CREAMY CHICKEN, GARLIC, MUSHROOM, AND PARMESAN CHEESE PASTA

Leave a reply

Well, sometimes the stars appear to be in proper alignment and events happen that turn out to be delightful. Mr. C. and several other wonderful musicians in the area were on the faculty of a jazz camp being held at nearby Warm Beach Camp and Conference Center.

And the day before yesterday, Mr. C. happened to be free from about 4:00 in the afternoon until 9:00 pm when he was to accompany 2 of the 3 student (average age 70+) ensembles. Happened our good friend Todd was playing the same gigs and free at the same time. So Mr. C. called me and asked if he could bring a friend home for dinner? Of course! Then I found out it was Todd. That made it even better!

I warned both guys that I was testing a new recipe, but they both agreed that being guinea pigs was just fine with them. (What good sports!)

Anyway, I lucked out. The pasta turned out to be very tasty. And even using 4 cloves of garlic, the over all flavor was subtle, delicate, and delicious. 

I got the idea and bones for this recipe from the Recipe Critic site. I changed a few amounts, added a couple of ingredients, and the results were acclaimed by both guys.

So if you need a very simple, but guest-worthy dish to serve some evening when you don’t have a lot of time, I would offer this recipe as a happy solution. All you need to accompany this dish is a green veggie or a simple green salad. Although, garlic bread would always be a delectable  addition. That, and a bottle of chilled dry white wine.  

  • 2 T. extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
  • ½ tsp. kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 10-12 sliced button mushrooms
  • 2 T. cognac or brandy, opt.
  • ¼ c. unsalted butter
  • 1 med. shallot, finely minced
  • 4 garlic cloves, finely minced
  • 1 T. all-purpose flour
  • ½ c. chicken broth
  • 1 c. heavy cream or half & half
  • ¾ c. grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for passing at table
  • 1 c. chopped baby spinach, or more to taste
  • 6 oz. angel hair pasta, cooked al dente

Heat the olive oil in a large heavy frying pan. Add the chicken pieces, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook just until done (no longer pink). Remove to a bowl. Set aside. Add the sliced mushrooms to the fry pan and cook for a few minutes until tender and slightly browned. Take off heat and add the cognac. Remove the mushrooms to the same bowl with the chicken. Set aside.

Melt the butter in the same pan in which you cooked the chicken and mushrooms. Add the shallot and cook over medium-low heat for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Whisk in the flour and keep stirring for 2 minutes.

Whisk in the chicken broth, heavy cream, and Parmesan cheese. Taste and adjust seasonings. Add the reserved chicken and mushrooms, including any juices at the bottom of the bowl.

Stir in the spinach and let the sauce simmer until the spinach wilts and all the ingredients are hot.

Add the freshly cooked al dente pasta. Serve immediately. Pass additional Parmesan cheese.  

Note: This is one of those recipes where it is advisable to prep all your ingredients ahead of time. The actual cooking of this dish takes very little time. So being all prepped is the wise choice.    

 

 

 

WHITE BREAD

Leave a reply

And yes, I love bread. And that my dear friends includes white bread. Good white bread that is! Because there are just those times when nothing is better than a sandwich made with two slices of wonderful homemade white bread. Think the day after Thanksgiving. For me, the best sandwich in the world contains few ingredients. White bread generously spread with soft butter and mayonnaise. (Both pieces.) Then tender, thin slices of leftover turkey lightly sprinkled with salt and pepper layered between those perfect pieces of bread. If that isn’t heaven, then I don’t know what is!

Or a perfect tuna sandwich made with white bread. (See my recipe for a perfect Tuna Salad Sandwich below.) These too are heavenly.

Or how about fabulous French toast. Thick slices of white bread, dipped in a combination of eggs, milk, vanilla, and cinnamon, then fried until golden brown and served with soft butter and warm maple syrup. Yum!

And for those of you who might still be resisting bread baking because you feel it would be too daunting, this bread could not be easier.

So next time you think about discrediting white bread, because well – it’s white, think again. This is not like cheap white bread from a grocery store. This is the real thing. This is what white bread should taste like. Bake some and see for yourself.   

