Holiday Lasagna!

I understand that upon reading the title of this entry, you might be scratching your head. Let me explain: in my family, particularly when I was little younger, we celebrated Christmas by having droves of family over and made lasagna, fettucine alfredo, or spaghetti. It makes sense, as you can really feed a crowd with pasta. Note that this is a family tradition, and not really what Italians or Italian Americans do for Christmas.

As always, I'm sharing a recipe from my experience (my own version, at that) and do not claim to be "authentic" or to have "the one true lasagna to rule them all." I think that going in for that sort of thing is silly anyway.

There is nothing particularly earth shattering about the way I prepare lasagna, but it's delicious, comforting, and so immensely fun to make that I just wanted to share. In fact, I made this twice this month-once on the 10th when my friend Alyssa dropped in for the evening, and once during the week intensive of the Mediterranean Opera Studio. I often roll out my own noodles for this, but I simply didn't have the time this month. One can just as easily use pasta purchased at the store (I prefer the noodles that don't require boiling-Trader Joe's lasagna noodles fall into this category, as do many other brands.) I also like to add parsley to my ricotta mixture-it lightly informs the entire dish with a bit more freshness. This is probably a good time to note that this is not a light dish, and certainly not something I make on a regular basis.

I like to make a cheese sauce to grace the top of my lasagna. For this, I make a Béchamel sauce with cheese (which, I suppose, makes it more of a Mornay sauce.) Once the top is browned and bubbly (sometimes the broiler helps with this) I top it with more parsley. Thus we get the Christmas color trifecta: green, red and white. These are, coincidentally the colors of the Italian flag-giving us an American dish with Italian inspiration for the Christmas season.

PS: This month has been crazy! I started this entry on December 19, and have just finished it today (December 27.) Fortunately, it's still Christmas, so while I missed the actual day, I'm still in the season.

Buon natale!

Ingredients
Lasagna noodles (handmade or follow box directions-if I'm purchasing the noodles, I like the flat ones that don't have to be boiled.)

For the meat sauce:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 large sweet onion

5 cloves garlic
2 carrots, grated
1 teaspoon each of thyme and basil (omit if you like, or if you don't have any on hand)
1  pound of ground meat (I use ground turkey, but you can use pork, beef or any mixture you enjoy)
1 teaspoon of Salt and pepper
1 small can of tomato paste
1/2 to 3/4 cup of red wine or red vermouth
1 28 oz can of peeled tomatoes

For the ricotta mixture:
15 oz Ricotta Cheese (I use whole milk, full fat-as always, use what you prefer)
1/2 cup of parmesan cheese
1/2 cup mozzarella
2 eggs
Pinch (1/2 teaspoon?) salt and pepper
Fresh Italian parsley, minced (to taste)

 Béchame/Mornay sauce topping
Whisk
3 tablespoons of butter
2 tablespoons of all purpose flour
2 cups of milk (whole milk is best here.)
1 teaspoon of black pepper and a dash (two passes on a microplane) of nutmeg.
1/2 cup-1 cup of cheese (a mix of parmesan and mozzarella works well. Any white cheese is fine)


Method:

Meat Sauce
1. Chop onions and garlic. Shred carrots (I use a cheese grater, but sometimes I do simply chop these as well.
2. In a large pan, heat the olive oil and butter on a medium high heat until the butter has melted. The butter gives a lovely round quality, and the olive oil helps it from burning.
3. Saute the onion and garlic for a few minutes, then add the carrots. Watch the heat, as you don't want to burn anything-if needed, turn down your stove. After a few minutes, add the herbs (if using.) Adding dry herbs at this point really helps you maximize the flavor-"sweating" them in the heat helps them release their oils and their yummyness (that's the technical term.)
4. Add the meat, along with the salt and pepper! Unsurprisingly, you will cook until it isn't pink anymore.
5. Add the tomato paste. I clear a little space in the pan for this, and let the paste get warm. Then I mix it into the meat. I'm not sure if this is the proper way to do this, but I learned this from my first teacher, and so I've done so ever since (with good results.) Add the wine/vermouth and let this simmer for about 5 minutes or so on a medium heat.

Fun with tomato paste. This is as I'm incorporating it in the mix. Red wine is about to join the party.

6. Add the can of tomatoes. You can use crushed tomatoes, but I like to get whole tomatoes and just break them up a bit. I like the chunkier texture, but it you want it smoother, do as you please.
7. Cook until there isn't too much standing moisture (the last thing you want is a wet, sloppy lasagna.) I typically leave it for about 20 minutes or so-leave it on a medium low heat, stirring occasionally.

Mmmm sauce. I apprently need to work on making less splatters. Oh well, that's life in the kitchen-sometimes one makes a mess. I suppose the same can be said of life in general as well.

Ricotta mixture:
1. Chop parsley, reserving some for the top of the lasagna.
2. Fling everything into a bowl and mix. No really, just toss it all in.

It's blurry because I'm so busy tossing!!! I guess I was hungry for dinner...

Cheese Sauce

You could omit this, but it's terribly easy, and looks great as you serve it. It's also quite decadent, so make your own choices.

1. In a saucepan, melt 3 tablespoons of butter.

2. Add two tablespoons of flour. Mix this for a few minutes, and let it turn golden. Otherwise your sauce will taste of raw flour (yuck.) Stir the flour, otherwise if will start looking like a giant boiling shortbread cookie (and that's basically what it is, except without sugar.)

3. Add the milk slowly, whisking as you go. If you don't have a whisk, buy one when you're buying your groceries. If you whisk the milk in, you will not get any lumps. Even if lumps appear initially, they will be overcome by your diligent whisking.

4. Add pepper and nutmeg. You may omit the nutmeg but I like it's nutty flavor, and it's a nod to the French origins of this sauce.

5. Add the cheese.

Assembly

Preheat oven to 375.

1. Place about 1/2 cup of the meat sauce on the bottom of your baking dish.

2. Layer the noodles, meatsauce and ricotta mixture until the baking dish is just over 3/4 full.

3. Top with the Mornay sauce.

Woah, this is decadent.

4. Bake for about 1/2 hour to 45 minutes. The top will be bubbly. My broiler is very, very fast, so sometimes if the top doesn't look bubbly enough, I toss it under the broiler for 2 minutes. You have to be very careful with that trick-too long and you can ruin your lasagna.

