
Parmesan cheese, grated for garnish

Stir in the cream and basil and let simmer for at least 15 minutes or until preferred consistency. Serve immediately, topped with a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese, black pepper, and basil.

Salsa Dip

I can't remember where I got this. It may have been from the newspaper. Regardless it is so simple and evryone always loves it. I first posted it in 2005 and have been making it ever since for football games, book clubs, and more. Everyone loves it.

8 ounces cream cheese
Salsa, as much as you want
8 ounces shredded Monterey Jack (or another good melting cheese that will stay soft - NOT mozzarella)

Spread cream cheese over bottom of a ceramic or glass baking or pie dish. Spread salsa over, then top with shredded cheese.

Bake at 350° for 15-20 minutes, till heated through and bubbly. Serve with tortilla chips.

Pesto alla Genovese

I first posted this in 2015. Clearly it is time to share it again! It is a family favorite and without fail I plant basil every spring so that I can harvest it throughout the year for this Pesto.

Pesto alla Genovese
(a.k.a. Basil, Garlic and Cheese Sauce)
via Wikipedia

The Time-Life Foods of the World books gave my family many favorites that were exotic in the 1960s but are standard now. So when Rose asked for our pesto recipe I knew The Cooking of Italy was the place to turn. You'll see many variations in different cookbooks but none are better than this.

It freezes well and that's a good thing because the July Texas sun turns my basil plants into monsters that have me making pesto once a week. The harvest keeps going into the fall.

This recipe gives techniques for the blender (this was before food processors which is what I use) and the old fashioned mortar and pestle. I'll just leave that technique out because if someone is using those then they've already got a recipe. And they're more dedicated to authenticity than I'll ever be.

Pesto alla Genovese

Makes about 1-1/2 to 2 cups

2 cups fresh basil leaves, stripped from their stems, coarsely chopped and tightly packed
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 to 2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic
2 tablespoons finely chopped pine nuts or walnuts
1 to 1-1/2 cups olive oil
1/2 cup freshly grated imported sardo, romano, or Parmesan cheese

Combine the coarsely chopped fresh basil, salt, pepper, garlic, nuts, and 1 cup of olive oil in the blender jar. Blend them at high speed until the ingredients are smooth, stopping the blender every 5 or 6 seconds to push the herbs down with a rubber spatula.

The sauce should be thin enough to run off the spatula easily. If it seems too thick, blend in as much as 1/2 cup more olive oil. Transfer the sauce to a bowl and stir in the grated cheese.

Best Sloppy Joes

Here's a well loved family favorite which my 90-year-old mother immediately took to when she moved in with us.

I am not positive but believe this recipe came from Gourmet in the letters from readers section quite a long time ago. I skip the chopped onion when I am especially pressed for time.

Enjoy!

Step 1:
1 pound extra-lean ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion

Sauté beef and onion until meat is no longer pink. Drain fat.


Step 2:
1 cup ketchup
2 teaspoons dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons white vinegar
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon Worcestershire
1 teaspoon Dijon
Pepper to taste

4 burger buns

Add all and cook, uncovered, over low heat, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 10 minutes. Pop on the buns and enjoy!

A Feast for the Eyes — Watermelon No. 2

Watermelon No. 2
by James Neil Hollingsworth

Chai-Spiced Pound Cake

This is straight-up fantastic. This highly spiced cake is like a cross between a pound cake and sponge cake ... so we could just call it a bundt cake and be done with it. That said, the texture is just heavy enough to be substantial and the cake has a lovely, moist texture. I was surprised to find there was a bit of a bite at the end which felt as if I'd eaten fresh ginger. Turns out the spice mixture has black pepper as an ingredient.

I've never liked chai-spiced drinks but then I saw this recipe in the King Arthur Flour catalog which looked so enticing that I bought their chai spice so I could make it. Of course, I don't love to drink chai but I might like to eat it in a dessert. As it turns out, the investment was well worth it.

