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Happy Hallowe’en folks! I know, I know, no Hallowe’en post? No scary dirt and worms or cupcakes shaped like spiders? No mummy dogs or kitty litter cakes? Sorry, I’m just not that into Hallowe’en. I used to be, dressing up in sexy outfits, hitting up the bars and clubs with my girlfriends. Those were the days. Now I’m kind of stuck in the middle though. I have a young toddler, who has no idea what’s going on, plus I don’t want to freak him out too much. Of course I love giving away (and eating) candy, but other than that, it’s just a regular day. We’ll be celebrating by attending the village’s annual bonfire, heading to a friend’s house, making escargot and fondue and giving away buckets of candy. I may even be dressed as a cat. Not a sexy cat mind you, more of a Disney type costume, complete with leg warmers and giant fluffy head. I’m a Mom now you know…
Maybe when the wee one is at a more understanding age, then we’ll get into it. For the meantime, it’s just another holiday that requires me to spend inordinate amounts of money and spend too much time decorating. I like to save it all up for Christmas. I’m one of those annoying Christmas freaks. I could start celebrating in July. I love every minute of it, and this year will be no different.
So I leave you with my very favourite, personal recipe for Banana Bread. When I was a kid, I used to make banana bread all the time. My Dad loved it, and so did I. But this time, I decided to tweak it a little. Brown butter makes everything better, as you may have learned if you’ve been reading this blog for a while. Also, I wanted to make that banana flavour just a little bit stronger and more robust, so I roasted them. If you like banana bread, but use it mainly to get rid of old bananas, try this recipe out. It would also make really good muffins, just remember to shorten the baking time accordingly.
Brown Butter Roasted Banana Bread
3 medium bananas
1/2 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar, packed
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup cake flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla
1. Roast bananas whole with peel on for 15-20 minutes in a 350°F oven.
2. Grease an 8″ x 4″ loaf pan.
3. In small saucepan, melt butter over medium high heat. Do not stir, instead swirl the pan and watch until it begins to foam. Once the foam begins to subside, and the butter has browned sufficiently, remove from heat and set aside.
4. In medium sized mixing bowl, stir together brown butter, salt and sugar. It will look like this, kind of separated. That’s okay.
5. Stir the sour cream and vanilla into the sugar/butter mix. Mash bananas and add in as well (chunks are okay!).
6. In separate bowl, mix together the flours, cinnamon and baking soda. Stir until well combined.
7. Add the flour to the wet mix in two portions, but try not to over mix.
8. Pour into greased loaf pan and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour (in the already preheated to 350°F oven).
9. Cool 5-10 minutes in pan before turning out onto cooling rack. Turn upright and allow to cool completely, although you will be able to cut into it while it’s till warm.
10. This bread is awesome toasted with butter, cream cheese or even Nutella.
What? You’ve never had banana bread for breakfast? It’s healthy…enough. It’s got bananas, and whole grains, what else could you ask for right?
Today is a bit different than most. Normally, I would wax poetic about a subject I’m feeling particularly passionate about, like the changing colours of the leaves outside, or the fact that I’ve had two awful colds blindside my household in one week, or that I have a month worth of magazine subscriptions piling up on my coffee table. You see, a lovely glimpse into my world. But no, today I will delve even deeper, telling you things I don’t normally talk about. Read: Not normally food related.
In one week, I’ve had the absolute honour to receive not one, not two, but three (!) Kreativ Blogger awards…Yay! Here they all are:
  
I was awarded the first by Janis of Bite Me New England, the second by Shelley of Experimental Culinary Pursuits and the third by Jenn of Sweet Water. So thank you to all three of you. I’m very surprised and flattered. It always feels nice to be recognized by your fellow community members.
Now on to the skeptic in me. I love that I’ve been given these awards, but I am not in love with the “chain letter” aspect of the rules. The rules are such:
*You must thank the person who has given you the award.
* Copy the logo and place it on your blog.
* Link to the person who has nominated you for the award.
* Name 7 things about yourself that people might find interesting.
* Nominate 7 other Kreativ Bloggers.
* Post links to the 7 blogs you nominate.
