Kitchen Kat

Over the weekend, while everyone else was off enjoying a few snow-free days, I sat in my office, struggling over an assignment on sardines. Whenever I became convinced that I had captured the delights of these small, iridescent fish, my husband would read a few lines and announce that I still hadn’t sold him, yet.

He isn’t alone in his status of sardine sourpuss. Many Americans write off this flavorful, little fellow as being too oily, boney, fishy or just too startling – with its head and tail intact – to use in a dish.

For me, though, sardines remain a tasty, smart, and economical alternative to ‘fast fish’ such as canned tuna and larger, carnivorous creatures such as salmon. With a flavor reminiscent of a heartier, earthier tuna sardines can jazz up a variety foods including sandwiches and subs, salads, pasta, pizza and dips.

Their rich, meaty flavor also allows them to stand on their own, grilled and served with a side of mixed greens or couscous. Their fatty flesh makes them perfect not only for grilling but also for broiling and frying.

Recoil at the thought of fattiness? Think again. Sardines are high in omega-3 fatty acids, which may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer and arthritis. They likewise are a good source of protein.

The health benefits don’t end here. Thanks to their short life spans, primarily herbivore eating habits and wild-caught status, sardines are low in mercury and other toxins. Although abundant in supply, these guys have stringent catch quotas, further enhancing their low environmental impact.

If these wonderful aspects don’t sway naysayers, consider the price. A 3.75-ounce can of boneless, skinless sardines cost as little as $1. Talk about value on your plate.

Still feel that you’ll never try a sardine? Chances are that you already have. A generic term, “sardine” applies to a variety of tiny, soft-boned, saltwater fish. Anchovies, herring, pilchards and sprat all fall under this category. So, if you’ve ever nibbled on a Caesar salad, with its salty, anchovy-laced dressing, or chowed down on bread slathered in the warm Italian dip bagna cauda, then you’ve eaten sardines.

ONION-SARDINE PUFF
Serves 4 to 6

1 sheet of frozen puff pastry, thawed
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 ½ medium white onions, peeled and sliced into crescents
¾ teaspoon salt
1 (3.75-ounce) can of skinless, boneless sardines
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped
½ teaspoon dried thyme

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Roll out the thawed puff pastry and place it on an ungreased baking sheet.

In a medium frying or sauté pan heat the oil on medium high. Add the onions and salt and sauté until softened, about 6 minutes. You should end up with about 1 1/2 cups cooked onion. Remove the onions from the pan and spread them evenly over the puff pastry.

Using your fingers, break the sardines into chunks and place them on top of the onions, spacing them evenly apart. Sprinkle the fresh rosemary and dried thyme over the onions and sardines and insert the puff into the oven.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the pastry has puffed up and the edges have browned slightly. Cut into squares and serve warm.

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When I’m hungry and in a rush, I reach for my curvy, tropical friend, the banana. This potassium- and Vitamin C-rich fruit has filled the bellies of the ravenous since ancient times. No wonder. Whether you pluck it off a tree or buy it from a fruit stand, grocery store or coffee shop, the ubiquitous banana persists in being easy to find, transport and eat. Just pop it into your bag or slip it into a “banana guard” and shove it into your jacket pocket and you’re set to snack healthfully any time, any place.

Because I enjoy the gentle sweetness and soft texture of bananas so much, I frequently incorporate them into my cooking. Banana bread, muffins and pancakes have all kicked off my days while banana cream pies, puddings, ice cream sandwiches and splits have brought luscious endings to my nights.

On those evenings when I crave a bit of a spectacle with dessert, I whisk together the flamboyant New Orleans classic Bananas Foster. In this dish bananas are sauteed in a mixture of brown sugar, cinnamon, unsalted butter and banana liqueur before being set aflame in dark rum. Once the fire dies out, the bananas and rich, amber sauce are spooned over ice cream. While vanilla ice cream has become the standard choice for Bananas Foster, alternate flavors such as chocolate, toffee, caramel or hazelnut can add an extra dash of excitement to this sweet.

