Irresistible Pumpkin Cheesecake Courtesy of Warren Brown

Posted: October 27, 2010 | Author: | Filed under: Recipes | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Warren Brown - "United Cakes of America"

I was shopping at Whole Foods a couple of weeks ago, when on impulse, I picked up one can of pumpkin (the store had strategically positioned the display at the end of the aisle).  Since then, every time I opened the cupboard, this lonely can was staring me in the face, and I was determined to find something to do with it.  The obvious solution would have been to make a pumpkin pie, but I’m not a fan of pumpkin pie.  I do, however, love apple pie, my mother’s apple pie in particular, but I digress.

A solution arrived in the form of Warren Brown, founder and owner of Washington DC’s CakeLove and Love Cafe, who appeared on the Today Show this morning.  Yes, he offered his recipe for pumpkin pie, but even better, he prepared his take on Pumpkin cheesecake.  Now, that’s a pumpkin dessert about which I can get excited.  And there was a Pumpkin clove pound cake with Cream cheese icing, which sounds pretty fabulous as well.  In fact, they both have such great potential that I’m not sure which dessert to choose for my single can of pumpkin.

The cheesecake recipe is included below, and here’s the link to the Today Show site where you can find the recipes for all three desserts.  And, if you’ve not heard of Warren Brown, he has an amazing story to tell about how he found his passion.  It’s an inspirational a read.

But, back to food … pick your perfect pumpkin dessert and get cooking!

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Recipe: Pumpkin cheesecake

Warren Brown

Ingredients
  • For the graham cracker crust
  • 3 ounces unsalted butter, melted
  • 5 ounces graham crackers, crushed into powder
  • 3 tablespoons super fine granulated sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon dry ginger
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
  • For the pumpkin cheesecake
  • 1 1/2 pounds Philly brand cream cheese
  • 10 ounces (1 1/4 cups) super-fine granulated sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon dry ginger
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon cloves, freshly ground
  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated
  • 1/4 teaspoon allspice (powder)
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 15-ounce can of pumpkin (unsweetened)
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 2 teaspoons dark rum (optional)
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice, freshly squeezed
  • 5 eggs (large)
  • 1 cup heavy cream
Preparation

To make the graham cracker crust:

Pre-heat the oven to 300 degrees and set the rack on the middle shelf.

Stir to combine graham crackers through salt in a bowl. Drizzle melted butter over ingredients and mix until evenly moistened.

Spray bottom and interior sides of one (1) cake pan (9-inch-by-3-inch) or individual baking dishes with non-stick spray.

Scoop crust ingredients into pans and press down evenly until smooth.  Use a flat bottom tool for best results (we use a baking mallet).

Bake until fragrant and  browned at the edges, about 15 minutes. Remove and cool on counter.

To make the cheesecake:

Prep ahead of time to remove some of the water content from the canned pumpkin:
Double fold plain white paper towels on a cookie sheet. Scoop pumpkin onto the towels and spread to height of 1/2 inch. Cover with single layer of paper towel; let sit for 30 minutes.

Whisk to combine the pumpkin, lemon juice and vanilla extract in a medium bowl. Set aside.

Batter directions:
In a stand mixer with the flat beater, beat to smooth out the cream cheese on slow to medium speed for about 1 minute.

Combine sugar through salt in a medium bowl and whisk to blend.

Scrape cream cheese from sides, reduce mixer to  lowest speed, add sugar mixture one third at a time. Allow each scoop to incorporate thoroughly before proceeding. To avoid aerating the batter, don’t run mixer on higher speeds than low.

Add the pumpkin mixture 1/4 cup at a time, waiting between additions for the contents to combine with the base batter.

Add the eggs one at a time, waiting between additions for the contents to combine with the base batter.

Add the cream in a slow drizzle. Stop the mixer, scrape the sides and run on low for another 20 seconds.

