Category: Food
Almond for Pie! Cherry Slab Pie with Marzipan Crumble

Almond for Pie! Cherry Slab Pie with Marzipan Crumble

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Right next to my favorite strawberry stand at the farmer’s market is a cherry stand. A couple of weeks ago was their last time at the market for the season. So, of course, I couldn’t resist and loaded up on cherries hoping to savor the last pick of the season.

Which meant I was constantly tossing unadulterated cherries into my mouth.  Around the 50th cherry, the thought-there must be another way to enjoy these bad boys, danced through my head.  Coincidentally, a post from Ipso Fatto appeared in my inbox for a luscious-looking cherry slab pie.  Fortuitous or can Google read minds now. Hmmm.

The recipe is originally from Vintage Baker by Jessie Sheehan.  This is not the first time I have tried one of her recipes. I also posted her Butterscotch Potato Chip Balls that are, in a word, scrumptious. She also has a blog, Jessie Sheehan Bakes, which I have added to my blogs to follow. Plenty of photos and helpful notes to go along with her well-written recipes.

Did not even know I had a cherry pitter…go figure, another kitchen gadget, makes me so happy.

Do not get freaked out by the word PIE.  The crust for this slab pie is made in the food processor and pressed into a removable bottom pan. No rolling here! Very easy.  The dough is made with regular flour and almond flour (which helps keep the crust tender), butter, an egg yolk, and sugar.

Pulse ingredients in the food processor until it just starts to come together.  Do not over-process.  If you pinch the dough and it stays together, stop.

Press the dough into a springform pan. See, EASY.

The crumble is made with almond paste to amp up the almond further.  Ahhh, cherry and almond, like Fred and Ginger, a spot on flavor combination.

I made half the recipe which is the best way to resist the temptation of eating an entire slab pie.  An excellent strategy for me of little self-control.  I used a 9 inch round springform pan which worked perfectly.

This pie is delicious, the buttery crust and marzipan crumble all supporting the star of the show-juicy sweet cherries.  If only cherry season was a little longer, sigh.

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Cherry-Almond Slab Pie with Marzipan Crumble

Lovely, easy to make slab pie from Vintage Baker
Course Dessert
Cuisine American, Asian
Keyword cherry, marzipan crumble, slab pie, vintage baker
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings 8 servings

Equipment

  • 9x13 pan
  • 9 inch springform pan

Ingredients

Almond Piecrust

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour 280gms
  • 3/4 cup almond flour 90gms
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar 65gms
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter, chilled 165gms, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
  • 1 tsp almond extract
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1/4 cup cold water

Marzipan Crumble

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour 140gms
  • 7 ounces almond paste
  • 2/3 cup granulated sugar 130gms
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, chilled 110gms cut into 1/2 inch pieces

Cherry Filling

  • 10 cups pitted cherries, fresh or frozen do not throw
  • 3/4 cup cornstarch 105gms
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 2 T lemon juice
  • 1/2 tsp almond extract
  • Sliced almonds for sprinkling

Almond Glaze

  • 1 cup confectioners' sugar 120gms
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream 60ml
  • 1/8 tsp almond extract

Vanilla Ice Cream!

Instructions

Piecrust

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees
    Grease 13x9x2 inch pan with non-stick cooking spray or softened butter, line bottom with parchment paper, grease paper. Set aside.
  • Combine AP flour, almond flour, sugar and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Pulse to combine ingredients. Distribute butter on top of the flour mixture and pulse until coarse crumbs with a few pea-sized pieces.
  • Combine almond extract, egg yolk and 1/4 cup cold water. Add liquid mixture to food processor and continue to pulse until the dough begins to clump. Do not overdo it! Transfer the dough into prepared pan, press it evenly onto the bottom and two thirds up the sides. Wrap pan in plastic wrap and place in freezer while you make the crumble and filling.

For the Crumble

  • Add flour, almond paste and granulated sugar to food processor bowl. Pulse to combine. Add butter and process until it comes together in one mass. Remove from processor and break in bits. Cover and wrap and store in freezer until needed.

Filling

  • Combine cherries, cornstarch, sugar, and salt in a bowl. Add lemon juice and almond extract and stir well.
    To assemble pie, pour cherries into pie crust. Top with crumble and sprinkle sliced almonds on top.
  • Bake 80-90 minutes, less for fresh cherries, rotating the pan after 30 minutes and tenting with foil so it doesn't brown too much. Pie is ready when the filling bubbles thru the center.

Glaze

  • Combine powdered sugar, cream and extract in a bowl and whisk until smooth. Drizzle on pie.
  • Serve with Vanilla ice cream, that's an order.

Notes

This recipe can be halved, which is what I did.  Weigh ingredients if possible for accuracy.  
For the egg, one large egg is about 3 tablespoons.  Beat egg and mesure out 1-1/2 tablespoons for half recipe.
Half recipe can be baked in a 9 inch springform pan.
Baking time will be shorter, start checking at 50 minutes.

 

 
(Hiyashi Chuka – Ramen Salad) Swept Away By A Summer Ramence Summer Madness #2

(Hiyashi Chuka – Ramen Salad) Swept Away By A Summer Ramence Summer Madness #2

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TAs temps edged upward this past week, I began thinking about cold noodle dishes to counter the heat. One of our favorite ramen joints in San Jose features a summer noodle salad that the hubster loves. This prompted me to think it was time to add a cold ramen dish to my repertoire.  I perused one of my favorite sites, Just One Cookbook, and found a classic Japanese cold ramen dish, Hiyashi Chuka.  Bingo, I was off to the races.  At first glance, it seemed very similar to my Somen Salad.  The dressing has soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, and rice vinegar, for instance.  A big difference is Hiyashi Chuka starts with a thicker, more substantial ramen noodle.