When I don’t feel up to fiddling around with more than a few ingredients, I pull out some brown sugar and unsalted butter and make caramelized bananas. This simple treat can top French toast and pancakes, fill crepes, or be layered between scoops of ice cream or yogurt. Caramelized bananas can also stand on their own, served in small bowls with whipped cream or crisp sugar cookies.

So many cooking options. Such delicious food. It’s no surprise that bananas have become North America’s – and my – favorite fruit.

CARAMELIZED BANANAS
Serves 2 to 4

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
2 large, ripe bananas, peeled and sliced into coins

Melt the butter and sugar together in a medium frying or saute pan. Stir frequently so that the ingredients are well-combined. Lay the bananas on top of the sauce and cook for approximately 45 seconds. Flip over the banana coins and cook on the other side for roughly the same time. The bananas should be soft but not mushy. Spoon the caramelized bananas over French toast, pancakes, crepes, plain Greek yogurt or ice cream and serve immediately.

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“Stir constantly with a wooden spoon until the cornmeal thickens, about 30 to 45 minutes.” Those instructions have daunted countless would-be polenta makers, including me. Who wants to stand over a steaming pot for 45 minutes, stirring cornmeal non-stop? No doubt anyone who has discovered the tastiness and versatility of this savory comfort food would, that’s who.

A staple of Northern Italian cuisine, modern polenta dates back to the mid 17th century. It was during this time that the Venetians introduced American corn to the region. Prior to the 1600s a variation of polenta was reputedly made using chestnut flour while another version may have existed that employed barley.

Cooked in an unlined copper kettle, the combination of yellow cornmeal, or ground corn, and water was ceaselessly stirred until a thick mush formed. To test for doneness, the cook would insert her wooden spoon in the center of the mixture. If the spoon stood up on its own, without falling over or shifting its position, the polenta was done.

Once finished, the polenta was either served immediately in its porridge-like state or spooned out of the pot, spread out on a flat surface to cool and solidify and then cut into squares. The pieces would then be grilled or fried and paired up with seafood, vegetables or a sauce. An extremely adaptable food, it was offered as a first course, side and even an entrée. When teamed with spicy sausages or sweet syrup or preserves, it became a hearty breakfast.

Although polenta can be delicious on its own, it also compliments a variety of foods. Stewed, braised or roasted meats, grilled fish and shellfish and roasted fowl all couple well with it. When working with meats and fish, be sure to reserve some of their cooking juices so that the liquid can be used as a light sauce for the polenta.

Likewise, polenta can serve as a stand-in for such basic ingredients as the potatoes in mashed potatoes or pasta in lasagna. Just spread out, cool and cut the cooked polenta into strips. Place the strips in a baking dish and cover with cheese, meat or vegetables and tomato sauce and bake. Outstanding!

MEDITERRANEAN POLENTA TRIANGLES
Serves 4 to 6

For the polenta:
3 ¾ cups water
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon olive oil, plus 2 to 3 tablespoons for frying
1 cup instant polenta

For the topping:
1 (14 ½) ounce can of diced tomatoes, drained and with juice reserved in separate bowl
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
¾ teaspoon dried oregano
¾ teaspoon dried thyme
1 ½ teaspoons fresh, chopped parsley or ¾ teaspoon dried parsley
½ teaspoon ground black pepper

In a large saucepan bring the water to a boil. Add the salt and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Slowly pour in the cornmeal, stirring with a wooden spoon as you add it. Reduce the heat to medium and continue to cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and spoon the polenta into a rectangular, lightly oiled, 2-quart baking dish. Allow the polenta to cool and solidify.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl mix together the tomatoes, garlic, oil, lemon juice, oregano, thyme, parsley and pepper. Depending on how thick you want the topping to be, add 2 to 4 tablespoons of the reserved tomato juice to the mixture and stir together.

Once the polenta is firm, cut it into triangles about 2 inches in diameter at the base. (You can do this by first cutting the polenta into a rectangle and then slicing it diagonally to make 2 triangles.)