5. Top with the reserved fresh parsley

Yum....Yes, I balanced the pan on a saucepan....no, I don't think it's a good idea ;-)

6. Eat greedily (with friends or loved ones.)

Yay, time for dinner! Incidentally, if you're bringing this to table as I have done here, place trivets under your baking dish.  If you don't have trivets, use a kitchen towel and a potholder.

Red and serrano pepper jam!

Last Christmas, I made a present for my family: I gave them jobs of jars of pepper jam.  This confused members of my immediate family, who for the life of them couldn't figure out what I was doing with all those red bell peppers and spicy red peppers. They furthermore did not think that my gifts would be well received.  Fortunately, I was vindicated-I had a tremendously positive response, and was even asked for more!

I also felt vindicated by the fact that I opened the Thanksgiving issue of Bon Appétit.  Bon Appétit is the lovely food magazine founded in 1956 in my home town, Kansas City Missouri. What, you ask did I find in the magazine? A special snippet of an article touting pepper jam as the "condiment of the season." While the magazine suggested that one purchase some pepper jam, I find it infinitely more rewarding (and delicious) to make it myself. It's also really quite simple, and making it feels like such a wonderful fall activity.

When I made this jam a few days ago, I used serrano peppers, though you could use any pepper that has a little heat. The jam, as it is in this recipe, isn't very spicy (my Dad doesn't much care for fire these days) though if you wanted more heat, don't carefully devein the peppers and use a few ounces more.

I suppose that strictly speaking, this is somewhere between preserves and jam, but in 2013 the terms jelly, jam and preserves seem somewhat interchangeable. Call it whatever you like or feel strongly about-I mostly just call it yummy.

Ingredients
Jars (I use Ball 8 oz jars-they are sold at the stores in 12 jar packs.)
2 1/2 tablespoons of Fruit pectin (again, I use Ball)
4 ounces of Red Bell Peppers, with top, seeds and white bits removed, quartered.
3 ounces of Green Serrano peppers, with top, seeds, and veins removed, quartered.
4 cups of sugar
1 16 ounce bottle of Apple Cider Vinegar

Method
1. Remove the seeds, stems and veins from the bell peppers and the serrano peppers. Quarter all of them.
2. In a pot (I use a big stock part) add the sugar, fruit pectin and the apple cider vinegar and let the sugar  and pectin dissolve-swirl the sugar, but don't stir (this is hard for me, and I love to stir things in pots.)
3. Whirl the peppers in the food processor.  After, I suggest you scoop the peppers into a strainer and let some of the water drip out. Discard the juice after you strain it (I just leave it over the sink, and let it drain away for a few minutes.)
4. Toss the peppers in the pot, and turn the heat up, bringing the pot to a low boil for about 1/2 an hour.
5. Allow the jam to cool-this will take an hour or maybe even two.  While you are doing this, run your jars through the dishwasher (I don't have one, so I have to visit a friend who has one when I make this-a few jars are a nice reward.) If you don't have a dishwasher (and none of your friends do) I suppose you could pour boiling water into the jars.
6. Scoop the jam (it isn't terribly thick, and it never really will be) into the jars, and seal them. I think it will hold up for about a month or two (not that it will last that long!)
7. Eat greedily. I like this on brie, on turkey (either leftovers from a feast, or on a sandwich made with deli turkey) on cream cheese with crackers, or other cheeses, sandwiches. Eat it on anything you like.

A bit of brie with some pepper jam: savory and sweet playing well together!

An 8 ounce jar of pepper jam. I had a few jars left over. 

Mushroom Pot Pie!

Here we are in mid November, and the holiday season is beginning to descend upon us.  For some reason, I feel more ready for it this year than I have in ages. During this time of year, it's always nice to have comfort food around one's home. And I mean comfort food in both senses of the word-food that is both a comfort to eat, and also to prepare. I think this fits the bill perfectly.

Pot pie is hardly a new idea, but sometimes it's fun to take the familiar and turn it on it's head. Normally, a pale gravy and chicken are used for pot pie. This velvety mushroom pot pie though has a rich, round flavor and and a dark gravy-it has very beefy sort of taste, which is a joy considering this is dish is vegetarian. If I may humbly say so, this would make a delicious vegetarian entree for any holiday celebration, though it is a perfectly lovely dinner for any evening.

I made this dish for Pablo and my sister Caroline, both of who lent their seal of approval to it (my sister is long time vegetarian.)

I'm sure that at some point I'll work out an easy crust/topping, but for now I'm just as happy to have a package of puff pastry in the freezer-just take one of the sheets of puff pastry out of the fridge a few hours before you plan to use it.

A note about mushrooms-I use baby bella mushrooms, which are delicious, and white button mushrooms, which are not. When they are paired together, though, the button mushrooms take on a lot more flavor than they would were they cooked by themselves.

This dish certainly isn't light by design, but is certainly lighter than many calorie-laden foods traditionally served this time of year.

Ingredients
1 sheet of puff pastry (let it thaw for 2 hours)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 leek, trimmed and chopped.
2 or 3 carrots, chopped into bite size portions (to taste)
20 ounces of mushrroms (10 ounces baby bella or your favorite, and 10 ounces white button)
Thyme
Salt and Pepper
1 tablespoon of flour
1 tablespoon of butter
1 splash of sherry
1/2 box of mushroom broth (about 16 ounces-I used pacific)
1 cup of frozen peas
1 teaspoon of truffle oil (optional)
1 tablespoon of cream or whole milk (optional)

Method:
1. Remove the sheet of puff pastry from the freezer and let it thaw for 2 hours.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Trim and chop the leek. Saute in the olive oil for 2 minutes.
3. While the leek is cooking, chop the carrots and add them to the leek. Cook for 3-4 minutes.
4. Add the mushrooms to the pan-the mushrooms will greedily drink the oil in the pan. To help them do this, salt the mushrooms. The mushrooms will saute and partially steam-this is perfectly fine-do not be alarmed. Cook the mushrooms for 5-6 minutes. Add thyme (I use 2 teaspoons of fresh thyme and few teaspoons of pepper.)
5. Clear a small spot in the pan-add the butter. Once it is bubbling, add the flour and let it cook for 2-3 minutes. Then incorporate the flour mixture into the mushrooms and carrots. This won't make the pie taste at all like flour, it just makes the mixture a bit thicker and velvety.
6. Add the splash of sherry. Once it has cooked a bit, add the mushroom broth. Cook until the liquid reduces and thickens, about 8-10 minutes.
7. Add the cup of peas, and let them warm through.
8. Drizzle in the truffle and oil if you're using them.
9. Transfer the mixture to a baking dish.

