It’s hard to believe, but as much as I’ve cooked over the past twenty years, and as long as I’ve managed a team of professional chefs that are basically living, breathing culinary encyclopediae, I had never made a souffle until a week ago. I can’t really blame any lack of motivation for this egregious oversight, but rather a simple lack of souffle dishes in the cupboard. It might seem surprising that I never bought them, but in my house, I have to fight for every culinary purchase, and there’s good reason for that.
For years, I’ve been giving my husband, David, small heart attacks. Every time we walk into a cookware shop, I start piling a shopping cart full of culinary gadgets — tongs, pot holders, sieves, serving ware – you name it, and I must have it. Only his panicked promises of doing the dishes for a week straight can convince me to forego paying the mortgage in favor of coming home with four Vitamix blenders that I’ll only use once. So after much coaxing, crying, and physical restraint (maybe I exaggerate), I calmly put everything back on the shelf and leave empty handed, knowing that at least we’ll have a place to live for another month, which I understand is supposed to be some sort of small consolation.
Frighteningly, there are moments that find me all alone in the presence of culinary merchandise, without my better half’s wisdom. This means I could, in theory, buy out the store, ruin my credit and my marriage, and even stump Suze Orman. In those moments, tempted by the possibility of giving in to my addicitions, I teeter precariously between ruinous self-indulgence and sanity. Fortunately, David’s voice lingers in my ears even in his absence, and I limit myself to one purchase that I feel is absolutely necessary to continue living.
So recently, I came home with six nice classic white souffle dishes. After a fabulously perfected eye roll, David predicted I would never make a souffle in my life, and that these dishes were no different than our old, tiny ramekins. But I promised him big, beautiful souffles that would take our marriage to the next level, and goshdarnit, I keep my promises.
It was a dinner party last weekend that prompted me to inaugurate the new Souffle Era, and while souffles come in all sorts of flavors, we opted for a classic vanilla recipe that we could dress up with flavored creme anglaise (we opted for two varieties: cardamom and rosehip). And who could be a better recipe source that the one and only Julia Child? I found this recipe incredibly simple and quick, and it yields a perfect souffle. In fact, given souffles’ fickle reputation and restaurant price tags, I was shocked just how little time goes into making a souffle. Also, compared to many desserts, there is very little sugar in each serving (just a few tablespoons). Really, it’s mostly egg, which means you could practically call it health food and serve it for breakfast (work with me here).
This souffle came up so perfectly, that in the past week, we’ve made the same recipe again and again. Dare I say I am becoming addicted to souffle making? If so, then judging by David’s empty souffle dishes, this is an addictive behavior that he may grow to support.
Please enjoy this recipe and share your own variations with us!
Classic Vanilla Souffle
from Julia Child’s “The Way to Cook”
For a 6-cup dish, serving 4 (or split into 4 individual souffle ramekins)
A little soft butter and granulated sugar for the dish
The bouillie sauce base
3 tablespoons flour
1/4 cup milk
1/3 cup granulated sugar
4 egg yolks
2 tablespoons soft butter, optional
5 egg whites, beaten to soft peaks
Pinch of salt
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
Confectioners’ sugar in a fine-meshed sieve
Special Equipment Suggested: A 6-cup baking dish such as a charlotte mold 3 1/2 inches deep;
aluminum foil; a 2 1/2-quart stainless saucepan; a whisk, a wooden
spoon, and a rubber spatula; egg-white beating equipment
Preliminaries: Butter the baking dish, roll the sugar around in it to cover
the bottom and sides, and pin on an aluminum foil collar (I omit this step and still get a wonderful result). Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F, and set the rack in the lower third level. Measure out all the ingredients listed.
The bouillie sauce base. Whisk the flour and half of the milk in the sauce-pan to blend; beat in the rest of the milk and the sugar. Stir with a wooden spoon over moderately high heat until the sauce thickens, then whisk as the sauce comes to the boil; continue boiling and whisking for 30 seconds. The sauce will be very thick; let cool for a moment, then beat the egg yolks one by one into the warm sauce. Beat in the optional butter.
The egg whites. In a clean separate bowl with clean beaters, beat the egg whites until foaming; add the salt and beat to soft peaks. Sprinkle in the sugar, and beat to stiff shining peaks.
