Monthly Archives: April 2009

Hollandaise Sauce just takes practice

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Last week I held a "by request" cooking class in my kitchen. The focus was sauces. I’m definitely not an expert in French technique when it comes to sauces. But, I do make a pretty mean Hollandaise and a velvety Bernaise. I make the Hollandaise on a regular basis and when I use it in my classes, I call it "no fail." No more.

At Wednesday’s class, it failed not once, but twice. I started thinking it might be time to find a new recipe for Hollandaise. And there it was the very next day, posted on one of my new favorite blogs, Laura’s Best Recipes. It looks wonderful in Laura’s photo, spooned over salmon. In class we had planned to ladle it over poached eggs and  steamed asparagus spears atop bacon-flecked waffles. We wound up using our perfect Bernaise sauce, creating a delicious alternative.

With Laura’s permission, I am posting her recipe for Hollandaise Sauce. When I contacted Laura, she said, "Good luck with the hollandaise… it can be tricky if you get the water too hot… just keep whisking and you can add cold water or ice cubes in small amounts if it breaks… I almost didn’t post it because it just takes practice and is sometimes hard to describe technique in a written recipe." When you go to the Hollandiase post on her blog, she includes a video that does show the technique for making the sauce.

Visit Laura’s Best Recipes to enjoy her personal stories and her best recipes, of course. Thanks for the Hollandiase recipe, Laura.

Hmmm, with mangoes on my mind, I wonder how Laura’s sauce would be with a swirl of finely chopped mangoes spooned over the walleye in the freezer that my husband is planning to prepare? I think we’ll try it. Check out the Mango and Shrimp Quesadillas in my column this week.

Hollandaise Sauce

by ldlevy, Laura’s Best Recipes
 

Ingredients:

  • 3 egg yolks (organic, natural raised)
  • 5-6 Tablespoons butter (3/4 stick) per egg yolk
  • juice of about 2 big fresh lemons, plus add some zest, pinch sugar (dont ask why, it just tastes better)
  • salt to taste
  • Few drops of Tabasco
  • Few drops of Worcester Sauce

In a bowl or top of a double broiler over simmering water (do not allow it to boil just hot and simmering), whisk all until very light and frothy, then start whisking in melted butter  until it comes up very thick and creamy, add a small splash of cold water and keep whisking, adjust seasonings, add some fresh cracked pepper and keep warm in bain marie.  It is best to serve it immediately upon making the sauce.  The following video is helpful to see the technique.  Also you can see how you can use a bowl and pan to create a make-shift double broiler.

If the sauce “breaks” then just lightly blend with a hand held mixer. Clarified butter isn’t necessary unless you are making large quantities of the sauce.

You may add fresh chopped parsley or tarragon to season.

P.S. from Sue: Be sure to note that the amount of butter called for in the recipe, 5 to 6 tablespoons, is per egg yolk. Plan to use 5 to 6 tablespoons butter for each of the 3 egg yolks, meaning 15 to 18 tablespoons of butter.

They’re my dad’s banana muffins (with a tropical twist)

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My favorite banana muffins in the whole world have always been the ones my dad called his own. I don’t remember a time that he ever made them, but still, he called the moist muffins his banana muffins.

With pride in his voice, he would tell us the same story each time we ate the muffins. He was just a young boy when he invented the recipe in his mom’s kitchen. He mixed them up and baked them himself. Apparently, though, when he got married, he passed the banana muffin-making over to his wife. And so, for years, my mom made my dad’s banana muffins. My brother and I, along with my dad, would eat the muffins up in no time. They were delicious.

I’m not so sure my dad would approve of me playing around with his recipe. I’m in the midst of mango madness. I couldn’t stop myself from stirring some chunks of fresh mango into my dad’s banana muffins. Since I had half a can of cream of coconut in my refrigerator, leftover from the coconut cream custard I made for the mango soup (see previous post), I decided to stir some of that into the batter, too.

The new version of my dad’s banana muffins took on a tropical flair. They are still moist and full of great flavor. I’ve discovered the blacker the bananas look, the more pronounced the banana flavor will be in the baked muffins. When the last of a bunch of bananas starts to look too dark to eat, I put them in a zip-top freezer bag and pop them into the freezer. When I’m ready to start making muffins, I take them out of the freezer and let them thaw a little bit. I cut off the top end of each banana and squeeze the mushy banana right into the mixing bowl. Easy.