Summer Ramence

The dish is eye-candy, the noodles are hidden by a colorful palette of toppings including julienned pale green cucumbers, orange-tinged crab leg, slivers of green onions, pink honey ham and shreds of fried egg.  Cold noodle salads like this refreshing and delicious Hiyashi Chuka are perfect for summer potlucks, picnics and pool parties.  I hope you will add it to your summer rotation.

The Skinny on Noods

Both fresh or dried noodles work in this dish.  I like using fresh ramen or lo mein. If you can get a hold of ramen noodles by Sun Co. from Hawaii, get it. This brand supplies the bulk of ramen houses in the US. and has a really nice chew or consistency.  In a pinch, you could use linguine or spaghetti but my first choice would be an Asian noodle. If you are gluten-free, rice or yam noodles would be a good substitute.  Confused about the multitude of Asian noodles out there? Here is a great Asian noodle primer from Serious Eats.

Dressing It Up

The dressing is on the sweet side so I would start with two tablespoons of sugar, taste and add more if desired.  You can use Ponzu, a citrus soy sauce, instead of soy sauce. Toppings can be ANYTHING you like or have on hand.  Keep in mind you want the play between sweet and salty, crunchy and soft. I like cucumbers, honey ham, imitation crab, egg, corn, and tomatoes. Don’t like imitation crab?  Use bay shrimp or splurge on real crab.  You can substitute honey turkey, shredded chicken (leftover soy sauce chicken would work really well) or char sir (bbq pork) for the ham. I leave out the lettuce sometimes or substitute shredded cabbage.  I love a good sprinkling of chopped scallions and cilantro.  Oishii!

Ramen Salad
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HIYASHI CHUKA (COLD RAMEN)

A delicious, refreshing cold noodle salad that is perfect for summer!
Course Main Course, Salad
Cuisine Asian
Keyword japanese, Noodle, Ramen, Salad, sesame
Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Servings 8 Servings

Ingredients

Dressing

  • 6 Tbsp soy sauce Any all purpose soy like Kikkoman will work, or substitute half with Ponzu for a hint of citrus
  • 4 Tbsp sugar Adjust to taste! Start with 2 tablespoons
  • 3 Tbsp rice vinegar
  • 2 Tbsp sesame oil
  • 2 Tbsp water
  • 1 Tbsp white sesame seeds roasted/toasted
  • ¼ tsp ginger grated
  • ½-1 tsp la-yu, optional Japanese chili oil

Egg crepe, shredded

  • 2 large eggs beaten
  • 2 tsp sugar
  • ¼ tsp salt kosher or sea salt; use half if using table salt
  • neutral flavor oil vegetable, canola, etc

Toppings

  • 1/4-1/2 pound Bay shrimp
  • 1 Persian/Japanese cucumbers or 1/3 English cucumber, julienned
  • 1 iceberg lettuce shredded, or use romaine lettuce
  • ½ Tomato cut into wedges, or cherry tomatoes quartered
  • 3-4 slices Honey Ham Sub bbq pork, or honey turkey, Canadian bacon, julienned
  • 4-6 imitation crab meat kanikam or splurge and use real crab, or fish cake, shredded or julienned
  • 1/2 cup Kaiware radish sprouts or green onions, chopped

Other toppings

  • Poached chicken or leftover soy sauce chicken shredded, in place of ham
  • Julienned carrots
  • dried wakame seaweed
  • shredded nori seaweed kizami nori

Noodles

  • 2 package fresh ramen noodles 12 ounces each substitute dry ramen noodles, or Lo-mien

Garnish

  • 1 Tbsp white sesame seeds roasted/toasted
  • Japanese karashi hot mustard optional
  • pickled red ginger beni shoga or kizami beni shoga, optional

Instructions

  • Combine dressing ingredients in a medium bowl and whisk together. Set aside or if made in advance, store in fridge.
  • For eggs, make thin egg crepes and cut it into thin strips. Heat oil in non-stick pan over medium heat. Pour the egg mixture into the pan, tilt & swirl pan to distribute egg. Like making a crepe. Cook until set and flip egg over. You will have a few brown spots, but should be predominantly yellow. Slide crepe onto a plate and reserve. When it is cool enough you can roll the egg crepe up and cut it into thin strips.
  • You can use large prawns if you like, but I like using bay shrimp which generally come precooked. Easy peasy.
  • Cut all the topping ingredients as directed.
  • For the noodles, bring a pot of water to a boil and add the noodles. Separate the noodles before dropping into water. Cook according to package directions. Drain the water and rinse the noodles to remove starch. Allow noodles to cool completely. Chill in fridge if desire. Place noodles in a serving bowl and mix half of dressing into noodles.
  • Place all the toppings and pour the remaining dressing on salad before serving. Serve with karashi hot mustard and pickled ginger on the side, if desired. Refer to pics, ingredients are usually arranged in a radial pattern on top of the noodles.
Summer Madness #1: Too Hot (Miso Sesame Chicken Salad to Keep the Gang Kool)

Summer Madness #1: Too Hot (Miso Sesame Chicken Salad to Keep the Gang Kool)

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The weather has been pretty darn warm.  Actually, I’d say damn hot lately.  I grew up in San Francisco, a warm day meant temps in the ’70s. Growing up we spent most of July and August in a blanket of fog.  My first car had an all-black interior and NO AIR CONDITIONING.  NBD.

