Extra Schmaltz!

As a kid I loved day trips to the tourist-trap known as Solvang , for one big reason: æbleskiver! These Danish goodies are little eggy puffs of air, made in a specialized cast-iron pan. Lucky me, Alex got me just such a pan! This dough would also make fantastic pancakes or waffles if you don't have the pan. I used this æbleskiver recipe from a Danish enclave in MN at Lutsen, but I cut it in half for two people. They recommend allowing 7 puffs per person, which is handy because that's how many fit in a pan. The recipe below makes ~18 puffs. For the technique, watch this video from Solvang: 1 c. buttermilk 2 eggs, separated 1 Tbsp. sugar 1 Tbsp. oil 1 pinch salt 1 c. flour 1/2 tsp. baking powder 1/2 tsp. baking soda Beat the egg whites until stiff. Whisk together the yolks, sugar, oil, and salt in a large measuring cup with a pour spout. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and baking soda and then add it to the liquid ingredients. Whisk until very smooth...

Nothing like a beefy hot bowl of noodles on Christmas Eve! I was able to make this with odds and ends I had on hand. You can top it with whatever vegetables and things you have. I had only a small piece of lean beef, but if you have something with more bones and cartilage you'll get more flavor. You could also use pork or chicken. 6-8 oz beef 1/2 yellow onion, with skin 1" knob of ginger 2 garlic cloves 8 black peppercorns 2-3 dried shiitake mushrooms 2" piece of kombu (optional) 6 c. water 2 Tbsp. oil 1-2 tsp. dashi granules 2 Tbsp. rice wine or sherry 3-4 Tbsp. light soy sauce 1 tsp. sesame oil 1 tsp. rice vinegar salt and sugar to taste 2 bundles dried udon noodles 3 green onions, sliced thinly Garnish ideas: 1 carrot, julienned 2 leaves Chinese cabbage poached eggs 1/4 c. soft tofu, in cubes Pickled daikon (takuan) 7-spice powder (shichimi togarashi) Heat 2 Tbsp. oil in the base of your pressure cooker, and sear the outside of the beef...

This is a recipe from Melanie/Melanie's host family here in Rabat. It's pretty easy, and makes a delicious, warm and hearty meal. Ingredients: Kufta balls: 1 # ground beef 1 tsp cumin 1/2-1 tsp tahmiira (Moroccan mild pepper powder, a bit different but replaceable with a mix of mild paprika and cayeanne) 2 Tbsps minced Italian parsley Salt Pepper Sauce: 3-4 medium tomatoes, skinned and seeded, diced (this is how tomatoes are usually prepared for Moroccan recipes, whether cooked or salads) 1/2 tsp tahmiira 1/2 tsp cumin 3 Tbsps minced Italian parsley Salt Pepper 1 Tbsp olive oil 1 Tbsp salad oil Steps: Before starting on the kufta, get the sauce cooking in a large skillet. Heat the oil on medium heat, then add the tomatoes. When the tomatoes start releasing their juice, add the spices, then turn it down to a simmer. While the sauce is simmering, combine the ingredients for the kufta, then form into balls about 1" in diameter. When the tomatoes have cooked down, you can eith...

I have learned a lot about making pasta in the last 2 years or so; it is not a coincidence that this overlaps with my having very little time to contribute to the blog. I'd like to illustrate what I now know about the "true" italian approach to pasta with a dish from the menu of the restaurant where I currently work, Delfina . This dish has, approximately, 4 ingredients. It is also one of the signature dishes of a well-regarded restaurant which has served dozens of them every single day of its 12 year history, which should indicate that the devil is going to be in the details. It is officially listed on the menu as "Spaghetti with plum tomatoes, garlic, extra virgin olive oil, and peperoncini" Ingredients: Spaghetti: This is a dry pasta dish. Texture-wise, the sauce adds little more than mouth-feel, so everything depends on the noodle itself. The industry standard for Italian dry pasta is Rustichella d'Abruzzo . I think you can find it retail at fancy-p...