Finishing the soufflé. Whisk the vanilla into the sauce base, and stir in a quarter of the egg whites to lighten it. Delicately and rapidly fold in the rest of the egg whites and turn the soufflé into the prepared mold.
Ahead-of-time note: The soufflé may be completed to this point 1/2 hour or more ahead; cover loosely with a sheet of foil and set away from drafts.
Baking - After preheating at 400F, set in the lower third of the preheated oven, turn the thermostat down to 375 degrees F, and bake until the soufflé has begun to puff and brown – about 20 minutes. (but the best test is to turn on the oven light and watch it)
The confectioners sugar, and finish. Slide the rack out gently; quickly dust the top of the soufflé with sifted confectioners sugar, and continue baking until the soufflé has puffed 2 to 3 inches over the rim of the
baking dish into the collar, and the top has browned nicely under the sugar coating
Serving. As soon as it is done, bring the soufflé to the table. To keep the puff standing, hold your serving spoon and fork upright and back to back; plunge them into the crust and tear it apart.
It’s that time of year again! Yes, we’re talking about St. Patrick’s Day, March’s best excuse to excessively partake of numerous Irish libations such as fine whiskey and stout. In the private chef business, we’re always looking for creative ways for our clients to enjoy seasonal traditions, and one of our most popular tradition over the years has become the Guinness Stout Chocolate Cake. In addition to its dangerously persuasive combination of cocoa, dark chocolate, and bittersweet Guinness, this client favorite is also pleasantly recognizable to tastebuds that may already be numbed by heavy stout drinking. This is our personal chef Gina’s favorite recipe. Enjoy a slice or three with a good cup of fine coffee, Irish breakfast tea, or a shot of whiskey.
For the cake:
2 oz (50 g) cocoa powder
7 fl oz (200 ml) stout (we recommend Guinness)
4 oz (110 g) very soft butter (Irish butter is extra rich and creamy)
10 oz (275 g) dark soft brown sugar
2 large eggs, beaten (any egg farm will do, but Irish hens have more fun)
6 oz (175 g) plain flour
¼ teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
For the icing:
4 oz (110 g) icing sugar, sifted
2 oz (50 g) very soft butter
2 tablespoons stout
4 oz (110 g) dark chocolate (50-55% cocoa solids)
6 oz toffee pecans (or any candied or plain nuts, for decoration)
Pre-heat the oven to, 350°F (180°C). You will also need two 8 inch (20 cm) sponge tins, 1½ inches (4 cm) deep, lightly greased, and the bases lined with baking parchment, lightly greased. First of all, cream the butter and sugar together, beating thoroughly for 3 or 4 minutes until pale and fluffy. Now gradually beat in the eggs, a little at a time, beating well between each addition. Next, sift the flour, baking powder and baking soda on to a sheet of baking parchment. Then weigh the cocoa and put it in a separate bowl, gradually stirring the stout into it. Now carefully and lightly fold into the egg mixture small quantities of the sifted flour alternately with the cocoa-stout liquid. Then, when both have been added, divide the cake mixture equally between the 2 tins and level it out. Bake the sponges in the center of the oven for 30-35 minutes. The cakes should be flat on top and feel springy and will have shrunk slightly from the side of the tin. Leave them to cool in the tins for 5 minutes before turning out on to a wire rack to cool further, carefully stripping off the base papers. To make the icing, beat the icing sugar and butter together until blended, then gradually add the stout, making sure it is thoroughly mixed in after each addition. Now melt the chocolate in a bowl set over hot water, making sure the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the water. Then, when it’s melted, remove the bowl from the water, and carefully fold the chocolate into the icing mixture. Now remove a third of the icing to a separate bowl and stir in the toffee pecans. After all the icing has cooled to a spreadable consistency, sandwich the cake with the toffee pecan icing. Then spread the remaining two-thirds of the icing on top of the cake, using a palette knife. Next, arrange the toffee pecans on top of the cake. Enjoy with Irish cheer!
NPR’s radio show “This American Life,” after some stealth research, has reportedly uncovered the mystery of the original Coke recipe. They believe that they found the recipe reprinted in a newspaper article from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution published in 1979. The original recipe was first concocted by the pharmacist John Pemberton in 1886 and was discovered in his best friend’s pharmaceutical notebook along with other not so delicious recipes for things like cough syrup…bleh. I’ll take the coke please. The original recipe was referred to simply as “Merchandise 7X” …the name sounds a little like a recipe from a Cold War spy movie or maybe like a giant hulk sized energy drink.