I first posted this recipe in 2017. Since then the chai spice has been hard to get sometimes so I just make the mixture below in quantity. There are some almond chai cookies that I use this blend for so it's handy to have around. I'll need to post that recipe soon!

But until then — enjoy this one!

Chai-Spiced Pound Cake

16 tablespoons (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup honey
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons chai spice OR 1 tablespoon cinnamon, 2 teaspoons ginger, 2 teaspoons cardamom, 1-1/2 teaspoons allspice, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups flour
1 cup sour cream or yogurt, full-fat preferred
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. In a large bowl, beat together the butter, brown sugar, and honey until smooth and somewhat lightened in color; this will take about 2 minutes at medium speed of an electric hand or stand mixer.
3. Add the eggs one at a time, beating for a minute or two and scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl between additions.
4. Stir in the baking powder, baking soda, salt, and chai spice blend (or spices).
5. Measure the flour by gently spooning it into a cup, then sweeping off any excess. Gently but thoroughly stir half the flour into the butter/egg mixture. Add the sour cream (or yogurt) and vanilla, stirring to combine. Finally, stir in the remaining flour. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl and beat briefly, to incorporate any sticky residue.
6. Thoroughly grease a 9- or 10-cup Bundt pan. Scoop the batter into the prepared pan, and bake for 50 to 55 minutes, until a cake tester, bamboo skewer, or long toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
7. Remove the cake from the oven, and cool in the pan for 15 minutes before turning it out onto a rack to finish cooling.
8. Cool completely before slicing. Store any leftovers, tightly wrapped in plastic, at room temperature for several days; freeze for longer storage.

Tandoori Chicken Sandwiches

Brahaman Chicken from India
You don't have to use this variety
in these delicious sandwiches!

This is more Indian-adjacent than truly Indian but it is absolutely delicious and has familiar Indian flavors. 

It is a Bon Appetit recipe that we came across in one of my daughter's cookbooks. It delivers on so many levels, first of which is extreme flavor. It's easy and can be made ahead, so is perfect for the upcoming football season when the afternoon game means you're busy until dinnertime. (We've got a lot of Chiefs and Cowboys games to watch after all!)

Tandoori Chicken Sandwiches

Ingredients

Sandwiches
6 skinless boneless chicken breast halves
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 cup plain yogurt
2 tablespoons chopped fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
12 slices sourdough bread

Indian mayonnaise
1 cup packed fresh mint leaves
1 cup packed fresh cilantro leaves
1 jalapeño chili, seeded, minced
3 tablespoons chopped onion
2 teaspoons cider vinegar
1/2 cup mayonnaise

For Sandwiches:
Step 1
Arrange boneless chicken breasts in single layer in large glass baking dish. Sprinkle with fresh lemon juice: season with salt. Mix plain yogurt, chopped fresh ginger, chopped garlic, ground cumin, ground coriander, cayenne pepper and turmeric in medium bowl. Pour yogurt marinade over chicken breasts and turn to coat. Cover chicken and refrigerate 3 to 8 hours.

Step 2
Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat) or preheat broiler. Remove chicken breasts from marinade (do not wipe clean). Grill or broil chicken until just cooked through, about 5 minutes per side. Cool slightly. (Chicken can be prepared up to 2 hours ahead. Cover and let stand at room temperature.)

Step 3
Lightly toast (or grill) sourdough bread. Spread 1 side of each piece of bread generously with Indian Spiced Mayonnaise. Slice chicken breasts diagonally. Place slices of 1 breast atop each of 6 sourdough bread slices. Top with remaining bread slices. Cut chicken sandwiches in half. Serve sandwiches warm or at room temperature.

For Mayonnaise:
Step 4
Combine 1 cup mint leaves, 1 cup cilantro leaves, minced jalapeño chili and chopped onion in work bowl of processor. Process until very finely chopped. Mix in cider vinegar. Add mayonnaise and process just until combined. Season mayonnaise to taste with salt and pepper. (Mayonnaise can be prepared 3 days ahead. Cover tightly and refrigerate.) Makes about 1 scant cup.

