Brown Butter Grits w/ Braised Strawberries & Rhubarb

It has been an actual year since I’ve posted on this blog. To be honest, I get a million ideas start five hundred and actually finished ten. Fortunately my lack of follow though has left me with a year’s worth of recipes to share! First up are some of my favorite grits. While we’re on the subject of grits, are you team sweet or savory? I personally love grits of every kind.

Hopefully my next few posts will put us on the same page!

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Rhubarb is one of those things I’ve always felt intimidated by but wanted to use. I stuck with a classic flavor combination: Strawberry & Rhubarb. I had no idea what I was doing I opted for slow cooking which has never failed me before.

Roasted Strawberries & Rhubarb and Hibiscus Syrup

3 cups peeled & diced rhubarb
2 cups hulled & halved strawberries
1 1/4 cup water
1/2 cup sugar; divided
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup bourbon
1/4 cup honey
3 tbsp dried hibiscus leaves
3 tbsp orange juice
2 tbsp lemon zest
1 tbsp ginger white balsamic vinegar
1/8-1/4 tsp fiori di sicilia
optional: 1/4 tsp rose water

Pre heat oven to 300F

Add 1 1/4 cup water and 1/4 cup sugar to a medium saucepan and brings to a boil. Reduce to simmer and cook stirring frequently until the sugar dissolves. Add hibiscus and steep for 10 minutes. Strain the tea and pour over chopped rhubarb. Steep for another 10 minutes and remove rhubarb, reserving the left over liquid.

Meanwhile in a large bowl mix honey, wine, vinegar, orange juice, lemon zest, fiori di sicilia, and rose water until well combined. Add chopped strawberries and rhubarb and toss until the fruit is well coated.

Add fruit in a single layer to a baking dish (I used a 9″ tart dish) and cook for an hour or until the juices have thickened and the rhubarb is tender.

While the strawberries and rhubarb are cooking, add the remaining 1/4 cup sugar and 1/4 cup bourbon to the reserved hibiscus tea. Over medium- hight heat bring to a boil stirring to dissolve sugar. Reduce to simmer and cook until the liquid reduces by half. Remove from heat and save for later.

Coconut Milk & Brown Butter Grits

2 1/2 cups coconut milk
1/2 cup rice grits
3 tbsp brown butter
3 tbsp honey
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 tsp sea salt
ghee to add at the end

Add coconut milk, grits, brown butter and salt to a saucepan. Bring to a boil whisking frequently to prevent clumping. Reduce heat to very low and simmer an hour until grits are soft. (whisk the grits and add more coconut milk as necessary.

Divide grits between two bowls, add the fruit and top the finished dish with hibiscus syrup and toppings for texture. You can add anything you want! I chose: raw cashews, cacao nibs and coconut flakes. I served the grits with scrambled eggs w/ chili oil and picked shallots but honestly they are perfect on their own with a glass or White wine or Rosé

Come back next week for a Classic: Shrimp & Grits

Rose Apple Tart

I’m not sure I can explain how much I love baking and creating new recipes. It’s so completely satisfying to see something you pictured in your head manifested in an edible form.

As I sliced into one of the Rose Apples, I pictured their pink flesh layered on the top of a glazed tart.

There were a few fillings I considered for this tart: cream, custard, and frangipane to name a few. In the end, to really showcase the versatility of the apples, I decided to use an Apple cinnamon compote. https://www.instagram.com/p/BdAtL_OlumS/

For Crust
1 frozen or homeade pie crust
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1/2 Tbsp Vietnamese Cinnamon

*Traditionally tarts like this are made with a sweeter crust but since I was short on time I spread a combo of cinnamon and sugar on a frozen pie crust before spreading the compote. You can omit this and it would still be amazing.

For Apple Compote
4-5 apples, peeled, cored and diced into 1/2-inch pieces. (I used a combination of Granny Smith and Rose apples)
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp Vietnamese Cinnamon
1 Tsp lemon zest
1 Tsp ground ginger and cloves
1-2 tsp rose water
2 Tbsp Coconut Nectar
2 Tbsp red wine
2 Tbsp water

For the top:
2-3 Rose apples, peeled, cored and sliced thinly.

For the glaze:
1-2 Tbsp jam, (I used apple jam but you can use any kind you want) thined out with water and rose water.

Preheat oven to 425 F.

In a medium sauce pan add apples, wine, lemon juice & zest, coconut nectar, rose water, & spices. Cover and cook over very low heat for 30 to 40 minutes.