I am sure Coca Cola has made its own adjustments over the years and that Coke Zero and all the versions of coke…bottle, canned, diet, cherry etc probably don’t taste like the original soda pop but we’ll leave that to you to decide which you like better.
The recipe:
Fluid extract of Coca: 3 drams USP
Citric acid: 3 oz
Caffeine: 1 oz
Sugar: 30 (unclear quantity)
Water: 2.5 gal
Lime juice: 2 pints, 1 quart
Vanilla: 1 oz
Caramel: 1.5 oz or more for color
The secret 7X flavor (use 2 oz of flavor to 5 gals syrup):
Alcohol: 8 oz
Orange oil: 20 drops
Lemon oil: 30 drops
Nutmeg oil: 10 drops
Coriander: 5 drops
Neroli: 10 drops
Cinnamon: 10 drops
Homemade soda pop is super delicious and an excellent way to impress friends and family. Chef Matthew uses the iSi Soda Siphon which uses CO2 chargers. Your own personal twist on coca cola or root beer would be a fun addition to a 50s theme event or a retro drink party. The possibilities are endless! If you want to be citrus seasonal you could try our private chef Matthew’s recipe for Blood Orange soda! He adds strained juice from blood oranges to the soda pop base he makes from infusing water with CO2 and sweetens it a tad with cane syrup or agave nectar. It would be a refreshing drink for a Sunday brunch, a wedding shower, a b-day dinner party or a casual lunch with friends. Chef Matthew says,” put some in a glass with ice, then top with soda and stir. When I’m feeling extra special, I might muddle some mint and basil into the sweetened juice. There’s no exact ratio, all measurements are done to taste.” More and more friends of Big City Chefs are getting creative with their drink menus. Drinks are integral to any meal but try supplementing your typical wine and cocktail menu with a signature bubbly.
A Do-It-Yourself Dinner Party by Daniela Kretchmer, Big City Chefs
(C) 2011
Making it Personal
A terrific way to host an easy dinner party is to allow your guests to make their own food. This doesn’t have to be a big production; in fact, just the opposite is true. You do a little bit of prep work for them, and they get to create their own meal A great example is hostinga personal pizza party. You make the pizza dough (we’ve provided a recipe in the right column to get you started) and lay out the sauces, cheeses, and a variety of toppings. Then you and your guests have a blast shaping your own dough and throwing (or delicately placing) toppings onto your individual pizzas. Also, if you and your guests want a little bit more direction, our Hands-On Artisanal Pizza Workshop is a perfect way to learn how to make restaurant style pizzas from the pros. Our professional chefs will teach you and your friends how to make several different types of pizza dough, sauces, and toppings.
Then for dessert, sweet crepes are both decadent and customizable. Begin with a basic crepe recipe (again, we’ve provided you with one in the right column) and simply prep the toppings. Great toppings include chocolate, nutella, whipped cream, fresh fruit (such as strawberries and bananas), powdered sugar, and honey. You can cook the crepes in advance, store them in the refrigerator for up to three days, and reheat them for your guests to choose the fillings they want.
Traditional Pizza Dough
Ingredients:
1 Envelope Active Dry Yeast
1/2 cup Lukewarm Water
4 cups All-Purpose Flour, plus more for dusting work surface (approximately)
1 cup Cool Water
2 tablespoons Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
2 teaspoons Kosher Salt
Directions:
1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together yeast, lukewarm water, and 1/2 cup of flour. Dust the top lightly with flour, cover bowl with a towel, and leave the dough to rise until the top forms cracks in the flour, about 20 minutes.
2. Add 3 cups of flour, the cup of cool water, olive oil, and salt.
3. Knead at low speed at first, then increase speed to medium as flour is incorporated. Add remaining flour as needed to create a slightly moist, soft dough. Continue to knead dough until it adheres to the dough hook of the mixer.
4. Dust dough with flour and scrape out of the bowl onto a lightly floured surface. Knead lightly, folding dough over on itself (“crush and roll” technique helps create a great texture). Shape dough into a ball, flatten slightly, dusty with flour, cover with a towel, and allow to rise in a bowl until doubled in size, about 60 minutes.
