Sasha's Kitchen: Mongolian Hot Pot ("Chinese Fondue") Part Deux

Prior to writing this post, I have unfortunately not had the opportunity yet to dine at a restaurant where Mongolian Hot Pot (known as "Chinese Fondue") was served - certainly my loss.  However, after reading about Hot Pot from guest Bloggers Kelly and Eric, I decided that I had to give it a try myself.  Truthfully, Mongolian Hot Pot is meant to be served to a group of diners, such as at a dinner party.  However, since it was my first try, and I was recipe testing, I decided to prepare Hot Pot for two - myself and my husband, Brad.

The first step was purchasing a hot pot.  I didn't get one of the fancy traditional hot pots, but the model I purchased at Tarzian West Housewares in Brooklyn was perfectly acceptable for making Hot Pot.  I bought the Presto Kitchen Kettle Multi-Cooker/Steamer which can function as a Hot Pot, among other things.  Apparently it can also be used for a wide variety of other tasks, from braising to deep frying, so I will be sure to use it next time I prepare my deep-fried NOLA beignets.  Thus, I selected my hot pot, which is pictured below.  It came with an internal basket, but I plan on purchasing additional small metal baskets on my next excursion to Chinatown, to use for a dinner party so each participant can have their own basked to make their hot pot fondue.  Last night, however, we made do with one basked and made one hot pot concoction that we shared.

The next step was to prepare the broth in the hot pot.  Although some diners may just use a simple beef or chicken stock, that would not do the trick for me.  I think the broth is really the most important ingredient in hot pot because it gives all the other vegetables and meats their flavor, as you want them to "soak up" the savory broth.  I was extremely pleased with the broth recipe I concocted, so I am going to share it below.  I really wanted something with a chicken broth / coconut flavor with lots of thai and asian spices, and a just a bit of heat.  I accomplished that in a very satisfying way.

Sasha's Mongolian Hot Pot Broth

7.5 cups of low sodium chicken broth

1/2 cup white cooking wine

2/3 cup coconut milk (leftover from the coconut meringue buttercream cake I baked on Saturday)

1 tsp sesame oil

2 T rice vinegar

1 tsp diced garlic

1 1/2 tsp powdered ginger

1/4 tsp saffron

1/2 tsp dried lemongrass

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

salt and pepper to taste

I prepared the broth in the hot pot and allowed it to simmer, much the same way I would have prepared a broth if I did it on a pot on my oven.  Like I said above, I was quite pleased with the results.

The next step was to select the ingredients that would be cooked in the hot pot - and for this step, the sky's the limit.  The possibilities are endless but I settled on the following:

london broil

fresh scallops (cut into small pieces, perhaps I should use baby scallops next time instead)

onions

tofu

broccoli
udon noodles

Next time, I will probably include some red pepper as well!  I seasoned all of the ingredients differently, using various combinations of pepper, soy sauce, scallions, rice vinegar, and sesame oil.  The tofu, broccoli and scallops were actually my favorite because they really absorbed the tasty broth extremely well.  I cooked my hot pot at about 200 degrees (my husband wanted me to turn up the heat, but I preferred to keep it down, and allow the ingredients to cook a bit more slowly).

My results were delicious - I recommend serving with just a bit of the broth, and with a homemade sauce made of soy sauce, rice vinegar, a bit of sugar, ginger and a touch of sesame oil.  I plan to get those mini-baskets very soon, and have a hot pot dinner party in the near future using my broth recipe to cook up everything and anything that I'm in the mood for.

Click here to read Eric in Jersey City's Hot Pot Post; Click here to read Michelle in Toronto's Chinese Eggplant Cuisine.

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Sasha's Kitchen: Mongolian Hot Pot ("Chinese Fondue") Part Deux

Margie’s Kitchen in Boston: Valentine’s Day Special Brunch Drink – Irish Coffee

Photos by Lena

This year, 2010, Valentine’s Day falls on a Sunday and for this reason I am suggesting a menu for a Valentine’s Day Brunch. In my previous blogs I began with Crunchy French Toast, followed by Strawberries Romanoff. Now I am ready for the finale, Irish Coffee. I must admit that if it wasn’t for a trip to Ireland three years ago (Brad In the Kitchen and Sasha in the Kitchen were there, too), I would have never, ever, ever suggested any drink with whiskey. But a little roadside bar/ restaurant on the Ring of Kerry between Killorglin and Glenbeigh next to the Kerry Bog (Peat Bog) Museum, changed my opinion. Inside the venue were two women preparing Irish coffee for the tourists. Mind you, it was 10 in the morning. They had quite a production line that began with trays of glass mugs filled with some sort of syrupy-looking concoction, then they poured coffee over this mix and ended by pouring cream(with a bit of a head) on the top of the brew. After watching the expression on the faces of the tourists who drank the potion, I was enticed (by a fairy no doubt) to partake in the drink myself, even though I was dreading the taste of whiskey. I didn’t look precisely at how they achieved each step, but the final product was a piece of art ‒ on the bottom a syrupy swirl, then the dark, clear black coffee, and floating on the top was a beautiful creaming head. To optimize the pleasure of the drink one must drink through this cream, and I must tell you it was quite heavenly! It was so good that I even took my finger and swirled it around the empty glass to taste every last drop; this act of desperation coming from a woman whose favorite expression to her children when they were in a public place, “Don’t touch anything!”

So the challenge in preparing the drink in the USA, I thought, was only to make sure that I had all the ingredients in hand so that I could mimic the process I observed in Ireland. Most Irish coffee recipes call for a shot of good Irish whiskey*, two teaspoons of sugar, either brown or granulated (I used brown), whipping cream, and coffee. The cream should be whipped slightly.

So let’s begin:

Warm up the glass with warm/hot water and let it sit for a minute or two. I would suggest using a tempered-type glass. Pour out the water add the sugar and whiskey, stir and let the sugar dissolve. Then add coffee, followed by the whipped cream, which is to be poured over a large spoon placed over the glass (concave side up). Unfortunately, none of my recipes specify amounts of coffee or cream, and my first attempt looked more like a milkshake.

On my second attempt, I poured less coffee (½ cup) and just placed the head of the cream gently on top of coffee mix. It was a bit better looking but not what I saw in Ireland. As for taste, the milkshake version was quite good, and my second take did not have enough cream; neither compared to the brew I had in Ireland. Maybe I needed to add some fairy dust!

SOS to Bryan’s Kitchen in Dublin: Can you ask any of your Irish sources for tips on the art of making Irish Coffee?

*Bushmills and Jameson Brands.