But now I live in Silicon Valley, 50 miles south of San Francisco.  My cars have AC, my house has AC (a non-negotiable requirement of the Hubster who grew up in Sacramento).  I once scoffed at folks who succumbed to installing air conditioning.  No more.

I will say we do try to keep usage to a minimum, preferring to leave windows and doors open so the evening breeze cools down the house.  We keep oven baking and cooking on the stove to a minimum by eating lots of sushi, salads, and bbq.  We fire up the grill in the backyard and enjoy our meals outside. Summer alfresco dining, what could be better?

I subscribe to NYT Cooking and each week Sam Sifton pops up with a What to Cook This Week column.  This week’s newsletter included a Miso Sesame Chicken Salad from David Tanis.  That caught my eye.

MIso Sesame Chicken Salad

Silky poached chicken, crunchy cucumbers, scallions on a bed of Bibb lettuce topped with a creamy Miso-Sesame dressing.  Karma, I had chicken in the fridge, cucumbers from a friend’s garden and Aedan Miso I had just bought at the Ferry Building Farmer’s Market.

The only cooking required is poaching the chicken.  I decided to make half the recipe so  I opted to poach chicken breasts instead of a whole chicken which took less time and works perfectly for this dish.

No brainer method for the best damn poached chicken.

Like Whole Poached Chicken, this cooking method results in juicy, tender, delicious poached chicken breasts, perfect for salads, sandwiches, or morsels for your favorite doggy…

Fill a saucepan large enough to hold 1 whole chicken breast (split in half) with water. You don’t need to add much to the water except for a good pinch salt.  I cheat and add a tablespoon of Better Than Bouillion Chicken Base just to intensify the flavor, totally optional.  Bring the water to a boil and add the chicken.  Bring it back to a boil, lower the heat so that it is barely simmering.  Cover the pot and simmer for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and allow the chicken to sit for 15-20 minutes (do this by size, smaller breasts-15 minutes, larger-20 minutes).  Remove chicken from pot and allow to cool until it is easy to handle.  Ta-da, perfect chicken for salads, sandwiches, or Hainanese Chicken and Rice.

Back to the salad.  I love the textures in this salad.  Tender, silky chicken and crisp cold cucumbers.  You can use romaine or iceberg but I like using Bibb.  Instead of slicing the cucumbers I rolled-cut them and lightly smashed them. The Miso and Sesame Sauce has a touch of lemon zest which adds a hint of citrus.  I used Gochugaro, a Korean chili powder instead of cayenne to add some spice.

This is a tasty addition to the summer salad rotation.  Enjoy!

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Miso Sesame Chicken Salad

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons Asian sesame paste or tahini
  • 4 tablespoons white shiro miso I used Aedan Mild White Miso
  • 3 tablespoons rice-wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon mirin
  • 1 teaspoon grated ginger
  • ½ teaspoon sugar
  • ½ teaspoon grated lemon zest
  • ½ teaspoon roasted sesame oil
  • ¼ cup vegetable oil
  • Salt and pepper
  • Small pinch of cayenne optional, I used Gochugaro Powder instead
  • 1 3-poundchicken, cooked poach chicken breasts instead of a whole chicken as directed in post
  • 2 heads small Bibb or Boston lettuce can use Little Gems or romaine hearts
  • 2 medium cucumbers, peeled and sliced 1/8-inch thick, lightly salted I prefer Persian or English cucumbers
  • 3 tablespoons thinly sliced scallions or chives
  • 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds for garnish
  • 1 teaspoon toasted black sesame seeds for garnish

Instructions

  • Put sesame paste, miso, vinegar, mirin, ginger, sugar and lemon zest in a small mixing bowl. Whisk together until well combined. Whisk in sesame and vegetable oils. Check seasoning and adjust with salt, pepper and cayenne, if using. You should have about 2/3 cup dressing. If it seems too thick, thin with a tablespoon or 2 of water.
  • Remove skin from chicken and pull all the meat from the carcass. Shred chicken meat into 1-inch strips and put in a medium mixing bowl. (Refrigerate or freeze any remaining skin, fat, bones and cartilage for making broth.) You should have about 4 cups shredded chicken.
  • Separate the lettuce leaves and arrange on a large platter, leaving space for the chicken at the center, then scatter with cucumber slices.
  • Gently toss the shredded chicken with salt and pepper. Pour all but a few tablespoons of dressing over the chicken and gently toss to coat. Transfer dressed chicken to center of platter and nap with remaining dressing. Sprinkle scallions and sesame seeds on top and serve.

Notes

I made a half recipe which was plenty for the two of us.  
You Say Crisp, I say Crumble, Either Way, it’s Berry Delicious (Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble)

You Say Crisp, I say Crumble, Either Way, it’s Berry Delicious (Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble)

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On my recent foray to the Farmer’s Market I came home with not only strawberries and blueberries but rhubarb too.  I thought about making a pie but I wanted something a little easier and quicker to make but just as tasty.
Ideas started running through my head, how about a crisp or crumble?  The vision of a sea of lightly sweetened fruit capped by cresting waves of oatmeal, nuts, sugar and butter.  I dove in.

