Recipe: Crab Hush Puppies

Posted on July 8, 2021 by Burnt My Fingers
Crab Hush Puppies

Crab Hush Puppies.

For a Southern twist on surf-and-turf, offer Crab Hush Puppies with chicken fried steak! And for even more fun, substitute 1 c finely chopped okra for the crab! The base recipe comes from The Kitchen and it’s solid but a bit dry; provide some lemon butter or remoulade for dipping or our favorite from the Sycamore Inn and San Dimas CA: maple syrup! Makes about 18 hush puppies.

Ingredients:
1 ½ c fine- or medium-grind cornmeal
½ c all-purpose flour
1 ½ t Kosher salt teaspoons kosher salt
1 ½ t baking powder
½ t baking soda
1 c grated onion (about half an onion, grated on the coarse side of a box grater)
1 large egg
1 c buttermilk or a bit more if needed
1 c lump crabmeat, broken up into small pieces*
½ c finely chopped chives or parsley (optional; this is for color more than favor)
Oil for deep-frying

Method: thoroughly mix dry ingredients in a large bowl. Beat egg then blend with buttermilk and add to dry mix. Stir to blend; it should be a bit thicker than thick pancake batter and should hold onto a spoon turned upside down. Mix in crabmeat and chives/parsley then rest the batter for a few minutes while you heat the oil.

Heat cooking oil to 365 degrees. Form the hush puppies with a tablespoon; scoop up a round of batter that stands up in the spoon and carefully slide into the oil. Repeat, frying a few at a time without crowding. Fry the hush puppies, turning from time to time, till they are a dark golden brown, about 4-6 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel. (Properly cooked, the hush puppies should absorb very little oil.) Continue until all puppies are done and keep warm in a low oven, if desired, while you prepare other dishes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

*We used one of those 6-oz cans from the fishmonger’s cold case, but fresh crabmeat would be even better.

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Recipe: Perfection Salad

Posted on July 5, 2021 by Burnt My Fingers
Perfection Salad

Perfection Salad.

Perfection Salad is a good example of the creative congeals, aka aspics, that we like to serve down south. The original recipe was published in a recipe book called Dainty Desserts for Dainty People (that’s us for sure!) published in 1915. Ours uses sugar free lemon jello, and adds carrots which greatly enhance the eye appeal. It’s also a bit sweet, so you might consider substituting an envelope of unflavored gelatin for one of the lemon jello packets. Makes 16 servings and can be halved if you like.

Ingredients:
2 packages sugar free lemon jello
1 c finely shredded cabbage
1 c finely shredded carrots
1 c celery, finely diced (macedoine)
½ c red or green bell pepper or a combination, finely diced (macedoine)
½ c white vinegar
3 ½ c water (2 c boiling, 1 ½ c cold)
1 t salt
Mayonnaise for topping

Method: mix the jello with boiling water according to package directions and stir till gelatin is completely dissolved. Add cold water, white vinegar and salt and chill until it starts to set, a couple hours. Mix in vegetables and transfer to individual molds or an 8” square pan. Chill until thoroughly set. Unmold for serving; if you are using a square pan use a spatula to cut into servings and then lift out of the pan. (For easier unmolding place the jello pan in a larger pan with enough hot water to come close to the top of the jello pan; leave for a minute then test with a spatula. As soon as the jello separates easily from the pan, remove it from the hot water and cut into servings.) Serve with a dollop of mayonnaise (preferably Kewpie.)

Perfection Salad

Here’s the original recipe for Perfection Salad, from Dainty Desserts for Dainty People. “Sparkling Gelatine” was a product that included a packet of lemon flavoring the homemaker could add if desired.

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Fourth of July barbecue 2021

Posted on July 1, 2021 by Burnt My Fingers
Grilled Corn

We’re making our Fourth of July grilled corn like this from now on.

We celebrated our Fourth of July early this year to accommodate some out of town visitors. The highlight was sweet local corn grilled with a technique we’ll use from now on. The ears in their husks had the ends lopped off, then we peeled back the leaves to remove as much of the silk as possible. The leaves were restored (a few of the did fall off) and the ears were soaked in salty water for a couple of hours. The husks charred but did not burn on a very hot grill, providing steam to perfectly cook the corn while just enough of the niblets were exposed to get some nice caramelization here and there. No condiments needed, not even butter.