* Leave a comment in the nominated blogs to let them know they have been nominated
That’s a whole lot of things you need to do to be able to accept this prestigious award, in my humble opinion. So after a little Googling into the origins of this award, I found these lovely articles:
In Search of Dutchland- Kreativ Blogger “Award”
Simon Food Favourites – Original Designer of the Kreativ Blogger Award
These two bloggers, who were also a little skeptical, spent some time digging into the origins. Turns out a very nice woman from Norway, Husfraus Memoarer, started it in May 2008. Not as a chain letter type award thingy, mind you, but as a true award, given to her sister and three friends for their inspiring creativity. Now Google translator works it’s magic in it’s own little ways, and I’m not so fluent in Norwegian, but it doesn’t look like there were any rules attached to this award when it first started.
I’m not a cynic, really! Okay, well maybe a little. I’m one of those people that never sent chain letters, ever. I’ve had a Hotmail address dating back to 1995! I was 12. I still never forwarded chain letters, even the ones that said I might die a horrible death a million times over or my crush would never go out with me if I didn’t pass it on. Hooey I say!
Anyway, I do want to forward the award on, although I won’t be sending to 7 people. I will send it to four people I truly admire and I’ll make no big stink if the recipients don’t wish to participate. Simply saying thank you is good enough for me! Okay and I’ll tell you a couple little tidbits about me too, if you insist!
1. I have scoliosis and have two 18″ stainless steel rods surgically fused to my spine. I had the surgery when I was 13, and it probably saved my life. I am somewhat limited in side to side bending and I can’t arch my back backwards, but I can touch my toes, so I can’t say I feel like I’m missing out too much. Besides, I carried my son to term and delivered him naturally, sans epidural, booyah! Nothing can stop me!
2. I’m afraid of closets at night. My husband is always leaving our son’s closet door open and when I go in there to deal with him in the dead of night, it freaks me right out! I don’t know why. What could be in there besides deadly spiders right?
3. I used to be very overweight. Like a lot. I was the fat, socially awkward girl in high school. Through the magic of Weight Watchers for the initial weight loss and the thorough embracing of eating local, seasonal food, I have now been a svelte and trim, healthy weight for going on 7 years. I’ll never look back.
Okay on to my recipients for this award:
Melody Fury from Bouchon For 2 – Amazing recipes, great food photography and always fun to read. Mel’s got it all!
Paula Jones from Bell’alimento – simply fabulous food that need not be complicated.
Ashley Rodriguez from Not Without Salt – Amazing photos, great recipes, and creative posts about family to break it all up.
and finally:
Kamran Siddiqi from The Sophisticated Gourmet – He’s 17, his photos are amazing, need I say more?
I applaud you all in your efforts to carve out your own little niche in this overpopulated and sometimes unwelcome world of food blogging. Congratulations!
Now on to the food, shall we?
My Mother had a lot of signature dishes when we were growing up. Not to say we ate the same thing every night of the week, but there were repeats, as there is sure to be when the feeding of a family is involved. One of my favourites was Eggplant Parmesan. It could have been the sheer amount of cheese involved in this dish, or the comfort factor, or the intoxicating aroma permeating the house as it bakes in the oven. Whatever it is about this dish that everyone loves, my favourite is it’s adaptability. Any dish involving tomato sauce can be customized to so many varying degrees of tastes. I like my tomato sauce deep, robust and having a life all it’s own. It works very well in this dish, and all the flavours meld together beautifully. You could always use bottled sauce if you are in a hurry, but the next time you have some spare time, promise me you’ll make this sauce. You will not regret it.
Eggplant Parmesan
6 Large vine ripened tomatoes (this time of year will, most likely, be greenhouse grown)
2 Tbsp Canola Oil
salt & pepper
2 large eggplants
1 clove garlic, minced
1 large sweet onion, diced
1 can tomato paste (5.5oz)
1 tsp dried Greek Oregano
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried basil
1 bay leaf
Parmesan rind (optional)
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup red wine
2 eggs, beaten well
1/4 cup milk or water
2 cups all purpose flour
salt & pepper
Canola or Grapeseed oil
400g mozzarella, grated
150g Parmesan, grated
1. Remove end from eggplant and slice into 1/4″ rounds. You can peel the eggplant if you want as well. Salt both sides liberally, lay on layers of paper towel or kitchen towels and cover with more layers. Weigh down with plates to remove excess water and let sit for 1 hour or more.
2. Meanwhile, cut tomatoes into quarters and toss in a bowl with 2 Tbsp of high heat oil and salt and pepper. Roast at 450°F for 15 minutes on bottom third of oven, broil for an additional 5 minutes at end. Remove from oven and set aside.