I could adapt my apple crisp, which is yummy-licious, but I did a quick digital walk online and found a Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble on Epicurious.  It looked really tasty to me.  A crumble is essentially the British version of a crisp. Best of all, the recipe called for hazelnuts.  Lately I have found myself drawn to recipes that incorporate those tasty filberts.  They’re super crunchy and buttery with a unique flavor that is hard to describe. Pecans, my usual go-to nut, are milder and softer while hazelnuts are bold and assertive.  It doesn’t get swallowed up by other ingredients, but acts as a nice foil.  But that crunch, oooh, love it.

Though the recipe calls for strawberries and rhubarb, I threw in blueberries for good measure.  Rhubarb adds a nice tart punch to the berries. When you dig into the crisp, the berries will be sweet, the rhubarb-tart, and the crumble-buttery, and thanks to the hazelnuts-crunchy.  A nice contrast to the soft, juicy berries.  Want it less tart?  Add more berries and less rhubarb.  In a pinch, you could substitute pecans or walnuts.  BUT hazelnuts are so good.  I use to toast my own but that’s a lot of work.  I get toasted, skinned, hazelnuts from TJ.  It’s worth it.  Grab small handfuls of the crumble and squeeze it together before sprinkling it on the fruit.  The chunks of crumble help prevent it from sinking into the fruit.

Last but not least, don’t forget the vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, the perfect finishing touch.

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Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble (Crisp)

Course Dessert
Cuisine British
Keyword rhubarb, Strawberry
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour

Equipment

  • 7x11 rectangular baking dish or 2 quart dish, oval or round

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup all purpose flour
  • 2/3 cup plus 1/2 cup sugar for fruit You can substitute light brown sugar for the granulated sugar in the crumble.
  • Large pinch of salt
  • 6 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter cut into 1/2-inch cubes
  • 1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
  • 1/2 cup husked hazelnuts toasted , coarsely chopped
  • 1/2 vanilla bean split lengthwise
  • 1 pound strawberries hulled, halved (about 4 cups)
  • 12 ounces rhubarb preferably bright red, ends trimmed, stalks cut crosswise into 1/2-inch- thick pieces
  • Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream

Instructions

  • Combine flour, 2/3 cup sugar, and salt in medium bowl; whisk to blend. Add butter. Rub in with fingertips until mixture sticks together in clumps. Mix in oats and nuts. DO AHEAD: Topping can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.
  • Preheat oven to 375°Butter 11 x 7 x 2- inch glass baking dish or any 2 quaert baking dish. Place 1/2 cup sugar in large bowl. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; whisk to blend well. I used 1 tsp. vanilla paste instead.
  • Add strawberries and rhubarb to sugar in bowl; toss well. Pour fruit filling into prepared baking dish. Compress oat topping in hand to form clumps and then sprinkle evenly over filling.
  • Bake crumble until filling bubbles and topping is crisp, about 45 minutes. Let cool 15 minutes. Spoon warm crumble into bowls. Serve with ice cream or whipped cream.

Notes

It's hard to chop hazelnuts without them rolling all around.  I throw them in a plastic bag and lightly roll over them with my rolling pin.
Really, too tart? Use more berries and less rhubarb.  But if you like a hit of tartness in random bites, keep all of the rhubarb in the recipe.
To make this Vegan, you can substitute coconut oil or a light mild olive oil for the butter in the crumble in a 1:1 ratio.  If you try this, I need a report back please!

 
A Zinger of an Appetizer: Charred Tomatoes and Cold Yogurt

A Zinger of an Appetizer: Charred Tomatoes and Cold Yogurt

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I have a couple of go-to appetizer dips that I use ALOT (a certain Artichoke Dip comes to mind).  Every time I make one of them there is this nagging little voice in my brain whispering, “pssst…Deb, I know this is good but try something new, this is getting boring”.  Well, I finally listened to that voice.  I pulled out Ottolenghi’s newest book, Simple, and landed on his recipe for Charred Tomates and Cold Yogurt.  It was a no-brainer, the dish is featured on the cover of the book.

I’m so glad I did.

Right up my alley, easy to make and DELICIOUS.  The recipe calls for cherry tomatoes (hello all you tomato growers), Greek yogurt, fresh thyme, oregano, garlic, and lemon.  Oops, and olive oil.  Toss the tomatoes with the spices and oil, roast and then broil to char the tomatoes.  Spoon charred, hot tomatoes on top of the cold yogurt and serve with pita wedges or baguette slices. HOW EASY IS THAT?

Run out to the store and get cherry tomatoes right now.  If you are growing tomatoes, go check for ripe ones and pull them off the vine.  I was blown away by how flavorful and simple this dish is.  The spices enhance the tomatoes and the lemon adds a nice citrusy zing.  The contrast of the hot tomatoes and the cold yogurt adds yet another note.  Serve with toasted baguette slices or pita wedges.

Luckily I have a little herb box right outside my kitchen, I picked a couple of stems of oregano and thyme for the dish, slivered some garlic, zested a lemon (yippee, I have a lemon tree too) and sprinkled on the cumin seeds. While the tomatoes were roasting, I pulled out the carton of Labneh I had picked up at the International Bazaar and seasoned it with salt and lemon peel.  Labneh is the Middle Eastern version of thick yogurt.  You can use this or a Greek full-fat yogurt, both will work.  I plopped it into a good size shallow bowl, swirled a groove in the center to hold the tomatoes and then placed the bowl in the fridge to keep the yogurt cold while the tomatoes were roasting.

