Monthly Archives: February 2014

Pickled Grapes with Rosemary and Chiles

Ever since my trip to Nashville, I’ve been inspired to discover more about the exciting food movement happening with southern cuisine. Along the way I discovered the Lee Brothers. Matt Lee  and Ted Lee are founders of “The Lee Bros. Boiled Peanuts Catalogue,” a mail-order catalog for southern pantry staples. They are also food and travel journalists whose work has appeared in Travel + Leisure, Food & Wine, GQ, The New York Times and Martha Stewart Living. Together they authored The Lee Bros. Southern Cookbook and Simple Fresh Southern, which is a fantastic cookbook. This is one of the first recipes I made from the book. So easy to make but with a delicious sweet and sour taste , with an added kick of heat. It’s perfect to serve with your favorite cocktail.
From by the bay, wishing you pickled food memories!
Maryann
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Pickled Grapes with Rosemary and Chiles
Ingredients
6 cups stemmed mixed red and green seedless grapes (about 2 pounds)
2 cups distilled white vinegar or white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons sugar
3 cloves garlic, crushed and peeled
Leaves from 1 four-inch sprig rosemary
1/2 teaspoon crushed dried red chile flakes
Directions
Pack the grapes into 3 pint-size glass containers with lids. Pour the vinegar and 1 cup water into a saucepan, set it over medium-high heat, and add the salt, sugar, garlic, rosemary, and chile flakes. When the mixture starts to simmer, remove the pan from the heat and divide the hot brine among the pints of grapes. Cover loosely and let cool to room temperature. Cover tightly and chill in the refrigerator for about 1 hour before serving. The pickles will keep in the refrigerator for about 2 weeks.
Reprinted from The Lee Bros. Simple Fresh Southern: Knockout Dishes with Down-Home Flavor by Matt and Ted Lee. Copyright © 2009 Published by Clarkson Potter
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Total time: 1 hour 40 minutes
Yield: Makes 1 1/2 quarts

Porcini Mushroom and Chestnut Dressing

Once the holidays end, I think we forget how good a side dish dressings are during the winter. This dressing recipe is inspired by my mother. I tried to recreate one of her food memories from her childhood. My grandfather cooked with many Italian influences that he gathered from both his childhood and his days working at sea. This recipe is based on my mother’s memory combined with my own Italian food memories. The results is a delicious combination of ingredients featuring both porcini and baby bella mushrooms combined with chestnuts . It’s a perfect complement to roasted pork or poultry. This one is for you Mom with all my love !

From by the bay wishing you porcini food memories!

Maryann

 

 

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Porcini Mushroom and Chestnut Dressing

Serves 6 to 8

 

Ingredients

8 cups country bread, cut into ½ inch cubes with crust, approximately 1 loaf bread

