Chocolate Raspberry Tart

(Adapted from Epicurious)


Ingredients:

Crust:

• 1 cup unbleached all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 1 1/2 tablespoons cold water
• 1 large egg yolk
• 6 tablespoons raspberry jam

Filling:

• 1 cup whipping cream (or half and half, if you want to cut some calories!)
• 4 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
• (2) 1/2-pint baskets fresh raspberries
• 1 teaspoon powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder

Directions:

For Crust:

1. Combine flour, sugar, cocoa and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer. Add butter and stir on low, until mixture resembles coarse meal.
2. Add water and egg yolk and stir on low until combined.
3. Gather dough into rectangle chill 20 minutes. (Can be prepared 4 days ahead. Let dough soften slightly at room temperature before rolling out.)
4. Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter and flour large round tart pan.
5. Roll out dough between 2 sheets of waxed paper to a circle that is about two inches wider than your pan.
6. Peel off 1 waxed paper sheet. Invert dough into prepared pan, press evenly to fit.
7. Freeze until firm, about 10 minutes. Peel off second waxed paper sheet. Trim edges.
8. Line crust with foil; fill with dried beans, dried rice, or pie weights. Bake until crust is set, about 12 minutes.
9. Remove foil and beans. Bake until crust just begins to darken around edges, piercing with toothpick if crust bubbles, about 12 minutes longer.
10. Remove from oven; maintain oven temperature.
11. Spread jam over bottom of crust.
12. Bake until jam is set, about 3 minutes. Transfer pan to rack; cool completely.

For Filling:

1. Bring cream to boil in heavy small saucepan. Remove from heat.
2. Add chocolate and whisk until melted and smooth.
3. Transfer chocolate ganache to bowl and refrigerate until chilled but not firm, about 45 minutes or less
4. Using electric mixer, beat ganache until very thick and semifirm.
5. Spread ganache over jam in crust. (Can be prepared 8 hours ahead. Refrigerate.)
6. Arrange raspberries atop ganache.
7. Stir powdered sugar and cocoa in bowl. Sift over tart.

Peach Basil Balsamic Sorbet

Ingredients:

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup filtered water
• 10 basil leaves
• 4 whole ripe peaches, peeled and pitted
• juice from 1 lemon
• 1 1/2 - 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

Directions:

1. Bring water, sugar, 8 basil leaves, and lemon juice to a boil in a medium-sized non-reactive pot. Reduce heat and allow it to simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
2. Meanwhile, puree peaches. Peaches tend to have stringy flesh, so I like to do this by hand to get rid of the stringiness. Use a fork or your hands to smash peaches in a bowl. Press peaches through a fine mesh strainer into a second bowl. You can use your hands or the back of a large serving spoon. Continue to smash and press until the only thing left in the strainer is stringy pulp (There shouldn't be too much of this!).
3. Remove basil leaves from sugar syrup and pour sugar into peach puree.
4. Add balsamic to peach/sugar mixture and combine.
5. Mince remaining two basil leaves and add them to the peach mixture.
6. Freeze sorbet in your ice cream maker according to manufacturers instructions.**
7. Cover and freeze until firm.

** If you don't have an ice cream maker, no problem! You can freeze it in the freezer, whisking it every thirty minutes until it has become soft-serve consistency.

Rich Chocolate Ice Cream

Ingredients:

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 4 egg yolks
• 1 ounce baking chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
• a pinch of salt

Directions:

1. Bring heavy cream and milk to a simmer over medium-high heat, stirring frequently. Turn heat to low.
2. Meanwhile, whisk egg yolks, sugar, brown sugar, and salt in a medium bowl until yolks have lightened in color.
3. When cream and milk are simmering, whisk in chocolate and cocoa powder until well combined and chocolate has melted. (There may be some flecks of chocolate still, but that's okay!)
4. Pour about 1/3 of the hot milk into the egg mixture, whisking constantly. Pour the egg/milk mixture back into the pot of milk and continue to whisk. (This is called 'tempering'! It allows the eggs to emulsify with the cream without cooking into chunks of egg!)
5. Whisk the mixture constantly over medium/low heat until it thickens and coats the back of a spoon. This will take about five minutes or so. Do not allow the mixture to boil.
6. Put base into a bowl and allow to cool for 15-20 minutes. Refrigerate overnight, or until the mixture has reached 41 degrees F.
7. Freeze base in your ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions.
8. Cover and freeze until hardened.