In a non-stick frying pan heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Place several polenta triangles in the pan and fry on both sides until golden brown. Remove and arrange the cooked polenta on a large plate or platter. Repeat these steps with the remaining triangles.

Spoon the topping over the fried polenta and serve immediately.

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This past fall a series of house guests prompted me to re-think what I consume at the start of each and every day. While I may love to greet the morn with a slice of double fiber wheat toast with organic peanut butter and Le Pain Quotidien four-berry preserves slathered over top, I suspected that my friends would expect a little more than a hunk of toast dressed up with PB and J. No doubt about it, I’d have to come up with something more interesting and filling to offer my traveling guests.

One of the fastest yet prettiest ways to kick off the day was with a yogurt-fruit-granola parfait. For this I just dug out some margarita glasses and filled the bottoms with homemade granola. I then covered the granola with a few spoonfuls of organic, Greek yogurt followed by fresh berries and more granola. I topped the parfait off with a handful of berries and then — Voila! — breakfast was ready.

When pressed for time, I spread delicate, coral slices of smoked salmon on a white platter, sprinkled feathery, fresh dill and piquant capers around the edges and presented the dish alongside a slab of cream cheese and wedges of savory pumpernickel bread. The entree looked elegant and tasted delicious. Yet, it took only a few minutes to prepare.

On mornings when I had time to spare, I whipped up a Mediterranean frittata. An Italian version of an omelet, the frittata has its extra ingredients – cheese, tomatoes, etc. – mixed and cooked with the eggs rather than folded inside them as its French cousin does. Finished under a broiler, the frittata, unlike an omelet, keeps its round shape.

Although whisking together eggs, herbs, and cheese at the crack of dawn might seem too onerous to bear, the frittata proved to be yet another easy offering. Since I didn’t have to fiddle with a crust, as I would with a quiche, I could pour the egg mixture into a heated pan and let the stovetop do its work. Likewise, I didn’t have to worry about hovering over the stove, evenly folding over eggs or contending with too much filling slopping out over the sides. This self-contained dish cooked away while I devoted my attention to brewing a much-needed pot of coffee.

While frittatas, smoked salmon platters and yogurt-granola parfaits all had their charms, some mornings the best and simplest way to ease into the day was with breakfast at a local diner. All the comforts of home cooking but without any of the dishes to clean at the end of the meal. And this, ultimately, was my visiting friends’ favorite way to begin their stays.

MEDITERRANEAN FRITTATA
Serves 4

1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
3 eggs
5 egg beaters
1/3 cup tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
1/4 teaspoon dried basil flakes
dash of freshly ground black pepper

Place the oil in an oven-proof, 3-quart saute or other smallish pan and heat it on medium-high. Turn the oven broiler on medium.

As the oil and broiler are heating, whisk together the eggs, egg beaters, tomatoes, cheese, basil flakes and ground pepper. Pour the mixture into the heated pan, reduce the stovetop’s heat to medium and allow the frittata to cook until the bottom is golden and the top begins to firm up.

Remove the frittata from the stovetop and place it beneath the preheated broiler. Watching it closely, allow the frittata to finish cooking and turn a golden brown on top. Depending on the size of your pan and how long it cooked on the stovetop, this will take anywhere from 1 to 4 minutes. Cut the frittata into 4 wedges and serve immediately with a side of fresh fruit or mixed greens salad.

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Americans seem to be mad about mushrooms. Walk into any grocery store and you’ll spy bins of plump white button, umbrella-shaped shiitake, sprout-like enokitake and big, brown portobello mushrooms, all commercially grown and ready for consumption. No wonder we see so many mushrooms. Our cultivated crops bring in $956 million in sales and provide consumers with 827 million pounds of food, according to the Washington D.C.-based American Mushroom Institute.

