culinary flights of fancy

Home Cooking Adventures in Berkeley Heights

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Grandma Thiebaud’s Cinnamon Rolls, Adapted

 

 

 

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Grandma Thiebaud’s Cinnamon Rolls

One of the fondest memories I have growing up is making cinnamon rolls with my Grandma Thiebaud and my sister. My Grandma would make the dough, roll it out, and make a simple filling out of butter, cinnamon, brown sugar, and pecans. Actually she would make two batches: one with pecans and one without as some people didn’t prefer pecans. She would make these little breakfast treats and give them as gifts to relatives or friends at holidays or special occasions.  They played a bit part in my family’s Thanksgiving and Christmas Holiday experience.

I usually don’t make a lot of sweet dishes. In fact, it hasn’t been until very recently that I’ve even really bothered with making desserts, sweet breads, etc. Generally speaking, I think I was a bit intimidated by the precise nature of baking. I am a little of this and a little of that sort of cook, using whatever I have handy instead of following recipes. So, I always thought baking to be too restrictive for my cooking style. However, like everything, the more I bake (whether it be bread or desserts), the more I’m finding that assumption to be absolutely false. I’m finding that following exact recipes has been a good starting point. However, I’m also finding that if I pay attention to the ratios of flour and dry ingredients to the general quantities of liquid ingredients, then you can play around with the rest. All that is a long way of getting to my main point here: I have taken my Grandma’s general recipe and adapted it a bit. I use additional spices, scent it with vanilla powder and citrus juice and zest, and utilize different sugar(s) to create a different depth of flavor. That said, the basic technique, look, feel, and smell while baking still takes me right back to my Grandma’s kitchen with my sister, when we were young, just watching and helping sprinkle sugar over the yellow pastry before rolling it. If you have kids, and try this, I hope you consider sharing this experience with them. It would please me and I know it would please my Grandma. Enjoy!  Recipe follows after the jump… Continue reading →


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Ancho and Guajillo Salsa with Oven Baked Tortilla Chips

This recipe is being published in the Alternative Press (www.TAPinto.net) tomorrow.  Here is the recipe and an alternative picture.  Enjoy!

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Tortilla chips with Ancho and Guajillo Salsa:

I lived in Texas for a good number of years and from time to time I crave good quality chips and salsa. Given we are nearing the July Fourth holiday, bringing backyard barbeques and family gatherings to the forefront, I thought I would share a very easy salsa recipe that is part Texas, part Mexico and part Spain. The ingredients aren’t too difficult to find. I found the dried chilis at Penzey Spices in Summit but I also know that Garden of Eden in Berkeley Heights sells them as well. This salsa is slightly hot and slightly sweet with hints of lime and garlic. The texture is thick, almost jam-like, and it is certainly a salsa that can be enjoyed both as a dip and a sauce.

Personally, I don’t care for store bought tortilla chips. I think I became spoiled in Texas as many grocery stores make their own fresh tortillas throughout the day and you can always either buy freshly made chips or make your own from their fresh tortillas. Since that just doesn’t happen in New Jersey, I simply purchase a package of flour or corn tortillas and make my own chips from there. Any brand of tortillas will work great. I prefer flour for chips but feel free to use the method for corn or make a combination of flour and corn. Making the salsa really should take around 30 minutes to put together, though the flavor will improve over a few hours or even overnight. It will last around two weeks when stored in an air-tight container. The chips should take 10-15 minutes. So, this is a perfect quick and easy little snack that is packed with flavor for your Fourth of July celebrations! Continue reading →


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Products Worth Mentioning: Sel Gris

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First things first:  you can find sel gris on-line and at a number of gourmet markets.  I purchased this at the Summit Cheese Shop.  They actually have a good number of great products beyond cheese including pate, salts, mustards, and all sorts of goodies from Europe (mainly France and Italy from what I could tell).  I didn’t buy any cheese there.  I was sort of disappointed that they don’t make their own cheese.  I figured they’d make at least a few and actually went in there to find out where they were sourcing their milk for cheese making as I am dabbling in cheese making myself.  At any rate, I bought this salt at the Summit Cheese Shop.