Pour the batter into the prepared pans filling no more than 3/4 of the way. (The 9-inch-by-3-inch pan should hold one recipe with room to spare at the top. Higher pan helps protect from undue browning across the top.)

Place the filled cake pan in a roasting pan with high sides and place on the rack in the preheated oven. Pour enough steaming water between the cake pan and roasting pan to come about 2/3 up the side of the cake pan. Bake until the center is slightly wobbly when the pan is shaken, about 80 to 90 minutes.

Turn off heat, prop oven door ajar, and leave alone for 60 minutes.

Remove pan from water bath and cool on the counter until it’s room temperature. Cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

Remove from the cake pan by warming the bottom, either over an open flame for a few seconds or in a water bath. Place parchment, plastic wrap or wax paper over top of the cake before inverting to remove the cake. Quickly turn over to place on a cake plate.

Serve chilled with freshly whipped cream or ice cream of choice.

A New Favorite Food Blog – “My Social Chef”

Posted: October 21, 2010 | Author: | Filed under: Novel Suggestions | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Photo: My Social Chef

I was conducting my morning ritual, making my way around the wonderful world of the web in order to catch up on the news and ascertain just what kind of day I was likely to have (the weather forecast, my horoscope, potential writing projects, newly published books to add to my ever-increasing list of books to read), when, on The Daily Beast, I came across a Hungry Beast post for “The Perfect Roast Chicken.”  It caught my attention.  I’ve roasted only a few chickens to date, and I would never claim that they were “perfect,” so I wanted to see what the contributing writer, Petrit Husenaj, recommended – a simple, easy, must-try it technique.  I wondered, who exactly is Mr. Husenaj?

Turns out he is a writer and the creator of the food blog My Social Chef.  I bit.  What is a social chef and what is his story?  Well, it also turns out that he has a rather interesting story – he’s an adman turned cook, caterer, and party-throwing aficionado – and he’s rather good at telling stories as well.

My Social Chef … you had me at the “Fig, Eggplant And Feta Cheese Salad.”  No need to have gone on with Foie Gras French Toast and Zucchini Blossoms (the photo of which looks exactly like my grandmother used to make them).  And that’s just the first page of the blog.  Page two tempted me with Rock Shrimp With Cilantro Pasta, the photo of which made it look so appetizing I am willing to commit to the use of heavy cream in its preparation.

Each recipe is introduced by My Social Chef with a charming anecdote.  Foie Gras French Toast?  The result of his recent foie gras obsession and a sale on Gilt Groupe.  The fig salad?  His doctor’s recommendation to avoid stress and the urge to eat unhealthy food when traveling through insane airports.  And he provides entertaining (both the noun and the adjective) Tips: for Music (intimate dinner? cocktail party? casual dinner?), Booze, Clean-Up, and more.

My Social Chef is now in rotation.

Ode to Yogurt

Posted: October 20, 2010 | Author: | Filed under: Tip of the Week | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Photo: The Healthy Apron

That I am a fan of yogurt is not a shock to those who know me; it’s on my list of Food I Love — twice — breakfast and lunch, done up two different ways (on different days, of course).

Fitness Magazine published an informative piece titled, “10 Surprising Health Benefits of Yogurt.”  These benefits include: flatter abs courtesy of calcium; a strengthened immune system from good-for-you bacteria; high blood pressure prevention from the potassium; and red blood cell and nervous system maintenance provided by vitamin B12.  Check out the article for the other six, as well as a list of their Favorite Yogurts.

As for what to look for when choosing a yogurt, keep in mind that not all yogurts are created equal, and some can actually do more harm than good.  The Healthy Apron has a great post on How to Pick A Healthy Yogurt.  In a nutshell, you want to make sure that you’re not ingesting too much sugar (many of the fruit-in and flavored yogurts are high in sugar content – more than 20 grams of fat per 6-ounce serving) or too much fat (eschew the full-fat offerings for lower-fat varieties – less than 3.5 grams of fat per 6-ounce serving).