Versatility contributes greatly to the mushroom’s popularity. In my home. its nutty, woodsy flavor spices up sauces and stews. Sliced, it becomes a savory accent for omelets, stir fries, pasta and pizzas. As a main ingredient, it stars in such dishes as wild mushroom stroganoff, spinach-stuffed portobello caps, mushroom puffs and cremini tarts.

Before cooking fresh mushrooms, I give each a quick sniff. A sweet, earthy odor should rise from the firm, heavy flesh. Any slimy, foul-smelling ones get tossed into the trash before they taint the rest.

Finished with the smell test, I trim off any hard stems and brush away dirt with a damp cloth. As mushrooms consist of 90 percent water and readily absorb liquids, I don’t wash or soak them as I would other vegetables.

Dried mushrooms are another tale. Unlike their fresh brethren, I allow the desiccated domes to sit in a bowl of warm water for 30 minutes. This reconstitutes the withered flesh and provides me with a robust stock for soup and sauces. I always strain the soaking liquid to remove impurities before using.

Mushrooms prepped, I face the dilemma of how to cook them. The simplest method is to slice and serve raw over a salad or steamed vegetable. However, as mushrooms partner well with butter, olive oil, garlic, onion and shallots, I could sauté them en masse and present them as a nourishing side dish.

After marinating some hefty portobellos in lemon juice, vinegar or sherry, olive oil and marjoram, tarragon, thyme or rosemary, I have the option of broiling, baking or grilling the caps. I can also coat the portobellos with breadcrumbs, minced parsley and black pepper and fry them in a pan. When laziness prevails, I simply skewer the caps, drizzle them with olive oil and lay them on a hot grill. Within minutes I have several substantial meals.

So many hearty combinations and easy preparations. There’s no question why folks are utterly mad about mushrooms.

MUSHROOM PUFFS
Makes approximately 2 1/2 dozen

2 sheets of frozen puff pastry, cut into 2-1/2-inch circles
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
20 ounces cremini or white button, cleaned and trimmed
1-1/2 shallots, minced
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground white pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon water
1 egg, beaten
1 cup Gruyere cheese, grated
Several sprigs of fresh parsley, minced
Thaw frozen puff pastry sheets.

Preheat oven to temperature recommended by puff pastry manufacturer.

Melt the butter in a large frying or sauté pan. Add the mushrooms and sauté over medium heat until slightly softened. Add the shallots, salt and pepper and continue cooking over medium until mushrooms are soft. Remove pan from heat.

Using a 2-1/2-inch pastry cutter, cut out approximately 30 circles. Half will be used as the bottoms of the mushroom puffs. The other half will serve as the tops. Place the bottoms on ungreased baking sheets, spacing them 2 inches apart.

Add one tablespoon of water to the beaten egg and set aside.

Place one tablespoon of the mushroom filling on the center of each circle. Sprinkle Gruyere cheese and parsley over the mushrooms.

Taking one of the puff’s tops, apply the egg wash to the edges then place the moistened side on top of the mushrooms and press down on the edges to seal the puff. Repeat until all the puffs are assembled.

Bake in the oven for approximately 10 to 15 minutes, until puffs have risen and turned golden brown. For best results, serve immediately.

SPINACH-STUFFED PORTOBELLO MUSHROOMS
Serves 6

6 portobello mushrooms, cleaned and stems removed
8 tablespoons olive oil
Juice of 3 lemons
3 cloves garlic, minced
1-1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp freshly ground white pepper
1-1/2 pounds spinach, cooked and strained to remove water
2 cups diced tomatoes, drained
6 ounces Fontina cheese, cut into strips
Pre-heat the oven to 3500F.
Place the mushrooms smooth-side down in a baking dish.

Whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, oregano and pepper. Pour the dressing over the mushrooms then place the dish in the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes. The mushrooms will appear soft and slightly browned when finished baking.

Turn off oven and remove pan. Turn broiler onto “medium” setting.

Put equal portions of spinach followed by tomatoes onto each mushroom and then lay equal amounts of Fontina on top of the tomatoes.

Place the dish back in the oven, under the broiler, and broil until the cheese is soft, about 1 minute. Remove and serve.