  • 1 (¼-oz.) envelope active dry yeast or 1 scant tablespoon active dry yeast
  • 1 tsp. sugar
  • 1 c. warm water
  • 2 T. olive oil, plus more for greasing bowl
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt
  • 2½ – 3 c. bread flour

Combine yeast, sugar, and warm water in the bowl of your heavy-duty stand mixer; let proof for 5 minutes.

Then add the olive oil, salt, and 2 cups of the flour to the bowl. Using your dough hook, beat until ingredients are combined. Gradually add additional flour until dough begins to leave the sides of the bowl and pull together. Knead for about 5 minutes or until dough appears soft and smooth. 

Pour a small amount of olive oil over the dough, and using your fingers, form the dough into a ball, making sure the entire surface is covered with the oil. Cover bowl with plastic wrap, and let stand in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour. Punch down, and let stand an additional 10 minutes. Form per instructions below.

Loaf or Loaves:

Shape dough into a loaf shape and place in an olive oil greased 9 x 5-inch loaf pan. (For smaller loaves, cut dough in half, shape each piece into a loaf shape, and place each in a greased loaf pan.  Let sit for 10 minutes.

Bake in a pre-heated 400 degree oven for 16 minutes or until golden brown. (The internal temperature should be around 200 degrees.) Cool on a wire rack before slicing.

Note: I prefer 2 small loaves, then I cut the bread fairly thick for our morning toast with butter and honey.

Bâtard Shaped: (think small football shaped)

Shape dough into 2 fairly thin and short baguettes.  Place on a lightly greased baking sheet, and cut 3 (¼-inch deep) slits across top of dough with a sharp paring knife. Let sit for 10 minutes.

Bake in a pre-heated 400 degree oven for 16 minutes or until golden brown. (The internal temperature should be around 200 degrees.) Cool on a wire rack before slicing.

Note: the picture above is of bâtard shaped loaves.

TUNA SALAD SANDWICHES (2)

  • 1 T. dehydrated onion
  • 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
  • ¼ c. light mayonnaise, or more as needed
  • ¼ tsp. seasoned salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 can water packed albacore tuna
  • 4 slices white bread
  • lettuce, opt.
  • dill pickle slices, opt.
  • thinly sliced tomato, opt.

Combine onion, mustard, mayonnaise, seasoned salt, and pepper in a small mixing bowl. Let sit for a couple of minutes for the onion to soften. Stir in drained tuna. Add more mayonnaise if the mixture seems dry. (You want the mixture to have a soft, creamy texture. You know. The kind of sandwich filling that drips onto your plate or shirt while you are taking big bites.)

Spread mixture over 2 pieces of the bread. (Yes the filling will be real thick.) Then layer on lettuce, pickle slices, and thinly sliced tomatoes. Top each with the other slices of bread and dive in. Great served with potato chips.

 

 

   

ROASTED EGGPLANT WITH LEMON, GARLIC, AND BASIL

Leave a reply

I love eggplant. But sometimes I don’t want to spend a lot of time preparing an eggplant dish. Sometimes (becoming more and more often these days) I want to make life easier on myself. Granted, I don’t mind if there are a few steps to a dish, because normally I would be working on other dishes at the same time anyway. So, as long as the steps are easy, I’m all over preparing almost any simple recipe requiring multiple steps.

And this recipe could not be easier to prepare. Yes, you still have to cut the eggplant, and let it hang out coated with salt for about half an hour, and whisk a “slather” together. But that’s about as difficult as it gets.

So this delicious dish fits right in with my general outlook these days of preparing and serving simpler and more nutritious meals.

This dish also has the advantage of being a lovely addition to a meal featuring a very rich entrée.

Last evening our good friends Mark and Vicki came over for a simple Italian inspired meal. For appetizers I served Creamy Anchovy Garlic Spread with crackers and homemade soft Italian bread (recipe to be published soon), marcona almonds, and Castelvetrano olives. (Mr. C. provided the adult beverages.)

Next I served Angel Hair Pasta with a Butter, Sage, and Lemon Cream Sauce (very rich), Simple Italian Rocket (Arugula) Salad (nice and tangy to offset the richness of the pasta), and this eggplant recipe (again not rich, but contributing a lovely flavor and mouth feel). (Mr. C. served a charming cold Rosé.)

