Tag Archives: holiday

Cranberry-Orange Upside Down Cake

29 Nov

As most cooks will say, the winter holidays are the best for no-holds-barred cooking.  We get to bake, eat carbs (and lot’s of them), and cook with abandon using cream, butter, sugar, and love. YUM!  This time of year, I am always looking to come up with dishes and desserts that can be added to a holiday buffet spread.  While I love having free-reign over sugar this time of year, I do not enjoy overly sweet desserts – which was a big consideration for this cake.

The inspiration for this dessert was an extra bag of fresh cranberries that had gone unused at Thanksgiving.  I love cranberries cooked in orange juice, brown sugar, and spices with finely chopped pecans stirred in at the end and wanted to incorporate those flavors into the topping of this cake.  Revisiting some vintage upside-down cake recipes in my mom’s 1958 Mary Margaret McBride Encyclopedia of Cooking, I found the actual cake recipes themselves to be fairly incidental to the topping; usually a simple sponge used as a delivery vehicle for the topping.  Flavored with fresh orange juice and scented with green cardamom, I wanted this cake to enhance what was going on in the topping and to become a perfect compliment.

Cranberry-Orange Upside Down Cake

Adapted from Mary Margaret McBride Encyclopedia of Cooking

For Topping:
1 large orange
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
12 ounces fresh cranberries

For Cake:
1 1/2 cups sifted caked flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
15 green cardamom pods*
1 large orange
1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick), at room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1/4 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9-inch round cake pan (preferably with a removable bottom). Cut a circle of parchment 1/2-inch larger than the diameter of the pan and line the bottom of the pan; butter the parchment and set aside.

With a fine grater, zest the orange. Then with a sharp paring knife supreme the orange (cut away the peel and pith then remove the segments); cut each segment in to thirds and set aside.  In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt together the butter and brown sugar, stirring until sugar has dissolved.  Remove from heat and stir in the orange zest and finely chopped pecans.  Spread this mixture evenly over the bottom of prepared cake pan.  Layer in the cranberries and evenly distribute the orange segments.

In a small mixing bowl, combine sifted caked flour, baking powder, and salt. With a mortar and pestle, crack open the cardamom pods and empty the black seeds and papery husks back into the bowl and grind to a fine powder; for about 1 teaspoon.  Add ground cardamom to the flour mixture and give a quick whisk to incorporate the ingredients; set aside.  Remove zest from orange and then squeeze enough juice for 1/4 cup.

In a larger mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar for 3 minutes until light and fluffy.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat in the orange zest and vanilla extract.  Beat in eggs one at a time until just incorporated.  Combine the 1/4 cup of orange juice and milk (it’s okay if it curdles a little).  In three batches, alternately beat in the flour and liquids; scraping down the sides of the bowl between batches.

Spread mixture evenly over the cranberries and tap pan on counter a few times so everything settles.  Bake in preheated oven for 45 to 55 minutes, or until golden brown and a tester inserted into the middle of the cake come away clean.

Remove from oven, loosen the sides of the cake, and immediately invert onto a serving plate.  Carefully remove pan and parchment.  Let cool completely before slicing.  Delicious on it’s own or with a dollop of lightly sweetened whipped cream.

*If using store-bought ground cardamom, use 1 1/2 teaspoons as commercial ground cardamom has the hard shell ground into the powder as well.

Serves 8.

This awesomely delicious cake will look fantastic on your holiday table or buffet.  It is fantastic with my mid-morning coffee beak or afternoon tea. So invite some friends over and enjoy!

Peace – J

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Post-Thanksgiving: Turkey Stock

21 Nov

Traditionally my family makes turkey soup from the carcass and left over turkey bones.  I am personally not a fan of turkey soup — or for that matter turkey noodle casserole, but that’s for another post.  Cooking school and a desire not to be wasteful prevents me from just throwing it all away, so I make stock.

Cooking terms lesson of the day: Stock is made by simmering bones and vegetables in a liquid (usually water). Stocks are the bases for soups and sauces and therefore should be lightly seasoned and, in my opinion, unsalted.  Broth is very similar to stock except it derives it’s flavor from meat and vegetables rather than bones.