Next time I make the muffins with cream of coconut, I will stir in some chopped macadamia nuts and maybe some shredded coconut.

If you don’t have cream of coconut on hand, you can leave it out and increase the sugar from 1/2 cup to 1 cup.

Be sure the mango you use is ripe, juicy and sweet.

And remember — they’re my dad’s banana muffins (with a tropical twist). I’m pretty sure he’d like them.

P.S. Be sure to check out the Mango and Shrimp Quesadillas in my column this week. They would be perfect to serve at a Cinco de Mayo party.

My Dad’s Banana Muffins (with a tropical twist) or

Coconut Cream Banana Mango Muffins

  • 1/2 cup butter (1 stick), room temperature
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup cream of coconut (such as Coco Casa)
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 large ripe bananas, mashed
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/4 teaspoon fresh lime juice
  • 1 cup vanilla yogurt or sour cream
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 ripe mango, chopped (1 cup)
  • Turbinado sugar or sparkling sugar for sprinkling on muffin tops

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat muffin tins with non-stick cooking spray.

In small bowl, combine yogurt or sour cream and baking soda. Mix well and set aside.

In mixing bowl, cream butter until smooth. Add sugar and beat until incorporated. Add cream of coconut and blend. Add eggs, mashed bananas, vanilla, lime juice, and yogurt and baking soda. Mix well. Sift flour, baking powder and salt together.  Stir just until all the dry ingredients have disappeared into the batter. Stir in mangoes.

Spoon batter into prepared muffin tins to 3/4 full. Sprinkle the top of each muffin with some turbinado sugar or sparkling sugar. Bake in preheated 400-degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from muffin tins and cool on wire rack.

These muffins freeze well.

Mango Soup…Hot, Hot, Hot!

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There are two things in my world that tell me spring is officially here. One, the call of the loons wake me from my morning slumber as they float on the river just outside my window. That just happened Wednesday morning. Two, the small juicy yellow-skinned mangoes are ready to purchase by the case at my favorite little Asian market in Fargo. Done. Spring is here.

This year the mangoes are from Mexico and are called Adolfo (Ataulfo). I’ve seen some that look similar that are called Champagne mangoes. All I know for sure is that these small mangoes are the sweetest and juiciest I’ve ever tasted.

If the mangoes you bring home from the store look like the ones pictured above, let them sit out at room temperatue until the skins get all wrinkled with a few little brown spots. Then you will know the mangoes are sweet and ready to eat.

I decided to prepare a savory mango soup for a Caribbean-themed dinner I was planning to attend. To add some coconut flavor to the finished soup, I tried to recreate a coconut custard I recently tasted.

While I was working in Minneapolis last week, I had the opportunity to have dinner at Heidi’s, a cozy little restaurant near 50th and Penn. The food was fantastic. I was especially smitten by my entree. Sauteed halibut on a Haupia cake was that evening’s special. The haupia cake was made of coconut custard that had been cut into a plank, coated with Panko and fried.

I wanted some of that coconut custard to top my hot mango soup.

I cooked up some custard using coconut milk, coconut cream and a little curry paste for some kick, thickening the mixture with cornstarch.

The mango soup is very easy to make, but the real key is to use the ripest, sweetest and juiciest mangoes you can get your hands on. I’ve had an opened container of tamarind paste/concentrate in my refrigerator for ages and am always trying to think of ways to use it up. It’s very tart, so 1 teaspoon in this soup is just right. It balances so nicely with the sweet mangoes.

Top each bowl of hot soup with a small scoop of Coconut Cream Custard. Garnish with a curl of lime. Serve. And then, just listen to all those satisfied ooohs and aaaahs and sighs.

It’s a little bit sweet, a little bit spicy.

At the Caribbean dinner it will be served just before Stuffed Pork Tenderloin with Black Bean Salsa and Curried Citrus Rice, all prepared by our host. I’ll be sure to give you a report on the whole meal.

I plan to make the soup again while my favorite mangoes are still available and serve it with some spiced and grilled shrimp.

