One of my best friends, Matt, recently moved into a swanky loft with high ceilings, concrete floors, an open kitchen—the whole deal. He’s started a tradition of Sunday night dinners at his new place where everyone is invited to come over, have a few drinks & enjoy whatever’s on his menu de jour. The past few weeks he’s hosted, it’s been a really lovely way to end the week & gear up for the one ahead.
Last night he made an amazing dish from Keller’s ad hoc at home: crispy braised chicken thighs with olives, lemon & fennel. By the time we arrived, Matt had already finished most of the cooking, but there were a few sous chef duties to be done. With the open space, cooking & visiting is effortless. So we finished chopping butternut squash (to roast as a sidedish), added the final seasonings to the sauce & poured drinks. The meal was superb. The meat was so tender it fell of the bone & the skin was perfectly crisped. Served in a white wine sauce with sauteed fennel, garlic, olives & onion—it was a brilliant introduction to what Keller’s book has to offer. And while we were all eating the meal together among family & friends, I thought about how Keller would probably be very proud. It was the philosophy behind his family-style cookbook actually lived out & enjoyed the way he intended it to be. Print this out & make it with your family & friends. Like, now.
Crispy Braised Chicken Thighs with Olives, Lemon & Fennel
3 fennel bulbs
12 chicken thighs
Kosher salt
Canola oil
1 c. coarsely chopped onion
1 tbs. finely chopped garlic
1/4 c. dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc
1 c. Ascolane or other large green olives, such as Cerignola
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
4 fresh (or 2 dried) bay leaves
4 strips lemon zest (removed with a vegetable peeler)
8 thyme sprigs
1 c. chicken stock
1/3 c. flat-leaf parsley leaves
Cut off the fennel stalks. Trim the bottom of the bulbs and peel back the layers until you reach the core; reserve the core for another use. Discard any bruised layers, and cut the fennel into 2-by- 1/2 -inch batons. You need 3 cups of fennel for this recipe; reserve any remaining fennel for another use.
Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Set a cooling rack on a baking sheet.
Season the chicken thighs on both sides with a pinch of salt. Heat a thin layer of canola oil in a large ovenproof sauté or roasting pan that will hold all the thighs in one layer over medium-high heat. Add the thighs skin side down and lightly brown, 5 to 10 minutes, depending on the heat of the oil in the pan. Turn the thighs over and cook for about 1 minute to sear the meat. Transfer to the cooling rack.
Reduce the heat to medium-low, add the onion to the pan, and cook for 1 1/2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Cook, stirring often, until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the fennel, turn the heat up to medium and cook, stirring often, until the fennel is crisp-tender, about 10 minutes.
Pour in the wine and simmer for about 2 minutes to burn off the alcohol. Stir in the olives, red pepper flakes, bay leaves, lemon zest and thyme, then pour in the chicken broth. Increase the heat, bring the liquid to a simmer, and cook until the fennel is tender, about 1 minute.
Taste the broth and season with salt as needed. Return the chicken to the pan, skin side up, in a single layer. When the liquid returns to a simmer, transfer to the oven and cook for about 20 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. (The meat will be firm and the juices will run clear, and a thermometer inserted should read 165 degrees.)
Turn on the broiler, and put the pan under the broiler for a minute or two to crisp and brown the chicken skin. Remove from the oven, and transfer to a serving platter. Garnish with the parsley leaves.
Can I just brag a little about Kendall, one of our most lovely & loyal readers? She read my last post about the Everyday Food cookbook, went out & bought it & then whipped up this amazing dinner with her boyfriend for Valentine’s Day. On the menu? Chicken in a dijon cream sauce, buttermilk mashed potatoes & lemon-thyme green beans. Delish!
Kendall, if the little dish had some trophies to give out, we would definitely award you one. Maybe someday when the ad revenue kicks in big time… Until then, thank you (to everyone) for reading 
My weekdays are sometimes like a culinary wasteland. It’s easy to cook nice things on the weekend when you can take a leisurely trip to the grocery store, stop by Starbucks, take your time in the kitchen… But on a lot of weeknights, that just doesn’t work for me. Too busy, too tired—and I think a lot of people are in the same place. I don’t have a family to take care of (yet), but the thought of feeding kids dinner on a consistent basis is really an amazing feat.
I don’t want to be a cook just on the weekends, because how much of our lives are spent then? I’ll tell you. It’s 2/7ths. So I’m making an attempt to cook simple, healthy meals more often. Otherwise, my someday-future kids are going to have to be convinced that Cheerios are a main course.