Some say beans don't go in chili. I think this guy would eat anything in front of him. We're home on the range tonight, or is it the Donner Pass? Being stuck inside during a historic snowstorm calls for improvisation, or in this case, a return to basics. Meat? Check. Dried chilis? Check. Can o' beans? Check. Chili here we come! 2 lbs. ground or finely chopped beef 1 large onion, chopped 2 Tbsp. bacon grease (you can also add some bacon) 3 dried ancho chilis 2 cloves garlic 1 tsp. ground cumin 1 tsp. black pepper 1 tsp. Mexican oregano 2 Tbsp. salt 1 can of chili beans (optional) or 1 can tomato sauce water Honestly, I was out of chili powder, so I had to make the chili sauce from scratch. I added the beans mainly for liquid, but you could use tomatoes instead (or in addition). Brown the meat in the bacon grease, seasoning it with some salt and black pepper. I like to pressure cook it for 10 minutes to make it more tender. Cut the chilies open (kitchen ...

While roasting trays of mixed vegetables one day, I had the bright idea of trying another approach to cooking fruit. I like it so much better cooked, and it seems much easier to digest. Here is what I did: 2 greenish bananas, sliced 1 tbsp butter, melted Toss the banana slices with the butter gently (I did it all in the cast iron pan used to melt the butter). Spread them out into a single layer. Bake at 350 for a total of 1 1/2 hours, separating and flipping every half hour. Remove from pan to storage bowl and cool. Once these are cool, they are 1)really ugly, and 2)incredibly delicious. They become caramelized and sweet the longer they cool. Use them in yogurt or in shakes. One thousand times more delicious that plain bananas!

More turkey leftovers? I found this in the Star Tribune around Thanksgiving, and it is quite delicious and a nice change from the usual turkey Tetrazinni approach. I tweaked a few ingredients and made it as shown below: 2 TBSP finely grated fresh ginger 2 TBSP finely chopped garlic 1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes (or more, if you like it hotter) 2 tomatoes chopped* 2 TBSP curry powder 2 TBSP garam masala 1 cup yogurt 1/2 bunch cilantro 1 lb. chopped cooked turkey (or chicken, or cooked meat of any kind) 1 TBSP olive oil 1 small yellow onion, chopped 1 lb. chopped cooked sweet potatoes 3 TBSP brown sugar (this can be left out or reduced if your left over sweet potatoes are already sweetened. 1/2 tsp salt (or to taste) 1 small can (5.6 oz, or 165 ml) coconut milk (or half and half) Put ginger, garlic, pepper flakes, tomatoes*, curry powder, garam masala, yogurt and cilantro into a deep bowl and stir to combine. Add turkey, toss well, cover, and refrigerate for sever...

Making pumpkin pie from scratch is all well and good (I see I have a very elaborate recipe for it in my notes), but sometimes you just need/want an easy pie. This is my version of a basic recipe using canned goods. It is for a deep-dish pie crust, so you will have extra if you are using a standard pan. Before... ...After! Preheat the oven to 425° 1 unbaked pie crust 1 can pumpkin 1 can evaporated milk 2 whole eggs + 2 egg yolks 1/2 c. plain yogurt 3/4 c. light brown sugar 1/2 tsp. cinnamon 1/2 tsp. garam masala 1/2 tsp. salt Roll out the crust and place it in your pie pan. Blend together the pie filling ingredients. Pour the ingredients into the crust. Bake at 425° for 15 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 350° and bake for another 40-50 minutes, or until it looks mostly set. Cool on a rack for at least 2 hours before slicing. I love pie!

This recipe comes from the galley copy of the meat version of The Schwarzbein Principle. With salt added, of course (and a few other tweaks). I also use bone-in chicken breasts, which takes longer but produces juicier results. Allow some time for marination. Served with Twice-Baked Potatoes . I removed the chicken from the bone after cooking. 4 bone-in chicken breasts 1/3 c. olive oil 2 Tbsp. dry sherry 4 tsp. Kosher salt 1 tsp. dried oregano 1 tsp. dried cumin 2 Tbsp. chopped shallots 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 tsp. black pepper Combine the ingredients in a dish suited to marinating (or ziploc bag). Place the chicken in the dish and spoon the marinade over, making sure to get some under the skin. Marinate at least one hour, mixing once or twice. Preheat oven to 350°. Place the chicken breasts in a greased baking dish and bake until the chicken is tender and reaches an internal temperature of 165°, 60-75 minutes. Baste frequently while baking.

