Peppered Balsamic Strawberries and Zabaglione

From 1999 Disney Institute “Taste of the World: Italia Cucina” Class

Serves about 6

 (I had intended to make this so that there would be some pictures, but I just didn’t get around to it. I will update with pictures in the future.)

Ingredients:

3 pints strawberries (good and ripe)
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar (really good quality)
1 tablespoon water
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground

Zabaglione:
6 egg yolks
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup Marsala wine (sweet)*
Salt

*Other options: sherry, Madeira, sparking or dessert wines, bourbon, rum, Calvados or Frangelico.  Citrus juice and zest or spices may also be added along with the wine.

 

You will also need:

Heat proof mixing bowl and pan of simmering water (double boiler type set-up)

 

Method:

Strawberries:  Trim the tops from the strawberries.  Cut the berries into quarters and place in a mixing bowl.  Add the balsamic vinegar, water and sugar.  Stir gently to evenly coat the berries with the vinegar mixture.  Add freshly ground pepper (1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon to taste).  Allow to stand at room temperature for one hour for sugar to fully dissolve and flavors to blend.

Zabaglione:  In a heat-safe mixing bowl, combine the egg yolks, sugar, and salt.  Whip with a wire whisk until the eggs are pale and creamy, about 3 minutes.  Slowly add in the marsala wine. 

Place the bowl over gently simmering water (water should not touch the bowl). Continue whisking until the custard is thick and doubled in volume, 5-8 minutes, or just until it holds its shape.

To serve: Be creative with presentation.  Possibly layer strawberries and Zabaglione in a wine glass or spoon some of the strawberries into an ice cream dish and top with Zabaglione. 

The Zabaglione pairs well with any fresh fruit (berries and stone fruit especially) or even poached pears.  You may also serve with biscotti or other cookies for dipping.

Cold Hot Cheese Dip

 

Ingredients:

8 ounces Mexican Mild Velveeta
2-4 ounces Cabot Hot Habanero Cheddar cheese*
4 ounces cheddar cheese
1 cup milk (Approximately)

*Amount can vary depending on how much heat you want/can handle.

 

You will also need:

Food processor with both grater and blade attachments
Heat/microwave safe bowl

 

Method:

Grate the Habanero and cheddar cheeses in a food processor. Remove from the food processor and replace the grating attachment with the blade. Return the grated cheese to the bowl now fitted with the blade. Cut the Velveeta up into small pieces and add to the bowl of the processor. Add about ½ cup of milk. Process until all cheese is smooth. Add additional milk and process until a nearly liquid state is reached.

You may notice an inconsistent color and see small pieces of the cheddar cheese. To better incorporate, remove about half of the dip to a microwave/heat safe bowl. Warm this portion of the cheese slightly in microwave for between 30 -60 seconds. Return the warmed portion to the bowl of the food processor and continue to process until a uniform color is achieved.

Remove the cheese dip from the bowl of the food processor into a bowl with a lid and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. The consistency should firm up just a little after refrigeration.

Serve cold with chips, raw vegetables, or crackers.

 

Simple Chocolate Cake

from Cook’s Illustrated (March/April 2009, pg. 25)

Updated with pictures.

This is a surprising little cake.  And the surprise is mainly because of one ingredient - mayonnaise.  NOT “salad dressing,” mind you.  No.  The real stuff.  Mayonnaise.  It was a method used in war-times when butter and eggs were scarce; the mayonnaise served as a substitute for those ingredients.  This is not a fancy dancy, decorate up with fondant and buttercream icing kind of cake. But it is definitely simple enough for a week-night dessert.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups (7 1/2 ounces) all-purpose flour
1 cup (7 ounces) sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon table salt
1/2 cup (2 ounces) Dutch-processed cocoa powder (or “Special Dark”)
2 ounces dark, bittersweet or semisweet chocolate (chopped fine)
1 cup hot coffee (or equivalent mixture of hot water and espresso powder)
2/3 cup mayonnaise
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

You will also need:

8 inch square cake pan
Non-stick cooking spray
1 large mixing bowl
1 small-medium mixing bowl
Confectioners’ (powdered) sugar for garnish

 

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and prepare cake pan by spraying with non-stick cooking spray.

In large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda and salt.  In smaller bowl, combine cocoa powder and chopped chocolate; pour hot coffee over cocoa/chocolate mixture and whisk until smooth.  Let this mixture cool for several minutes then whisk in mayonnaise, egg and vanilla.  Pour mayonnaise/chocolate mixture into flour mixture and stir until combined.

Scrape batter into prepared pan and smooth it all around.  Bake for about 30-35 minutes or until toothpick comes out with few crumbs attached after being inserted into the center of the cake.  Note:  the cake will have a nice rounded domed middle and cracks on the top.  This is normal.

Allow cake to cool in pan on wire rack for 1-2 hours.  Turn cake out  onto serving platter and dust with confectioners’ sugar to serve.

