Sous Vide Turkey Breasts

A couple of years ago I purchased a sous vide oven.  I had great plans for all the delicious things I was going to make in said oven.  And to date, I've used it twice.  Embarrassing.  Normally I would feel that I have wasted money that would have been put to better use elsewhere, but after tonight, I cannot feel that way.  Friends, I have made the juiciest, most tender turkey breast on the planet.  And that's not even hyperbole.  This recipe will turn you into a turkey lover.  It's so moist, so tender, you'll swear it couldn't possibly be related to that horrid dried-out turkey you have every Thanksgiving.  And the best part?  It requires almost no action from you.  Just let the turkey stew away in its vacuum pack, and you'll be rewarded with perfection.

Sous Vide Turkey Breasts
Cooking times and temperatures from seriouseats.com

1 large whole skin-on, bone-in turkey breast (about 5 pounds), split into two breasts3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
¼ cup Lawry's seasoned salt
1 large sprig rosemary, leaves removed
6 small sprigs thyme

Loosen the skin and smear 1½ tablespoons of butter under the skin of each breast.  Sprinkle each breast with half of the seasoned salt and half of the rosemary leaves.  Slide each breast into a separate vacuum bag, and then slide three sprigs of thyme onto the top of each breast.  Seal the bags.

Preheat the sous vide machine to 145°F/63°C.  Lay the sealed bags into the machine and make sure they are fully immersed.  Lay a small plate on top of the bags to ensure they remain immersed.  Cook for 3 hours.

Remove the bags from the sous vide machine and slice each open.  Using tongs, remove the breasts to a glass dish or roasting pan, disposing of the liquids and herbs.  If desired, run the breasts under the broiler for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the skin is crisped.  Slice and serve.

Makes 6 servings

Two Peas and Their Pod: Flourless Peanut Butter Chocolate Ganache Sandwich Cookies

Since certain people in my family are always asking how many carbs are in the desserts that I make (a lot!  it's dessert!), I figured I would play nice and make something with ZERO FLOUR.  You heard me, no flour.  Zilch.  Yes, it still has sugar.  It is a cookie, after all.  But at least it doesn't have flour!  And these cookies are pretty darn fantastic.  If you've ever eaten and loved Girl Scout cookies called Do-Si-Dos, you will enjoy this cookie.  If you just enjoy peanut butter desserts, you will enjoy this cookie.  If your heart is beating, you will enjoy this cookie.  Did I mention it's flourless?

Flourless Peanut Butter Chocolate Ganache Sandwich Cookies
From Two Peas and Their Pod blog

For the cookies:
1 cup creamy peanut butter
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon sea salt

For the chocolate ganache:
½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
¼ cup heavy cream

For the peanut butter filling:
¼ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon milk
½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a large baking sheet with a Silpat baking mat. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, mix the peanut butter and sugars together until creamy and smooth, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the egg, vanilla, and mix until combined. Add the baking soda and salt and mix until combined.

Spoon dough into balls, about 1 tablespoon of dough for each cookie. Place them on the prepared baking sheets, about 2 inches apart. Smash dough balls with a fork, creating a crisscross. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Don't overbake. Remove cookies from oven and let them sit on the baking sheet for 2 minutes. Move to a wire rack and cool completely.

While the cookies are cooling, make the chocolate ganache. Place the chocolate chips in a medium bowl. Heat the cream in the microwave, in an microwave safe bowl, for 30-60 seconds, or until cream is hot, but not bubbling. Pour hot cream over chocolate chips and let sit for 1 minute. Stir until the chocolate melts and you have a smooth and silky ganache. Set aside.

Next, make the peanut butter frosting. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter and peanut butter together until smooth. Slowly add in the powdered sugar. Mix until smooth. Add the milk and vanilla and mix until the frosting is creamy and smooth. If you need to add a little more powdered sugar or milk to reach your desired consistency, you can. You want the frosting to be thick.