I tend to go for 1% Plain, organic if I can find it.  You can always sweeten it up with a little honey or agave nectar (the latest healthy sweetener).  I like to squeeze the juice that’s left from half a grapefruit to give it some extra flavor.  Add your favorite fruits, nuts, seeds, granola, whatever is appealing.

An added bonus?  If you’re really in a jam (i.e. the jar of mayonnaise has seen its last scrape), plain yogurt will do its part hold together a decent tuna sandwich (with a little red onion, salt and pepper).

If you’re not already eating yogurt, try including it in your daily menu a couple of times a week.  Your body will thank you.

Eat well!

Mark Bittman Swears – This is the Best Vegetable Soup Recipe, Ever

Posted: October 13, 2010 | Author: | Filed under: Recipes | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Photo: FreeDigitalPhoto.net

The air is cooler now.  It readies me for Sunday afternoons spent cooking up a pot of something, the aroma filling the apartment, heaven.

I was casting about for a new vegetable soup recipe when, as luck would have it, Mark Bittman appeared on the Today Show with what he claims is The best vegetable soup ever, no kidding.  I’ve included the recipe below.   He also prepared a chunky Roasted butternut chowder with apple and bacon.  Both recipes are from Bittman’s new tome, “The Food Matters Cookbook: 500 Revolutionary Recipes for Better Living.”

Like the Tuscan Ribollita that I posted back in March, these soups are not merely a starter, they’re a meal.  Do as Mark Bittman suggests in the segment, add a hunk of good, crusty bread and a glass a fruity red wine, and call it dinner.

Buon appetito!

Recipe: The best vegetable soup ever, no kidding

Mark Bittman, New York Times columnist and author of “The Food Matters Cookbook”

Ingredients
  • 3/4 cup olive oil, more or less
  • 2 onions, peeled and chopped
  • 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
  • 2 celery stalks, peeled and chopped
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 bunch parsley, washed and chopped, thick stems discarded
  • 2 or 3 cabbage leaves, chopped
  • 1 bunch chard, preferably white, washed and chopped
  • 1/4 cup tomato paste
  • 3 to 4 cups cooked white beans, like cannelloni, with their liquid if possible
Preparation

Put about a third of the olive oil in the bottom of a deep pot and turn the heat to medium.

Add half the onion, carrot and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until they soften, which takes about 10 minutes.

Add about half of the remaining oil and repeat the process, seasoning with salt and pepper as you go.

Add the remaining oil with the parsley, cabbage and chard and cook, stirring occasionally, until everything is softened but not browned.

Add the tomato paste and stir.

Mash the beans so that they’re about half mashed and half more-or-less whole. Add this mixture to the pot, along with any bean cooking liquid and enough water to make the whole mixture stewy but not watery.

Continue cooking, tasting and adjusting the seasoning as necessary, until all the vegetables are very tender and the soup is hot. Serve hot or warm.

Serving Size

Makes about 10 servings

 

The Meyer Lemon

Posted: October 5, 2010 | Author: | Filed under: Recipes, Tip of the Week | Tags: , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

I made a quick trip to Whole Foods Market yesterday and, while in the produce section, I happened to notice what I first thought was an orange, but then realized was a lemon, a Meyer lemon, to be exact.  According to Wikipedia:

The Meyer lemon (Citrus × meyeri) is a citrus fruit native to China thought to be a cross between a true lemon and either a mandarin or common orange. It was introduced to the United States in 1908 as S.P.I. #23028[1] by the agricultural explorer Frank Nicholas Meyer, an employee of the United States Department of Agriculture who collected a sample of the plant on a trip to China.[2]

The Meyer Lemon

Having heard of, but never having actually tasted, one (at least that I am aware of), I purchased a few.  I cut a wedge, sniffed, then took a bite.  It smelled and tasted of lemon and orange.  It was both tart and sweet.  It was… unexpected.  I squeezed the lemon, and drizzled some olive oil, on a spinach salad with salmon, tomato, and red onion (citrus helps with the absorption of iron in the spinach).  I’ll do it again.  Lemons, along with the other citrus fruits, have significant health benefits.

