happy new year!

In the spirit of looking forward to new and wonderful things, here are a couple of items we've got kicking around our kitchen:

Preserved lemons, a recipe adapted from Preserved by Nick Sandler and Johnny Acton. Lemon wedges are packed in kosher salt and lemon juice, along with some black peppercorns, bay leaves and cloves.


Limoncello, adapted from Giada De Laurentiis. It's just lemon peel soaking in a bottle of vodka, and we'll add a sugar syrup later.


Both were made from these Meyer lemons, and both should be ready in about a month.

Here's to a peaceful, fulfilling and delicious new year.

a ray of sunlight

Tonight, after my 90-minute commute, a mildly traumatic trip to CVS and a trek through the rapidly graying snow, i came home to a package from my aunt Julie.


Meyer lemons from her tree in sunny Cali-foh-ni-ah! They just look like Christmas, don't they? What a ray of sunlight on this cold and gloomy day. Meyer lemons are uncommon and expensive on the East Coast, so I've never bought them before. Can't wait to use them all up!

love, and lava cake

Tell me about your family. I don't just mean mom-dad-2 kids-and-a-dog family (which I do have, and how lovely it is). I mean extended family, modern family. The people you choose. The people who choose you.

This is mine.


It was born over six (six!) years ago in a third-floor dorm room in the little town of Amherst, MA.
It's the kind of family where weirdness is accepted. Actually, it's encouraged. (See picture above.)
It's the kind of family that's withstood 3,000-plus-mile distances, boyfriends, breakups, travel, illness, countless job changes...and come out no worse for wear.

If you've got family like this, make them these cakes. Because that's what family's about: love, and lava cake.


Chocolate lava cakes
adapted from Unilever

6 Tbs. butter
3 oz. bittersweet chocolate, cut into pieces
1/2 cup granulated sugar
6 Tbs. all-purpose flour
Pinch salt
2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract

Grease 4 (4-oz.) ramekins.

In medium bowl, microwave butter with chocolate until melted, about 45 seconds. Beat in sugar, flour and salt with wire whisk until blended. Beat in eggs, egg yolks and vanilla. Evenly spoon into prepared ramekins. Refrigerate 1 hour (up to 1 day, covered).

Heat oven to 425 degrees F. Arrange ramekins on baking sheet. Bake 13 minutes or until edges are firm but centers are still slightly soft. (DO NOT OVERBAKE or you will ruin everything!) Cool 5 minutes on wire rack.

To serve, carefully run sharp knife around cake edges. Unmold onto serving plates. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar, if desired.

Makes 4.

*To bake in a muffin pan, spoon batter into 8 muffin cups and refrigerate as above. When ready to bake, heat oven to 425 degrees F and fill empty muffin cups halfway with water. Bake about 9 minutes. Makes 8.



(Thanks to Heatro for the pics.)

close to magic

Whew! Is it just me, or does time go by faster and faster every year? (Maybe i'm getting old.) It seems we were just vacationing in Cape Cod and eating tomato salad, but judging by the endless stream of Christmas tunes on the radio and the sparkle of twinkle lights all over the city, the holiday season--with its familiar sights and smells and sounds--is fully upon us.


This time of year always makes me think about God, or the absence of God. I haven't yet decided, and maybe never will. One thing i do believe in, and think about a lot during the holidays, is nature--the changing of seasons, the perfect balance of the universe. In these hard times, it can be challenging to stay faithful to anything, whether it's God, nature or whatever higher power you may believe in. I find cooking keeps me sane, or happy, in any case. And nothing restores my faith in nature more than making yeast bread.


Have you tried baking with yeast? A lot of people are intimidated by it, because it seems finicky and demanding (after all, yeast is a living organism). But once you get started, it's really simple to work with, and the results are truly worth it. And it's as close to magic you'll ever get in the kitchen.


These caramelized onion rolls (from the Pioneer Woman again) are easy, delicious and make your home smell like a bakery. You start with a simple, almost-no-knead yeast dough, fold in some chopped fresh herbs (I used oregano) and caramelized onions and garlic, shape into rounds and bake. Delicious!