To assemble the sandwich cookies, take one cookie and spread ganache on the inside of the cookie, about 1½ teaspoons. Next, either spread on the peanut butter frosting with a spoon or put the frosting in a pastry bag and pipe the frosting onto the ganache. Top with another cookie and gently squeeze so the ganache and frosting meet the edge of the cookies. Continue until all of your cookies are sandwiched.

Makes 14 sandwich cookies

Michelle Rodarte/Zarela Martinez: Tamales Mexicanos de Puerco en Chile Colorado y Pollo en Chile Verde (Mexican Tamales with Red Chile Pork and Green Chile Chicken)

The holidays are a very busy time of year.  There are presents to buy and wrap, cookies to bake, and parties to attend.  But being the gastro-sadist that I am, what did I decide to do?  Cook up a batch of tamales that normally involves an entire Mexican family.  And it literally took all day.  I do not recommend this method.  I do recommend that you find all of your friends and family and make them help you.  Because these tamales are fantastic.  I keep wavering back and forth on which is better: chicken or pork.  But honestly?  It's more of a how-am-I-feeling-that-day thing.  Am I feeling spicy?  Am I feeling cheesy?  Just make both and then you're covered.

Note:  It seems like a lot of jalapeños in the sauce for the chicken.  I know.  I blanched a bit, too, and I'm a Texan.  Trust me that it's needed to spice up not only the chicken, but the masa that the whole gets wrapped in.  Pull out some of the ribs and seeds if you're still nervous.

Tamales Mexicanos de Puerco en Chile Colorado y Pollo en Chile Verde (Mexican Tamales with Red Chile Pork and Green Chile Chicken)
Adapted from Michelle Rodarte, Central Market Cooking School, and Food from My Heart by Zarela Martinez

Red Chile Pork:
2½ pounds boneless pork butt OR 3 pounds bone-in pork shoulder
1 whole head garlic, unpeeled, cut crosswise in half
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
4 large bay leaves
1 teaspoon salt
3 ounces ancho, New Mexico, or guajillo chiles, or a combination
2 garlic cloves
1 onion, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon skinless roasted peanuts
¼ teaspoon toasted anise seed
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Green Chile Chicken:
4 to 8 fresh jalapeños, tops removed and halved crosswise
1 medium onion, quartered
5 garlic cloves
¼ cup vegetable oil
½ cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves
1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano, crumbled
1 teaspoon chicken bouillon
2 pounds rotisserie chicken, shredded
3 poblano chiles, roasted, peeled, and seeded
1 pound queso Asadero

Dough:
4½ cups masa harina
4 to 5 cups warm pork or chicken stock
1 pound lard
2½ tablespoons salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 to 2 bags dried cornhusks

For Red Chile Pork:
Place the pork butt in a slow cooker with the garlic, peppercorns, bay leaves, and salt.  Add enough water to cover by 2 inches.  Cook on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours, or until the pork is tender enough to shred with a fork.  Carefully remove the pork from the liquid with a slotted spoon, shred with a fork, and set aside.  Strain the broth through a fine mesh and reserve for making the tamale dough.

Remove the stems and seeds from the dried chile.  Place them over a hot griddle or frying pan and toast until their aroma is released.  Be careful not to burn them.  Place the chiles in a bowl of hot water to re-hydrate.  Cover with plastic wrap and microwave for 45 seconds to 1 minute.  Let sit for 10 minutes.  Place the rehydrated chiles, garlic, onion, peanuts, anise seed, and cinnamon in a blender, adding ½ cup of the chile soaking water to start the blending process.  Slowly add additional soaking water as the mixture blends until you get a smooth puree.  With a spoon, work the puree through a medium mesh into a bowl, pushing and scraping to get all you can.  Discard any solids that will not go through.  Toss the sauce with the shredded pork meat and set aside.

For Green Chile Chicken:
Place jalapenos, onion, garlic, vegetable oil, cilantro, oregano, and chicken bouillon in a blender or food processor fitted with the steel blade and pulse until coarsely chopped, then process to desired consistency.  Toss with the shredded chicken.

Slice the poblano chiles into ¼-inch strips lengthwise and place in a bowl.  Repeat with the cheese.  Set aside with the chicken.