3. Heat oil and sauté onion and garlic in large, heavy bottomed saucepan. Dice up roasted tomatoes and add to pan (along with any juices that escaped while chopping). Sauté for an additional 5 minutes. Add in can of tomato paste, herbs and 1/2 cup water.
4. Add in Parmesan rind and 1/4 cup red wine, stir to combine and set to simmer for 30 minutes.
5. Remove towels from eggplant and brush away excess salt. You can blot away any additional moisture that is visible as well.
6. Make egg wash by mixing 2 eggs with water or milk in small bowl. Set near stove.
7. Fill another plate or bowl with flour mixed with salt and pepper. Set near stove alongside egg wash.
8. On other side of stove, set up a plate lined with paper towels to blot away excess oil from finished eggplant slices.
9. In large sauté pan on medium high, heat at least enough oil to cover bottom of pan 1/4 – 1/2″ deep.
10. Dredge eggplant slices in egg first, then flour, then lay in hot pan. Fry for a minute or so and then flip over. You want the slices to be nicely browned and crisp.
11. Remove from pan to paper towel lined plate, and blot dry. Continue with all remaining eggplant.
12. Line the bottom of a 9 x 13 glass baking pan with eggplant. You will probably have enough to lay each eggplant edge over the last, and so on, somewhat like a deck of cards.
13. Pour half of tomato sauce over eggplant and top that with half the mozzarella and half the Parmesan. Repeat with remaining eggplant, sauce and cheese.
14. Bake at 350°F for 45 minutes or until top is browned and bubbly.
I like to serve this by itself, as it is a bit of a heavy meal, but it would be especially delicious with a side of steamed or sautéed vegetables, or a light salad. If your feeling like really getting into the unhealthy side of this dish, serve it up with a big ol’ slab of crusty garlic bread, delicious!
The 2009 October Daring Bakers’ challenge was brought to us by Ami S. She chose macarons from Claudia Fleming’s The Last Course: The Desserts of Gramercy Tavern as the challenge recipe.
Uh oh.
Seriously? Ughhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh……………………..
Yup, that was my exact reaction when I saw this month’s challenge was going to be French Macarons. Now, I love the look of these quaint little cookies, I love the fact that they are gluten free without the need to alter the recipe, and I love the flavour combination possibilities. You can literally do anything with these. Salty, sweet, savoury, dessert, appetizer, it doesn’t matter. They are little shape shifters, ready and willing to take on anything you have to throw at them.
So why the harsh reaction in learning that they were this month’s challenge? Because they are such a challenge! Google “macarons” and you will invariably come across many a message board with frantic questions from the beginner baker asking why their macaron is lacking in the telltale feet. The feet being the cute little ruffle that is on the bottom of each cookie, or should I say is supposed to be there.
I’ve never made a macaron, and I don’t recall having ever eaten one either. I’ve seen them countless times, but I usually opt for more decadent treats. Give me cream filled cannolis or frosting coated cakes over itty bitty cookies. Also, there is the lack of people making them anywhere near me in my tiny village. If I come across one any time soon, I’ll be picking some up for sure.
Now let’s get to what happened to mine. I followed the recipe as best as I could, but sadly mine came out feetless every single time. Don’t get me wrong, they were utterly delicious, but they were more of a regular old cookie sandwich rather than a delightfully, quaint French treat.
My one success out of all this learning was the filling. There’s just something about sweet, creamy chestnut cream inside those lovely chocolate cookies.
So, although mine did not turn out, I think everyone should try their hand at these little bauties at least once (or twice) in their lives. I don’t often fail at my attempts at baking, but this time was different. I am humbled.
Chocolate Macarons with Sweet and Salty Chestnut Filling
Macarons:
Icing sugar: 2 ¼ cups (225 g, 8 oz.)
Almond flour: 2 cups (190 g, 6.7 oz.)
Granulated sugar: 2 tablespoons (25 g , .88 oz.)
Egg whites: 5 (Have at room temperature)
2 Tbsp good quality cocoa
1. Preheat the oven to 200°F (93°C). Combine the confectioners’ sugar and almond flour in a medium bowl. If grinding your own nuts, combine nuts and a cup of confectioners’ sugar in the bowl of a food processor and grind until nuts are very fine and powdery.
Not quite…
That’s lookin’ good.
2. Beat the egg whites in the clean dry bowl of a stand mixer until they hold soft peaks. Slowly add the granulated sugar and beat until the mixture holds stiff peaks.