My recipe calls for more more liquid then you would normally used so it is simmered for longer to give it a chance to thicken. I also wanted an applesauce like consistency so I periodically mashed the apples. You could definitely have a chunkier compote and it’s be delicious.

Line the bottom of a 11 inch rectacular tart pan (with removable bottom) or a round 9 inch tart with pie dough.

Cover dough with parchment paper, fill with raw beans or baking chain, and bake for 15 minutes. Remove parchment paper and bean and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes until lightly browned.

Line the pre baked tart shell with the apple compote and layer the sliced Rose Apples on top

Bake for 10 minutes at 425F and then reduce head to 350F and bake for another hour until the apples are soft and the pastry is golden. I started checking the tart at 45 minutes because my oven runs a bit hot and I didn’t want to burn the pastry.

Remove from pan from heat and tart from pan. Brush with rose and jam glaze and serve warm or room temp.

This tart is amazing with fresh whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Let me know if you try this and come back next time to see what yummy thing I’m making.💙

Rose Apple Lemon Curd Cake

I’ve never been a fan of apples. I know, it’s blasphemy, considering how versatile and healthy they are. To me they’ve always been kind of blah but I found the most amazing apples on the market on Food 52‘s website.

They’re called Rose (or Mountain Rose) Apples and from the moment I saw them I knew I had to have them. The apples have a yellow-reddish skin and a sweet pink flesh.

I used them two ways. The first was my favorite:

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For Cake
1 1/4 cake flour
1 cup caster sugar
1/4 cup plain greek yogurt
1/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp vanilla paste or extract
1/4 tsp: fiori di scillia, ground cloves, nutmeg, ginger, Vietnamese cinnamon, salt
zest of one lemon
2 eggs, room tempature
2-3 Rose Apples, sliced thinly

Make Cake

Preheat oven to 325F and grease an 8-inch round cake pan.

Combine flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and ginger in a bowl and set aside.

In stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment combine eggs, sugar and butter until light and fluffy.

In a another bowl, mix yogurt, buttermilk, vanilla paste, and Fiori di Scillica.

With the mixer on low speed and fitted with the paddle attachment, add half of the flour. Once combined, add the half yogurt/buttermilk mixture and gently combine. Add the remaining flour combine and finally add the remaining liquid. Scrape down sides of the bowl with a spatula and pour into the prepared pan.

For Apple Lemon Curd

1 1/2 cup apples cored and chopped. I used a mixture of Granny Smith and Rose.
3 Meyer Lemons; zested and juiced
1 1/4 cup caster sugar
1/4 cup unsalted butter; melted
2 eggs

Make Curd

In a medium saucepan combine apples, lemon juice and zest, sugar and melted butter. Allow to simmer until the sugar has melted. Add eggs, one at a time, and stir until thick and combined about 10 minutes.

Assemble Cake!

Pour batter into prepared pan. Top with lemon curd then arrange the sliced apples in a circular pattern.

Bake cake for 45-50 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bczvzk7lyeH/

Join me next time when I use these beautiful apples to make a twist on a French Apple Tart

Persimmon Upside down Cake

Lately I’ve been obsessed with persimmons.

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It isn’t just their beautiful color or their sweet, tender, flesh that makes me love them, it’s their versatility.

I recently bought 5 pounds of them (oops) so while scrambling to figure out what to do with them, I stumbled on recipes for pork, chicken and some delicious hor d’oeuvres with persimmons, Brie and prosciutto.

I decided to go for baked goods though. Persimmon have such a unique flavor I just knew the desserts would be next level. I’ve also been itching to bake something. Tis the season after all.

There are a few specialty items that give the this cake a complex flavor unlike anything you’ve ever tasted.

The first is Fiori di Sicilia

It translates to Flowers of Sicily and is basically an essence with a mix of citrus, vanilla, and floral notes. You only need a little bit (I used 1/4 tsp) to get a lot of really awesome flavor.

The second is Vietnamese Cinnamon

Without going too much into any of the science stuff Saigon cinnamon has a higher oil content and disperses more evenly into baked goods. It also has a stronger more pungent cinnamon flavor.

The last is a lower protein flour.

If you’re making bread, you’re looking for a dense, or chewy final result. That texture comes from more protein and more gluten. If you’re making a cake or pie crust, however, you’re usually wanting a light, tender, or airy result. This is when it’s best to use a low protein flour.