Yum, yum, yum.

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Charred Tomatoes with Cold Yogurt

A delicious dip from Ottolenghi! Serve with pita wedges or crostini.
Course Appetizer
Cuisine Mediterranean
Keyword appetizer, cherry tomatoes, greek yogurt
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Servings 8 servings

Ingredients

  • 12 ¼ oz/350g cherry tomatoes
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • ¾ tsp cumin seeds
  • ½ tsp light brown sugar
  • 3 garlic cloves thinly sliced
  • 3 thyme sprigs
  • 6 oregano sprigs: 3 sprigs left whole and the rest stemmed to serve
  • 1 lemon: finely shave the skin of ½ to get 3 strips then finely grate the other ½ to get 1 tsp zest
  • Flaked sea salt and black pepper
  • 1 2 ∕3 cups/350g extra-thick Greek-style yogurt or Labneh fridge-cold
  • ½ tsp other crushed red pepper flakes
  • pita wedges or baguette slices

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 425°F.
  • Place the tomatoes in a mixing bowl with the olive oil, cumin, sugar, garlic, thyme, oregano sprigs, lemon strips, ½ teaspoon of flaked salt and a good grind of pepper. Mix to combine, then transfer to a baking sheet just large enough—about 6 x 8 inches/15 x 20 centimeters— to fit all the tomatoes together snugly.
  • Place the sheet about 2 inches/5 centimeters beneath the broiler and roast for 20 minutes, until the tomatoes are beginning to blister and the liquid is bubbling. Turn the oven to the broil setting and broil for 6 to 8 minutes, until the tomatoes start to blacken on top.
  • While the tomatoes are roasting, combine the yogurt with the grated lemon zest and ¼ tsp of flaked salt. Keep in the fridge until ready to serve.
  • Once the tomatoes are ready, spread the chilled yogurt on a platter (or in a wide, shallow bowl, creating a dip in it with the back of a spoon. Spoon the hot tomatoes on top, along with their juices, lemon strips, garlic, and herbs, and finish with the oregano leaves and chile flakes. Serve at once.
Do You Mandango? Mango Sticky Rice

Do You Mandango? Mango Sticky Rice

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I recently posted a pic on Instagram of this luscious dessert I had up in San Francisco at U Dessert Story, Mango Sticky Rice Bingsoo.  A generous layer of fresh sweet mango precariously perched on a mound of superfine shave ice drenched in sweetened condensed milk, and finely shredded coconut.  This mega bowl of bingsoo is flanked by an array of sticky rice, housemade coconut crumble, more sweetened condensed milk, and fresh mango puree.  It was mind-bogglingly delicious.

mango sticky rice bingsoo
Cubes of fresh mango, powder-like ice, tender but chewy sticky rice and the crunchy crumble, a veritable smorgasbord of textures and flavors.

Since that day I have had mango on the brain.  I picked up a bunch of Manila mangos, because you can’t just buy one, because I had decided I had to make Mango Sticky Rice.  It’s sweet, filling, refreshing, and gluten-free.  A classic fixture at Thai restaurants, you’ll be surprised at how easy it is to make at home.

WARNING: Dissertation Ahead + The Ulitmate Rice Guide

The biggest hurdle is probably tracking down the ingredients.  Mango Sticky Rice calls for Sweet or Glutinous Rice.  This is not regular rice, it is not arborio or risotto rice, and it is not to be confused with sushi rice (short grain) which is stickier than long-grain rice but not actually sticky rice.  Sweet rice, also known as sticky rice or glutinous rice, is low in amylose, and high in amylopectin (starches) which allows it to absorb liquids and create that trademark stickiness.

To add to the confusion-sweet rice also comes as short grain or long grain.  Thai cuisine uses long-grain sticky rice, while Chinese and Japanese dishes generally use short grain.  I used short-grain sweet (glutinous) rice from Koda Farms (Sho-Chiku-Bai) which is a little easier to find (most Chinese, Japanese and Korean markets will carry this) and it’s what I have on hand.  I’ll be looking for Thai long grain Sticky rice the next time I’m at an Asian market.  I foresee an America’s Test Kitchen session soon.

Glutinous rice absorbs liquids well, so the traditional, easy method for cooking it is to soak the rice for a good couple of hours (2-8 hours) and then steam it.  You COULD buy a special bamboo steamer for sticky rice or you could improvise.  I lined my steamer with cheesecloth to spread the rice on.

sticky rice

The rice steams for approximately 25 minutes.  It will look translucent and should not be chalky in the center.  Pull out a couple of kernels and taste them.

While the rice is steaming, prepare the coconut milk that will be used in the rice and as a sauce alongside.  Warm coconut milk and add sugar, stir to dissolve.  Remove 1 1/4 cups to use in the rice.  Add 1 teaspoon of cornstarch, dissolved in 2 teaspoons of cold water, to the coconut milk remaining in the pot. Stir constantly until the sauce begins to thicken.  Set aside.

To cut mango, slice in half lengthwise, as close to the seed as possible. For cubes, score mango in grid pattern and scoop flesh away from skin. Or flip the mango inside out to expose flesh making it easy to cut it away from skin.