Chocolate-Ganache Dipped Crepes
Ingredients:
3 large Cage-Free Egg
1 1/3 cups Milk
3/4 cup Unbleached Organic Flour
6 tablespoons Unsalted Organic Butter, and more for pan, melted
2 tablespoons Cocoa powder
pinch Kosher Salt
Various toppings: whipped cream, chocolate sauce, jams, powdered sugar, etc.
Chocolate Ganache (makes 1 cup)
1/2 cup Heavy cream
8 ounces Bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 tablespoon Unsalted Organic Butter
Directions:
1. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the eggs. Add remaining ingredients and whisk vigorously until combined, small lumps are ok. Set batter aside to rest for 20 minutes.
2. Heat an 8-inch nonstick saute pan over medium heat. Lightly brush the pan with melted butter. Pour 1/4 cup batter into the hot pan, twirling the pan so the batter spreads out evenly into a very thin layer. Cook about 30 seconds until the crepe comes away from the sides of the pan. Gently flip the crepe over with your fingers or the help of a rubber spatula and continue cooking another few seconds. Transfer to a plate and repeat cooking crepes until all the batter is used.
3. For the ganache, in a small saucepan heat cream to a simmer. In a bowl pour simmering cream over chopped chocolate. Add butter and stir until smooth.
4. Top crepes with the ganache and toppings of choice.
Okay, the holidays are in full swing, you’ll have to host at least a few friends if not an entire party at your place, and you can’t bear the thought of reheating puff pastry appetizers that everyone knows came from a freezer. Here are a few holiday h’ors d’oeuvres recipes from our private chefs that will make you the star of this season’s parties.
Crispy Fried Olives Stuffed with Maytag Blue Cheese
Ingredients:
1 ounce Maytag blue cheese
24 Spanish olives, pitted and patted dry
Peanut oil (for frying)
Unbleached Organic Flour
1 large Cage-Free Egg, beaten to blend
1/2 cup Breadcrumb, fine dry
Directions:
1. Roll small amount of cheese into log shape narrow enough to stuff into 1 pitted olive; stuff olive with cheese. Repeat with remaining olives and cheese. DO AHEAD. Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.
2. Pour enough oil into heavy large skillet to measure depth of 1 inch. Heat oil to 350°F. Roll stuffed olives in flour, then in egg, then in breadcrumbs to coat. Fry olives until golden brown, about 30 seconds. Using slotted spoon, transfer olives to paper towels to drain. Serve hot.
For pâte à chou (Cream-Puff pastry)
1 cup Water
1 stick Unsalted Organic Butter, cut into small pieces
1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt
1 cup Unbleached Organic Flour
4 to 5 Large Cage-Free Eggs
Directions:
1. Make pâte à chou:
In a heavy saucepan bring water to a boil with butter and salt over high heat and reduce heat to moderate. Add flour all at once and beat with a wooden spoon until mixture pulls away from side of pan.
Transfer mixture to a bowl and with an electric mixer on high speed beat in 4 eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Batter should be stiff enough to just hold soft peaks and fall softly from a spoon. If batter is too stiff, in a small bowl beat remaining egg lightly and add to batter, a little at a time, beating on high speed, until batter is desired consistency.
2. Make Gougères
Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease 2 baking sheets or line with parchment paper.
In a small heavy skillet dry-roast seeds over moderate heat, shaking skillet, until fragrant and slightly darker, being careful not to burn them, 3 or 4 minutes. Transfer seeds to a small bowl and cool. With a mortar and pestle or in an electric coffee/spice grinder grind seeds coarse.
Stir Gruyère, crab meat, and 1 teaspoon ground seeds into pâte à chou and arrange level tablespoons about 1 inch apart on baking sheets. Sprinkle tops of gougères with remaining ground seeds and bake in upper and lower thirds of oven, switching positions of sheets halfway through baking, 30 minutes, or until puffed, golden and crisp. Gougères keep, chilled in sealable plastic bags, 2 days or frozen 1 week. Reheat gougères, uncovered, in a preheated 350°F. oven 10 minutes if chilled or 15 minutes if unthawed frozen. Serve gougères warm.