Lemon Lavender Ice Cream

Two summers ago, I spent some time in San Francisco for a non-profit organization workshop. We got to live in this huge old house that was walking distance from pretty much everything. There was this really cool coffee shop/bar right around the corner that I used to walk to every morning. They had these vegan lemon lavender cookies that I haven't been able to get my mind off of.

I bought some lavender a few months ago at a specialty store and kept forgetting to use it until now. Instead of trying to recreate those amazing cookies, I decided to use my new Kitchenaid ice cream maker attachment to make lemon lavender ice cream.

It was a success.


Ingredients:

• 1 cup whole milk
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• pinch of salt
• 1/4 cup dried lavender
• zest of two lemons
• 5 large egg yolks

Directions:

1. In a medium saucepan, warm the milk, sugar, 1 cup heavy cream, salt, lavender, and lemon zest.

2. Once the mixture is hot and steaming, remove from heat, cover, and let stand for an hour to infuse the lemon/lavender flavor. 

3. Remove the lemon and lavender with a strainer, then press down with a spatula firmly to extract as much flavor as you can. Discard lemon and lavender.

4. Pour the remaining heavy cream into a large bowl and set the strainer over the top.

5. Rewarm the infused milk. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, then slowly pour some of the warm mint mixture into the yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed yolks back into the saucepan.

6. Cook the custard, stirring constantly with a heatproof spatula, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. If using an instant read thermometer, it should read around 170ºF (77ºC).

7. Immediately strain the mixture into the cream, then stir the mixture over an ice bath until cool.

8. Refrigerate the mixture thoroughly, preferably overnight, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

9. When finished, cover and freeze until firm.

Fresh Mint Chip Ice Cream

I just got a Kitchenaind Ice Cream Maker attachment and it seems that I've caught a touch of ice cream fever!

I can't help myself! Ice cream is as versatile as it is delicious and I've been having a blast creating and trying different flavors. 

I think I'm addicted to making ice cream. Our freezer is full and it's been less than a week since I got my attachment! Unfortunately, ice cream is not the healthiest treat, though. I promise I'll start experimenting with lower calorie ice cream bases as soon as we run out of heavy cream!

(Adapted from David Lebovitz)


Ingredients:

For the mint ice cream:

• 1 cup whole milk
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 cups heavy cream
• pinch of salt
• 2 cups packed fresh mint leaves
• 5 large egg yolks
• optional: 1 teaspoon mint extract (This ice cream has really more of an earthy sweet mint flavor. If you want more of a punch, add mint extract)

For the chocolate chips:

• 5 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped

1. In a medium saucepan, warm the milk, sugar, 1 cup heavy cream, salt, and mint. 

2. Once the mixture is hot and steaming, remove from heat, cover, and let stand for an hour to infuse the mint flavor.

3. Remove the mint with a strainer, then press down with a spatula firmly to extract as much mint flavor and color as possible. (You can also use well-washed hands to do it as well, making sure the mixture isn’t too hot to safely handle.) Once the flavor is squeezed out, discard the mint.

4. Pour the remaining heavy cream into a large bowl and set the strainer over the top.

5. Rewarm the infused milk. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, then slowly pour some of the warm mint mixture into the yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed yolks back into the saucepan.

6. Cook the custard, stirring constantly with a heatproof spatula, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. If using an instant read thermometer, it should read around 170ºF (77ºC).

7. Immediately strain the mixture into the cream, then stir the mixture over an ice bath until cool. Add mint extract, if desired. 

