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Maple Bacon Sticky Buns: Print Restaurant at the New Amsterdam Market

3 Oct

A Sunday morning treat. Sticky buns, but not your average Joe bun. These buns are topped with chopped bacon (from Mountain View Farm in NY) and a maple butter glaze.

They’re so bad they’re so good. I can’t…I won’t…I musn’t…ok just a bite…alright fine another bite…I MUST. You simply cannot say no.

Last weekend the pastry crew from Print Restaurant set up shop to sell Pastry Chef Heather Carlucci-Rodriguez‘s famous Maple Bacon Sticky Buns. We were at the New Amsterdam Market in South Street Seaport, just below the Brooklyn Bridge.

The theme of the week was “Taste of Marcellus:” Sample the foods and flavors produced in the Marcellus Shale region and learn how we can protect this fragile environment from concerned advocates including the Baum Forum, Food & Water Watch, and others.

The New Amsterdam market houses vendors/purveyors selling olive oils, bakery bread, pie, grilled cheese, produce, ravioli, soda, popsicles, ice cream, coffee, meats, cheese, honey, pickles, candies, tempeh, lobster sandwiches, pork tacos, and more.

I can’t wait for Sunday October 16, the Hard Cider Revival.

But back to the buns…come n’ get ’em at Print Restaurant every weekend for Brunch.


Comfort Food, The Theme of the Week: Honey Glazed Spago Corn Bread

25 Jul

In the head-note of the recipe for her Honey-Glazed Corn Bread, Sherry Yard talks about how she made this Southern-style classic for the San Antonio Spurs. The corn bread accompanied a meal made by Spago’s executive chef, Lee Hefter, which included smothered pork chops, fried chicken with collard greens, macaroni and cheese, ribs, mashed potatoes, creamed corn, green beans, and brisket. My stomach yearns and hurts for this meal so bad!

Craving some Southern soul food, last night I took the easy way out and made a dang-good dinner of Kraft Mac-n’-Cheese from the box (I added my own gourmet touch with a grind of fresh black pepper…oo ahh) and sauteed balsamic kale.

Ooo, and this past weekend I ate a fried chicken (and smoked bacon) sandwich between two buttery biscuits from the King’s Crumb vendor at Williamsburg’s Smorgasburg market.

Apparently I’m making it a week of Southern comforts. I’ve had my fried chicken n’ biscuit, my mac n’ greens, and today it was time for some soaked-in-honey butter corn bread. This is a very wet and sweet corn bread recipe. Super soft. It is so deliciously decadent that you don’t even need to add extra butter and honey on the side. You could eat it with chili or alongside some mac n’ greens. Or you could just go corn-crazy and eat your bread cake with some buttermilk sweet corn ice cream. Ooooweeeee!

Did I mention that tonight I am going out to eat at The Meatball Shop? Meatballs are more Italian comfort food than Southern soul, but hey, once you pop you just can’t stop!

…Oh, and I put coffee ice cream into my French-press cup o’ joe today.

I’m a bad girl.

Honey Glazed Spago Cornbread

From Sherry Yard’s Desserts by the Yard

makes one 9-x-13-inch pan

1 cup yellow cornmeal (I only had white for some reason, so I just used white cornmeal…either will do)

1 cup all purpose flour

1/4 cup cake flour (I just used all-purpose)

1 cup sugar

2 tablespoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

4 large eggs, at room temperature

3 ounces (3/4 stick) unsalted butter

1/3 cup vegetable oil (I used Canola…same dif.)

1 cup milk

1/2 cup buttermilk

GLAZE:

3 ounces (3/4 stick) unsalted butter

1/4 cup honey (I used some local New York’s Catskill Provisions Honey)

1/3 cup water

1. Place a rack in the midle of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9-x-13-inch baking pan with aluminum foil and spray the foil with pan spray.

2. Sift together the cornmeal, flours, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs. Melt the butter and immediately whisk into the eggs in a slow stream. Whisk in the oil, milk, and buttermilk. Whisk in the dry ingredients just until combined.

4. Scrape the batter into the pan and bake for 30 minutes. Rotate the pan from front to back and continue to bake for 10 minutes, or until a tester insterted in the center comes out clean.

5. MAKE THE GLAZE: While the corn bread is baking, melt the butter in a medium saucepan. Add the honey and water and whisk until blended.

6. When the corn bread is done, remove from the oven and poke holes all over the bread, about 1/2 inch apart, with a toothpick. Brush with the glaze and allow to cool.

