picture from BBC Good Food

Thanks to S for the suggestion to share recipes that use up your summer bounty (comment found in my last post). I’ve selected my top 5 summer produce picks and selected a favorite recipe for each ingredient. I’ve also posted my favorite summer squash recipe, inspired by my trips with D to the South. Whether your garden is overflowing or you over-bought at the farmer’s market, these recipes are tasty, easy, and trusted. Enjoy!

Asparagus

Saveur’s Pasta Primavera

Baby Greens

Summer Salad with Apricots, Pistachios, and Almond Soft-Fried Eggs

Rasberries

Raspberry Ripple Pavlova

Tomatoes

Mark Bittman’s Tomato Paella

Summer Squash

Michel Bras’ Stuffed Zucchini

And finally, a recipe of my own:

My Yellow Squash Casserole

Ingredients:

3 medium yellow squash, sliced into 1/4-inch thick disks
3 c. whole milk
2 tbsp butter, plus extra to coat casserole dish
salt, to taste
1/3 c. Bread crumbs (I prefer the italian seasoned ones here)
1/2 c. Parmesan cheese, divided into 1/4 c. and 1/4 c. portions

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place a medium-sized pot on the stove, add the milk, a pinch of salt and sliced squash to it, and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Simmer 5 minutes until squash are tender. While squash simmers, butter a small- to medium-sized casserole dish.

2. Turn off heat under pot, drain most of the milk (let’s say, leave 1/2 cup milk in the pot- this isn’t an exact science though), stir in 1/4 cup parmesan and transfer entire mixture into the casserole dish.

3. Top the mixture with the bread crumbs, then with the remaining 1/4 cup of parmesan. Dot the top with the 2 tbsp butter and place in the hot oven for 30 minutes, until the top is golden brown. If the top begins to get too brown, cover it with foil and continue cooking for the remaining time. Enjoy!

-M

Most of you probably know by now that I have a strong and persuasive sweet tooth, so it will come as no surprise that I was thrilled to see that this month’s daring bakers was another recipe requiring a good amount of sugar- Danish. I decided against the recommended apple filling in favor of this cherry and cream cheese 1-2 punch, and I chose right.

While I do love apples, raw or cooked, when I think of danish, I think of two things: cream cheese danish and croissants. Since this dough is a little too bread-y for croissants, I opted to recreate my love of sweetened cream cheese danishes, but of course, with a twist. I found beautiful, deeply dark, ripe cherries at the Arlington farmer’s market last Saturday, and knew the combo of cherries and cream cheese would pair well with the cardamom and orange-scented danish pastry dough.

The cherry filling is 1 cup pitted cherries, 2-3 tablespoons sugar (depending on the sweetness of your cherries) and 1 tbsp cornstarch, mixed then microwaved for 4 minutes. That’s right, microwaved. It’s easier, hands-free, and cools to the perfect viscosity.

The cream cheese filling is 10 oz cream cheese sweetened to taste with approximately 1/3 cup powdered sugar (to taste), and 1 tsp vanilla.

The danish turned out perfectly- the dough was tender and flaky like a croissant, but with a more substantial weight. The filling was balanced, not-too-sweet, and of a gorgeous color. Together, this pastry made a decadent breakfast treat that D and I enjoyed all week. In fact, we made a point to wake up early to ensure there was enough time for us to eat breakfast at home together before work, just so we could start each day off with a few bites of heaven.

Whatever flavor combination you use for the filling- sweet or savory- you’ll surely enjoy this recipe, too! : )

Danish Dough (adapted from Sherry Yard)

Makes 2-1/2 pounds dough

Ingredients
For the dough (Detrempe)
1 ounce fresh yeast or 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1/2 cup whole milk
1/3 cup sugar
Zest of 1 orange, finely grated
3/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 vanilla bean, split and scraped
2 large eggs, chilled
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
3-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt

For the butter block (Beurrage)
1/2 pound (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour

Method

1.a Combine yeast and milk in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and mix on low speed. Slowly add sugar, orange zest, cardamom, vanilla extract, vanilla seeds, eggs, and orange juice. Mix well. Change to the dough hook and add the salt with the flour, 1 cup at a time, increasing speed to medium as the flour is incorporated. Knead the dough for about 5 minutes, or until smooth. You may need to add a little more flour if it is sticky. Transfer dough to a lightly floured baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

1.b Without a standing mixer: Combine yeast and milk in a bowl with a hand mixer on low speed or a whisk. Add sugar, orange zest, cardamom, vanilla extract, vanilla seeds, eggs, and orange juice and mix well. Sift flour and salt on your working surface and make a fountain. Make sure that the “walls” of your fountain are thick and even. Pour the liquid in the middle of the fountain. With your fingertips, mix the liquid and the flour starting from the middle of the fountain, slowly working towards the edges. When the ingredients have been incorporated start kneading the dough with the heel of your hands until it becomes smooth and easy to work with, around 5 to 7 minutes. You might need to add more flour if the dough is sticky.