I just bought this cookbook to help in my quest: Everyday Food: Great Food Fast. (Initially because of the name, duh!) What I love most about it now is that it is sectioned by seasons, which is really nice. No more flipping through heavy pot roast recipes in June. Also there’s nutritional information for all the recipes in the back. Very helpful. I made my first recipe out of it this week & it was awesome. Recipe will follow soon! (This week’s Biggest Loser was a To Be Continued… so I’m pulling the same stunt too.)
Meet Thomas Keller: chef & owner of The French Laundry, reoccurring guest on TV shows like Top Chef, and one of the most famous American chefs. I’m sure you know of him, but now you have the chance to actually meet him. Tomorrow at the NorthPark Williams-Sonoma, Chef Keller will be signing copies of his new book, ad hoc at home. Unlike the legendarily complicated French Laundry Cookbook, Keller’s new book focuses on casual, family-style food with heart. Check it out here on Amazon, but don’t buy it because he’ll only be signing copies purchased at Willams-Sonoma.
Need 2 Know:
Who: Thomas Keller
What: ad hoc at home cookbook signing
When: Tomorrow, Friday December 11 at 2:00 PM
Where: 327 Northpark Center, Dallas, TX 75225 214.378.6216
Why: Because Keller is pretty awesome & the cookbook looks delicious! (It would also make a cool Christmas gift for foodies on your list. I’m not sure how many copies they will let you have signed, so that might be something to call about ahead of time if you’re planning on more than one!)
So last week I sent out a call for your baking suggestions & was delighted at the response. Thank you so much, guys! Really, you sent some great ideas for holiday baking. I will definitely be making some Chocolate Peppermint Patty Cookies this week (via The Los & Lauren). Sam’s Genoise Cake sounds like a delicious thing to try for an upcoming party.
I could go on, but those ideas will have to wait a little… When I was thinking about what to bake this weekend, I forgot about one minor thing. Well, actually it’s a big thing. This weekend had already been devoted to some VIB: very important baking. (I know, lame.)
Here’s the backstory: When I was a little girl, my grandma would bake all of us gingerbread houses to decorate for Christmas. She’d cook the individual pieces in cast iron pans & construct them into bare houses with royal icing caulking. When it came time to decorate, she’d whip up batches of royal icing to use as “glue” & lay out dishes of every kind of edible supply we thought would look pretty (with a heavy emphasis on red & green candies, of course).
The tradition has continued & we’ve done it without fail every year. On years we weren’t able to fly to our grandparent’s house for Christmas, she would actually mail everything to us. All of her eight grandkids (in three different cities from Palo Alto to Washington D.C.) would get a homemade house to decorate, frosting to use, and a kit of the harder-to-find candies she’d sought out. (Those chocolates that look like tumbled rocks were a huge deal, especially in the years before Central Market made them easy to access. Seriously the big time.) The dates are kinda fuzzy, but I’m pretty sure she did it for over 20 years because it started when I was young. That’s a lot of baking.
She passed away two years ago, leaving an empty space in our family that no one can fill. She was that kind of grandma, you know what I mean? So of all of the things about her we’re missing, I thought there was at least one thing I could do to keep our traditions the same. Before she died, I took the gingerbread pans & told her that I’d be happy to make them that year… & I guess the years after that too. Indefinitely I think, because everything about Christmas seems to remind me of her.
This year it hasn’t been going so well. The dough has been turning out strange, the side-panels of the house are bubbling & the corners are burning. I don’t remember so many mishaps last year—perhaps beginner’s luck? But I’m working on it & hope to have the ones I need to ship in the mail by Thursday. Wish me luck… I’ve got 2 down (poorly crafted ones I’ll probably try to pawn off on my brothers or sister) & 7 to go.
(If you’re interested in starting a tradition of your own, you can buy these pans that come with the recipe.)
So it’s been strangely quiet here on the little dish, which doesn’t make a whole lot of sense considering the holidays are like the playoffs for those who love to cook and bake (and eat, for that matter!)
I have to take full responsibility for that. I’m a writer in an industry that’s really impacted by the holidays. It’s a crazy, crazy time of year for me and I sort of shifted into “survival mode.” It’s been quite some time since I’ve had a relaxing meal out or investigated a new restaurant to try… Très sad!
But it hasn’t been all doom and gloom in my culinary world. For Thanksgiving, I baked a pumpkin cheesecake based on a recipe “stolen” from The Cheesecake Factory. It was a huge success. Assembling it was incredibly simple, almost therapeutic. Measuring out spices by the precise teaspoon, beating the cream cheese until it was soft and smooth, pressing the graham cracker crust into the pan… Simple and tangible and focused — everything my holiday season hasn’t been.