I got all of these things and more at King Arthur Flour but if you can’t find or don’t have them, they aren’t completely necessary.

Cinnamon Persimmon Upside Down Cake w/ Cranberry Ginger Whipped Cream

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For Cake

8 tbsp Unsalted Butter
3/4 cup plus 2 tbsp Cranberry Ginger Syrup*
1/4 cup honey
1 1/2 cup cake, pastry blend, or All Porpose Flour
1 – 2 tsp Vanilla paste or extract
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp: baking soda, salt & vietnamese cinnomon
1/4 tsp: powdered ginger, cloves, nutmeg, & fiori di Sicilla
1 large egg & yolk, room tempeture
2/3 cup buttermilk
2-3 Persimmons, sliced thinly

*You can omit the syrup, use 1 cup honey, or maple syrup and it would still be absolutely delicious.

For Syrup

1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
1, 1 inch piece peeled ginger, or 2-3 tbsp ground ginger
2 cup: honey & water
1/4 tsp: fiori di sicilla, cloves, cardamon, & nutmeg
1-2 tbsp corn starch

For Whipped Cream

1 cup heavy cream
2-3 tbsp honey or cranberry ginger syrup
1/4 tsp vietnamese cinnamon

Make syrup:

Put cranberries, ginger, honey, water, and aromatics into a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat.

Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15-20 minutes until reduced. Add cornstarch to water then add mixture to the syrup. Cook for a few minutes longer until thickened.

Strain and save for later.

Make cream:

Put cold cream and syrup into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment. Beat on medium speed until soft peaks form. Refrigerate until until cake is finished.

Make cake:

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Put 2 Tbsps butter, honey, and Vietnamese cinnamon in a microwave safe bowl and heat until butter is melted.

In a medium bowl whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, cloves nutmeg, and salt.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat 6 Tbsp butter, 3/4 cup cranberry ginger syrup, 1/4 cup honey, vanilla paste, and Fiori di Sicilia, at medium to low speed until combined 1-2 minutes. Scrape the sides of bowl, then add egg and egg yolk, and beat for another minute.

Add half the flour and beat until just combined about 10 seconds. Add buttermilk, beat for another 10 seconds then add the remaining flour. Beat for 10 seconds, scrape sides, and beat for 10 more seconds.

Swirl the butter-cinnamon mixture around the bottom of a silicone pan, making sure the sides and bottom of the pan are thoroughly coated

Slice persimmons (I used a mandolin with 1/16 inch slices selected) and layer them in a circle on the bottom of the pan.

Pour batter over Persimmons and bake on center rack for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean, rotating after 15-20 minuets.

Remove from heat, invert onto cooling rack, and serve with cream, pomegranate arils, and a drizzle of syrup.

I hope you love this recipe as much as I did, let me know if you try it and come back next time for my Persimmon Custard Tart

Shiojake

Shiojake/Shiozake (shio-salt, jake/zake-salmon) is a common Japanese preparation of Salmon. You’ll find it in: a filled onigiri, a bento, rice porridge, and a traditional Japanese breakfast w/ miso, picked veggies (Tsukemono) and warm rice.

Chef Morimoto puts the fillets in a mixture sake and salt before doing anything else. I’m not sure if this removes the fishy taste but if he does it, we probably should too.

What I like about this dish is it’s versatility. It’s almost as if the Salmon is pre seasoned so it works well literally anywhere you would need some extra salt. I originally made it to use in a traditional Japanese breakfast but I later discovered is goes great in soups, omelettes and in Ozuchake (which I’ll be making next.)

Makes four 4 fillets

4 skin on, center cut, salmon (You want a less fatty fish so I used Coho Salmon. You could also use King Salmon) fillets totaling about 1.5 lbs

4 Tbsp + 1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup sake

Mix sake and 1/2 tsp salt until the salt dissolves. Add the fillets one by one to the mixture and let each soak for 5-10 minutes. Remove and pat dry

Salt both sides of Salmon paying extra attention to the skin and and wrap in a few layers of cheesecloth before placing in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Let rest in the refrigerator for at least three hours and up to three days. The longer you let it rest the saltier it’ll be.

I experimented and took them out after 5, 12, and 15 hours. 12 seems to be the sweet spot, at 5 they were salty but not as good as I’ve had at restaurants. 15 hours was way too salty. I literally had to drink a gallon of water after eating them. It all depends on the cut of your fish (how fatty it is) and the type of salt you’re using. I used Maldon sea salt but you can use anything you have on hand.