2. For butter block, combine butter and flour in the bowl of a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and beat on medium speed for 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and the paddle and then beat for 1 minute more, or until smooth and lump free. Set aside at room temperature.
3. After the detrempe has chilled 30 minutes, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough into a rectangle approximately 18 x 13 inches and ¼ inch thick. The dough may be sticky, so keep dusting it lightly with flour. Spread the butter evenly over the center and right thirds of the dough. Fold the left edge of the detrempe to the right, covering half of the butter. Fold the right third of the rectangle over the center third. The first turn has now been completed. Mark the dough by poking it with your finger to keep track of your turns, or use a sticky and keep a tally. Place the dough on a baking sheet, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
4. Place the dough lengthwise on a floured work surface. The open ends should be to your right and left. Roll the dough into another approximately 13 x 18 inch, ¼-inch-thick rectangle. Again, fold the left third of the rectangle over the center third and the right third over the center third. No additional butter will be added as it is already in the dough. The second turn has now been completed. Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes.
5. Roll out, turn, and refrigerate the dough two more times, for a total of four single turns. Make sure you are keeping track of your turns. Refrigerate the dough after the final turn for at least 5 hours or overnight. The Danish dough is now ready to be used. If you will not be using the dough within 24 hours, freeze it. To do this, roll the dough out to about 1 inch in thickness, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and freeze. Defrost the dough slowly in the refrigerator for easiest handling. Danish dough will keep in the freezer for up to 1 month.

Danish Braid
Makes enough for 2 large braids

Ingredients
1 recipe Danish Dough (see below)
2 cups filling: cream cheese and/or fruit/jam/preserves (see above)

For the egg wash: 1 large egg, plus 1 large egg yolk

1. Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper. On a lightly floured surface, roll the Danish Dough into a 15 x 20-inch rectangle, ¼ inch thick. If the dough seems elastic and shrinks back when rolled, let it rest for a few minutes, then roll again. Place the dough on the baking sheet.
2. Along one long side of the pastry make parallel, 5-inch-long cuts with a knife or rolling pastry wheel, each about 1 inch apart. Repeat on the opposite side, making sure to line up the cuts with those you’ve already made.
3. Spoon the filling you’ve chosen to fill your braid down the center of the rectangle. Starting with the top and bottom “flaps”, fold the top flap down over the filling to cover. Next, fold the bottom “flap” up to cover filling. This helps keep the braid neat and helps to hold in the filling. Now begin folding the cut side strips of dough over the filling, alternating first left, then right, left, right, until finished. Trim any excess dough and tuck in the ends.

Egg Wash
Whisk together the whole egg and yolk in a bowl and with a pastry brush, lightly coat the braid.

Proofing and Baking
1. Spray cooking oil (Pam…) onto a piece of plastic wrap, and place over the braid. Proof at room temperature or, if possible, in a controlled 90 degree F environment for about 2 hours, or until doubled in volume and light to the touch.
2. Near the end of proofing, preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Position a rack in the center of the oven.
3. Bake for 10 minutes, then rotate the pan so that the side of the braid previously in the back of the oven is now in the front. Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees F, and bake about 15-20 minutes more, or until golden brown. Cool and serve the braid either still warm from the oven or at room temperature. The cooled braid can be wrapped airtight and stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, or freeze for 1 month.

-M : )

Bear with me, please. I know this does not look like Opera Cake, and in my opinion, it is not. Essential ingredients in Opera Cake are coffee buttercream and chocolate ganache, both of which are absent here. If it had been my choice, I would have made the original version, with the flavors that made Opera Cake famous. Alas, the Daring Bakers pleaded that we use only “light-colored” ingredients and flavorings, preferably in the yellow realm, like lemon, vanilla, and chamomile, so the original flavors got a swift kick in the butt.

What we’re left with is a layer cake by most people’s definitions, albeit a fancy one. Perhaps to be funny I should have made a beer flavored cake. That’s pretty yellow, no? Mmm…Sam Adams Summer Ale “Opera” Cake… Enough of it and you’ll be singing Gilbert and Sullivan tunes (”I’ve information vegetable, animal, and mineral…“).

Just kidding.

Anyway, in trying to make the best of what I consider a “situation” (I really like the combination of coffee and chocolate if you were wondering), I decided upon the summer-y flavor combination of Rose and Pistachio. It wouldn’t be yellow but it sure would be tasty. The only problem is, I really can’t force myself to call this ‘Opera Cake.’ How about The Most Delightfully Sweet and Texturally Divine Summertime Layer Cake? Let’s call it Divine Summertime Cake for short. Eat it and weep, my friends.

A Taste of Light: Opéra Cake (a.k.a Divine Summertime Cake)

This recipe is based on Opéra Cake recipes in Dorie Greenspan’s Paris Sweets and Tish Boyle and Timothy Moriarty’s Chocolate Passion.

Yield: 10-12 servings.

For the joconde

(Note: The joconde can be made up to 1 day in advance and kept wrapped at room temperate)

What you’ll need:

•2 12½ x 15½-inch (31 x 39-cm) jelly-roll pans (Note: If you do not have jelly-roll pans this size, do not fear! You can use different-sized jelly-roll pans like 10 x 15-inches.)
•a few tablespoons of melted butter (in addition to what’s called for in the ingredients’ list) and a brush (to grease the pans)
•parchment paper
•a whisk and a paddle attachment for a stand mixer or for a handheld mixer
•two mixing bowls (you can make do with one but it’s preferable to have two)

Ingredients:

6 large egg whites, at room temperature
2 tbsp. (30 grams) granulated sugar
2 cups (225 grams) ground blanched almonds (I used ground pistachios- which you’ll have to grind on your own by pulsing them in a food processor)
2 cups icing sugar, sifted
6 large eggs
½ cup (70 grams) all-purpose flour
3 tbsp. (1½ ounces; 45 grams) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1.Divide the oven into thirds by positioning a rack in the upper third of the oven and the lower third of the oven.