For dessert, Tuscan Cantuccini, espresso, and a delightful licorice dessert liqueur we brought back with us from our last trip to Italy. (Bold = recipes on this site.)

So if you too are an eggplant lover, give this simple, fairly inexpensive, and delicious dish a try some evening. You will not be disappointed. BTW, this dish is based on a recipe I found on the allrecipes.com site.

(Wow, I just now thought how perfect this recipe would be as the base for an easy Eggplant Parmesan! So please excuse me. I can’t write anymore. I need to don my “mad kitchen scientist” hat and write down my “Parmesan” thoughts before they escape to “senior” land.)

  • 1 lg. eggplant
  • 1 T. kosher salt
  • ¼ tsp. granulated garlic
  • ¼ tsp. dried basil
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 3 T. extra virgin olive oil, plus more to grease the baking dish
  • 2 T. fresh lemon juice
  • lemon wedges, garnish, opt.

Wash, dry, and cut off the leafy end of the eggplant. Then slice the eggplant in half lengthwise, then cut each half into quarters lengthwise. Cut each quarter in half (in the middle) to make a total of 16 pieces. Place the eggplant into a bowl and sprinkle with the kosher salt. Gently toss to make certain each piece is thoroughly coated. Let sit for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk the granulated garlic, dried basil, pepper, and olive oil together. Set aside.

When the eggplant has sat in the salt for 30 minutes, pour it into a strainer and run cold water over each piece to remove most of the salt. Let drain then pat dry with paper towels.

Place the eggplant pieces in a single layer, skin side down, in a greased baking dish. Brush each piece with the olive oil mixture.

Roast in a pre-heated 400 degree oven for 25-30 minutes or until softened and lightly browned. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the lemon juice. Garnish with lemon wedges and serve immediately.

TUSCAN CANTUCCINI (ITALIAN TWICE-BAKED BISCUITS)

Leave a reply

So, we are all familiar with biscotti (pronounced bee-Scott-tee), but probably less familiar with cantuccini (pronounced cantu chee (as in cheese) knee – emphasis on the chee). BTW, one biscotti is a biscotto, and one cantuccini is a cantucci. (Welcome to Italian language school.)

Anyway, cantuccini are a Tuscan twice-baked biscuit often served for dessert with Vin Santo. According to Total Wine, “The sweet dessert wine Vin Santo – “holy wine” – is unique to Italy’s Tuscany region. Traditionally, wine makers dry grapes by hanging the harvested bunches up or arranging them on racks in attics or barns. After three or four months, the semi-dried grapes are full of concentrated sugars and flavors. After pressing, the juice is fermented in small wooden barrels, and  aged for at least three years. The barrels are never completely filled, which exposes the wine to air. They’re also subject to varying temperatures throughout the year.

This treatment, which would wreak havoc on ordinary table wine, can have a delicious effect on Vin Santo. The wine emerges from aging with a characteristic nutty, caramel flavor, a deep golden color and an alcohol content that ranges from 14 to 17 percent. Vin Santo is typically made with Trebbiano and Malvasia grape varieties. A red Vin Santo may also be produced from Sangiovese.”

Me again – The only problem with Vin Santo, is that we have never found a good Vin Santo in the United States. We have brought back Vin Santo in our luggage after trips to Italy, but have never been able to find the real thing here in the states. BTW – If you know of a truly great Vin Santo that can be purchased here, please let me know. I would truly appreciate having that information.)

But back to these cookies/biscuits/type of biscotti/whatever you choose to call them. They are so very delicious. I actually took my old recipe (see Anise Biscotti with Almonds under Biscotti – 6 Ways from Sunday on this site) and adapted it to better resemble the cantuccini we experienced in Tuscany.

So if you want the perfect dessert for an Italian themed dinner, or just want to make a fairly simple cookie for your family to enjoy with breakfast, lunch, or dinner, give this recipe a try. These cantuccini are so much better than anything you can buy in a market or bakery, for about a 6th of the price.

It actually just about kills me when I see a package of 6 biscotti selling for more than it cost me to bake a large batch of these at home. (That’s why I got into home cooking and baking in the first place. I wanted good food without paying an arm and a leg for it. True confession!)

