Fleur de Sel Caramels

Anyone who has made caramel knows that time is the enemy. It is very precise! So turn off the cell phones, TV's, radios - put the "do not disturb" sign on the door and get ready to make some soft, chewy goodness! The recipe is from Alice Medrich's Pure Dessert. The key here is to make sure you have all your equipment and ingredients ready at hand.

Equipment
- Candy thermometer (a MUST unless you are one of those who is efficient at the cold water method)
- 9 inch square baking pan, lined with foil and buttered
- silicone spatulas or wooden spoons
- 3 qt heavy saucepan with lid and tall sides
- small saucepan with lid
- pastry brush
- parchment paper or silpat

Golden Vanilla Bean Caramels
1 cup (240 mil) golden syrup (Golden Syrup is a refined syrup made from sugar cane instead of corn starch, usually found at specialty stores)
2 cups (350 g) sugar
3/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 cups (480 mil) heavy cream
1-1/2 teaspoons pure ground vanilla beans, purchased or ground in a coffee or spice grinder, or 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (I used one whole vanilla bean, split down the middle.)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into chunks, softened
Fleur de Sel (or another large grained, flaky finishing salt - I used Himalayan Pink salt)

Preparation
1. In the sauce pan, cook the golden syrup, sugar, and salt over medium heat, stirring with a silicone spatula or wooden spoon, until the mixture begins to simmer around the edges. Dip the pastry brush in water and wash the sugar and syrup from the sides of the pan to keep a crust from forming. Cover and continue cooking for about 3 minutes. Uncover the pan and wash down the sides once more. Clean the crusty bits off the spatula/spoon before using again.

2. Attach the candy thermometer to the pan, but don’t let it touch the bottom of the pan (important so you get an accurate temperature). Cook, uncovered (without stirring) until the mixture reaches 305° F/152° C.

3. While the syrup mixture cooks, combine the cream and ground vanilla beans/whole split vanilla bean (not the extract) in a small saucepan and heat until tiny bubbles form around the edges of the pan. Turn off the heat and cover the pan to keep the cream hot.

4. When the sugar mixture reaches 305° F/152° C, turn off the heat and stir in the butter chunks. Gradually stir in the hot cream; it will bubble up and steam dramatically, so be careful. Go slowly. I just drizzle in a little cream at a time until the temperature stabilizes. Turn the burner back on and adjust it so that the mixture boils energetically but not violently. Stir until any thickened syrup at the bottom of the pan is dissolved and the mixture is smooth.

5. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the temperature reaches 245° F/118° C. Then cook, stirring constantly, to 260° F/128° C for soft, chewy caramels or 265°F/130° C; for firmer chewy caramels. The soft caramels will be easier to cut, the firm caramels will be closer to a toffee consistency.

6. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract (only if you did not use the ground vanilla/vanilla bean). Pour the caramel into the lined pan. Let set for 4 to 5 hours, or overnight until firm.

7. Lift the pan liner from the pan and invert the sheet of caramel onto a sheet of parchment paper placed on a cutting board. Peel off the foil. Cut the caramels with an oiled knife. (I poured a little canola oil into a bowl, dipped a paper towel in it, then rubbed it on the knife.) Wrap each caramel individually in wax paper or cellophane (I put them in individual mini baking cups).

Memories of My Mom: Potstickers and Dipping Sauce

This is one of the few recipes that I taught my mom how to make. The first time I tried it, I actually tried to make my own wrappers. They came out very doughy. After that, I just used round wonton wrappers. Of course, being the talent that she is, my mom perfected my recipe...this is her version. Pardon the blurriness of the pictures, they are from my camera phone.

1/4 (or so) lb shrimp in shell, peeled, deveined, and coarsely chopped (optional)
1 lb ground pork
1 bunch chopped scallions, white parts only
1 to 2 Tbs soy sauce
1 Tbs fish sauce
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 tsp minced peeled fresh ginger
1/2 t sesame oil
Wonton wrappers (you can make your own, but I'm not that talented)
warm water
peanut or vegetable oil
chicken stock

Mix all the ingredients except the oil together with your hands until they are well mixed. Place about 1 teaspoon of the meat mixture in the middle of each wonton wrapper, wet the edges with water and seal. Be sure to get all the air bubbles out so that the dumpling won't burst when cooking.

Add a touch of oil to the pan and heat it to high heat. Place the dumplings in the pan and quickly sear until the bottom is golden. Add some chicken stock (enough to cover the bottom of the pan), put a lid on it and "steam" until the dumpling is cooked through. Remove from heat and serve with dipping sauce.

Dipping Sauce
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup or so of water
2 teaspoons white sugar
1/4 cup light rice vinegar
1 tsp sesame oil
red pepper flakes
chopped scallions, green parts (4-5 scallions)

Mix all ingredients together.

Pumpkin Bread with a CRAZY DELICIOUS Cinnamon Maple Butter

I've only made this pumpkin bread once. Somehow I slipped into a fugue and messed up some of the measurements. I did try to correct it, but you know how it goes with baking. A very precise science. So I found a recipe for maple butter - added some cinnamon and vanilla to it. Funny, the pumpkin bread was a hit if only as a vehicle for the delicious butter.

PUMPKIN BREAD
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
4 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup water
3 cups white sugar
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour three 7x3 inch loaf pans. In a large bowl, mix together pumpkin puree, eggs, oil, water and sugar until well blended. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger. Stir the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture until just blended. Pour into the prepared pans. Bake for about 50 minutes in the preheated oven. Loaves are done when toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.


CINNAMON MAPLE BUTTER
1 c butter, softened (2 sticks)
1/4 c pure, grade A maple syrup
1/2 t vanilla
1/4 t cinnamon

Mix all ingredients together, whip until butter is smooth.

Pumpkin Cheesecake with Gingerbread Cookie Crust

This one is for Spencer My Love. The trick (as it is with all baking) is to make sure your ingredients are at room temperature before you start. Set the eggs, cream cheese, etc out on the counter for 20 - 30 minutes.

CRUST

1/2 log of Pillsbury Gingerbread cookie dough

Press dough into bottom of 9 inch springform pan and bake at 350 degrees for approximately 10-11 minutes until crust is golden.

FILLING

3/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup canned pumpkin
3 egg yolks

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese
1/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons white sugar
1 egg
1 egg yolk

2 egg whites
2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon lemon extract

DIRECTIONS
Combine 3/4 cup of the white sugar, the pumpkin, 3 egg yolks, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, ground cloves, ground ginger and salt in a medium bowl. Mix well, and set aside.

Beat cream cheese with an electric mixer until light and fluffy; gradually add 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons white sugar and mix well. Add the whole egg, remaining egg yolk and the whipping cream, beating well. Add vanilla and lemon flavorings, beat batter until smooth. Add pumpkin mixture and mix well.

In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Fold egg whites into batter. Pour batter into the prepared pan.

Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 50 to 55 minutes. Do not overbake. Center may be soft but it will firm up when chilled. Let cheesecake cool on a wire rack, then refrigerate at least 4 hours but best overnight. Serve with whipped cream!

"Sink Your Teeth Into It" Crispy Fried Chicken

I threw this Consolation Tailgate party this weekend for those of us who couldn't score tickets to the ultimate college football rivalry game in the state. I made this fried chicken. Must have been a hit as they were gone before I could try them! The recipe below is for 8 pieces - but I doubled mine for this weekend.

8 pieces fryer chicken (I have only used legs/thighs for this recipe)
1 qt buttermilk
3 T kosher salk
1/2 c seasoning (recipe below) OR use Emeril's BAM seasoning if you're in a hurry
2 c all purpose flour
peanut oil for frying

Mix 1/4 c of seasoning with the buttermilk and 2 T of kosher salt. Marinate the chicken pieces in it or at least 4 hours in the refrigerator (but it's better overnight). Let the chicken and marinade come to room temperature before you start frying (I let it sit on the counter for about 30 minutes). Heat the oil to 350 degrees. Mix the flour, the other 1/4 c seasoning and 1 T kosher salt together. Remove the chicken pieces from the butter milk, shake off the excess and dredge it through the flour mixture. Fry the pieces in shallow oil (so the chicken is only halfway to 3 quarters immersed) skin side down first. Turn over and continue frying until done.

Let drain on wire cooling racks (with paper bags under the racks to catch the oil) - the wire racks will keep them crispy.

SEASONING RECIPE:
2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dried leaf oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme

Popovers with Strawberry Butter

Back in the day, I would have lunch at the Nieman Marcus Cafe across the street from my office. They always served a popover with strawberry butter with their salads. So delicious!!! The original recipe can be found on Leite's Culinaria website. As yummy as the popovers from NM Cafe are, when I make them they come out tasting a bit too eggy. Go figure. There are hundreds of recipes on the net calling for bread flour, self rising, etc. I think it's unnecessary. This is my favorite recipe for the taste AND simplicity in ingredients.

1 c. milk (whole milk - not skim nor 2% nor 1%. You need the fat for poppage)
2 T butter, melted
2 large eggs
1 c. all purpose flour
1/2 t. salt

The trick is to have the batter at room temperature (my batter gets these crazy air bubbles at room temperature - it's great!) and the baking tin super hot. I will let the milk and eggs sit on the counter for about 15 minutes. Add the melted butter to the milk, then the eggs and mix well. Sift flour and salt together in a separate bowl and add the milk mixture to the flour mixture. Stir until just mixed (it will be lumpy). Set the batter sit while you wait for the oven to preheat. Set the oven (with the racks in the low position) at 450 degrees and let the empty popover pan (or muffin tin) heat up with it (learned this idea from Deborah Krasner).

Fill the hot tins 1/2 full with batter. Bake at 450 degrees for about 15 minutes. Lower the heat to 350 and bake for another 15 minutes. Slather on the strawberry butter (recipe below) and enjoy!

Strawberry Butter

1/2 c. (1 stick) butter, softened
1/3 c. good quality strawberry preserves (I use the swiss brand Hero)

Mix together. This is the ratio I like - slightly less preserves than butter. Definitely use the amounts you like. If you've never had the pleasure of strawberry butter, do try! You will not regret it.

Linguine with Pesto, Peas and Potatoes

A symphony in green: pasta, pesto, peas, potatoes and parmesan. Delicious with another "p": prawns. Easy snack to keep you company while surfing the internet.

PASTA WITH PESTO
1 lb. linguine or fettuccine
1/2 pk. frozen green peas (about 8 oz)
1/2 lb. new potatoes (preferably White Rose or Yukon Gold), diced into 1/4-inch pieces
1-1/2 cups Pesto Sauce (see recipe below)
freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add the pasta. Okay the instructions say to add the potatoes and green beans when there are 5 minutes remaining before the pasta is done according to the package instructions. My potatoes (Yukon Golds) needed 10 minutes and I used frozen peas, so I just tossed them in at the last 30 seconds or so. When the pasta is done, reserve a small amount of the cooking liquid, then drain the pasta and vegetables. Place the pasta and vegetables in a large bowl and toss with the pesto sauce. Add enough reserved cooking liquid to allow the pesto to coat the pasta and vegetables. Place in serving bowls and top with additional Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. Serves 6 as an appetizer or 4 as a main course.

PESTO SAUCE
4 cups basil leaves, well packed
2 cloves garlic, lightly crushed and peeled
1 cup pine nuts or walnuts (or a combination of the two)
1-1/2 cups freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano or Pecorino cheese (or a combination of the two)
1-1/2 cups extra-virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Place basil leaves and garlic in food processor or blender and process until leaves are finely chopped. Add nuts and process until nuts are finely chopped. Add cheese and process until combined. With the machine running, add olive oil in a slow, steady stream. After the oil is incorporated, turn off the machine and add salt and pepper to taste. If not using immediately, store in an air-tight container with a thin coating of olive oil on top to keep the sauce from turning dark. Pesto will keep well in the refrigerator for a week or more. This recipe yields approximately 3-1/2 to 4 cups.

Corn and Tomato Salad with Roasted Shallot Vinaigrette

I made this for an Italian themed potluck. Very very tasty salad that is super versatile - can go with chicken, tacos - or eat it right out of the bowl (with a comedy playing in the background). This recipe serves 4.

6 peeled shallots, cut in half if large
½ c olive oil Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pint grape tomatoes
1 large cucumber, peeled, seeded, and sliced into ½-inch pieces
1 can corn, drained (it’s really good with fresh corn roasted in the oven too!)
1/4 c basil vinaigrette

Preheat oven to broil but leave the rack in the middle of the oven so the shallots won’t burn. In a small roasting dish, toss the shallots with olive oil (be generous, the shallot infused olive oil adds a great flavor to the vinaigrette) and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 12 minutes. Remove from the oven to cool.

Combine the tomatoes, corn and cucumbers in a salad bowl. In a small bowl, combine the shallots and the olive oil you roasted them in with the vinegar, seasonings and remaining olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Toss with the tomatoes, corn and cucumbers, and serve immediately.

Cilantro Lime Rice with Corn

This is my version of "Spanish Rice" - I serve it with my fish tacos or chicken enchiladas. Many thanks to my friend, David Roth, for the basic recipe. I only know how to make rice with a rice cooker...so if you need a stove top version of the below, it should be fun (or not) to experiment!

1/2 small onion or 1 large shallot, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 t toasted cumin
1-2 c uncooked rice, rinsed and dried
1 can low sodium chicken stock
1 can whole kernal corn
1 lime
small bunch cilantro, rinsed and tough ends removed, roughly chopped

Saute onion and garlic in a frying pan with some canola oil until fragrant. Add the cumin and saute for a few seconds. Add the rice and saute until well blended. Poor rice mixture into the cooking pot of the rice cooker. Add the can of chicken stock as well as the juice from the can of corn. Ratio of rice to liquid is 1:1.5, so add water until you have the right ratio. Cook according to instructions.

As soon as the rice is done, add juice and zest from the lime as well as the corn. Toss to fluff up the rice. Close the lid and let sit for 5 minutes. Add the cilantro, toss and serve.

Grilled Fish or Chicken Tacos

During my last trip to San Francisco, I had lunch at a tiny Russian Hill eatery called Nick's Crispy Tacos. Plastic patio tables and lawn chairs surrounded by chandeliers and red velvet curtains - part baja fresca, part after hours lounge lizard. What's to resist? The tacos were divine! So here is my take - I've made both fish and chicken with equal success:

Filling
fish or chicken: general rule is 1/2 lb fish per person of a firm, mild white fish (halibut is my favorite) or chicken (1 pk chicken tenders for 2 people)
1-2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 serrano chile, seeded and minced
1/2t paprika
ground black pepper
olive oil

Mix garlic, serrano chile, paprika, ground pepper, olive oil and marinate the fish or chicken for at lease 1/2 hour or up to 4 hours. Grill until done and cut into large chunks.

Cilantro Pesto
2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
1 small peeled shallot
1/2 cup raw pine nuts
1 large bunch cilantro, washed
2 T sherry vinegar
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
kosher salt & coarse pepper

Process garlic and shallot, then pine nuts. Blend, then add cilantro and vinegar. When all is mixed well, add in olive oil, salt, pepper.

Toppings
2-3 avocados, peeled and sliced
lime juice
salt and freshly ground pepper

Arrange sliced avocados on a plate, squeeze limes over avocados and top with salt and pepper, drizzle pesto over avocados.

shredded cabbage
cilantro
chile verde
pico de gallo
lime wedges
Mexican sour cream
tortillas