The mixture!

10. Top the dish with the puff pastry, cutting a few slits in the middle-you may need to roll it out if your baking dish is especially large.

Almost there!

11. Bake in the oven 20-25 minutes until the top of the pie is golden.

Now it's ready to eat!

12. Eat greedily.

Maple-Bourbon Pumpkin Pie with Chocolate Pecan Streusel

I enjoy making food for myself, and I even whip up a dessert every now and then. It can be lovely to make something nice for oneself. This is definitely not one of those "flying solo" recipes. When making this, it is best to have at least a few people around-this pie is rich and delicious (I've been told it's borderline addictive,) and it's good to have help eating it (plus, a very small piece will satisfy a sweet tooth-it's quite rich.)

One of my favorite Thanksgiving season (yes, I just called Thanksgiving a season) recipes is Pablo's chocolate bourbon pecan pie. This pie of mine pays homage to that great dessert and also brings in the pumpkin element.

Pablo!

I made this pie yesterday to practice my pie skills for Thanksgiving (I need to make a few pies before the main event) and to welcome my sister Caroline to New York for a visit. She tasted it, and said "you should make this ALL the time." Suffice it to say, she liked it. Pablo also gave his stamp of approval-perhaps this will be a new family recipe.

Caroline!

For this pie, I made the crust, but I don't think there would be anything wrong with using a purchased pie crust or making a graham cracker crust-as always, do as you please.

What day with decadent pie isn't awesome?!

While this is certainly a pie of bold flavors, they balance nicely-the chocolate and pecan have a roundness that complements the bourbon and maple, and the pumpkin is a wonderful base. This is not a pie that tastes really boozey or sharp-it's really quite mellow (albeit rich.)

Ingredients

Pie Crust:

1 cup of all purpose flour

1 1/2 sticks of butter cut into small cubes

2 tablespoons of sugar (omit if you like)

1/2 teaspoon of salt

1/2 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar (omit if you like-my great grandmother swore by it)

Small glass of ice water

Foil

Beans (I'm not crazy...well, I am, but you'll see why these are here later)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.  In a food processor, combine butter, flour, sugar and salt. Take the ingredients for a spin-the result should look like whitish rubble. If I had vegetable shortening on hand, I likely would do 1/2 butter 1/2 shortening. I just had butter, so I made do with what I had.

2. Add the vinegar (if using-that's an old trick of my grandmother's) and feed some of the cold water into the mix-keep adding (and pulsing the processor) until you have a rough ball.

3. Turn the contents of the processor onto a floured work surface, and shape the dough into a disk.

Dough disk.

4. Refrigerate dough for an hour and a half (a few hours more is even better)

5. Roll the crust in small motions-this is personal, I don't care for the result if I try and flatten the whole disk in one motion with my rolling pin.

6. Roll the pie crust around your rolling pin and transfer to your pie dish.

Dough is ready to be transferred!

7. Fit the dough comfortably in the pie dish-this is not the time to stretch the dough-you should have plenty for this crust.

8. Trim the overhand, leaving a little bit of room (you want some overhang)

Trim trim trim....

9. Fold the overhang under the top of the crust and crimp the sides.

10. Place a sheet of foil in the piecrust and add dry beans.  This will weight the crust down and allow it to crisp beautifully.

11. Bake the crust for about 10-15 minutes.

12. Fill to your hearts content.  

Chocolate Pecan Streusel

Ingredients

3/4 cup of pecans (whole or chopped)

3/4 cup of chocolate (I used semi sweet chocolate chips-bittersweet would be great too.)

3/4 cup of light brown sugar.

3/4 stick of butter (if you're using a smaller processor, cut this into smaller bits or it will get stuck)

Method

1.  This is what I call "brain dead streusel."  In a food processor, combine all ingredients and pulse until ingredients are mixed (small chunks of chocolate and pecan in brown sugar)

Maple-Bourbon Pumpkin Pie Filling

Ingredients

4 eggs

1 15 ounce can of pumpkin puree (please don't use pumpkin pie mix-it would be WAAAY too sweet)
1/4 granulated white sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup of maple syrup (check the label...)
1/2 teaspoon of vanilla
Dash of cinnamon (to taste)
Grating of nutmeg (to taste, but I suggest going easy on this)
2 1/2 tablespoons of bourbon

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Crack all the eggs in a mixing bowl and lightly whisk.
2. Add pumpkin, and whisk
3. Add both white and brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg.
4. Add the Maple syrup and bourbon, whisking well.
5. This is a very runny mixture-don't be alarmed.  You may have more mixture than available space (this depends on your pie dish.)
6. Bake at 400 for 10 minutes. Then reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for 15 minutes (you could also turn your pie-I didn't, and it was fine.)
7. Add the chocolate pecan streusel and bake 15 minutes more.
8. Eat greedily.

It's a very aesthetically pleasing pie-very pretty to look at, and even better to taste!

Halloween Chili

My Jack O'lantern this year

When I was a child (or at least, a younger one,) my parents would always make a big pot of chili before we would go trick or treating. While we don't trick or treat anymore, it's a tradition that lives on to this day-my sister Emily always makes chili and watches the Disney version of "Sleepy Hollow" (the one narrated and sung by Bing Crosby...and as a side note, I still think the headless horseman has the greatest entrance of any Disney villain!) Chili is one of those super speedy dinners, and while I thought there are more chili recipes floating around than you can shake a stick at, it's worth noting that this is incredibly easy and satisfying.

It's fun to have traditions like these-they reconnect you to a more halcyon time, and it's fun to wallow in a bit of culinary nostalgia.  That said, I make my chili the way I remember it, but I also make it every year.  It's also worth noting that this is a family recipe that evolved over a bit of time. Some say that real chili doesn't have beans in it, but readers already know what I think of chasing after culinary "authenticity."  Bottom line: if you don't like beans in your chili, don't add them.  POOF!  Everyone's happy!

Sour cream is tasty in this chili, as is a bit of cheese.  I personally never add the cheese, and only have the sour cream if I have it on hand.

