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.