 

Sauteed Balsamic Kale

olive oil

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1-2 heads of kale, ripped off the stem

splash of water

dash of  balsamic vinegar

salt and pepper, to taste

1. Heat some oil in a pan. Add the garlic and saute for about 2 minutes, until fragrant and barely browned.

2. Add the kale and a small splash of water. Cook for about 4-5 minutes, until soft.

3. Turn the heat to low, add a dash of balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper and cook about 1 minute more.

Everything Muffins

18 Jul

I eat a bowl of cereal most days for breakfast. I usually like to mix together at least two kinds of cereal because it gives my mouth a bit more excitement.

Some days I go for oatmeal (my fav. oatmeal combo is banana, peanut butter, and dates). Sometimes on the weekend I will have eggs or French toast or whip up a Dutch Baby if I’m in the mood.

But most days I eat cereal.

I often feel like I need to branch out and eat different easy-to-prepare breakfasts:

-cottage cheese on top of toast with sliced fruit and honey

–yogurt parfaits

-frozen waffle, toasted, with peanut butter and honey

-banana “shake” (blend up 1-2 frozen bananas with milk and/or yogurt)

…

This morning (after finishing my bowl of cereal) I decided to bake an alternative breakfast item to add to my repertoire. It is a variation on the well-known “Morning Glory Muffin” except, well, I had no carrots and I had no shredded coconut. Alas, I improvised and used up some miscellaneous ingredients that I had handy–an apple, raisins, walnuts, dates, candied ginger, flaxseed, wheat germ…

I call these “Everything Muffins” because you really can put everything and anything you feel like in them. Try shredded zucchini, or chocolate chunks, or oats, or Raisin Bran, or use fresh grated ginger, add some peanut butter, pumpkin seeds and cranberries, and instead of an apple use some fresh berries.

These muffins baked up to look and taste quite similar to the fresh apple coffee cake that I made a few months ago.

I used to have a job where I had to get up very early in the morning. Now I begin work at 4 pm and I no longer have to rush out of the house before a proper breakfast hour. But I do need a mid-work snack, and these are the perfect on-the-go energy boost that I need to help me get through my shift (mind you, I am already surrounded by food and pastries at work, but it is nice to bring my own snack than nibble constantly at work).

Everything Muffins

aka I have been eating way too much cereal and it is time to change things up…

loosely adapted from Marcigilbert.com

2 eggs

2/3 cup canola oil

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/3 cup flour (I used AP, you can use whole wheat pastry flour if you like)

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

1/4 tsp salt

1 apple, peeled cored and diced

1/2 c. chopped walnuts

1/2 c. raisins

1/2 c. dates, pitted and chopped

2 T. chopped candied (crystallized) ginger

2 T. wheat germ

2 T. flaxseed

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a small bowl, whisk your eggs, oil, and vanilla extract. Set aside.

Chop up your apples, nuts, dried fruit and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together your dry ingredients (flour through salt). Make a little well in the center of your dry ingredients and add your wet ingredients. Stir with a wooden spoon or spatula until combined. Add in your apples, nuts, raisins, dates, ginger, wheat germ, flaxseed.

Using an ice cream scoop or 1/4 cup measure, drop into lightly sprayed or oiled muffin tins (fill each tin about 3/4 of the way). Sprinkle with a touch of sugar. Bake for about 22-25 minutes.

Serve warmed with coffee, jam, peanut butter, yogurt, fruit, etc. Or take it on-the-go when you are rushing to go to work or school. Instant energy!

Oooo Oooo by the way, my absolute FAVORITE morning glory muffin to date has definitely got to be from Venus Restaurant in Berkeley. You must go!

Dutch Baby with Sauteed Strawberries

3 Jul

Woah baby! What did I do?! What did I just make?! (I think it might be alive).

I think I just made a baby come out of my oven. A Dutch Baby. Yes, this oven- pancake looks puffed and lively, but no worries, it is not a real human baby from the Netherlands.

A Dutch Baby (aka German pancake or Bismark) is a sweet breakfast pancake similar to a Yorkshire pudding (often seen as a gravy-meat-soaked puffed muffin-like dinner side). My Dutch Baby is airy and crispy in all of the right places.

I put my cast-iron pan in the oven and preheated it to 450 degrees F. While the pan was heating up, I blended up some eggs, milk, flour, and some vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Yes, I used the blender to do this. Once my oven was preheated and my skillet piping hot, I threw on some butter and it sizzled like crazy. My pan was coated and then I immediately poured in my batter, returned the skillet to the oven, and 20 minutes later, I made a baby.

A Dutch Baby. With Sauteed Strawberries. Sauteed strawberries with a touch of sugar and a split vanilla bean.

I threw on a dash of honey for some sweetness. You could also use maple syrup, powdered sugar, or make your own orange sugar or lavender sugar.