Margie’s Kitchen in Boston: Valentine’s Day Special Brunch Drink – Irish Coffee

Eric's Kitchen in Jersey City: Fried Rice

I made this with leftovers from the Mongolian Hot Pot we had at my Mom's which is ironic since usually fried rice is a way to use leftover rice. This is actually my 2nd attempt at fried rice and the first time I managed to burn the rice and it was pretty much ruined.

So this time around I decided to check our family cookbook from my Chinese side of the family. Sure enough we had a recipe for fried rice and it called for 'day old, cold cooked rice'. I thought maybe this was some sort of rice cooking process I didn't know about and maybe that was why it didn't come out right the first time so I looked up a few recipes online and it's exactly what it sounds like. Cooked rice that has been cooled for a day.

The meats and veggies we had from the hot pot weren't exactly what I would think to normally put into fried rice but I also thought it might make it interesting. We had sliced lamb, fish, chicken, shrimp, napa cabbage, mushrooms and snowpeas... Overall I found the napa cabbage and the fish to be my favorite parts followed closely by the shrimp which I found interesting as I never would have normally put the napa cabbage or fish into this dish.

My Ingredients:
3 cps cold, cooked rice (day old)
hot pot fish
shrimp (~12)
1/3 cup sliced lamb
1/3 cup sliced chix
handful fresh chopped cilantro
juice from two slices lemon
pinch of sliced ginger
1 tbsp minced garlic
1.5 bunches scallions
black roasted sesame seeds (~tbsp)
chili oil
sesame oil
1 tbsp soy sauce
dash rice wine vinegar

I cooked the chicken and lamb first with some scallions and the cabbage. I used sesame oil, garlic and some chili oil in a pan and added some roasted sesame seeds as well to give them some flavor but in hindsight I think I should have marinated them as they really didn't get too much flavor from that plus I overcooked them a little.

I then cooked the rest of the veggies, shrimp and fish, again with scallions, sesame seeds and garlic in sesame and chili oil but this time I also added fresh lemon juice and a bunch of cilantro (which my Grandma calls Chinese parsley). I think I must have just timed this batch perfectly because all these ingredients tasted amazing. I set these aside with the other meats and veggies and started my rice.

I got more oil hot in the pan (Maybe 1 tbsp?) and then added my rice and stirred it until it was coated evenly with the oil. Then I added the rest of my scallions (probably a full bunch, chopped) and soy sauce (1 tbsp) and stirred until it was evenly mixed. We also had some leftover dipping sauce from the hot pot meal which was essentially sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, ginger, garlic and scallions (maybe 2 tbsp total) which I dumped in. The rice wine vinegar and ginger definitely stood out when we ate it and I would have to use them both again next time.

Once the rice was done I just mixed everything together in a big mixing bowl. Overall I was very happy with the results!

Here's a link to Sasha's Tropical Chicken Pineapple Fried Rice

Eric's Kitchen in Jersey City: Fried Rice

Sasha's Kitchen: Rose's Heavenly Coconut Meringue Buttercream Cake (Cookbook Recipe Testing)

Yesterday, I decided to delve into my newest cookbook, Rose's Heavenly Cakes, from the famous cake-goddess, Rose Levy Beranbaum.  This cookbook has amazing and simply beautiful recipes for every kind of cake one could possibly imagine, and I am looking forward to testing some of those. This book, is just about the closest thing to a cake baker's bible, if there is such a thing - from, like I said above, the goddess of cakes herself.

I decided to start off grand, and prepare a two layer coconut meringue buttercream cake from her cookbook.  The recipe for the cake (which I won't re-post in its entirety here) can be found in her cookbook, Rose's Heavenly Cakes, which is hot off the press, having just been published in September, 2009.  She is also the author of The Cake Bible, the legendary 1988 cookbook that has certainly lived up to its name.

The recipe that I tried, is called the Southern (Manhattan) Coconut Cake With Silk Meringue Buttercream, found on pages 23-27 of her cookbook.  A few warnings before you proceed - this is not a cookbook for beginning bakers.  The recipes in the cookbook are wonderful (I've tried two so far, and certainly plan to try and test many more) but you should experiment with simpler recipes before delving into her multi-stage recipes.  In addition, I generally recommend that aspiring bakers begin with cupcakes before graduating to cakes because the scale is smaller and little mistakes can be a bit more forgiving.  Finally, although the recipes in this cookbook are amazing and extremely well put together and conceived, the instructions can be a bit complicated and intimidating for beginning bakers.  However, at this point, I am advanced enough to give a try, and the results did not disappoint, though perhaps I still have a few things to learn when it comes to cakes.  However, the result of this one was some true cake eye candy.

The first step in this recipe, was to create two layers of an light coconut cake.  The recipe, on page 23 of Rose's cookbook was fairly simple to execute.  It involved using a combination of coconut milk (the real deal - lots of calories - not lowfat coconut milk) and coconut extract to achieve a coconut flavor.  The cake used cake flour, as well as superfine sugar, a lighter sugar, that melts faster and allows the cake to have a lighter, more airy texture.

My mistake, and one I will not make again, was to use two (older) metal cake pans, by different manufacturers - which resulted in the layers of the cake being a bit uneven.  Both were fine on their own, but I had some difficulty stacking them into a two layer cake.  Thus, I instead made two delicious single cakes (because I really need to eat two entire cakes, and have a 4000-calorie a day diet - once again, I may have prepared too much food, and need to share!)  Next time, I will use two uniform silicon cake molds, which I think will get the job done and allow me to make a layer cake.

It's a bit tricky also to determine when the cakes are done baking.  You want to make sure they don't become crispy around the edges, but are cooked through.  It's an art and requires testing the inside of one of the cakes with a candy thermometer and with a toothpick.

Rose's recipe for the frosting for the cake(s) - depending on whether you are doing a two layer monster, or two separate cakes, is for a silk meringue buttercream.  Preparing this frosting is an art in and of itself, that requires multiple stages that are not for the novice baker.  As the name implies, the frosting requires preparing an Italian Meringue, and also a Creme Anglaise.  It also requires an eye-popping amount of butter.  (Really, as a baker, it is incredible to see the amount of butter and sugar that go into so many delicious baked goods - mind boggling, so consume in small portions).

First, I prepared the creme anglaise, which is a type of custard.  This was relatively easy and involved mixing and heating sugar, egg yolks, coconut milk, vanilla extract and coconut extract until you have a coconut flavored custard.  Then, this was set aside while I prepared the meringue.

Meringue has been the one aspect of baking that has always intimidated me.  Until yesterday, quite honestly, my meringues were always failures and I always avoided meringue recipes like the plague.  But finally Rose presented a sure-fire formula that I was able to figure out and prepare a winning meringue.  So, I suppose those meringue desserts need no longer scare me off.  In fact, I enjoyed preparing the meringue and it was almost as easy as preparing whipped egg whites for a souffle, just with a sugary-twist.

To prepare the meringue, which I will discuss in detail, I used the following ingredients:

2 large egg whites (separated from the yolks) at room temperature

1/3 cup plus 2 T superfine sugar

2 T of water

1/4 tsp cream of tarter

I beat the egg whites, as instructed by Rose's recipe, in my artisan mixer (fitted with the whisk attachment) until foamy.  I heated the 1/3 a cup of sugar and water in a saucepan to form what was like a simple syrup.  Next, I added the cream of tarter to the egg whites and beat until soft peaks formed, and then gradually beat in the other 2 T of sugar until it formed stuff peaks.  Then, I heated the sugar-water to about 248 F using a candy thermometer and then beat the egg whites gradually adding the sugar water.  Low and behold a meringue formed!! The consistency was perfect and the meringue tasted - well meringue-like.  So, I am eternally grateful to Rose for those perfect directions that helped me figure this one out.  Meringue, you no longer scare me!

The final step here was to combine the butter (her recipe called for four sticks of butter (yes, four, you are reading that correctly) with the other frosting components.  I don't care for such a buttery frosting, so I used 2 and a half and it was just fine and still plenty light and airy for me.  I beat in the Italian meringue, coconut shavings and creme anglaise into the delicious frosting.  

Sasha's Kitchen: Rose's Heavenly Coconut Meringue Buttercream Cake (Cookbook Recipe Testing)

Bryan's Kitchen In Dublin: Singapore Noodles with Mixed Seafood

Today I was out walking on a nice Dublin day and decided to take a visit to my local Asian market. For those of you not acquainted, Dublin possesses a large Chinese and Korean population that give the city an interesting twist, as truly authentic Sizuan or BimBim Bap can be found in between pubs that have been serving up proper pints of Guinness since the 18th century.

Tonight's post is my take on Singapore noodles with mixed seafood. Inspired by the street food that I ate on a recent trip to East Asia, this is a very versatile recipe which can support any kind of seafood. Squid, octopus, or scallops could all be used for a tasty change to this recipe.

Here's what you will need to prepare my Seafood Singapore noodles:

12 oz packaged Singapore noodles
8 oz Chinese-style fish balls
8 oz can Stir-fry vegetables (Bamboo shoots, bean sprouts, water chestnuts, baby corn)
4 oz very small frozen shrimp (sometimes marketed as unbreaded popcorn shrimp)
4 oz straw mushrooms, trimmed
2 tsp ginger (preferably fresh)
3 cloves garlic, diced
1/2 medium red onion, diced
1 T soy sauce
1 T Teriyaki sauce
1 T vegetable oil
1 tsp coriander (preferably fresh)
1 tsp chili flakes (optional)
Black pepper to taste

First heat a wok or large frying pan to high heat with the oil in the pan. When the oil has come up to heat, add the red onion and saute it for approximately 2 minutes or until the onion becomes somewhat tender. Next, add the garlic, saute for about 30 seconds with the onion, and follow-up by adding the mushrooms and other vegetables.

Continue stir-frying until everything has come up to temperature and add or freshly grate the ginger and continue cooking until you can smell the ginger (maybe 30 seconds). Add the fishballs and stir fry them until they are thoroughly cooked. Add the noodles and in the beginning allow these to be as close to the bottom of the wok/pan as possible. Eventually they will separate and mix in as you continue to stir-fry.



When you are satisfied that the noodles are completed integrated, add the teriyaki, soy sauce, and the shrimp to the mix. Once the shrimp is cooked the meal is ready to serve. Get out the chopsticks, sprinkle on the coriander, and a steaming bowl of goodness is waiting for you, even on the coldest Dublin night.

Bryan's Kitchen In Dublin: Singapore Noodles with Mixed Seafood

Sasha & Brad's Kitchen: Veal Marsala (Valentine's Day Special)

Veal marsala is one of my husband's and my favorite Italian dishes.  As I have mentioned before on this site, I much prefer the taste of veal to chicken, most of the time.  I am including our signature veal marsala as a Valentine's Day dinner recommendation because the combination of the mushrooms, marsala wine and Italian cuisine makes veal marsala a romantic dish.  In addition, this is a specialty of our house that my husband and I lovingly prepare together as a team.  The key to this dish is mushrooms and the marsala sauce.  The mushrooms are so delectable when they soak up the sauce, so they must be prepared in a way that allows them to soak up the maximum sauce.  They type of mushrooms that you use matters considerably less than simply making sure they absorb enough of the marsala wine sauce.  Obviously, you also want to make sure to purchase high quality veal scallopini.

Brad has previously written about how to prepare a delicious chicken marsala, and the recipe and technique used to prepare veal marsala are very similar.  We actually made this dish and took the photos a week or two ago.  Brad prides himself on doing most of the execution of this recipe, although we worked out the specifics together.

1 onion, diced
1.5 lbs of veal scallopini
several teaspoons of paprika
1 cup of chicken stock or beef stock
3/4 cup of marsala wine
1 sprig of thyme
1 sprig of rosemary
several tablespoons of flour
2 pints of sliced mushrooms
salt and pepper to taste
granted parmesan cheese


To prepare the veal scallopini, coat in flour and several teaspoons of paprika for seasoning.  Further season with salt and pepper.  The paprika adds a nice flavor to this dish that complements the marsala sauce well. 
Chop the onion and saute in canola oil or butter (we usually use butter for this dish) for a couple minutes to soften the onions.  Add the garlic and the mushrooms, and saute until the mushrooms reduce in size slightly and until the mushroom juices fill the pan.

Sear the veal in the pan, using canola oil, and cook the scallopini on both sides in a separate saute pan.  Referring back to the mushroom pan, add the marsala wine and stir occasionally for about 5-7 minutes while the marsala wine reduces in half.  Add the chicken stock, thyme and rosemark and continue reducing for approximately 5-7 minutes.  You can also season further with salt and pepper to taste.  At this point, add the veal scallopini to the pan.

This recipe serves two to four people, depending on your appetite, but it makes for perfect leftovers as well.  Like I said, my husband and I prepare this dish together, but he does a good part of the work on this one - thus we do consider it one his house specialties.

Veal

Sasha & Brad's Kitchen: Veal Marsala (Valentine's Day Special)

Sasha's Kitchen: Baby Frittatas: Miniature Brunch Part II

Today,  I am going to make suggestions for a miniature themed brunch party, because I think tiny food is just perfect for brunch.  I prepared a second recipe on the small scale using my silicon muffin tray - miniature vegetable frittatas.  They were simple to make and delicious.  For a miniature brunch party (brunch on the bite-sized scale), I propose the following menu, all recipes from this site:

Mini Vegetable Frittatas (recipe below)
Sasha's Caesar Salad
Margie's Strawberries Romanoff
Sasha's Mini Key Lime Cheesecakes (yesterday's recipe for Miniature Food Part I)
Shooters of brunch cocktails (i.e. mimosas, blood mary etc.) served in shot glasses

The frittatas were very simple - first use Pam or Crisco to spray the silicon muffin tray.  Then, mix the following ingredients (of choose other vegetables more to your liking)

8 eggs, scrambled
broccoli heads, chopped
2/3 of a red pepper, diced
1 shallot, diced
1/3 of a cup crumbled goat cheese
10 toothpicks
10 grape tomatoes

Preheat the oven to 350 F.  Combine the vegetables with the eggs, just like if you were making an omelet or frittata.  Leave the tomatoes out for now, as they come later.  Fill the silicon muffin tray cups with the egg-vegetable mixture and make for about 15 minutes (until the frittatas are done and fully cooked, but not burnt).

When you take them out, you can scoop them out of the trays using a serving spoon, doing so carefully so as to keep the frittatas in tact.  Then, top with a toothpick and a mini tomato (I used grape tomatoes, but yellow heirloom mini tomatoes would be lovely in the summer).

You now have a delicious entree for the perfect miniature themed brunch party.  These were adorable and delicious.  Much better than making a large omelet that always disappoints when I have trouble folding it up nicely in the end.  You could make these with pretty much any vegetable you like in an omelet or frittata, and can substitute egg whites for the full eggs.

Check out my miniature key lime cheesecakes, yesterday's recipe, here.  Click here for Margie's brunch entree, of crunchy french toast.

Frittata

Sasha's Kitchen: Baby Frittatas: Miniature Brunch Part II

Sasha's Kitchen: Baby Key Lime Cheesecakes: Miniature Foods Part I

Miniature food can be such a delight.  There is a modern fascination with baby-sized food, from cupcakes ("baby cakes") to tapas or small plates, to everything else done on the miniature scale.  My posts for today and tomorrow are both going to focus on miniature scaled food - of the small bite variety.  Both projects are foods that are typically prepared in large sizes, but can be scaled down to make a dozen of the miniature version for a cute, picture perfect result.  Both of my baby-sized food recipes will be prepared the same way - by the dozen in silicon muffin trays.

All this miniature food can come together nicely as small plates for a brunch party with friends.  Thus, the inspiration behind my miniature food posts is that they would go nicely together for a mini-themed brunch.

Last night, my husband Brad and I prepared miniature (or little babies, as I call them, fondly) key lime cheesecakes.  The inspiration for this recipe was found in my newest (and quickly becoming one of my favorite) baking cookbooks - Rose Levy Beranbaum's cookbook, entitled Rose's Heavenly Cakes, which was just published in September 2009.

Rose Levy Beranbaum, who is pretty much the goddess of cake baking in the modern world, as far as I am concerned, has a recipe for Baby Lemon Cheesecakes with Lemon Curd.  I couldn't help but imagine what this would be like if it was instead flavored with key limes, so I adapted her recipe to make a key lime variation.  In addition to changing the citrus fruit, I decided that mini key lime cheesecakes would taste better with a graham cracker crust, rather than the biscuit crust that Rose used in her lemon baby cheesecakes.  Finally, I made mine a tad bit healthier than Rose suggests - I used substituted fat cream cheese and reduced fat sour cream.  Because if you are going to eat a dozen little cheesecakes, you might as well feel a little better about it . . .

Another note - if you cannot obtain fresh key lime juice, I don't advise squeezing from the tiny key limes without a juicer - you can freely substitute lime juice instead, as I have given the measurements for the lime variation as well.  You should make sure you have a silicon muffin tray (not a metal one) for this recipe, if you have aspirations of getting the cheesecakes out of the tray with ease.

Sasha's Baby Key Lime Cheesecakes (Loosely Adapted from Rose's Baby Lemon Cheesecakes)


5 T unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups of graham cracker crumbs (I bought a box of graham cracker crumbs)
8 oz reduced fat cream cheese
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg
2 large egg yolks
3 T key lime juice (you need more key lime juice than the lemon juice called for in Rose's recipe, because the lemon juice is much stronger and more acidic; use 1 1/2 T if using regular lime juice)
1/8 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups reduced fat sour cream

Sasha's Key Lime Curd (adapted from Rose's Lemon Curd)

3 large egg yolks
1/2 cup plus 1 T sugar
3 T unsalted butter
6 T key lime juice (or 4 1/2 T regular lime juice)
pinch of salt

First prepare the graham cracker crusts of the baby cheesecakes in the silicon 12-cup muffin tray.  Mix the graham cracker crust with the melted butter.  Put a little less than 1 T in each of the cups on the silicon mufffin tray, after spraying the tray with PAM.  Press down and bake at 300 degrees until set and lightly browned, about 20 minutes.

Next, prepare Rose's Cheesecake mix, with our key lime variation.  Beat the cream cheese and sugar on medium speed in your stand mixer until creamy, about 2 minutes.  Beat in the egg and egg yolks until smooth.  Add the key lime juice (or regular lime juice) and salt and beat.

Fill each of the cups with the graham crusts nearly to the top.  Put the cheesecakes in a roasting pan filled halfway up the sides with hot, near boiling water (just like when you prepare creme brulee).  Bake at 350 degrees until the internal temperature of the cheesecakes reaches 160/170 degrees F.  This is a bit tricky - you will need to use a candy thermometer to measure the internal temperature by sticking it inside one of the cheesecakes as it bakes.  The baking process took me about an hour, but it depends on your oven.  My husband was extremely helpful with this step - he deserves a lot of credit for being patient and making sure the cheesecakes came out just right.  They are done, when they bounce back when touched lightly on the top and are firm on top.

Allow the cheesecakes to cool while preparing the key lime curd, according to Rose's instructions but substituting key lime juice or lime juice, as I have indicated above.

To prepare the curd - whisk the egg yolks, sugar and melted butter well.  Add the key lime juice and the salt.  Cook over medium heat, stirring CONSTANTLY so that the mixture doesn't boil.  It will thicken and it is done when it changes into a more translucent yellowish color and starts pooling thickly when a little is dropped back form the surface.

Top the baby cheesecakes with the key lime curd, and allow them to chill for at least 2-3 hours in the refrigerator.  Then jiggle from the bottom and gently remove from the silicon cupcake trays.

These tasted great - totally delicious.  Rose you are the cake goddess, but I think I took your recipe to another level.  Oh baby (pun intended).



To make Cindy's cheesecake, click here; to make My key lime bars, click here.

Cheesecake

Sasha's Kitchen: Baby Key Lime Cheesecakes: Miniature Foods Part I

Eric & Jenn's Kitchen in Jersey City: Sticky Buns and Bread

Hi, I'm Jenn and I'm Eric's girlfriend. He usually posts as Eric's Kitchen in Jersey City.

This is my grandmother Edna's recipe for bread or rolls and sticky buns. She has been making these ever since I can remember. She always made both because the dough is the same and when she baked, she baked enough for 3 households. She gave most of her delicious treats away, and everyone always raved about them! Though she has been making them for decades, it was only a few years ago that I learned how to do it. She didn't have any recipe written down so I diligently wrote down everything as she explained it to me. Anyone who tastes these will love them!

This recipe will make approximately 60 sticky buns with some dough leftover for bread and rolls. In this case I had enough left over for 1 round loaf of bread and 7-8 rolls. If you want more bread or rolls, just make less sticky buns!


My grandmother always made the syrup for the sticky buns first so she wouldn't forget. For this you will need:

2.5 “coffee mugs” (1 coffee mug is the equivalent to ~1 cup) brown sugar
1.25 “coffee mugs” hot water
1.25 sticks oleo (aka margarine)

The actual measurements are not critical; the ratio is what is important.

Place all ingredients in a saucepan on the stove. Bring to a boil and then turn off the heat and set aside.

Like real rural Pennsylvanians, we use oleo for greasing our pans. You can use deep roasting pans or cake pans; I prefer the deeper ones because the sticky buns will expand a lot in the oven. Each rectangular pan will hold 20-24 buns.

Next, pour a little syrup in each pan, just enough to barely coat the bottom. (You'll use more of this syrup later so make sure you save at least half of it!) If you would like nuts on your sticky buns, you may now add these to the pans. We usually use walnuts. At this time you may be wondering why you'd want nuts on the bottoms of your sticky buns... but as will be described later, this will actually be the top!

Ok, now it is time to make your dough. For this you will need:

3/4 to 1 “coffee cup” sugar
3 tbsp. salt
2 quarts HOT water
2 “coffee cup” canola oil
Six 1/4 oz. envelopes Fleischmann's rapid rise yeast
5 lb. flour + enough extra until dough not sticky anymore (~ another 2 lb.)

Remember this will make a large amount of dough. You will need a huge bowl to make the dough in, and remember it will need space to rise too! You can see the bowl + dough here (notice the dough only takes up half the bowl, leaving plenty of room to rise).

Combine all the ingredients in the bowl, but only add the first 5 lbs. of flour initially. With clean hands, continually mix the dough. Add in more flour little by little and keep mixing. You will know when you have added enough flour (~ 2 more pounds) because the dough will no longer stick to your hands.

Form the dough into a ball and cover it with a piece of saran wrap and a dish towel and let rise for 20-40 minutes. I just kept an eye on it and when it was above the rim of the bowl I pounded it back down again with my fists. Repeat this process of rising (the second time it won't take as long) and pounding down once more.

Before rolling the dough, dust your rolling surface liberally with flour. Grab some dough and roll first lengthways then sideways until it is roughly 2' long by 1' wide. Estimating how much to grab takes time, I am still trying to figure out the perfect amount. I'd start with a hunk that is between the size of a softball and a small Nerf football. If you roll this out and it doesn't fit the 2' by 1' dimensions you can always remove or add more dough and re-roll it out.

Once the dough is rolled out, generously spread oleo, brown sugar, and cinnamon all over, in that order. My grandmother prefers using light brown sugar so she can tell where she still needs to add more cinnamon because of the color difference. (Dark brown sugar and cinnamon are about the same color.)

Now roll this up lengthwise into a long tube. As you roll, stretch the dough at the same time - so it's pull & stretch a little then roll, roll, roll. Keep doing this until it is all rolled up, then carefully slide a cutting board under the end and cut your cinnamony-sugary-tube of deliciousness into ~2.5" segments and place in the pans you prepared earlier.

Leave some space in between buns as they will expand! Once your pan is full, cover with more syrup. Put in oven at 350degressF for 20 min. then switch racks, bake another 20 min. Keep an eye on the sticky buns, if you added too much syrup it can flow out of the pans in the oven towards the end (huge mess!). While my grandmother never did it, I think you could place the pan on a shallow baking sheet or tray if you're concerned before putting it in the oven.

To get your sticky buns out of the baking pan, place some saran wrap then aluminum foil and then a cookie sheet or something similar upside down on top of your goodies. Then you have to carefully flip over the entire pan – this is where the top of your buns become the bottom and the bottom of the buns become the top - and hopefully your sticky buns will slide right out onto the plastic-wrap, aluminum foil-covered cookie sheet. (The saran wrap and aluminum foil make it easy to then wrap around your sticky buns to keep fresher or to transport them you can simply pick up the wrapping and move to another container if you wish.)

These are best eaten warm with some coffee or tea for breakfast, dessert, or a snack.

With the remaining dough you can make bread and/or rolls. For this simply shape the dough into balls (rolls) or round/oblong (bread) and place into a baking pan. Put oleo on top then poke some holes with a fork (since this dough wasn't rolled the holes will let air out). Bake at 350degreesF for 20 min. then switch racks and bake for another 20 min. You can bake the sticky buns and bread together if you want. Once done, put more oleo on the top to keep it from drying out as much. These are delicious to eat warm with butter or jam! To store, place in ziplock bag with as little air as possible.

Eric & Jenn's Kitchen in Jersey City: Sticky Buns and Bread

Matt's Kitchen: Where To Get A Great Meal In Queens

Queens is considered by the less enlightened to be the ugly stepsister of NYC's "sexier" boroughs (read: Manhattan and Brooklyn). Sure, it does contain two airports, a giant cemetary, numerous highways, industrial sites, power stations and a number of bland neighborhoods. However, having lived there for the past six years, I can report that it easily holds its own when it comes to food. In general, Queens' best restaurants - even the highest rated ones - dispense with the interior design, fussy service and pretension, but deliver great food that is, in many cases, equal to or superior to their peers in Manhattan or Brooklyn. When it comes to Thai food, or Chinese, or Greek, or Indian, or Colombian, Queens is really the go-to borough. And the truth is this: If you are willing to venture way into Queens for a unique dining experience and an excellent meal, you get serious street cred. So let's take a look at some of the places that are worth the trip:

Tournesol (Long Island City)

We'll start out easy - Tournesol is a cute little French bistro right across the river in Long Island City. For those in midtown east, it's probably closer to you than most other parts of Manhattan - just hop on the 7 train and get off at the first stop in Queens. The menu features a solid steak frites, foie gras terrine and an excellent skate wing, among other things - plus, they run many time-tested bistro classics as their "plats du jour" - coq au vin, cassoulet, bouillabaisse, etc. The place is friendly but tiny, so make a reservation ahead of time. Honestly, you can find cute little bistros elsewhere, but this is ours and it's a good one.

La Flor Bakery & Cafe (Woodside)

This takes us further out into Woodside, where underneath the 7 platform at Roosevelt Ave. and 51st street lies La Flor - unassuming on the outside, but featuring absolutely delicious authentic and upscale mexican cooking with a smattering of French and fusion-type dishes. The brunch is a local favorite, and one of the best in Queens, but the place serves great food throughout the day, and features musicians on some evenings. They do great things with eggs here at brunch (think huevos rancheros, and variations thereof), and they serve a hearty and delicious quesadilla which features a thick homemade corn tortilla and is quite unlike other quesadillas. As far as I can tell, they do everything well here, so check it out.

Donovan's Pub (Woodside)

Further up Roosevelt Avenue in the heart of Woodside is Donovan's, a classic Irish pub that also happens to feature one of the best burgers in Manhattan. I make no claim that this is THE best burger (an invitation to a fistfight, or at least an impassioned debate), but it is damn good -a large, meaty, juicy hunk of meat that will not disappoint fans of serious burgers. Also, I should add that it is ranked number 2 in NYC in the "burger rankings" at Burger of The Month. The pub is very charming and a good place to enjoy a Guinness, a burger and some good company. I haven't eaten any of the other food there so I can't comment, but the burger is the big draw. It is right off the Woodside express stop on the 7, which is a quick ride out from Grand Central, so about as convenient as Queens gets.

Sripraphai (Woodside)

Yet another Woodside entry at 39th Ave. and 64th St., what can I say about this place that hasn't already been said? Consistently the #1 NY thai restaurant in the Zagat's survey, Sripraphai packs 'em in and serves up delicious, authentic and spicy thai dishes. It boasts a giant menu with something for just about everybody, and is very inexpensive (it should be noted that the atmosphere is clean and efficient but very much "no frills," so despite its high Zagat rating, don't expect fine dining). It is well worth a trip to Queens just to go here, but I recommend going at off hours if you are attempting a weekend dinner - that is to say, go early before the rush. The place does not take reservations and people spill out on to the street waiting for tables on a saturday night. I particularly enjoy their crispy watercress salad and the fried whole snapper in curry sauce, but just about everything is worth trying. I recommend you go with a lot of people and get a lot of dishes to share. Also, please don't just order the pad thai. It's good, but there is a whole universe out there, you know?

Taverna Kyclades (Astoria)

Astoria is a big-time food destination and is renowned for its Greek restaurants. One that I have particularly enjoyed is Taverna Kyclades, which is located way up Ditmars Blvd. at 33rd Street. This place is very popular and the crowds can be daunting - again, it is best to try going at off hours and even then you will probably wait a little while. But don't let the crowds put you off, the seafood here is absolutely delicious, you can't really go wrong. Again, it is well worth the trip just to eat here, and there are plenty of other things to do in Astoria so you can make an afternoon out of it. As with most restaurants in Queens, this is not a fine dining experience, so don't expect them to roll out the red carpet for you. Also, their website is very unassuming but don't be mislead - you will have a damn good meal and it won't be anywhere near as expensive as what you would pay for similar quality food in Manhattan.

Ali's Kabab Cafe (Astoria)

Kabab Cafe is a tiny Egyptian restaurant way up Steinway Avenue in Astoria, with only a few tables and no enclosed kitchen. All meals are prepared by Ali himself, with the help of one or two assistants, about five feet from where you are sitting. There is no fixed menu, you choose from whatever Ali is cooking that particular day. The best way to experience it is to put yourself in Ali's hands and eat what he feels like making - which includes some of the most delicious falafel and hummus I have ever tasted, as well as a wide assortment of other outstanding Egyptian dishes. However- if you do this, you will very likely be eating adventurously - Ali regularly serves up brains, sweetbreads, "rocky mountain oysters" and various other organs. So don't be squeamish. I found my meal here to be a great experience, but it is not for everyone, and it is not cheap. Basically, it's like eating in Ali's kitchen, with him at the stove. If this sounds appealing to you, check it out for sure - but again, choose your dining time strategically - a restaurant with four tables fills up pretty quick. On the other hand, if you like spacious digs, insist on choosing your selections off a menu and have a low tolerance for offal or North African flavors, then you may be better off elsewhere.

Arunee (Jackson Heights)

So, our tour moves even further out to Jackson Heights. This neighborhood is super-bustling, sort of the crossroads of Queens and possibly the most ethnically diverse zip code in the country. Within about ten square blocks you can find numerous restaurants and shops run by Indians, Peruvians, Thai, Colombians, Malaysians, Mexicans, Ecuadorians and others. There is a lot to eat here and an entire blog could doubtless be devoted to it. With all due respect to the numerous fine restaurants in this neighborhood, I am focusing on a particular favorite of mine, a small and unassuming but delicious thai restaurant on 79th Street off of Roosevelt Avenue called Arunee. This place boasts excellent and authentic thai food that is right up there with what Sripraphai has to offer. Although it seems likely that visitors to Queens will head to Sripraphai, I am adding Arunee here because it used to be my neighborhood thai joint and I have fond memories. Honestly, it is worth coming out to Arunee for the simple reason that Manhattan 's thai options are generally uninspiring and this will be a like a breath of fresh air in comparison. Likewise, if Sripraphai is a madhouse, just take the 7 train two more stops up to 82nd, walk down a couple of blocks and you're there. They do a great veggie curry here, for you vegetarians - unlike the sad offerings at a lot of other places, they load it up with a variety of different hearty veggies and tofu.

Spicy & Tasty (Flushing)

No culinary tour of Queens would be complete without a visit to Flushing for some Chinese food. Spicy & Tasty is located at 39-07 Prince St. off the Flushing/Main Street stop on the 7 (the end of the line). As the name would suggest, it serves seriously spicy and delicious sichuan food. It is not for the faint of heart, so if you do not like spicy foods, you may wish to skip this one. At the front of the restaurant is a refrigerator case stocked with the restaurant's cold dishes. The procedure is, you order whatever cold dishes you want up front, then they take you back to your table and the cold dishes are served quite quickly thereafter. During that time you decide what hot dishes you are going to order. One approach is to peek around at what the Chinese patrons nearby have ordered, and then order that - of course, you have to be willing to be adventurous if you do this. I've really enjoyed this place, but there are of course many different restaurants in this neighborhood, many of which are undoubtably excellent, so it is worth exploring. But if you like Sichuan cooking particularly, this is probably a good bet. Also, for you Mets fans, it is very convenient to Shea Stadium if you are hungry after the game. One word of advice is that you should Google or Mapquest it carefully before showing up, Flushing can be a little hectic and confusing once you get off the 7 train.

These are not the only reasons to come out Queens to eat, but they comprise many of the top foodie destinations. There are a few places I still have not gotten to, such as Spicy Mina's (apparently the Bangladeshi answer to Ali's Kebab Cafe), and Zumm Stammtisch, a Bavarian restaurant in Glendale that looks like a good time. And there are undoubtably others that I have not yet discovered. So don't be afraid to come out to Queens, and don't turn up your nose - there's a lot to like out here.

Matt's Kitchen: Where To Get A Great Meal In Queens

Sasha's Kitchen: Creme Brulee A La Bananas-Brandy (Valentine's Day Special)

I have, not surprisingly (since I usually can't resist some experimentation) started to get creative with my creme brulee torch, and after my regular creme brulee, pumpkin creme brulee, and white chocolate creme brulee, I am not nearly ready to call it quits yet.  I decided to prepare a fruit-based creme brulee to experiment with the brulee technique and flavors.  I should add that in the summer, I plan on doing the same recipe using fresh peach puree.  I figured that as long as I could keep the same egg and cream based formula, that banana puree would still make an excellent brulee as long as the mixture was basically a custard that congealed when baked.  This would allow me to top with sugar and brulee the tops with the creme brulee torch to caramelize the sugar.

This recipe was a huge success.  It tastes like a banana custard or pudding that has a brulee top - just perfect, although certainly not traditional for creme brulee at all.  It was, as my husband Brad described it, fuller and richer than the pumpkin creme brulee I prepared.  Banana puddings and custards are among his favorite desserts, and this was basically a rich and creamy banana pudding with a brulee top of caramelized sugar.  Thus, this recipe, which I invented on the fly, was a winner.  Brandy is the perfect alcohol to complement bananas, and the taste here is very subtle in balancing out the sweet fruit flavor of the bananas.

Sasha's Creme Brulee A La Bananas Brandy

1 1/4 cups heavy cream
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 medium sized banana, pureed
3 teaspoons brandy
3 egg yolks
1/4 cup sugar plus 1/2 a teaspoon or so for each top

To prepare this recipe, follow my recipe for the regular creme brulee.  Mix the heavy cream and vanilla and the brandy and heat until small bubbles form around the edges, and the sugar is dissolved, as I explained in my other post.  Then, in a separate bowl, beat the egg yolks, vanilla and pureed banana.  Mix the cream mixture with this mixture.  Divide into four ramekins.

Bake the creme brulee in a metal tray filled halfway up the sides of the ramekins with very hot (almost boiling) water, as described in my previous creme brulee post.  Bake at 300 F for approximately 30 minutes until the tops are set.

Allow to chill for at least and hour or two, until topping each with sugar and using your creme brulee torch to caramelize the tops of the brulees.  This is creamiest, best banana pudding with the lovely caramelized flavor on the tops.  I consider it a genuine creme brulee since it still contains the cream, egg yolks and the brulee top.  It is the perfect finale for a Valentine's Day meal.

Stay tuned for my next two posts on miniature food - mini key lime cheesecakes, and mini vegetable frittatas - both which will be perfect for your Valentine's day brunches.

Sasha's Kitchen: Creme Brulee A La Bananas-Brandy (Valentine's Day Special)

Sasha's Kitchen: Tropical Chicken Pineapple Fried Rice

Tonight's post is going to be a bit on the short side because I am also simultaneously attempting to watch President Obama's State of the Union.  Tonight I prepared a large (two day) recipe of my secret (until now) fried rice.  Most everyone makes fried rice with shrimp - I don't like shrimp very much, and instead stuck with chicken.  In addition, my fried rice was a combination of the tropical and exotic (using sesame oil and pineapple), combined with the traditional use of the egg, onion and of course, long grain rice.

Here's what you will need to prepare my asian, but tropical inspired fried rice:

1 package empire chicken breasts, sliced into small pieces
2 cups long grain rice
1 20 oz can diced pineapple, drained
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp ginger
4 eggs
1 tsp diced garlic
1 onion, diced
1 T rice vinegar
1 tsp sesame oil
2 T fish sauce
2 T soy sauce
1 tsp sugar

First prepare the rice according to package instructions and set aside.   Scramble the egg, and saute the onion and garlic and combine.  Set this aside as well.  Saute the chicken (after cutting into small pieces) with the paprika, ginger and a bit of pepper.  Combine the rice, chicken, onion, egg and garlic in a large pot, such as a saute pan or dutch oven.

Cook with the rice vinegar, sesame oil, fish sauce, soy sauce, sugar until it has the desired fried rice consistency.  This was so good that it reminded me of the fried rice at a good Japanese restaurant such as Inatome in Long Island, a Japanese steakhouse with truly delicious fried rice.  My husband has loved their fried rice since he was a kid (even though all the women in his family won't eat there because the dining experience makes your hair and clothes reek like smoky meat).  Thus, I was attempting to make my own delicious fried rice, with a tropical taste (hence the pineapple).  Plus, no need to do the laundry immediately after dinner.  I was indeed quite successful - the dish was a success and will be served again tomorrow night.

This recipe makes plenty for a larger family, or for leftovers for a second night's dinner.  I garnished with cherry tomatoes to serve.  Now, back to the State of the Union.

Sasha's Kitchen: Tropical Chicken Pineapple Fried Rice

Sasha's Kitchen: White Chocolate Creme Brulee (Valentine's Day Special!)

I have been preparing a number of desserts lately - including some romantic valentine's day desserts, such as red velvet cupcakes with pretty pink hearts.  In addition, as the owner of a new creme brulee torch, I have been having a lot of fun preparing different types of creme brulee.  So far, I have made regular creme brulee and pumpkin creme brulee.  Tonight, I did some experimentation, and came up with a recipe for a white chocolate creme brulee, just in time to share with our readers for Valentine's Day.  I'm not even close to done with the brulee-ing as there is surely a banana-brandy creme brulee, dark chocolate creme brulee and peach creme brulee in my future.  That's all I have for now, but the impulse to keep coming up with new and unusual flavors of creme brulee is too hard for me to resist.

