Tempura

I was feeling adventurous and had always wanted to make tempura. I've made a few Japanese style foods before, mainly fish fried in panko and gyozas, but I'd never tries tempura. It started out with a search for a fried fish recipe and I was browsing through Mark Bittman's gigantic cookbook "How to Cook Everything" which I picked up at the used bookstore. He says that tempura batter is one of the easiest batters to make. I don't make too many batters, but it sure is easy. The batter coats the veggies and fish and crisps up really well when dipped into the hot oil.

I served the tempura with rice, of course, a nice cucumber and radish salad, and some delicious dipping oil.

Fish and Vegetable Tempura
Adapted from "How to Cook Everything"

2 filets of tilapia cut into pieces
3 carrots, quartered
2 onions, cut into rings
Green beans, as many as you want
Any other vegetables or shrimp, etc. you want to toss in, these were all I had in the house
Oil for frying
Flour for dredging

For the batter:
1 egg yolk
1 1/2 cups ice water
2 cups flour

1) Chop vegetables and fish into pieces

2) To make batter, whisk egg yolk with water and add flour to mix

3) Coat veggies and fish into flour then toss into batter to coat

4) Fry veggies in hot oil until crispy
5) Serve immediately and enjoy!

Chocolate French Macarons

My first time eating French Macarons was fairly recent: about a year ago. And I couldn't get the taste out of my head. I couldn't believe I had gone without these delicious, tiny, scrumptious treats for so long. As I gained experience baking I thought to myself, if only I could make a French Macaron. I read recipes that indicated it was a difficult process, one that I wasn't sure I could handle. But as long as you follow the recipe and read a little bit on the technique they can be replicated in your own kitchen. A dangerous discovery for me to make.

I decided to start off easy and go with a more simple Chocolate Macaron and save the more fanciful recipes until I was sure I was doing it right. Next time I'll be making Pistachio. I found almond meal at Trader Joe's and ground it up a little more fine with powdered sugar and cocoa in the food processor. You can also grind your own, just make sure you don't turn it into almond butter, which I read can be a problem. Make sure to sift the ground mixture really well. You don't want heavy macarons.

Chocolate French Macarons
Adapted from "Chocolate Macaroons" in "Macaroons"

1/4 cup ground almonds
Scant cup powdered sugar
2 tbsp cocoa
2 large egg whites
1/4 cup superfine sugar (you can make your own in the food processor)

Filling:
100 grams semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
2/3 cup heavy cream

1) Put ground almonds, powdered sugar, and cocoa into the food processor and blend for about 15 seconds then sift into a large bowl
2) Whip egg whites (you can add a pinch of cream of tartar if you want) until they hold soft peaks, then gradually beat in superfine sugar to make a firm, glossy meringue
3) Gently fold almond mixture into the meringue, a little at a time until incorporated
4) Pour the batter into a pastry bag with a 1/2 inch plain tip attached. Pipe 32 small circles onto parchment paper lined baking sheets. When finished, gently tap the baking sheets to release any air bubbles. Then let the macarons sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to let the macarons outer shell harden to prevent cracking

5) Preheat oven to 325 F and bake macarons for 10-15 minutes, rotating pans after 5 minutes, check after 8 minutes. Macarons will be ready when they no longer stick to parchment paper. Let cool slightly on pans then let cool completely on cooling racks

6) To make the ganache filling heat the heavy cream then pour over chopped chocolate stirring until melted. Place in refrigerator and let harden until firm, about 1 hour, but check every once in a while, you don't want it too firm
7) Sandwich macarons together with ganache filling and enjoy!

Curried Split Pea Soup with Roasted Chickpeas

This post should be called "What I got for Christmas". Will gave me "Super Natural Cooking Everyday" by Heidi Swanson and my friend Michelle gave me this awesome cookbook stand that has a clear shield to protect the book from splatter. I had never seen one of these before, but it is a great kitchen tool, and definitely saves my cookbooks from the mess.