For the dough:
Place the masa harina in a large bowl and reconstitute by adding 4 cups warm stock.  Beat with a wooden spoon or mix with your hands until you have a stiff dough, like bread dough.  Add a little more stock if necessary.

Beat the lard in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until very fluffy and fully aerated, about 3 minutes.  It should be as light as butter creamed for the lightest butter cake.  Still mixing on medium speed, begin adding the masa a handful at a time.  Stop to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as necessary.  When all the masa is incorporated, the mixture should be very light and delicate, like the texture of buttercream frosting.  Check the consistency by dropping a little piece of masa in a glass of water; it should float.  Beat in salt and cumin.

To make tamales:
Soak the cornhusks in a bowl of very hot, salty water for about 20 minutes.  When the cornhusks are pliable, rinse the cornhusks.

The ideal cornhusks for tamales are about 5 to 6 inches wide at the widest point; other cornhusks can be used as padding during cooking.  Spread the masa on the top half (the wider portion) of the smooth side of the selected cornhusk.  Scrape away the masa from the top inch of the cornhusk to keep the tamale from overflowing while cooking.  For pork tamales, lay 1 to 2 tablespoons of red chile pork in the center of the masa, then fold the sides in and the "tail" of the cornhusk up.  The tamale will be open at the top.  For chicken tamales, lay 1 to 2 tablespoons of green chile chicken in the center of the masa, then lay 1 strip of poblano chile and 1 strip on cheese on top of the chicken.  Fold as for pork tamales.

Steam the tamales in a large pot, with the smaller tamales in the center, covered with a kitchen towel to keep water from dripping into the open tops of the tamales.  Check during cooking to be sure that the water does not run dry.  (A trick - put a quarter in the bottom of the pot while filling it.  The coin will rattle during cooking as long as there is water in the bottom.  If the pot runs dry, the coin will stop rattling.)  The tamales are done when the masa cleanly separates from the cornhusk when unfolded slightly.  This may take between 30 minutes and 2 hours, depending on how full the pot is and how big the tamales are.

One recipe of dough is enough for 3 dozen tamales.  You will need two batches of dough to use up all of the pork and chicken in the recipe above.

Martha Stewart: Bacon Jam

I think Facebook is going to be my downfall.  Not because of the angry political rants.  Not because of the endless pictures of people's children.  Not because of the god awful selfies.  No, it will be my downfall because of the ridiculous amount of cooking videos that regularly swarm my newsfeed.  And when that video involved a chef making a big 'ol pot of bacon jam for his fried green tomato burger, I couldn't get to the store fast enough.  I have found the ultimate perfection of the pig, and this is it.  Smear it on everything.  I did a gorgeous grilled cheese stuffed with this stuff, and based on my groans, my downstairs neighbor probably thought I was dying.

Bacon Jam
Adapted from Martha Stewart and Rocky Hill Inn, Rocky Hill, NJ (as seen on Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives)

1½ pounds sliced applewood smoked bacon, cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces
1 cup finely chopped red onion

1 cup finely chopped white onion
4 small cloves garlic, chopped (about 1 tablespoon)
1½ teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground mustard

½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
½ cup bourbon
¼ cup maple syrup
⅓ cup sherry vinegar
⅓ cup packed light brown sugar
Sea salt, to taste (optional)

Spread bacon in a single layer in a large skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until browned, 20 to 23 minutes. Add onions and garlic to pan and cook over medium heat, stirring, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add chili powder, ginger, mustard, and Worcestershire sauce and cook, stirring, 1 minute.

Increase heat to high; add bourbon and maple syrup. Bring to a boil, scraping up browned bits. Add vinegar and brown sugar and return to a boil. Add reserved bacon; reduce heat to low. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until liquid reduces to a thick glaze, about 10 minutes.  Add salt to taste if the bacon isn't very salty.

Transfer mixture to a food processor and pulse until it has the consistency of a chunky jam. Refrigerate in an airtight container at least 1 hour and up to 4 weeks.