Minny’s Chocolate Pie

Adapted from August issue of Food and Wine (as credited by several blogs)

You know… from the movie “The Help.”  Yeah.  THAT chocolate pie.  But without Minny’s special ingredient. :)

This pie is so easy.  And you won’t believe how delicious it is. 

Ingredients:

Single pie crust
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 large eggs, beaten
3/4 cup evaporated milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
Whipped cream for serving

 

You will also need:

9” pie plate (I used the shallow glass kind, not a deep dish)
Parchment paper (or foil)
Pie weights or dried beans

 

Method:

Preheat oven to 350°F. 

Place pie crust in pie plate and crimp edges decoratively as desired.  Prick bottom of crust several times with a fork, line with parchment paper (or foil) and fill with pie weights or dried beans.  Par-bake the crust for 15 minutes or until set.  Remove from the oven and carefully lift out the parchment paper with weights and set aside.  Return to the oven and continue to bake for 5 minutes longer, just until the crust is dry but not browned.  Remove from the oven, but leave the oven on at 350°F.

While the crust is baking those last 5 minutes, in a bowl, whisk sugar and cocoa powder together.  Add the melted butter, eggs, evaporated milk, vanilla and salt and whisk until smooth.

Pour the filling into the pie shell.  Bake 40-45 minutes, until the filling is set around the edges but jiggles just a little in the center.  If you feel the crust is getting too brown in the process of baking, you may cover it with strips of foil or pie guards about half way through. 

Cool completely on a wire rack before serving.  Serve with a dollop of freshly whipped cream.

It can be made ahead of time, cooled completely, covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated over night.

Double Pie Crust

If you need a single pie crust, just cut the recipe in half or, you know,  just make two pies.  Two is always better than one.

 

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cold shortening (Butter Flavor Crisco)
1/2 cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter
1/4 cup cold Vodka (optional)*
up to 1/4 cup ice cold water*

*or up to 1/2 cup ice cold water if Vodka is not being used

 

You will also need:

Food processor (optional)
Large, wide bowl
Kneading and rolling surface (counter top will do…. just needs to be clean)
Rolling Pin

 

Method:

Measure out shortening, cut butter into small pieces and measure Vodka and water.  Place shortening and Vodka in the freezer and cut up butter and water in the refrigerator.

If using a food processor:  Process flour, sugar and salt for several seconds until thoroughly combined.  Add chilled shortening and process using several 1 second pulses until it resembles coarse meal.  Add half of the chilled butter pieces and process for several 1 second pulses. Add the rest of the chilled butter and process for only a few 1 second pulses.  You should end up with some slightly smaller and some slightly larger pieces of butter. 

Empty contents into large bowl and proceed with steps below.>>>>

Without a food processor:  In a large bowl, add flour, sugar and salt; mix thoroughly with a whisk until sugar and salt are evenly distributed throughout the flour.  Add the shortening and with your fingers break the pieces apart and work into the flour until the combination resembles coarse meal.  Next add the cold butter pieces just a few at a time and work in a similar fashion until the pieces of butter are small gravel to pea size.

>>>>Add cold Vodka or 1/4 cup of cold water and work in with a bowl scraper.  Gradually add the remaining 1/4 cup of cold water until the dough begins to come together and sticks together when pressed against the side of the bowl. 

Pour contents out onto a floured work surface. Knead by simply folding the dough on top of itself a couple of times until it really comes together.  Form into a ball and cut in half.  Wrap each half in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour before rolling out to place in pie plate.

Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies

This is an updated twist on my original Sugar Cookie recipe.  Click on the link to see the original recipe that includes some tips that I have learned through a little experience.

Ingredients:

5 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons baking powder
½ teaspoon table salt
2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter
4 ounces cream cheese
3 eggs
1 ½ cups white granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla

 

You will also need:

Stand mixer
Plastic wrap
Rolling pin
Cookie cutters
Parchment paper
Cookie/baking sheets

 

Method:

Allow butter, cream cheese and eggs to come to room temperature.

In a bowl, mix together flour, baking powder and salt.

In a stand mixer, using the paddle attachment, combine and soften the room temperature butter and cream cheese. Add in eggs one at a time mixing well to combine each addition. Add in sugar and vanilla and mix well to combine.

Add in the flour mixture a little at a time and combine completely. The resulting dough should be fairly stiff and not sticky to the touch.

Divide dough into three parts and wrap each individually (tightly) in plastic wrap. Refrigerate the dough for a minimum of one hour and up to a day or so.

When ready to cut your cookies, take out one disk of the dough. Using a lightly floured surface, roll the dough to 1/4” – 1/6” thickness. (If the dough is too thin, they will not be as soft.) Cut the cookies and place them on a parchment lined baking sheet. Place cookies in the freezer while you preheat your oven to 375°F.

Place cookies on the sheet directly in the oven right out of the freezer and bake for 6-8 minutes; the tops will be firm to press and just before the edges turn light brown.

Allow the cookies to cool completely before decorating.