After making turkey or any other kind of stock, I usually divide it into 16-ounce deli containers and freeze it to use later as a base for soups (other than turkey) and in other dishes in place of chicken stock.  I mean com’on… it’s easy to do, although a little time consuming, and virtually free!  There is no real need to follow technique here and make sachets or bouquet garni, peel vegetables, etc. — it’s all gonna get strained out at the end.

Photo: JaseMan

Simple Turkey Stock

Turkey carcass, bones, wings, neck – meat removed
2 medium brown onions
3 celery ribs
2 large carrots
1 head garlic
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
12 springs fresh Parsley
A lot of ice

Cut carcass into 4 or 5 pieces and add to an 8- to 12-quart stock pot. Trim the root end off onions and quarter leaving the skins on.  Scrub celery ribs and carrots and cut into chunks. Cut garlic clove in half horizontally (through the cloves).  Add cut vegetables and remaining ingredients, except ice, to the pot.  Cover with water; about 16 cups.

Over high heat, bring stock to a simmer, but not a full boil.  Adjust heat and continue simmering for 3 to 4 hours. Every hour or so skim the impurities that have come to the surface and check to see that the water hasn’t evaporated too much – if it has, boil water in a kettle and add to the stock. Do not add cold water.  Here you need to make a decision; if you want more of a lighter flavored stock – keep the water liquid level close to where it began.  If you would like less of a richer flavored stock, then don’t keep adding so much boiling water and just let it reduce (my preference).

Once the stock is finished strain into another pot through a colander that has been lined with a couple layers of cheese cloth.  If you don’t have cheese cloth on hand, then strain through the colander and then through a fine mesh strainer.

Important: To keep your stock safe from bacteria, it must be cooled quickly and properly. Put a stopper into the drain of your sink. Set the pot of strained stock into the sink and surround pot with ice.  Fill sink with just enough water to come to the height of the stock in the pot. Stir the stock occasionally until cool. Transfer to the refrigerator to cool completely.

When you go to use it the stock, you may notice flecks of fat that, if you are a low-fat freak, you can remove with a spoon.  However, DO NOT remove the gelatin like stuff that has congealed in the stock.  This is the collagen that has been simmered from the bone and gives the stock it’s luscious body. The stock will last in the fridge for up to a week.  If you are not going to use it in that time, it freezes really well for 3 or 4 months.

Peace – J

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Simple Roasted Brussels Sprouts

16 Nov

Brussels sprouts.  Tiny little bright green cabbages. YUM!

Growing up, I was that kid who LOVED Brussels sprouts. I used to beg my mom to make them.  She would simply boil them – I’m sure to states of over-cooked mush – and then toss them with a little butter, salt and pepper.  To this day, I still love them sautéed with bacon and pecans or in a creamy gratin with pancetta and shallots.  Earlier this year while working on MasterChef, one of the contestant challenges was to guess the ingredients in a dish and replicate it.  I created a cole slaw with blanched Brussels sprouts, Granny Smith apples, pecans, and a spicy jalapeno vinaigrette!  Amazingly delicious… even Gordon liked it!

Today, my preferred way to cook these little green orbs simply is tossed with a little olive oil, salt and pepper then roasted in a hot oven.  They are all at once tender, crunchy, sweet, and umami.

 

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

1 to 1 1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts
2 tablespoons good quality olive oil
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, if desired.

Wash Brussels sprouts removing any outer leaves that are loose or have yellowed. Trim off brown cut end of stem. Place on baking sheet and toss with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.  Roast in preheated oven for 35 to 45 minutes or until fork tender; occasionally shaking pan to turn sprouts.

Remove from oven and serve immediately.  It’s that easy.

Serves 4.

