Author: danderecipes

Breakfast Pizza

Servings: 4
Preheat: 500°
Prep Time: 45 min
Inactive Prep Time: 1 hr
Cook Time: 12 min
Source: Adapted from Big Sur Bakery

Ingredients
½ tsp dry active yeast
2 cup plus 2 Tbsp
bread flour, plus more for dusting
Kosher salt
6 strips bacon
½ cup grated Parmesan
2 cup grated mozzarella
6 lg eggs
Freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp minced
flat-leaf parsley
2 Tbsp minced chives
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1 shallot, minced.

Directions
The night before, prepare the dough: place ¾ cup lukewarm water in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook. Sprinkle in the yeast, stir and let sit for 5 minutes. Add the flour and 1 teaspoon of salt and mix on low for 1 minute. Increase the speed to medium and mix for 2 minutes, then increase the speed to high and mix until a smooth dough forms, about 2 minutes more. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface, divide into two equal pieces and form each half into a tight ball. Place on a large floured sheet pan, place the pan in a plastic garbage bag, tie the bag loosely and refrigerate overnight.

One hour before baking, place the dough in a warm spot. Adjust the oven rack to the lowest position and set a pizza stone on it. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees.

Fry the bacon in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat until crisp. Cool on a paper-towel-lined plate; roughly chop.

Dip your hands and a ball of dough into the flour. On a lightly floured countertop, pat the dough into a disc with your fingertips, then drape the dough over your fists and carefully stretch it from beneath to form a 12-inch circle.

Generously dust the surface of a pizza peel or large inverted sheet pan with flour and place the stretched dough on it. Sprinkle the dough with half of the Parmesan, mozzarella and bacon. Crack 3 eggs over the top and season with salt and pepper.

Shake the pizza peel slightly to make sure the dough is not sticking. Carefully lift any sections that are sticking and sprinkle a bit more flour underneath, then slide the pizza directly onto the baking stone in one quick forward-and-back motion. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, rotating after 5 minutes. When the crust is golden, the cheese is melted and the egg yolks are cooked, use the peel to transfer the pizza to a cutting board. Sprinkle half of the parsley, chives, scallions and shallot on top. Let cool for 2 minutes, slice and serve immediately. Prepare the second pizza in the same way. Makes 2 (12-inch) pizzas.

Bread-And-Butter Pudding

Servings: 6
Preheat: 350°
Source: Gourmet February 1999

Ingredients
1 baguette
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
1 cup whole milk
1 3/4 cup heavy cream
4 lg eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F.

Cut enough baguette into 1-inch cubes to measure 4 cups and in a shallow baking pan toast bread in middle of oven until crisp but not golden, about 5 minutes. Melt butter and in an 8-inch square baking pan toss with bread.

In a bowl whisk together milk, cream, eggs, sugar, vanilla, and a pinch salt and pour over bread, stirring to coat. Chill pudding, covered, 1 hour.

Bake pudding in middle of oven until just set but still trembles slightly, about 50 minutes. Serve pudding warm or at room temperature.

Bourbon-Chocolate Mousse

Servings: 4
Source: fine cooking may 2007
Chocolate mousse can turn any meal a special occasion, and this simple made by folding whipped egg whites ganache-comes together so quickly can elevate even a weeknight dinner.

Ingredients
½ cup heavy cream
3 Tbsp confectioners’ sugar
2 Tbsp bourbon
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
4 oz bittersweet chocolate, finely chop (¾ cup)
4 lg egg whites*, preferably at room temp
Pinch table salt

Directions
Bring the heavy cream and sugar to a boil in a small saucepan and remove the pan from the heat (don’t just turn off the burner). Stir in the bourbon and vanilla. Add the chocolate and let it sit for 5 minutes without stirring. Whisk the chocolate and cream until smooth and then transfer the ganache to a large bowl. Don’t refrigerate.

In a medium bowl, beat the egg whites and the salt with a hand mixer on high speed just until they form stiff peaks when you lift the beaters.

With a rubber spatula, fold about one-quarter of the beaten whites into the ganache to lighten it. Then gently fold in the remaining whites, taking care not to deflate them. Divide the mousse among the chilled bowls and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes but preferably 1 hour and up to 24 hours.

Serving suggestion: Top the mousse with a dollop of whipped cream or crème fraîche and sprinkle with cocoa powder, if desired. Garnish with fresh raspberries or strawberries.

*The egg whites in this recipe are not cooked, but we don’t recommend using pasteurized egg whites, because they tend to separate after they’re folded into the ganache.