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When life gets tough and leaves me longing for a sense of security, I escape to my kitchen and cook one of my favorite comfort foods: creamy macaroni and cheese.

Long considered a Depression era food, macaroni and cheese actually dates back to the late 18th century. Our third president, Thomas Jefferson, is credited with introducing the dish to America. The story goes that Jefferson returned from a trip to Italy with a pasta maker and recipe for macaroni coated with cheese. Originally made with equal amounts of grated Parmesan and butter, it would later feature the standard cheddar and bechamel sauce. Reputedly Jefferson’s favorite meal, this casserole was served at Monticello, his Virginia home, and also at parties in Washington.

Although considered a luxury item reserved for the rich, macaroni and cheese did appear in Mary Randolph’s The Virginia Housewife in 1824. Her housekeeping and cookery book instructed readers to ‘boil the macaroni with milk and water.’ After cooking and draining the macaroni, they should then place it in a bowl and cover the top with cheese and butter. By 1851, the recipe had evolved into a richer, cheesier dish featuring alternating layers of Parmesan, butter and macaroni. According to Jean Anderson in The American Century Cookbook (Clarkson, 1991), the first saucy macaroni and cheese appeared in 1915 in the Larkin Housewives’ Cook Book. Many cookbooks, though, continued with the drier, layered dish through the 1950s.

Despite its long history on these shores, macaroni and cheese didn’t become a nationwide sensation until the Depression. By that time, pasta was being manufactured on a large scale, making macaroni cheap and widely available. Adding a little cheese, butter and breadcrumbs to a pot of elbow macaroni provided unemployed, cash-strapped families with a simple, inexpensive and filling dinner.

Making mac ‘n’ cheese from scratch couldn’t be easier. While the elbows (or other short, tubular pasta) cook, I stir together equal parts flour and butter in a medium sized pan over medium-low heat. In other words, I make a roux. To this I slowly add milk, which transforms my roux into a bechamel sauce. While the sauce simmers, I sprinkle in my grated cheese of choice and a dash of ground white pepper and allow the ingredients to bubble away for a minute. By this point my macaroni should have reached al dente, a firm but not hard consistency and the ideal level of doneness for this dish. After draining the pasta, I tumble it into the sauce and stir the two together. At this stage I could cook the macaroni and cheese for another minute and then serve it. I could also spoon it into a buttered baking pan, dot the top with bread crumbs, and bake for 30 minutes.

Cook on the stove or bake in the oven? The decision is a matter of time and taste.

Likewise, personal taste plays a role in what cheese stars in my entree. Often I choose a high quality, aged, sharp cheddar and mix it with a little Parmesan. For more intense flavor I select a mixture of cheddar and Gruyere. No matter what cheese I choose, I know that in the end I’ll dig into a big bowl of delicious comfort food. Mac ‘n’ cheese — it’s the meal of contentment for me.

STOVETOP MACARONI AND A CHEESE QUARTET
Serves 4 to 6

2 cups elbow macaroni
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
1 cup cheddar cheese, grated
1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, grated
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1/4 cup Romano cheese, grated
Dash of ground white pepper
Curry powder, optional garnish
Hot paprika, optional garnish

Following the directions on the package, cook the macaroni until al dente.

Meanwhile, in a medium-sized saucepan melt 2 tablespoons of butter then add the flour, whisking until well combined. Cook the roux for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

Over medium heat slowly add the milk to the roux, stirring to incorporate. Cook together until slightly thickened. Add the cheeses and pepper to the liquid. Stir periodically until well combined and then remove from the heat.

Drain the macaroni. Tumble it into the pan with the cheese sauce, stir them together and allow the mixture to cook for 1 minute over medium heat, until the sauce has thickened. Spoon into bowls and serve immediately with an optional sprinkling of curry powder or hot paprika on top.