Ginger Cakes

 Or as I call them Ginger Shortbread because they have a delightfully short texture. They are also dead easy, just a few ingredients all cut together and pressed into a pan with your fingers. 

These are from the New James Beard which was indeed new in 1981. Despite the age, the recipes in here are interesting in a way that intrigues me when I read through it. And they're excellent. James Beard — what a cook.

GINGER CAKES

Makes 30 cookies

2 cups flour
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 pound (1 cup) unsalted butter, cool (NOT room temperature), cut into small pieces

Mix the dry ingredients thoroughly, then combine with the butter until the mixture is well blended and crumbly. (I do this by hand, lightly rubbing the butter into the flour between my thumbs back and forth across fingertips.)

Plae a 1/2-inch thickness of the mixture in two square 8-inch cake pans, pressing it down in the pan with your fingers. 

Bake in a 328° oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until lightly browned. While the cake is still warm, cut it into finger-shaped pieces about 1" wide. Remove the pieces with a spatula and, when cool, store in covered tins.

It's the Simple Things in Life That Matter — Perfect Piecrust

Another rerun - from 2004.

Yes, you heard me ... pie crust. Its always a touchy subject among cooks and I can't blame anyone for using the pre-made ones in the red box (Pillsbury?). I have to admit they really are the best commercial alternative to homemade.

However, this recipe is the easiest and most foolproof I've ever found. Once when Rose was making it, she accidentally added an extra 1/4 cup of water and wound up with something like a thick batter. We improvised by sprinkling extra flour in until it looked right and ... voila! A delicious, flaky pie crust with no problem. Now that's hard to beat.

It is from The Man Who Ate Everything by Jeffry Steingarten. Marion Cunningham, baker extraordinaire, made about a zillion pie crusts while detailing every step along the way so Steingarten could get it just right. The beauty of it is that this makes a lot more dough than you need so you don't have to worry about scrimping to get the crust just perfect when rolling it out.

It looks intimidating but that's because it details every step needed. It's always been perfect from the first time pie to the most recent.

PERFECT PIECRUST

Step 1:
3 cups flour (scoop with 1-cup measure, press it very lightly into the cup and level off excess with side of hand)
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 cups shortening (Crisco, butter, or a combination)

In a large bowl mix flour, sugar, and salt with fingers. Drop shortening onto flour in bowl. Toss with flour, then break up into about 12 nuggets, tossing gently to coat and arrange on flour in a rough circle. Rub fat into flour in two stages.

Step 2:
First, scoop fingers of both hands down along the sides and bottom of bowl under flour and lift them several inches above rim of bowl with a pile of flour and one large chunk of fat in each. Lightly rub thumbs back and forth across fingertips, about three times, in order to break up into pieces the size of small olives while coating with flour. Do not press down hard with thumbs; do not flatten fat. Roll it between fingertips. Let flour and fat fall back into bowl. Repeat five times, until all large nuggets are broken up.

Step 3:
In second stage, continue scooping up flour and fat from bottom of bowl, sweeping thumbs only once and only in one direction, from little finger to index finger. Smallest pieces will slip between fingers and largest pieces will tumble over index finger. Repeat 20-25 times. Particles of flour-coated fat will range in size from coarse meal to peas to small olives. It is important that particles range widely in size. A little flour may remain uncoated.

Step 4:
3/4 cup very cold water
1 tablespoon cold milk for brushing the pie
1 tablespoon sugar for sprinkling crust

Add 1/2 cup of cold water, sprinkling evenly over the surface. Immediately stir water into flour with fork, held vertically, starting at sides of bowl, then stirring in smaller and smaller circles toward center, making sure that the points of the fork sweep the bottom of the bowl. Motions should be light. After a few stirs, all the flour should be moistened and dough gathered into small clumps. If there are too many loose, dry crumbs, add a tablespoon or two of water and stir again. Do not overmix.