Chef Matthew’s Tips and Tricks
for Stress-Free Holiday Entertaining
San Francisco Personal Chef Matthew of Big City Chefs, and formerly of top-rated New York City restaurant Eleven Madison Park, shares some of his favorite restaurant chefs’ tips and tricks to make your holiday entertaining easy and delicious! For more chefs’ tips and recipes, please join the Big City Chefs mailing list at www.bigcitychefs.com. Bon Appetit!
Make large batches of Christmas cookie dough ahead of time and store them in the freezer. Cookie dough is one exception to the “Freezer Faux-Pas” and typically benefits from chilling time. A Cookie Press is also a great tool that speeds up your baking process.
Brining your holiday bird adds flavor and keeps it moist, plus it’s super easy! To make a brine, combine 2 parts water with 3 parts sugar/salt mixture, and generously add raw garlic cloves, fresh bay leaves, black peppercorns and whole herbs (thyme or rosemary). Bring the water, sugar, and salt to a boil and cool completely. Add your bird to the cold brine and let sit for 8-24 hours in the fridge, depending on size. Remove and pat dry before cooking.
Even though holiday meals are a lot of work, making them family time turns cooking into a fun activity. Encourage your family to take an active role in preparing the meal and have some fun in the kitchen at the same time!
For additional tips, Big City Chefs can create in-home cooking lessong to show you how to make a memorable holiday meal with our modern takes on the Classic American holiday.
Happy Holidays!
Chef Matthew
San Francisco Personal Chef
1-866-321-CHEF Email Me!
Ah, yes. Love is in the air. And if, like us, you pledge your deep, eternal love to butterscotch, gingerbread spices, chocolate, and peppermint during the holiday season, then these delectable holiday cookies will find their soulmates in your kitchen. So go ahead, adopt a lonely holiday cookie this season. Your loved ones will appreciate these new additions to the family.
Butterscotch Gingerbread Cookies
(Makes 32 large cookies)
Ingredients:
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
11/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
11/2 teaspoons ground ginger
3/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
10 tablespoons butter
6 tablespoons honey
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 large egg
1/3 cup light molasses
11/2 cups butterscotch flavored morsels (butterscotch chocolate chips)
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and salt in small bowl.
2. Beat butter, honey, brown sugar, egg and molasses in large mixing bowl until fluffy and creamy. Gradually beat in flour mixture until well blended. Stir in butterscotch chips. Use cookie scoop to drop dough (about 2 tablespoons) onto baking sheets that have been coated with canola cooking spray. Press dough down with fingers or palms to lightly flatten.
3. Bake for about 10 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned but still soft. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.
French-Style Holiday Macaroons with Peppermint-Chocolate Ganache Filling
Directions:
1. PEPPERMINT-CHOCOLATE GANACHE FILLING:
Place chocolate in large bowl. Bring cream to boil in small saucepan. Pour cream over chocolate. {Step Three} Add corn syrup and extracts; whisk until smooth. Cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally.
Transfer 3 cups ganache to medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat until very thick and light colored, about 12 minutes. Set aside.
2. MACAROONS:
Make macaroons:
Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
Pulse almonds with 1/2 cup confectioners sugar in a food processor until very finely ground, 2 to 3 minutes, then transfer to a bowl. Sift in remaining cup confectioners sugar, stirring to combine.
Beat egg whites with salt in another bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until they just hold soft peaks. Add granulated sugar, a little at a time, beating, then increase speed to high and continue to beat until whites just hold stiff, glossy peaks. Add drops of food coloring to reach desired shade and mix at low speed until evenly combined. Stir almond mixture into meringue with a rubber spatula until completely incorporated. (Meringue will deflate.)
Spoon batter into bag, pressing out excess air, and snip off 1 corner of plastic bag to create a 1/4-inch opening. Twist bag firmly just above batter, then pipe peaked mounds of batter (the size of a chocolate kiss) onto lined sheets about 1 1/2 inches apart. Let cookies stand, uncovered, at room temperature until tops are no longer sticky and a light crust forms, 20 to 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 300°F.
Bake cookies, switching position of sheets halfway through baking, until crisp and edges are just slightly darker, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool completely on sheets on racks, about 30 minutes.