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After a long season of munching on buttery cakes, iced cookies, and gooey candy the last thing that I want to bake, or eat, is dessert. I do, however, make an exception for meringues. Take one bite of an ethereally light meringue and you’ll understand why this confection was originally dubbed “sugar puff.” Crafted from egg whites and granulated sugar, this is one of the daintiest and simplest sweets that you’ll ever taste.

As a child, I associated meringue with the browned peaks capping off my mom’s coconut cream and lemon meringue pies. Yet, as I later learned, it is so much more than a topping for creamy treats. Where would ile flottante be without its white, fluffy islands or baked Alaska without its elegant, insulating alps? Minus meringue both become pools of cream sloshing about on our plates. Without question meringue remains the backbone of these and many other desserts.

Debate over the origins of this airy treat has raged on for decades. Some culinary historians credit the Swiss pastry chef Galasparini in the German town of Meiringen with meringues. Yet others point to a cook in the 18th century Duke of Lorraine’s kitchen as the creator of the first egg white delight.

Whoever did whisk together the first meringue unwittingly invented a longstanding, global hit. Eighteenth century French Queen Marie Antoinette reputedly loved meringues so much that she whipped up her own in the palace kitchen. Two centuries later Australian fans awarded the meringue-based pavlova the title of Australia’s national dessert.

Created in honor of the Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova, the pavlova consists of a meringue shaped in the form of a round basket or cake. Covered with whipped cream and then layered with strawberries, kiwi, bananas, peaches, raspberries or a combination thereof, the “pav” wows with its beautiful presentation and ease of preparation.

To make a meringue, I use an electric mixer to whip egg whites into a foam. Foam formed, I slowly add a little granulated sugar and continue beating. After the egg whites have doubled in size and soft peaks appear, I gradually pour in the rest of the sugar and continue to beat the mixture. When glossy, stiff peaks pop up, I am ready to slather the meringue over a pie or pipe it through a pastry bag or spoon it onto parchment paper and bake it.

If I am baking the meringue sans pie, I slip the parchment paper into an oven preheated to 275 degrees. After an hour has passed, I turn off the oven and allow the meringue to cook inside for another 3 hours or so. Due to the lengthy baking time I often start my meringue before going to bed and allow it to bake overnight.

When craving a crisp exterior but chewy interior — the consistency of pavlovas — I include either cornstarch or a tablespoon of vinegar in my ingredients list. After I have beaten my egg whites and sugar into stiff peaks, I fold the cornstarch or vinegar into the meringue. If I want to flavor my meringue with chocolate or ground nuts, I also add these at this time.

Easy to make. Light and delicious to eat. It’s no wonder that meringues remain my favorite “I’m-so-tired-of-sweets” sweet.

CHOCOLATE RASPBERRY PAVLOVA
Adapted from Nigella Lawson’s “Forever Summer” (Hyperion, 2003)
Serves 8 to 10

6 egg whites
1 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
container of store-bought whipped cream
1 pint raspberries, washed and dried
2-3 tablespoons grated semi-sweet chocolate

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Beat the egg whites until satiny peaks form and then beat in the sugar a spoonful at a time until the meringue is stiff and shiny.
Sprinkle in the cocoa, vinegar and chopped chocolate then gently fold until everything is mixed. Mound the meringue onto a baking sheet in a fat circle roughly 9 inches in diameter.

Place the baking sheet in the oven then immediately turn the temperature down to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Cook for 1 to 1¼ hours until its crisp around the edges and sides and dry on top. There should still be some give to the center of the meringue. Turn off the oven and, leaving the meringue inside, allow it to cool completely.

When ready to serve, cover the top with whipped cream, followed by the berries and shavings of chocolate.

LIZ THEISEN’S STRAWBERRIES ROMANOFF IN MERINGUES
Makes 10 to 12

2 quarts ripe strawberries, washed
1 (6-ounce) can frozen orange juice concentrate, defrosted
1 cup port wine
Sugar
3 tablespoons Mandarine liqueur
2 cups heavy whipping cream
Forgotten Meringues (recipe follows)
Flowers or flower petals or shelled pistachios

Hull strawberries and place in a large bowl. Add orange juice concentrate and port and season to taste with a little sugar, if desired. Gently stir and allow berries to mellow in this mixture for 2 hours. Add Mandarine liqueur, taste and add more sugar, if desired. Whip cream with or without sugar to taste. Fill meringue shells with berries, garnish with flowers or pistachios and serve with whipped cream on the side.