2.Preheat the oven to 425◦F. (220◦C).

3.Line two 12½ x 15½- inch (31 x 39-cm) jelly-roll pans with parchment paper and brush with melted butter.

4.In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or using a handheld mixer), beat the egg whites until they form soft peaks. Add the granulated sugar and beat until the peaks are stiff and glossy. If you do not have another mixer bowl, gently scrape the meringue into another bowl and set aside.

5.If you only have one bowl, wash it after removing the egg whites or if you have a second bowl, use that one. Attach the paddle attachment to the stand mixer (or using a handheld mixer again) and beat the almonds, icing sugar and eggs on medium speed until light and voluminous, about 3 minutes.

6.Add the flour and beat on low speed until the flour is just combined (be very careful not to overmix here!!!).

7.Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the meringue into the almond mixture and then fold in the melted butter. Divide the batter between the pans and spread it evenly to cover the entire surface of each pan.

8.Bake the cake layers until they are lightly browned and just springy to the touch. This could take anywhere from 5 to 9 minutes depending on your oven. Place one jelly-roll pan in the middle of the oven and the second jelly-roll pan in the bottom third of the oven.

9.Put the pans on a heatproof counter and run a sharp knife along the edges of the cake to loosen it from the pan. Cover each with a sheet of parchment or wax paper, turn the pans over, and unmold.

10.Carefully peel away the parchment, then turn the parchment over and use it to cover the cakes. Let the cakes cool to room temperature.

For the syrup

(Note: The syrup can be made up to 1 week in advance and kept covered in the refrigerator.)

What you’ll need:

•a small saucepan

Ingredients:

½ cup (125 grams) water
⅓ cup (65 grams) granulated sugar
1 to 2 tbsp. of the flavouring of your choice (i.e., vanilla extract, almond extract, cognac, limoncello, coconut cream, honey etc.- I used rose extract, which you can find at specialty stores and many middle eastern grocers)

1.Stir all the syrup ingredients together in the saucepan and bring to a boil.

2.Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature.

For the buttercream

(Note: The buttercream can be made up to 1 month in advance and packed in an airtight container. If made way in advance, you can freeze the buttercream. Alternatively you can refrigerate it for up to 4 days after making it. To use the buttercream simply bring it to room temperature and then beat it briefly to restore its consistency.)

What you’ll need:

•a small saucepan
•a candy or instant-read thermometer
•a stand mixer or handheld mixer
•a bowl and a whisk attachment
•rubber spatula

Ingredients:

1 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
¼ cup (60 grams) water
seeds of one vanilla bean (split a vanilla bean down the middle and scrape out the seeds) or 1 tbsp. pure vanilla extract (Note: If you are flavouring your buttercream and do not want to use the vanilla, you do not have to. Vanilla will often enhance other flavours but if you want an intense, one-flavoured buttercream, then by all means leave it out!)
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1¾ sticks (7 ounces; 200 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
flavouring of your choice (a tablespoon of an extract, I used rose again)

1.Combine the sugar, water and vanilla bean seeds or extract in a small saucepan and warm over medium heat just until the sugar dissolves.

2.Continue to cook, without stirring, until the syrup reaches 225◦F (107◦C) [*Note: Original recipe indicates a temperature of 255◦F (124◦C), however, when testing the recipe I found that this was too high so we heated to 225◦F and it worked fine] on a candy or instant-read thermometer. Once it reaches that temperature, remove the syrup from the heat.

3.While the syrup is heating, begin whisking the egg and egg yolk at high speed in the bowl of your mixer using the whisk attachment. Whisk them until they are pale and foamy.

4.When the sugar syrup reaches the correct temperature and you remove it from the heat, reduce the mixer speed to low speed and begin slowly (very slowly) pouring the syrup down the side of the bowl being very careful not to splatter the syrup into the path of the whisk attachment. Some of the syrup will spin onto the sides of the bowl but don’t worry about this and don’t try to stir it into the mixture as it will harden!

5.Raise the speed to medium-high and continue beating until the eggs are thick and satiny and the mixture is cool to the touch (about 5 minutes or so).

6.While the egg mixture is beating, place the softened butter in a bowl and mash it with a spatula until you have a soft creamy mass.

7.With the mixer on medium speed, begin adding in two-tablespoon chunks. When all the butter has been incorporated, raise the mixer speed to high and beat until the buttercream is thick and shiny.

8.At this point add in your flavouring and beat for an additional minute or so.

9.Refrigerate the buttercream, stirring it often, until it’s set enough (firm enough) to spread when topped with a layer of cake (about 20 minutes).

For the white chocolate ganache/mousse (this step is optional – please see Assembling the Opéra Cake below)

(Note: The mousse can be made ahead and refrigerated until you’re ready to use it.)