Ingredients 

1 large yellow onion

1 pound ground beef or turkey

1 large can of diced tomatoes

1 can of chili beans

2 cloves of garlic
Salt and pepper

Chili powder (to taste-I used 3 tablespoons)
Cumin (extra)

Crushed red pepper (optional)

Sour cream, cheese or crackers/fritos (optional)

Method:

1. Slice the onion and saute in the fat of your choice (I use butter, olive oil, or vegetable oil.)  I don't do too fine a dice on these, as I want some larger bits.  As always, do as you please.
2. Add the 2 cloves of chopped garlic (I would chop this finely)
3. Add the beef and cook it through.

Not quite cooked yet.  If I had a larger pan on hand, I would have used it.

4. Add the chili powder. If you'd like a bit more earthiness, you might also consider adding some extra cumin.  Add the red chili if you're using it.  Let the spices permeate the meat-when you smell the earthy fragrance of the chili and beef/turkey, you're in a good place.  Instant comfort!

5. Add the diced tomatoes and simmer for about 1/2 hour.

6. Add the chili beans and let simmer another 1/2 hour.  The chili up to this point may look a bit watery.  You will know the chili is done when it goes quite red and is sturdy, not watery.

Dinnertime....

7. Eat greedily.  Happy Halloween!

Veggies in red peanut curry sauce

I love curry!  I often make it for myself, and enjoy it in green, yellow and red varieties.  Apparently. humans have been eating curry for at lot longer than I realized.

Disclaimers are not really my style, but I make no claim to authenticity with this dish-it's simply very tasty.  Curry is one of my favorite foods, and when it's topped with some cilantro, I'm in seventh heaven (readers who don't care for cilantro can of course omit it-readers who don't care for curry can of course omit the entire recipe....go make forest farro or something ;-)

This is one of those super easy and quick dinners-I use this a lot after a busy day, or if I'm hungry, but just not in the mood to cook, and not in the mood to go out (does anyone else suffer from this?) It boils down to sautéing vegetables and adding red curry paste, peanut butter, coconut milk and cilantro (with some sriracha or red chili paste/dry red chillies if you like.)  

I made this with some chicken I cut into tiny morsels, but I often as not just leave it out-it's a great supper if you are cooking for vegetarians or vegans (or just food lovers in general.)  While the dish tastes rich, it is, relatively speaking, fairly low in calories.  My Mom and Dad like this served over rice, but I just eat it as it is.  

I use red curry paste from Thai House.  Use whichever you like.

Ingredients

1 medium sweet yellow onion

Fat-either olive oil, vegetable oil, sauté oil, garlic oil, etc.

Assorted veggies-whatever you have in the house.  On this particular occasion I used:

2 carrots

2 zucchini

Snow peas (also called mange tout.  They are apply named, as I often use them as snacks and they don't always make it into whatever recipe for which I've purchased them....oops!)

Mushrooms

Sriracha sauce or red chili sauce

1 can of light (or normal) coconut milk

Cilantro 

Smooth peanut butter

Roasted and salted peanuts (as a garnish-optional)

Chicken (optional)

Method

1. Dice and sauté the onion until it softens.  While this is happening, slice your other veggies and, if you're using it, slice your chicken.  Also, chop the cilantro.  If this is too much pressure, do this before sautéing the onion.

2. If you're using chicken, I'd recommend dicing it and cooking it here.

3. Sautee the rest of the veggies, adding a pinch of salt and pepper.  Cook them as much as you'd like them cooked-everyone has different tastes-I tend to cook mine until they have just a little crunch left.

4. Add 2 tablespoons of red curry paste.  Stir well to disperse the deliciousness.  If using, add some sriracha or red pepper.

5. Add the can of coconut milk and stir well.  

6. Add 2 tablespoons of peanut butter, stirring well to incorporate.

7. Add about 2 tablespoons of cilantro.  Taste for seasoning-it may need a bit of salt.

8. Serve the curry by itself or over rice.  Garnish with cilantro and a tablespoon of roasted peanuts.

9. Eat greedily.

Hooray, it's done!

Aperol Ehshpreets

When I was in Palermo over the summer, I became acquainted with Aperol.  It's a close relative of Campari, but quite a bit rounder and it tastes of orange and herbs.  It is, in a word, delightful.  While staying at the Hotel Mercure, my colleagues and I on occasion would enjoy an Aperol sprintz (pronounced "ehshpreets" by Antonio, our intrepid bartender.)

Upon my return to the states, I started noticing the infiltration of Aperol-it is on the rise, my friends.  I think this will be a fun new staple in a very short time (as it already is in many places.)  I'm happy to do my part to spread the word, because I find it a wonderful alternative to Campari, which can sometimes be a bit too much for me.

While I normally enjoy cocktails that have a bit more bite and less sweetness (a bump of bourbon or a Manhattan) there are times when only eshpreets will do.  This is a particularly fun and flirty drink to serve at happy hour.  Why not grab a bottle on your way home from work and throw an impromptu cocktail party?

Aperol.  To me, the bottle itself looks like a party!

Ingredients

Ice

2 ounces of Aperol

3 ounces of Prosecco or other sparkling wine

Orange Slice

Splash of soda water (optional-I often just use a bit of extra prosecco)

Method:
1. Combine ingredients in a wine glass.  I don't ever recommend shaking carbonated beverages...unless you want to wear them (though that can be fun too, in the right context.)
2. All jokes aside, place the ice in your wine glass, then add the Aperol, Prosecco and club soda (if using.)
3. Garnish with an orange slice.
4. Imbibe greedily.

Eshpreets!  Are you feeling Italian yet?  No?  Have another!  :-)

Butternut squash soup

As I noted in my last entry, fall is now upon us in full force.  One of my favorite flavors of fall is the taste of roasted butternut squash.  For me, the deep, sweet flavor is almost a decadent, rich dessert, albeit one packed with a good deal of nutrition.

The noble butternut

Turning something this fantastic into soup is not without risk-roasted butternut is so wonderful by itself, sometimes a butternut squash soup can really miss the mark.  I've made my share of disappointing versions, and (I hope you'll agree) this one is delicious.  Butternut soup can be quite thick and viscous, and I counter that by using chicken stock, an apple, and finishing it with a light splash of half and half (though you could use some milk or cream, depending on your proclivity.  

I often roast the squash by cutting it in half, seeding it and laying it face up in a roasting pan.  If that sounds like too much effort (and let's face it, after work it can be) I recommend buying the peeled, seeded and cut variety, as most supermarkets now sell it that way.  It can be a real time saver, as the squash also cooks much faster.

This soup makes for an elegant starter, but I made it last Saturday for lunch, and we enjoyed it with a nice whole grain baguette.