3. ASSEMBLE COOKIES:
Carefully peel cookies from parchment (they will be fragile). Sandwich a thin layer of ganache (about 1/2 teaspoon) between flat sides of cookies.
NOTE: Filled macaroons keep in an airtight container at room temperature 3 days
Make your Halloween party a hit with these delicious dessert recipes!
Iced and Spiced Pumpkin Cookies
Ingredients
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
3 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon melted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves, and salt; set aside.
In a medium bowl, cream together the 1/2 cup of butter and white sugar. Add pumpkin, egg, and 1 teaspoon vanilla to butter mixture, and beat until creamy. Mix in dry ingredients. Drop on cookie sheet by tablespoonfuls; flatten slightly.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven. Cool cookies, then drizzle glaze with fork.
To Make Glaze: Combine confectioners’ sugar, milk, 1 tablespoon melted butter, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Add milk as needed, to achieve drizzling consistency.
Halloween Themed Black and Orange Brownies
Ingredients
1 (13x9x1-inch) disposable aluminum baking pan
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
2/3 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
10 tablespoons (11/4 sticks) unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 large eggs
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, room temperature
2/3 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated orange peel
1/2 cup toasted pistachios, toasted sweetened flaked coconut, or untoasted sweetened flaked coconut
Directions
Set oven rack in lower middle position; preheat to 325°F. Spray disposable aluminum baking pan with nonstick spray. Press 18×12-inch sheet aluminum foil over bottom and up long sides of pan, leaving overhang on each long side. Spray foil with nonstick spray. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in small bowl. Stir both chocolates and 10 tablespoons butter in medium saucepan over medium-low heat until melted and smooth; remove from heat. Whisk sugar and vanilla, then eggs into chocolate mixture. Whisk until glossy and smooth, about 1 minute. Add dry ingredients and whisk just to blend.
Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake until tester inserted into center comes out with some moist crumbs attached, about 24 minutes. Cool completely in pan on rack.
Using electric mixer, beat room temperature cream cheese and next 3 ingredients in medium bowl until smooth. Spread cream cheese frosting over brownies. Sprinkle nuts or coconut over. DO AHEAD Chocolate brownies can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Using foil overhang for handles, remove brownies from pan. Cut into 18 squares; serve cold or at room temperature.
We adore pumpkin. Whether it’s pumpkin ravioli with brown butter and crispy sage, classic pumpkin pie, or Linus Van Pelt sitting in the pumpkin patch waiting in vain for the Great Pumpkin like an autumnal Samuel Beckett character, we can’t get enough of the stuff. Heck, even our office is covered in pumpkins. You may have enjoyed some of our previous pumpkin recipes this season, but we promise, these will be the last of them. (Well, maybe.) So we implore you, join us in celebrating the Halloween season with these delicious pumpkin recipes!
Pumpkin and Butternut Squash Soup Served in a Baby Pumpkin Shell
Ingredients:
1 Small Organic Butternut Squash, Peeled and cut into 1/2″ cubes
4 Organic Sugar Pumpkins, 2 Peeled and cut into 1/2″ cubes; 2 hollowed
1 Large Yellow Onion, Thinly sliced
1 Tablespoon Madras Curry Powder
1 slice Ginger, 1″ slice; peeled and thinly sliced
1 Clove Garlic, Peeled and sliced
1 Cup Unsweetened coconut milk
5 Cups Low-Sodium Free-Range Chicken Broth
Salt and Pepper to taste
2 Tablespoons Unsalted organic butter
1/2 Cup Heavy Cream
1 Teaspoon Cilantro Leaves, Finely chopped
Salt and Pepper to taste
Directions:
1. In a large stock pot, melt the butter over medium heat.
2. Add the onion and cook until it’s tender and translucent (approx. 10 minutes).
3. Add the curry powder, ginger and garlic. Cook for 2 minutes.
4. Add the squash and pumpkin; season with salt and pepper.
5. Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes.
6. Stir in the coconut milk and chicken stock; bring to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer.
7. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until squash is tender when poked with a fork (approx. 20 minutes).
8. Puree the soup in a blender until smooth.
9. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve.
10. For the garnish, whip the heavy cream, cilantro and salt and pepper until stiff peaks form; refrigerate until ready to use.