Sel gris, or gray salt, is very similar to fleur de sel but typically comes from a specific region in France and it is allowed to come into contact with the drying pans, which causes the grayish color.  The salt is course and flaky but it has a higher water content that almost any other salt I’ve tried.  The moisture gives it a different texture and taste.  It’s a bit more mineral-y and I think it has a strong taste.  Unlike Maldon or fleur de sel, sel gris can be used to both cook and finish dishes.  The other two salts really are more of finishing salts both because of taste and price. 

I definitely have been enjoying cooking with the sel gris and if you happen upon it during your own trip to a specialty food store, I certainly recommend investing in a jar or bag and giving it a whirl!

As an aside, this will be the last post for the next couple of days…unless I find some time to post a fresh ham recipe.  However, likely it will be a few days.  So, I’ll look forward to checking back in then. 


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Guacamole

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So, I told you that I have been busy in the kitchen despite my delay in posts while recovering from surgery.  This is the first thing I made post-surgery.  Probably not the best idea in the entire world to do this the day after surgery but it tasted good.  I cut my finger though…sharp knives and pain medicine is probably not a great idea.  Anyway, we love guacamole and, again, we have yet to find a decent version out and about in our area.  So, I take to making both the guacamole and the chips myself.  This is my basic recipe, which is to say, that it is a basic recipe that is commonly found in various iterations in my old home, Texas.  I love cilantro…my wife, however, does not.  Despite my many attempts at trying to talk her into cilantro, it just doesn’t happen so I usually make two batches:  one with and one without cilantro.  The guacamole pictured has cilantro in it.  It contains a poblano pepper (the fresh version of the ancho chili), which imparts a mild heat.  If, however, you prefer a stronger heat in your guacamole, I’d suggest skipping right over the jalapeno and going with the serrano pepper…it will definitely bring the heat!  No cooking involved in this one…just chopping, mashing, and seasoning.  The super easy, very tasty recipe follows after the jump. Continue reading →


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Trio of Summer Vegetables as Toppings for Bread or Crostini

This was published in the Alternative Press today.  Here is the article and recipe with an extra picture for your viewing pleasure!  Enjoy.

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Trio of Early Summer Vegetables as Toppings for Bread or Crostini

 

I made this basic dish for a neighborhood gathering last week and it seemed to be a hit. A couple neighbors even asked for the recipes of the various toppings. The stars here are ingredients that I either purchased directly from the Farmer’s Market in Summit or received from the farm via the Just Farmed program out of Westfield. I showcased local, seasonal ingredients: broccoli rabe, baby fennel, spring onions, and mushrooms. I also utilized three different cooking techniques: roasting, sauteing, and marinating raw vegetables. In doing so, the flavors and textures of the three dishes really became distinct, unto themselves. This dish can be completed easily within an hour if time is utilized properly. The vegetables can be made ahead of time as all three are served either warm or at room temperature. Serve with toasted bread drizzled with olive oil and accented with salt and pepper or simply serve with fresh, crusty bread cut thickly so that it can stand up to the heaviness of the toppings.  The recipes as well as a zoomed in photo of the veggies  follow after the jump! Continue reading →


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Mario Batali’s Olive Oil Gelato recipe (from Otto)

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First things first:  as the title suggests, this is not my recipe.  I really have never messed with making ice cream or gelato except while in culinary school.  Things change and I have put my big toe into the frozen dessert pool.  I made up a recipe using farm fresh strawberries, balsamic vinegar, and cracked black pepper to get the ice cream party started.  It turned out well but it wasn’t as creamy as it might have been (which frankly was my error for cutting back on sugar and probably not allowing the custard to get to the proper temperature before cooling but live and learn).  My next great ice cream experiment HAD to be Otto’s Olive Oil Gelato.  Tara and I have gone there a good number of times…great place.  It’s a casual pizza/pasta eatery with great charcuterie, fabulous bread, a great wine list and the beat goes on.  Anyway, one of the most wonderful unexpected treats came out of our first visit to Otto.  We ordered a trio of gelatos and our waiter strongly encouraged us to try the olive oil.  Up to that point, I’d never thought of olive oil as a flavoring for a frozen dessert nor had I ever tried anything like it.  So, loving olive oil and with a sense of adventure we decided to take the recommendation and dive in head first into olive oil gelato.  Our decision ended up working out.  If anything, the waiter probably undersold just how good the olive oil gelato is there.  In my opinion it’s nearly perfect.  We have gone back to Otto a good number of times since and every time, we don’t leave without ordering a scoop.  As an aside, if you are in the city, you can swing by Otto restaurant and buy the real thing in quarts to go.