What you’ll need:

•a small saucepan
•a mixer or handheld mixer

Ingredients:

7 ounces white chocolate
1 cup plus 3 tbsp. heavy cream (35% cream)
1 tbsp. liquer of your choice, optional (Bailey’s, Amaretto, etc.)

1.Melt the white chocolate and the 3 tbsp. of heavy cream in a small saucepan.
2.Stir to ensure that it’s smooth and that the chocolate is melted. Add the tablespoon of liqueur to the chocolate and stir. Set aside to cool completely.
3.In the bowl of a stand mixer, whip the remaining 1 cup of heavy cream until soft peaks form.
4.Gently fold the whipped cream into the cooled chocolate to form a mousse.
5.If it’s too thin, refrigerate it for a bit until it’s spreadable.
6.If you’re not going to use it right away, refrigerate until you’re ready to use.

For the glaze
(Note: It’s best to make the glaze right when you’re ready to finish the cake.)

What you’ll need:

•a small saucepan or double boiler

Ingredients:

14 ounces white chocolate, coarsely chopped
½ cup heavy cream (35% cream)

1.Melt the white chocolate with the heavy cream. Whisk the mixture gently until smooth.
2.Let cool for 10 minutes and then pour over the chilled cake. Using a long metal cake spatula, smooth out into an even layer.
3.Place the cake into the refrigerator for 30 minutes to set.

Assembling the Opéra Cake

(Note: The finished cake should be served slightly chilled. It can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 1 day).

Line a baking sheet with parchment or wax paper.

Working with one sheet of cake at a time, cut and trim each sheet so that you have two pieces (from each cake so you’ll have four pieces in total): one 10-inch (25-cm) square and one 10 x 5-inch (25 x 12½-cm) rectangle.

Step A (if using buttercream only and not making the ganache/mousse):

Place one square of cake on the baking sheet and moisten it gently with the flavoured syrup.

Spread about one-third of the buttercream over this layer.

Top with the two rectangular pieces of cake, placing them side by side to form a square. Moisten these pieces with the flavoured syrup.

Spread another third of the buttercream on the cake and then top with the third square of joconde. Use the remaining syrup to wet the joconde. Spread the remaining buttercream on top of the final layer of joconde and then refrigerate until very firm (at least half an hour).

Make the glaze and after it has cooled, pour/spread it over the top of the chilled cake. Refrigerate the cake again to set the glaze.

Serve the cake slightly chilled. This recipe will yield approximately 20 servings.

Step B (if making the ganache/mousse):

Place one square of cake on the baking sheet and moisten it gently with the flavoured syrup.

Spread about three-quarters of the buttercream over this layer.

Top with the two rectangular pieces of cake, placing them side by side to form a square. Moisten these pieces with the flavoured syrup.

Spread the remaining buttercream on the cake and then top with the third square of joconde. Use the remaining syrup to wet the joconde and then refrigerate until very firm (at least half an hour).

Prepare the ganache/mousse (if you haven’t already) and then spread it on the top of the last layer of the joconde. Refrigerate for at least two to three hours to give the ganache/mousse the opportunity to firm up.

Make the glaze and after it has cooled, pour/spread it over the top of the chilled cake. Refrigerate the cake again to set the glaze.

Serve the cake slightly chilled.

Enjoy!

-M : )

So I am ungodly late for the April Daring Baker’s Challenge (seeing as how it’s May already…), but I figured since I did actually make them, I’d still post, even if it’s very tardy. Not much to say about this recipe. I used Maple Syrup instead of sugar, dark chocolate for coating, and toffee shards to give exterior crunch. Absolutely delicious and many thanks to my fellow Daring Bakers Elle and Deborah for coming up with this great challenge!

Note: feel free to be creative with the recipe below, but be warned, if you use maple syrup as I did, the cheesecake will be slightly more dense than if you use white granulated sugar. Enjoy! : )

Innards!

Cheesecake Pops

Makes 30 – 40 Pops

5 8-oz. packages cream cheese at room temperature

2 cups sugar

¼ cup all-purpose flour

¼ teaspoon salt

5 large eggs

2 egg yolks

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

¼ cup heavy cream

Boiling water as needed

Thirty to forty 8-inch lollipop sticks

1 pound chocolate, finely chopped – you can use all one kind or half and half of dark, milk, or white (Alternately, you can use 1 pound of flavored coatings, also known as summer coating, confectionary coating or wafer chocolate – candy supply stores carry colors, as well as the three kinds of chocolate.)

2 tablespoons vegetable shortening

(Note: White chocolate is harder to use this way, but not impossible)

Assorted decorations such as chopped nuts, colored jimmies, crushed peppermints, mini chocolate chips, sanding sugars, dragees) - Optional

Method

1.Position oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F. Set some water to boil.

2.In a large bowl, beat together the cream cheese, sugar, flour, and salt until smooth. If using a mixer, mix on low speed. Add the whole eggs and the egg yolks, one at a time, beating well (but still at low speed) after each addition. Beat in the vanilla and cream.

3.Grease a 10-inch cake pan (not a springform pan), and pour the batter into the cake pan. Place the pan in a larger roasting pan. Fill the roasting pan with the boiling water until it reaches halfway up the sides of the cake pan. Bake until the cheesecake is firm and slightly golden on top, 35 to 45 minutes.