Will and I are both feeling a little under the weather after all of the holiday madness so I thought a soup would be perfect for dinner, especially one with a little kick to it. I was searching through my new cookbook for some inspiration, and to view the beautiful pictures in the cookbook. I really need to practice my photography skills. I first came across the recipe for Roasted Chickpeas and bookmarked those, thinking I would make them at a later time. Then I saw the soup and I thought they would be a perfect accompaniment.



Curried Split Pea Soup
Inspired by "Green Lentil Soup" in "Super Natural Cooking Everyday"

1 tbsp canola oil
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp curry powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 1/2 cups split peas
4 cups broth (I used chicken because it was all I had, but vegetable or water will also work)
1 (14 oz) can coconut milk
Salt to taste

1) Heat oil and butter in dutch oven, then add spices and let heat, about 1-2 minutes

2) Add split peas and broth and cover, cook until peas are cooked through, about 40 minutes (it really varies)
3) In food processor or with immersion blender puree split pea mixture until desired consistency, return to dutch oven

4) Add coconut milk and heat through

5) Serve with roasted chickpeas on top and enjoy!

Roasted Chickpeas
Adapted from "Super Natural Cooking Everyday"

1 can chickpeas, rinsed and dried
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp paprika (the recipe in the book calls for 3 types of paprika, but we only had one)
1/2 tsp sea salt
Grated zest of 1 lemon
1 tsp rosemary

1) Preheat oven to 425 F with rack in top third of oven
2) Make sure chickpeas are dry and then place them on baking sheet in 1 layer

3) Roast in oven for 10 minutes, then shake pan and roast for 8 minutes
4) Meanwhile, combine all other ingredients in bowl

5) Toss sauce over chickpeas and then return to oven for 4 mintues
6) Eat as they are or pair them with a main or side and enjoy!

Christmas in St. Louis

We just got back from St. Louis where we spent my birthday and Christmas with Will's family. It was a great time spent with friends and family, and of course food. It was like a marathon of food consumption. There was a mixture of delicious homemade meals filled with desserts brought from neighbors. We visited restaurants and I did a little research to find a few that I wanted to try while we were in St. Louis. We were staying in Webster Groves, a small town just outside of the city of St. Louis. We were lucky to have so many great places that had recently moved into the neighborhood.

For lunch one day we tried Milagro, a modern Mexican restaurant that served street tacos and some of the most delicious enchiladas I have ever eaten. They were the Pork Enchiladas Verdes. The salsa verde served on top of these enchiladas had an amazing tangy flavor which reminded me of some of the spicy, acidic sauces I've had at Indian restaurants. Amazing! The street tacos are delicious soft corn tortillas filled to the brim with slow cooked pork and beef. Delicious. Also, the salsa that comes with the chips and salsa is pretty awesome. A must try if you're in St. Louis.

http://www.milagromodernmexican.com/

For my birthday dinner I had to try one of St. Louis' newest restaurants, and voted one of their best: The Block. They are a restaurant/butcher shop known for their house-butchered meats and seasonal menu. We showed up early to sample what their bar had to offer. The drinks are fun and fresh. Will had to try the house made Eggnog infused with Bacon, served with a slice of candied bacon. Seriously delicious. They also give you a little popcorn to enjoy with your drink while you wait. Yum. I started my meal with a Roasted Beet Salad. If beet salad is on the menu you better bet that I'm going to order it. It came with a slice of toast topped off with goat cheese and my only complaint was that I wanted a whole loaf of that bread and goat cheese. Will had the special pear salad, that would have been my other choice. If only they had combined the two and I would have been in heaven. And then the main meal arrived. I ordered the White Wine Braised Pork. Delicious, tender shoulder of pork served atop mashed potatoes with a rich gravy and roasted turnip and apples. Oh yeah. Talk about a perfect winter meal. Will had the Pork Chop with sweet potato and bacon hash and braised greens. It was smokey and a bite full of every component was a delicious bite. I can't wait to go back.