Step 5:
Gather all dough by pressing it together firmly against one side of the bowl. Break off about half, shape into a bowl with cool fingertips, and flatten it on the counter into a disk about an inch high. Repeat with other half of dough.

Step 6:
Grease a 9" pie plate with a tablespoon of shortening. Both crusts may be immediately rolled out or wrap each disk in plastic and refrigerate for 15-20 minutes. If refrigerated, dough will require 5-10 minutes at room temperature before becoming malleable; it should not break at edges when you roll it out. It must be refrigerated if dough contains butter.

Step 7:
To roll: On a well-floured surface roll the larger of the two disks into a rough 13" circle, 1/8" thick. Use a light touch, rolling from the center to the far edge, being careful to life to pin before flattening the far edge. Roll toward you in the same manner. Turn the dough an eighth or a quarter of the way round and roll again. Do not compress downward but stretch outward. Fold the circle gently into quarters in place in pan, placing the point of dough at the center. Unfold and trim. Cover with plastic wrap. Repeat with other disk. Unless kitchen is cool and dough is firm, cover with more plastic wrap and refrigerate for 10-15 minutes.

Step 8:
Prepare filling, fill, and when pie is sealed brush with milk and sprinkle with sugar. Set on cookie sheet and bake as per filling dictates. For a fruit pie, bake at 450° for 25-40 minutes until darkest spots on crust are very dark brown. Reduce heat to 375° and continue baking until it has been in the oven for a total of about 1 hour.

Baked Pasta with Tomato, Cream and Five Cheeses

 This is from The Wall Street Journal's regular Slow Food Fast column which features a different chef each month. I clipped the recipe way back in 2019 and it doesn't show up on the WSJ website but it's from Al Forno chef Johanne Killeen. We liked it so much that I'm picking up her On Top of Spaghetti cookbook from the library. (Also, how can you resist that book's name? You can't!)

It was so easy that I didn't change a thing. And it was delicious.

Note: every other place carrying this recipe has these changes from what the WSJ printed: 2 c. cream, 1-1/2 oz. Parmesan and fontina, and gorgonzola, 4 oz sliced fresh mozzarella. I will try these some time also.

Baked Pasta with Tomato, Cream and Five Cheeses

Step 1

1 pound penne rigate

Heat oven to 500°. Boil pasta until just shy of al dente, about 6 minutes, and drain.

Step 2

1 cup heavy cream

1 cup chopped canned tomatoes

1 ounce Parmesan

1 ounce coarsely grated Fontina

1 ounce crumbled Gorgonzola

2 tablespoons Ricotta

4 ounces grated Mozzarella

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

6 large, fresh basil leaves, coarsely chopped

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine all ingredients except the pasta and butter. Add hot pasta and toss until cheese is evenly distributed.

Step 3

4 tablespoons butter

Place in a shallow (1 inch) layer in a large baking dish. Dot with the butter, and bake until brown and bubbly on top, 7 to 10 minutes.

Baked Salmon with Horseradish Mayonnaise

I first shared this in 2005 and it is well worth sharing again. It's one of my all time favorite recipes and really the only way that I make salmon. I've tweaked it a bit. It came from a diabetic cookbook, which is hard to believe considering how delicious it is.

Step 1:
1 salmon fillet (1 pound total), room temperature, cut into 4 pieces
Salt and pepper
Olive Oil
Brush salmon with oil and season. Bake at 475° on a lightly oiled, foil-lined cookie sheet. Bake exactly 5 minutes, then turn salmon over and bake another 5 minutes.

Step 2:
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2-3 teaspoons horseradish
2 teaspoons drained capers
Whisk together. Top each serving of salmon with a heaping tablespoon of sauce.

Mom's Creamed Tuna

First published here in 2005, it's time for a reprint! Especially during Lent!

I don't know where my mother got this recipe but it is the touch of nutmeg and the walnuts that make it shine. I often leave the nuts out so don't let those stop you in making this. It was one of our favorites growing up and my kids love it too.