When I made this recipe, it turned out great.  It was creamy and smooth.  It was buttery with a hint of pepper from the olive oil and it had the sugary vanilla custard flavor as well.  This is not a time to skimp on olive oil…break out the good stuff as the taste is front and center.  Let’s face it, with 10 egg yolks, 4.5 cups of good cream and whole milk, and a half a vanilla bean in the mix, you may as well go for it with regard to your olive oil choice.  This is a decadent dessert and using the best quality ingredients you can really will make the difference (which is basically true for every dish you’ll ever cook but that’s ok).  Of note for my batch, I used sel gris for the salt.  I’m loving this type of salt and will post more about it in the coming days but it’s definitely become my new favorite friend. 

Here’s the link for the gelato recipe.  Enjoy!  http://www.iloveicecream.net/recipes/gelato/olive-oil-gelato/

Oh, and a special thank you to Kay and Tony Charvat, my Mother-in-Law and Father-in-Law.  They gave us our ice cream maker when we moved into Berkeley Heights and I’ve definitely been enjoying it!

 


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Scapes and Scape Mayonnaise

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These little curly gems are plentiful this time of year here in New Jersey.  They are curly little garlic flower stocks that ironically do not flower.  Scapes, like ramps, can only be found for a short time and that time is NOW in the Jerz.  I found them at the Summit Farmer’s Market last Sunday and I received a bunch of them from the Just Farmed program out of Westfield.  At any rate, I have a ton of them now so luckily they freeze well.  I threw some in the freezer but I’ve been enjoying them in all sorts of different ways.  One basic way to use them is to simply toss them into a salad, finely chopped.  I also made a mayonnaise with scapes that turned out great.  A few weeks back, I posted a recipe for Basil Aioli and the process for making the scape mayonnaise is basically exactly the same.  I’ll post the recipe below.  However, if you are lucky enough to get your hands on a few scapes, you can add them into dishes just as you would regular garlic.  For me, they have a much more mellow flavor than regular raw garlic and evidently the scape flavor mellows even more as they age (frozen or not).  Hopefully though, we can all enjoy this brief seasonal vegetable together as it’s super tasty and, let’s face it…they are curly and fun to boot!

Scape mayonnaise recipe follows after the jump.  Enjoy! Continue reading →


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Cowboy Ribeye for Two (or Three)

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So, I love steak…really any kind of steak but my go to cut seems to always be a ribeye. Although rather fatty in general, it contains a lot of flavor (the flavor coming from the fat). Usually, when I cook a ribeye at home, I’ll heat up a cast iron pan until scorching hot and simply pan sear it for a few minutes on each side. I season it simply with just a good quality salt and freshly ground pepper. Usually I add a touch of vegetable oil or canola oil to the pan. Two other keys for a perfect steak: let it come to room temperature prior to cooking and after the steak is finished, let it rest at least 10-15 minutes to ensure all the juices stay in the steak. That’s about it…really that’s all you need to do to get a great steak with a great seared crust. My wife and I definitely prefer our steak on the rare side, so this recipe is really timed for that temperature. If you prefer yours better done, simply cook it a few minutes longer for medium rare and so on.