Forgotten Meringues:
6 egg whites
1-1/2 teaspoons lemon juice or 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
2 cups sugar

Beat egg whites with lemon juice or cream of tartar until frothy. Gradually add sugar and beat until stiff and glossy. Pipe into 12 nest shapes or drop by small spoonfuls in circles on brown paper on a baking sheet. Place tray in preheated 400-degree oven, close door and turn off the heat. (Don’t peak!) Let stand overnight in the oven. Meringues will be baked by morning.

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As I try to recover from this year’s holiday cooking frenzy and also rush to meet deadlines, I offer a photo from my chaotic Christmastime kitchen as well as an excerpt from and link to a syndicated article on New Year’s foods from around the world. This piece appeared on December 30, 2009 in the Chicago Tribune and elsewhere.

“Feasts of Fortune”

There’s nothing quite like a New Year’s Eve party. Revelers clinking champagne glasses, blasting off fireworks and noisemakers, knocking loaves of bread against houses, and devouring 12 grapes at the stroke of midnight. Wait a minute! When did tossing bread and eating grapes become part of our holiday traditions?

Where we live greatly impacts how we ring in the New Year. While fireworks and noisemakers remain integral parts of the festivities, most countries possess at least one unique culinary custom for heralding the arrival of another year.

In Ireland, where famine had decimated the land, celebrations often focus on sustenance. Here folklore dictates that on December 31 citizens should strike the side of their houses with a loaf of bread while reciting a prayer for a hunger-free year. Likewise, friends and family should gather together for a large, lengthy meal, which will set the pattern for 12 subsequent months of prosperity.

Want to ensure sweetness and fortune in the coming year? Follow Spain’s example and consume a grape at every chiming of the clock at midnight. Each grape supposedly sweetens the corresponding month.

For more details about New Year’s traditions and recipes, click on the following link, Feasts of Fortune.

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As soon as Thanksgiving breezes by, I start obsessing about Christmas and all the celebrations — and preparations — that the holiday season brings. Each year I vow to make my life easier by hosting smaller parties and concocting simpler menus. Yet, each year I invariably end up sweating over a steaming stockpot of coq au vin for 16 or frantically whisking together 20 individual mocha pot de cremes on Christmas Eve. So much for easy.

In 2009 I swear to halve my stress level by following four basic rules: Keep the appetizers easy. Offer only one entree. Don’t turn down offers from guests of appetizers or side dishes. Lastly and perhaps most importantly, don’t go wild with new, complicated, or made-to-order desserts.

Gone are the days when I offer hot-out-of-the-oven mini red pepper quiches and steamy Gruyere mushroom puffs as two of a dozen homemade hors d’ouevres. This year friends and family will nosh on such quick, uncomplicated appetizers as “apricot medallions,” smoked salmon pate, spiced nuts and olives. And, if time slips away from me, I will have no qualms about plunking wedges of Manchego and cana de cabra cheeses onto a wooden cutting board, spooning honey and store-bought tamarind or mango chutney into small bowls and serving both alongside slices of apple and baguette. If anyone grumbles, I’ll claim that we’re celebrating Christmas the Spanish way with tapas.

I likewise intend to give up those complicated, highly decorated desserts. This includes the adorable but panic attack-inducing “Santa Bear,” painstakingly hand-rolled raspberry truffles and made-to-order chocolate souffles. Instead I will whip up such painless offerings as chocolate cupcakes and white chocolate-almond cake. Topped with juicy pomegranate seeds and a dusting of powdered sugar, the latter is a particularly festive yet undemanding sweet.

