Sasha's Kitchen: Hawaiian Short Ribs

I've made short ribs twice in the past couple weeks.  Both times I made boneless beef short ribs using a lean cut of meat.  The first time, I used Thomas Keller's recipe from Ad Hoc at Home.  I liked the Ad hoc short ribs - they were good and braised nicely using his braised short ribs recipe, but I wasn't fully impressed with the flavors.  I found another recipe for Hawaiian short ribs in Martha Stewart's Everyday Food.  It was a very simple recipe that left the short ribs with a great Hawaii inspired flavor, which I adapted for my tastes, using an oven rather than a slow cooker.  I love visiting Hawaii and enjoy most Hawaiian inspired cuisine so this was a new favorite.

 Hawaiian Short Ribs with Pineapple
1 large red onion cut into wedges
4 cloves garlic, diced
3 tsp ground or diced fresh ginger
2.5 lbs boneless beef short ribs
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce
6 T rice vinegar
1 1/2 T Sriracha hot sauce
3 cups cubed pineapples
scallions, for serving

Place the onions, ginger, garlic, pineapple, soy sauce, hot sauce and rice vinegar in a large stock pit.  Add the ribs on top and cook at 300 for about three hours, or 350 for about three hours, depending on how much of a rush you are in to get dinner on the table.  Serve the ribs and pineapple (which soaks up the flavors wonderfully) and top with scallions. Enjoy!

Sasha's Kitchen: Hawaiian Short Ribs

Sasha's Kitchen: Homemade Shoyu-Chicken Ramen

Ramen is the new cupcake.  Well maybe not, but at least in New York, gourmet ramen noodle joints are one of the biggest food trends to hit the city, from Chuko in Brooklyn to Momofuku Noodle Bar.  I've heard great things about Ippudo as well.  I thought I'd give homemade ramen a try.  Initially I considered using David Chang's recipe from Momofuku noodle bar, but I don't cook with pork at home.  I've had a great soy broth and also a great miso broth at Chuko, so I figured I could try devising my own soy-chicken based ramen, or Shoyu, as the Japanese refer to the soy flavor.  I came up with my own recipe that was delicious and had a great Japanese flavor.  I love serving the ramen with the hard boiled (or soft boiled if you prefer) eggs as well. Yum!  Instead of serving in regular soup bowls, since I don't have Japanese ramen bowls, I used large cappuccino mugs from Anthropologie - so cute!

Sasha's Shoyu-Chicken Ramen
1 whole chicken, cut up, about four pounds
1/2 cup of low sodium soy sauce
1 large onion, cut into quarters
4 garlic cloves
4 quarts of water
four small pieces of kombu
2 oz fresh ginger, peeled
soba, lo mein or ramen noodles
3 large soft boiled eggs, soaked for an hour in equal parts soy sauce and mirin
three diced scallions

In a large stockpot, combine the water, chicken, onion, ginger, garlic, soy sauce and kombu.  Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer and simmer, partially covered for two hours to allow the broth to get a delicious flavor, just like if you were making chicken stock for matzo ball soup. The when the two hours are up, strain the broth and reserve it of course.  Prior to simmering, but after boiling, you'll want to skim the chicken fat from the top of the broth so the end result will be clear.  Shred some of the chicken for serving in the ramen soup.

Boil the noodles according to package instructions and add to the broth and chicken.  Hard boil three eggs and soak for an hour in a mixture of mirin and soy sauce, and chop up some scallions for serving.  Optional - add some corn or steamed spinach.

Sasha's Kitchen: Homemade Shoyu-Chicken Ramen

Sasha's Kitchen: Pecan Tassies

Pecan pie is such a big thing this time of year.  I'm more of a fruit pie person but I still like just a bite of pecan pie.  When I was a kid, my stepdad's mom used to make a cookie called pecan tassies (she also made apricot-coconut tassies as well, another recipe I'm itching to try).  Pecan tassies are like mini pecan pies.  You make little crusts in mini muffin tins or molds and fill them with a filling of your choice, in this case, pecan filling.  Bake them and voila - mini bite size pies.  I can't believe I didn't try this sooner.  The possibilities for tassies are endless, or as endless as pies! This brought back a favorite holiday cookie from my childhood.  I used a recipe from my favorite Baked Explorations cookbook, from that fabulous Brooklyn bakery.  It was delicious - a bite of heaven!  This is a true Southern holiday cookie classic.

