robert linxe’s chocolate tart
short ribs bourguignon
zucchini latkes
new york, i’m yours
Why Deb can’t come to the blog today
- Dude, the errands, they never stop.
- I got permission last week to stop wearing my sling, which is awesome since I kinda hadn’t been wearing it for some time before then. My shoulder is almost 100% better as are my ick-tastic bruises. Good news, right? Let’s celebrate! Let’s go chop some very difficult things! Meh. Now that there is no risk of permanent damage/deformity, no flagrant disobeying of the doctor’s orders, it’s so much less fun.
- The discovery of Kitchen Market. Why should I cook? I could live on their black bean soup and perfect cumin-sherry vinaigrette green salads for the rest of my life, or at least this month.
onion soup
[Psst! There’s a newer, less fussy and more focused version of this recipe over here.]
We could speak about the meaning of life vis-a-vis non-consequential/deontological theories, apodictic transformation schemata, the incoherence of exemplification, metaphysical realism, Cartesian interactive dualism, revised non-reactive dualism, postmodernist grammatology and dicey dichotomies. But we would still be left with Nietzsche’s preposterous mustache, which instills great anguish and skepticism in the brain, which leads (as it did in his case) to utter madness. I suggest we go to Paris instead. — The Principles of Uncertainty
boozy baked french toast
“Jocelyn, come over. I’m making baked French toast for Dave and I.”
“I’m too hung over. I’m dying.”
“Bailey’s French toast will cure anything.”
pecan squares
chicken skewers with dukkah crust
I first read about dukkah on 101 Cookbooks last week, and knew immediately that I had to make it as I am a bit of a spice fiend. (Though not really an ouch-my-tongue spice fiend, but that for another discussion.) Sadly, I had few plans for what to do with it once I made it so it sat, uncovered (!) on the stove for a day or two until this kind woman named Erika directed me to a recipe for Chicken Dukkah on Chow. Saved! Now I didn’t even have to go out and research good uses for it. Hooray for lazy!
I used Heidi’s suggested recipe from Dave DeWitt and Nancy Gerlach’s Spicy Food Lover’s Bible for my dukkah crust, but I understand that the combinations are endless. I’d suggest looking through them until you find one with all the flavors you love. Chow’s version of dukkah sounds even simpler and milder.
We skipped the skewers and having no idea what “chicken tenders” were, just sliced some boneless, skinless chicken thighs into three long strips each. I am not a fan, not one bit, of the accompanying balsamic/honey reduction, and its smell reminded me all-too-poignantly of the cranberry port compote I made before Thanksgiving (and dumped, not a spoonful eaten, two weeks later), but I’m sure there are other, perhaps yogurt and garlic-based dipping sauces that could work better. Or you could just eat them without a sauce, as we did. They were very good, and it was great to have something interesting and new in the realm of, well, typically blah and uninspired chicken. (Apologies, but the little cluckers are just not my favorite thing.)
We had it over impromptu scallion-specked plain couscous and an Epicurious favorite, pan-browned brussel sprouts, though we had to use mini ones as my store was out of the regular ones “until Thursday” giving me a bit of a Soviet Safeway flashback. This is a great brussel dish if you like nothing quivering or soft about your Brussels, they’ve got a good crunch and a deep, caramelized flavor.
Also? Alex just called me a dukkah head. I’m sorry, so sorry.
Chicken Skewers with Dukkah Crust and Balsamic Reduction
Adapted from Aida Mollenkamp on Chow
For the vinegar-honey sauce:
2/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup honey
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/4 cup olive oil
24 chicken tenders, also called chicken tenderloins
1 cup Dukkah
1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (Deb note: I skipped this, as a dinner guest does not mix milk and meat)
For the chicken skewers:
1. 24 metal or bamboo skewers (if using bamboo skewers, soak them in water for 30 minutes before using)
2. Heat oven to 350°F.
3. Combine balsamic vinegar and honey in a small saucepan over medium heat. Simmer until reduced by half, about 10 to 15 minutes. Set aside to cool.
4. In a shallow bowl, combine the mustard and olive oil, and season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Toss the chicken in the mustard mixture until well coated.
5. Combine the dukkah and Parmigiano-Reggiano in a wide, shallow dish and mix thoroughly. Roll each tender in the dukkah mix until well coated.
6. Thread a chicken tender on each skewer. Place the chicken skewers on wire cooling racks. Nest each wire rack in a baking sheet and place in the oven. Bake until the meat is firm and the dukkah crust is golden, about 25 to 30 minutes.
7. Serve the skewers with the vinegar-honey sauce.
Pan-Browned Brussel Sprouts
Adapted Gourmet, April 1999
Serves 2 or 3 as a side dish.
1/2 pound Brussels sprouts
2 large garlic cloves
1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons pine nuts
Trim Brussels sprouts and halve lengthwise. Cut garlic into very thin slices. In a 10-inch heavy skillet (preferably well-seasoned cast iron) melt 1 tablespoon butter with oil over moderate heat and cook garlic, stirring, until pale golden. Transfer garlic with a slotted spoon to a small bowl.
Reduce heat to low and arrange sprouts in skillet, cut sides down, in one layer. Sprinkle sprouts with pine nuts and salt to taste. Cook sprouts, without turning, until crisp-tender and undersides are golden brown, about 15 minutes.
With tongs transfer sprouts to a plate, browned sides up. Add garlic and remaining 1/2 tablespoon butter to skillet and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until pine nuts are more evenly pale golden, about 1 minute. Spoon mixture over sprouts and sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper.
orecchiette with cherry tomatoes and arugula
winter panzanella