Step 1:
2 tablespoons shortening
2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon Worcestershire
2 dashes Tabasco
2 cups milk
Make a white sauce. Stir over low heat until thickened. (For instructions on making a white sauce, take a look at the recipe for Pasta Baked with Bechamel and Parmigiano ... bechamel is Italian for white sauce.)

Step 2:
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
12 ounces tuna
Sautéed sliced mushrooms (optional)
1/3 cup broken walnuts (optional)
Add cheese, stir until melted. Add remaining and heat to serving temperature. Serve over rice or noodles.

Sour Cream Pound Cake

From Perfect Cakes by Nick Malgieri; I edited these instructions for simplicity's sake.  

I first ran this recipe in 2004 and all these years later it is still my go-to pound cake. It isn't fussy but it is simply delicious.

It never fails, it lasts a long time and my husband has found that a thin slice is almost as good as a donut with his breakfast. Plus you will impress your friends who didn't know people made pound cake anymore.

Sour Cream Pound Cake

Step 1:
3 cups flour
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
Preheat oven to 350°. Butter and flour 12-cup tube or Bundt pan. Stir together flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

Step 2:
½ pound butter, softened
2¾ cups sugar
Beat on medium speed until very light, about 5 minutes.

Step 3:
½ t. lemon extract
½ t. orange extract
½ t. vanilla
Beat into batter (I also have used 1½ t. vanilla instead of the above combination).

Step 4:
6 large eggs
Beat into batter, one at a time, beating until smooth after each addition.

Step 5:
8 ounces sour cream
On low, alternately beat in flour mixture and sour cream, beginning and ending with flour. Scrape into pan and bake for 1¼ to 1½ hours or until cake tester comes out clean. Let sit in pan 10 minutes and then turn out on rack to cool completely.

Linguine with Chickpeas and Zucchini

 This is perfect for a meatless meal anytime. It was on one of those handy, dandy recipe cards in Cook's Country way back in 2018. The photo isn't preposessing but it is simply delicious. AND inexpensive!

• Don't skip the parsley. For me, that makes the dish. 
• This is mildly flavored so it might be good for kids. Also, since the zucchini is shredded and the chickpeas are mashed up some, it might be easy to slip past kids who might otherwise balk at such ingredients. 
• This is also good without the red pepper flakes if you have people who can't eat those.
• They designed this recipe to be made sequentially in one pan. I'd rather make two and have the rest done at about the time the pasta is. If fewer pans matters more, then cook and drain the pasta. Use the Dutch oven to make the "sauce."

Linguine with Chickpeas and Zucchini
1 pound linguine
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for serving
4 garlic cloves, sliced thin
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 medium zucchini, shredded on large holes of a box grater and patted dry
1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed
2 ounces (1 cup) grated Parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon lemon juice, plus lemon wedges for serving

INSTRUCTIONS
Bring 4 quarts water to boil in Dutch oven. Add pasta and 1 tablespoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Reserve (1/2) cup cooking water, then drain pasta. (I don't add any pasta water to the final dish.)

Meanwhile, heat oil, garlic, pepper flakes, salt, and pepper over medium heat until garlic is lightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Add zucchini and chickpeas and cook until zucchini is wilted and most of its excess moisture has cooked off, about 6 minutes. Using potato masher, lightly mash chickpeas.

Off heat, stir in 1/2 cup Parmesan, parsley, lemon juice, pasta, and reserved cooking water. Serve, passing lemon wedges, extra oil, and remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan separately. (I often stir in a glug or two of olive oil at the end if the pasta seems dry, since I don't use the reserved pasta water.)

Classic King Cake

Taste of the South photo (in a few days I'll put my own photo in here)

Traditional for Mardi Gras, this is worth spending the time on. 

A few years ago Taste of the South magazine published this recipe. I'd only had store-bought King Cakes and they were no treat, believe me. So I gave this a whirl. Not only was it easier than I thought it would be, but it was absolutely delicious. In fact, my friend Patsy, who grew up in Dallas, said she'd never had one that tasted so good. 