Makes about 2¾ cups

Averie Cooks: Glazed Orange Sweet Rolls

When I was a kid, my mom would occasionally bake up some cinnamon rolls.  You know, the ones that pop out of the paper cylinder when you peel the label?  Yeah, everyone knows what I'm talking about.  Now, those were yummy, but I was always a bit partial to the orange rolls.  Same idea, different filling, much more delicious.  While I can certainly still go grab a paper cylinder of ready-to-bake rolls, I thought I would try my hand at making them from scratch.  And these rolls bake up light as a feather, but rich and sweet.

Note: Really, this was just an excuse to make something with the Crosse & Blackwell orange marmalade that I love.  I swear, I could eat that stuff with a spoon, but I've been told that's not ladylike.  I highly recommend that particular brand for your filling, as it's perfectly puckery.

Glazed Orange Sweet Rolls
From Averie Cooks blog

Dough:
3 cups all-purpose flour, or as needed
¼ cup granulated sugar
2¼ teaspoons instant dry yeast (one ¼-ounce packet)
Pinch salt, to taste
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
½ cup buttermilk
2 large eggs, lightly whisked

Filling:
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, very soft - let it sit out while dough rises
About 1 cup orange marmalade
½ cup packed light brown sugar

Orange Glaze
¼ cup orange juice
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups confectioners' sugar
Pinch salt, optional and to taste (helps balance the sweetness)
About 3 tablespoons milk or cream, or as needed for consistency
3 teaspoons orange zest, divided

Dough:

To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook (or use a large mixing bowl and wooden spoon and your hands), add 3 cups flour, sugar, yeast, salt; set aside.

In 2-cup glass measuring cup or microwave-safe bowl, and the butter and heat to melt, about 1 minute on high power.

Add buttermilk to melted butter and warm to temperature, about 45 seconds on high power in the microwave. (Based on the type of yeast used, milk temperatures will vary. Heat the mixture according to manufacturer's recommendations on the packaging. Taking the temperature with a digital thermometer is highly recommended, but if you're not, make sure the milk is warm, not hot. Err on the cooler rather than hotter side so you don't kill the yeast.) If the milk separates or gets a little funny looking after being warmed, whisk it to smooth it out.

Add butter-buttermilk mixture to the dry ingredients in mixing bowl.

In a small bowl, crack and lightly whisk the eggs, and then add eggs to mixing bowl.

Turn mixer on low speed and allow it to knead dough for about 5 to 7 minutes (about 7 to 10 minutes by hand using a wooden spoon and then switching to your hands). If after 5 minutes your dough is very sloppy, wet, and won't come together, add up to ¼ cup flour, or as needed, until it does come together. However, the more flour added, the denser and heavier the rolls will be; wetter dough is preferred to overly dry. If dough is dry or crumbly, drizzle in buttermilk until it comes together.

Remove dough from the mixing bowl, spray a large bowl with cooking spray, place the dough in the bowl, and flip it over once so it's lightly oiled on both top and bottom.

Cover bowl with plastic wrap and place it in a warm, draft-free place to rise for about 2 to 2½ hours, or doubled in size. (Try keeping the bowl inside an oven that was preheated for 1 minute to 400°F, then powered off. Do NOT keep the oven on. The pre-heated, warm oven creates a nice 85°F-ish environment, ideal for yeast. If your rising spot is cold, rising will likely take longer than 2½ hours.

While dough rises, line a 9x13-inch pan with aluminum foil, spray with cooking spray; set aside.

Rolling Out the Dough:

After dough has doubled in size, punch it down. Turn dough out onto a Silpat or floured countertop. With a rolling pin, roll it out to about 26-by-13-inches. Use the 13-inch side of the 9-x13 pan to eyeball it, no need use a ruler.

Filling:

Using a knife, evenly spread butter over dough, leaving a ½-inch bare margin.

Add about ¾ cup marmalade, more as needed, and smooth it with a knife. It should be a thin-ish layer; too much and you risk it leaking, but not enough and the rolls aren't orangey enough; use your judgment. The butter and marmalade get smeared together, which is okay.