When the rice is done, pour it into a bowl, add the 1 1/4 cups of coconut milk and stir to combine. Cover the bowl and let it sit for 20 minutes so the milk is absorbed by the rice.  Stir rice again, cover, and let it sit for a few more minutes.

mango sticky rice

Slice or cube mango and serve alongside a scoop of sticky rice.  Drizzle coconut sauce on rice and garnish with sesame seeds.  Enjoy!

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Mango Sticky Rice

Gluten-free delicious Thai dessert
Course Dessert
Cuisine Asian
Keyword mango, sticky rice, Thai
Prep Time 6 hours
Cook Time 20 minutes
Servings 4 Servings

Ingredients

  • 1.5 cups Long-grain Sticky Rice (aka sweet or glutinous) can use short grain
  • 1 can coconut milk 13.5 ounces, like Chaokoh
  • 1/4 cup sugar + 2-4 Tablespoons
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch dissolved in 2 t cold water
  • 1 big ripe mango or 2 Manila mangoes peeled and sliced or cubed
  • Toasted sesame seeds for garnish black or white
  • fresh strawberries for garnish optional

Instructions

  • Rinse the sticky rice with tap water and use your hand to gently stir it. Drain the water to remove the excess starch. Repeat once, then add water to cover. Soak the sticky rice for a minimum of 2 hours, up to 8 hours. Rinse again and drain the water.
  • Transfer the rice to a heatproof bowl, add about 2 inches of water to your steamer (not into the rice), place the heatproof rice bowl on the steaming rack in the steamer, and cover the steamer. Turn to medium-high heat to bring the water to a boil. When the steam starts to come out of the pot, turn to medium heat. Steam for 20 to 25 minutes, until the rice is cooked through, with no hard raw bits in the middle. Or use a steamer rack lined with cheesecloth. Spread rice evenly over cloth and steam as directed above.
  • While rice is steaming, add can of coconut milk, 1/4 cup + 2 T of sugar, and salt to a saucepan. Cook over medium heat until the mixture is hot and the sugar is melted. Do not bring the coconut sauce to a boil. Taste for sweetness, if it needs more sugar, add another 1-2 tablespoons. Remove 1-1/4 cups sauce to be used with the rice.
  • Carefully remove the sticky rice bowl from the steamer with your oven mitts on. Pour the 1-1/4 cups of sauce over the bowl of rice. Stir to mix well. Allow to stand covered for 20 minutes. Remove cover and stir the rice again. Allow mixture to sit another few minutes.
  • For the remaining sauce, combine the cornstarch and 2 teaspoons water in a small bowl. Stir to completely dissolve the cornstarch. Over medium-low heat, remaining sauce to a small saucepan. Add half of the slurry to the sauce. Stir immediately to thicken the sauce. You can adjust the thickness of the sauce by slowly adding a bit more water or cornstarch slurry, if needed. The sauce shouldn’t be too thick, but should coat the back of a spoon.
  • Serve when the rice mixture and the sauce cool to room temperature. You can serve it or store the extra sauce and the sauce-rice mixture separately in the fridge until ready to serve, up to 3 days. The sauce will further thicken when cooled.
  • To serve, transfer the coconut rice into serving bowls or plates. Place the sliced mango on the side. Pour a few spoonfuls of the extra coconut sauce on top of the rice. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and fresh sliced strawberries if desired.

Notes

  • If you use refrigerated sticky rice, you can gently heat it in the microwave to bring it to room temperature before serving, for a better texture. However, it’s highly recommended to serve the rice when it’s fresh, for best results. Do not freeze the sticky rice, as it will create a very tough texture.
  • Use a small ramekin to mold sticky rice and place on the plate.
Summer Strawberry Cake, Farmer’s Market: A Midsummer Day’s Dream

Summer Strawberry Cake, Farmer’s Market: A Midsummer Day’s Dream

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Get thee to a Farmer’s Market now. It is the perfect time to visit your local market, all things fruit and vegetable are at its peak.  You can hardly walk through the market without becoming intoxicated by the aroma of vine-ripened tomatoes, peaches, and strawberries.

At my local farmer’s market, we are lucky enough to have strawberries from P&K Farms, a family run farm in the Monterey area.  I can remember a couple of years ago when I first noticed their stand at the market.  Actually, it was hard not to notice, a line easily 10 people deep had formed in front of their kiosk.  Being a true skeptic, I thought, come on, are their berries really worth the wait?

Flash forward to this past weekend.  Like an idiot, I stopped for coffee BEFORE heading to the market which then meant waiting in the “way more than 10 people” line for my 3-pack of ruby perfection.  Yes, it is worth the wait.  Their strawberries are sweet, full of flavor, and remarkably hardy.

Let Them Eat Cake!…with Strawberries

I reserved part of my strawberry treasure trove for a friend’s July 4th BBQ.  I could take the easy way out and just throw them in a bowl, serve them straight up which would be perfectly fine, but what fun would that be?  Time to try that recipe from Smitten Kitchen for a cake that showcases strawberries.  A simple butter cake LOADED with berries.  The 9-inch cake calls for a pound of strawberries which means with every bite, you sink your teeth into sweet, oozy strawberries and really that’s what it is all about.

The original recipe is from Martha Stewart and tweaked by Smitten Kitchen.  The recipe calls for combining the egg, milk, and vanilla and then adding it to the creamed mixture.  Adding all the liquid at once made for a very curdled-looking mixture.  I added the dry ingredients and the batter came together.  I found a trick, when the batter looks like it is about to curdle as you are adding the milk, toss 1 tablespoon of the flour mix into the batter.  This small amount of flour prevents the curdling but won’t toughen the cake.  Voila’.  The hulled and halved strawberries are placed cut side down in the batter.