8. Refrigerate the mixture thoroughly, preferably overnight, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

While the mixture is freezing, melt the chocolate in a small ziplock bag, squeezing until smooth. Place a small storage container in the freezer.

9. When the ice cream in the machine is ready, cut a small corner off of the ziplock bag of chocolate and scribble some of the it into the container. Then add a layer of the just-churned ice cream to the container. Scribble melted chocolate over the top of the ice cream, then quickly stir it in, breaking up the chocolate into irregular pieces. Continue layering the ice cream, scribbling more chocolate and stirring as you go.

When finished, cover and freeze until firm.

Halibut with Braised Romaine and Cumin Brown Butter Sauce

I may have forgotten to mention this, but Boyfriend and I are poor, so my dad took us on a grocery shopping trip a few weeks ago. When we got home, Boyfriend and I inventoried all of the food, spices, and sauces that we had in our pantry and have made countless meals using only the things my dad bought us and things we already had. It's been really fun and really productive!

We just finished eating this halibut dish, and I can honestly say that this is my favorite halibut recipe. The crunch of the radishes, the depth of the mint, the unexpected bite of cumin, and the way that the lettuce absorbs every bit of flavor made for a different experience in every bite.

(Adapted from Food & Wine)


Ingredients

• 1 pound new potatoes (These are basically baby potatoes. Like baby corn, they are sweeter and softer. They come in a variety of colors. If you can't find them, red potatoes work also!) 
  
• 2 serrano chiles, one halved lengthwise, one seeded and thinly sliced
• 3 mint sprigs—leaves chopped, stems reserved
• Kosher salt
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 12 large radishes, quartered lengthwise
• Freshly ground pepper
• 2 small romaine hearts—large inner leaves halved lengthwise and small leaves left whole
• 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• Four 6-ounce skinless halibut fillets
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Directions:

1. In a medium saucepan, cover the potatoes with water. Add the halved serrano, the mint stems and a generous pinch of salt and bring to a boil. Cook over moderate heat until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. 
   
2. Drain the potatoes and let cool slightly; discard the chile and mint stems. Cut the potatoes in half.
3. In a very large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil. Add the radishes and a generous pinch each of salt and pepper and cook over moderately high heat until just softened, 1 to 2 minutes.
4. Fold in all of the romaine and the sliced serrano.
5. Add the broth and cook over moderate heat, tossing, until the lettuce is just wilted and the radishes are crisp-tender, about 4 minutes.
6. Stir in the potatoes and the chopped mint and season with salt and pepper; transfer to a bowl and keep warm.
7. Wipe out the skillet and melt the butter in the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil.
8. Season the halibut with salt and pepper and cook over moderate heat until the butter is golden and the fish is browned on the bottom, 3 minutes. Turn the fish.
9. Add the cumin to the butter and cook, spooning the butter over the fish until just cooked through, about 3 minutes.
10. Transfer to plates; spoon the vegetables alongside.
11. Add the lemon zest and juice to the skillet; season with salt and pepper.
12. Spoon the brown butter over the fish and vegetables and serve.

Poached Salmon with White Wine Butter Sauce

(Adapted from Food & Wine)


Ingredients:

• 4 medium zucchini (1 1/2 pounds), coarsely shredded
• Salt
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 medium shallots—2 finely chopped, 1 halved
• Freshly ground pepper
• 2 3/4 cups dry white wine
• 1 cup fresh corn kernels
• 2 lemon thyme sprigs
• 1 bay leaf
• Four 6-ounce skinless salmon fillets
• 1 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced basil leaves

Directions:

1. Set a colander over a bowl. Add the zucchini to the colander and toss with 1 teaspoon of salt. Let stand for 20 minutes. Squeeze the zucchini dry.
2. In a large, nonreactive skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the chopped shallots and season with salt and pepper. Cook over moderate heat until softened, about 3 minutes. Add 1/4 cup of the wine and cook until evaporated, about 2 minutes.
3. Stir in the corn and 1/2 cup of water. Cover and cook until the corn is tender, about 4 minutes. Stir in the zucchini and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, cover and keep warm.
4. In a large, nonreactive saucepan, combine 2 cups of the wine with the thyme, bay leaf, the halved shallot and 2 cups of water and bring to a simmer. 
5. Season the salmon with salt, add the fillets to the saucepan and cook at a bare simmer over low heat, turning once, about 6 minutes.
6. Transfer the salmon to a plate and pat dry with paper towels. Discard the poaching liquid.
7. Add the remaining 1/2 cup of wine to the saucepan and bring to a simmer.
8. Whisk in the butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, until thoroughly incorporated. Season with salt. Stir the basil into the vegetables and transfer to plates.
9. Nestle the salmon into the vegetables, top with the butter sauce and serve.

Pain Au Chocolat (Chocolate Croissants!)

Chocolate croissants are probably my favorite pastry. In fact, I'm pretty sure they're boyfriend's favorite pastry, too (He has told me stories of eating chocolate croissants at Whole Foods as a kid while his mom did shopping, and he's told me a thousand times that the best chocolate croissant he's ever had was in Paris, France.) I've been itching to try my hand at making them for years, but I wanted to do it right. I didn't want to buy puff pastry from the store-- I wanted to make it from scratch. I wanted to understand and master the skill behind that flaky, buttery pastry dough.

This was my first attempt, so the croissants aren't that pretty, but they were delicious! The dough was certainly complicated to make, but it wasn't necessarily difficult. It was just a long and tedious process. For that reason, I've included step-by-step pictures to show how it's done!

(Adapted from Tracey's Culinary Adventures)

Ingredients:

Dough

• 3 cups (15 oz) all-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling
• 1 tablespoon instant yeast
• 1/4 cup (1 3/4 oz) sugar
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/4 cups cold whole milk
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

Butter Square

• 3 sticks (1 1/2 cups) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Other

• 8 oz semisweet chocolate, finely chopped (Don't skimp on this part! Good quality chocolate is worth the money, believe me.)
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten (for egg wash)

Directions:

1. To make the dough: 
1. In a medium bowl, whisk 2 3/4 cups of the flour with the yeast, sugar and salt.
2. Add the milk to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook.
3. Add the dry ingredients and turn to the mixer to low, beating until the dough comes together in a rough ball, about 4 minutes.
4. Add the pieces of butter and continue kneading until the butter is completely incorporated, about 5-6 minutes.
5. The dough will still be sticky, but should form a rough ball and mostly clear the sides of the bowl (if you make bread regularly, this dough will be more sticky than you're used to and won't clear the sides of the bowl as fully as a typical yeast bread). If it's too sticky, add the remaining 1/4 cup of flour, 1 tablespoon at a time. 
   
1. Turn the dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap. 
   
2. Wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

1. To make the butter square: 
1. Place the pieces of butter on your work surface and sprinkle the flour over the top of them. 
   
2. Use a bench scraper to smear the butter/flour mixture back and forth against the work surface. 
   
3. Continue until the mixture is uniform and smooth.  Gather in a piece of plastic wrap and shape into a 7-inch square. 
   
4. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

1. Making the Puff Pastry:
1. Place the dough on a lightly floured work surface.  Roll into an 11-inch square, lifting and turning as you go to make sure the dough isn't sticking.  Place the chilled butter square diagonally in the center of the dough. 
   
2. Lift each of the four corners of the dough up and over the butter square. 
   
3. It's fine if they don't meet exactly, just pinch them together to seal completely.
4. Use your rolling pin to gently tap the dough, starting in the center and going outward, until square gets larger and the butter begins to soften slightly.  Roll the dough into a 14-inch square, flouring your work surface and rolling pin as necessary to ensure the dough isn't sticking. 
   
5. Fold one side of the dough to the center and then bring the other side up and over it - basically, you're folding the dough like you would a business letter.  This is also called a "turn" of the dough. 
   