Evenly sprinkle the brown sugar over the top, and lightly pat it down with your fingertips to help it adhere.

Slicing the Dough:

Starting with a long edge (the 26-inch side), roll the dough into a tightly wound log, with the seam side down.

Using a knife, make small hash marks so there will be 20 evenly sized rolls (about 1- to 1½-inches wide; or make bigger rolls and yield 12 to 16). Hash marks create less guesswork once you start slicing and things get messier and harder to eyeball where to slice; the hash marks are nice place-markers.

Use plain, unwaxed dental floss to slice the rolls. I highly recommend slicing the rolls with floss, not knives. Floss does not squish or compact the log like knives do.

Arrange the rolls in the prepared pan, 5 rows of 4 rolls across. Cover with plastic wrap.

Make Straight Through:

Let rise in a warm, draft-free place until the rolls have nearly doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Or...Make as Overnight Rolls:

Don't let rolls rise after they've been sliced and placed in covered pan. Place pan in refrigerator for up to 16 hours. Before baking, let the rolls rise at room temperature until they have nearly doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Baking:

For either version, bake at 375°F for about 15 minutes, or until lightly golden on top and cooked through (ovens, dough, and climates vary and so will baking duration, but 1 to 2 minutes matters in this recipe). Watch rolls like a hawk and don't overbake or they won't taste nearly as good.

Orange Glaze:

In a medium bowl, add the orange juice, vanilla, confectioners' sugar, optional salt, and whisk to combine; mixture will be thick.

Drizzle in the milk as needed until mixture can be whisked smooth and is to desired consistency.
Whisk in 2 teaspoons zest; set aside remainder.

Evenly pour glaze over rolls. Evenly sprinkle with remaining 1 teaspoon zest.

Serve immediately. Rolls are best warm and fresh, but will keep airtight at room temp for up to 4 days; reheat in micro for about 5 seconds to re-soften or as desired. I am comfortable keeping glazed rolls at room temp and do not recommend storing them in the fridge because they will dry out. Rolls can be made and baked to completion, and then frozen for up to 6 months; unthaw and glaze immediately prior to serving. I recommend baking them from start to finish and then freezing, rather than trying to freeze unbaked dough, if you want to make in bulk in advance.

The InterContinental at Doral, Miami: Pollo en Crema con Loroco (Aura Cameron’s Stewed Chicken with Loroco Flower)

When I toured Guatemala with a dear friend many years ago, I got to partake of the delicious dishes of that country at each family's house we visited.  It was like a parade of deliciousness.  One dish that I really enjoyed was chicken cooked in sour cream and a flower called loroco.  I had no idea what I was eating, I just knew it was good.  I figured the chances of finding this flower in the US were basically zero, so I didn't think much more about it.  Flash forward to me wandering the frozen food aisle of my local Mexican grocery and suddenly realizing I was staring at a bag of loroco.  The cashier must have thought I was some kind of crazy gringo as I grinned all the way through her line.

Pollo en Crema con Loroco (Aura Cameron’s Stewed Chicken with Loroco Flower)
Adapted from The InterContinental at Doral, Miami, as seen on South Florida Gourmet blog

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 plum tomatoes, diced
1 medium onion, diced
1 tablespoon garlic, chopped
½ red bell pepper, diced
½ green bell pepper, diced
½ teaspoon achiote or annatto paste
1½ cups loroco flowers, roughly chopped
2 chicken leg quarters, skinned and cut into pieces
1½ cups chicken stock
2 cups crema (sour cream)
½ cup heavy cream
Salt and Pepper

In a large pot over medium heat, add the olive oil, plum tomato, onion, garlic, and bell peppers. Cook for approximately 10 minutes till the onions are translucent and the vegetables are soft. Incorporate the achiote paste.

Add the loroco flowers, chicken, and chicken broth.  Simmer, uncovered, over medium heat for approximately 25 minutes.  Add the crema and heavy cream. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Simmer over medium low heat for approximately 20 to 30 minutes (keep checking and occasionally stir) until the chicken is cooked.

When the chicken is cooked, serve with rice.