4.Remove the cheesecake from the water bath and cool to room temperature. Cover the cheesecake with plastic wrap and refrigerate until very cold, at least 3 hours or up to overnight.

5.When the cheesecake is cold and very firm, scoop the cheesecake into 2-ounce balls and place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Carefully insert a lollipop stick into each cheesecake ball. Freeze the cheesecake pops, uncovered, until very hard, at least 1 – 2 hours.

6.When the cheesecake pops are frozen and ready for dipping, prepare the chocolate. In the top of a double boiler, set over simmering water, or in a heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water, heat half the chocolate and half the shortening, stirring often, until chocolate is melted and chocolate and shortening are combined. Stir until completely smooth. Do not heat the chocolate too much or your chocolate will lose it’s shine after it has dried. Save the rest of the chocolate and shortening for later dipping, or use another type of chocolate for variety. Alternately, you can microwave the same amount of chocolate coating pieces on high at 30 second intervals, stirring until smooth.

7.Quickly dip a frozen cheesecake pop in the melted chocolate, swirling quickly to coat it completely. Shake off any excess into the melted chocolate. If you like, you can now roll the pops quickly in optional decorations. You can also drizzle them with a contrasting color of melted chocolate (dark chocolate drizzled over milk chocolate or white chocolate over dark chocolate, etc.) Place the pop on a clean parchment paper-lined baking sheet to set. Repeat with remaining pops, melting more chocolate and shortening (or confectionary chocolate pieces) as needed.

8.Refrigerate the pops for up to 24 hours, until ready to serve.

Enjoy!

-M : )

Image from the Restaurant Eve website

A short while ago, D and I went with a friend to Restaurant Eve for the friend’s birthday. Its a place we’ve been meaning to go to for some time, but as with other Alexandria, VA restaurants, it sometimes just feels too far away. Also as with other Alexandria restaurants, it’s the kind of place where you think you’ll be able to stroll in and get a table (at least in the bistro room), but in fact you’ll need to make a reservation 2 weeks in advance.

And they’ll remind you to be on time for your reservation, if you’re late. Normally, this is nothing unusual, as restaurants depend on diners honoring their reservations, plus or minus fifteen minutes. However, it’s more than unpleasant to be reminded not once, but twice, that your table “is booked for another party at 8:45.” Both when I called from the road, mentioning traffic due to construction, and when we sat down to our table, the hostess let us know this. In fact, she made a point of re-iterating it, stating, “Let me again say that this table is reserved for another party at 8:45. Now we won’t rush you, but expect you to be aware of this schedule.” Excuse me?? I couldn’t help but near-glare at this woman. Not to sound hokey, but we’re paying good money here! Cars run into traffic, things happen. Step down from your pedestal, and take that stick out of your…okay, I’m finished. Well, no, I’m not. One more thing about ‘Customer Service’- the Sommelier looks like a 22 year old frat boy. And us diners are onto you.

Now onto the food, which was scrumptious. The prices, which were often not.

To start, D had lobster and lemon ravioli, our friend had the housemade Charcuterie assortment, and I had the asparagus and crab salad. All utterly delicious, but the hefty price tags ($15-$20, each) made it harder to smile while swallowing. Sure the charcuterie platter was justified, but $20 for 3 small ravioli with god knows how little lobster and $15 for a pile of asparagus topped with 5 small chunks of lump crabmeat seems like a lot, especially when I can get my favorite crab soup at Rays the Steaks, teeming with crabmeat, for $3.75. The bread however, is a free, flavorful delight, and distracts from the prices with its assertive crust and well-proofed interior.

On to the entrees. D had duck breast, our friend had veal sweetbreads, and I had potato-crusted halibut. The halibut’s potato crust was only on the top side of the fish, keeping it crispy, which everyone thought was very smart. The dish felt harmonious, well executed, and light enough to feel healthy, but portioned well enough to be filling. An altogether yummy dish- not dream-worthy, but nice.

The sweetbreads are, however, in a class of their own. First of all, most restaurants shy away from an entree-size portion of these babies, but in fact, this is the perfect way to serve them. So may times you get sweetbreads and they’re overcooked because the chef diced them up into little nuggets for tapas or appetizers. I say, if you’re ordering sweetbreads, go big or go home. Served with morels and perfectly cooked (moist but not iffy- you know), the delicate sweetbreads were the highlight of the evening.

D’s duck was delicious, as were the desserts, namely a light coconut tart that had the best crust I’ve ever had in my life. Chef Armstrong- if you’re out there, I beg you to put this recipe on Eve’s website. The peanut butter and chocolate terrine was also commendably inventive, rich, and satisfying (not so fast- rich does not always equal satisfying, and all the best pastry chefs know and respect this).

One last thing- if it’s your birthday, let the staff know. They’ll toss you a free scone mix and a couple of fancy pats of pure Irish butter as you sign the check. The mix looks like it will produce 1 scone, but once out of the package, the volume of its contents is greater than you’d expect.