Anyway, on to the Cowboy ribeye. Cowboy ribeyes should be bone-in and rather large (2lbs on the lighter side to 3lbs on the larger). When I lived in Texas my first exposure to a Cowboy ribeye prepared in this manner was at Stephen Pyles’ restaurant, Star Canyon. The rub was complex and contained a good amount of heat. You can google Stephen Pyles and his Cowboy Ribeye recipe and I would if I were you…he’s generally considered the Godfather of new Texas cuisine and he’s a wonderful chef. It’s a great recipe but I think the ingredients are difficult to come by here in New Jersey without either searching high and low locally or ordering from the Internet. So, I created my own recipe that pairs down the ingredient list to just a few, adding in some that I like personally and some that are simply classic Cowboy ribeye ingredients. The ingredients are also certainly attainable locally. I made this for Tara and me last night and frankly, I thought it was pretty good. No, I thought it was super good and I generally don’t say that as I tend to be a pretty tough critic on my food.

The end result, is a steak with a thick, black crust that imparts heat as well as a touch of salty and sweet. If you want to serve it Texas-style, add a pat of butter at the end prior to slicing. I skipped that as I prefer it without butter. However, a lot of Texas steak houses finish steaks in this manner.

So, we paired this with a simple salad. However, if you want to continue on with the Texas theme, why not try roasting a sweet potato and seasoning it with chili powder, cinnamon, and a bit of real butter. Finish the whole thing with a bit of salt and pepper and you are set. For something sweet to follow, I’d definitely suggest peach cobbler…there’s nothing that screams Texas more than that. Peaches are plentiful in Texas and the State produces some of the best in the country. So google your favorite peach cobbler recipe or even google Texas peach cobbler. I’m sure you’ll find something great. Who knows, when Jersey peaches start coming around in a month or so, perhaps I’ll post my own peach cobbler recipe…stay tuned for that.

With no further discussion, here’s a pretty easy and tasty Cowboy ribeye recipe. Enjoy!  Recipe follows after the jump. Continue reading →


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Coming Soon…after some delay:

Sorry for the long delay!  I had surgery and between recovery and everything else, time just escaped my grasp.  However, that doesn’t mean I wasn’t in the kitchen.  In the coming days, I’ll have recipes posted for a great Cowboy ribeye, olive oil gelato (that’s Mario Batali’s but I’ll still share my experience and his link), a trio of bread toppings made from seasonal vegetables, scapes and scape mayonnaise, my grandmother’s cinnamon roll recipe…modified a bit, and a really great recipe/method for cooking a fresh ham!  That and possibly more in the next few days…promise.  I’ll get some of this posted later today.


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Products Worth Mentioning: Garden of Eden, Berkeley Heights

So, obviously Garden of Eden isn’t a product.  However, it carries all sorts of them.  This gourmet grocery store opened up a couple months ago right across the street (basically) from where we live.  It’s such a great addition to the choice of local grocers.  My wife and I lived in Hoboken for a good number of years and we became familiar with Garden of Eden there.  So, when we saw the signs posted that it was coming soon, we waited excitedly until it opened.  The downside of Garden of Eden really is the price point…it’s expensive.  However, the great thing is that they carry SO many items that no one else in the area carries.  There’s a myriad of olive oil choices.  They have a large number of hard to find produce items.  They stock high quality goods and brands.  We don’t purchase the majority of our groceries at Garden of Eden due to price (and a couple other reasons) and since I cook pretty often, we have not tried their prepared foods.  However, if you are looking for a special, hard to find cheese, go there.  If you are looking for Serrano ham, they have it.  If you want high quality anchovies packed in olive oil, go there.  They have a number of choices.  They stock high quality meats in their butcher area and they have high quality produce. They also have a great bakery.  They also have probably the most robust choices of charcuterie in the area.  At any rate, it’s a great addition to the grocery store landscape in Berkeley Heights and the surrounding area.  If you live in the area and haven’t checked it out yet, it is definitely worth doing.  You never know what little goodie you’ll find there.  Enjoy!

 

Update 6/18/2014:  Garden of Eden just announced free grocery delivery for people living or working within a ten mile radius from the store providing that the order is over $50.00!  Another great reason to give Garden of Eden a go.