Entries Tagged 'recipe' ↓

The Secret of Great Bread: Let Time Do the Work - New York Times

INNOVATIONS in bread baking are rare. In fact, the 6,000-year-old process hasn’t changed much since Pasteur made the commercial production of standardized yeast possible in 1859. The introduction of the gas stove, the electric mixer and the food processor made the process easier, faster and more reliable.

I’m not counting sliced bread as a positive step, but Jim Lahey’s method may be the greatest thing since.

Tuesday, November 14 - Kepler’s
Michael Mina, The Cookbook
6:30 - Reception; 7:30 - Reading and signing
Michael Mina has won many awards, including the 2002 James Beard for Best Chef in California and, more recently, two stars from the Michelin Guide to San Francisco Bay Area and Wine Country 2007. Mina knows that cooks like to master one recipe but then try different flavors with the main ingredient. In his new book Mina reveals how to recreate his trio concept, where a master recipe is followed by three flavor variations. This event will be moderated by Howard Bulka, head chef, Marché Restaurant, Menlo Park.
We will be serving cookies made from this recipe on page 211 of his book. See if yours taste as good as his!

Warm Chocolate Chip Cookies

Makes 2 ˆ dozen

• 1 cup [2 sticks] unsalted butter, at room temperature and cut into chunks
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup dark brown sugar, lightly packed
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 pound good-quality bittersweet chocolate, such as Valrhona or Scharffen Berger, finely chopped
• 1/2 pound toasted pecans or walnuts, finely chopped

Combine the butter and sugars in the bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, or use a handheld electric beater. Beat on medium speed until fluffy and light, about 5 minutes. Using a spatula, scrape down the sides of the bowl from time to time. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well to incorporate. Add the vanilla and continue to mix until combined. Turn off the mixer.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. Turn the mixer to low speed and slowly add half the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture, beating just to combine. Beat in the remaining dry ingredients to just combine. Do not overmix or the cookie dough can become tough. Turn off the mixer and fold in the chopped chocolate and nuts with a large spoon or spatula, stirring until all the bits are incorporated into the batter.

Preheat the oven to 350º F. Using your palms, roll the dough into 2-inch balls, about the size of a golf ball. Alternatively, you can use a small ice cream scoop. Place the balls on nonstick cookie sheets, about 2 inches apart. Bake until the cookies are just set on the edges but still fairly soft in the center, 14 to 20 minutes. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Serve warm. Once cool, the cookies may be stored in a covered plastic container.

from Genève’s Kitchen

The Swiss version of homemade pasta is spaetzle (pronounced SHPATES-luh or in Swiss German SHPATES-Li) - these are little dumpling-like noodles that are a delicious departure from the usual potato, pasta, or rice side dish.

I was a previous Halo wine club member of St. Supery. The reason I joined was the friendly hospitality people pouring wine day in and day out seven days a week. I had to end my shipement when I moved out of the country but still enjoy an occassional tasting at their winery. Recently I discovered they posted the recipes that they usually include in their wine club shipments on their site.

on Arômes et Saveurs,

A gorgeous series of recipes, with accompanying photographs. In french.

Cours de pâtisserie : recettes

Gorgeous recipes with photos. All in french, but that’s why god invented babelfish, n’est pas?

http://soi.stanford.edu/~jeneen/pear.html

Pappa al Pomodoro

now that’s what I call baby food!

Scharffen Berger — Favorite Recipes: Cakes

Our thanks to Claire Legas, pastry chef at Absinthe Restaurant in San Francisco, for this delicious recipe.

SALAD DAYS / Vietnamese wraps are the perfect meal to roll out at summer gatherings

Along with sweet peaches, fat figs and truly ripe tomatoes, I await the arrival of fresh herbs at the Asian vendors’ booths. As the days lengthen, the piles grow in size and variety, toppling over one another in fragrant abundance. One bunch of each ends up in my bag, a summer splurge I enjoy while I can.Most of the herbs will find their way into my favorite summer treat: Vietnamese salad rolls. Crisp, cool greens are the perfect wrapping for those herb sprigs, along with crunchy slivers of vegetables and a savory morsel that provides the heart of the salad roll. Punctuated with sweet-tart pickles and dipped into nuoc cham sauce, salad rolls burst with flavor on the palate, yet remain light on the stomach.