Ingredients

One butternut squash, seeded (or one packet of sliced peeled and seeded squash)

One medium sized Spanish/sweet yellow onion

2 tablespoons of vegetable oil

1 teaspoon Cinnamon

Salt and pepper

1 teaspoon of butter

1 medium apple (I use red apples here, but any is fine)

16 Ounces (half a box) of Chicken Broth (vegetable broth if vegetarians are eating)

1/4 to 1/2 a cup of Half and Half, cream, or milk (to taste)

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

2. Seed the squash or take it out of its package and place it on a roasting tray (I invariable use my half sheet pan for this one.)  Sprinkle/toss the squash in the vegetable oil, cinnamon, salt and pepper.

3. Roast the squash in the oven until a fork pierces it fairly easily.

4. Toward the end of roasting the squash (say, 20-30 minutes after it's been in the oven) cut the onion and sautee it in the butter on the stove in a stock pot (or any large pan...it will later host the entire soup.) Cook the onion over a medium heat, so the flavor of the onion will turn mellow.  

5. Take a moment to enjoy the way your house smells-the combination of the onions cooking on the stove and the butternut in the oven...ahh...

6. Cut the apple into cubes (I leave the skins on, but you could peel it if you like.)

7. Once the onion has mellowed (or is well on its way) add the apple cubes, and let them cook 7-10 minutes.  They will begin to soften.

8. Remove the butternut squash from the oven, and toss into the onion and apple and toss everything together.

9. Mix the contents of the pot with a blender.  I find that the easiest way to do this is to toss everything in the blender (I have a standard blender, and it will hold everying in the pot.)  You may find that because it's a bit dry that the blender won't mix everything.  If that happens, just toss in a 1/2 cup or so of the chicken broth-that should provide all the necessary lubrication to get the soup completely blended.

10. If you left the skin on the apple, the soup might be smoth, but with a little texture.  I enjoy that.  Transfer the soup back to the pot, and add the rest of the chicken broth (I often use the broth to rinse clean the blender goblet-this makes cleaning it easier, and makes sure you don't lose any precious soup.)

11. Bring the soup to a boil, turn the heat off and swirl in the half and half (or milk.)

12.  Taste the soup. If it is too thick, add more broth.  If it is too thin, reduce it with a bit more heat.  

13. Slurp greedily.

Apple cake with brown sugar brandy sauce

The fall is a lovely time of year-a slight nip in the air (unless you happen to be in a warmer climate,) the days grow short, and sweaters start appearing. I've always noticed that sunny afternoons take on a richer, darker hue...like the whole world is turning a cool terra cotta color.

We experienced such a lovely fall terra cotta afternoon yesterday.  We had a nice Idyll at Masker orchard in Warwick, New York, where we picked apples.

How can this sight not bring a smile to your face?

Beautiful, delicious apples-ripe for the picking!

I like pumpkin spice lattes (though considerably less than I used to,) pumpkin pie and pumpkin anything (though the fall/pumpkin connection seems to be getting a bit ubiquitous to the point of overkill.)  I must say, however, nothing says fall to me like a crisp, fresh apple.  Or, perhaps, apple crisp, apple pie....the list is quite long.

One of my favorite things to make with apples, is something I don't get around to every year.  It's an apple cake with a brown sugar brandy sauce, and it is heavenly-it's the culinary equivalent of a big warm blanket. The taste of a big hug from a friend. In other words, warm and comforting-just the ticket for a cool fall evening. It does require mashed apples (I use my food processor for mashing, but if you don't have one, just chop them aggressively,) and I would leave the skins on-you don't gain anything by removing them, and indeed, you might be losing time and effort by peeling them.

I'm proud of the sauce that goes on top of the cake. While a lot of brandy sauce recipes want you to whisk egg whites, add lots of cream or use confectioner's sugar, I don't. I start mine with butter and brown sugar, then add an egg yolk, and then add brandy shortly after.  It helps thicken the sauce, and the sauce takes on a really dark, almost butterscotch flavor (but the sauce is light, and doesn't weigh the cake down.)

This is my take on a recipe I first made in 2008-the original version is by the great James Beard.  His is perfect the way it is, but I like the warmth and dark taste I get from brown sugar (among other little changes.)

About the seasoning: I think anything like cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, etc would be lovely.  I like the aromatherapy I get from simply taking out the bottle of cinnamon-just opening and smelling that dark, round spice puts me in a better mood.

Ingredients
1 stick of room temperature unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup of light brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon of cinnamon (pumpkin pie spice would also be nice)
2 tablespoons of milk or almond milk
1 tsp vanilla or 1 tablespoon rum
1 cup coarsely ground or finely chopped unpeeled raw apples (again, I use the food processor)
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon of baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
Pinch of salt



Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
2. Grease your loaf pan and chop the apples in the food processor.

Phillip-San (the ceramic turtle) is in charge of apple chopping in my house.

3. Sift together the flour, leavening and cinnamon.
4. Cream the butter and sugars together.
5. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition.
6. Add the milk-I normally just take my container and let it go "glug-glug" and I don't actually measure it.
7. Add the vanilla.
8. Add the cup of apples.
9. Add the dry ingredients, and be careful not to over mix-you'll get a gummy, chewy cake otherwise.
10. Transfer the batter to the pan and bake for about 25-30 minutes.  Make the brandy sauce while you wait.

Brown sugar brandy sauce

Ingredients
1 stick of unsalted butter
3/4 cup of brown sugar
1 egg yolk
1/4-1/2 cup of brandy (to taste)
1/4 cup of milk (I used 2/%, but you can use any, or cream, or omit it)
pinch of salt

Method
1. Melt butter in the pan over a gentle heat.
2. Add the brown sugar as the butter is melting.
3. Add the egg yolk and whisk thoroughly-again, use a gentle heat-if the heat is too high you'll scramble your egg yolk.
4 Bring the heat to medium. Right before the mixture comes to a boil, add the brandy-it will sizzle a bit, that's OK.
5. Though it won't look like much, keep whisking over low heat-the sauce will reduce and will coat the back of the spoon.  Taste it-it should taste heavenly, not grainy or blotchy.

Not much to look at, really.  I've just added the brandy here-the sauce will thicken as you whisk it.

6. When the cake comes out of the oven and has cooled a bit, drizzle the sauce on top of it.

7. Eat greedily.

Apple cake-simple and comforting.