Selection Tips: Although they are in the stores pretty much year-round, the actual growing season is September through mid-February. Brussels sprouts range from 1- to 1 1/2- inches in diameter.  Look for smaller, tightly closed, compact, bright green sprouts.  Try to select them as close to the same size as possible for even cooking.  Store unwashed in an air-tight container in the refrigerator, but try to cook within a couple of days of purchasing as the longer they sit, the more pungent they become.  Some stores (like Trader Joe’s) and farmers market sell them still on the stalk for ultimate freshness.

These simple Roasted Brussels Sprouts would make an easy side dish to accompany your Holiday meal.  Eat seasonally and enjoy!!

Peace – J

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Homemade Vanilla Extract

4 Nov

I don’t know why I am always amazed when I go to the store to buy a good quality vanilla extract to find that an 8-ounce bottle costs from $18 (Madagascar) to $35 (Tahitian). Well, it turns out that vanilla is more expensive than any other flavoring or spice, the one exception being saffron. But why you ask? Vanilla is the fruit of a tropical vine that is part of the orchid family. When grown commercially, the flowers of the vine are hand-pollinated and thinned to ensure the quality of the bean. Once harvested it takes around eight months to cure and dry the beans before they can be packed for shipping.

There are primarily two varieties of commercially available vanilla beans – Madagascar or Mexican, and Tahitian. Yes my friends, Madagascar and Mexican are the same species… good to know for my SoCal peeps! It seems those crafty Spaniards snaked (read: stole) some vanilla cuttings on their way outta town and planted them on the island of Madagascar. For hundreds of years, Madagascar had the market cornered on vanilla export and today, along with Mexico, is the major producer of vanilla. Tahiti is the only other player of note in the vanilla game. Tahitian vanilla is a sweeter and more floral bean and by virtue of economics (umm… remember supply and demand), is almost twice the price. Whew, history and economics lessons accomplished!

One of the perks of working on cooking and cooking reality shows is leftover product and equipment. From a recent show, I inherited somewhere in the vicinity of 100+ vanilla beans. Jealous? Thought so. Well, after giving the majority away, I still had quite a few, so I decided to make vanilla extract.

Making vanilla extract is super easy, economical, and will make an excellent holiday gift! It does take a little planning as you need to wait a month or so before it is ready to use.

Homemade Vanilla Extract

6 long, soft vanilla beans
1 quart good quality vodka
Extra vanilla beans for presentation (optional)

Split the six beans lengthwise and then cut into 1/2-inch pieces. Add the vanilla pieces to a clean 1-quart canning jar and fill with vodka. Let steep in a cool, dark place for 30 to 45 days, shaking the jar every once in awhile. Strain through a cheesecloth lined wire mesh strainer. Return to a clean jar or smaller bottles and add a fresh vanilla bean for presentation.

Store tightly sealed. Vanilla extract will keep indefinitely (blessed by the USDA). There you have it, easy peasy.

I did a little experimenting with the recipe substituting Cuban rum and bourbon for the vodka. For straight on vanilla flavor, vodka is the best choice. The rum and bourbon variations are still very strong in vanilla flavor but, also have the underlying characteristics of smooth, sweet rich rum and smoky sweet bourbon respectively. Both the rum and bourbon vanillas I would gladly use in baking for more dimension of flavor, but also in cocktails. Hmm… vanilla scented Manhattan <<slurp>>!

Peace – J

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Roasted Pumpkin Purée

3 Nov

Okay, so I procrastinate a little bit…  I started writing this two years ago because of the shortage in canned pumpkin caused by excessive rainfalls in the areas where pumpkins are grown for canning purposes.  Well, luckily the holidays roll around every year, only this year cans o’ pumpkin are a plenty. When you do your holiday baking this year and want to insure you’re getting pure pumpkin puree sans the preservatives, make your own fresh pumpkin puree. Truly, it’s not at all difficult.

DO NOT use jack-o-lantern pumpkin – the are meant to carve and put on your porch for trick-or-treaters to come by and smash. Jack-o-lantern pumpkins are water, stringy, and pretty tasteless. Select sugar pumpkins, pie pumpkins, or sugar pie pumpkins – I’ve seen them called all three.  One 5-pound pumpkin will yield around 4 cups of puree (a 15-ounce can is about 2 cups).