You can either wrap the fillets individually in plastic wrap & a freezer bag and freeze for 1-2 months or bake, pan fry, or broil.

I cooked with ghee in a cast iron pan and served with Japanese picked vegetables, my classic miso soup and short grain white rice. I also added a bit of White Shoyu (soy sauce) on the side for added seasoning. It’s not traditional and totally optional.

Join me next time when I make Ochazuke/Chazuke, dish made with rice and warm dashi or tea. What’s your favorite cold weather food?

Chicken Udon Miso

My dad is one of my favorite people but he isn’t a very adventurous eater. It’s pretty hard to believe he has a daughter who is always using him as a guinea pig for her crazy recipes.

This Miso was perfect for him. It’s hearty (he’s always complaining about small portions) and though it’s decidedly Japanese it doesn’t stray too far from what’s he’s familiar with. It sure to make anyone in your family happy.

What makes this completely different from any soup you’ve had is the mix of the Shiitake & Iriko Dashi. The fishy Iriko Dashi adds depth of flavor and the Shiitake Dashi adds a subtle and unique umami.

Serves 4.

3 cups Shiitake Dashi

3 cups Iriko Dashi

1.5 Tbsp Red Miso

2.5 Tbsp White or Yellow Miso

2 packages (16oz) Frozen Udon Noodles

1 lb chicken (thighs or breasts), cut into 1/2-inch slices

1/2 large white onion, thinly sliced

1 lb Broccoli florets

8 Shiitake dried Mushrooms; rehydrated and sliced

4 oz (~1 package) Enoki Mushrooms

2 scallions; thinly sliced

1. Season chicken (I used ground perilla, ginger juice, black sesame seeds, and S&P) and sautée in ghee (or butter, oil) until cooked completely through.

2. Slice onions, shiitake mushrooms and scallions. If necessary cut broccoli into bite sized pieces.

3. Add dashi, chicken, onion, broccoli, and shiitake mushrooms to a pot and bring to a boil over low heat. 15-20 mins

4. Remove from heat add Enoki mushrooms and Miso to soup.

5. Put Udon (don’t defrost) into boiling water for about a minute until al dente. Remove from heat and divide into bowls evenly.

6. Spoon soup over noodles and garnish with scallions

https://www.instagram.com/p/BaJgjaGl3NA/

⠀⠀

That’s it for my Miso Soups. Did you have a favorite? I’d love to hear about it. The next thing I’m going to tackle is (O)Chazuke

Cockle Miso Soup

So here’s my secret: I’m not a clam person. Their briny flavor has always turned me off, and don’t even get me started on raw oysters, or as I like to call them snot with rocks.

Enter cockles

Small, unobtrusive, and tender. They bring a delicate flavor with them wherever they go.

The next Miso is my version of an Asari Miso Soup. It typically calls for Manila Clams (Asari) but since I couldn’t find them, I used cockles.

Cockles and Clams look pretty similar. If you know anything about biological (scientific) classification then I can tell you they have the same class and phylum but a different order.

If you don’t let’s just say they’re cousins and move on.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BaG8EVJFVt8/

Here’s what I used to make this amazing soup which I ate all of alone in my room watching My Hero Academia

Wild Cockle Miso Soup

Serves 4⠀⠀

1lb cockles

4cups +1/2 cup cold water

Kosher Salt

1 4 inch (20g) Kombu

2 Tbsp: White Miso, Red Miso

1. Put kombu, purged clams, and 4 cups cold water into pot and over medium heat bring to a gentle simmer. When the water begins to boil remove kombu and continue simmering until all the cockles are open. Make sure to remove the cockles as they open to keep them from over cooking.
2. When all the cockles are cooked pass renaming liquid through a fine mesh sieve add miso.
3. Divide Cockles evenly between four bowls and pour miso soup over them.

I served it with short grain rice & Rosè Sake but it works by itself or even served at a breakfast with an omelette.

Next time will be my last Miso. I’ll be adding chicken, veggies, and udon noodles. What’s your favorite noodle?

Classic Miso Soup

Miso soup happens to be my dog Lola’s favorite food on earth. Not only does she love Bonito flakes but she has loved seaweed (wakame) for as long as I’ve had her

If you take out the scallions she’ll happily lap up Miso until she dies. I think I probably would too.

The first and most common way to use dashi is in Miso Soup.

I personally love this soup. It tastes delicious for breakfast with salmon & tea or for dinner with warm seasoned rice & sake. It’s pretty much a staple in Japanese households.