Banana Bread

Bananas are a wonderful fruit, but they have a way of not totally disappearing when you buy a bunch.  Fortunately, there's always the perfect way to get rid of them: banana bread!  This is also (for me at least) a quintessential fall food. I remember one of the first times I made banana bread-it involved some overly ripe bananas and a call to my Mom for my Grandmother's recipe.  My Grandma Lightcap didn't often use nuts in her, and I don't either.  If you want a banana nut bread though, just toss in some of your favorite nuts.  I was in Sarasota, and it was an unseasonably cool late October evening.  My friend Rebekah came over and promptly demanded the recipe.  I've been making this banana bread (with a few adjustments) ever since.

Banana bread become popular around the 30s with the popularization of baking soda (bicarbonate of soda) and baking powder.  My version is no exception, and uses baking soda.  

I do enjoy using a rather ripe banana-and instead of putting the fruit in a bowl and mashing with a fork, I just massage and squish the bananas through their skins (this saves on dishwashing later, a big plus in my book.)

I like to use bananas that are quite ripe.  Once I spot a banana that is no longer a good candidate for a snack, I always wait a few days until they get ripe enough.  I also like to add just a bit of cinnamon-it's my aromatherapy fix when I make banana bread, and it really sings here.

The skin of a banana-look how ripe it is!

Ingredients

1 stick of unsalted butter (room temperature)

1 cup of sugar

3 eggs

2 tablespoons of milk
3-4 ripe bananas (though you can get away with 2)
2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
pinch of salt
Loaf pan that has been greased, sprayed with baker's joy, butter, pam, etc.

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

2. Sift the together the 2 cups of flour, pinch of salt and 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking soda, and set aside.

3. Cream the butter and sugar together in a mixer or by hand.  The butter will get lighter in color, and the two should be well mixed when you're done.  If your butter isn't soft, you can soften it by zapping it in the microwave for 8-9 seconds.  This helps take the chill off, and makes it more maleable.

4. Add 3 eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.  

5. Add the 2 tablespoons of milk.  The mixture will be fairly runny-don't worry.

7. Add the dry ingredients and beat just until incorporated.

6. Add the bananas! I suggest using 3 or 4 for that very concentrated, delicious banana flavor.  Some recipes indicate that the bananas should be mashed with a fork, but I am of the opionion that that if you just give them a very good squeeze while they are still in their skins, you can get just a good a result (but really squeeze and mash them in those skins on their way out!)   As always, if you want to remove the bananas and mash them with a fork, do as you please.

7. Transfer the mixture to the greased loaf pan and bake until done-about 45-50 minutes (remember, the heat is lowish.)  

8. Eat greedily.

Before....

After!  Because of the extra bananas and low heat, the banana bread will not dry quickly-it will still be delicate the next day (I like to have a piece with breakfast.)

My chicken piccata (with a twist!)

This is my version of chicken piccata.  Calling this a my version, in and of itself, is a funny designation, as piccata was originally a way preparing meat (veal, really) which included cutting the meat, coating it, cooking it and adding sauce to it.  In the states chicken piccata is ubiquitous at Italian restaurants, and I often enjoy it when I'm out with friends.

This is one of my Mom and Dad's favorite dishes that I make, and I often make it for them when I visit them, or when they visit me. This tradition started LATE one wonderful Manhattan evening.  My Mom and Dad arrived quite late (they had flown from Kansas City to New York and had a number of delays.)  I made them chicken piccata with sauteed spinach and a family tradition was born.

My Mom and Dad.  They are two of the best and most loving people I know.

Just as piccata changed as it came to the States, so has my way of making it changed over the last few years.  I love the sharpness that lemon affords, but I find that often when paired with white wine it becomes sickeningly sharp and almost vinegary.  This "hit and miss" method led me to some fairly big changes with my version of piccata.  I make mine with a lemon, stock and brandy sauce (my friend Sharee on occasion will sometimes simply ask me to make "lemon sawce.")  I think the brandy adds a certain mellowness of flavor that is hard to resist.  If this idea is abhorrent to you, just stick to the original white wine (just be sure to use something you would enjoy drinking.)

Incidentally, I am completely unapologetic about meddling with culinary tradition by using brandy in my sauce in place of white wine.  Language evolves, and so does the food we eat.  People who eat my food at parties and such ask me if I have some sort of gold standard "authentic" way of making things.  I think techniques and general ideas can (and should) be passed down generations, but it's up to the current generation to make it their own and adapt it for best use today (I take the same view of vocal technique/opera and many other things in life.)  I think that the food we eat ought to be a vital, changing entity and that we shouldn't be stuck.  Yes, there is a way to honor the past but live in the present, and we each have to find our way of doing that.  Coraggio!

Now that my little paean to culinary and artistic freedom is done, onto the recipe.  This is really quite simple (though it can take a bit of time, and washing the plates after can be a drag.)  I sometimes use recycled paper plates for the flour, egg and breadcrumbs.  I am making quite a few chicken breasts for my party.  In general, a rule of 1/4 a cup of breadcrumbs per breast should be OK (although I always underestimate the amount of breadcrumbs I need.)

A final note, I think you can fry your chicken piccata in any oil you like.  I personally plan to use vegetable oil, because it's cheaper and I like saving my nice extra virgin olive oil for places where you can really taste the difference.  The jury seems to be out whether frying food in olive oil is bad for your or not, so for now just do as you please (you should probably always do that if you're following my recipes anyway.)

Ingredients
Chicken breasts
Flour
Eggs
Breadcrumbs
Oil
Butter
3-5 Lemons (I like to make lots of sauce, which necessitates lemon juice)
Brandy
Chicken broth
Parsley
(Optional) Capers
(Optional) A splash of cream