Coconut Cream Custard

  • 1 1/2 cups water, divided
  • 8 ounces cornstarch
  • 1 (14-ounce) can coconut milk (not the Lite style)
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 of a 16-ounce can of Coco Casa Coconut Cream
  • 1 teaspoon curry paste

Using a fork, mix cornstarch with 1 cup of water, stirring to dissolve cornstarch. Set aside.

In a medium saucepot, mix coconut milk, sugar and remining 1/2 cup of water. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Remove from heat. Pour cornstarch mixture into the hot liquid, stirring constantly with a fork or wire whisk. When mixture is quite smooth, return to heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens. Remove from heat and stir in cream of coconut and curry paste. Set aside while preparing cooling dish.

Line a 9-inch square baking dish with parchment paper or waxed paper. Pour coconut custard into lined dish. Press a piece of waxed paper over the top of the custard so it is completely sealed. Chill in refrigerator until firm.

Custard can be made the day before and kept in the refrigerator until time to serve the soup.

 Smooth & Savory Mango Soup with a Coconut Cream Dollop

  • 5 medium-sized white onions, chopped
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
  • 6 very ripe Adolfo (Ataulfo) mangoes, peeled, seed removed, chopped
  • 1 serrano pepper, seeded, minced
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 1 teaspoon tamarind paste
  • 1 teaspoon coarse salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
  • Lime zest for garnish, if desired 

In a soup pot, melt butter. Saute chopped onions in butter until tender but not brown. Add chopped mangoes and minced serrano. Stir and cook for a couple of minutes. Add chicken broth. Bring soup to a simmer. Cover pot and simmer for about 30 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in tamarind paste, salt and pepper.

Puree soup in blender in several small batches. I always cover the lid of the blender with my kitchen towel before I turn it on, just in case that hot soup spurts out of the top.

To serve, ladle hot soup into serving bowls. Place a small scoop of Coconut Cream Custard on each serving. Garnish with a curl of lime zest, if desired.

 

 

A puff of citrus with a dunk and a dip … or full immersion?

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My mom’s friend, Judy, used to make the most delicious little muffins that she called French Puffs. The miniature muffins were buttery and sweet. While they were still hot from the oven, she would immerse each little puff ball into melted butter and then roll it in cinnamon sugar.

When I started to make Judy’s recipe, I’d often start eating them as soon as they were dipped and rolled. The butter would drip down my chin and each bite would bring a little crunch of cinnamon and sugar. I have always loved serving these little French Puffs with brunch.

This time of year I get into such a lemon frenzy. I can’t get enough of the bright citrus flavor. Remember the Citrus Cream I used to fill the Tropical Twist Cream Cake in last week’s food column? The base of that Cream was actually a citrus curd, combining the juice and zest of lemons and limes.

I made another batch of the curd because I wanted to try using it in the French Puff muffins that I already love. Could they get any better?

The final results are tender and buttery  with just a hint of citrus. I divided the batter in half and stirred some poppy seeds into one portion. Rather than totally immersing each muffin in melted butter, I dipped only the tops into the yellow richness and then into granulated sugar for a little crunch and a little sparkle.

I have enough citrus curd left to make one more batch of muffins. I think I’ll chop up some toasted walnuts and stir them into the batter. And this time, I’ve decided on full butter immersion and a complete roll in the sugar. You just can’t beat that element of these baby muffin puffs.

As I mentioned in this week’s column, these muffins are a nice complement to the Ham and Eggs Couscous Salad – a delicious combination for a Spring luncheon with friends. But maybe just a dunk and a dip rather than the full immersion route.

Citrus Puff Muffins

  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup sour cream or plain yogurt
  • 1/2 cup Citrus Curd (see recipe below)
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
  • 4 tablespoons butter, melted
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Coat mini-muffin pans with non-stick cooking spray or shortening.

Beat 1/2 cup butter in a mixing bowl until smooth. Add 3/4 cup sugar and beat to incorporate. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until well blended and light. Beat in sour cream or yogurt and Citrus Curd. Sift flour, baking powder and salt together. Add all at once to mixture in bowl. Stir just until dry ingredients have been mixed in.

Divide batter in half. Add poppy seeds to one half of the batter.

Spoon a heaping tablespoon of batter into each prepared muffin cup or making each cup 3/4 full. Bake in preheated 400-degree oven for about 10 minutes or until the center springs back when lightly touched.

