Something Sweet: May 2005 Archives
When I told my mother-in-law that rhubarb costs $5.99 a pound on Fresh Direct, she was shocked. Apparently rhubarb grows like a weed. Todd and I hate the idea of having to tend a yard (we're apartment-dwellers) but then the idea of all these wonderful foods and herbs growing like weeds in my yard makes me want one so badly. My parents used to grow tomatoes and zucchini (or else a neighbor did) and I have fond memories.
By the time I came around to ordering some rhubarb it was down to $2.99 a pound (better). I wanted to really get a taste for what rhubarb is like, so I chopped it and cooked about a pound with 1/2 cup sugar stovetop in a saucepan. Stirred it until the rhubarb had given off enough liquid to keep the sugar from burning, then let it simmer for about 20 minutes. Last night we layered it with crushed graham crackers and barely sweetened whipped cream. (The new mixer's great. I put the chilled cream in the chilled bowl with the whisk attachment, put it on 6, then went to dress the baby. When I came back, whipped cream!) Todd really liked it; it's nice and tart even through all that sugar, and some of the bigger bits kept a little texture to them.
When I told my mother-in-law that rhubarb costs $5.99 a pound on Fresh Direct, she was shocked. Apparently rhubarb grows like a weed. Todd and I hate the idea of having to tend a yard (we're apartment-dwellers) but then the idea of all these wonderful foods and herbs growing like weeds in my yard makes me want one so badly. My parents used to grow tomatoes and zucchini (or else a neighbor did) and I have fond memories.
By the time I came around to ordering some rhubarb it was down to $2.99 a pound (better). I wanted to really get a taste for what rhubarb is like, so I chopped it and cooked about a pound with 1/2 cup sugar stovetop in a saucepan. Stirred it until the rhubarb had given off enough liquid to keep the sugar from burning, then let it simmer for about 20 minutes. Last night we layered it with crushed graham crackers and barely sweetened whipped cream. (The new mixer's great. I put the chilled cream in the chilled bowl with the whisk attachment, put it on 6, then went to dress the baby. When I came back, whipped cream!) Todd really liked it; it's nice and tart even through all that sugar, and some of the bigger bits kept a little texture to them.
The new IMBB theme, hosted by Elise at Simply Recipes, was gelatin, and since I'm not a big fan of Jell-O there was really one option for me: panna cotta. (Actually, Alton Brown makes a mousse using gelatin, but I wanted to go back to the panna cotta recipe because I liked it so much.) I tried a couple variations on the recipe I used before, to mixed effect. First, I used half a vanilla bean instead of extract, which gave it almost a subtler flavor and those beautiful black speckles. I also thought if I put something, strawberries and cherries, in the bottom of the molds they'd be there on top when I unmolded the dish. That didn't really work, as you can see, because the berries just floated to the top. Which made me think I could make the panna cottas in wine or dessert glasses and not unmold them, and have berries, candied citrus peel, edible flowers, whatever, on top. Pretty.
I also made mini panna cottas in my mini muffin pan, which are cute and would be a nice cocktail party dessert if you could figure out an easy way to serve them (they aren't finger food; I placed one on a puddle of Sarabeth's strawberry-raspberry preserves for this photo).
Here's the recipe. Sprinkle one packet of gelatin over 2 tablespoons water and let it sit for 10 minutes. Meanwhile heat 1 cup heavy cream and half a split and scraped vanilla bean in a medium saucepan and dissolve 7 tablespoons of sugar in it. Then whisk in the gelatin until the lumps are gone. Let that cool for a while, then add 2 cups buttermilk. Strain from saucepan into a bowl or measuring cup with a pour spout, then pour into molds and refrigerate at least 6 hours. Unmold by dipping in hot water and then running a thin spatula or knife around the edges. I served it with strawberries macerated in sugar and balsamic.
Have you ever been in the middle of a recipe and find yourself with a growing sense of rage because things aren't working out? (I have to think of Julie/Julia at these moments.) I was making Lora Brody's Little Guy Cheesecake on Monday and suddenly wanted Ms. Brody to reimburse me the money I spent for the ingredients. The ironic thing is I've been on the other side of this equation, when I worked at the magazine. We actually did get a letter from a reader demanding reimbursement when a recipe didn't work out. I don't think she got it.
My problem started after the cheesecake was almost through baking and it was time to put the sour cream topping on it. My gut told me, when I took the cheesecake out, that it was still too wet. But the recipe just said "Bake 25 minutes." (It's a very small cheesecake.) Nothing about the state of the cheesecake after 25 minutes. And that's what irritated me. When I ignored my gut (which can't usually be trusted when it comes to cheesecakes -- mine always crack) and put the topping on, it broke through the thin baked part on top of the cake and down into the center of the cake. So I stopped topping it and put it back in for 5 more minutes (not wanting to overbake the thing). Topped the cheesecake, baked it for the additional 5 minutes, then left it in the oven as the oven cooled (because it still didn't look baked). The resulting cheesecake was a mess but edible, I think (no food poisoning yet). After cooling further in the fridge it seemed to set up. But argh! All she had to say was, "until the sides have set but the cake still jiggles a bit in the middle." (Only in a more polished way.)
Must not have been too much of a disaster because I haven't had dinner yet and all I'm thinking is, "Must have cheesecake now!"
Have you ever been in the middle of a recipe and find yourself with a growing sense of rage because things aren't working out? (I have to think of Julie/Julia at these moments.) I was making Lora Brody's Little Guy Cheesecake on Monday and suddenly wanted Ms. Brody to reimburse me the money I spent for the ingredients. The ironic thing is I've been on the other side of this equation, when I worked at the magazine. We actually did get a letter from a reader demanding reimbursement when a recipe didn't work out. I don't think she got it.
My problem started after the cheesecake was almost through baking and it was time to put the sour cream topping on it. My gut told me, when I took the cheesecake out, that it was still too wet. But the recipe just said "Bake 25 minutes." (It's a very small cheesecake.) Nothing about the state of the cheesecake after 25 minutes. And that's what irritated me. When I ignored my gut (which can't usually be trusted when it comes to cheesecakes -- mine always crack) and put the topping on, it broke through the thin baked part on top of the cake and down into the center of the cake. So I stopped topping it and put it back in for 5 more minutes (not wanting to overbake the thing). Topped the cheesecake, baked it for the additional 5 minutes, then left it in the oven as the oven cooled (because it still didn't look baked). The resulting cheesecake was a mess but edible, I think (no food poisoning yet). After cooling further in the fridge it seemed to set up. But argh! All she had to say was, "until the sides have set but the cake still jiggles a bit in the middle." (Only in a more polished way.)
Must not have been too much of a disaster because I haven't had dinner yet and all I'm thinking is, "Must have cheesecake now!"
I think the next time (if there is one) I make bananas and chocolate wrapped in phyllo I'll use firmer bananas. Last night I cut a banana crosswise in four pieces, the wrapped each piece in a sheet of buttered phyllo with a few chocolate chips. Baked for 10 minutes in a 425 degree oven. The banana didn't hold its shape at all (I haven't decided if that's bad or not, but it reminds me a bit of the baby's bananas). I like the flavor combo, though, and this was a really easy recipe for a quick chocolate-banana fix. Of course, I could just dip a banana in melted chocolate, but I like the flakey crunch of the phyllo, too. Or make a napoleon with baked phyllo sheets, sliced bananas and melted chocolate. That sounds promising.
I think the next time (if there is one) I make bananas and chocolate wrapped in phyllo I'll use firmer bananas. Last night I cut a banana crosswise in four pieces, the wrapped each piece in a sheet of buttered phyllo with a few chocolate chips. Baked for 10 minutes in a 425 degree oven. The banana didn't hold its shape at all (I haven't decided if that's bad or not, but it reminds me a bit of the baby's bananas). I like the flavor combo, though, and this was a really easy recipe for a quick chocolate-banana fix. Of course, I could just dip a banana in melted chocolate, but I like the flakey crunch of the phyllo, too. Or make a napoleon with baked phyllo sheets, sliced bananas and melted chocolate. That sounds promising.