Pecan Tassies (recipe from Baked Explorations)
Crusts
2 sticks unsalted butter
6 oz cream cheese
1 T sugar
2 cups all purpose flour

Filling
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups light brown sugar
2 T vanilla extract
1 cup toasted pecans, chopped coarsely

In the basin of your stand mixer, cream together the butter and cream cheese until lump free.  Add the sugar and beat to combine.  Then add the flour one half cup at a time, beating until a dough is just formed.  You could also do this by hand, like when making an old-style pie.  Pinch off walnut sized pieces of dough and roll into balls.  Set aside.  You will get about 40 balls.  Place each ball in a mini muffin tin and use your fingers to press each ball into the sizes of the muffin mold.  I used silicon muffin tins, which make it much easier to get them out when they are done baking. After making the shells, chill in the refrigerator while you prepare the filling.

Make the filling by whisking the two eggs and adding the brown sugar until completely combined.  Add the vanilla and salt and whisk again.  Then add 1/2 a cup of the chopped pecans.  Spoon the filling into the tassie shells and top with the remaining half a cup of chopped pecans.

Bake in an oven preheated to 350 for 15 minutes.  Reduce the oven to 250 and bake another 10-15 minutes until the filling is set.  Allow to cool for thirty minutes before removing from the silicon mini muffin molds.

Sasha's Kitchen: Pecan Tassies

Sasha's Kitchen: Mango Salad with Mint Vinaigrette

Mango and mint go together so well.  I love making this salad, which is a simple mango goat cheese salad with a minty vinaigrette, which I have always referred to for some reason as my "mighty mint" vinaigrette.  It has a fresh, mint taste, along with a bit of a tropical aura.  This is an easy salad to make on a weeknight, and is always satisfying.  I've been under some external stressors lately that have been cutting into my cooking energy but this is a meal that's healthy which I can make even when I'm busy dealing with other things. 

Sasha's Mango Salad with Mint Vinaigrette

1 mango, diced

fresh mixed salad greens

pecans, either halves or chopped

4 oz crumbled goat cheese

1/2 cup canola oil

1 tsp meadow honey

2 T diced mint

1 tsp mustard

2 T red wine vinegar

Assemble the salad with the mango, greens, pecans and goat cheese.  Combine the mint, honey, oil, vinegar and mustard for the dressing and shake well. 

Sasha's 

Sasha's Kitchen: Mango Salad with Mint Vinaigrette

Sasha's Kitchen: New Orleans Bread Pudding Souffle with Bourbon Sauce

I took a New Orleans cooking class about six months or so ago at the Brooklyn Kitchen in Williamsburg, and learned a bunch of great New Orleans brunch recipes. I've already made the eggs sardou and beignets at home for my husband (as well as the NOLA creole bloody mary), but last weekend, I finally got around to making the Commander's Palace bread pudding souffle with bourbon sauce, from one of the garden district's famous local brunch spots. The dish is a bit time intensive to make as it has to be made in several stages.  Instead of making a bunch of individual sized bread pudding souffles, I used my large souffle dish to make one giant souffle to share.  It's quite large, so there was certainly a lot of sharing to be done!

Commander's Palace New Orleans Bread Pudding Souffle
Bread pudding
3/4 cups sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
pinch of nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
3 eggs
 1 cup heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla
5 cups day old french bread or italian bread cut into cubes
1/3 cup raisons
2 T butter

Whiskey sauce
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
 2 tsp cornstarch
2 T cold water
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup bourbon

Meringue
9 egg whites
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
1/2 cup sugar

First make the bread pudding.  Preheat the oven to 350 and combine the sugar, spices, and salt in a large bowl.  Beat in the eggs until smooth and work in the heavy cream.  Add the vanilla and then the bread cubes.  Allow the bread to soak up the custard.  Scatter the raisons in a greased square baking pan and top with the mixture.  Cut the butter into small pieces and scatter on top.  Bake 25-30 minutes until golden and firm when a toothpick comes out clean.  It should be moist, not runny or dry.  Let cool to room temperature.

Make the sauce while the pudding is baking.  Bring the cream to a boil.  Combine the cornstarch and water and add to the boiling cream, stirring.  Reduce heat and cook thirty seconds before adding the bourbon and the sugar and stirring.  Allow to cool to room temperature.

Preheat the oven to 350 again and butter six 6 oz ceramic ramekins, or in my case, one large souffle dish.  To make the meringue, put the egg whites in the basin of your mixer and whip with the cream of tartar until frothy.  Gradually add the sugar while whipping on the highest setting and continue whipping until a shiny meringue is formed, and the whites are stiff and stand up.  Break half of the bread pudding into smaller pieces and fold into a quarter of the meringue and put this mixture in each of the ramekins.