 I hereby pass it along to anyone who wants the real reason to celebrate right before Lent begins.

 I didn't have the traditional purple colored sugar to go along with the green and yellow, but red makes a nice display also! After all, it all tastes the same.

Leftovers freeze well. Or you can look at it as the perfect opportunity to share with friends and family. Everyone likes it when I make King Cake!

Also a 12" wreath is quite large. I always vow to make two smaller wreaths. Maybe this is the year!

CLASSIC KING CAKE

 

Yields: 1 (12-inch) wreath

 

Ingredients

• 4 to 4¼ cups bread flour, divided
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 1 (0.25-ounce) package instant yeast
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon water, divided
• ½ cup whole milk
• ½ cup unsalted butter
• 2 large eggs, divided
• 1 egg yolk
• Almond Cream (recipe follows)
• Cream Cheese Icing (recipe follows)
• Garnish: colored sanding sugar
  
  Almond Cream
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• ½ cup sugar
• 1⅓ cups almond meal
• 1 large egg
• ¼ to ½ teaspoon almond extract
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  
  Cream Cheese Icing (I myself prefer a simple medium frosting made from confectioner's sugar and milk. Suit your own taste.)

• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 tablespoon whole milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1½ cups confectioners’ sugar

Instructions

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine 2 cups flour, granulated sugar, yeast, and salt. Spray a large bowl with cooking spray.
2. In a medium saucepan, heat ½ cup water, milk, and butter over medium heat until an instant-read thermometer registers 120° to 130°. Add warm milk mixture to flour mixture, beating at medium speed until combined and cooled slightly, about 2 minutes. Add 1 egg and egg yolk, beating at medium speed until combined. With mixer on low speed, gradually add 2 cups flour, beating just until combined and stopping to scrape sides of bowl as needed.
3. Switch to the dough hook attachment. Beat at low speed until a soft, somewhat sticky dough forms, about 6 to 7 minutes, stopping to scrape dough hook and sides of bowl as needed. (Add up to remaining ¼ cup flour, adding 1 tablespoon at a time, if dough is too sticky.)
4. On a lightly floured surface, shape dough into a smooth ball. Place dough in prepared bowl, turning to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm, draft-free place (75°) until doubled in size, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
5. In a small bowl, whisk together remaining 1 egg and remaining 1 tablespoon water.
6. Lightly punch down dough. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface, and roll into a 24×2-inch rectangle. Spread Almond Cream onto dough, leaving a ½-inch border on one long side. Brush border with egg wash. Starting with other long side, roll up dough, jelly roll style; pinch seam to seal. Using a serrated knife dipped in flour, trim ½-inch off each end of log. Form into a circle. Brush ends with egg wash and press together, pinching dough to seal. Carefully place wreath on a piece of parchment paper.
7. Using a serrated knife or kitchen scissors, makes cuts three-fourths of the way through the dough, 1 inch apart, leaving the center of wreath intact. Gently pull and turn each slice onto its side, slightly overlapping with the previous piece. Slide parchment onto a rimless baking sheet. Cover and let rise in a warm, draft-free place (75°) until puffed, 20 to 30 minutes.
8. Preheat oven to 350°.
9. Brush dough with egg wash. Bake until lightly golden and an instant-read thermometer inserted in center registers 190°, 30 to 35 minutes, loosely covering with foil to prevent excess browning, if necessary. Let cool on pan for 10 minutes. Remove from pan. Spread with Cream Cheese Icing. Garnish with colored sanding sugar, if desired.

For Almond Cream

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar on medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. Beat in almond meal until combined. Add egg and almond extract, beating on low until combined. Beat in flour and salt. Refrigerate until ready to use.

For Cream Cheese Icing

1. In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese, milk, vanilla, and salt on medium speed until smooth. Slowly add confectioners’ sugar, beating on low until smooth.