Bake them for 15 minutes at 375 and you’ve got yourself a nice slightly sweet treat (see above picture). I must say though, I’d rather have the typical free birthday dessert that most restaurants of this caliber bestow upon their celebrant, rather than a scone mix. Who wants to bake themselves a treat on their birthday? Call me old-fashioned, but I’m a graduate of the home economics school where we were taught that on your birthday, someone else bakes. Regardless, it was a very thoughtful (albeit unexciting) end to a very thoughtful meal.

Atmosphere: B+

Service: B-

Food: A

*Overall Experience: A-

*The Overall Experience is not an average of the first three components of the rating system.

-M

L. A. Burdick’s Luxembourgers (very similar to macarons)

Intricate blown candy at the Sakura Matsuri festival in D.C.

A vendor grilling chicken on skewers at the Sakura Matsuri festival

Sunny-side up eggs in the pan

Sunny-side up eggs on baguette, covered in thinned potato leek soup (just try it, trust me!)

Steamed artichoke

and last but not least,

Really devilish eggs

The highlights of the meal were the lamb stew, topped with slow-cooked, skin-on eggplant slices and a to-die-for dish of pumpkin, topped with yogurt and a very thin meat sauce. The earthy spices in the meat sauce, such as cinnamon and cloves, married perfectly with the yogurt and slow-cooked pumpkin, It was toothsome and addictive. We should have ordered more.

The starter of meal pastries was rich yet not overfilling and came with a refreshing , soupy, fresh, green sauce that made me think of thai food. The steamed dumpling with meat filling were presented beautifully and made it seem like someone’s grandmother had been laboring over them all afternoon, folding each one into a purse by hand.

We didn’t have dessert, but the baklava looked spectacular and was drawing moans from the next table. Go on a weeknight, as the weekend parking in Bethesda is outrageous, but mostly, just go.

Atmosphere: B

Service: B+

Food: A-

Overall Experience: B+

Faryab

4917 Cordell Ave.

Bethesda, MD 20814

301-951-3484

-M : )

On our trip to North Carolina earlier this year, D and I learned many things about Southern food culture, some we expected, some we did not. I knew NC barbecue sauce was vinegary and it nearly always covered meat from a pig, but I was surprised-happily, of course- to see the number of ways Southerns cook cornmeal. D and I found between our teeth corn pone, cornbread, hush puppies both short and long, and cornmeal-coated everything. I had eaten hush puppies and cornbread up North, but not like this. I was used to dry, bland cornbread and hush puppies, made with instant mixes and the hush puppies fried so long they looked like lumps of coal. I needed this corn education in the South to show me how cornmeal could be made into tasty, craveable food.

My first lesson came at Speedy’s BBQ in Lexington, NC. D and I had heard that there was great barbecue to be had just south of Winston-Salem, so we made the 20 mile drive to Lexington to see what the fuss was about. Upon first glance we thought we’d be taken for fools- there was a gas station, a few hardware stores, and a surprisingly cute downtown area including a candy “shoppe” that looked straight out of the 1920s, but no Speedy’s. To be fair, we had passed another barbecue joint whose name I can’t recall, on the way into town, and it was pretty packed, but it wasn’t the place we had heard of online (thank god for the iPhone in times of barbecue need…), and we had our hearts set on finding our destination food stop. A few turns later and about to go back to the first barbecue place we happened upon, we found ourselves at Speedy’s, and the smell and sight of the smoker out back immediately assured us that we were in for a treat. Our waitress, totally emotionless and disinterested in our eagerness, at us down at a booth by the window and asked us for our drink order. D got a sweet tea, I got a coke, and what she brought to us were two pitchers of each. Ok, so even before the barbecue came out, I knew I liked this place- a pitcher meant, “even though we’re serving good food fast, if you want to linger, you’re more than welcome to.”

Soon our food came out, hush puppies, fries, and pork sandwiches- chopped and coarsely chopped, for D and me, respectively. The not-too-sweet, vinegary, thin sauce was light in color (demonstrating a lack of molasses) and heavy on flavor. The tang of the sauce went perfectly with the chopped pork, slightly fatty, mostly lean, and the soft bun could barely contain it. I asked for my sandwich with slaw on the side, and the odd, nearly pulverized cabbage mix that the waitress brought out was not was I expected, but delicious. I added it to my sandwich, and it rounded the flavors out nicely. (Side note: one of my favorite dishes is Choucroute Garnie, an Alsatian dish that involves braising various pork products in sauerkraut, so you can understand my enthusiasm for this American South flavor combination.) The hush puppies were wonderful as well- moist, deep golden brown (but not too brown!) and they had a slightly sweet n’ salty thing going on that I quite liked. Being too full to check out that old time candy shoppe in the middle of town, D and I bought Speedy’s BBQ t-shirts as souvenirs and hit the road.

My second lesson on cornmeal and its culinary applications in the south came at Mama Dips’ Kitchen in Chapel Hill, NC. God, this place made me wish I went to UNC, Chapel Hill… From the time we walked in the front door, we knew we’d set foot in an institution. The first thing you see when you walk in is the restaurant’s gift shop posing as a reservation desk. Here you can buy Mama Dip’s t-shirts, her signature barbecue sauce, her cookbooks (yes, she’s published more than one, and yes, I bought one), and numerous other goodies, all of which you will see as essential items to stock up on once you taste her food. Soon, we pass into the main dining room, unable to ignore the seemingly endless hallway of framed recognitions to our right.