It reminded me of what I love most about baking and why it’s important, even at times when you think you’re too busy for it. Which is why I’m reaching out to you. I want to bake — no, need to bake — something fun & lovely this weekend. Any suggestions? Holiday sweets? A favorite comfort dessert? I’m open to something new to try, so please send suggestions!
Now as for that marvelous cheesecake… Not only was it simple to make, it was delicious. I used a Barefoot Contessa tip on cooling the cheesecake slowly to prevent cracking and it worked perfectly. You just turn off the oven a couple of minutes prematurely, but keep it in the hot oven so it continues to cook. After 10 minutes or so, open the door so that the heat slowly dissipates. Once it’s completely cooled, put it in the fridge to chill. I think the slow temperature change is what kept it from cracking. I’ve had trouble with that in the past and after following those steps, didn’t have even a tiny one!
The Cheesecake Factory’s Pumpkin Cheesecake
(I couldn’t find the copy cat site I found the recipe originally, but you can find it here)
Crust:
1 1/2 c. graham cracker crumbs
5 tbsp. butter, melted
1 tbsp. sugar
Filling:
(3) 8oz packages of cream cheese, softened
1 c. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 c. canned pumpkin
3 eggs
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. allspice
Whipped Cream
Mix the crust ingredients together in a medium bowl, just till coated and crumbly. Wrap the bottom (outside) of an 8″ springform pan with foil to prevent leaks. Press the crumbs onto the bottom and about two-thirds of the way up the sides of the springform pan. Bake the crust for 5 minutes, then set aside until you are ready to fill it.
In a large mixing bowl combine the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla. Mix with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the pumpkin, eggs, cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice and continue beating until smooth and creamy. Pour the filling into the pan.
Bake for 60-70 minutes. (The top will turn a bit darker at this point.) Remove from the oven and allow the cheesecake to cool. When the cheesecake has come to room temperature, put it into the refrigerator. When the cheesecake has chilled, remove the pan sides and cut. Serve with a generous portion of whipped cream on top.
When I visited Tim Love’s new Love Shack I had to try the jalapeno and cucumber margaritas that he added to the expanded drink menu. I love a great margarita and if the man could put together drink recipes like he can deliver a burger, I knew I would be impressed. So not surprisingly, the drink was a hit. The spice mixed well with the usual tang of the sweet & sour, which made for quite the refreshing drink. My only complaint was the size and the price. It was a little on the small side for 8 dollars….whaaa….I thought this was a burger joint in Fort Worth. Maybe jalapenos are super expensive?
Well, it turns out they’re not. It also turns out it’s super easy to make your own, so I put on my bartender hat and got to work.
Juice from 1 1/2 limes
Juice from 1/2 lemon
1 jalapeno
1 slice of cucumber (1/2 inch)
1 tablespoon sugar
1 oz water
2 oz tequila
Juice the limes and lemon. Set aside. Slice the jalapeno open and de-seed. Then roughly chop the cucumber and jalapeno. Blend the jalapeno, cucumber, sugar, and water until smooth. It’s ok if there are small bits of jalapeno or cucumber left; it adds character to your drink. Also, if you are making these for a party rather than a single serving, pre-blend a batch and store it in a pouring container so you can just add this to your margaritas as the party moves along. It will save you a bunch of time. Next add the juices and tequila to a 16oz glass filled with ice. Add the blended mixture and then shake contents with a Boston shaker or any other device you use to mix drinks. That’s it. Now enjoy.
These things turned out spectacular. Let me know if you try it, would love to hear your thoughts!
EDIT: I like to add in a little bit (1 oz) of store bought sweet & sour (or margarita) mix, just to bring it all together.
I’m visiting London for the first time! We’re staying with friends outside of the city and it’s really beautiful. I’m hoping to try some of the local cuisine, but want to avoid anything involving offal. That seems like a good goal.
Last night I baked my first meringue with my friend Teresa. We followed a recipe from a grocery store here in the UK, Sainsbury’s. I’ve heard that meringues can be tricky, but ours turned out beautiful. Maybe is was a touch of beginner’s luck? Light and fluffy, yet crunchy! Between the meringues we sandwiched a lemon cream cheese and peaches. Apparently when you’re shopping in the UK, you can select the grade of produce quality you want. Level 1 is the best and the freshest, but it’s also the most expensive. Something like a level 3 is fine, but maybe not perfect and a little less expensive. These peaches were level 1. Delicious.
Although the meringues take a long time to bake (two hours), there wasn’t a lot of prep work involved. They’d be a perfect dessert to start before a dinner party and then quickly assemble after the meal. A really great choice for the final days of Summer!