Dutch Baby with Sauteed Strawberries

from Joy the Baker

**NOTE: This does not keep very well. If you have left-overs, just leave it out of the fridge and have it for a snack later in the day. Soggy Dutch Baby leftover in the fridge is a big no-no.

3 large eggs at room temperature for 30 min (or just run under some warm water)
2/3 cup of milk at room temperature
2/3 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon (freshly grated) nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 stick butter, cut into pieces

about 1 pint of strawberries, sliced
1 vanilla bean (optional)
1/3 cup sugar (or less, depends on how fresh and sweet your berries are)

1. Place a cast-iron skillet in the oven. Heat the oven to 450 degrees F.

2. In a blender, combine your eggs and milk. Whiz for about 20 seconds. Add the flour, spices, and salt. Whiz for about 1 minute more.

3. When your oven is preheated, take the hot skillet out and add the butter to the pan. Swirl to coat (NOTE: this could get dangerous so make sure you have your oven mits on and you work quickly; the butter will bubble up and melt super fast). Quickly pour in your batter.

4. Bake in the oven for about 18-25 minutes. Don’t open the oven until 18 minutes have gone by. Then check. Your pancake should be puffed and golden brown (NOTE: it will fall a little in the center when you take it out of the oven).

**While your Dutch baby is baking, in a pan on the stove-top, heat your strawberries with sugar and vanilla until warm, glossy, and sweet.

Serve your Dutch baby with honey, syrup, or sugar.

Looking for another fruity cast-iron breakfast delight? Check out my Cherry Clafoutis!!

Quiche Me!

28 Jun

WHAT?! I used heavy cream, butter, and cheese all in one dinner dish? Yes, yes I did. I managed to throw in some dark leafy greens and mushrooms to balance out my heart attack give this dish a nice color/texture/flavor/vitamin boost (I also roasted some asparagus to serve as a side).

This savory pie is called a quiche.

You’re house will smell amazing. You are going to have all the neighbors knocking at your door. You are going to (want to) pick at the cheesy top and buttery crust. You are probably going to go back for seconds. You can totally use whatever veggies you want and you can totally add bacon or salami or sausage to this. You can eat this for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and/or a snack. You can bring this to a party. You can make it for yourself.

Pie crust. Cheese. Deep colorful vegetables. A meal for the gods.


Quiche Me! Crust (Pate Brisee)

From SmittenKitchen, originally from Martha Stewart

1 1/4 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon sugar

1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, cold and cut into small cubes

2-3 tablespoons ice cold water

In the bowl of a food processor, combine flour, salt, and sugar. Add butter, and process until the mixture resembles coarse meal, 8 to 10 seconds.

With machine running, add ice water in a slow, steady stream through feed tube. Pulse until dough holds together without being wet or sticky; be careful not to process more than 30 seconds. To test, squeeze a small amount together: If it is crumbly, add more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time.

Form dough into a single ball, flatten it into a disk, and wrap in plastic. Transfer to the refrigerator, and chill at least 1 hour. Dough may be stored, frozen, up to 1 month.

Quiche Me! The Filling: Onion, Mushroom, Kale

Makes 1 8-inch tart pan

1 recipe pate brisee (see above)
1 onion, sliced thin
balsamic vinegar, to taste
about 6 white button mushrooms, sliced
1/2 bunch kale, stemmed and chopped
1 cup heavy cream (or whole milk)
2 eggs
1/4 cup grated Gruyere, Swiss, and/or Jarlsberg cheese
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Roll out your chilled crust as quickly as possible on a lightly-floured surface until is about 2 inches large all around than your pie pan. Either reverse the dough onto the rolling pin and unroll it over the mold or fold it into quarters and lay it over the mold, unfolding it. Press the dough lightly into the bottom of the pan, lifting the edges and working it gently down into the mold. Trim off excess dough and press the edges into the pan. Prick the bottom of the pastry with a fork at 1/2-inch intervals.

Bake your crust for about 9 minutes in the oven. Pull it out, sprinkle with a bit of cheese and let it cool while you prepare your filling.

Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees F.

Saute your onions in some olive oil and add some salt. Add a dash of balsamic then set your sauteed onions in a bowl. In the same pan you just used, add the mushrooms. Add a tiny pat of butter and saute until starting to get golden brown. Add the kale and stir. Add back the onions.

Mix together your cream and eggs. Add some black pepper, salt, and grated nutmeg. Add your sauteed veggies. Pour into your pan and top with more grated cheese.

Set on a sheet pan and bake in the oven for about 25 minutes, until puffed and golden.

CHECK OUT MY CHEESY VEGGIE PIE, WITH SALAMI, HELD TOGETHER BY EGGS AND A SPLASH OF MILK

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