So, what’s the best way to take advantage of the unusual qualities?  SheKnows.com has an excellent article on the lemon, which includes the Top 20 Uses for Meyer Lemons:  infuse olive oil with Meyer lemon juice and use for dipping bread; make a Meyer lemon martini; try chocolate Meyer lemon pudding; and roast potatoes with thick Meyer lemons wedges on top.

They have a great recipe for Meyer Lemon Risotto.  And I found two recipes for Meyer lemon cake.  One from Saveur, claiming to be The Best Damn Meyer Lemon Cake.  I have to admit, the use of butter, dried bread crumbs, and blanched almonds has me curious.  Then there’s the recipe from Epicurious, Meyer Lemon Cake with Lavender Cream, that sounds divine.

If you’ve got access to Meyer lemons, you might want to give them a try.  You might be pleasantly surprised.

Eat well.

Linguine with Clams – Or Linguine Alle Vongole, A Pasta Favorite

Posted: October 1, 2010 | Author: | Filed under: Recipes | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Photo: Ken Hammond, Wikimedia Commons

I’ve always wanted to learn how to prepare Linguine Alle Vongole (pasta with clams).  It’s one of those dishes that I often order when eating out, precisely because I have yet to figure out how to make it nearly as good as I’ve enjoyed in restaurants like Peasant and Barolo.

And who better to teach me than Chef David Pasternack of ESCA (one of my pre-/post-theater picks, or pretty-much-anytime picks).  I don’t typically pull from the Today Show twice in one week, but when I saw this, I couldn’t help myself.  The recipe is included below.  And here’s a link to the show’s site, so that you can watch the video segment.  The added bonus in the video?  David Pasternack’s take on garlic bread.

Buon appetito!

*******

Recipe: Linguine with clams, pancetta and red pepper flakes

Chef David Pasternack

Ingredients
  • For the linguine meal:
  • 1 pound dried linguine
  • 1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus high-quality extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
  • 1 clove garlic, thinly sliced
  • 6 ounces pancetta, cut into thin strips
  • 8 mild dried red chiles (such as Italian finger hots), whole
  • 2 3/4 pounds clams (mahogany or littlenecks, about 48 total), scrubbed clean
  • 1/3 cup dry white wine
  • 1 cup clam stock or lobster stock (recipe follows) or pasta cooking water
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, plus more to finish
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper plus more to finish
  • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 2 tablespoons chopped flat leaf parsley
  • For the clam or lobster stock:
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 shallots, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
  • 1 sprig thyme
  • 4 black peppercorns
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 3 parsley stems
  • 1 2/3 cup dry white wine
  • 4 pounds or chowder clams or 4 lobster bodies
Preparation

To make the linguine:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the linguine and cook for 1 minutes less than the box directions (al dente). Drain in a colander, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid if not using the clam or lobster stock (recipe provided below). Toss the pasta in the colander with 1/4 cup of the olive oil and set aside.

Heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil in a 6-quart pot or Dutch oven with a lid over medium-high flame. Add the garlic and pancetta and cook, stirring occasionally, until the garlic begins to take on color, about 4 minutes. Add the chiles and the clams, cover the pot, and cook until the clams begin to open, about 2 1/2 minutes. Then add the wine and the clam or lobster stock, or reserved pasta water (it should bubble when it hits the pan), and replace the lid. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes more, checking to see when all of the clams have opened (discard any that don’t). Add the pasta and season with the 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper. Add the red pepper flakes. Add the parsley, toss gently to combine, and cook for an additional minute or so to thoroughly reheat the linguine. Divide among four bowls, being sure to distribute the clams equally. Drizzle each bowl with a high-quality extra-virgin olive oil, a sprinkling of crunchy sea salt, and some freshly ground black pepper.