11. Serve the soup in the baby pumpkin shell topped with the cilantro cream.
Pumpkin Buttermilk Pudding Cake Serves 8
Ingredients:
1.5 cups canned pumpkin
4 ea large eggs
2.5 cups buttermilk
4 Tbs unsalted butter
1.5 cup sugar
1.5 cup all purpose flour
1.5 tsp baking powder
1.5 tsp baking soda
½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp fresh grated nutmeg
½ tsp kosher salt
Whisk the eggs in a mixing bowl until light. Add pumpkin puree, buttermilk and melted butter. In a separate bowl sift the remaining dry ingredients. Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture whisking until incorporated.
Coat a 3 quart baking dish with butter. Add the mixture and bake in a water bath in a 400 degree oven for 35 to 40 minutes.
Bourbon Caramel Sauce
1 cup granulated sugar
¼ cup water
¼ cup bourbon
1/8 cup buttermilk
1 Tbs butter
Place sugar in a small non-reactive pan. Wash sides of pan with the water and make sure there is no sugar coating the sides. Turn flame on medium and melt sugar until golden brown. Do not stir!! When sugar is caramelized and the color of a penny, add buttermilk and bourbon, stirring quickly to incorporate. Add butter and stir until smooth. Serve over Pumpkin-Buttermilk Pudding cake
October is almost over. That means you either (1) didn’t celeberate Oktoberfest yet, or you (2) didn’t celebrate Oktoberfest enough. So what are you waiting for? Enjoy these super easy, hearty recipes perfect for a weeknight family dinner, a football-watching get-together, or a relaxed Sunday supper. Please let us know how these turn out for you, and feel free to email us your dirndl and lederhosen photos! Prost!
Artisanal Bratwurst with Caramelized Onions and Cabbage Braised with Red Wine
Ingredients:
7 Bratwurst
2 Large Yellow Onions, Sliced
2 bottles 12 oz Newcastle Ale
1/4 Cup Olive Oil
1 Head Cabbage, thinly sliced
2 Tablespoons Unsalted organic butter
1 Yellow Onion, sliced
2 Granny Smith Apples, Peeled and sliced
1 tablespoon Dill, plus more for garnish, Chopped
1/2 Cup Free-Range Chicken Broth
1/3 Cup Cider Vinegar
2 Tablespoons Granulated Cane Sugar
Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper
Sachet of 1 cinnamon stick, 2 star anise, 6 juniper berries, 2 bay leaves
Directions:
1. Heat a pot with the olive oil and brown the bratwurst on both sides; remove and set aside.
2. Add the onions to the same pot; season with salt and pepper; cook until golden brown and lightly caramelized.
3. Add the beer and return the bratwurst to the pot.
4. Simmer uncovered for approximately 15 minutes until the liquid is reduced by half.
5. Cut the sausages into serving pieces and top with caramelized onions, spooning some of the sauce on top.
6. For the cabbage, melt the butter in a large stock pot over medium heat.
7. Sauté the onion and apples for 2 minutes until they begin to soften; add chopped dill, cabbage, chicken broth and the sachet.
8. Cook for 5 minutes until the cabbage begins to wilt. Stir in the vinegar, sugar, S&P and cook for 20 minutes until the cabbage is soft.
9. Garnish with fresh dill before serving.
Chedder Potato-Beer Soup with Shredded Ham
Serves 6
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter or vegetable oil
10 packaged baby carrots
5 red potatoes, peeled, cut into large pieces
1 onion, sliced
1/4 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper
Red pepper flakes
1 bottle (12 ounces) beer
2 cans (141/2 ounces each) chicken or vegetable broth
21/2 cups grated cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded or julienned cooked ham
1. Heat butter in large, heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. Add carrots, potatoes and onion. Cook, stirring, until lightly browned, 10 minutes. Add salt, pepper and red pepper flakes to taste. Add beer; heat to a boil, stirring to scrape up any browned bits. Add chicken broth; heat to a boil. Cook until potatoes and carrots are tender, about 12 minutes.
2. Pour soup, in batches if necessary, into blender or food processor container. Puree. Return to saucepan. Stir in cheese; heat, stirring, until cheese is melted, about 2 minutes. Taste for seasoning. Add more pepper flakes if needed. Ladle into bowls. Top each with shredded ham.