Process the remaining bread pudding in the blender until smooth.  I had to do this by hand instead, so it wasn't quite smooth, as my blender decided to die at an in-opportune time.  So my souffle is a bit of a chunkier bread pudding souffle, but it still tasted fantastic.  Fold this mixture into the remaining meringue and top the souffle(s) with the mixture.  Bake the souffles for 20 minutes.  Since mine was one large souffle, it took about 30 minutes instead.  Serve immediately topped with the whiskey sauce.

Sasha's Kitchen: New Orleans Bread Pudding Souffle with Bourbon Sauce

Sasha's Kitchen: Turkey Panini with Cranberry-Orange Relish

I made this last week, but if you have leftover turkey from Thanksgiving, this is the perfect leftovers.  I'm obsessed with my panini press. It's one of the best kitchen toys I own and I love buying fresh breads, such as focaccia and making pressed sandwiches, with fabulous meats, cheeses and other spreads.  I've made a couple of good sandwiches the last few weeks, including the one below.  The panini press is like magic - it so quickly flattens your sandwich into a delicious panini and works for almost any sandwich you could imagine.

Sasha's Roast Turkey Panini with Cranberry-Orange Relish and Blue Cheese (makes 2)
1/2 lb sliced roast turkey, or thanksgiving turkey leftovers
1 1/2 cup fresh cranberries
2 T sugar
1 T orange zest
3 T water
fat free mayonnaise
focaccia bread
1/4 lb Stilton blue cheese

For the relish, combine the cranberries, water, sugar and zest in a saucepan and simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the cranberries pop, about five minutes.  Allow to gel together for another minute before removing from the heat.

Cut the focaccia bread and prepare a sandwich with the mayonnaise, turkey, relish and Stilton and press in your panini press according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Sasha's Kitchen: Turkey Panini with Cranberry-Orange Relish

Sasha's & Brad's Kitchen: Tiger Beer and Fish Curry Pairing at Masak

I've never been a big beer drinker, but there are a few kinds of beer that I do enjoy.  One of them has always been Tiger beer, a nice balanced Malaysian beer.  It's one my husband, Brad, more the beer connoisseur than I, has always enjoyed as well.  Recently, I got the opportunity to be treated free of charge to a Tiger beer and fish curry food pairing at Masak, a Singapore-influenced restaurant down in the East Village courtesy of the folks at Tiger Beer.  Coming into the experience, I knew I liked Tiger beer but wasn't sure about the pairing of fishhead curry.  Boy was I surprised.  The curry was delicious and I enjoyed the tender, flaky fish and rice with the homemade Singapore-style curry.  The dish was fantastic and Brad enjoyed it as well.  Just goes to show that it pays to be a bit more adventurous in your eating style!  You just have to be careful of the bones, but the fish was very tender and Masak's curry sauce was delicious.

Delicious fishhead curry at Masak - no need to be afraid, it's super good!

The curry flavors paired well with the smooth, exotic flavor of the Tiger beer.  The beer really brought out the flavor of the curry and it was a truly excellent pairing.  Next time I'll have to try making a curry dish at home and serve it with some Tiger.  In addition to the beer and curry we were treated to, we also purchased a couple of excellent appetizers at Masak as well - we got little Qui Pie Tee (little pastries) filled with hen of the wood mushrooms and duck, as well as the crispy duck croquettes.  All and all this was an exotic and fun drinking and eating experience and an excellent way to enjoy Tiger beer and Malaysian/Singapore-style food!

Qui Pie Tee, filled with hen of the woods mushrooms and duck rilette

Duck fritters, which also paired nicely with the flavors of the Tiger beer

Sasha's & Brad's Kitchen: Tiger Beer and Fish Curry Pairing at Masak

Sasha's Kitchen: Sesame Chicken with Edamame Coconut Rice

I love making at home styled chinese dishes.  It's so much healthier than actual chinese food, and the sauces are delicious when you make them fresh yourself.  I've invented some of my own recipes, which are basically stir fries, but this one came from Janice's Cole's new book Chicken And Egg, a book of all chicken and egg recipes. I'm happy to report that I'm finally going to be taking another cooking class at the Brooklyn Kitchen, and this one is a chinese dumpling class on December 4th. Should be a lot of fun!