Texas Red Chili

adapted from Cook’s Illustrated, #108, Jan/Feb 2011, page 15

As noted below, I typically make the chili paste in a large batch and freeze it in individual sizes to use later.  You can do this step any time  and doing this saves me time when it comes to actually making the chili. 

There are also several ingredient substitutions or variances in amounts noted below that will help you tailor this chili to your tastes as far as heat and availability of ingredients go.

If you need information about any of the dried chiles mentioned in this recipe, this link is good and has pictures and descriptions of many dried chiles.

Ingredients:

Chili paste:
6 dried ancho chiles; stems and seeds removed, flesh torn into 1 inch pieces
2 dried New Mexico chiles; stems and seeds removed, flesh torn into 1 inch pieces
2-4 dried árbol chiles; stems and seeds removed, pods split*
3 tablespoons cornmeal
2 teaspoons dried Mexican oregano
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons cocoa powder
½ - ¾ cup low-sodium chicken broth
salt

Chili:
salt
½ pound dried pinto beans (about 1 cup), rinsed & picked over (optional)**
2 medium onions, cut into ¾ - inch pieces
2-3 small jalapeño chiles, stems and seeds removed & discarded, flesh cut into ½ - inch pieces*
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 can (14.5 ounce) diced tomatoes***
2 teaspoons molasses
3 ½ pounds blade stead, ¾ inch thick, trimmed of gristle and fat and cut into ¾ - inch pieces****
1 bottle (12 ounce) beer*****

*For árbol and jalapeño chiles, use the lesser amount for less heat and the higher amount for more heat. 2 árbol and 2 jalapeño chiles provided good heat that even my kids could handle. Also, each árbol chile may be substituted with 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper if the chiles are unavailable.

** Now, tradition holds that real “Texas Red” chili does not include beans. However, I like beans, so I do typically add them. But I have made this without the bean step and it was just fine. I have also added 1 can of each black and pinto beans (Ranch Style beans brand only if they are available to you) at the end of the cooking and that has worked as well.

***For a little more heat, 1 can of Ro*Tel tomatoes could be substituted for the regular diced tomatoes.

****Four pounds of chuck or chuck eye roast could be substituted for the blade steak. I used chuck roast and trimmed as much fat & gristle as possible and it turned out wonderful.

*****Of course, my preferred beer is Shiner Bock. But if you must use another beer because maybe you can’t get Shiner in your area of the country, well, I suppose that’s okay, too.

 

You will also need:

Food processor
12 – inch skillet
Dutch oven or stock pot that can transfer to oven

 

Method:

For the chili paste: I usually make a double or triple batch of the chili paste at one time and then freeze in individual serving containers to use later. This cuts down prep time a lot when you’re going to make the chili.

Place ancho and New Mexico chile pieces in 12 – inch non-stick skillet over medium-high heat; toast, stirring frequently until flesh is fragrant (4 – 6 minutes) reducing heat if chiles begin to smoke. Transfer to bowl of food processor and cool. (Do not wash out skillet)

Add árbol chiles, cornmeal, Mexican oregano, cumin cocoa and ½ teaspoon salt to food processor with toasted ancho chiles. Process until finely ground (about 2 minutes). With processor running, very slowly add ½ - ¾ cup chicken broth until smooth paste forms (about 45 seconds), scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Transfer to a bowl or freeze in individual size bowls as desired. (Do not clean out food processor bowl.)

For the chili: If using beans, combine 3 tablespoons table salt, 4 quarts water and beans in large Dutch oven and bring to a boil over high heat. Remove pot from heat, cover and let stand 1 hour. Drain and rinse well.

Place onions in food processor and pulse until thoroughly chopped (about 4 1 – second pulses). Add jalapeños and pulse until the consistency of chunky salsa (about 4 1-second pulses) scraping down bowl as needed.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion/ jalapeño mixture and cook, stirring occasionally until moisture has evaporated and vegetables are softened (7 –9 minutes). Add garlic and cook until fragrant (about 1 minute). Add chili paste, tomatoes and molasses. Stir until chili paste is thoroughly combined. Add 2 cups chicken broth and drained beans (if using); bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer.

Preheat your oven to 300°F.

Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Pat beef dry with paper towels and season with salt. Add half of beef and cook until browned on all sides (about 10 minutes). Transfer meat to Dutch oven. Add ½ bottle beer to skillet, scraping bottom of pan to loosen any browned bits and bring to simmer. Transfer beer to Dutch oven. Repeat with remaining steak (oil, pat dry, salt, cook) and beer. Once all the meat and beer have been added, stir to combine and return to a simmer.

Cover pot and transfer to oven. Cook until meat and beans are fully tender (1 ½ - 2 hours). Let chili stand, uncovered, 10 minutes. Stir well and season to taste with salt before serving.

Serve with shredded cheese, chopped red onion, chopped cilantro and chopped avocado as topping choices. Flour or corn tortillas also make for good dippers.

This chili can be made up to 3 days in advance.