Apricot-Blueberry Galette for Tuesdays with Dorie

I was bad. I strayed a bit from the Apricot-Raspberry Tart we were supposed to make this week out of Baking Chez Moi. I couldn't help it. The Blueberry-Pecan Galette on the cover of this month's Bon Appétit was so enticing, with its rustic, free form shape and golden brown, sugar sprinkled crust. I strayed even more by using Thomas Keller's pâte sucrée from Bouchon Bakery, which he uses for a stunning plum tart with almond cream.

The pâte sucrée is made with all-purpose and almond flours, powdered sugar, vanilla bean, butter, and 56 grams of eggs. His recipes are so precise, but one large egg was right on the money. This dough is wonderfully silky and easy to work with, and there was no pre-baking required.

Of course, I had to play around with an old copper pan, and the fresh apricots and blueberries. I could only find a few basil leaves to add some greenery, but they did not go into my galette.

Apricots and Blueberries

Apricot-Blueberry Galette

I apologize, Dorie. Sometimes I feel the need to wander, experiment, and give a little love to some of my cooking magazines and other cookbooks hanging around. However, I did take a peek at several of the Apricot-Raspberry Tarts posted this morning, here, and must say they are gorgeous! Maybe I'll get back on track for the next recipe...

*** 

Tuesdays with Dorie is an online cooking group where anyone can bake along. The group bakes from two books – Baking with Julia and Baking Chez Moi. I occasionally bake along with the Baking Chez Moi group. The group bakes two recipes per month (voted on by the members in advance) and posts on the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month. We are asked to refrain from including the actual recipe in our posts, to promote the publishing industry and encourage others to buy the cookbooks.

Step up to the Plate and Cook the Cover!

When TN came to town, I wanted to show him a good time at his first Concert in the Park. Bon Appétit had just Facebooked a slideshow link to its Most Mouthwatering Cover Recipes Since 2012, so I used that as the inspiration for our theme. I opened the challenge to Cover Recipes from any cooking magazine, and also requested that everyone photograph their dish with an iPhone. We all had a great time with this challenge!

I've participated in several of Bon Appétit's Cook the Cover challenges in the past, but it had been some time. I was all over the Sour Cherry Pie featured on the June 2014 cover, but also decided to try the Spicy Calabrese-Style Pork Ragù from the February 2013 cover.

I was able to find sour cherries at Trader Joe's ($2.50/jar). Three jars, drained, provided the six cups of cherries called for in the recipe. The filling was a little soupy because I didn't allow the pie to sit long enough after baking before serving. Next time, I will make it the night before.

TN and I prepared the pork ragù together on Saturday, and then let it simmer on the stove while we went over to Pt. Loma Seafood for calamari sandwiches and shopping for seafood to bring for our dinner with Jim and Holli. We prepared Grilled Oysters with Garlic-Chile Butter, Socca, and shrimp, and Jim and Holli provided the margaritas, steak, salad, wine and grilled pineapple dessert! It was an awesome evening on their patio!

On Sunday morning, we made a quick coffee run and then got out on the bay for some kayaking. We paddled under the bridge and over to the golf course, where we pulled the kayaks up on the beach while enjoying a leisurely breakfast stop at the clubhouse. Sunday night was Concert in the Park, and Monday morning was another great kayaking excursion, followed by an evening watching the Padres at Petco Park.

Whew! There was too much fun going on that weekend! I need to focus and get back to Concert in the Park....

Alec and Nina hit a home run with Butter-Basted Rib Eye Steaks from Food & Wine..."This steak is based on a recipe from Alain Ducasse. Halfway through the cooking, these bone-in rib eyes are basted with a mixture of butter, thyme and garlic, so they're crusty outside and richly flavored."

February 2014 Food & Wine Cover

Photo Credit: Alec & Nina

Jim & Carmen turned up the heat at the park with Bon Appétit's Sambal Chicken Skewers. I've made these before, and TN loved them so much he grilled them when he got back home for his July 4th celebration. Jim was very creative with his iPhone photo and Photoshop.

"Kebabs get a bad rap. (Decades of alternating zucchini coins and cherry tomatoes can do that.) But this Asian take, with a spicy, sticky glaze, makes for a very convincing comeback."

Bon Appétit's cover

Jim's Photoshopped cover!

Jim grilling table-side at the park

Bryan & Kelley replicated Cuisine's May/June 2000 cover recipe: Bobby Flay's Grilled Skirt Steak with Chimichurri.