Bourbon Chocolate Cake

Servings: 8-10
Preheat: 350°
Source: Fine Cooking May 2004
This mousse-like cake really does melt in your mouth. It can be baked up to a day before serving and stored lightly wrapped at room temperature. If you don’t have a 9×3-inch cake pan, use a 9×2-inch pan (a standard size sold in supermarkets) and construct a parchment collar so the cake has room to rise. Cut two 6X16″” strips of parchment. Fold the two strips lengthwise to get two 3X16″” strips. Butter one side of each strip. Line the inside edge of the pan with the strips, nestling them into each other, with folded edge on the top and the buttered side facing in.

For this cake, it’s worth splurging on the best chocolate you can buy. We like Callebaut.

Ingredients
11 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped
6 oz (12 Tbsp unsalted butter
6 lg eggs, separated, at room temp
¾ cup packed light brown sugar
1 oz (¼ cup) all-purpose flour
¼ cup bourbon
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
½ tsp kosher salt
FOR SERVING:
I cup heavy cream
1 to 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
Confectioners’ sugar for dusting

Directions
Position an oven rack on the middle rung and heat the oven to 350°F.

Butter a 9×3-inch cake pan (or line a shallower one as directed below). Line the bottom of the pan with a round of parchment and butter the parchment. Set the cake pan in a roasting pan large enough to accommodate it.

Melt the chocolate and butter over a double boiler. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.

With an electric mixer (a stand mixer with the whip attachment or a hand mixer), beat the egg yolks with the brown sugar on medium speed until very pale, thick, and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce the speed, add the chocolate mixture, and mix just to combine. Add the flour, mixing just to combine and scraping the bowl as needed. Blend in the bourbon and vanilla. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and set aside.

In a clean mixing bowl with clean beaters, beat the egg whites with the salt on high speed until they hold soft peaks, 1 to 2 minutes. With a rubber spatula, fold one-third of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten it, and then gently fold in the remaining whites. Scrape the batter into the prepared cake pan.

Set the roasting pan on the oven rack and add enough warm tap water to come halfway up the sides of the cake pan. Bake until the top feels set, 40 to 45 minutes. Remove the cake pan from the water bath and run a paring knife around the inside of the pan (or the inside of the parchment collar) to loosen the cake and then let the cake cool completely in the cake pan on a rack. When the cake is completely cool, loosen the sides once more with a paring knife, Cover the cake with a serving plate and invert the cake onto the plate. The bottom of the cake is now the top. Peel off the parchment. (Don’t worry if the surface looks a little ragged; you’ll be dusting with confectioners’ sugar).

Blondies

Servings: 3 doz
Preheat: 350°
Prep Time: 20 min
Cook Time: 25 min
Source: America’s Test Kitchen Live! 2005″” by the editors of Cook’s Illustrated
Here are blondie recipes, and a fudgy brownie thrown in for chocolate lovers. These recipes are quick and easy. This recipe is from “”America’s Test Kitchen Live! 2005″” by the editors of Cook’s Illustrated magazine (America’s Test Kitchen, $29.95).

Ingredients
Vegetable cooking spray
1 1/2 cup (7 1/2) oz unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
12 Tbsp (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 1/2 cup (10 1/2 oz) firmly packed brown sugar
2 lg eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
1 cup pecans, toasted and coarsely chopped

Directions
Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 350°. Line a 13- by 9-inch baking pan with 2 pieces of foil. Coat the foil-lined pan with vegetable cooking spray. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together. Set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk the melted butter and brown sugar together until combined. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix well. Using a rubber spatula, fold the dry ingredients into the egg mixture until just combined. Do not over mix. Fold in the semisweet and white chocolate chips and the nuts, and turn the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top with a rubber spatula. Bake until the top is shiny and cracked and feels firm to the touch, for 22 to 25 minutes. Place the pan on a rack and let cool completely. Cut into 1 1/2- by 2-inch bars. Makes 36 bars.

Blender Pesto

Servings: 6
Source: Classic Italian Cooking by Marcella Hazan

Ingredients
2 cup fresh basfl leaves (see note below)
½ cup olive oil
2 Tbsp pine nuts
2 cloves garlic, lightly crushed with a heavy knife handle and peeled
1 tsp salt
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp freshly grated Romano pecorino cheese
3 Tbsp butter, softened to room temp

Directions
Put the basil, olive oil, pine nuts, garlic cloves, and salt in the blender and mix at high speed. Stop from time to time and scrape the ingredients down toward the bottom of the blender cup with a rubber spatula.

When the ingredients are evenly blended, pour into a bowl and beat in the two grated cheeses by hand. (This is not much work, and it results in more interesting texture and better flavor than you get when you mix in the cheese in the blender.) When the cheese has been evenly incorporated into the other ingredients, beat in the softened butter.

Before spooning the pesto over pasta, add to it a tablespoon or so of the hot water in which the pasta has boiled.