A sprinkling of sugar to finish and into the oven for about an hour.  Bake this cake in a deep dish pie plate or a cake pan lined with parchment.  It will overflow in a traditional 9-inch pyrex pie plate.  Smitten Kitchen recently adjusted the recipe to make a 9×13 cake (two pounds of strawberries!) because let’s face it, everyone is going to want seconds.

Serve this with softly whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.  Make it earlier in the day so the cake can sit. The strawberries will marry with the cake even more.  Sooo luscious.  Sooo good.

So what are you doing this weekend?  Yep, picking up strawberries at the Farmer’s Market, baking this cake, and looking appropriately sheepish as your friends and family shower you with compliments and RAVE about this cake.

Repeat after me, “Aww shucks. It was nothing.”

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Strawberry Summer Cake

An easy cake that screams summer is here. Loads of strawberries baked in a buttery sweet tender cake.
Course Cake, Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword cake, strawberries, strawberry cake, Summer Cooler
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings 8

Equipment

  • 9-inch cake pan or 9-inch deep dish pie plate
  • Mixer

Ingredients

Dry Stuff

  • 1 1/2 cups (188 gram) all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon table salt

Buttah & Sugar

  • 1 cup (200 gram) plus 2 tablespoons (25 gram) granulated sugar
  • 6 tablespoons (85 gram)unsalted butter at room temperature, plus extra for pie plate

The Wet Stuff

  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 cup 118 ml milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

The Top

  • 1 pound 450 grams strawberries, hulled and halved

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Butter a 9-inch cake pan and line with parchment or 9-inch deep-dish pie pan. Don't use a regular 9-inch pie plate which is too small.
  • Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together in a small bowl. In a larger bowl, beat butter and 1 cup sugar until pale and fluffy with an electric mixer, about 3 minutes. Add egg and beat to combine. Add milk and vanilla until just combined. The mixture may look a little curdled. It's okay, once you add dry ingredients it will come together* see post for tip. Add dry ingredients gradually, mixing until just smooth but well combined.
  • Pour into prepared cake pan. Arrange strawberries, cut side down, on top of batter, as closely as possible in a single layer, don't be afraid to really squish them together. Sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons sugar over berries.
  • Bake cake for 10 minutes then reduce oven temperature to 325°F and bake cake until golden brown and a tester comes out free of wet batter, about 50 minutes to 60 minutes. (Gooey strawberries on the tester are a given.)
  • Let cool in pan on a rack.
  • Remove cake from pan by flipping it onto a plate and inverting it onto another. Thank goodness for parchment paper.
  • Serve with lightly whipped cream. Or Lemon Cream from another recipe, see note!

Notes

The cake can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 days, loosely covered. It really won't last that long though.
Lemon Cream
 
Birthday Cake: A Labor of Love (Farmhouse Buttermilk Cake)

Birthday Cake: A Labor of Love (Farmhouse Buttermilk Cake)

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We celebrated a couple of family birthdays in June.  Most notably my kid’s and my brother’s.  They share the same day, just different year, different decade, but at least not a different century.  The day my kid was born I had actually invited my brother down for dinner, a birthday bbq, since I was not allowed to travel too far from home.  As we, I should say “they”, my brother, his wife, my mom and hubby enjoyed a dinner of rib eye steaks and the fixings, I sat on the couch, trying to regulate my breathing and ignore the pain.  I finally couldn’t take it anymore and unceremoniously shoved the chocolate birthday cake I had made into his chest; wished him a happy birthday, and told him (with clenched teeth), eat the cake at home, I was headed to the hospital.

Whenever possible, we celebrate their birthdays together.  An excuse for a family get together and to retell (ad nauseam) to unknowing guests, the “birth”day story.  This year’s celebration was a bit more significant, the kid turns 25 and the bro signs up for Medicare, lol. Time marches on.

The request came through from the birthday boys for Wes’s Carrot Cake.  Good choice, it was delicious and I was off the hook.  But what to do with the extra buttermilk in the fridge?

I think my FB page has ESP, smack dab in the middle of my newsfeed,  a recipe popped up for Farmhouse Buttermilk Cake.  Not only did the recipe have buttermilk, it included my favorite nut, pecans, in a caramel-like topping on top of a tender, tangy, buttermilk cake.

Pulling out my cake pan now.

The recipe, originally from King Arthur Flour, and then tweaked by The Cafe Sucre Farine is a winner. A tender crumb cake topped with a caramel-like nutty topping is sweet, salty, and buttery, everything a little slice of heaven should be.

The cake is a snap to make.  You could easily make this with a bowl and a wooden spoon.  Taking the lazy way out, I used my mixer.  Classic directions, cream butter and sugar, add wet then dry, pour into pan and bake.  See, how easy is that?   I used the proportions from Cafe Sucre Farine to make a 9-inch round cake. King Arthur Flour’s recipe makes a 9×13 cake, so if you are feeding a crowd, go to KA site for the recipe.

While the cake is baking, make the topping.  Don’t make it too soon as it will cool and thicken.  You want it warm so it is pourable.  You could easily substitute any nut you like, almonds, walnuts or even a mix of nuts would work.  I followed CSF’s lead and sprinkled some flake salt at the end to really pump up that play on sweet and salty.  YUM.