APRICOT MEDALLIONS
Makes 40

4 ounces goat cheese, at room temperature
2 teaspoons skim milk
40 large, dried Turkish apricots
handful of walnuts, cut into 40 small chunks
1/8 to 1/4 cup honey, for drizzling

In a small bowl mix together the goat cheese and milk until the cheese is smooth and spreadable. Using a knife, spread equal amounts of goat cheese on top of each apricot slice. Top each apricot with a walnut piece and place on the platter or plate. Drizzle honey over each and then serve.

WHITE CHOCOLATE-ALMOND CAKE FOR EIGHT
Adapted from Nigella Lawson’s “Forever Summer” (Hyperion, 2003)

10 ounces white chocolate
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
6 tablespoons granulated sugar
6 large eggs, separated
1½ cups ground, blanched almonds
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon almond extract
powdered sugar, for dusting the cake
2/3 cup pomegranate seeds

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease and line a 9-inch springform pan.

Melt the chocolate in the microwave or in a double boiler. Stir together until well-blended and then set the chocolate aside to cool.

Using an electric stand or hand mixer, beat the butter until very soft. Add the sugar and cream the two together. Still beating, add the egg yolks, one at a time, waiting until each one is incorporated before adding the next.

Slowly scrape in the cooled chocolate, beating firmly. Once the chocolate is incorporated, add the ground almonds and extract, beating again to mix.

In a separate bowl with an electric mixer, beat the egg whites till peaks begin to form. Once this occurs, slowly add the remaining sugar and beat until the egg whites are glossy and firm.

Add a dollop of egg whites to the cake batter and stir well. Fold the rest of the egg whites into the mixture in 3 or 4 parts. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 45-50 minutes until cooked through, checking at around 30 minutes to make sure that the cake is not burning on top. You may need to cover loosely with a piece of foil after 30 minutes. Note that a cake tester is not a good indicator of “doneness” as this is a moist cake. When the cake begins to separate from the sides of the pan, it should be finished baking.

Remove from the oven and place the cake in its pan on a wire rack for 20 minutes before inverting and removing from the pan. Allow to cool completely. Before serving, sprinkle the top with a generous amount of powdered sugar and then tumble the pomegranate seeds, followed by more sugar, over the surface.

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Whether sweet, sour, spicy or a tad salty, condiments have added flavor and flare to food for countless centuries. While the most familiar – ketchup, mustard and mayonnaise – still bring pleasure to the palate, something more unusual, such as chutney, can add much needed excitement to your dinner plate.

From the East Indian word “chatni” comes chutney, a tangy condiment featuring minced herbs, fruits, vegetables and spices. Freshly prepared for each meal, chutney appears alongside curries, as a spread for bread, as a topping for cheese and as a flavor enhancer for milder dishes such as rice and dals.

The ingredients in this sauce vary according to region and personal taste. In Southern India creamy coconut is all the rage while in Western India spicy herb reigns supreme. Whether from ripe or green tomatoes, tomato chutney is a hit across the country as is the silky, piquant tamarind chutney.

Of the myriad of chutneys produced and consumed, only one has become an international sensation – the sweetly tart and chunky mango chutney. Made from green mangoes, ginger, raisins, vinegar and an assortment of spices, this condiment was initially served fresh in India. However, once British colonists became smitten with it, Indian cooks began to preserve, can, and ship this ambrosial, jam-like relish to Great Britain.

The mango craze spread throughout the United Kingdom and then infiltrated farther shores. Walk down the ethnic food aisle of any grocery store and you’re bound to see at least three different brands of mango chutney. It’s delectable and everywhere.

FRESH GREEN MANGO CHUTNEY
Makes 2 cups
As this fruit chutney is uncooked, it should be consumed within a day or two.

1 pound green, unripe mangoes, peeled and diced
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
¼ cup golden raisins
2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped
¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
3 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons brown sugar

Combine all the ingredients in a medium-sized bowl, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Serve as a topping for grilled fish or chicken, with cheese or as a spread for sandwiches.

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