We also made Cornell-Style Grilled Chicken using all thighs; one of the benefits of this recipe is that it only requires a 2 hour marinade so it can be prepared on short notice. We grilled some asparagus after soaking it briefly in the marinade liquid, and rounded out the meal with a tub of Vincent’s Garlic Cole Slaw.

Easy, quick and good. Because this is a year to keep the stress level as low as possible. Hope you are equally satisfied with your holiday weekend grilling,

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Recipe: Kamala Harris Cheese Puffs (Gougéres)

Posted on June 29, 2021 by Burnt My Fingers
Kamala Harris Cheese Puff

Kamala Harris Cheese Puffs (Gougéres)

Vice President Kamala Harris served Cheese Puffs at her first official dinner at the Naval Observatory. While she hasn’t said how she made them, recipe forensics suggest she might have followed the Tartine Bakery recipe since a/Tartine is in the Bay Area, where she lives; b/the recipe is readily available in the Tartine Cookbook;  c/our finished product looks very much like hers. Whether or not this is her recipe, it’s easy to make and delicious. Makes 8 large cheese puffs (gougéres) or quite a few small ones.

Ingredients:
1 ¼ c nonfat milk (don’t use regular because it will curdle)
10 T unsalted butter
1 T Kosher salt, plus additional for topping
1 c all purpose flour
5 large eggs, plus additional for topping
¾ c good Gruyere or Comté cheese, plus additional for topping, grated
1 t freshly ground black pepper*
1 T fresh thyme, off the stem, or 1 t dried thyme

Method: preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat the milk, butter and salt in a saucepan to a full boil (keep stirring so the milk doesn’t scald the side of the pan) then add the flour all at once and stir briskly till all lumps are incorporated. Remove from heat and cool to 145 degrees (use a meat thermometer to read or just wait a few minutes). Beat in the eggs, one at a time, waiting till each is fully incorporated before adding the next. Mix thyme, black pepper and ¾ c grated cheese into the dough.

Stabenow Cheese Puffs

Sen. Debbie Stabenow took this picture of the VP’s cheese puffs.

Transfer using a large spoon to a half-sheet pan covered with a silpat or parchment paper; make 8 mounds of equal size and shape them into nice hemispheres with your spoon. (You can also pipe the dough onto the pan using a pastry bag and make as many as you like.) Beat the egg (you can also use an egg white, and reserve the yolk for another use) with a pinch of salt and brush onto the tops of the mounds, then sprinkle a little grated cheese on each. Bake 35-45 minutes until puffed up and cooked to a golden brown. Serve warm or at room temperature; if you’re not serving right away, prick the top of each gougére with a toothpick so it doesn’t deflate as quickly.

*The original Tartine gougére has a definite peppery bite, but the Vice President might have toned it down out of consideration for conservative tastes.

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Recipe: Carrot Slaw with Raisins and Pineapple

Posted on June 23, 2021 by Burnt My Fingers
Carrot Raisin Salad

Carrot Slaw with Raisins and Pineapples. (AKA Carrot Raisin Salad)

Carrot Slaw with Raisins and Pineapple shows up frequently in the media as a Juneteenth favorite, and it definitely was popular in the south when I was growing up. It shouldn’t be too sweet; the natural sugar in the raisins and pineapple should be cut with a bit of cider vinegar or lemon juice. Makes 6 servings; the slaw is dense so the servings should be small.

Ingredients:
3 c shredded carrots f(rom a pound or a bit more before peeling and removing the roots)
½ c pineapple meat (fresh or canned) cut into ½ inch dice or crushed
½ c raisins (black or golden)
Liquid to reconstitute the raisins
2 T mayonnaise
½ t Kosher salt
1 t cider vinegar or lemon juice, or more to taste

Method: reconstitute the raisins with pineapple juice, water mixed with a bit of lemon juice, or a combination. Soak them for half an hour or heat, covered, for a minute in microwave and cool. Combine carrots, raisins, pineapple and mayonnaise and just a bit of salt. Taste; it should be a bit bland. Add the cider vinegar or lemon juice and taste again and add a bit more till it has just a note of sour. Cool 1 hour or more before serving.

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Recipe: Bok Choy with Mushrooms

Posted on June 17, 2021 by Burnt My Fingers
Bok Choy with Mushrooms

Bok Choy with Mushrooms.