NOTE The quantity of basil in most recipes is given in terms of whole leaves. American basil, however, varies greatly in leaf sizes. There are small, medium, and very large leaves, and they all pack differently in the measuring cup. For the sake of accurate measurement, I suggest that you tear all but the tiniest leaves into two or more small pieces. Be gentle, so as not to crush the basil. This would discolor it and waste the first, fresh droplets of juice.

Black Bean Tart with Chili Crust

Servings: —
Preheat: 350°
Source: Gourmet January 1996

Ingredients
For crust
1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp salt
1 stick (1/2 cup) chilled unsalted butter, cut into bits
2 Tbsp ice water
raw rice for weighting shell
For filling
1/2 lb dried black beans, picked over, or 3 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
1 bay leaf
1 med red onion, chopped
2 Tbsp sour cream
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
a 10 oz pkg frozen corn, thawed
1 red bell pepper, chopped (ab 1 cup)
1/2 cup fresh coriander sprigs, washed well, spun dry, and chopped
1 1/2 cup coarsely grated Monterey Jack (ab 6 ounces)
2 fresh jalapeño chilies, seeded and chopped fine (wear rubber gloves)
1/2 cup chopped scallions (ab 2)
For lime sour cream:
1 cup sour cream
2 tsp fresh lime juice, or to taste

Directions
Make crust: In a bowl with a pastry blender or in a food processor blend or pulse together flour, spices, and salt until combined well. Add butter and blend or pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add ice water and blend or pulse until incorporated and mixture forms a dough. Press dough evenly onto bottom and sides of a 10-inch tart pan with a removable fluted rim and chill 15 minutes, or until firm. Line shell with foil and fill with rice. Bake shell in middle of oven until edge is set, 8 to 10 minutes. Carefully remove foil and rice and bake crust 10 minutes more, or until golden. Cool crust in pan on a rack. Crust may be made 1 day ahead and kept at room temperature, covered loosely with plastic wrap.

Make filling: In a bowl soak dried beans if using in water to cover by 2 inches overnight and drain. In a large saucepan combine soaked beans, bay leaf, onion, and water to cover by 2 inches and simmer, uncovered, 1 to 1 1/4 hours, or until tender, adding more water if necessary. Drain beans, discarding bay leaf, and cool. In a food processor purée 1 cup cooked or canned beans with sour cream until smooth and season with salt and pepper. In a skillet heat oil over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking and sauté corn with salt and pepper to taste, stirring, about 2 minutes. Cool corn. In a large bowl stir together corn, whole beans, bell pepper, coriander, Monterey Jack, jalapeños, and scallions and season with salt and pepper. Spread bean purée evenly onto crust and mound with remaining filling, pressing gently. Bake tart in middle of oven about 20 minutes, or until hot and cheese is melted. Let tart cool in pan on a rack 15 minutes. Remove rim of pan and serve tart warm or at room temperature with lime sour cream.

Make lime sour cream: In a bowl whisk sour cream and lime juice with salt and pepper to taste. Sauce may be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Makes about 1 cup.

Bittersweet Cocoa Brownies

Servings: —
Preheat: 325°
Source: Fine Cooking Winter 2004
Brownies made with cocoa powder are softer on the inside than those made with bar chocolate.
I like the tart and lively flavor of natural cocoa powder here; Dutch-processed gives a mellower flavor. Try both types to see which you like best

Ingredients
2¼ ounces (¾ cup) unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon table salt
5 ounces (10 tablespoons) hot melted unsalted butter
2 cold large eggs
1½ ounces (1/3 cup) all-purpose flour
1 cup broken walnut or pecan pieces (optional)

Directions
Heat the oven to 325°F. Line an 8×8-inch baking pan(preferably metal) with foil across the bottom and up two opposite sides of the pan.

In a medium bowl, thoroughly mix the cocoa, sugar, vanilla, salt, and hot melted butter with a hand mixer or with vigorous strokes of a whisk. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until the batter is thick and lightened in color, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the flour and stir with a rubber spatula just until blended. Fold in the nuts, if using. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan and bake until the top is puffed and slightly crusted and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a little fudge batter clinging to it, 28 to 30 minutes.

Let the brownies cool completely in the pan on a rack. Lift the ends of the foil to remove them. Invert the brownies on a tray and peel off the foil. Turn the brownies right side up on a cutting board and cut into squares (wipe the knife between each cut, as the brownies will be soft and sticky).

Big, Bold Noodle Soup

Servings: 6-8
Prep Time: 15 min
Cook Time: 35 min
How can a dish be dark, mysterious, and filling, but spirited, uplifting, and light at the same time? I don’t know, but while you’re pondering, try this great soup.