Miso paste is basically soy beans, rice, or barley fermented with salt, water and fungus. It sounds pretty gross but we all known fermented foods are actually really good for your tummy.

There are three different types of miso: white, yellow, and red. Red Miso has been fermented longer giving it a stronger and more salty flavor. It’s great in sauces and marinades. I’m going to be using it to make the sauce for Tofu Dengaku in the next few weeks.

White and yellow have a more mild taste so they work well in dressings and more subtle tasting dishes.

I use a mix of red and white Miso (Alton Brown says) but it’s honestly best to taste and mix of few different types and brands of Miso pastes to pick a combination that works for you.

Here’s what you’ll need for a classic Miso Soup you’d get at a restaurant alongside a steaming bowl of rice.

Serves 4

2.5 Tbsp Wakeme
4 cups Awase Dashi
14 oz firm silken tofu, cut into 1/2-inch cubes.
2 Tbsp Red Miso
2 Tbsp White or Yellow Miso
2 scallions; thinly sliced

1. Remove moisture from tofu: wrap in paper towels or cheesecloth and press under a heavy object (a plate or pan) for 20 minutes.

2. Rehydrate Wakame: Combine wakame and 2 Tbsp water and let sit until softened, 25–30 minutes.

3. Bring dashi to a simmer. Add tofu, wakame, and scallions. Simmer gently.

4. Add Miso to Soup: Remove Dashi from heat. I use two ways to add Miso to the soup. I either put miso in a ladle and slowly add Dashi until a loose paste forms then add to soup, or I submerge a fine mesh sieve full of Miso paste into the soup.

Never boil your Miso! It has a very delicate and easily ruined flavor.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BZ8veqEleJn/

I hope you enjoy it as much as Lola (and I) do.

Come back next time when I make a Miso Soup with Cockles. How do you like your Miso Soup?

Dashi; or using food to stay sane and keep the wanderlust at bay

I’ve seriously been infected by wanderlust.

For me there’s nothing sweeter than the exhaustion and excitement of air travel. Anyone else get freaked out by border agents every time? Unfortunately, my next trip isn’t until February. To keep sane, and the wanderlust at bay I decided to try my hand at some international recipes.

The first place I want to explore is Japan!

The thing I love most about Japanese cuisine is the delicate balance between simple and complex. Before we get to any of the recipes let’s talk about one of the most important ingredient in Japanese cuisine:

Dashi.

Dashi is a stock used as base for a ton of recipes. It’s really what gives food from Japan it’s distinct flavor.

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Awase Dashi

This is the multi-purpose everyday Dashi most people use for soups and adding umami to dishes. It gets it’s flavor from a combination of Kombu (dried kelp) and Katsuobushi (Bonito Flakes).

This dashi I think has a more complex and balanced flavor. I found some shredded Kombu on the market at Food52 which made the process much easier. The key to making good stock is to slowly draw out the flavor of the kelp. I let it soak in cold water overnight before making the Dashi but you can get away with soaking a few hours.

Making that Dashi is super simple. You simply bring the 20 grams Kombu with four cups cold water to a gentle simmer and cook for 10-15 minutes. After the taking the kombu out you add the Bonito flakes and bring to a boil. After straining through a fine mesh sieve, you’re ready to make Miso, or Tofu, Curry or anything else that calls for Dashi.

Kombu Dashi

If I’m making a dish with more subtle flavors, for vegetarian/vegans, or one that features seafood (I’ll be making a Cockle Miso Soup soon) I make a stock out of Kombu alone. You can either use the soaking liquid (after a day in the fridge) or you can soak and gently simmer the Kombu and cold water for about 20 mins being careful not to boil the kombu.

Iriko or Niboshi Dashi

This dashi is made from dried baby anchovies or sardines. You basically remove the head and innards of the dried fish soak overnight and then boil. Fun fact: when I make a Korean food I use a mix of kombu and anchovies (and sometimes dried shiitake). You could also use it to add depth of flavor to miso soup (which I’ll be making next!)

Shiitake Dashi

This is actually just the liquid leftover from rehydrating dried Shiitake mushrooms. I hope you haven’t been throwing it away! This dashi is a bit too strong to use on its own but combined with the other stocks it adds an unique and earthy flavor to any dish.

Next time I’ll use my dashi to make three very different but equally delicious Miso Soups. Do you know any awesome uses for Dashi? I’d love to hear them.