1/2 cup olive oil, plus 3 tablespoons olive oil

1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms

4 ounces pancetta, cubed

8 ounces mushrooms such as Baby Bella, cleaned and sliced

1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes

2 leeks, cleaned and sliced in rings

2 teaspoons fresh thyme, minced

11/2 tablespoons fennel seed

1 jar whole roasted chestnuts, 14.8 ounces

1 cup grated parmesan cheese

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

2 cups low sodium chicken stock

1 cup porcini liquid

1/2 cup parsley, chopped

2 teaspoons fine sea salt

1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

Directions

In a medium bowl add the dried porcini mushrooms and cover with 1 1/2 cups boiling water. Set aside. Preheat oven to 400 degree F. On two baking sheets toss the bread cubes  with 1/2 cup olive oil and then spread the bread in a single layer on two rimmed large baking sheets. Bake about 10-12 minutes until bread is golden brown. Set aside to cool, then place in a large mixing bowl. In a large skillet heat 2 tablespoons olive oil, add pancetta and cook until crisp, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove pancetta with a slotted spoon and place in the mixing bowl with the bread. To the same skillet used for the pancetta heat the remaining tablespoon olive oil over medium heat and then add the leeks. Saute until softened about 10 minutes, separating the leek rings, then add the Baby Bella sliced mushrooms and red chili flakes and saute until softened another 10 minutes. Remove from heat and add to the bowl with the bread and pancetta. To this bowl add the chestnuts crumbling them.  Add the cheese, thyme leaves, fennel seeds and parsley to the bowl.  Take the bowl with the porcini and remove the porcini mushrooms keeping the soaking liquid. Coarsely chop the porcini mushrooms and add to the bowl with the dressing.  Strain the soaking liquid to remove any dirt or grit at the bottom of the bowl and add one cup of this liquid to your dressing. Add 2 cups of chicken stock. Mix the ingredients together and season with salt and pepper. If dressing is not moist add some additional chicken stock. Mix well. The dressing can be made up to this point one day in advance and refrigerate until ready to bake. To bake the dressing, remove from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature. Bake in a 350 degree F oven for 30 minutes, until dressing is heated through the top is golden brown. Remove from oven and serve warm.

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Chocolate Dipped Shortbread Cookies

I like to indulge in the occasional cookie and I can’t think of a better way to indulge than with shortbread. I’ve made shortbread the traditional way, where it’s super crumbly and that’s great, but during a trip to London, I fell in love with shortbread cookies that were rolled out and cut into various shapes and sizes. I love this variation of shortbread especially since you can dip your shapes into chocolate – delicious! I experimented with dulce blond chocolate from Whole Foods for a lovely dulce de leche taste, a major success. This is a perfect cookie for any holiday, you can try hearts for Valentine’s Day, Trees for Christmas or Bunnies for Easter to name just a few ideas.
From by the bay, wishing you buttery shortbread food memories!
Maryann
blog choc shortbread
Chocolate Dipped Shortbread Cookies
Adapted from Betty Crocker
Makes approximately 48 cookies
Ingredients
1 cup unsalted butter, softened ( 2 sticks), plus 1 -2 tablespoons
3/4 cup confectioner’s sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup chocolate ( semi- sweet, bittersweet or dulce blond)
2 teaspoons shortening
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Use an electric mixer to beat together  1 cup butter, sugar and vanilla. On low speed slowly add the flour to combine. If the dough is crumbly add the additional tablespoons of butter. Roll dough 1/2 inch thick on lightly floured surface. Roll dough in one direction to keep the dough smooth. Cut into small rounds using a floured 1 1/2 inch cutter. Place on non stick cookie sheets 1/2 inch apart. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until set and the bottoms are golden brown.  Remove from oven and place onto wire rack to cool, about 30 minutes. In a small microwavable bowl add the chocolate and shortening. Microwave on high for 1 minute, remove from oven and stir briskly. Repeat process until chocolate is smooth and melted. Dip half of each cookie into the melted chocolate and place on wax paper until chocolate is set.
Alternate ideas: skip the chocolate and add 2 teaspoons of lemon zest or chopped finely rosemary or finely chopped crystalized ginger. Also, you can cut into other shapes, I like to cut into little mini shapes for a delicate treat.

Speculoos Cookie Dough Truffles

Wondering what you can make for your special someone this Valentine’s Day? Look no further than this cookie dough truffle recipe. Making your own truffles is a wonderful way to say ” I love you”. This truffle uses speculoos cookie dough, which is easy to find – thank you Amazon grocery!
I used bittersweet chocolate to coat the little cookie dough truffles, I love the depth of flavor from the bittersweet chocolate, especially when set off with a little sea salt!From by the bay wishing you cookie dough food memories!
Maryann
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Speculoos Cookie Dough Truffles
yield 1 1/2-2 dozen truffles
2 tbs unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup TJ’s Speculoos Cookie Butter (or Biscoff spread, or any other Speculoos spread you prefer)
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup ground shortbread cookies
2/3 cup dark chocolate, melted
optional toppings: fleur de sel, cinnamon chips, white chocolate
Directions:
In a medium bowl, beat together butter, cookie butter, vanilla and ground cookies until well combined.  Cover and chill for 30min-1 hour.
Roll dough into 1/2 tbs sized balls, and use a fork to dip and fully coat in melted chocolate. Set on parchment paper, and repeat with remaining dough.  Freeze for 1 hour to set, then keep in freezer or refrigerator.
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