6. Complete a second turn by folding the top half of the dough down to the center and then bringing the bottom up and over it. 
   
7. Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate for 2 hours.
8. Repeat the process above (roll into a 14-inch square and fold like a business letter twice) to complete 2 more turns of the dough.  Again, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Making Pain Au Chocolat:

1. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.  Place the dough on a lightly floured work surface, and roll into a 20-inch square (flour as necessary to make sure it's not sticking).  Cut the dough into 4 equal 10-inch squares. 
   
2. Cut each of those squares into 3 rectangles (about 10 x 3 1/4-inches each) - you should have a total of 12 rectangles. 
   
3. Add about 1 tablespoon (about 1/2-oz) of chopped chocolate to the center of each rectangle.
4. Fold the top of the rectangle over the chocolate and down to the center, then lift the bottom up and over it (again, we're folding it like it's a business letter).
5. Transfer to the prepared baking sheets, seam-side down. Try to keep the croissants horizontal as you move them so the chocolate doesn't spill out the sides. 
   
6. Loosely cover the croissant with plastic wrap and let them rise at room temperature for 45-60 minutes, or until they're puffy (they won't necessarily double in size).
7. While they're rising, preheat oven to 400 F with racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven.
8. Brush the croissants with the egg wash then bake for 18-22 minutes, or until they are golden brown, rotating the baking sheets from top to bottom and front to back at the halfway point.
9. Transfer the baking sheets to wire racks and let the croissants cool for at least 20 minutes before serving.
10. They're best warm, but will keep for a few days at room temperature if tightly wrapped.

Makes 12 croissants

Sirloin Strip Roast with Roquefort Mushrooms

(Adapted from Food & Wine)

Ingredients:

• 16 large white mushrooms (about 1 pound), stemmed
• 3 tablespoons dry white wine
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 ounces Roquefort cheese
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 2 large anchovy fillets, minced
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup fresh bread crumbs
• One 2 1/4-pound sirloin strip roast
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon cold unsalted butter

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 450°.

For the Mushroom Caps:

1. In a large enameled cast-iron or stainless steel baking dish, toss the mushroom caps with the wine and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Turn the caps stemmed side down and roast for 10 minutes, or until they release their liquid.
3. Pour the liquid into a glass measuring cup.
4. Turn the mushrooms and roast for 10 minutes longer, or until well browned on the bottom.
5. Transfer the mushrooms to a large plate.
6. Set the baking dish over moderately high heat and when it starts to smoke, add the water.
7. Bring to a boil, scraping up the browned bits on the bottom, and simmer until the water reduces by half, about 3 minutes.
8. Pour the liquid into the measuring cup.
9. Return the mushroom caps to the baking dish, stemmed side up.
10. In a bowl, combine the Roquefort with the cream, anchovies, garlic and mustard.
11. Stir in the bread crumbs and season with salt and pepper.
12. Stuff each mushroom cap with a heaping teaspoon of filling.

For The Sirloin:

1. Season the sirloin roast with salt and pepper.
2. Set a large ovenproof skillet over moderately high heat for a few minutes.
3. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil and when it starts to smoke, add the roast, fat side down. Cook until the fat is deeply browned, about 5 minutes, then quickly sear the roast for 1 minute on each side.
4. Turn the roast fat side up and cook for 1 minute.
5. Roast the sirloin in the oven for about 20 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part registers 120° for rare. Transfer the meat to a carving board and let rest for at least 10 minutes before carving.

For the Sauce:

1. Meanwhile, preheat the broiler.
2. Set the skillet over moderately high heat. Add the balsamic vinegar and bring to a simmer, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet.
3. Add the soy sauce and the reserved mushroom liquid and boil for 3 minutes.
4. Remove the skillet from the heat and swirl in the butter.
5. Season the sauce with salt and plenty of pepper and pour it into a warmed gravy boat.

To Finish the Dish!!