Caramelized Onion and Oregano Rolls
adapted from the Pioneer Woman

1 Tbs. olive oil
1 large yellow onion, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced

1-1/2 cups warm water
3 tsp. active dry yeast
1 Tbs. sugar
3 Tbs. olive oil

3 cups bread flour (I used all-purpose and it turned out fine)
2 tsp. kosher salt
freshly chopped herbs to taste (I used oregano; PW uses rosemary)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan

Saute sliced onions and minced garlic in olive oil over medium heat until brown and caramelized, about 10 min. Cool.

Pour warm water in a bowl. Sprinkle yeast on top. Add sugar and olive oil, then stir gently with a fork until combined. Set aside.

Combine flour and salt in a separate bowl.

Alternately add flour mixture, onions and herbs to yeast mixture, stirring gently until dough is combined. (It'll be sticky.)

Generously flour a flat surface. Knead dough 15 to 20 times, adding flour generously to make it easier to handle. (Keep it sticky, though!) Drizzle olive oil in a separate bowl and add the ball of dough, turning to coat. Cover with a tea towel and place in a warm spot to rise for 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Divide dough into eight portions and form a round from each piece. Place on baking sheet and allow to rise for 20 min. Bake for 20 min. or until brown. About 5 min. before the bread is done, brush with butter and sprinkle with grated Parmesan. Serve warm or at room temperature.

c-c-c-cinnamon lips

i have a bad case of nesting syndrome lately. oh, people, is it ever bad. all i want to do is sip peppermint tea, curl up on the couch with a stack of cookbooks and bake complicated, delicious treats. maybe it's the weather.


as anyone who's ever lived with me can attest, i read cookbooks like novels, and one of the newest additions to my ever-growing collection is the pioneer woman cooks by ree drummond. have you read it yet? it's funny, beautifully photographed and filled with the most indulgent recipes you can imagine. (seriously, i've never seen more butter in my life. it's amazing.) anyway, i'll forever be indebted to ms. drummond for this cinnamon bun recipe, which i made on halloween and carried around the city like some pastry-wielding trick-or-treater.

disclaimer: if you're frightened by high-calorie treats...look away.


cinnamon buns
adapted from the pioneer woman cooks

dough:
1 quart whole milk
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup sugar
4 1/2 tsp. (2 pkgs.) active dry yeast
9 cups all-purpose flour
1 heaping tsp. baking powder
1 scant tsp. baking soda
1 Tbs. salt

filling:
3 sticks very soft butter
1/4 cup ground cinnamon
2 cups sugar
a pinch of salt, if using unsalted butter

icing:
1 lb. powdered sugar
3 Tbs. whole milk
4 Tbs. melted butter
3 Tbs. brewed coffee

For the dough, scald the milk, oil and sugar in a large saucepot over medium heat (do not boil). Set aside and cool to lukewarm, about 1 hour.

Sprinkle the yeast on top and let it sit on the milk for 1 minute. Add 8 cups of the flour; stir. (If the dough looks very liquidy, add another cup of flour.) Cover with a clean kitchen towel and set aside in a relatively warm place to rise for 1 hour.

Remove the towel and add the baking powder, baking soda, salt and the remaining cup of flour. Stir thoroughly to combine. (If not using the dough right away, you can refrigerate for up to 3 days, punching down the dough if it rises to the top of the pot.)

To assemble the rolls, remove half the dough from the pan. On a floured baking surface, roll the dough into a large rectangle, about 30x10 inches. To make the filling, pour half the softened butter over the surface of the dough, using your fingers or the back of a spoon to spread the butter evenly. Sprinkle half the cinnamon, sugar and salt (if using) over the butter.

Beginning at the long end farthest from you, roll the rectangle of dough tightly toward you into a log. When you reach the end, pinch the seam together. With a sharp knife, make 1-inch slices. One log will produce about 25 rolls. Arrange the slices in greased 9-inch cake or pie pans. Repeat the rolling/sugar/butter process with the other half of the dough. (I ended up with 8 pans of about 7 rolls each.)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Allow the rolls to rise for about 30 minutes before baking. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until golden brown.

While the rolls are baking, make the icing: In a bowl, whisk the powdered sugar, milk, butter and coffee until smooth. Drizzle generously over the warm rolls. As they sit, the rolls will absorb some of the icing, becoming gooier and sweeter.