To make 1 quart of clam or lobster stock:
Over a medium-low flame, heat the olive oil in a 4-quart pot. Add the shallots and cook slowly until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the thyme, peppercorns, bay leaf, parsley stems and white wine. Raise the flame to high, bring to a boil, and cook until the liquid reduces by half, about 7 minutes. Add the clams and enough water to completely cover them, about 1 quart. Bring to a boil, reduce the flame to medium, and cover. Simmer until all the clams have opened, about 6 minutes. (Discard any clams that don’t open.) Strain the liquid through a fine-mesh sieve and discard the solids. Let the stock cool to room temperature before refrigerating. Clam or lobster stock can be refrigerated for up to 3 days, or frozen.

Serving Size

Serves 4

What’s In Season – October

Posted: October 1, 2010 | Author: | Filed under: Need to Know | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Sweet Potato Gnocchi, Photo: Epicurious.com

October is such a good month.  It makes me think of pumpkins and leaves turning and long walks and Halloween.   In terms of what you’ll find at the local farmers’ market, think vegetables and fruits resulting in hearty, richly flavorful recipes.

Vegetables:

Broccoli, pumpkins, spinach lettuce, sweet potatoes, and winter sqaush.

Fruits:

Apples, cranberries, grapes, and pomegranate.

Recipes:

I covered a fantastic pumpkin recipe, from the Today Show, in my last post, “Pumpkin Risotto – The Perfect Fall Dish.”  If you like pumpkin and like risotto, this is for you.

As for a suggestion for fabulous, purple Concord grapes, I am turning to blog fav, Smitten Kitchen.  She has a recipe for Grape Focaccia with Rosemary.

Sweet potatoes are covered by Epicurious.com, with a Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Fried Sage and Shaved Chestnuts recipe that looks amazing, and they’ve got one for Pomegranate, Beet, and Blood Orange Salad that I am going to give a try.  (Don’t forget,  if you buy a bunch of beets, keep and saute the beet greens.)

And, lastly, there’s an unbelievably flavorful recipe in which you can put that winter squash to use.  What exactly is meant by “winter squash“?  About.com has the answer, including photos, so you can identify them at the market or grocery store.   In the case of the recipe below, Moroccan Chicken with Rice, winter squash means butternut squash.  Give this one a try.  Your taste buds will thank you.

Eat well!

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Moroccan Chicken and Rice

This one-pot chicken and rice jumble gets an autumnal boost from butternut squash and is laced with the fragrant perfume of a variety of mixed dried spices.  It’s not a spicy dish but is wonderful served with Harissa, a North African spicy pepper paste.

1 onion, chopped
2 tsp (10 mL) extra-virgin olive oil
2 skinless, boneless free-range chicken breasts, cubed
1/4 tsp (1 mL) each ground cinnamon, cumin seeds, garlic powder, ginger, turmeric, and sea salt
2 cups (500 mL) chicken broth
2 cups (500 mL) butternut squash, chopped*
1 cup (250 mL) basmati rice (can use wild rice and/or quinoa)
1/4 cup (50 mL) raisins (can use dried cranberries or cherries)

In a large, wide saucepan or Dutch oven (or deep skillet), saute onion in oil until translucent, 3 to 5 minutes.

Add chicken and sprinkle with seasonings. Stir-fry until  spices are fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes.

Pour in a little chicken broth.  Using a wooden spoon, scrape up  and stir in brown bits from pan bottom.

Add remaining stock and stir in squash, rice, and raisins.  Bring to boil, then reduce heat to medium-low.  Cover and simmer, stirring halfway through, until rice is tender and chicken is cooked, 18 to 20 minutes.  Garnish with sliced green onion.

Serves 4

* Speedy Squash Tip: When chopping butternut squash, with its characteristically tough skin, the going can be slow.  But here’s a trick: microwave the whole squash, on high, for 2 minutes.  This creates steam inside which softens the skin, making it easier to peel.