Bok Choy with Mushrooms is wonderful comfort food: bite into the tender mushroom and the delicious braising liquid pours forth. We assumed it was Cantonese because of the emphasis on fresh vegetable flavor, but Woks of Life says it’s actually a Shanghainese banquet dish. But don’t wait for a banquet because this is too good and also easy to prepare. Serves 4-6 with an assortment of other dishes.

Ingredients:
Half a dozen small bok choy, total 1 to 1 ½ lb
A generous handful dried shiitake or Chinese mushrooms
½ c or more sliced fresh mushrooms (or use all dried if you prefer)
2 ½ T neutral oil
1 t salt
3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1 T ginger, grated
¼ c Shaoxing cooking wine
2 T soy sauce (light or “regular”)
¼ t dark soy sauce (if you have it)
1 T oyster sauce
1 ½ t sugar
½ t sesame oil
¼ t white pepper
½ t MSG (optional)

Method: soak the mushrooms in 2 c water which you have brought to the boil for 20 minutes or until softened and cooled to handling temperature. Squeeze the liquid out of the mushrooms back into the soaking water. Slice the mushrooms into ½ inch pieces, discarding the stems.

Bring a large pot of water to the boil and add 1 T oil and 1 t salt. Clean and trim the bok choy but do not cut them apart. Plunge into the boiling water and blanch for a minute after they return to the boil, until wilted but still crisp. Transfer to a colander or sieve and pour over cold water to stop the cooking process.

Prepare the sauce: strain the soaking liquid and transfer 1 c to a bowl with wet seasonings, sugar, pepper and optional MSG. In a separate small bowl, mix cornstarch with 1 T soaking liquid and mix until smooth; stir into sauce mixture.

Heat 1 ½ T oil in a wok and sauté garlic, ginger and mushrooms until just tender, maybe 5 minutes. Mix in sauce and stir briefly until thickened; taste for seasoning and add a bit more soaking liquid if you like. Add bok choy and heat briefly, then serve.

Serving note: Woks of Life has a beautiful serving suggestion photo of the bok choy arranged in a circle with the mushrooms piled in the center. We didn’t go that far but do think it’s a good idea to serve the vegetables whole if the leaves are tender enough to be pulled apart with chopsticks. You can also cut them into bite size pieces if you like.

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Recipe: Syrian Tabbouleh

Posted on June 15, 2021 by Burnt My Fingers
Syrian Tabbouleh

Syrian Tabbouleh.

Syrian Tabbouleh comes from a guest post on the David Lebowitz (yes, he of kouign amann fame) blog by cookbook author Anissa Helou. What makes it Syrian? First, it uses far less bulgur than western recipes (including this one). Also, cinnamon. This spice (plus a dash of the middle eastern 7-spice mixture, if have it), adds a bit of mystery and complexity that really rounds out the dish. Serves 8 as part of a mezze assortment.

Ingredients:
¼ c bulgur
2 bunches flat leaf parsley, stems mostly removed and coarsely chopped
¼ c mint leaves, chiffonade
2 green onions, sliced into rings including most of the green
3 roma tomatoes, seeds and pith removed and coarsely chopped
¼ c olive oil
¼ c lemon juice
¾ t kosher salt
½ t cinnamon
½ t seven spice powder or allspice
½ t ground black pepper

Method: pour boiling water to cover over the bulgur in a heatproof bowl and steep 15 minutes or so, until the grains are softened but still have some crunch. Drain through a sieve. Combine the drained bulgur and all other ingredients and mix thoroughly. Rest at least 1 hour to allow flavors to combine; taste and adjust spices as desired (you might want a bit more salt). Serve cold or at room temperature. Note: tabbouleh should be eaten the day it’s made or up to 2 days later at most; it becomes bitter if it sits too long.

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Recipe: Ottolenghi Carrot Salad

Posted on June 11, 2021 by Burnt My Fingers
Ottolenghi Carrot Salad

Ottolenghi Carrot Salad.

Ottolenghi Carrot Salad is derived from a recipe in Jerusalem: a Cookbook and it has a lovely balance of acid/heat/sweet. Ottolenghi says to toss it with chopped arugula but we like it better on its own. Serves 8 as part of a mezze assortment with other salads and dips.