Yum! This makes a LOT of cinnamon buns, so bring them to all your friends. it's the nice thing to do. and, let's face it, the only way to fit into your jeans tomorrow.

something like apple pie

confession: apple butter is one of those quintessential fall things i didn't know about growing up, like tailgating and, well, football.

i discovered it my freshman year at amherst (another quintessential fall thing) when my friend caitlin's mom sent over a homemade jar of the sweet, spicy spread. it was a revelation--turning everything from whole wheat toast to saltine crackers into something like apple pie. and, as any mcdonald's employee in the tri-state area can attest, i'm a sucker for apple pie. (it's the only thing i'll order there. okay, and the chicken mcnuggets. but i digress.)


this past sunday, jon and i decided to try our hand at not only making apple butter, but canning it for use all year long. i'll spare you the nitty-gritty of the canning process (without the proper equipment, our method included aluminum foil, an espresso cup display rack and several soaking-wet kitchen towels), but i'll happily share the recipe, which is delicious.


seeing all those jars lined up in a row makes me feel so accomplished, like i'm putting away provisions for the winter. but i doubt it'll last that long, because...

confession #2: i'm eating it right now with a spoon.


sweet and chunky apple butter
adapted from The Complete Book of Year-Round Small-Batch Preserving by Ellie Topp and Margaret Howard, via epicurious.com

5 large McIntosh apples, peeled and cored
5 large Granny Smith apples, peeled and cored
1 cup apple cider
2 cups sugar
2 Tbs. lemon juice
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. each ground ginger and nutmeg

Cut apples into 1/2-inch dice. Combine apples and cider in a large stainless steel or enamel saucepot (a Dutch oven works great). Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat; boil gently 20 min. or until reduced by half, stirring occasionally.

Stir in sugar, lemon juice and spices. Return to a boil, reduce heat and boil gently 25 min. more or until mixture is very thick. There will still be some apple chunks remaining; stir vigorously or mash with a potato masher if you'd like a smoother consistency. Remove from heat.

Ladle into sterilized jars and process for canning, or store in an airtight container in the fridge and eat within two weeks.

Makes about 7 cups.

the last warm breath of summer

a couple of weeks ago i rolled up my proverbial sleeves, made a tableful of food and had some friends over for lunch.


my friend yao was visiting from chicago, so we planned a little late-summer college reunion in my tiny, overheated apartment. kelly and chris brought my favorite crumbs cupcakes, jr regaled us with a series of head-scratching riddles (have you heard the one about the midget peglegged clown?) and the beatles played on the stereo all afternoon. it was all so lovely it makes me want to weep a little.

but i won't.

we ate the tomato salad jon and i have been devouring all summer (i've never eaten so many tomatoes in my life), a tart, garlicky mix that makes even so-so tomatoes taste divine. the calendar says it's officially autumn, but let's cling to the last warm breath of summer, shall we?


the best tomato salad
serves 3 or 4, or fewer if your name is katie

croutons:
1 baguette, cut into large bite-sized chunks
extra-virgin olive oil
Parmigiano-Reggiano

2 large beefsteak tomatoes
1 standard cucumber, peeled and seeded
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
1 fat clove garlic, minced
3 Tbs. red wine vinegar
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tbs. fresh basil leaves, torn
1 Tbs. fresh oregano
salt and pepper

For the croutons: Toss the baguette cubes with about 3 Tbs. olive oil, a generous grating of Parmigiano-Reggiano and plenty of salt and pepper. Bake at 375 degrees F for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until browned and crisp around the edges.

Meanwhile, cut the tomatoes into thin wedges, about 10 per tomato. Dice the cucumber into bite-sized chunks. Sprinkle the vegetables with salt and place in a strainer over a bowl or the sink at least 10 minutes to drain.

In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, olive oil, red onion and garlic. Season with salt and pepper.

When the tomatoes and cucumbers have released a lot of liquid, transfer to a large serving bowl and toss with the dressing. Add the herbs and croutons and toss again to combine.

For an extra salty flavor, stir in a handful of black oil-cured olives or small cubes of Asiago cheese.