Bake the cake for approximately 30 minutes, top with the pecan-sugar mixture and bake an additional 10 minutes.  Remove from oven and sprinkle with flake salt.  Not TOO much, just a hint.  Let cool.  The cake can be served warm but I think the flavors come out when the cake is allowed to cool and rest.  The topping hardens a bit as it cools.

Perfect with coffee, tea or an ice cold glass of milk!

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Farmhouse Buttermilk Cake

Tender buttermilk cake topped with a caramel like pecan mixture
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword Pecan Topped Buttermilk Cake
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 12 servings
Calories 289kcal

Equipment

  • Mixer
  • 9" cake pan

Ingredients

For the cake:

  • ¼ cup butter soft
  • 1 cup light brown sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

For the topping:

  • 3 tablespoons melted butter
  • ½ cup light brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons half and half
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt
  • ¾ cup diced pecans

Instructions

For the cake:

  • Preheat the oven to 350°Spray a 9" round cake pan with baking spray and line with parchment paper. Set aside.
  • Combine flour, baking soda and salt in a small bowl and set aside.
  • Combine the butter and brown sugar in mixer bowl on medium-low speed until smooth
  • Add the egg, beating again till smooth.
  • Stir in the buttermilk and vanilla extract.
  • Sprinkle dry ingredient mix evenly over the top and stir until well combined.
  • Pour the batter into prepared pan.
  • Bake the cake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and/or the cake springs back when lightly touched in the center.
  • During the last 10-15 minutes of baking time, prepare topping. Stir the butter and the sugar together. Add the milk, pecans, and salt. The glaze will be thick, but pourable.
  • After the cake has baked for 30 minutes, pour the topping over the cake and return it to the oven for another 10 minutes (for a total baking time of 40 minutes). Remove cake from the oven and allow to cool for 20 minutes in the pan. Sprinkle lightly with flaky sea salt, if desired and serve warm or at room temperature. Topping firms up as the cake cools.
  • Cake can be served with ice cream, well that's my suggestion, vanilla ice cream-nom,nom.

Notes

Adapted from King Arthur Flour and Cafe Sucre Farine

 

 

Banchan
(Grilled Pork Belly) It’s Gettin’ Hot Out Herre, So Take Out All Your BBQ Toys

(Grilled Pork Belly) It’s Gettin’ Hot Out Herre, So Take Out All Your BBQ Toys

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On our trip to South Korea, we spent a lot of time roaming around the various street markets in Seoul.  Rows of stalls filled with hand-cut noodles in light flavorful anchovy broth, crispy mung bean cakes, fishcake, mountains of pickled vegetables and banchan (side dishes), and skewers of chicken, beef, shrimp, and pork grilled to order.  This is the tip of the iceberg for all things yummy.  Leading to sensory overload on all fronts, smell, sight, touch, and taste.

At Gwanjang Market we stopped for Mandu and delicious noodles at the very stall featured in Netflix’s Street Food.  If you ever visit Seoul, put this on your gotta-visit list, Gwanjang Market is the Disneyland of street food.

Grillin and Chillin

Summer has arrived in California, and with temps rising it is time to take cookin’ outside.  Inspired by the street food on our recent trip.  I head to the Korean market to grab some sliced pork belly and banchan, the perfect antidote for the heat.

Thick-cut pork belly is readily available in Asian markets.  If you can’t find it, opt for pork shoulder or butt, sliced into 1/4-inch thick pieces.  The marinade is a mash-up of two recipes, one from A Common Table (current fan fav!) for Pork Bulgogi, and the other from the blog, Spice the Plate, for Korean Pan-Fried Pork Belly.

Stir together Gochujang (Korean Pepper Paste), soy, fish sauce, honey, sesame oil, ginger, and garlic.  Voila, a spicy, sweet, salty marinade that compliments the pork wonderfully. Finally, pour the marinade on the pork and let it sit for 30 minutes.

marinaded pork belly

Marinade for 30 minutes and fire up the grill.  Cook over direct heat for 4-5 minutes a side.  Garnish with green onions or cilantro and serve.  Serve with a bowl of rice or with lettuce/cabbage leaves to make wraps.  Don’t forget side dishes like cucumber salad, and kimchi.

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Korean Style Grilled Pork Belly

Course Main Course, Meat, protein
Cuisine Asian, Korean
Keyword Grilled Pork Belly, Pork Belly
Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 pound pork belly with or without skin
  • cilantro or green onions for topping optional

Pork belly Marinade

  • 1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
  • 1 teaspoon minced ginger
  • 1 stalk green onion chopped, substitute 1 shallot, finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup grated Asian pear substitute pineapple juice
  • 2 tablespoon Korean hot pepper paste Gochujang
  • 2 tablespoon honey
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon fish sauce
  • 2 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 2 tablespoons toasted white sesame seeds save 1/2 T for garnish

Pork Belly Marinade Quick and Dirty

  • 1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
  • 1 teaspoon minced ginger
  • 2 tablespoon Korean hot pepper paste
  • 2 tablespoon honey
  • 2 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
  • 2 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon toasted white sesame seeds

Instructions

  • Combine ingredients for marinade, add pork and set aside for approximately 30 minutes.
  • While pork marinades, preheat grill, adjust to medium-high heat before grilling.
  • Grill over direct heat 4-5 minutes per side.
  • Garnish with cilantro or green onions and a sprinkling of sesame seeds
  • Serve immediately