1. Broil the mushrooms for 3 minutes, or until browned. Rotate the baking dish as necessary.
2. Carve the roast into 4 thick slices and serve with the stuffed mushrooms. Pass the sauce at the table.

Watermelon, Ginger, and Lime Granita

(Adapted from Kelsey Nixon)

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 6 cups roughly chopped seedless watermelon (about 2 pounds)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 lime, zested
• 1 (2-inch) piece ginger divided, 1-inch cut into coins, 1-inch peeled and grated
• Fleur de sel, for garnish

Directions:

1. In a blender, blend the lime juice and watermelon together, creating watermelon water (We actually don't have a blender currently, so we just smashed the melon up with a fork!) 
2. Strain the liquid through a fine mesh strainer to remove any seeds.
3. Place 1/2 cup of the watermelon water into a saucepan and add the sugar, lime zest and ginger coins. Bring the mixture to a simmer to dissolve the sugar and infuse the liquid with the ginger and lime flavor. Set aside to cool.
4. Add the grated ginger to the remaining watermelon water. 
5. Once the syrup is cool, remove the ginger coins and mix into the watermelon water.
6. Pour the mixture into a 9 by 13-inch glass baking dish. 
7. Place the dish into the freezer to chill. Every 30 minutes, scrape the mixture with a fork to break up the ice crystals and to keep it light and fluffy.
8. Continue scraping every 30 minutes for at least 2 hours.
9. Scrape the granita into glasses or bowls and sprinkle with fleur de sel.

Prosciutto and Mascarpone Stuffed Chicken Breast

(Adapted from Food & Wine)

Ingredients:

• 4 5- to 6-ounce boneless chicken breasts
• 4 thin slices of prosciutto
• 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoons mascarpone cheese
• 1/2 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/8 cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 slices of bacon, cooked and minced (optional)
• bread crumbs (optional)

Directions:

1. With a small, sharp knife, cute a slit in each chicken breast to form a small pocket. With the breast lying flat, slide the knife into the side of the fattest part of the breast and slide it across to form a pocket. make sure the entry cut is not wider than an inch or two and be careful not to cut through the sides or bottom of the chicken. Fold the prosciutto slices and slip 1 under the skin of each breast.
2. In a small bowl, combine 1/8 cup of the mascarpone with the thyme, lemon zest, 1/8 teaspoon of salt and a pinch of pepper. Carefully stuff 1 tablespoon of the mascarpone mixture into each chicken breast pocket, pressing lightly to form an even layer. Use a tooth pick to close up the opening.
3. Preheat the oven to 450°.
4. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large nonreactive ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat until almost smoking. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and add breasts to skillet. Sear each side for 5-6 minutes. Transfer to oven and cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Turn the breasts and cook for 2 more minutes, or until just cooked through. Transfer the chicken to a platter; keep warm.
5. Set the same skillet over moderate heat. Add the lemon juice and bring to a boil, scraping up the browned bits. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of mascarpone and simmer, stirring, until thickened and smooth, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper, pour the sauce over the chicken. Top with bacon and bread crumbs, if desired. Serve.

(I served this chicken with Alex Guarnaschelli's Leeks Vinaigrette!)

Petit Sirloin Steak with Marinated Broccoli and Balsamic Raspberry Vinaigrette

My new obsession is a cookbook Boyfriend got me for my birthday by Alex Guarnaschelli called Old School Cooking. There is not a single thing in it that I don't want to make, and the best part is that none of the recipes are too complicated or pretentious. They're just simple, delicious, to-the-point, and still pack a punch of complex flavors. Some require skills I'm not particularly familiar with, but I love that I get to learn new things!

This particular recipe was intended to be made with hangar steak, but we had sirloin, so I improvised. Alex mentions how the combination of chilled marinated broccoli and warm seared steak creates a more interesting eating experience, and I must agree! This dish was not only simple, but it was interesting and it was damn good.

