rich basil ice cream

This ice cream is amazing. I love the earthy and sweet herbaceous-ness of basil and the richness of the thick custard base. The mellow pale green color and flecks of basil really make this ice cream beautiful.

1 cup packed basil leaves
3/4 cup sugar
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
pinch of salt
5 large egg yolks
1 lemon

Using a small food processor or blender, grind the basil leaves with the sugar and one cup of the cream until the leaves are ground as fine as possible. Pour about half of the basil mixture into a large bowl and add the remaining one cup cream. Set a mesh strainer on top.

Warm the other half of the basil mixture in a medium saucepan along with the milk and salt. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.

Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. (You can check the doneness with an instant-read thermometer; it should read between 170 degrees F and 175 degrees. Egg safety experts recommend cooking eggs to a minimum temp of 160 degrees, however don't let them get above 185 degrees, or you'll get scrambled eggs!) Pour the custard through the strainer and stir it into the cream. Zest the lemon directly into the custard. Chill the mixture thoroughly in the fridge. It's best to refrigerate for at least 8 hours. Then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.


Adapted from "The Perfect Scoop"

Roasted tomato tart with anchovies

This is the first time I'm posting a recipe that isn't vegetarian. It can easily be made vegetarian, but this time around I wanted to try something a little fishy. 

This crust recipe (or Pate Brisee as it's called if you're feeling fancy French) is a standard Martha Stewart recipe that is so straightforward and perfect. It always comes out flaky and buttery, like a salty shortbread. It's much easier using a food processor than a pastry blender. This recipe makes extra dough. So you can, in fact, make two 9-inch crusts. Or, I used a 12-inch tart pan with a removable bottom and kept the extra dough for another tart. 

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, cold, cut into small pieces

1/4 cup ice water, plus more if needed 

In the bowl of a food processor, combine flour and salt; pulse to combine. Add the butter, and pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some larger pieces remaining, about 10 seconds. With the machine running, add the ice water through the feed tube in a slow, steady stream, just until the dough holds together without being wet or sticky. Do not process more than 30 seconds. Test by squeezing a small amount of the dough together; if it is still too crumbly, add a bit more water, one tablespoon at a time. Turn out the dough onto a clean work surface. Divide in half, and place each half on a piece of plastic wrap. Shape into flattened disks. Wrap in plastic, and refrigerate at least one hour or overnight. The dough can be frozen for up to one month; thaw overnight in the refrigerator before using. 

Assembling the tart filling is super easy. It's also a variation on a Martha Stewart recipe. (She's just the best!) This recipe simply entails slicing up some tomatoes and adding a bit of salt, pepper and olive oil. It ends up looking so pretty!

1 tablespoon olive oil

all-purpose flour, for dusting

1 1/2 pounds ripe tomatoes (about 4 medium) sliced, 1/4 inch thick

coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

one small 2 oz can of anchovies 

Set oven to 425 degrees F. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the dough to specified length of tart pan you are using. Fit dough into pan. Using a rolling pin, trim dough flush with the top edge of the tart pan; chill tart shell until firm, about 30 minutes. 

Arrange tomato slices in an overlapping circular pattern working from the outer edge toward the center. Spread anchovies evenly over the tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle of olive oil. 

Bake tart until crust is golden and tomatoes are soft but still remain their shape, 45 to 55 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes. 

smoked paprika black bean soup with cheddar cheese quesadilla

This is a ridiculously easy soup that can be made in less than 30 minutes. All the equipment you need is a medium sized sauce pan and an immersion blender. And ingredient wise - a can of beans, a clove of garlic, small onion, a handful of cilantro. The addition of smoked paprika really lends a rich smokey spicy flavor. Maybe a dollop of sour cream or super rich greek yogurt to bring it together.  And a jalapeno, if you want a bit of heat. The quesadilla is just shredded cheddar cheese that I toast up in a saute pan with a bit of olive oil.