While muffins are baking, melt 4 tablespoons butter in a small glass custard cup. Scoop 1/4 cup sugar in another small shallow bowl. Dip each hot muffin in butter, then in sugar. Set on wire rack to cool completely. Depending on the size of your muffin tins, you will get 2 1/2 to 3 dozen Citrus Puff Muffins.

Citrus Curd

  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • Grated zest of 1 lime
  • Grated zest of 1 orange
  • ¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice
  • ¼ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 3 large eggs

Cut butter into pieces and place in a heavy saucepot. Add lime and orange zest, juices and sugar. Place pot over moderate heat. Stir until butter melts and mixture just begins to simmer. Remove from heat. In a bowl, whisk eggs together until light and frothy. Gradually add hot liquid, whisking constantly. When mixture is well blended, pour back into saucepot. Whisk constantly over moderate heat until the mixture thickens and just begins to bubble. Pour citrus curd through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl. Cool slightly. Place waxed paper directly on top of the curd. Chill thoroughly. Citrus Curd can be stored in a jar or tightly sealed bowl in the refrigerator for a few days. Makes about 1 cup.

  • Remember that homemade curd is a wonderful topping for a slice of fresh pound cake or angel food cake. It’s also good as a filling in a tartlet shell with fresh berries sprinkled over the top.

 

Bitten by a bug

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It came on very suddenly and it hit hard. A big fat flu bug caught me. I’ve been in bed for most of three days. I cannot even think about going into the kitchen.

It’s nice to have someone to take care of me when I’m sick. My favorite man has been brewing up large mugs of ginger-infused water. I hear him in the kitchen chopping up fresh ginger. He says he steeps it in water that has come to a boil. Before he serves it to me, he pours it through a strainer and stirs some honey into it. I think it’s helping my tummy a little bit.

I’ve used all the energy I can muster up right now. Stay tuned. Muffin recipe that I promised will be coming soon.

I’m heading back to bed for now.

Figs get funky

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I’ve always had an appreciation for dried fruits. I stir raisins into a bowl of hot oatmeal for breakfast. Chopped apricots often get stirred into quick bread and muffins before I bake them. Thick, moist, sweet dried apricots dipped into dark chocolate are my favorite treat from the chocolate shop. Prunes, cooked with water and pureed are my favorite filling for sweet Bohemian yeast rolls. And I’ve been know to drive several miles to get to a little café for my favorite date-filled cookies.
Figs, though, have taken a little longer for me to appreciate. There’s something about all those little seeds held inside of each dried fig that have posed a problem for me. There’s something about the crunch of those seeds as I chew them…
One day at the recent International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP) conference held in Denver, Valley Fig Growers sponsored a morning break. Large platters of Fig and Goat Cheese Bars lined several tables, with bowls of whole dried figs arranged amongst them.

As I approached the table, I saw funny expressions and looks of surprise as some of the conference attendees took their first bite. I had thoughts of maybe skipping this snack. But out of curiosity, I had to give them a try.
I was surprised at how much I liked those funky bars. The sweetness of the figs balanced the tart goat cheese toppng. Toasted walnuts added welcome texture and made the fig seeds much less obvious. All these textures and flavors spread over a buttery shortbread crust made for a perfect morning snack with a hot cup of coffee.
Thank you, Valley Fig Growers.

Valley Fig Growers suggest dipping dried figs into chocolate for a simple treat. I don’t know about that… I can’t imagine that could taste quite as delicious as the big chocolate-dipped apricots I buy at the chocolate shop.

Fig and Goat Cheese Bars

  • 2 cups dried figs
  • 1 cup water
  • ¼ cup lemon juice
  • 1 cup toasted chopped walnuts
  • 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup brown sugar, packed
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
  • 2 cups goat cheese, room temperature
  • 2 eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease or line a 9- x 13-inch baking dish with parchment paper.
Combine figs, water and lemon juice in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook 5 minutes or until figs are tender. Cool slightly.
Place fig mixture in a food processor or blender. Process until smooth. Stir in chopped walnuts. Reserve.
Combine flour, brown sugar and salt in blow. Stir to combine. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal. Press mixture in prepared baking dish.
Gently spread fig mixture over prepared crust.
Beat goat cheese and eggs until smooth. Spread over fig mixture.
Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes or until set. Serve warm or at room temperature. Makes 30 bars.
From Valley Fig Growers.