Two of Bon Appétit's cover-worthy pasta dishes made the cut and complemented each other quite nicely...Michele's Spaghetti with Parsley Pesto and our Rigatoni with Spicy Calabrese-Style Pork Ragù

Photo from Bon Appétit

Michele's Spaghetti with Parsley Pesto

Photo from Bon Appétit 

Our Penne with Spicy Calabrese-Style Pork Ragù

Bases were loaded, but we had a little room left for two of Bon Appetit's cover desserts, which also complemented each other very well. 

Cocoa Brownies with Browned Butter and Almonds and Sour Cherry Pie...

Bon Appetit's version February 2011

Mom's version

My Sour Cherry Pie

Unfortunately, I didn't know TN is more of an apple pie kinda guy...Baseball and apple pie, duh!  Maybe we'll head up to Julian on his next visit ;-)

Bon Appetit Cook the Cover: Chicken & Dumplings with Mushrooms

It would be nice to find a soft place to land and stay there for a while, but Trapper and I are on the move again! We moved into our little cottage just a year ago, but got the boot at the end of the lease. The owners, who live in the front house, claimed they planned to move into the cottage and rent out their house as a vacation rental. I didn't really buy it, and my suspicions were confirmed when I saw an ad on Craigslist advertising the cottage for availability on March 1. I won't get into the drama of what I went through initially when I moved in, but it must be time to move on.

So, I'm sitting at my computer, with boxes and packing paper all over the place, trying to get this blog post published before I unplug the computer and move it over tomorrow in time to meet the Cable/Internet technician. I've already started moving boxes of kitchen and other fragile stuff over to the new place, and the movers will come in a few days for my furniture. Trapper won't have a big yard, but we will still be in Coronado and just steps from the bay and his favorite swimming beach near the Ferry Landing. We can walk the boardwalk around the bay, under the bridge, along the golf course, and into town. We have an awesome view of the San Diego skyline from our patio and I look forward to taking advantage of the many resort amenities in the complex - pool, gym, saunas, hot tub, weekly happy hour... I'm especially motivated to get settled quickly, in anticipation of Tennessee's arrival at the end of the month.

I've missed participating in Bon Appetit's "Cook the Cover Challenge" the past few months, and February's "Modern Comfort" version of Chicken and Dumplings looked too good to pass up. I don't even recall if I've ever made Chicken and Dumplings, but I did enjoy this version with bacon, white wine, and assorted mushrooms. It was even better the next day for leftovers.

You can find Bon Appetit's cover recipe for Chicken and Dumplings with Mushrooms in the February issue and here. 

The only change I made in the original recipe was searing the chicken to a rich golden brown on both sides. Next time, I will also reserve the crisped bacon and sprinkle it over the finished dish at the time of serving, rather than adding it to the pot to simmer for 2 hours with the chicken. If you don't want to make the dumplings, this would be fabulous served over mashed potatoes, or even rice.

For my "cover" photo, I added a glass of wine. I used a nice Sauvignon Blanc in the recipe and managed to polish off the rest of the bottle that evening!

Cheers!

Bon Appetit Freeze the Cover: Bourbon Cherry Ice Cream

I was thrilled to see ice cream on the cover of the August Bon Appetit because 1) my KitchenAid Ice Cream Maker bowl has been patiently sitting in the back of my freezer all summer, and 2) I've been making gift jars filled with Strawberry Meringues for a client the last few weeks and have accumulated a nice collection of egg yolks in the freezer next to it. 

The cover recipe is for True Vanilla Ice Cream, which is great served alone or slowly melting over a warm slice of cherry pie or plum tart, but it also serves as a base for add-ins like bourbon cherries and chunks of dark chocolate. Bon Appetit provides flavor upgrade recipes for Cherry-Bourbon Ice Cream and Chocolate-Malt Ice Cream. I'll be making another batch of meringues this week and will be forced to try the Chocolate Malt Ice Cream next...oh darn!

Cherries have always been a love of mine. As a child, I couldn't resist cherry pie, frosted cherry pop-tarts, cherry cheesecake, and cherry ice cream. Must be because I'm a June baby, when cherries are at their peak. Regardless, my love for them continues in those same childhood favorites, as well as a few others like seared duck breast with cherries and port sauce, cherry clafoutis, dried cherry and almond scones, and Ben & Jerry's Cherry Garcia ice cream.

Cherry-Bourbon Ice Cream

I made the True Vanilla base and then added in Bourbon Cherries and chunks of dark chocolate (from a 4-ounce bar of bittersweet chocolate). My only regret is not making a double batch. You can find the recipe here.