one can of black beans
one small white onion
one clove of garlic
one teaspoon of smoked spanish paprika
one teaspoon of cayenne pepper
sea salt
olive oil
freshly ground pepper
handful of chopped cilantro
one jalapeno
juice of a lemon
couple tablespoons of sour cream or greek yogurt

Chop onion into 1/4 inch dice. Thinly slice the garlic. Add a tablespoon of olive oil to a sauce pan. Add onion, garlic, sea salt, pepper and spices. Saute for a couple minutes until onions are translucent. In  the meantime, drain the beans and rinse with cold water. Add to pot, when beans start to stick a bit, add about a 1/2 cup to one cup of water or stock to loosen up the sauteed bits. You could even deglaze the pan with some white wine vinegar or lemon juice. Simmer the soup for about 15 minutes or until beans have really absorbed the smokey flavor of the spices. Remove from heat. Use the immersion blender to, you know, blend the soup a bit. Blend to desired consistency. Top with chopped jalapeno, cilantro and a dollop of sour cream or yogurt. Sprinkle with a bit of sea salt and freshly ground pepper.

cranberry oatmeal chocolate chip cookies

The combination of cinnamon, cranberries and chocolate chips make this cookie so ridiculously good. And they seem almost healthy enough to eat for breakfast with the whole wheat pastry flour and rolled oats.


cranberry oatmeal chocolate chip cookies


1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup maple syrup
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 cup dark chocolate chip
1/2 cup dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or a silpat.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and  brown sugar on a medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the maple syrup and mix to combine. Add egg and vanilla. Beat until well combined, about one minute, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.

With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture in two batches, until just combined. Add oats, cranberry and chocolate chips. Mix until combined.

Scoop about two tablespoons onto baking sheet, about 2 inches apart. Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until golden brown. About 15 to 20 minutes.

Let cookies cool on sheets for a couple minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Cookies can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to four days.

bittersweet chocolate truffles

This is an adapted Martha Stewart recipe. It's super easy and there's endless variations on what you can coat these super rich and decadent truffles in. I used a hawaiian sea salt that has a lovely rose colored hue with a bit of cracked black pepper, as well as chopped crystalized ginger and pistachios. 

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons heavy cream
1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
Five strips 1-inch-wide orange peel, pith removed
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/2 cup mix of chopped pistachios, coarse sea salt, freshly ground pepper, chopped crystalized ginger or any other coating you please

In a small saucepan, whisk together cream and cardamom. Add orange peel; bring just to a boil. Remove from heat; let stand 15 minutes. Line a baking pan with parchment; set it and another pan aside.

Return cream mixture to heat; bring to a boil. Place chocolate in a heat-proof bowl. Remove cream mixture from heat. Pour through a sieve set over chocolate; discard solids. Stir until melted and smooth.

Pour chocolate mixture onto the unlined baking pan, and spread in an even layer with an offset spatula. Transfer baking pan to freezer; chill chocolate until hardened but malleable, 15 to 20 minutes.

Using a tablespoon, scrape enough chocolate from pan to form a roughly shaped 1-inch ball. Repeat. Transfer balls to the parchment-lined pan; chill truffles in the refrigerator 10 minutes.

Place pistachios, chopped ginger, salt and pepper in three separate bowls. Roll the truffles in desired coatings.

white chocolate cookies

This cookie is delicious. That's all I need to say, really. I used white chocolate for something a little different. Lots of butter. They're so good. 

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon  baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup butter (2 sticks), room temperature

1 1/4 cups packed dark-brown sugar

1 egg

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

8 ounces white chocolate, chopped into 1/4 inch pieces

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with racks in the upper and lower thirds. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside. 

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and brown sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in the eggs and the vanilla until combined. With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture in two batches, beating until just combined. Stir in the white chocolate. 