White chocolate is not actually even chocolate at all, yet it is almost as romantic in its connotations as milk chocolate or dark chocolate.  White chocolate is, according to Wikipedia, actually a confection of milk, sugar, deodorized cocoa butter and egg solids.  My favorite source of white chocolate has long been the white chocolate vanilla Ghiardelli squares that we had brought back from our last trip to San Francisco.

I thought that it would adapt nicely, color-wise into a creme brulee if it was melted and mixed into the cream mixture, before adding the egg yolks.  And, I was right.

Here is what you need to make white chocolate creme brulee as the perfect (and easy) Valentine's Day Dessert (makes four using normal sized brulee dishes):

1 1/4 cups of heavy cream
1 T sugar
4 oz white chocolate
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3 egg yolks
Chef's creme brulee torch from Bonjour

To prepare the creme brulee, heat the heavy cream, sugar and white chocolate until the cream just starts to bubble around the edges (over medium-high heat), and the white chocolate is fully dissolved into the cream solution.  You should whisk the entire time, as the white chocolate melts and goes into solution.  While you are doing this, boil a pot of water over a separate burner.

In a mixing bowl, separate out the three egg yolks and beat with the vanilla.  Add the cream-white chocolate mixture to the egg yolk mixture.  Divide among 4 ramekins.  Use the boiling water the surround the ramekins filling the tray so that the hot or boiling water goes up halfway on the sides of the ramekins.  Bake at 300 degrees for about 30 minutes until set.

Chill for one hour, and then put a thin teaspoon of sugar on top of each and brulee according to the manufacturer's instructions on your brulee torch.

This was delicious - similar to regular creme brulee but with a nice, yet subtle white chocolate touch.  I plan on making dark chocolate creme brulee very soon (likely a much more powerful and transformative flavor)!

Check out our other Valentine's day recipes from our site, including Margie's Crunchy French Toast, My homemade Italian Limoncello and My Eat Your Heart Out Red Velvet Cupcakes.

Sasha's Kitchen: White Chocolate Creme Brulee (Valentine's Day Special!)

Margie’s Kitchen in Boston Valentine’s Day Special: Brunch Entrée – Strawberries Romanoff

Photos by Lena

This year, 2010, Valentine’s Day falls on a Sunday and for this reason I am suggesting a menu for a Valentine’s Day Brunch. The brunch begins with Crunchy French Toast. The recipe can be found in my most recent blog [I made a correction in my initial posting: ½ cup, not 1 cup of milk]. The next entrée is Strawberries Romanoff, which looks surprisingly simple to make that one might wonder whether the addition of a liqueur and orange zest could make much of a difference to the taste of plain strawberries; they do!

I’ve looked around at different recipes and settled on a simple version by Pierre Franey from the classic “60-Minute Gourmet” Series in The New York Times. This recipe is from a second cookbook from the series titled, More 60-Minute Gourmet (page 277 “Fraises Romanoff”), with one exception, I use orange liqueur (Patron Citronge ) and not Grand Marnier (cognac and orange liqueur):
2 pints strawberries, ⅓ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar (I would cut in half), peel from one small orange, ⅓ cup Grand Mariner, ¾ heavy cream (I use whipping cream which is a bit less calories—5!)
Remove the stems from the strawberries. I usually take a knife and hack off the tops but I’ve come to respect the importance of food presentation after writing in this blog. For this reason I now carefully cut the strawberries around the stems then rinse, drain, and thoroughly dry on paper towels. When dry, place strawberries in bowl (flat bottom), sprinkle with sugar, and then pour liqueur over strawberries. Add orange peel and gently mix and refrigerate; no time is specified. You want enough time to allow liqueur to penetrate strawberries, 1 hour preferably. Whip cream with 2 tablespoons of sugar (or less if you desire) just before serving. Put strawberries in separate dessert-style glass bowls. Pour residual liqueur mix over the tops of each serving bowl and serve with whipped cream. Stay tuned for my last Valentine’s Day Brunch entrée.

Margie’s Kitchen in Boston Valentine’s Day Special: Brunch Entrée – Strawberries Romanoff

Sasha's Kitchen: Pumpkin Pear Soup - Another Pumpkin Soup Variation

Earlier this month, I introduced my recipe for pumpkin cashew soup, which I served at a recent seven course vegetarian dinner party.  It was such a delicious soup, that I decided it was worthwhile to do some additional experimentation with pumpkin soups, using organic pumpkin puree.  Thus, for the next soup in this series, I decided to prepare a pumpkin pear soup, using a homemade puree from fresh poached pears.

Several years ago, I used to make a delicious recipe for squash pear soup, using pureed squash and pears, so I figured that pumpkin and pear would be an equally dynamic combination.  Here is the recipe that I designed, which is a deviation from my pumpkin cashew soup, in that it is not really spicy (just a bit of smokiness from the chipotle) and leaves out much of the sweetness, to allow for the natural sweetness of the fructose from the pears.  In addition, I decided to add a bit of nutmeg and star anise to help balance out the flavors.

To prepare the pears, they need to be cooked, so you can puree them.  I chose to prepare them by a simple boiling job (essentially poaching in a pot of water with 1 tablespoon of sugar). This is quite simple, but be sure to peel away the skin from the pears first.  After about 5-10 minutes when they are soft, cut off the fruit and puree it in the Cuisinart.

4 1/2 cups chicken stock
3 cups pumpkin puree
4 pureed poached pears
4 tsp chipotle (not really spicy at all, just smoky)
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 star anise
2 T maple syrup
1 cup creme fraiche or reduced fat sour cream
pumpkin seeds

To prepare the recipe, bring the chicken stock to a boil with the star anise,  Add the three cups of plain pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling) and whisk to combine.  If you think it is too thick, you can add a bit more chicken stock, and if it is too runny, you can add a bit more pumpkin puree, at any point in the process.   Next, whisk in the pureed pears, maple syrup, chipotle and nutmeg.  Add salt and pepper to taste, and feel free to adjust the other spices to suit your personal tastes.  Reduce to a simmer and stir occasionally for 15-20 minutes.  At this point, if you need to, you can add a half a cup of extra chicken broth if the soup is too thick.

Remove the soup from the heat and mix in the creme fraiche or reduced fat sour cream, to make the soup somewhat creamy.  This is key to getting the creamy and delicious flavor of either the pumpkin pear soup.  But, if you are trying to make the soup more lowfat, you could even substitute non-fat sour cream.

Serve the soup with a tablespoon or two of pumpkin seeds and a healthy sided dollop of sour cream.  This soup is smooth and delicious, and pretty healthy as well.  It's easy to see why pumpkin soups are so popular in restaurants around America this time of year.  This was one of my favorite soups that I have had in quite awhile.

Sasha's Kitchen: Pumpkin Pear Soup - Another Pumpkin Soup Variation