Ingredients
1 ½ lbs carrots, maybe 6 large or 10 medium
3 T neutral oil
1 large onion, peeled and chopped to yield 2 c
2 T harissa* or ¼ to ½ t cayenne
½ t ground cumin
½ t caraway seeds, ground in a spice mill/coffee grinder or mortar and pestle
½ t sugar
3 T cider vinegar
½ t salt
1 ½ c arugula leaves, coarsely chopped

Method: peel carrots and trim the ends and cut in half crosswise. Put the larger halves into water and bring to the boil, then add smaller halves (so they cook evenly) and simmer till barely tender, maybe 10 minutes after water comes to the boil. Drain, cool and cut into ¼ inch rings.

Sauté chopped onions in 1 ½ T oil, stirring constantly, till they become crispy but not burnt, maybe 10 minutes. Mix in all other ingredients except arugula, including the reserved 1 ½ T oil. Toss in the pan off the heat to toast the spices then cool slightly. Mix in carrots and allow at least 30 minutes for flavors to blend. Mix in (optional) arugula leaves and serve at room temperature or slightly chilled.

*There are many prepared harissas available and flavors vary from one to the next, so taste before adding. Our favorite is a local product from a restaurant called Tara’s Kitchen. It’s slightly spicy with a flavor profile similar to the carrot dish, including cumin, caraway and sugar.

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Recipe: Massaman Curry

Posted on June 9, 2021 by Burnt My Fingers
Massaman Curry

Massaman Curry

Massaman curry is very easy to make once you procure a can of the concentrated curry paste by Mesri. Personalize with your own ingredients, make it vegan if you wish, add protein or not, and kick up the heat of this mild base with a few hot peppers if you like. Serves 4-6.

Ingredients
1 can Mesri Masaman curry paste
1 can unsweetened coconut milk (we use Chaokoh brand)
1 c chicken or vegetable stock, plus more if needed
1 T ginger, grated
½ c onions, peeled
1 T oil for sautéing
½ c potatoes, peeled
½ c carrots, peeled
½ c protein of your choice, optional
2 T peanut butter
Handful of shelled peanuts, optional
1 jalapeño pepper, peeled and seeded, optional
Coarsely chopped mint or cilantro leaves, optional

Coconut Milk

We like this brand of coconut milk. The cream tends to settle to the bottom, so store upside down then flip it over when you open.

Method: cut onions, potatoes and carrots into bite size (about 1 inch square) chunks. Cook potatoes separately in boiling water till not quite tender, maybe 15 minutes. Sauté onion in oil till it becomes translucent; add carrots and ginger and cook over low heat till carrots are tender, stirring frequently. Add most of the can of curry paste, peanut butter and coconut milk and stir over low heat until combined and warm. Add stock, stirring, to desired consistency;  the sauce should be medium-thick. Add shelled peanuts and jalapeños if desired. Garnish with chopped cilantro or mint leaves and servw over rice.

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Boozy Baking with Great Exbaketations

Posted on June 4, 2021 by Burnt My Fingers
Boozy Cake

My boozy cake with guidance from Great Exbaketations

Last night we attended a Yelp event, Boozy Baking with Great Exbaketations. Cheyenne, the master baker, led us through the creation of a rich chocolate cake and then hit it hard with a simple syrup infused with booze of your choice (Evan Williams 100 proof in our case; she usually uses rum). This is a great trick to add to your repertoire for those times you want a moist and sugary treat.

Boozy Slice

That dark streak in the middle is pure boozy, sugary decadence

The technique is simple. Prepare a simple syrup by bringing 1 c water and 2 c sugar to the boil, stirring occasionally; the sugar will dissolve as it heats. Cool this and transfer to a squeeze bottle along with enough booze for the flavor to come through. We used about a quarter cup of bourbon with a cup of simple syrup. Bake the cake as usual and let it cool slightly till you can remove from the baking pan, then squirt the syrup on the top of the cake in many places and let it soak in. We also poked a few holes to get the syrup to the interior, and squirted still more syrup onto the serving slices; these would have disappeared if we chose to ice the cake.

Rainbow Bundt Cake

Pride Month cake available from Etsy.

Great Exbaketations is a virtual bakery that will make cakes to order for local pickup in the Albany, NY area or shipment through Etsy anywhere in the country. They’re currently featuring a Pride Month special: a vanilla cake infused with cherry liqueur and covered with rainbow icing and edible glitter. 20% of proceeds  goes to In Our Own Voices, Inc., an Albany-area organization supporting the LGBT POC community.

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