Drop two tablespoons of dough at a time about two inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until light golden brown around the edges, about 15 minutes. Let cookies cool on sheets for two minutes, then transfer parchment and cookies to a wire rack to cool 

completely. 

red lentil dal with sauteed rainbow swiss chard

Here's a quick little recipe for dal, which is a simple and classic staple of Indian cuisine. It can be insanely flavorful and creamy depending on what you add and how long you cook it for. I added massive amounts of garlic, ginger, ground cardamon, mustard seeds, cloves and butter to make it even more hefty on this freezing NYC day. Top with rainbow swiss chard sauteed with (even more!) garlic in a cast iron skillet. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve with some good crusty bread or toasted pita.

1 cup dried red lentils, washed and picked over
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons minced and peeled ginger
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon cardamon
1 tablespoon mustard seeds
2 cloves
1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
sea salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 or five large rainbow swiss chards, stems and leaves chopped thinly

Combine the butter, lentils, ginger, one tablespoon garlic, cardamon, mustard seeds, cloves, salt and pepper in a saucepan and add water to cover by about 1 inch. Cook at a steady simmer until the lentils are quite soft, 20 to 30 minutes.

In the meantime, add olive oil to a cast iron skillet saute pan. Wait about thirty seconds, then add the other tablespoon of minced garlic. Next, add the swiss chard stems and a sprinkling of sea salt. Saute for a couple minutes, then add the leaves and cook for about 7 to 10 minutes or until chard is thoroughly wilted.

Remove the cloves from the dal. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Ladle into bowls and top with swiss chard and a sprinkling of sesame seeds.

Gougeres and Herbed Chard and Collard Green Soup with Feta

It's a cold winter's day here. And a good day for soup. Particularly a healthy green soup brimming with cilantro and mint and topped with a large dollop of greek yogurt, and sprinkled with feta. Accompanied with gougeres, which is a fancy term for savory cheese puffs, makes this a filling lunch. I used a combination of parmesan and gruyere cheese, as well as fresh chives to the mix.

soup:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion or 4-5 shallots, coarsely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
About 10 cups swiss chard leaves or a mix of spinach or collard greens (center ribs and stems removed), coarsely chopped
3 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1 cup cilantro or parsley, chopped
1/4 cup mint leaves
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

garnishes:
1/2 cup greek yogurt
1/2 cup mixed fresh herbs (cilantro, parsley, mint)
1/2 cup feta, crumbled
fresh lemon juice
drizzing of olive oil
sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring often, until translucent and soft (do not brown), 7-8 minutes. Stir in chard, collards, broth, cilantro and mint. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally until greens are tender. About 10 minutes. Stir in lemon juice and season to taste with salt and pepper. Puree soup with a handheld immersion blender. Ladle into soup bowls and garnish with about a tablespoon of yogurt and feta and drizzle with lemon juice and olive oil.

gougeres:
1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 stick unsalted butter
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 1/2 cup grated gruyere cheese
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
4 large whole eggs

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line three large baking sheets with nonstick baking mats, such as Silpats, or parchment paper.

In a medium saucepan, combine 1 cup water with the butter, salt, sugar, paprika and pepper over medium high heat.  Bring mixture to a boil, and immediately remove from heat. Using a wooden spoon, add flour, stirring until flour is no longer visible. Stir in both cheeses and mix til cheese is just melted.

Let sit for a couple minutes for the dough mixture to cool. Slowly add one egg at a time, making sure flour mixture is cool enough to not cook the eggs. The dough should be light and shiny. Test the batter by touching it with your finger and lifting- it should form a soft peak. If a soft peak does not form, the batter needs more egg. If you have added all the egg and the batter still won't form a soft peak, add an egg white, a little at a time, until it does.

Transfer dough to a pastry pag fitted with a 5/8 inch plain tip. Pipe puffs into swirls about 1 1/2 inch wide. Sprinkle each with parmesan. Bake, rotating halfway through, until puffs are golden, about 20 minutes. Serve immediately or keep tightly wrapped.

stuffed zucchini blossoms

Aren't they pretty? 