So save your shekels, insure the quality of the ingredients in the biscuits your family will be consuming, provide your family with a tantalizing olfactory experience, and take a break from it all with a lovely cup of coffee or tea and one of these old-world delights. You deserve it! Take care my friends.

  • ½ c. unsalted butter, room temperature 
  • 1 c. sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 2 tsp. crushed anise seed (not ground) I use my mortar and pestle.
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 3 c. unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1 T. baking powder
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • 1 c. chopped slivered almonds, toasted

Cream butter and sugar together. Add the eggs, crushed anise seed, and vanilla.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Combine with butter mixture. Stir in the toasted almonds.

Using your hands liberally greased with butter, divide the dough in half. On a parchment paper lined baking sheet, pat each half into a 12 x 3-inch rectangle.

Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. Remove from oven. Cool for 13 minutes. Cut each roll diagonally into ½-inch thick slices. Turn the slices cut-side down on the baking sheet. Bake for 13 minutes or until firm. Remove from oven and cool on baking sheet.

Store in an airtight container. 

Note: I suggest baking biscotti with straight oven heat. Convection baking browns them too quickly. These cantuccini are perfect with coffee, tea, or dunked in a glass of Vin Santo.

 

  

HUNGARIAN CSALAMÁDÉ (MIXED VEGETABLE PICKLES)

Leave a reply

I know I’m repeating myself when I tell you I absolutely adore Hungarian food, but I simply can’t help myself. I just love so many of the key ingredients in the Hungarian cuisine, that I feel compelled to share all of my favorite Hungarian recipes with you.

And a new favorite is this amazing relish, side dish, salad, pickle, (whatever?!?!) that I found when I was researching Hungarian dishes.

Now, once I discovered this dish, it turns out there as many variations on csalamádé as there are for coleslaw! So you can just imagine how many sites I had to visit to find the one recipe that looked perfect to me. And of course I found it on one of my favorite sites – Smitten Kitchen.

Now in truth, Deb (from Smitten Kitchen) did not call this csalamádé. But if her recipe isn’t csalamádé, then I don’t know the difference between sweet Hungarian paprika and cayenne pepper. And believe me, I know the difference!

Whatever you choose to call it, this Hungarian staple is the perfect counterbalance to any rich dish containing oil, butter, sour cream, meat, or eggs. And truthfully, it’s also perfect when served as a simple cabbage salad. It is just that versatile.

So call it a relish, or pickle, or salad – whatever! Just be sure to prepare some in the near future. I can hardly wait to make some more. I want to try it on a corned beef sandwich, or in a fish taco, or even the next time I fix Banh Mi Sandwiches (see my recipe on this site BTW).

This dish has endless possibilities. And the best thing, besides of course it’s taste – it’s inexpensive to prepare. Got to love that!

  • 1½ c. white vinegar
  • 1½ c. water
  • 1/3 c. granulated sugar
  • ½ tsp. celery seed
  • 5 tsp. kosher salt, plus more to taste
  • couple grinds black pepper  
  • 1 small head green cabbage, very thinly sliced
  • 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced1 medium carrot, grated
  • 1 small English cucumber, partially peeled, halved, seeded, halved again and thinly sliced
  • Whisk the white vinegar, water, sugar, celery seed, kosher salt, and pepper together in a large glass bowl; set aside. Prepare veggies as directed above. Before adding veggies, whisk until the sugar and salt are completely dissolved. Adjust seasoning. Add the prepared vegetables to the brine. Cover bowl with a lid or plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 1 hour or up to 1 week. (The veggies become more pickled as they rest.)  

    Just before serving, drain the veggies. (Save the brine for any leftovers.)

RADISH SALAD

Leave a reply

Now, not just everyone loves radishes. But we do, so I thought I would try this salad that I found on the Genius Kitchen site. And I am so glad I did. I tweaked the amounts a little, but didn’t add or delete a single ingredient. And oh what a refreshing change from the typical salad I serve. No lettuce, no fancy dressing; just a perfect blend of vinegar, oil, herbs, and spices. And easy to build? Absolutely.