There is no worthier cause for burning your tongue than biting into a twice-baked potato. They're a bit of a hassle to make, but the payoff is delicious, and makes great leftovers. They can be seasoned any way you like--this is for a bacon jalapeño version. 6-7 medium russet potatoes 3 strips cooked bacon, chopped very fine 3 Tbsp. butter 3/4 block cheddar cheese, grated and divided 1 egg 1-2 jalapeños, seeded and diced fine 3 green onions, chopped fine 2 tsp. salt 1 tsp. black pepper Heat oven to 400. Wash potatoes thoroughly and prick with a fork. Bake potatoes for 40-50 minutes, or until they are tender inside.While they are still hot, cut them in half, and scoop out the insides into a bowl (hold them with a hotpad). Place the skins on a greased baking sheet. Mash the potato well, and add in the remaining ingredients (reserving 1/3 of the cheese for garnish), and mix well. Plop the mashed potato filling back into the skins, smooth down, and sprinkle with the re...

These greens (translation: miner's kale) are traditionally served as a side to feijoada , a rich Brazilian black bean and meat stew (similar to cassoulet), often with orange slices. However, they make a great side-dish for nearly anything. Preparing the greens is laborious, but the rest of the cooking is easy. 2 bunches of collard greens 3 shallots, or 1 small red onion sliced thin 4 cloves of garlic, minced 2-4 Tbsp. bacon fat or oil salt and pepper to taste Wash the greens thoroughly and remove the mid-ribs by grasping the leaves in one hand and the rib on the other, and ripping it out. Stack the leaves flat, 6-8 leaves at a time, and roll them up very tightly. Using a very sharp knife (or mandoline), slice across the roll of leaves in 1/8" strips to make a very thin 'spaghetti'. Heat the fat in a large pan with a close-fitting lid. Add the garlic and shallots and stir until it they slightly start to brown. Add the greens and toss in the fat to coat. Add...

This is a simple-yet-flavorful meal, perfect for a weeknight dinner. It helps if you can season the porkchops an hour or more ahead of time, but not required. Here I serve them over couscous, with Couve Mineira on the side. I used boneless pork chops, but you could use bone-in. In fact, this would probably be good with chicken breasts too. Make as many as you would like for dinner and leftovers--this is for 4 chops. Serving Suggestion 1 Serving Suggestion 2 4 pork chops 3 Tbsp. Kosher salt 2 tsp. ground coriander 2 tsp. Aleppo pepper flakes 1 tsp. ground black pepper 2 medium red peppers, diced 3 shallots, minced 1/4 c. white wine 1/4 c. water or chicken broth 1 tsp. sugar salt and pepper to taste olive oil Combine the seasonings and rub it on the pork chops (honestly, I just eyeball the seasonings and sprinkle them on directly). If you have thin chops, score the fat & silverskin layer on the edge at 3/4" intervals so that they don't warp and cook u...

This is an absolute classic--perfect for winter weather. Like most stew recipes, it can be adapted according to your ingredients. I think it pays to be methodical in your approach, but you can also throw everything in the crockpot the night before and still get much of the deliciousness. I prefer to use an enameled pot in a slow oven, because my malevolent crockpot burns things. Before. After. Preheat oven to 300. 3 lb. chuck roast, cut into 1" chunks 1 large onion, diced 2 large carrots, diced 1 medium celeriac root, diced 1 c. small button mushrooms 2 Tbsp. flour 2 Tbsp. tomato paste 2 Tbsp. salt 1 tsp black pepper 1 tsp. garlic powder 1 tsp. thyme 1 tsp. rosemary 2 bay leaves fat for frying 1-1.5 quart water and/or broth 1/2 c. wine 1/2 c. pearled barley parsley, chopped (optional) salt to taste Pat the meat pieces dry and place them in a bowl. Toss them with the salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Heat the fat in a dutch oven until very hot (I like...