(Adapted from Alex Guarnaschelli)

Ingredients:

• 2 medium heads broccoli
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 2 petit sirloin steaks
• salt and freshly ground pepper
• fleur de sel for garnishing

Directions:

1. Marinate the broccoli: Make raspberry vinaigrette, see recipe below. Cut the broccoli lengthwise into smaller pieces. The goal is to create “stalks” of broccoli with the florets on top, kind of like oversize asparagus spears. 
2. In a large pot, bring 4 quarts water to a boil. Stir in a handful of salt.
3. When it comes back to a boil, plunge the broccoli into the water and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring from time to time. 
4. Drain the broccoli on a kitchen towel.
5. Arrange the spears on a platter and drizzle them liberally with the balsamic vinaigrette. Refrigerate the platter.  
6. Cook the steak: Heat a large cast-iron skillet over high heat. Add the oil (2 tablespoons). 
7. Season the steak on all sides with salt and pepper.
8. When the pan begins to smoke lightly, use a pair of metal tongs to gingerly place the steak in the hot oil.
9. Cook to medium-rare, 5 to 6 minutes on each side. The total cooking time will be 10 to 12 minutes for medium rare (or an internal temperature of 130°F (This also depends on the thickness of your steaks. I used some really thick cuts and I had to pop them in the oven to finish!)
10. Remove the steak and allow it to rest on a cutting board for 10 minutes.
11. Serve the steak: Slice the steak against the natural grain (or lines) in the meat. This will make the meat more tender for chewing. Taste for seasoning. Arrange it on its own platter. Serve the broccoli straight from the refrigerator, tossing it to recoat with the dressing (about 1/2 cup, see instructions below).

For balsamic-raspberry vinaigrette: 

• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 3/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup raspberry vinegar
• 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
• 1 1/8 cups canola oil, divided
• 1 tablespoon superfine sugar

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, raspberry vinegar, mustard, sugar, salt (1 tablespoon), and pepper (1 teaspoon). Whisk until well blended and then slowly drizzle in the olive and canola oils (1 cup canola), whisking constantly, to make an emulsified vinaigrette. This will keep, covered in the fridge, for up to 3 weeks. Just shake vigorously before using. If it separates, blend it for a minute with a splash of cold water.

Bourbon Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie

Cookies are delicious. Pie is delicious. Put 'em together and it's pretty impossible to lose.



(Adapted from Very Best Baking)


Ingredients:

• 1 unbaked 9-inch (4-cup volume) deep-dish pie shell *
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup bourbon
• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened
• 1 cup (6 oz.) Semi-Sweet Chocolate chips
• 1 cup chopped nuts (optional)
• Sweetened whipped cream or ice cream (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325° F. 
2. Beat eggs in large mixer bowl on high speed until foamy. Beat in flour, granulated sugar and brown sugar. Beat in butter. Beat in bourbon. Stir in morsels and nuts. Spoon into pie shell. 
3. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes or until knife inserted halfway between edge and center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack. 
4. Serve warm with whipped cream, if desired.

* If using frozen pie shell, use deep-dish style, thawed completely. Bake on baking sheet; increase baking time slightly. 

Crispy Buffalo Salmon

You may be familiar with my strong relationship with buffalo sauce. If I can put it on something that it may realistically pair with, I will do it. When I found this recipe for buffalo style salmon, I was both intrigued and a little scared. This dish was surprisingly delicious, and not just because I'm obsessed with buffalo sauce. Boyfriend loved it, too!

(Adapted from Ian Knauer)

Ingredients:

• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup hot sauce such as Frank's Redhot
• 1/3 cup panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 salmon filets (6-7 oz each)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425°F with rack in upper third. Lightly oil a shallow baking pan.
2. Melt butter with hot sauce and 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper over medium heat. Set aside 1/4 cup sauce.
3. Toss panko with oil in a bowl. 
4. Put salmon in baking pan and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper, then brush with remaining sauce. 
5. Sprinkle panko evenly over top of fish, then bake until panko is golden and fish is just cooked through, 16 to 22 minutes. 
6. Serve reserved sauce on the side.