According to Wikipedia, “The radish (Raphanus raphanistrum subsp. sativus) is an edible root vegetable of the Brassicaceae  family that was domesticated in Europe in pre-Roman times. Radishes are grown and consumed throughout the world, being mostly eaten raw as a crunchy salad vegetable.”

Dr. Mercola on the Food Facts website states that “Radishes are a favorite vegetable all over the planet. They contain significant amounts of vitamin C and several other vitamins and minerals, and a few not-so-familiar phytochemicals such as indoles, which detoxify, and the powerful antioxidant flavonoids zeaxanthin, lutein, and beta carotene.

Radishes also contain an important isothiocyanate antioxidant compound called sulforaphane, a proven cancer fighter. They remove bilirubin from the liver, preventing jaundice, and perform other healthful tasks like purifying kidney and urinary systems, regulating blood pressure, relieving congestion, and preventing respiratory problems such as asthma or bronchitis.”

So the next time you need a crunchy addition to your menu (and when don’t we need as much crunch as we can get), give this healthy, easy to prepare, economical, and delicious salad a try. We love it and hope you will too.

  • 1 T. white wine vinegar 
  • 1 T. vegetable oil
  • 1 tsp. caraway seed
  • 2 tsp. chopped fresh oregano 
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • ¼ tsp. sugar 
  • ¼ tsp. kosher salt 
  • freshly ground black pepper 
  • 2 bunches radishes, trimmed and thinly sliced

In a salad bowl, whisk together the vinegar, oil, caraway seed, oregano, garlic, sugar, salt, and pepper. Toss in the radishes. Adjust seasoning. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.

 

BAKED TERIYAKI SALMON

1 Reply

First thing you need to know is that I love teriyaki. I might even like kitty kibbles if they were generously slathered with teriyaki sauce. Not going to happen you realize, but that just tells you how much I love almost anything cooked in, marinated in, baked in, fried in, you name it, teriyaki sauce. And this recipe from the Natasha’s Kitchen web site is no exception. (Great site BTW)

It was just one of those days when I was really hungry for salmon, but I wanted a new way of cooking the fish. Plus, I didn’t want to do too much thinking about the preparation. That’s when I thought about going on-line and finding someone else’s perfect recipe for a new way to prepare one of my favorite foods. The minute I read Natasha’s recipe I knew I had found a new friend. I did change a couple of the proportions, but that’s just because of personal preferences.

So if you too are a salmon and teriyaki lover, give this recipe a try. It will brighten your day, tantalize your taste buds, and eventually lead to world peace. OK, I’m exaggerating about the world peace part, but it sure brought Mr. C. and me peace and contentment the other evening. After all, world peace has to start somewhere. So it might as well start with us and a hunk of salmon!

  • 3 T. soy sauce
  • 3 T. teriyaki sauce
  • 2 T. hoisin sauce
  • 1 T. white vinegar
  • 1 T. sesame oil
  • ¼ c. brown sugar
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tsp. finely minced fresh ginger
  • 1½ lb. salmon fillet, cut into 3-inch strips
  • toasted sesame seeds, opt.
  • green onions, finely minced, opt.

Whisk the soy sauce, teriyaki sauce, hoisin sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, and brown sugar together in a flat container large enough for the fillets to marinate in a single layer. Make sure the brown sugar fully dissolves.

Place the salmon slices skin side up on top of the marinade. Cover with plastic wrap and let marinate for 20-30 minutes at room temperature.

Transfer the fillets, skin side down, to a large rimmed baking sheet lined with aluminum foil and lightly greased. Keep the marinade.

Bake the fish in a pre-heated 400 degree oven for 13-16 minutes or until the salmon is flaky and just cooked through. Do not overcook.  

Meanwhile, pour the marinade into a small pan; bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened. Remove from heat.   

To serve the salmon, brush with the boiled marinade and sprinkle with sesame seeds and chopped green onions. The remaining sauce is great lightly drizzled over steamed rice.  

 

BROWN RICE PATTIES

Leave a reply

So, what do you do with leftover brown rice? Well often I just warm it up and serve it just like I did the first time. But when I want to mix things up a bit (both literally and figuratively), I make rice patties. They are simple to prepare, and absolutely fantastic with any kind of meat entrée. And the best part, aside from the rice cakes being delicious, is that they warm up wonderfully the next day or someday down the road. And yes I know. I have now given you a recipe for leftovers that could possibly become leftovers themselves. But – I have the perfect solution for you, so don’t think too unkindly of me. Simply freeze any leftover patties.