Once we’re seated, our waitress quickly comes with the menus and takes our drink order- another sweet tea and another coke, please. We look at the menu and immediately panic as any good foodie does in a place you know you won’t be able to come back to for a while. There were too many choices. I mean way too many choices, like three panels of 9-point font, single-spaced lists of menu items. Needless to say, D and I took a deep breath and ordered. And with our order came the most incredible corn muffins and biscuits. Delicate, moist, and addictive, D and I dipped them in our gravy, our collard greens, and our squash casserole, savoring the harmony of flavors those dips created.

That that trip to North Carolina was a few months ago, but my interest in cooking with cornmeal is as strong as it was the day we came home. I suppose it’s taken me a few months to recover from the food of that trip (it was heavy, meat-centric, and pretty high in fat, to be honest) and to get up the courage to recreate my new favorite dishes at home. Would I be able to pull it off? D had started to crave those southern foods more than ever, partly due to another more recent trip to South Carolina and Georgia, and I wasn’t sure I could live up to both his and my expectations. So I researched a few dishes, and thought, how hard can it really be? I would make catfish and fried okra and hush puppies- all safe, tasty bets. In the end, the catfish and hush puppies were A-game dishes, but the okra (in my opinion, since D and our guests liked them) was sub-par. So below, find the recipes for hush puppies and fried catfish- two very Southern dishes, the former from North Carolina (but originally from New Orleans) and the latter from South Carolina. These recipes represent two out of the infinite number of preparations that are possible with a sack of cornmeal, and showcase the delicious flavor this ingredient adds to any dish. Enjoy! : )

Fried Catfish (adapted from Chitterlings.com)

Serves 4

4 catfish fillets, skinned.
1 cup Yellow Corn Meal
2 teaspoons Lawry’s Seasoned Salt (or just plain salt)
4 cups vegetable cooking oil (Enough to cover the catfish)

Method
1. Preheat oil to 325 degrees. Rinse the fillets thoroughly and then pat dry with a paper towel. Pat dry with a paper towel.

2. Roll the fresh, catfish fillets in a mixture of corn meal and Lawry’s Seasoned Salt. If you cannot find Lawry’s Seasoned Salt, then your favorite seasoned salt will have to do. It’s just that Lawry’s Seasoned Salt is a southern favorite. A quick way to coat the fish in the corn meal and season mixture is to place it in a plastic bag and just shake it.

3. Drop fillets two at a time into deep fryer. Fry until it turns golden brown, about 5 minutes. Drain on double layered paper towels and serve immediately while hot.

Hush Puppies (from Chitterlings.com)

Makes 6 servings

2 cups yellow corn meal
1 cup plain flour
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk (you can also use plain milk in a pinch, but nothing compares to buttermilk)
3/4 teaspoon Lawry’s seasoned salt (or just plain salt)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon baking powder
2/3 teaspoon baking soda (if using regular milk, substitute baking powder here)
1/8 cup bacon grease. (This is another big key to the flavor. You can use other types of cooking oil, but bacon is my favorite)
Vegetable oil for frying (peanut oil is great too, but make sure no one you’re cooking for is allergic to peanuts!!)

Method

1. Mix all of the dry ingredients in a bowl. Add your eggs, oil, and buttermilk. Stir it all up until the flavors are thoroughly blended.

2. Turn your cooker on medium-high heat. When it’s hot you can drop your hush puppies in using a table spoon. Allow them to brown on all sides. They should begin floating when done, but if they don’t, don’t overcook them.

You can also store this mixture in the refrigerator for a day prior to frying. Before cooking let the mixture reach near room temperature.

-M : )

Very early on in this blog’s life I posted a recipe for turkey meatballs, which I called “Pimm’s Polpette.” It’s a bit of an unconventional recipe for meatballs, using Pimm’s for the liquid component and adding orange zest for tang. Last night I made more traditional turkey meatballs (what you’d call a “trusty, stand-by” recipe) and folded them into a pasta dish with asparagus, swiss chard, and a light white wine sauce.

What I love about this dish is that the variations are endless. You can use virtually any ground meat or poultry to make the meatballs, any mix of fresh vegetables and your favorite shape of pasta, short or long. I like to add red pepper flakes for a hint of spice, but it’s up to you. So here’s a great weeknight dinner recipe that can be made in under 30 minutes. Fully flavored yet light, soft and crunchy, spicy but soothing, this dinner is one for kids, boyfriends, or just nights alone with a good book. Enjoy! : )

Turkey Meatballs with Farfalle, Swiss Chard, and Asparagus

Makes 4 Servings

For the Turkey Meatballs

1 lb ground turkey

1 egg

1/2 cup breadcrumbs

1 tsp salt

1 tsp oregano, dried

2 tbsp flat leaf parsley, minced

1/2 tsp coriander, dried

1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground

canola oil, for cooking

2 cups farfalle

1 lb asparagus, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces

1 packed cup fresh swiss chard (frozen can be substituted)

1/2 cup white wine

1/4 cup butter, diced into small pieces

juice of 1/2 lemon

pinch hot red pepper flakes

salt, to taste

Method

1. Heat a large saute pan over medium high heat with enough canola oil to thinly coat the bottom of the pan. Mix all ingredients for meatballs together and form mixture into 1 1/2 inch balls. Once the oil is hot, place 1/2 the meatballs in the pan, cook for 5 minutes, or until fully cooked inside, transfer to a plate lined with a double layer of paper towels and repeat this process with the rest of the meatballs. Set aside while you assemble the rest of the dish.