As far as this recipe goes, it's for a stir-fried style sesame chicken.  I made it a second time with beef and it was equally good that was as well. It's a health dish, with a delicious hoisin-based sauce and is as fresh as the vegetables and high quality meat that you use in the dish. The original recipe called for mushrooms as well, but I left that out and added a yellow zucchini instead.

Sesame Chicken with Edamame Coconut Rice
Rice
1 cup jasmine rice
1 14 oz can lite coconut milk
1/4 cup water
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1 cup frozen edamame beans

Sauce
1/4 cup plus 2 T hoisin sauce
1/4 cup plus 2 T orange juice
1 T sesame seeds
2 T soy sauce
1/2 tsp dark sesame oil
1/4 tsp Asian chile hot sauce

Stir Fry
2 T canola oil
1 lb chicken breasts, cut up into 1 inch pieces
2 cups cut up broccoli
1 large onion cut into wedges
1 red bell pepper, cut into one inch pieces
3 garlic cloves, diced
1 T minced ginger
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 T sesame seeds
1 yellow zucchini, cut up into slices

To make the rice, put the coconut milk, water and rice and salt in a saucepan.  Stir and bring to a gentle boil, covered, over medium heat.  Reduce to low and simmer for 15 minutes.  Stir in the edamame and cook until the liquid is absorbed and the edamame is tender, about another five minutes.

Combine the ingredients for the sauce and set aside.

Heat half the canola oil in a skillet, wok or stir fry pan. Cook the chicken for 3-5 minutes and set aside.  Add the reaming canola oil and add the broccoli, zucchini onion and bell pepper and cook for about 3 minutes on medium high heat until the vegetables begin to soften.  Add the ginger and garlic to a separate pan and cook for about a minutes before adding to the other vegetables. Stir fry for a few more minutes until all the veggies are crisp-tender. Add the sauce and bring to a boil to coat everything.  Stir in the cilantro and remaining sesame seeds, and serve with a side of the coconut rice.

Sasha's Kitchen: Sesame Chicken with Edamame Coconut Rice

Sasha's Kitchen: Salted Caramel Apple Pie

I pride myself on my apple pie and my perfect apple pie crust.  But I am also a big fan of the salted caramel apple pie at Four and Twenty Blackbirds here in Brooklyn, and since learning how to make caramel when I made pumpkin flan last week, I figured it was time to give their salted carmel apple pie recipe that I found online a try. I love caramel apples in the fall so i knew adding caramel to a classic apple pie was going to be a perfect food combination.  The recipe I found online is for the filling only - you use your own recipe for the crust, so I am including that here as well.

Oh and by the way, one of my recent blog posts (for pumpkin flan) was quoted with a photo on Bon Appetit's website - for real! To find the reference to A Kitchen In Brooklyn, click on the link and scroll to photo number 10.  I'm so psyched!

Sasha's Apple Pie Crust (makes bottom and top portions)
2 sticks cold butter, chopped
2 1/4 cups flour
pinch of salt
large pinch of sugar

To make the apple pie crust, follow my instructions here, although I cheated this time and made it in my mixer rather than by hand.

Four and Twenty Blackbirds Salted Caramel Apple Pie (recipe found here)
Filling
1/3 cup raw sugar
2 T flour
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground allspice
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
2 to 3 dashes Angostura bitters (unfortunately I left this out this time because I forgot to pick it up)
6 apples
4-6 lemons juiced (I used four)

Salted Caramel
1 cup granulated white sugar
1/4 cup water
1 stick butter
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 tsp sea salt

Glaze
1 egg, beaten
raw sugar for sprinkling on top
1/2 tsp sea salt

Prepare your bottom pie crust and chill in the refrigerator.  Combine the ingredients for the apple pie filling.  I used granny smith apples and golden delicious apples this time.  Core, peel and thinly slice the apples.  The recipe recommends using a mandolin but I just used a knife to produce thin slices.  Dredge the apples in the freshly squeezed lemon juice to prevent browning and add flavor.  Mix the seasons for the apple pie filling and combined with the apples, using your hands to mix.

To prepare the salted caramel, heat the sugar and water over low heat until dissolved.  Add the butter and bring to a slow boil.  Continue boiling, stirring or swirling only occasionally until the mixture turns a golden brown, almost copper.  If it blackens or smokes, you've overcooked it and will have to start again.  Remove from the heat immediately upon reaching the right color and add the heavy cream.  The mixture will bubble and steam rapidly.  Sprinkle in the sea salt.

To assemble the pie, preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Put 1/3 of the apples in the crust and pour 1/3 of the carmel on top. Then repeat with the remaining apples and another 1/2 of the caramel.  Save 1/3 of the caramel for the top of the pie.  The recipe suggest stacking the apples (after slicing with a mandolin) but I really just threw them in - it doesn't bother me that they are not stacked neatly and densely.

Roll out the remaining dough for the top crust and prepare a lattice.  Drizzle the remaining caramel on top, then do a egg glaze and top with sugar.

Bake at 400 for 20 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350 for another 25 to 30 minutes.

Sasha's Kitchen: Salted Caramel Apple Pie

Sasha's Kitchen: Red Lentil Chicken Soup

I love lentil soups and recently tried a new recipe for lentil chicken soup that was quite delicious and easy to make.  This recipe had plenty of leftovers soon.  It was my first time making lentil soup (surprisingly) and I was pleased to learn that you don't have to soak the lentils or anything before using them.  I was planning on eating my leftovers last night but we wound up going out for dinner to Lucali, a great little quaint pizza place over in Carroll Gardens where we had some of the best pizza and calzone we had ever had. Yum!  At any rate, here's the recipe for the chicken lentil soup, which is spiced up nicely in the original recipe.

Lentil Chicken Soup (recipe from Chicken and Egg)
About 1- 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into one inch pieces
2 T cumin
1 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp allspice
1 T extra virgin olive oil
2 large onions
2 celery ribs
4 garlic cloves, minced
two 32 oz containers of reduced sodium chicken stock
1 28 oz can diced tomatoes
1 1/2 cups red lentils
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 cup chopped cilantro

Toss the chicken in a medium bowl with the cumin, cinnamon and allspice until coated. Heat a large pot over medium high heat with the olive oil and saute the chicken for 3-5 minutes until lightly browned.  Add the onions and the celery and cook for three minutes until softened.  Stir in the garlic and cook for thirty seconds longer.

Pour in the chicken stock and tomatoes, lentils, salt, red pepper flakes and pepper.  Bring to a boil then reduce the heat and simmer partially covered for 45 minutes, which is long enough for the lentils to be tender.  Top with cilantro when serving.

Sasha's Kitchen: Red Lentil Chicken Soup

Sasha's Kitchen: Coconut Cake

I love anything coconut.  Awhile back, I had received a Kosher baking book from the publisher to review, Paula Shoyer's The Kosher Baker, and I've enjoyed the recipes from the book that I make them from time to time.  I came across a recipe for a coconut cake with a lime curd filling and a meringue frosting in the book that looked absolutely fantastic.  I really intended on doing the whole thing for no reason (just for fun, not for a particular special occasion that necessitated a large two layer cake) and got lazy.  What I wound up with was a pretty fantastic coconut cake, minus the filling and frosting.  I do intend to make it again for a party sometime with the lime curd and meringue frosting, but it made a pretty tasty coconut cake this time that we enjoyed so I figured I'd share the recipe for the coconut cake that I did make.  The recipe is parve (non dairy), although I don't really keep Kosher, but it was still delicious.

Coconut Cake (recipe from the Kosher Baker) (makes tow nine inch cakes)
2 whole eggs plus four whites
2 cups canola oil
1 cup coconut milk
2 cups granulated sugar
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp vanilla extract
3/2 cup shredded coconut
1/4 tsp cream of tartar

Preheat the oven to 350.  Grease tow nine inch cake pans.  Separate the eggs and the yolks and place the two yolks in a bowl.  Add the coconut milk, canola oil, sugar, flour, baking powder, vanilla and shredded coconut to the bowl and beat with a whisk until combined, or use your electric stand mixer, like I did.  Set aside.

Add the cream of tartar to the six egg whites and beat using the whisk attachment in your mixer on high until stiff peaks form.  Fold the whites into three parts into the batter until combined.  Pour into the two prepared pans and bake 50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Allow to cool completely before frosting or eating plain, like we did.   It was soft, light coconutty and delicious! Like a bite of the tropics.

Sasha's Kitchen: Coconut Cake

Sasha's Kitchen: Butternut Squash Ravioli with Sage Brown Butter Sauce

I love making ravioli en masse using my ravioli press and pasta maker.  Yes, it's a bit time consuming, but it really doesn't take so long and you get several quick meals out of it in the end as your reward.  So, it's a great activity for a Sunday morning after yoga class.  Being that its fall, I figured it was time for butternut squash ravioli and what's a better way to serve it than a sage brown butter sauce. This meal was a huge success and there's plenty left in the freezer to enjoy for future dinners in a pinch.

Sasha's Butternut Squash Ravioli filling
32 oz cubed butternut squash, roasted and pureed
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp brown sugar
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Sasha's Pasta Dough
5 eggs
3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 T cold water
1 tsp kosher salt

Sasha's Sage Brown Butter Sauce
6 T butter
12 sage leaves
2 tsp lemon juice

Roast the squash at 400 until soft.  Puree in a blender.  Mix with the other ingredients for the filling and set aside.  To make the dough, I used my mixer.  Combine the eggs and flour on medium speed and pulse until mixed.  Add 2 T of water until a dough forms.  You may need to use your hands to bring it into four balls of dough.  Wrap the balls of dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for one hour.

Roll out sheets of dough to setting seven on your pasta maker and press using the ravioli press, adding the filling.  Allow to dry for an hour on a drying rack.  Then place the drying rack in your freezer and freeze for an hour before placing in bags.

To prepare the sauce, melt the butter until brown.  Add the sage leaves and cook another minute, before stirring in the lemon juice.  Cook the pasta for five minutes or so in boiling salted water and toss in the butter sauce and serve hot.

In the mood for most pasta? Check out my baked ziti on ShopRite's food blog, Potluck - my newest ShopRite post using their organic pasta.

Sasha's Kitchen: Butternut Squash Ravioli with Sage Brown Butter Sauce

Sasha's Kitchen: Pumpkin Flan

I made caramel! That's right, I made real caramel, without burning it or having it harden into a rock.  I'm so proud of myself that I finally got it right, and it wasn't that hard either.  This opens up new avenues for me - maybe I'll try making caramel candies sometime.  This time I made caramel as the top portion of a flan and I was absolutely thrilled with how well this dessert turned out for the first time making either caramel or flan.  To be honest, the dessert is made a bit like creme brulee (minus the blow torch), but for the separate caramel layer that is required. Next week, I am going to try my own recipe for a blueberry flan, but for the first time I used an established recipe I found in Bon Appetit magazine for Thanksgiving.  I enjoyed reading all the great Thanksgiving recipes and decided to try this one out.  Gosh, I really want to make a big turkey - but sadly we can't host Thanksgiving this year like we did last year. Oh well.  But I can still make a killer pumpkin flan!  This was a great Friday night dessert to top off the green apple risotto my husband made for dinner.

Pumpkin Flan (adapted from this recipe, cut in half below) - makes 6
3 large eggs
3 large egg yolks
1/3 cup sugar
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup milk
3 whole cloves
1/2 tsp orange zest (I omitted)
2 star anise
1 cinnamon stick
scant 1/4 tsp cardamom or one cracked cardamom pod
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 of a 15 oz can of pumpkin puree
1/2 cup sugar (for the caramel)
1/6 cup heavy cream (for the caramel)

Whisk together the eggs, egg yolks and 1/3 cup of sugar.  Set aside.  In a saucepan, bring 1 cup of the heavy cream, the milk and the cloves, star anise, cinnamon and cardamom to a simmer. Slowly then whisk in the egg mixture.  Allow to steep for thirty minutes.  The  strain.  Whisk in the vanilla and pumpkin, and if you like a half tsp of orange zest (which I omitted) and allow to chill for an hour and a half.  Note: the original recipe says three hours but I found an hour and a half to be sufficient and it worked out just fine. Towards the end of the chilling period, prepare the caramel.

Heat the 1/2 cup sugar with an eighth of a cup of water in a small saucepan over low heat until the sugar dissolves.  Increase the heat and boil without stirring until the syrup is deep amber in color.  Brush down the sides of the pan with a wet pastry brush and swirl the pan occasionally.  This takes about ten minutes.  The stir in the 1/6 cup heavy cream and the caramel will boil vigorously.  Divide the carmel among six ramekins and allow to sit until it sets into caramel, which won't take long.  Divide the custard op top of the caramel in the six ramekins.

Place remakins in a large pan and add hot water to the baking pan to come halfway up the sides, just like for creme brulee.  Bake at 350 for 25 minutes until the center is just set.  Child for about 45 minutes before inverting to serve on plates.

Sasha's Kitchen: Pumpkin Flan

Sasha's Kitchen: Vegetarian White Pizza

As you probably know by now, I am a big fan of homemade pizza. I wish we had a grill so I could try grilling it on the crust as well, but we've been making some pretty delicious pizzas on our pizza stone for awhile now.  Making your own pizza at home doesn't take as long as you think.  You just need a mixer to combine the dough quickly and an hour of time for the dough to rise, and from there it's pretty smooth sailing.  A couple weeks ago, my friend Robin was visiting from Seattle and we made this pizza together using plenty of tasty vegetables.  The peppadew peppers (pimentos) were a nice touch - they add a bit of mild spice to the vegetable flavors.  This might be one of my favorite homemade pizzas yet!


Sasha's Pizza Crust
1 cup warm water
2 packages dry active yeast
1 1/2 tsp sugar
2 T extra virgin olive oil
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt


Sasha's Vegetarian White Pizza
broccoli, diced
1/4 lb peppadew peppers (pinentos) diced
1/2 large red onion, chopped
3 T Shop Rite's basting oil with herbs
1 package park skim milk mozzarella, shredded
1 package monterey jack, shredded

Combine the ingredients for the dough.  Before combining, activate the yeast with the sugar in the warm water for about 10 minutes until it bubbles and is frothy.  Allow the dough to rise in a well oiled bowl, covered, for about an hour.

Stretch the pizza dough onto a pizza stone.  You can make your own pizza stone as well, a project I've been itching to do - out of a piece of granite from the hardware store.  Dust the pizza stone with cornstarch first!  Top with the cheese (I mixed in the ShopRite basting oil with all kinds of great herbs into the cheese mixture).  You could also buy fresh basil, thyme and parsley and other herbs and cut them up and add to the cheese.  It makes the pizza - trust me!  Top with the broccoli, pimentos and red onion.  I also considered adding some yellow zucchini but felt it didn't need it.  Bake in an oven preheated to 400 for 30 minutes.  Cut into slices and enjoy!

Sasha's Kitchen: Vegetarian White Pizza

Sasha's Kitchen: Pan Seared Salmon with Pumpkin Seed Pesto

This new salmon recipe is the perfect recipe for a week night - one I came across that is simple and delicious from my monthly subscription of bon appetit magazine.  You can find the original recipe here on their website.  This recipe is lovely and seasonal with the pumpkin seed pesto, but perfect for those nights when you just don't have the time to cook a complicated meal.  The pesto is delicious, and would be perfect on chicken, steak and vegetables.  But it works nicely with some high quality organic salmon as well!

Pan Seared Salmon with Pumpkin Seed Pesto
2-4 6-8 oz filets of salmon
2 1/4 tsp plus 1/4 cup of olive oil
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup shelled unsalted pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup firmly packed cilantro
1/2 tsp cracked coriander seeds (I used dried coriander powder)
1/2 garlic clove
1 T lime juice
kosher salt and black pepper
1 lime, cut into wedges.

Heat the 1 1/2 tsp oil in a nonstick pan and saute the pumpkin seeds for about 2 minutes until they are brown and pop.  Transfer to a paper towel.

Pulse in a food processor the pumpkin seeds, coriander, cilantro and garlic.  Add the lime juice and oil and water, pulsing after each addition to emulsify.  Season with salt and pepper and more lime juice if desired, and voila - there's your pesto.  It's that easy!

Heat the remaining 1 tsp of oil.  Season the fish and cook on both sides until just opaque in the center, about 3-4 minutes on each side.  Serve hot.

Sasha's Kitchen: Pan Seared Salmon with Pumpkin Seed Pesto

Sasha's Kitchen: Cabernet-Fig Glazed Veal Chops

Recently I've been exploring Bobby Flay's cookbook, Bar Americain, the newest addition to my always growing family of cookbooks.  A couple weeks ago, I made cabernet-fig glazed veal chops with his green chile spoonbread, which was a great Saturday night meal.  The main course and the side dish went together perfectly, and paired nicely with a lovely cabernet sauvignon from St Francis Winery that I had received two bottles of to sample a while back - a fantastic, deep tannic cabernet.  I'll write up the side dish soon, but for this post, I will share the main course, which was the perfect pairing for the St. Francis wine.  Bobby suggests in his cookbook making the recipe and the glaze for four veal porterhouse chops.  Instead, we made two boneless veal chops - and it was amazing.


Bobby Flay's Veal Chops with Fig Cabernet Vinegar Glaze
2 cups cabernet sauvignon
8 dried figs, halved
1 quart store bought veal stock or high quality chicken stock
2 shallots, finely diced
2 T balsamic vinegar
1 T honey
salt and pepper
2 14 oz boneless veal chops of veal porterhouse chops
2 T canola oil
parsley (for garnish)

To make the glaze, bring one cup of the wine  to a simmer. Removed from heat and add the chopped figs.  Allow to seep while you prepare the rest of the glaze.

Put the stock in a saucepan and bring to a boil.  It's important to use high quality chicken or veal stock, or it won't caramelize naturally in the proper way when you reduce it.  Cook until reduced to half to two cups, for about 15 minutes.  Add the shallots and remaining one cup of wine and continue cooking over high heat until reduced to a sauce consistency, about 25 minutes.  Stir in the vinegar and honey and fig mixture.  Keep warm and serve over the veal.

Season the veal chops with salt and pepper.  Grill on both sides in a grill pan until golden brown and slightly charred, about five minutes.   Ladle the glaze overtop.  Recipe for the side dish green chile spoonbread is coming soon!

Sasha's Kitchen: Cabernet-Fig Glazed Veal Chops

Sasha's Kitchen: Chocolate Cinnamon Jack O'Lantern Cupcakes with Maple Buttercream

Time for my halloween cupcakes!  I had originally planned on making these pumpkin cupcakes with maple buttercream, but was craving something chocolate.  I used a recipe in one of my cupcake books, Julie Hasson's 125 Best Cupcakes to make a nice cinnamon spiced cupcake (a mexican chocolate cupcake, I suppose) that's the perfect spicing for fall.  It was also a lovely complement to the maple buttercream that I made using my maple extract.  I made two batches of the buttercream.  I dyed one batch orange using gel food color to spread on the cupcakes.  I dyed the second batch black/grey and green, for the faces and the stems.  I'm not planning on carving a pumpkin this year, but these jack'o lanterns are just as good for the halloween spirit.  Happy Halloween! Note: no eggs are used in the recipe, but the balsamic vinegar activates the baking soda and helps the cupcakes rise.  The vinegar evaporates and has no taste.

Chocolate Cinnamon Cupcakes
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch process cocoa powder
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon (I used about 3/4 of a tsp)
1/2 tsp baking soda
pinch salt
1 cup granulated sugar (less than the original recipe calls for)
3/4 cup strong brewed coffee
1/2 cup canola oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp almond extract
2 T balsamic vinegar

Mix together the dry ingredients (flour, cocoa, salt, baking soda and cinnamon) in a small bowl.  In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, coffee, coil, vanilla and almond extract.  Mix in the flour mixture until smooth.  Mix in the balsamic vinegar.  Scoop batter into 12 lined cupcakes in a silicon cupcake tray.    Fill 3/4 of the way full.  Bake for 25-30 minutes in an oven preheated to 350 until a toothpick comes out clean.  Cool completely before frosting.

Maple Buttercream (I made two batches of the recipe below)
1 1/2 stick of unsalted butter
2 cups confectioner's sugar
2 T maple syrup
1 tsp maple extract

Beat the buttercream ingredients until smooth before frosting.  Enjoy!

Sasha's Kitchen: Chocolate Cinnamon Jack O'Lantern Cupcakes with Maple Buttercream

Sasha's Kitchen: Chopped Apple Salad & Meeting Bobby Flay

I had the privilege of receiving free tickets to attend the New York Food & Wine Festival again this year, courtesy of ShopRite, as a Potluck featured blogger.  I had the opportunity to taste lots of fabulous foods, and try out many of ShopRite's new products that their tasting pavilion.  In addition, I had the opportunity to have a photo taken with and of course meet one of my favorite chefs from the Food Network - Bobby Flay.  As a huge fan of cooking his recipes over the years, and watching him on Iron Chef America, I got him to sign a copy of his Bar American cookbook, and since then I've been cooking tons of recipes from it that we have really enjoyed. Here's the first recipe of several that we enjoyed trying out from his new cookbook.  It's a crisp, chopped apple salad with blue cheese that is healthy and perfect for fall!

Chopped Apple Salad (recipe adapted from Bobby Flay)
4 apples, peeled, cored and cut into 1/2 inch dice (I used granny smith apples)
5 oz baby spinach (the original recipe only calls for 2 oz but I like more)
2 large heads of belgian endive, thinly sliced crosswise
1 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts (I used pecans)
1/2 lbs crumbled blue cheese (about two cups)

Pomegranate Vinaigrette
3 T pomegranate molasses
2 T red wine vinegar
1 heaping T dijon mustard
1 T honey
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil or canola oil

Combine the ingredients for the salad and toss in the vinaigrette. Happy fall!

Sasha's Kitchen: Chopped Apple Salad & Meeting Bobby Flay