1. Crack a few eggs onto a plate, and beat them with a bit of water.
2. Set three plates on your counter.  In the plate nearest your stove, place the breadcrumbs, in the next farthest, the beaten egg plate, and in the last, pour some flour.
3. If you start with whole chicken breasts, slice them in half and cover them with wax paper and beat them a bit flatter with a meat hammer or rolling pin (I like to advise other people in the kitchen or the living room that loud noise is imminent.)
4. Set a large pan on the stove with the oil heating.  Make sure the oil covers the pan.
5. Dredge the thinner chicken in flour, shake off the excess, toss quickly in the egg, and then roll in breadcrumbs.
6. Fry the chicken breasts in the pan.  Make sure the oil is hot enough first by just putting a tiny bit of the chicken in.  If it starts bubbling/sizzling, lay the chicken in the pan.  This should take about 3 minutes a side (it's quick recipe.)
7. After frying the chicken remove the pieces to a platter or plate, and turn the heat off.  If there isn't much oil left in the pan, just wipe it clean with a paper towel, being careful not to burn yourself.  I normally just toss the hot town in my stainless steel sink.  If that's not an option for you, just use another pan (better safe than sorry.)
8. In a pan, melt 1/2 a stick of butter.
9. To the butter add just a tiny bit (1 teaspoon) of flour and cook for a bit (yes, my version of this sauce is inspired a bit by the sauce velouté.)
10. Add the lemon juice and about 1/2 cup of brandy and let the liquid come to a bubble.
11.  When the liquid has begun to thicken and reduce, add about 1/2 cup of chicken broth and reduce.  The sauce should be fluid, not too thick.  If you're worried you won't have enough liquid, add some more stock.
12. Taste the sauce-it should be bright and cheery, but round and not overly acidic.
13. If you're using, add the cream.  A very small quantity will do nicely.
14. Add the capers and parsley to the sauce.
15. Lightly dress the chicken with sauce and serve (I bring the extra sauce to the table, as some people enjoy it.)

16. Eat greedily.

Forest Farro

Farro is on the rise.  Or rather, it has been on the rise for some time now.  This noble little grain is said to have sustained the ancient Romans.  It also happens to be incredibly delicious and easy to make.  This little grain has many attractive qualities for me.  I was in Rome just over a month ago, and I had the most wonderful time.  I realized that I would really like to live in Rome at some point in my life.  Why not dream big?  It's a magical city, and I'm happy to bring a bit of my love for Italian food and fascination with Rome together in forest farro.

The castel sant'angelo and me-last month in Rome.

The fontana di Trevi

The birthday girl and me last month at the Trevi fountain

As it turns out, farro is quite good for you-this little toothsome whole grain has lots of fiber, which helps it break down slowly in your body (unlike pasta or white rice,) has lots of magnesium, vitamins e and b.  The reason I'm cooking it, though, is that it's delicious.  It can be a lively, fun, very delightfully al dente alternative to pasta or rice/risotto.  Like rice (and unlike risotto) you do not have to carry on stirring the whole time. I will be cooking mine in mushroom broth, which is a wonderful alternative to chicken or veggie broth.

I call this dish "forest farro" because it's dark and earthy looking, and the mushrooms are rich and flavorful.  There is a bit of woodsy rosemary, and a the very green leeks provide a sweet oniony taste. A bit of parsley gets strewn on at the end.

I was teeny bit extravagant and purchased some truffle oil to drizze on the farro at the end-this makes the farro perfumed with the scent of mushroom (amplified by mushroom broth and a melange of mushrooms.)  I think this adds a real "woodsiness."  You may think this is mushroom overkill, but I really love it-you can always taste it first and then decide if you're going to use the truffle oil.

Ingredients

Olive oil (extra virgin or plain)

Cloves of garlic (to taste)

1 pat of butter

2 Leeks (you can buy these pre-washed and trimmed at Trader Joe's, but most supermarkets these days carry leeks....hurray!)

1 package of farro (they come in packages of about 496 grams/17.6 ounces or so)

Sherry wine (about 1/2 cup, divided)

1 box (liter/33 fl oz) of Mushroom broth

24 ounces-2 lbs of mushrooms (to taste) I like to buy mixed varieties.

Rosemary (Tablespoon of fresh)

Parsley (I use fresh italian parsley)

Salt

Pepper

(Optional) Truffle oil

Method:

1. Place a medium to large pan on the stove (I use my biggest sautee pan) add 1 tablespoon of olive oil.

2. Chop the two leeks and the garlic.  Add 1 3/4 of the leeks, the rosemary, parsley and some garlic to the large pan and cook until tender.

3. Add all the farro and coat each pearled grain.  If you think you might need a tad more oil, be my guest.

Stirring the farro

4. Add the sherry to the pan (in all honesty, I don't actually measure this-I just glug some out of the bottle.)  Allow the sherry to reduce bit-it good to stir it around.

5. Add the mushroom broth, give a stir, then you can leave it for about 25 minutes until the farro absorbs the liquid.  You don't need to stir constantly, but I'd check in every 10 minutes or so.

6. Add the other 1/4 leek and the rest of your garlic to another sautee pan with 1 tablespoon olive oil and the pat of butter.   Cook the leeks and garlic.

7.  Add the mushrooms, along with some salt.  They will greedily drink all the fat and the pan will look dry in about two minutes.  In another two minutes, they will then release their juices, and look luscious (I read that in Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Child, Beck and Bertholle, and have found it to be true.)  Toward the end, add the other glug of sherry to the mushrooms-it will bubble up a bit, but will then calm down.  Once it has reduced, turn the pan off.

8. When the mushroom broth has been reduced, add the mushroom mixture and stir.  Taste for seasoning-it may need some salt or pepper.

9. Transfer the farro to your serving dish.

10. (Optional) drizzle a bit of truffle oil on the farro, toss it, and enjoy the scent as truffle oil permeates your kitchen.  Ahhh....

11. Garnish with some leftover chopped parsley.

Serving the farro

12. Eat greedily.

Figs!

I remember the first time I ever saw fresh figs-I was in Novafeltria, Italy, and there so many fig trees, that the figs would fall off the trees and get crushed on the road.  This is horribly unappetizing, but I've always thought that a smashed fig looks a lot like a big squished bug.  I took a moment to taste, though and was an instant convert.  Luscious is the word that keeps popping up in my mind when I think of figs-I so adore their almost sensual, sultry sweetness.

Mmmm figs

Two years ago, I visited my friend Cindy, and she made these luscious figs.  They are simple, and I have since seen them a few other places.  They are figs that are halved, stuffed with a bit of goat cheese, studded with an almond and wrapped in serrano ham.

The first time I had these at Cindy's place, she used a marcona almond, and serrano ham, but in subsequent visits the nuts would change or disappear, and sometimes all we could get would be prosciutto.  I'm going to use a blanched, slivered almond and prosciutto, since that's what I have on hand.

I'm using deep purple figs, but you could use any fig you like.  A caveat to this recipe: don't make it too late in the fall, as the price of fresh figs skyrocket around October 1 or so, to as much as 50 cents for a single fig (ouch.)  You can use dates for this recipe as well, but it would be a bit sweeter.