Makes 2 servings

El Frijol Feliz: Arroz Guatemalteco (Guatemalan Rice)

I was guilty.  Guilty of thinking that rice was the same no matter what Central or South American country you visited.  I figured it would be that same tomato-ey red rice you get at Tex-Mex restaurants.  I should have known better.  Luckily I have a very sweet friend from Guatemala who has shown me the error of my ways.  Guatemalan rice is tender, savory, and full of lovely flecks of color.  And it works perfectly alongside all sorts of lovely Guatemalan entrees.  I certainly stand corrected.

Note: After sautéing the vegetables, I dumped all of this in my rice cooker.  Feel free to take the easy way out just like I did.

Arroz Guatemalteco (Guatemalan Rice)
Adapted from El Frijol Feliz cooking class, Antigua, Guatemala

1½ tablespoons vegetable oil
6 tablespoons finely chopped onion
3 tablespoons finely chopped red bell pepper
3 tablespoons finely chopped carrot
¼ cup frozen petite peas
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 cups long-grain white rice
4 cups chicken stock

Add the vegetables to a saucepan with the vegetable oil and sauté for about a minute or two until the onion is clear. Add the salt. Once the vegetables are sautéed, add the uncooked rice. Stir until any liquid is absorbed, about one minute. Then add the chicken stock. Cook the rice for about 20 minutes or for the time listed on your bag of rice. Serve.

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Kindred: Tortellini with White Miso, Egg Yolks, Bay Scallops, and Black Truffles

Every once in a blue moon, black truffles pop up at my local grocery store.  And I always caress the containers lovingly before passing on to other, cheaper delights.  But I finally decided to grab some black gold.  A very small bit.  This pasta recipe is plenty luxurious even without the truffles, so I think you could definitely leave them off if you have something called a *coughcough* budget *coughcough*.

Note: This recipe originally called for spaghetti, but that's no fun, so I decided cheese tortellini was the way to go.  But then I figured that wasn't much more fun than spaghetti, so I got tri-colored cheese tortellini.  Basically I went wild in the pasta department.

Tortellini with White Miso, Egg Yolks, Bay Scallops, and Black Truffles
Adapted from Joe Kindred, Kindred restaurant, Davidson, NC, as seen on jamesbeard.org

1 pound tri-color cheese tortellini
½ cup plus 1 tablespoon room temperature unsalted butter, divided
½ cup white miso paste
1 pound fresh bay scallops
Kosher salt
6 large egg yolks
Black summer truffles, finely chopped (optional)

Dry the scallops using a paper towel to remove as much moisture as possible.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the tortellini and cook the pasta according to the recommended cook time on the package. When the pasta is done, remove it from the water, making sure to reserve the pasta water.

In a small bowl, mix ¼ cup butter with the miso paste until smooth.

While the pasta is cooking, add 1 tablespoon butter to a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. When the butter has melted, add the scallops and gently cook until they are opaque, about 2 minutes. Do not brown the scallops. Add the miso–butter mixture and let the butter toast with the scallops for about 1 minute.

Add the pasta directly to the skillet with the scallops, tossing the pasta with the scallops and miso butter until the miso butter evenly coats the noodles. Add 1 cup of the reserved pasta water and cook the sauce down, stirring frequently until it’s reduced by half, about 5 minutes.

Add the remaining butter and cook until the liquid has again reduced by half. The sauce should be thickened but not pasty. If it becomes too thick (doesn’t pool at all in the pan and all the sauce is sticking to the noodle) then add a bit more pasta water to loosen it up. Remove the pan from the heat and stir frequently to release some of the heat.

In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolks with approximately 1 tablespoon of the hot pasta water. Stir vigorously. Slowly add the yolks to the pasta, stirring constantly so the eggs don’t scramble, until the sauce thickens and is a glossy, beautiful yellow color. Check for seasoning and add salt, if necessary. Stir in the chopped truffle.  Portion the pasta into 4 bowls and serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings

A Return to Cooking: Cauliflower Soup with Smoked Scallops

I know this doesn't look like much.  I really should probably invest in some more interesting bowls.  But I promise that this soup is fantastic.  It's creamy and warm and everything delicious on a cold day.  And there's something about those smoked scallops that really does something for the flavor.  I think you could probably even swing some hot smoked salmon if you can't find the scallops.  Anything smoky and fishy.  It won't be pretty, but your tongue will know the truth.