http://theblockrestaurant.com/

Mom's Pot Roast

I finally was able to make my mom's pot roast and have it turn out tender and delicious! I've made it twice before and what a disaster. It was always dry and nothing like the pot roasts I remember eating when I was growing up. I learned what I was doing wrong. I needed a large roasting pan with a lid. That was the secret to it. So make sure you get a lid to trap in all the lovely juices and keep the roast tender and juicy. I made sure to add lots of vegetables and spices to add to the flavor of the roast. Yum! This dish is perfect for the chilly months ahead. It can also be made in the crockpot and will be ready for you by the time you get home from work. Who can ask for more?

Pot Roast
1 beef roast
6 large carrots
5 potatoes
3 onions
5 stalks of celery
1 can of Campbell's Golden Mushroom Soup
1/2 cup of red wine
Garlic powder, thyme, salt, and pepper to coat meat

1) Chop vegetables into large pieces and place in roasting pan (one with a lid)

2) Season the roast with salt, pepper, thyme, and granulated garlic then place in roasting pan on top of vegetables, then pour 1 can of Golden Mushroom soup on top and coat the roast. The pour red wine on top of roast

3) Place lid on roasting pan and place into 325-350 degree oven for 3 hours
4) Check for tenderness- it should fall nicely apart

5) Serve with vegetables, some bread and butter, and a glass of wine and enjoy!

Christmas Party Cookies

We had an Ugly Sweater/White Elephant Christmas party on Friday night. It was a great way to spend some time with all of our friends after the hectic week of finals and before people left to visit their families. I took this opportunity to bake up a storm. I don't think I have ever baked so much in such a short amount of time before. There were cookies covering the house with icing decorated and drying. I was so happy to know that they dried in time and that I actually finished! Below are some pictures of the results of the tasty treats. I made gingerbread, sugar cookies, and spritz cookies. It was a lot of fun and a great way to celebrate with my friends!

Organic Rosemary Bread

There is nothing like fresh baked bread from the oven. The smell of dough rising in the kitchen, being transformed into a large sticky ball of what will become a crusted piece of delicious bread. This recipe comes from "Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day", and I added some rosemary for a little added flavor. I think rosemary makes the perfect addition to breads with its subtle flavor. The bread comes out of the oven with a nice crust that is neither too soft nor too crunchy. It is perfectly cooked on the inside and has a rich flavor. Goes great with butter, oil, for a sandwich, or by itself.

Organic Rosemary Bread
Adapted from  "Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day"

Makes 4 loaves

1 1/2 tablespoons yeast
1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt
6 1/2 cups unbleached, organic, all-purpose flour, more for dusting dough
1 tbsp organic rosemary

Cornmeal for dusting bottom of bread

1) In a large bowl or plastic container, mix yeast and salt into 3 cups lukewarm
water (about 100 degrees). Stir in flour, mixing until there are no dry patches. Dough
will be quite loose. Cover, but not with an airtight lid. Let dough rise at room
temperature 2 hours (or up to 5 hours).

2) Bake at this point or refrigerate, covered, for as long as two weeks. When ready to
bake, sprinkle a little flour on dough and cut off a grapefruit-size piece with serrated
knife. Turn dough in hands to lightly stretch surface, creating a rounded top and a lumpy
bottom. Put dough on pizza peel sprinkled with cornmeal; let rest 40 minutes. Repeat with
remaining dough or refrigerate it.

3) Place broiler pan on bottom of oven. Place baking stone on middle rack and turn oven
to 450 degrees; heat stone at that temperature for 20 minutes.

4) Dust dough with flour, slash top with serrated or very sharp knife three times. Slide
onto stone. Pour one cup hot water into broiler pan and shut oven quickly to trap
steam. Bake until well browned, about 30 minutes. Cool completely.