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. I line a baking sheet with foil or kitchen parchment for easy clean up. Cut the top from the pumpkin and cut in half and scoop out the seeds and membrane.

At this point you can cut into smaller pieces… but, why? Place cut pumpkins on your baking sheet cut side up. It really doesn’t matter which side is up.  I prefer the pumpkin to get some caramelization for a little deeper flavor. You can also put the cut side down in a baking pan with a little water and cover with foil and steam them instead. Roast for 45 minutes until fork tender. Remove from oven and let cool. Scoop flesh from the shell and put in a food processor or blender. If using a blender, you may have to add a little water to get it going. Blitz the pumpkin until you have a smooth puree.

It’s that easy. So, support your local farmer’s and green markets and get to roastin’!

Peace – J

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How To Tip: Bag Striping Icing Effect

8 Nov

This is (or at least should be) a quick posting that I have been meaning to get up for, oh, about 3 weeks now.  I had many requests since posting the Tie-Dyed Cake for Chloe as to how to get the color effect on the icing.  The technique I used is called bag striping. Bag striping can be accomplished a couple different ways. One is to use a spatula to place a couple similarly toned colored icings along the sides of a pastry bag.  This is best used with subtle color differences when piping flowers.  For vivid multiple color differences, like on Chloe’s cake, I used a brush striping technique.  The colors are more intense because the color is brushed into pastry bag.

When I did Chloe’s cake, I used a vinyl pastry bag and paste icing colors. The color stayed fairly intense while I piped the top of the cake and didn’t really start to fade until I got to the edge of the cake.  For this demo, I made a dozen cupcakes for Halloween using orange concentrated paste icing color and black gel paste color.  The gel color (black) faded quicker than the concentrated paste color (orange).  Also, I used disposable plastic piping bags so you could see the color.  However, the slickness of the plastic bags didn’t seem to hold the color as well the vinyl bag did.  Fine by me — I don’t like to use the disposable bags anyway because they hurt my hands after awhile plus, they’re not so great for the landfill.

brush striped color in pastry bag

Apply one or more stripes of the icing color with a small paint or decorating brush. In this case, I alternated three black stripes with three orange stripes. Fill the bag with white icing and as the icing is squeezed past the color(s), whatever you are piping will come out striped.

bag-striped effect on cupcakes

Okay, so it’s not the prettiest piping I’ve ever done… but you get the point!

Peace – J

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Thanksgiving Baby Food Recipe at Rockabye Baby Music

19 Nov

I was sitting down to write a post on roasting and puréeing pumpkins because 1- it’s that time of year, 2- there is a shortage of canned pumpkin this year and 3- because it tastes better.  While gathering my thoughts (read: procrastinating), I received a notification that a pumpkin recipe I wrote appears in a blog post today…

A while back, Rockabye Baby approached me, a lullaby record company, to create a bunch of baby food recipes for inclusion in a new line of lullaby CD’s. Rockabye Baby creates incredible lullaby renditions of mom’s and dad’s favorite rock artists/albums (perfect of Christmas). There is everything from Guns n’ Roses to the Rolling Stones, Ramones, Bob Marley, Pink Floyd and more so your kid can get a leg up on becoming a rock god. Hip and cool parents, including the rock stars themselves, aren’t saddled listening to endless hours of Barney or whatever is in vogue in the world of baby music.

At the time they approached me, the company was introducing a line of country music lullaby CD’s under the label Hushabye Baby.  Hushabye has lullaby renditions from acts like “King” George Strait, Carrie Underwood, Dolly Parton, and Rascal Flatts. I created a series of  baby food recipes based on song titles of each artist that are included in the CD’s.  You’ll have to get the CD’s to see for yourself how clever I can be.

Today on their blog, Rockabye posted the recipe for  Masher of Pumpkins – a puree of pumpkin and banana spiced with a pinch of cinnamon and ground ginger for tots 6 months and older. Check it out and while you’re there, order some CD’s.

If you know someone who has a baby and is jonesing to make pumpkin puree for their baby’s first Thanksgiving, please feel free to forward this post!

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