Cauliflower Soup with Smoked Scallops
From A Return to Cooking by Eric Ripert

1 large cauliflower
2½ cups chicken stock
2½ cups water
Fine sea salt and freshly ground white pepper
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch chunks
2 cups heavy cream
½ pound smoked scallops, cut into ½-inch dice
1 teaspoon finely chopped Lemon Confit or jarred preserved lemons
12 small dill sprigs (tips only)

Prepare the cauliflower by removing the green leaves and the inner core. Roughly chop the florets and place in a heavy-bottomed pan. Cover with the chicken stock and water and bring to a simmer. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cook until tender, about 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Puree the soup in a blender in batches, blending it to a satiny smooth consistency. Pour the soup into a clean pot and bring to a simmer. Whisk in the butter and heavy cream. Adjust the seasoning to taste.

Meanwhile, divide the scallops among six soup bowls. Place on a baking sheet in the oven until the scallops are warmed through, 1 to 2 minutes.

To serve, add the lemon confit and dill to the soup and stir to incorporate. Ladle the soup into the bowls and serve immediately.

Makes 6 servings

Lemon Confit

3 cups kosher salt

6 lemons

Place a 1 quart canning jar and lid in a pot of boiling water to sterilize them.  Dry on a rack upside down.

Pour a layer of salt into the bottom of the jar.  Cut 1 inch off one end of a lemon, then quarter the lemon, starting at the cut end, but leaving the uncut end intact.  Open the lemon over a bowl and pour salt inside.  Place the lemon in the bottom of the jar.  Continue with the remaining lemons (use the remaining salt and the salt that falls into the bowl), packing them into the jar and covering each layer of lemons with salt.  Seal the jar and refrigerate.

The lemons can be used after 1 month, but they are best after 3 months and will keep for up to a year.

To use the confit, cut the lemon quarters apart.  Cut away all the flesh from the rind; discard the flesh.

Bluestem: hamachi, black radish, celery

Enough of all this comfort food memory lane wandering.  Ready for something fancy?  Something cutting edge?  No?  Well, too bad.  I'm feeling the need for something raw.  I'm also feeling like I should probably make this recipe since I've had it picked out roughly since the Bluestem cookbook came out in 2011.  Oops.  Well, suffice to say that this was delicious and original.  Excellent use of hamachi.  I still can't believe I found a black radish.  I think it was roughly four times the size used at the restaurant, but it was black, and that's all that matters.

Note: I used yellow mustard seeds and New Mexican ground chile.  Since the directions weren't specific, I figured I could do what I wanted.

hamachi, black radish, celery
From Bluestem: The Cookbook by Colby Garrelts

hamachi
2 tablespoons coriander seeds, crushed
1 teaspoon togarashi (Japanese seven-spice blend)
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon mustard seeds, crushed
¼ teaspoon ground dried chile
1 teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
8 ounces sushi-grade hamachi, cut into 4 (2-ounce pieces)
2 tablespoons peanut oil

salad
Juice of ½ lime
1 tablespoon olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground white pepper
4 black radishes, thinly shaved
2 celery hearts, thinly sliced

Make the hamachi: Combine the coriander, togarashi, paprika, mustard seeds, ground chile, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.  Rub the spices all over the pieces of fish to coat well.

Heat the oil in a small skillet over high heat.  When the oil begins to shimmer, sear the fish for 5 seconds on each side.  Using a very sharp knife, slice the fish against the grain into ⅛-inch thick slices.

Make the salad: Whisk together the lime juice, olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste in a small bowl.  Toss the shaved radishes and celery in the dressing to coat.

To serve: Divide the slices of fish among 4 plates.  Garnish the plates with the salad.  Serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings