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Rabu, 12 Maret 2014

WARNING This is Not Paleo Lemon Cake Pops

I dont want what Im about to say to come between us, but I mean it when I say that most "cheat" food isnt worth it. Like, Im a really good cook. Seriously, have you seen this? Or what about this? And I cant forget this. I mean, the things I can do with paleo ingredients is just...beyond. Consequently, it takes something non-paleo thats really REALLY good to make deviating from the dietary lifestyle Ive chosen worth it. These lemon cake pops are worth it.

So if that first thing I said didnt come between us, this next thing probably will: I used a boxed cake mix to make these. Go ahead--SHUN MEEEEEEEE!!!!! I have it coming!! Despite my firm belief that homemade is ALWAYS better than boxed cake mix, which Ive vehemently verbalized, I just couldnt bring myself to make it from scratch because I was knee-deep in a variety of other goodies for book club.

In my defense, which believe me, I know I have none, I did make the icing from scratch. You see, to make cake pops, all you do is bake a cake, crumble it up with a fork, and then combine it with icing until it just barely starts to come together. Homemade frosting flavors > boxed cake mix and thus, it all turned out okay.

Because I wanted to be able to eat like, 7 of these myself (and believe me, youll want to), I wanted a flavor that wouldnt be too rich by the 6th pop, hence my decision to make them lemon.

So, to repeat, thats lemon cake, lemon cream cheese frosting, formed into balls, and then dunked into white chocolate and sprinkled with yellow sanding sugar.

Could you just die? I mean, could.you.just.die???

In case youre living somewhere Starbucks doesnt exist (and by God, I hope thats none of you), and youve never had a cake pop, they basically taste like the moistest cake youve ever had in your life coated in chocolate.

Its like I said...very few things are "worth" it. These are. Even if you do have to make two trips to the grocery store to get the right white chocolate when the first bag you get seizes up.

For more cake pop ideas, check out Bakerella!

Who else has made cake pops? Do you find them a pain in the ass to make? Do you also like to eat half a dozen in one setting??

Minggu, 23 Februari 2014

News Skyr is now available in New York and Boston

According to Morgunblaðið, skyr is now available in Whole Foods Markets in the New York and Boston areas.

Minggu, 16 Februari 2014

Miso Glazed Skirt Steak – There is Nothing More American Than Foreign Ingredients

This succulent grilled skirt steak recipe would be perfect for your 4th of July cookout, and what better way to celebrate America’s birthday than with an ingredient from Japan.

Our nation has lots to be proud of; and one thing I take special pride in is our willingness to integrate any and all culinary influences into our cuisine. We don’t much care where it comes from, as long as it’s delicious, we will assimilate.

There was a time, not that long ago, when only a lucky few “gourmands” living near big cities had access to imported ingredients like miso, balsamic vinegar, truffle oil, etc. Nowadays, these items are found in virtually every large grocery store, from sea to shining sea. When I hear the words, “immigrants built this country,” I don’t think of railroads, bridges, and roads; I think pizza, sushi, and foie gras torchon.

I’ll admit to knowing very little about miso, or why it’s so effective in this simple glaze, but that’s okay. There is nothing wrong with a little mystery in your cooking (think burlesque vs. full-frontal). How and why it makes the beef so juicy and flavorful is not nearly as important as the fact it does.

I’ve done countless variations of this glaze, and oddly enough I prefer a red wine vinegar in this, over more obvious choices like rice vinegar. Maybe it’s just because I associate red wine with red meat, but I really think there’s something else going on. What? No idea (see paragraph 4).

You’ll notice the ingredient list is relatively short, and it should probably stay that way, but of course I expect you to tweak this to your personal tastes. Not doing so would be downright un-American. I hope you give this great grilled miso glazed skirt steak a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 2 large or 4 smaller portions:

1 whole skirt steak (about 1 1/2 pounds)

2 tbsp yellow miso

3 tbsp red wine vinegar

1 packed tbsp brown sugar

1/8 tsp cayenne

2 cloves finely crushed garlic

freshly ground black pepper to taste
*Glaze should be spread over both sides of meat, and left out for 30 minutes.
**I think skirt steak has the best texture if cooked between medium-rare and medium. Id remove at an internal temp of 130-135 F.

View the complete recipe

Sabtu, 25 Januari 2014

Is it Summer

Its about 9C here today and raining! I was feeling pretty cold and had about 40 minutes before lunch was due, so thought Id see what was in the fridge that I could make into soup! Hmmm, some rather dodgy potatoes, wrinkly and starting to sprout, its so difficult to keep potatoes at this time of year, onions, carrots and a courgette. Yes, that was enough to make some soup and it would be low cal too.

I dont even bother to fry/sweat the veg just peel, chop and throw them in, make some stock with veg or chicken stock powder and a kettle full of boiling water and then the magic ingredient.....

...my beloved pressure cooker! This is the first time Ive used it on my ceramic hob, it takes a little longer to get up to pressure, but there is a more even temperature to maintain the pressure cooking. Once it is up to temp, its only 10 minutes till you have your lovely pot of soup. I took out some of the veg, then liquidised the rest of the veg and stock with a hand blender and put back in the lovely chunky bits that I had saved.

It was lovely and warming especially with a generous grinding of black pepper.

Rabu, 25 Desember 2013

Tomato Sauce – Your Wish is Eventually My Command

One of the most common "food wishes" I get is for tomato sauce. Even though Ive received hundreds of requests for my tomato sauce recipe, Ive resisted filming it for a few reasons.

First, I always thought I would eventually put all my most requested, unpublished recipes on a DVD, and totally get rich. That scheme has been thwarted since, over the course of the last couple years, I filmed and posted just about every recipe that fits that description.

Second, tomato sauce recipes are so personal that what I may think is a perfect all-purpose sauce, you may taste and think is the worse one you ever had. I remember going out to eat as a kid and listening to my mom and aunts talk about how the sauce we were eating was an abomination compared to "our" sauce.

Anyway, those issues aside, this is my basic, all-purpose tomato sauce. I trust youll taste and adjust the seasoning as you see fit, and be relatively gentle when comparing it to your grandmothers clearly superior version.

One thing I hope you do not change is the tomato. There is little debate among tomato sauce aficionados regarding the advantages using the magnificent San Marzano tomato. This long, intensely red, plum tomato variety imported from Italy can be found in any good Italian market, and most of the larger high-end grocery chains.

Any sauce recipe is only as good as the tomatoes, and unless youre going to use a basket of sugar-sweet, vine-ripened tomatoes in the middle of summer, these are your best option. I hope you find some and give this sauce recipe a try.

The other ingredient that may give you pause is the hint of anchovy paste. Use it. No one will taste it, and while I cant prove any of this, it really does "something." Enjoy!

Ingredients:
2 cans (28-oz) whole peeled San Marzano plum tomatoes
1/4 cup olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 rib celery, fine dice
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
pinch of red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon anchovy paste
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley
water as needed