Silent Sunday No. 598
16 minutes ago
Showing posts with label recipes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label recipes. Show all posts
Splendor in the Grass
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| Under the old Willow Tree on a summer day is the perfect setting for a picnic. |
There's a wonderful farm down the road from us in the country that's surrounded by an old orchard. This idyllic spot boosts not only a beautiful rippling pond but also a magnificent old weeping willow tree that was made to picnic under. After coveting this little oasis for years I finally approached the farmer and asked if we could have a little picnic under her willow tree. He quickly agreed and off we went.
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| A relaxing setting for picnic. |
I think simplicity is the name of the game with this type of picnic. I opted to use a vintage patchwork quilt to compliment the rural setting and blue willow china. Each guest received a tray to hold everything to make eating easier.
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| Daisies made a great country style centerpiece for the afternoon. |
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| Lunch is served. |
Dessert was a chocolate sheet cake that I made from my grandmother's recipe. It was given to her by her good friend and neighbor. I have updated it slightly to make it easier to follow. It is great for a crowd.
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| A crowd pleaser chocolate sheet cake with chocolate nut frosting. |
Chocolate Sheet Cake
This recipe is made in a 11"x13" sheet cake pan.
Serves 10-12
2 cups granulated sugar
2 cups all purpose flour
1 stick butter
1/2 cup oil
4 tbsps cocoa
1 cup water
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 eggs room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp baking soda
Preheat oven to 400 and grease pan. Mix together sugar and flour in a large bowl and set aside. In a large saucepan combine butter, oil, cocoa and water and bring to a boil over medium heat and mix well. Pour this mixture over the flour and sugar. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Pour into prepared pan and bake 20 minutes. Set aside and allow to cool.
Chocolate Nut Frosting
1 stick butter
1 stick butter
4 tbsps cocoa
6 tbsps buttermilk
1 1lb box powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Combine first three ingredients in a large sauce pan and bring to rolling boil and remove from heat. Add remaining ingredients and mix. Pour over cake and spread evenly. Serve on its own or with ice cream.
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| A bucolic farm scene made the landscape complete. |
Carrot Apple Soup
Fall is the start of soup season in our house. There really isn’t anything as comforting as a warm bowl of soup on a chilly day. I made this delicious soup with heirloom carrots that I grew in the garden, but regular carrots will work as long as they are flavorful. The apple compliments the carrots with its sweetness and adds to the fragrance of the soup. I served mine with toasted slivered almonds for added texture which were dusted with paprika. Bon Appetit.
The Carrot Apple Soup served in a Charlotte soup plate paired with the Thomas dinner plate, from my collection by Marie Daage, makes a colorful start for a fall dinner.
Carrot Apple Soup
2 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion peeled and chopped
1 pound heirloom carrots in a range of colors, peeled and finely sliced
1 medium apple peeled, cored and diced
4 cups of chicken stock
Salt and white pepper to taste
In a large saucepan melt the butter over medium heat. Add onions and carrots and cook until soft but not brown. About 5-7 minutes. Add the diced apple and continue to cook another 3 minutes or until the apple is softened. Pour in the stock and bring to a boil. Salt and pepper to taste. Reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes over low heat.
Remove from heat and let cool. Puree the mixture in a blender until smooth. Reheat and serve.
Serves 6.
A Taste of Fall: Apple Cake
Nothing really says fall has arrived like the first frost and the first apples of the season. Recently a good friend invited me to their beautiful orchid with its jaw dropping view of the Catskill mountains.
Against this idyllic background I picked a goodly share of this years bounty. Organic apples are much different from their picture perfect supermarket cousins. These natural wonders come with blemishes and in oddball shapes that defy the imagination, they are also totally free of any form of chemical enhancement.
Besides the pleasure of snacking on these delights for the next few weeks, I am going to put them to good use in one of my favorite fall cakes: Apple Raisin Walnut Cake. This easy to make flavorful cake is also super moist and can go from breakfast to dessert with ease.
Organic apples with their beautiful natral foibles.
Apple Raisin Walnut Cake.
3/4 cup sugar
3 eggs at room temperature
1 cup plain flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup white raisins
1/2 cup walnuts
1 tablespoon melted butter
3/4 pounds baking apples like Northern Spy
Core, peel and chop the apples after mixing the cake batter to minimize discoloration.
Preheat oven to 375. Grease a loaf pan and line the bottom with parchment paper, set aside.
Beat sugar and eggs until light. Sieve the flour, baking powder and cinnamon together and combine with egg mixture. Stir in melted butter and add raisins and walnuts. Set aside.
Core, peel and coarsely chop the apples. Gently stir/fold the apples into the batter. Pour into prepared loaf pan and bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until the center springs back when lightly touched.
A tasty fall comfort food Apple Raisin Walnut cake.
Raspberry Delight
Raspberries are one of Mother Nature’s most delectable
treats. Easy to grow and tedious to pick make them the ideal challenge/reward
fruit. We have a 48’ foot run of the ever bearing Heritage variety along one
side of the fence that encloses the garden. They bear fruit in July for a
couple of weeks and then from mid-August through to the first frost.
They are a raspberry lovers dream come true. The yield is an
embarrassment of riches; countless large mixing bowls of berries get picked
throughout the season. With a bounty like this it’s easy to be extravagant with
them. I developed this recipe for raspberry sorbet that is the essence of
raspberry goodness. It requires four cups of raspberries, an amount that would
stretch even the largest purse if one had to buy them, but when one grows them
it’s another story.
Raspberry Sorbet
4 c. fresh picked raspberries
3/4 to 1 c sugar depending on sweetness of berries
1 T. fresh lemon juice
Puree the berries. If you like a seedless sorbet, strain the
puree, otherwise I add the sugar, mix to dissolve and chill for an hour.
Just before adding the raspberry puree to the ice cream
maker, mix in the lemon juice.
Freeze according to manufacturers directions.
Serve with a spring of your favorite herb to garnish.
Lemon Thyme Sorbet
It was only 88 in the shade the day I took this.
Lemon Thyme Sorbet
1 1/4 c. water
1 1/4 c. sugar
4 lemons
A bunch of thyme
Peel the 4 lemons. Mix the sugar and water in 2 qt saucepan
bring to a boil while stirring. Boil one minute. Add the lemon peels and 10-12
springs of thyme to the hot syrup, cover and let stand for six hours or
overnight to infuse.
Strain and chill the syrup.
Add the juice of the four lemons. You can add 3 tablespoons
of finely sliced rind for additional texture and flavor (optional).
Freeze in an ice cream maker as per manufacturers
directions.
Decorate with some of the remaining thyme sprigs.
For a decadent
treat one could add a splash of Limoncello or vodka just before serving.
Travel and Chocolate
Jennifer in front of her peak of chic fireplace.
This cake has been a recent discovery, it’s a cross between
a genoise and brownie. I made it several times recently. Its airy light but has
all the rich chocolate flavor of a good brownie.
Brownie Genoise
5 oz dark chocolate chopped
4 eggs at room temperature
1/3 c. sugar
4 tablespoons butter at room temperature
1 pinch of salt
1/2 c chopped walnuts (optional)
- Melt chocolate and butter in saucepan.
- Separate the eggs. Beat the egg whites until stiff with a small pinch of salt.
- Beat eggs yolks and sugar until pale and very carefully fold into whipped egg whites.
- Add the tepid chocolate mixture.
- Line a 9 inch spring form pan with parchment paper and add the batter and cover with chopped walnuts if you are using them. Bake at 400 for 25 minutes.
- Release
from pan while it is still warm.
Mocha Cinnamon Hot Chocolate
A good hot chocolate starts with the best chocolate available.
Mocha Cinnamon Hot Chocolate
2 1/2 cups of water
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup sifted cocoa unsweetened powder
1- 3.5 oz bar of 60% chocolate in pieces
1- 3.5 oz bar of 90% chocolate in pieces
1 tablespoon Instant expresso
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
1. Bring, water, sugar, cocoa powder, instant expresso and cinnamon to a boil in a 2 quart saucepan. Stir to mix.
2. Lower heat and mix in chocolate pieces and simmer for 15 minutes stirring from time to time.
3. Strain through a fine mesh sieve.
4. Let rest for several hours and reheat in a double boiler.
5. Enjoy!
Lemon Tart
Last winter I posted about my Meyer lemon tree and its beautiful fragrant flowers. Much to my surprise after spending the summer in the garden the tree produced a rather bountiful harvest this fall. So finding myself with about a two dozen unexpected lemons, I decided to use some of them to make a tangy tart. I really love this recipe because it strikes just the right balance of sweet and tart. I think thats the ideal for a Lemon Tart. Yum!
Lemon Tart
1 Pate sucree
Filling
Zest of 3 lemons finely grated
⅔ cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 3-4 lemons)
1 cup powered sugar
⅔ cup creme fraiche or sour cream
3 eggs
3 egg yolks
Powdered sugar for dusting
Preheat oven to 400. Line the tart pan with the pate sucree letting the crust extend over the top of the tart pan. Line with parchment paper and dried beans and blind bake for 10-15 minutes. Let cool.
Reduce the oven to 375.
Beat the lemon juice, zest and sugar until the sugar dissolves. Add progressively the creme fraiche until all is smoothly mixed, then add the eggs and the yolks one at a time.
Pour mixture into crust and bake for 20 to 30 minutes. The filling should be slightly golden. If it browns too much cover with aluminum foil.
Let the tart cool then refrigerate. Right before serving dust with sugar. If you do it ahead of time the sugar will dissolve on the tart. I know it happened to me.
Tip: Let the lemons set out 30 minutes to overnight before squeezing. You’ll get more juice out of them.
Homemade Coffee Soda
This summer has been a great opportunity to experiment in the kitchen with various recipes that I have hoarded for a while now but never had time to try. This coffee soda recipe is one of those that has been on the to make list for sometime. I am not sure why I waited. It is easy, fast and so delicious.
Unlike the store bought counterparts, this doesn’t have any mystery ingredients. Its made with three simple ingredients: water, sugar and instant expresso.
Coffee Soda
4 c. Water
½ c. Instant Expresso
1lb. Sugar
Light Cream
Ice
Soda Water
In a very large saucepan, bring the water to a boil and add the instant expresso and stir until dissolved (when the expresso is added it will double in size). Add sugar all at once, stir to dissolve. Bring to a roiling boil for 12 minutes. Remove from heat. Let cool.
For an 8 oz serving put about two tablespoons of syrup in the glass add about the same amount of light cream and stir to mix. Add ice and top with soda water and mix again.
Note: Skim milk can be used in place of the cream, but the drink is really much better with a member of the cream family.
What to do with Zucchini?
How about an amazing Chocolate Zucchini Cake? Just about anybody who grows zucchini or
knows someone who does is aware of the surplus of it by this time of the season.
This cake takes me back to the halcyon days of my midwestern childhood summers when it would start appearing every August. Best of all its a fast, easy and is super moist thanks to the zucchini.
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups white sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
3 cups grated unpeeled zucchini
3/4 cup slivered almonds
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9x13 inch baking pan.
2. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, salt and
cinnamon. Add the eggs and oil, mix well. It will be very stiff at this point. Fold in the nuts and zucchini until they are evenly distributed. Pour into the prepared pan.
3. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes in the preheated oven, until a knife inserted into the center comes out
clean. Let the cake cool and dust with cocoa powder or frost with your favorite icing.
Delectable Strawberry Tart
With strawberry season in full force what better way to enjoy them than in a tart? This recipe is one I have been wanting to make for a while now. I came across it while editing my bulging “to try” file of recipes that I think ever cook has. It has a basil garnish that adds a rich flavor to the berries that I really liked. This recipe is from Fruits Rouges edited by L’ami des Jardins et la Maison.
1 Blind baked pate sable tart shell
3 c. Strawberry hulled
3 oz of olive oil
1 Vanilla bean
½ Lemon
Basil
⅔ c. powder sugar
A few drops of balsamic vinegar
Ground pepper
Slice 2 ¼ cups of strawberries in 4 slices each. Reserve the rest. Put the juice of the lemon and powdered sugar in a sauce pan and cook until the sugar is dissolved. Add the sliced strawberries and vanilla bean and cook over low heat until the strawberries are tender, about 5 minutes. Remove the vanilla bean and let cool until tepid.
Remove the cooled tart shell from its pan and place on the serving plate. Fill with the cooked strawberries. Cut the remaining strawberries in half and place on top of the filling, sliced side up. Mix the olive oil and a couple drops of vinegar and drizzle over the top and sprinkle with the thinly sliced basil and a dash of ground black pepper.
Makes one 9” tart.
A Taste of Spring
This last weekend, I hit a wall. I decided that I had made more than enough apple based desserts for the winter and was ready to break out into spring. So what could be more of a breath of spring than a Rhubarb Crumble? It goes together one, two, three and disappears even faster. It is not a super sweet dessert but really good with vanilla ice cream on the side.
Rhubarb Crumble
Serves 6
1.5 lbs rhubarb split lengthwise cut into half inch pieces
1 large apple peeled, cored and minced
1 packet of Vanilla sugar
½ cup flour
⅓ cup soften butter
⅓ cup sugar
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Put rhubarb and apple in a 13” oval gratin dish. Sprinkle with vanilla sugar.
In a bowl combine butter, flour and sugar with fingers until crumbly. Sprinkle over the rhubarb and apple mixture. Bake for 30-40 mins until golden brown.
Bon Appetit.
A Must Have Cookbook
One of my most spotted, stained and dog eared all time favorite cookbooks is Menus et Recettes pour toute la Famille par Francoise Bernard. When I first moved to Paris to study I had no idea who Francoise Bernard was or her contribution to French cooking. What I did notice was it seemed every French kitchen I was in came equipped with at least one of her cookbooks, rather like a stove is a standard kitchen item.
Over time and as my French improved, I learned who she was and her importance. Very simply put, she is to France what dear Fanny Farmer is to America, the basic fool proof go to cookbook. Obviously there is a serious difference: she is French.
Many of the recipes that Julia Child brought back and made famous with her cookbooks are found in Bernards. However, the recipes are as delicious but much easier and faster to prepare.
For example, last week we hosted a fireside dinner for a couple of friends. I wanted a pretty and easy dessert that reflected what is in season. That reduced the options to locally grown apples or pears. So skimming through the new American edition of Francoise’s cookbook, La Cuisine Everyday French Home Cooking I found a recette for Bourdelots Normands (Whole Apples in Flaky Pastry) page 700.
It was just the ticket. I made the Pate Brisee (a snap with the food processor) and a swell Creme Fraiche Ice Cream I made with local raw milk from Hawthorne Valley Farms. I filled the apple with some of the raspberry jam I made last summer.
They were delicious. The tanginess of the ice cream countered the sweetness of the apple and the jam really well. These apples are a far cry from grandmother's baked apples.
A Simple Delight
Living in a village with so many apple orchards a stones throw away, our autumn is filled with many dishes made with apples, salads, breads and desserts. If it makes sense an apple finds its way into every dish.
I have made this cake several times and it’s my absolute favorite it’s fast, easy and so good. I found this recipe in one of my cookbooks, Recipes from the French Wine Harvest by Rosi Hanson.
Noelle Lafarge’s Apple Cake
For 8 people
6 oz sugar (I use vanilla sugar)
3 eggs
8 oz plain flour
3 t baking powder
1 T. melted butter
1 lb. cooking apples (I use Northern Spy)
Preheat oven to 425.
Beat sugar and eggs together until pale. Sift flour and baking powder together, then stir into egg mixture. Stir in melted butter.
Peel and core apples. Cut into chucks. Incorporate them into the batter. Turn into a parchment lined and greased 8 in spring form pan and bake in a preheated oven for 30 minutes.
Serve warm with crème fraiche.
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