Bacon, Pea, and Goat Cheese Frittata

This is absolutely delicious and makes a simple but taste-filled dinner. It's also darned good when heated up in the morning for a flavorful breakfast if your taste runs to goat cheese early in the day. It's from Gordon Ramsay's Home Cooking although you also can find the recipe at his website.

The recipe has you broil it until the top is cooked but we don't have an oven-proof nonstick pan. We simply cover the pan and cook it for a while on a low heat until it is set all the way through. I'm leaving the broiler instructions if you've a mind to go that route.

If we have basil we use it. If we don't, it is still delicious. Bacon, Pea, and Goat Cheese Frittata
Serves 4-6

INGREDIENTS
Olive oil, for frying
8 rashers of smoked bacon, chopped into bite-sized pieces
1 red pepper, seeded and sliced
3 scallions, trimmed and sliced diagonally
1 cup frozen peas
Handful of basil, leaves roughly chopped
4 ounces goat’s cheese
8 eggs, beaten
3–4 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
Freshly ground black pepper

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 350.

Heat a glug of oil in a 10-inch, non-stick frying pan and fry the bacon for 2–3 minutes. Add the red pepper and continue to cook for another few minutes until the bacon is golden brown and crisp. Add the scallions and sweat for 4-5 minutes until everything is tender. Stir in the peas and heat through. Sprinkle in the basil, roughly mixing it through the vegetables. Cut half of the goat cheese into chunks and scatter on top.

Preheat broiler to highest setting.

Put the beaten eggs in a bowl, add the Parmesan and season generously with pepper. Pour into the pan over the vegetables and gently shake over a medium heat. As the omelette begins to set at the bottom, grate the remaining goat’s cheese on top and season with pepper.

Place the pan under the broiler for 4–5 minutes until cooked through and golden on top.

Slide the frittata out of the pan and cut into wedges to serve.

Hot Pepper Popcorn

Once again we have the playoffs coming and once again I bring you this popcorn that will delight anyone who enjoys a little spice with their popcorn crunch. This came from Gourmet long, long ago.

It doesn't look any different from regular popcorn as people found out at the Christmas party that I brought it to. I tried to warn everyone but all night people kept coming up to me and saying, "What did you do to that popcorn?"

Granted. that doesn't sound like a positive reaction but almost everyone asked for the recipe. After a very long delay, here it is!

Hot Pepper Popcorn

Step 1:

3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 teaspoon Tabasco
2-1/2 quarts unsalted popcorn

In a small saucepan melt butter with Tabasco and drizzle it over popcorn in a large baking pan, tossing well.

Step 2:

1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne

In a small bowl combine salt and cayenne, sprinkle the mixture over popcorn, tossing it. Bake popcorn in a preheated 300-degree oven, stirring once or twice for 10-15 minutes, or until crisp.

Tuna Risotto

Believe it or not this is from an Italian cookbook. Be sure to use good canned tuna in this. That means Albacore Tuna. I also could see using chunks of sauteed fresh tuna. My family would like either. However, the canned tuna makes it a midweek meal because I don't have to get fresh fish.

TUNA RISOTTO

Step 1:
1 onion, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups Arborio rice

 
Sauté onion until softened. Add rice and cook until well coated with oil.

Step 2:
1 teaspoon salt
1/2  cup dry white wine
6 cups chicken stock

 
Add salt and wine and cook, stirring, until wine is absorbed. Add stock and cook risotto-style (adding 1/2 cup stock at a time and stirring until absorbed). I tend to add 4 cups of stock, let it get absorbed by simmering, and then add the rest of the stock the "right" way. Its not "proper" but gets the same creamy effect and I can use that initial simmering time to make salad and dressing, etc.

Step 3:
12 ounces canned tuna, drained, broken into large pieces

 
Stir in during the last 5-10 minutes of cooking.

Step 4:
1 ounce grated Parmesan

 
Remove from heat and stir in immediately.

(First published here in 2004.)