I don't need to tell you how easy it is to open the freezer, pull out the container and sneak a few bites. But it's impossible to stop there with this ice cream. You'll be compelled to take the container to the couch and polish off at least half in one sitting.

***

I'm now adding bittersweet chocolate and malted milk balls to my grocery list today and you should do the same.

Oh, and for your leftover egg whites, here are the Strawberry Meringue Clouds that have been flying out the door...thanks, Giada!

Bon Appetit Cook the Cover - Sambal Chicken Skewers

The past two Bon Appetit covers have been gorgeous representations of summer - June's Spaghetti with Parsley Pesto and this month's Sambal Chicken Skewers.

The vibrant green pesto was packed with fresh parsley and chives, and this fiery red marinade showcases hot chile paste and Sriracha. The heat is balanced nicely with brown sugar, rice vinegar, minced ginger, and fish sauce. I'm betting this marinade would work equally well with steak or shrimp skewers.

Chile Marinade

Boneless, skinless chicken thighs are cut into pieces, bathed briefly in the sauce, and threaded on bamboo or metal skewers. The marinade is then reduced down to a glaze and the glaze is brushed on the chicken during grilling.

Only about 10 minutes on the grill

These kebabs come together quickly with only a few ingredients, one bowl and one pan, and about 10 minutes on the grill. Serve them with grilled asparagus and a refreshing salad, and pair with a crisp white wine or icy cold beer, and you'll be set for a relaxing summer evening on the patio. Deliciously moist and flavorful...but you better like it hot, baby!

Sambal Chicken Skewers

Sambal Chicken Skewers

Bon Appetit, June 2013

Serves 4

Ingredients

1/2 cup (packed) light brown sugar

1/2 cup unseasoned rice vinegar

1/3 cup hot chili paste (such as sambal oelek)

1/4 cup fish sauce (such as nam pla or nuoc nam)

1/4 cup Sriracha

2 teaspoon finely grated peeled ginger

1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1 1/2-inch–2-inch pieces

Preparation

• Prepare grill for medium-high heat.
• Whisk brown sugar, vinegar, chili paste, fish sauce, Sriracha, and ginger in a large bowl.
• Add chicken and toss to coat.
• Thread 4 or 5 chicken pieces onto metal skewers, or bamboo skewers that have been soaked in water for at least an hour.
• Transfer marinade to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until reduced by half (about 1 cup), 7–10 minutes.
• Grill chicken, turning and basting often with reduced marinade, until cooked through, 8–10 minutes.

Sambal Chicken Skewers

I'm really enjoying using my new grill this summer with a charcoal starter and hardwood lump charcoal and The Bon Appetit Primer: 25 New Tips, Tricks and Recipes for Grilling a Better Chicken is loaded with tempting recipes like Chicken Under a Brick, Beer Can Chicken, and Grilled Citrus Chicken. 

Bon Appetit's June Cook the Cover Challenge: Spaghetti with Parsley Pesto

I'm addicted to Bon Appetit's Cook the Cover Challenge. I'm also addicted to pasta. Not only does Bon Appetit's June issue feature a gorgeous plate of summery pasta on the cover, but my photograph from the March Cook the Cover is published on page 8. I've been thrilled to have my Cook the Cover photographs featured on The Daily Feed the past three months, but it's even more exciting to be recognized in the magazine!

There aren't any rules about trying to style and photograph your dish exactly like the cover, but I enjoy that additional challenge and excuse to go prop shopping...even though my prop drawers, cupboards and closets runneth over! That bottle of rosato was also very refreshing during the shoot ;-)

Spaghetti with Parsley Pesto

Parsley, Chives and Almonds

Into the food processor with olive oil and Parmesan

A few pulses and you're done

Swirl the pesto into hot pasta
or spoon it over grilled chicken, fish or vegetables

Spaghetti with Parsley Pesto
Minimally adapted from Bon Appetit (June 2013)
Serves 4 - 6

Ingredients:

1/2 cup unsalted, roasted almonds
4 cups (packed) fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
3/4 cup chopped fresh chives
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan, plus more for garnish

1 pound spaghetti
Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Preparation:

For the pesto, pulse almonds in a food processor until smooth. Add parsley, chives, olive oil, lemon juice and Parmesan and process until smooth. Season pesto with salt and pepper. The pesto can be made a few days ahead. Cover surface of pesto with plastic wrap and refrigerate.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add spaghetti and cook until al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain pasta, but reserve about 2 cups of the pasta cooking liquid.

Toss hot pasta and pesto in a large bowl. Add pasta cooking liquid, 1/4 cup at a time, until pasta is saucy. Season with salt and pepper. Plate pasta, and finish with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and grating of Parmesan.