Peach Meringues with Light Soft Cheese
4 egg whites
250 g. granulated sugar (sorry, i have no idea how many cups that is)
200 g. cream cheese
Zest of one orange
2 tbs. powdered sugar, sifted
2 peaches, washed and sliced
Preheat the over to 225 degrees. Place the egg whites in a dry glass bowl* and whisk until stiff. Add 1 tbs. of granulated sugar and continue to whisk until thick and glossy. Using a metal spoon, fold in the remaining sugar a little at a time until it’s all mixed in.
Line a baking tray with parchement to stop the meringue from sticking. Pipe or spoon round of meringue onto the parchment, spacing them out to prevent them touching as they bake. Place in the oven and cook for two hours, then turn off the oven and leave the meringues in there until they are cool.
Carefully remove the meringues from the parchment and store them in an airtight container until ready to fill.
To make the filling, mix the softened cream cheese with the orange zest and powered sugar. Use to sandwich the meringue together with a few slices of peach.
*The recipe offered these tips for beating the egg whites: Egg whites should be whisked in a bowl free from grease, a glass bowl is the best option. That being said, we used the kitchenaid fitted with a whisk and it turned out perfectly. Plus, we didn’t have to do ALL that whisking by hand!
Night before last I wanted to make a special weeknight dinner as a surprise. As usual, I turned to the domestic goddess, Ina Garten, for some inspiration. If you follow her show, you know that she focuses a lot on chicken as a primary ingredient. I like this because it’s a really easy way to start a meal and she has so many ideas on how to make it different each time. Browse her top 100 recipes on the Food Network and you’ll see what I’m talking about; there’s a lot of chicken to be found!
For my menu, I chose her roasted chicken with herb goat cheese. I have really been in love with goat cheese lately and this recipe has received so many great comments on the site. It was delicious and so, so easy.
This was really a victory for me too. You might be surprised to find that, despite my love of cooking, I really hate handling meat. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve compromised a recipe by substituting whole or split chicken on the bone for boneless, skinless chicken breast. In my book, the less it resembles an animal, the better. However, I’ve really come to see this as a mini-food tragedy. Chefs go on and on about how roasting with the skin on leaves great flavor, that the bone keeps so much moisture in, so on.
So, slowly I’ve been working over that ooky feeling and this recipe was a big step. LOOK AT THE DIRECTIONS. Oh, yeah. It involves putting your hand underneath the skin to stuff it. You’re just there…touching meat. Whether or not this is a big deal to you, it shouldn’t matter because this chicken is awesome and so worth it.
(Oh and I promise, the next recipe will not be an Ina one. I do need to add something else to my repertoire!)
Chicken With Herb Goast Cheese from Barefoot Contessa
3 whole (6 split) chicken breasts, bone-in, skin-on
12 oz. goat cheese with garlic and herbs
Fresh basil leaves
Good olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Place the chicken breasts on a baking sheet. Loosen the skin from the meat with your fingers, leaving one side attached.. Cut 12 thick slices of the Montrachet and place 2 slices plus a large basil leaf under the skin of each chicken breast. Rub each piece with olive oil and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Bake the breasts for 35 to 40 minutes, until just cooked through. Serve hot or at room temperature.
Spent the evening just relaxing at the house and decided to make homemade caramel sauce for my ice cream! I was delicious and surprisingly really easy to make, especially considering I didn’t use a thermometer as suggested. I just judged it by color and it was fine. I have no idea why Ina’s recipe asks you to cool for four hours before serving; I definitely couldn’t wait that long. Twenty minutes in the fridge was perfect
(Oh, and sorry about the iPhone pic. Brian is out of town, so I gotta make due!)
Caramel Sauce from Barefoot Contessa
1 1/2 c. sugar
1/3 c. water
1 1/4 c. heavy cream
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
Mix the water and sugar in a medium saucepan. Cook over low heat for 5 to 10 minutes, until the sugar dissolves. Do not stir. Increase the heat to medium and boil uncovered until the sugar turns a warm chestnut brown (about 350 degrees F on a candy thermometer), about 5 to 7 minutes, gently swirling the pan to stir the mixture. Be careful – the mixture is extremely hot! Watch the mixture very carefully at the end, as it will go from caramel to burnt very quickly. Turn off the heat. Stand back to avoid splattering and slowly add the cream and vanilla. Don’t worry – the cream will bubble violently and the caramel will solidify.
Simmer over low heat, stirring constantly, until the caramel dissolves and the sauce is smooth, about 2 minutes. Allow to cool to room temperature, at least 4 hours. It will thicken as it sits.