I am not giving exact quantities here, as you can use as much cheese or prosciutto as you like.  If you're in the mood for something sweeter, omit the prosciutto and drizzle with honey.  I am baking these in the oven, but if you have a grill (outdoor or stovetop) I recommend grilling them.

Ingredients
Figs
Goat Cheese
Almonds
Prosciutto

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Halve all the figs; as you do so, snip or pluck the pointy stem off the top.
3. Place a modest (just under half a teaspoon) dollop of goat cheese on the open face of the fig.
4. Nestle an almond, whole or slivered, into the goat cheese
5. Wrap with prosciutto.  Since I'm entertaining, I'm going to use thinnish ribbons of prosciutto, though you could easily use a bigger piece and have the prosciutto give the fig a bear hug.  As it is, this is a gentle embrace.

A great, bite sized appetizer

Ready for the oven!

6. Bake for about 20 minutes, until the fig is tender and the prosciutto has firmed a bit.
7. Eat greedily.

Chocolate Mousse!

I’ve begun preparations for the party I’m having this weekend, and the birthday girl requested that we have chocolate mousse for dessert.  I almost always make dessert ahead of time (though it’s awfully nice to take a batch of brownies or a pie out of the oven partway through dinner-it makes for fun dinner drama.)  Anyway, I’ll prepare dinner tomorrow, but tonight it was chocolate mousse prep time!

ONE thing many of my friends know about me is that I adore Julia Child-from her boeuf bourguignon to her cooking videos and books, I simply love her.  She needs no superlatives from my pen (ahem..keystrokes) so I will be brief in saying that at this point I use her recipes as a jumping off point, and then put my own spin on them.  Case in point, a close cousin of this mousse can be found on page 604 of “Masterinhg the Art of French Cooking,” Childs’ first opus that she penned with her friends Simone Beck (Simca!) and Louisette Bertholle.  When watching the French Chef episode “The Spinach Twins,”a collaboration between Child and Simone Beck, I was struck by the very laid back, attentive, passionate, yet spontaneous nature of Ms. Beck.  I suppose some might say that I am an admirer of Julia in my heart, but I am almost more of a Simca-like cook in my style and approach. That will be made fairly clear by the method I use to arrive at this mousse, as I have streamlined anything I find unnecessary and take liberties with ingredients and ingredient quantity.

Many chocolate mousses use cream to lighten and give body, and others use egg whites.  This is a version of mousse that uses egg whites.  I would not serve this to children or people who are in some way compromised vis a vis their immune system, but I think for many it is just fine.  I’ll post another version that you can serve to kids (it even has a secret ingredient) at a later date.  Let me know if you try it, and you like it.

Ingredients

6 eggs, separated

¾ cup and 1 tablespoon superfine sugar

A few drops/ tablespoons of orange liqueur, such as Grand Marnier or Cointreau (to taste)

9 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped 1 ½ sticks of unsalted butter (preferably room temperature)

A dash (about a tablespoon) of Kahlua and a tablespoon of brewed coffee

Pinch of salt (Optional) Pinch of cream of tartar

Method
 

 1. In two bowls separate the egg yolks and egg whites-I just “juggle the yolks one at a time, passing each yoke until the white slides off into the bowl.  Do as you please, of course.  I use two stainless steel kitchen mixer bowls, but I suppose any two bowls would work.  If you have one kitchen mixer and one normal bowl, put the yokes in the normal bowl, and the whites in the mixer bowl.

This is Phillip-San, the Japanese ceramic kitchen turtle.  He supervises me when I'm cooking

2. Beat the egg whites to moderately stiff peaks-just start whisking (slowly at first, then pick up speed.)  Add 1 tablespoon of superfine sugar when the whites are frothy.  If you like, you can add  tiny amount of cream of tartar.  When done, toss the whites into the fridge.

3. Beat the living daylights out of the egg yolks and ¾ cup of superfine sugar.  You need to beat it for a while, say about 5 minutes-you need the mixture to be pale, and for there to be a “ribbon.”  I always talk about the “ribbon” with a hushed voice-please imagine me doing so as you read this.  The “ribbon” (ooh!) should look kind of like a satin ribbon as it falls off the wisk and pools slowly back in the bowl.  Add the orange liquer SLOWLY (you don’t want to mess up the ribbon) and keep beating the mixture until the ribbon has regained it’s full glory.

Ah, the beautiful ribbon.

Mmmm...Grand Marnier has a lovely orange flavor.  If you don't like that, this would be a good place to substitute some vanilla extract.

 4. Over double boiler filled with steaming water, continue to beat the egg yokes by hand for 3 minutes until they are quite warm to the touch, then submerge the base of the bowl in cold water (I just use another big kitchen bowl full of ice water for this one.  This is the part of the recipe I frankly don’t like doing, but hey, it can’t all be fun and games.)

5.  Chop/pour/measure 9 ounces of chocolate (I used Callebaut, but I’ve used toll house chocolate chips and other “non-fancy” chocolate…it almost always comes out wonderfully.) 

Is there anything more heartwarming than a big brick of chocolate?  Never mind, silly question.  Of course there isn't.  Well, maybe chocolate mousse...

Please measure your chocolate.  I was 1/8 ounce over, and I had to eat a piece out of the bowl.  This did not break my heart.

6. Add the 9 ounces of chocolate to a saucepan with the butter.  Put it on the stove on a low heat (don’t worry, the butter will help prevent the chocolate from seizing or burning.)  If you’re nervous about that, start melting the butter in the pan a few seconds before.  If you’re REALLY nervous, use a double boiler-that is the traditional way to melt chocolate on the stove.  You could also microwave the butter and chocolate in 25 second intervals until all is melted. 

7. Add a bit of Kahlua and/or coffee to the chocolate and butter.  Remove the chocolate mixture  and let it cool (no, really, let it cool-that’s really important.  Don’t rush this.)

8. Add the cooled chocolate mixture to the egg yokes and continue beating. 

9. Add about ¼ of the egg whites and stir ferociously (don’t worry about deflating the egg whites, you’re just using this bit to lighten the mousse.)

10. Fold in the remaining egg whites with a spatula-sink the spatula into the middle, and turning the bowl, gently fold the whites into the chocolate.  I LOVE this part.

It looks like mousse now!  

 11.  Refrigerate your mousse either in a large serving bowl or in individual portions for 6 hours or so.  This is why one must read to the end of the recipe-you can’t always make and serve something. 

12. Bon appétit!