Of course, you can prepare the pesto with different herbs, nuts and/or pastas. The only change I made to this pesto was adding a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. I enjoyed it as a light dinner on its own, but it would make a beautiful side to grilled salmon. 

  

Bon Appetit's May Cook the Cover Challenge - Blackberry Farm's Griddle Cakes

What is it about luxury ranches and farms serving the most amazing stack of pancakes you've ever tasted? When the rooster crows at the first hint of morning light, you had better roll out from beneath those Egyptian cotton sheets and goose down comforter, slip on a soft flannel shirt and faded pair of jeans, and make your way to the lodge for a steamy cup of java and towering stack of buttery, syrupy griddle cakes. You'll be thankful you did before setting out on that morning hike, horseback ride, or fly-fishing float trip.

Blackberry Farm, a pastoral 4,200-acre estate in the Great Smoky Mountains, captured the #1 spot in Bon Appetit's Top Ten Food Lovers Hotels in America list, most likely with a little help from these drool-worthy griddle cakes. I can call them drool-worthy because Trapper polished off this stack when I was done photographing it. I nibbled a few as I was cooking them and made a second batch the next morning to enjoy piping hot right out of the pan. Best. Pancakes. Ever.

Blackberry Farm's Griddle Cakes

These healthy and gluten-free pancakes corral wonderful taste and texture from buttermilk, egg, and four different flours - oat, buckwheat, corn, and brown rice. Instead of corn flour, I used polenta for a more rustic and grainy texture. You can even ditch the warm maple syrup on top (there's a little in the batter for sweetness) and stay healthy with a pat of butter and fresh berries.

Dry and Wet Ingredients

Whisk up each in separate bowls 

Combine the wet with the dry and whisk again

Add melted butter and whisk again 

Corporate Chef Josh Feathers demos preparation of the Griddle Cakes in this YouTube video:

Bon Appetit published the recipe here. Now go make some pancakes and plan a vacation to one of the 10 Best Hotels for Food Lovers. These luxury hotels and resorts focus on quality food made with locally grown ingredients and prepared simply. My choices would be #1, Blackberry Farm, TN; #3, The Willows Inn, WA; #4 Dunton Hot Springs, CO; and #9 Manka's Inverness Lodge, CA. What about you? Have you been to any of these places?

Bon Appetit Cook the Cover: Fried Chicken Sandwich with Jalapeno Slaw and Spicy Mayo

Bon Appetit's April issue reminded me how much I love a good sandwich, even for dinner! April's Cook the Cover sandwich is simple, tasty, and open to variations. I know because I made it three times, three different ways.

Fried Pork Cutlet Sandwich
with Slaw and Spicy Mayo

The original features a skinless, boneless chicken breast dredged in flour, dipped in buttermilk, dredged in flour a second time, and fried in oil. The crunch comes from thinly sliced cabbage, red onion and jalapeno tossed with bread-and-butter pickle slices and a trickle of pickle juice. The mayo gets its kick from Louisiana-style hot sauce and finely grated garlic.

Jalapeno Coleslaw with Bread-and-Butter Pickles
(I used a serrano chile)

The sidebar note, Why the Bread Matters, says: "Saucy sandwiches demand a roll with a hearty crust that won't fall to pieces..." For my first sandwich, I used a nice sesame seed Kaiser roll, but it was too soft and fell apart half way through. I don't think this was due to the sauce, but due to the size of the chicken breast. I felt the chicken breast could have used some pounding to make it more like a cutlet and then the roll would have held together and it would have been easier to eat. I also felt the full-size Kaiser Roll was too big for the halved chicken breast (again, with pounding it thinner, it would have fit perfectly).

Fried Chicken (Breast) Sandwich
with Jalapeno Slaw and Spicy Mayo

Spicy Mayo

For round two, I tried chicken thighs, and I also used a smaller slider roll. Again, it was a little hard to eat because the chicken was still too thick and there was too much chicken for the roll.

Fried Chicken (Thigh) Sandwich
with Jalapeno Slaw and Spicy Mayo

The ciabatta roll I used for my third sandwich of the week (first photo with the pork cutlet) was the right thickness, but the roll was a tad too firm. I flavored that mayo with chipotle Tabasco in lieu of the Louisiana-style hot sauce and it paired perfectly with the pork. I also added some Panko to the flour.

You can find Bon Appetit's Fried Chicken Sandwich recipe here, or you can join me in trying the Pressed Coppa Sandwich with Broccoli Rabe Pesto next, which also looks and sounds amazing.

Trapper and Lucy Play-Date