2. While the meatballs are cooking, cook the pasta in abundant amounts of salted, boiling water. Drain the pasta but reserve 1/4 cup pasta water in a separate dish. Do not rise pasta or coat pasta with oil!

3. Add white wine to the saute pan you cooked the meatballs in and add the asparagus and swiss chard. Once vegetables are just barely cooked and the wine is reduced by half, add butter, lemon juice, red pepper flakes, reserved pasta water and a pinch of salt to the pan. Swirl and stir the ingredients over medium heat until combined and the butter is melted. Add pasta and meatballs to the pan and fold ingredients together to warm and evenly coat with the sauce. Taste for seasoning and adjust accordingly. Serve immediately and enjoy!

-M : )

It’s not the best picture, but it’s the picture of the best chicken piccata recipe you’ve ever tasted. Served with sauteed sugar snap peas and sun-dried tomato rice, this chicken piccata will satisfy gourmands and picky children alike. Just as some people swear they hate anchovies but greedily dig into plates of caesar salad, guests claiming to hate capers will lick their plates clean after eating this dish. When I’m entertaining, I ask the friends I’m having over if there are foods they don’t or won’t eat. Generally, this results in answers like, “Cheese makes me sick,” or “No red meat,” or “No shellfish,” and rarely answers as specific as “No capers.” Yet, if you ask a group of people if they like certain foods like capers, mushrooms, or eggplant, you’re guaranteed to get some Nos. What’s the deal? I think many people avoid certain foods (proteins notwithstanding) because they think they don’t like them, or have had a bad experience with them served in a less-than-tasty preparation. Of course, some people have food allergies, but for those who don’t, my take is that many caper-haters and mushroom-avoiders just need to try capers and mushrooms in a tasty preparation.

There’s something to be said for the earthiness mushrooms add to a stew and the brininess capers add to a rich sauce. Without them, the balance in flavor is lost, and so is the quality of your resulting dish. In this recipe for chicken piccata, capers are a mandatory ingredient, not only for maintaining authenticity, but also for brightening the flavor of the pan sauce that elevates this dish to a level beyond simple, breaded, sauteed chicken. Serving it with sugar snap peas and rice cooked with sun-dried tomatoes elevates this dish to a meal elegant enough for any dinner party. Last week, I made this on Wednesday night to eat while watching Top Chef- an homage to one Italian contestant who didn’t know how to make chicken piccata despite growing up in the restaurant biz… It shocked the judges- and I would assume nearly every Italian-American watching- so I decided to show those contestants (in spirit, perhaps) how it’s done. Below, find my recipe for chicken piccata: one that begs to be served with a glass of dry Italian white wine and an episode of your favorite food show. Enjoy!

Chicken Piccata

Serves 4

For the Chicken

4 small chicken breasts, boned, skinned (if chicken breasts are the large supermarket variety, buy 2 big ones & slice them in half)

1 cup all-purpose flour, mixed with 1 tsp salt, 2 tsp paprika

2 eggs, mixed with 1 tbsp lemon juice

salt

canola oil, for cooking

For the Sauce

1/2 cup dry white white

1 cup chicken stock or water (if using water, stir 1 tsp cornstarch into it before adding to the pan, so the sauce thickens)

2 tsp capers

2 tbsp butter, cold, diced into small pieces

2 tbsp lemon juice, or to taste

1 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, minced

salt

Rice, steamed with minced Sun-Dried Tomatoes, to serve (follow package directions and add tomatoes with the water)

Sugar Snap Peas, sauteed in a pan with olive oil, 1 small squeeze of lemon juice, and salt)

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Pound chicken breasts with a meat tenderizer or mallet, to 1/4 to no more than 1/2 inch thickness.

2. Preheat large saute pan with canola oil over medium high heat. Season chicken breasts with salt and dredge first in flour, then in egg mixture, coating each piece completely. Immediately place dipped chicken breasts into hot pan, cooking two at a time, a makign sure not to crowd your pan (with a crowded pan, your chicken will steam and not form a golden crust).

3. Cook chicken for 2-3 minutes on the first side, flip, and cook 1-2 minutes on the other side. It will take less time than normal since the chicken has been pounded into thin cutlets. Set cooked chicken on an oven-safe plate, and place in the oven to keep warm while you cook the other two pieces of chicken. Set those pieces on the plate in the oven once cooked through, and keep warm while making the pan sauce.

4. Remove any large pieces of breading from the saute pan, but keep the small golden brown bits that have created a “fond”on the bottom of your pan. Place the pan on high heat, add the white wine, and reduce the liquid “a sec,” or until there is only a couple tablespoons of liquid left in the pan.

5. Add the chicken stock or water/cornstarch slurry and capers and cook for 2 minutes to meld the flavors. Add the cold butter, stirring constantly, until fully melted. Stir in the lemon juice, and taste for seasoning. Add salt as needed and serve on top of the chicken, plated with the rice and sugar snap peas. Enjoy!

-M : )