So then, when you need a quick side dish some evening when the kitchen is the last place you want to spend any time, you won’t have to! Ta Da!

Just let them come to room temperature, then fry them quickly in a lightly greased pan. Side dish ready. And just as good as they were the first time they were leftovers. And I know, only someone with only one oar in the water like me would think to speak so enthusiastically about leftover leftovers. And I’m not especially fond of any kind of leftovers to begin with! Must be my dotage catching up with me.

Any way, if you still have faith that I might know of what I speak, make these some evening when you have leftover (there’s that darn word again!) brown rice. I promise you won’t be disappointed. Did I mention that these patties are really crusty and crunchy on the outside? Well if not, now you know. Enjoy

  • ½ c. bread crumbs (I use Italian flavored)
  • ½ c. finely diced onion
  • 2 sm. garlic clove, finely minced
  • ¼ c. minced fresh Italian parsley 
  • ¼ tsp. kosher salt
  • couple grinds black pepper  
  • pinch crushed red pepper flakes, opt.
  • 1 tsp. Monterey Steak Seasoning, or more to taste
  • 3 lg. eggs 
  • ½ c. grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 c. cooked brown rice (Leftover brown rice works the best!)
  • 1-2 T. vegetable oil
  • 1-2 T. unsalted butter, or more as needed
  • sour cream, opt.
  • cut fresh chives, opt.

Mix the bread crumbs, onion, garlic, parsley, salt, black pepper, crushed red pepper flakes, Monterey Steak Seasoning, eggs, and Parmesan cheese together in a medium-sized bowl. Stir in the rice.  Form into desired size patties and place in the fridge for at least 1 hour. (Helps the patties set.) (And yes, this is a messy process.)

Pour the oil and add the butter to a large frying pan. Over medium high heat, fry the patties for 4-5 minutes on each side. (They are best when they are brown and crispy.)  Serve immediately. Pass the sour cream and chives at table.

CSERESZNYÉS LEPÉNY (HUNGARIAN SOUR CHERRY CAKE)

Leave a reply

When researching what dessert to serve with a Hungarian themed meal for our JazzVox guests this past weekend, I stumbled on this recipe from Saveur magazine. Hungarian Sour Cherry Cake. It seemed, from all my reading on the subject of favorite Hungarian foods, that cherries were universally loved. Almost to the point of being part of the genetic makeup of the Hungarian people. Who knew? So why look any further? Then I saw a picture of the “cake” and I wasn’t terribly impressed.

Definitely not a thing of beauty. And flat. It looked much more like a bar cookie than a cake. But who was I to question a dessert that was absolutely adored by the population of an entire nation! So I decided to serve the cake in spite of its lack of visual appeal. And boy am I glad I did! After tasting the cake, I knew why the cake so richly deserved to be cherished. It’s wonderful. Not too sweet, full of cherries, (who doesn’t love cherries) and featuring whole-wheat flour which lends a unique texture and earthy taste to the cake. My friend Vicki suggested that using whole-wheat pastry flour would result in the same desired flavor, but with a more refined texture. So I plan to use whole-wheat pastry flour the next time I bake this simple to prepare dessert. (See which I prefer!) So then how to serve the cake?

Well I have long believed that sweetened whipped cream is the answer to the age old question of how to garnish any dessert. So I whipped up some heavy cream, added a couple tablespoons of powdered sugar, and a few teaspoons of syrup from a jar of specialty cherries* that Mr. C. uses in his Manhattans. Then when it was time to serve dessert, I dolloped each individually plated piece of cake with the concoction. Added much appeal to the presentation and tasted absolutely perfect with the cake. 

So if you need a simple dessert that serves 10-12 people, this is the dessert for you. Just don’t forget to make the whipped cream. Left over whipped cream? Add a dollop to your coffee the next morning. Ain’t nothin’ finer!

(BTW, for Mr. Cs recipe for a perfect Manhattan, enter “Manhattan” in the search box on this site.)