Fresh Asian egg noodles (particularly the thick Shanghai variety or Japanese udon) are ideal here, but go ahead and use any kind of long pasta-fresh or dried-and your soup will be wonderful. Keep the cooked noodles separate and add them to each bowl just before ladling in the liquid. Explanation: The noodles tend to expand greatly if left in the soup, leaving you to wonder who drank all the broth.)

Ingredients
6 or 7 dried shiitake mushrooms
1½ cup boiling water
8 cup strong vegetable bouillon.
2 Tbsp miso
Tofu
6 star anise
4 or 5 lg slices ginger
4 cup (packed) stemmed, chopped mustard greens
(about half a lg bunch)
4 cup chopped bok choy, stems included (2 or 3 sm heads)
10 scallions, thinly sliced on the diagonal
1 lb fresh egg noodles – or ½ lb dired (ab 3 or 4 cup cooked)
Options for the top
Soy sauce
Chile garlic paste, chile oil, or red pepper flakes
Chinese sesame oil
Torn cilantro leaves

Directions
Preliminary:Rinse the mushrooms and place them in a small bowl. Pour in 1 ½ cups boiling water and cover with a plate. Let stand at least 30 minutes. (This can be done several days ahead, and the mushrooms can just stay in the water until use.)

Combine the bouillon, star anise, and ginger in a soup pot, and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down, cover, and simmer for about 20 to 30 minutes. At this point, the broth can sit for up to several hours-or even overnight-before you proceed.

Remove the ginger and star anise with a slotted spoon. Strain the mushrooms over the soup, squeezing them firmly, so all of their soaking liquid goes in. Then slice the mushrooms thinly and add them to the soup as well.

Heat the soup to the boiling point, and add fhe mustard greens, bok choy, and scallions. Turn the heat down, and simmer for about 2 minutes.

Meanwhfle cook the noodles in boiling water until just tender. Drain them in a colander, rinse, and drain again, so they won’t clump. Divide the cooked noodles among the largest soup bowls you can find, and ladle the soup on top. Pass around the optional toppings on a small tray, so each person can customize his or her portion.

Bavarian Nut Stollen

Servings: —
Preheat: 375°
Prep Time: 30 min
Inactive Prep Time: 1 1/2 hrs
Cook Time: 45 min
Source: Gourmet 12/78 pg 51

Ingredients

Directions
In a small bowl proof 1 envelope active dry yeast in 1/4 cup lukewarm milk with 1 teaspoon sugar for 10 minutes. In a large bowl pour I cup scalded milk over ½ stick (1/4 cup) butter, cut into bits, stir the mixture until the butter is melted, and let it cool to lukewarm. Beat in 1 egg yolk and the grated rind of ½ lemon. Add the yeast mixture, beat in gradually 4½ cups flour sifted with 1/3 cup sugar and 1 teaspoon salt, and beat the mixture until it is very smooth. Transfer the dough to a buttered bowl, turn it to coat it with the butter, and let it rise, covered with a tea towel, in a warm place for 1 hour and 30 minutes, or until it is double in bulk.

In a saucepan combine 2/3 cup sugar and 1/3 cup water, bring the mixture to a boil over moderate heat, washing down any sugar crystals clinging to the sides of the pan with a brush dipped in cold water, and boil the syrup for 5 minutes, Stir in 2½ cups ground walnuts, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, and a pinch of salt and remove the pan from the heat. Let the mixture cool to lukewarm, stir in 1 egg white, lightly beaten, and let the mixture cool.

Punch down the dough, roll it into a 19 by 14-inch rectangle on a lightly floured surface, and spread it with the nut mixture, leaving a ½ inch border. Beginning with a long side roll the dough tightly jelly-roll fashion and pinch the edges and ends to seal them. Put the roll seam side down on a cutting board and halve it lengthwise with a sharp knife. Twist the halves together, keeping the cut edges up, pinch the ends together, and push the twist together lightly. Arrange the Stollen on a buttered and floured baking sheet and let it rise, covered with a tea towel, in a warm place for 30 minutes, or until it is one and a half times its bulk. Bake the Stollen in a preheated moderately hot oven (375° F.) for 15 minutes, reduce the heat to moderate (350° F.), and bake the Stollen, covering it lightly with foil if it browns too quickly, for 25 to 30 minutes more, or until it is golden. Let the Stollen cool on the baking sheet.

Into a small bowl sift 1 cup confectioners’ sugar, add 2 tablespoons hot water, and stir the mixture until it is smooth and glossy. Drizzle the glaze over the Stollen in a zigzag pattern, sprinkle it with ½ cup chopped walnuts, and let it dry.

Makes 1 Stollen. Recipe can (and should be) doubled