Zucchini blossoms are perfectly in season right now. They're delicate flowers that are mild in flavor and great for stuffin', particularly with a mix of ricotta, lemon zest, chopped mint and black pepper. Pretty standard, easy recipe. And they look so darn pretty! I made a quick tomato dipping sauce with canned fire roasted whole tomatoes, added some dried italian spices (hot pepper flakes, oregano, thyme, basil etc..) and reduced the liquid by half until it was nice and saucy. 

Ingredients:  

filling

• 1 cup ricotta
• 1 tablespoon freshly chopped mint
• 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

zucchini blossoms

• Vegetable oil (for frying)
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 12 ounce chilled beer, or club soda
• Zucchini blossoms (about 2 dozen)
• sea salt

To stuff: 

• To fill about 16, combine ricotta, mint, and lemon zest in a bowl. Season with salt and black pepper. Using a spoon, fill each blossom with about 1 Tbsp. ricotta mixture.
  
  
  To fry: 

• In a large sauce pan, heat about 2 inches of oil over medium heat. Combine flour and salt in a medium bowl, then whisk in beer until almost smooth (some small lumps are ok—don't overwhisk or you'll deflate the batter). One by one, dredge the blossoms in batter, shaking off the excess. Gently lay in the oil, without crowding the pan. Cook, flipping once with a slotted spoon, until golden brown, 2-3 minutes total. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Sprinkle with sea salt. Serve with tomato dipping sauce.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

rhubarb cupcakes with fresh whipped cream

I usually don't bake with dairy, but sometimes I've just had enough of using oil or margarine. Adding eggs really gives a cupcake a much lighter air. And, I just got this awesome new Martha Stewart Cookbook that is all cupcakes. I don't know why I'm on a cupcake fix. I'm not really even a big fan of them, maybe that's why I keep making them. I want to perfect the cupcake, or at least make it more interesting. And less sweet. This recipe calls for rhubarb, which is perfectly in season during these warm early summer months. Rhubarb has such a nice tart bite, similar to cranberry when cooked. It also calls for sour cream, which gives this cupcake a lovely airy shortcake-type texture, similar to a strawberry shortcake. The topping is heavy cream whipped with a bit of confectioners sugar to make a lightly sweet puffy whipped cream. I reduced a cup of rhubarb with sugar, water and scrapped vanilla bean to get those fancy specks of vanilla seeds for the topping. 

cupcake recipe: 

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

2 cups sugar

2 large eggs, room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup sour cream, room temperature

3 cups rhubarb, stalks trimmed and cut into 1/4 inch dice

1 vanilla bean, halved length-wise

1 cup water

whipped cream (recipe to follow)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line standard muffin tin with paper liners. Whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. 

With an electric mixer at medium speed, cream butter and 1 cup sugar until pale and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Beat in vanilla extract. Reduce speed to low.

Add flour mixture in two batches, alternating with the sour cream, and beating until combined after each. Stir in 2 cups diced rhubarb. 

Fill each cupcake liner with three-quarters full of batter. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until knife comes out clean when inserted in center of cupcake, about 25 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool completely before removing cupcakes.

To make rhubarb topping, use the tip of a paring knife to scrape vanilla bean seeds into a saucepan. Add the water and remaining one cup of sugar, and bring to a simmer, stirring to dissolve sugar. Remove from heat, and stir in remaining one cup of rhubarb. Let cool completely. Remove rhubarb with a slotted spoon, and reserve. Return liquid to a simmer, and cool until reduced by half, 5 to 8 minutes. Let cool slightly, then return rhubarb to syrup. Once cool, rhubarb can be refrigerated in syrup up to one week in an airtight container. 

recipe for whipped cream: 

2 cups heavy cream

1/4 cup confectioners sugar, sifted

Whisky heavy cream until soft peaks form. Add confectioners sugar, and whisk until combined. If not using immediately, whipped cream can be refrigerated, covered tightly, up to three hours in an airtight container. 

to assemble: 

Dollop a generous amount of whipped cream onto each cupcake, and top with rhubarb and some syrup. Serve immediately. 

Yields 16 cupcakes