  • 2 cubes (16 T.) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for greasing the baking pan
  • 1½ c. granulated sugar
  • 3 T. kirschwasser**
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract 
  • 1 egg, room temp.
  • 2¼ c. regular whole-wheat flour or whole-wheat pastry flour
  • 1 T. baking powder
  • ¾ tsp. kosher salt
  • 1 c. milk (preferably whole milk)
  • 2 lb. pitted frozen sour cherries, thawed and “drained” on paper towels
  • ¼ c. all-purpose flour

In the large bowl of your mixer, beat the butter, sugar, kirschwasser, and vanilla together until pale and fluffy. Add egg; beat until incorporated.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the whole wheat flour, baking powder, and salt. With the mixer running on low speed, alternately add flour mixture and milk in 3 batches to make a thick batter. Spoon batter onto a buttered 13″ x 18″ x 1″ (half sheet) baking sheet and smooth out with an offset spatula. Toss cherries with the ¼ cup flour. Set cherries evenly over the top.

Bake in a pre-heated 375 degree oven until cake is golden brown and feels set to the touch, 30-35 minutes. Remove from oven and cool at least 30 minutes before serving.

Great topped with whipped cream that has been sweetened with powdered sugar and vanilla, a wee bit of kirschwasser, or my favorite – the syrup from a jar of really good cherries*.  

*I use the syrup from either Luxardo Maraschino Cherries or Culinary Circle Amarena Cherries. Both are Italian products.

**According to Wikipedia – “Kirschwasser (German for “cherry water”) or simply kirsch, is a clear, colorless fruit brandy traditionally made from double distillation of Morello cherries, a dark-colored cultivar of the sour cherry. However, it is now also made from other kinds of cherries. The cherries are fermented completely, including their stones. Unlike cherry liqueurs and cherry brandies, kirschwasser is not sweet. The best kirschwassers have a refined taste with subtle flavors of cherry and a slight bitter-almond taste that derives from the cherry seeds.”

 

CARAWAY RYE PEASANT BREAD

Leave a reply

I glommed this recipe together to serve with a Hungarian themed meal. I wanted to serve rye bread, but in an easy to eat little piece since I was also serving Dilly Casserole Bread (recipe coming soon) that would be baked in a loaf pan. (I always try to keep food visually interesting as well as delicious.)

So I decided to pat the bread dough into a half sheet pan (13x18x1-inch) and see what happened. Well the bread turned out delicious, really chewy, and just tall enough to make a perfect size piece of bread when cut into squares or rectangles. And easy to prepare? Oh-my-gosh yes! This would be the perfect bread to fix if you were considering giving bread baking a try.

And don’t worry about the caraway seeds. They are there, but not in your face crazy. Just subtle and splendid.

So give this easy bread a try. We had some toasted for breakfast this morning, and what a treat to go along with our eggs and sausage. Yum, if I do say so myself!

  • 2 c. warm water
  • 2 pkgs. or 2 scant T. active dry yeast
  • 2 tsp. sugar
  • 1 T. kosher salt, plus more for sprinkling
  • 4 tsp. caraway seeds
  • 1 c. rye flour
  • 2½ c. whole wheat flour
  • ¾ c. bread flour, or more as needed
  • olive oil

Sprinkle the yeast and sugar over the warm water in the bowl of your stand mixer. Let sit for 10 minutes. Add the salt and caraway seeds. Mix using your dough hook.

Add the rye and whole wheat flours and mix until well combined. Add as much of the ¾ cup bread flour as needed to make a stiff dough. (The ball of dough should completely pull away from the bowl.)

Pour a little olive oil over the dough, and using your hands, form dough into a ball and spread the oil all over. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 1 hour.

Pour a bit of olive oil on a 13x18x1-inch baking pan. Spread the dough out with your fingers. Slather a bit more olive oil over the dough and sprinkle lightly with kosher salt.

Let rest again for 30 minutes.

Bake in a pre-heated 400 degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden and crusty. Let cool completely before cutting into squares or rectangles.

Note: If in doubt whether or not your bread is done, stick it with an instant read thermometer. If it registers 190-200 degrees, your bread is baked to perfection. Take it out of the oven – immediately!