3. Sift a third of the almond flour mixture into the meringue and fold gently to combine. Add the cocoa in at this point as well. Sift in the remaining almond flour in two batches. Be gentle! Don’t overfold, but fully incorporate your ingredients.
4. Spoon the mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a plain half-inch tip (Ateco #806). You can also use a Ziploc bag with a corner cut off. It’s easiest to fill your bag if you stand it up in a tall glass and fold the top down before spooning in the batter.
5. Pipe one-inch-sized (2.5 cm) mounds of batter onto baking sheets lined with nonstick liners (or parchment paper).
6. Bake the macaroon for 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and raise the temperature to 375°F (190°C). Once the oven is up to temperature, put the pans back in the oven and bake for an additional 7 to 8 minutes, or lightly colored.
7. Cool on a rack before filling.
For the Filling:
1 lb. chestnuts, roasted
1 cup whole milk
1 cup water
25 g icing sugar
30 g unsalted butter at room temperature
1/2 vanilla bean
2 grams salt
1. Peel roasted chestnuts and add to small saucepan. Fill with water and milk. Bring to boil and simmer on medium heat for 20-25 minutes (or until chesnuts are well softened and liquid is reduced).
2. In the bowl of a food processor, add the chestnuts and the reserved liquid.Pulse until mostly pureed.
3. Add in the sugar, butter the seeds from the vanilla pod and the salt.
4. Pulse until completely pureed and combined.
5. To fill cookies, spread filling on one cookie (not so much that it oozes out the sides, but not so little that you can’t see it when sandwiched). Top with another cookie.
6. Can be refrigerated for a couple of days.
While we’re on this soup/stew kick, I’d thought I’d give you a recipe for my take on a classic French dish. Now, though I took French Immersion from kindergarten to high school, my grasp of the French language is somewhat limited. I’m sure I understand more than the average Joe, but left to wander the streets of Paris, I may have a hard time finding my way to the best place for a nice, steamy bowl of French Onion Soup. Would it still be called French Onion Soup, or just Onion Soup? Soupe D’oignan? Potage D’oignan?
In any case, this is a pretty standard, classic dish. Not much to change, only to tweak. Seasonings are up to you, so make them personal. Vegetarian? Use vegetable broth instead of beef, or if you are just looking for lighter fare, use chicken stock. My version is very heavy on the onions, so reduce those if you are having this as a side dish. I like mine as a main meal.
On another note, as you are reading this, I am kicking up my feet and relaxing in wine country for a few days. My Brother-in-Law is having a milestone birthday, I’ll spare him the indignity of having me say which one, but needless to say there’s gonna be a party. We’re driving a fair distance to attend and as the family food blogger, I must bring goodies. I’ll be frying up some doughnuts that I’m testing for a fellow blogger (who? Can’t say yet.) and slingin’ back a few glasses of local whites. I can’t say I’ve ever made doughnuts before, so wish me luck. Working with a potentially disfiguring vat of boiling hot oil scares me just a little bit. It’s all in the sake of padding these thighs though, a very worthy cause if you ask me.
Until next time!
Liz
French Onion Soup
2 Tbsp butter
6 medium to large yellow onions, sliced in half and then into half rounds
3/4 cup vermouth (like Noilly Prat)
2 cloves garlic, grated or minced
8 cups beef broth
1 bay leaf
3 large sprigs fresh thyme
s & P
Round slices of crusty bread (optionally buttered on both sides)
1 cups grated Swiss Gruyère
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1. In a large, deep saucepan, heat the butter on medium high. Add in onions and sauté for 30 minutes. The onions should begin to caramelize and turn brown. Remember to stir often so nothing sticks to the bottom, but scraping some of the brown bits into the onions is a good thing.
2. Add garlic and sauté 3 minutes. Deglaze saucepan with vermouth, and simmer for an additional 5 minutes.
3. Add stock, herbs and salt & pepper.
4. Bring to a boil, tunr down and simmer for anywhere from 1 hour to 1 hour and 45 minutes. The longer the flavours have to meld, the better.
5. In oven proof bowls, ladle the soup. Top with some crusty bread, sprinkle on the cheese and pop under the broiler until the cheese is bubbly and brown. Bon Appetit!
Try this as a showy appetizer (in small bowls) at your next get together, or savour it alongside a light spinach salad as a full meal. Whatever you choose, just be sure to use good quality cheese, it makes all the difference.
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