homemade mayonnaise

Homemade mayonnaise sounds like a really unnecessary thing...until you realize that it takes less time to make it than to go to the store if you have run out. That is exactly what happened...we were in the midst of making lunch and realized that mayo was a crucial ingredient and we did not have any. 

All you need is an egg yolk and some olive oil, a pinch of salt and a squeeze of lemon juice or dash of vinegar. I also added some minced shallots but that is not at all necessary.

Homemade Mayonnaise:

1 egg yolk

a generous pinch of salt

1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard 

1 teaspoon minced shallot (optional)

Juice of 1 lemon

about 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil (you can use up to 1 cup of oil per yolk if you need more mayonnaise)

Place yolk, salt, mustard and shallot in a bowl and whisk to combine. Add a squeeze of lemon juice and whisk. While still whisking, slowly drizzle in olive oil, a few drops at a time, to emulsify. Once the mayonnaise starts to have a nice thick creamy consistency you can add the oil slightly more quickly but make sure that it is all getting incorporated. Taste and add more lemon juice and salt as desired.

weaving

Last year when the boys were in second grade they studied Native Americans. Oliver became somewhat obsessed, and particularly liked the idea of making everything by hand. Weaving was his favorite part of the curriculum and as a result I signed the boys up for a week of weaving at the Textile Arts Center over the summer. It was such a hit that they have continued taking classes after school this fall. I am amazed at what beautiful things they have made...the two above are my favorites (left by Oliver, right by Owen).

post holiday lentil soup, a variation

We had ham for Christmas dinner again and, as I had hoped, we had a fair amount of ham left on the bone when we were finished. I love making lentil soup with ham and it was just what we all wanted after spending some time in the park on the 26th.

I did not have much else in the fridge but did not feel like grocery shopping so a new version of last years lentil soup emerged, this one without carrots or celery, but with the addition of potatoes and leftover roasted squash.

That is really the beauty of soup...you can do just about anything and somehow it always turns out pretty well.

LENTIL SOUP 2

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoone olive oil

1 large onion, diced

2 bunches kale, chopped

1 head garlic, cloves separated and papery skins removed 

8 cups chicken stock

4 cups water

2 cups french lentils

5 potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch dice

ham bone and leftover ham, cut into bite size pieces

leftover roasted acorn squash, cut into bite size pieces (optional)

2 bay leaves

1 cinnamon stick

Combine butter and olive oil in a large pot and place over medium high heat. Add onions and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add kale and garlic and cook until very wilted and fragrant. Add chicken stock, water, lentils, potatoes, ham bone and ham, bay leaves and cinnamon. Bring to a boil, skim and froth on the surface, and reduce to a simmer. Cook until lentils and potatoes are tender and broth is thickening, about 45 minutes.

happy new year!!

Happy New Year! I hope 2012 brings good health and happiness to all.

cardboard playhouse

The week between Christmas and New Year's is one of the school holidays that we enjoy spending at home. It is so rare to have a whole week to just relax and spend time with the kids without the stress of travel. Of course, there are days when I know that a project is needed or we all start to drive each other a little crazy...this cardboard playhouse was a perfect way to spend 4 or 5 hours. First constructing it, then decorating it, and finally just playing in it. It also managed to use up a lot of the waste that the holidays bring: all the fresh direct boxes and Amazon boxes from our holiday shopping were perfect for making walls, and our ikea wrapping paper made festive wallpaper inside the house. I did invest in quite a few rolls of tape in a nice assortment of colors -- what is it about tape that makes kids so happy? It is really all you need...some paper and lots and lots of tape!

 

moist lemon almond cake

My first job out of culinary school was working at chef Matthew Kenney's namesake restaurant, Matthew's. I started there as a garde manger (maker of appetizers, cold dishes, and salads) but eventually became the pastry chef. One of the recipes that I inherited in that position was this almond cake. It is one of the most moist and delicious cake recipes I know...I have made it many many times since leaving the restaurant business. 

One of the reasons I love this recipe so much is that the almond paste in the recipe keeps the cake moist and perfect for several days. As a result, you can make it a day or two before a party and be sure that it will still be wonderful on the day of the party. It is a simple looking cake but there are a few things I have done to garnish it...in the photo above I used pretty fruit gels and marzipan sweets for decoration around the perimeter. I have also arranged paper thin candied lemon slices or scattered toasted sliced almonds over the top. Just a few lemon wedges and some greens such as mint sprigs would also be pretty.

The original recipe for Matthew's Almond Pound Cake, as well as many other great recipes, is in Matthew's cookbook. I have adapted the recipe because almond paste is sold in 7 ounce tubes and the original recipe calls for 12 ounces. In the restaurant we bought almond paste in bulk so this was not an issue but at home the extra 2 ounces alwasys seemed like a waste!

Lemon Almond Cake adapted from Matthew Kenney's Almond Pound Cake:

6 tablespoons unslated butter, softenned

1/3 cup light olive oil

3/4 cup sugar

14 ounces almond paste, crumbled

grated zest of 3 lemons

5 large eggs

1/2 cup cake four

1 teaspoon baking powder

lemon juice (from 3 lemons zested above)

confectioner's sugar to taste (I use about 1/4 cup for a slightly sweet, slightly tart glaze)

Preheat oven to 325°. 

Butter and flour an 8 inch round by 3 inch deep cake pan (if you do not have a deep pan you may use a regular 9 inch cake pan). Line bottom with parchment paper.

Place the butter, olive oil, and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat until fluffy. Add the almond paste and the lemon zest. Beat until smooth. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Mix in the flour and baking powder. Pour batter into the prepared pan. 

Bake for about 45 minutes of until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove cake from oven and let cool in pan. Invert cake and place right side up on a serving plate. 

Combine the lemon juice and confectioners sugar in a small pan and whisk over medium heat until all the lumps are dissolved. Use a toothpick to poke holes over the surface of the cake. Slowly spoon the lemon glaze over the cake, allowing it to soak into the holes. 

holiday party ideas

Since having children we have started a tradition of having a multi-generational New Year's Eve party every year. Hiring a babysitter is no easy task on New Year's Eve so planning a night out without the kids is tough. As a result, all of our friends with children (and some without, too) have been thrilled to have a destination that the whole family can come to. We set up games and movies for the kids and various parents take turns checking on them. 

Since we also host Christmas and usually have at least 20 people for Christmas dinner I like to keep the menu for the New Year's party simple and not too stressful. I always end up cooking a few things for the party, but there are lots of things that you can just buy and serve...a big assortment of cheeses, pates, salamis, olives, and nuts is a great start. I also love scouring ethnic markets such as Sahadi's for special desserts that can mixed in with a batch of brownies, or some store bought cookies...last year I bought Turkish Delight, Baklava, and some marzipan and fruit jellies. Another favorite thing to buy and serve are the delicious pizzas from Sullivan Street Bakery. It is fun to have a mixed drink in big pitchers at the bar...Pimm's Cup is a favorite and it is easy to flavor the Pimms with cucumber and citrus and let it infuse for a bit. Then when it is time to serve it all you need to do is mix in ginger ale.

christmas dinner

As I am planning this year's Christmas dinner it occurred to me that I could share some of last year's recipes...sorry to be so late! In the event that you are still trying to figure out a menu maybe you will find an idea here. Our main course was a beef tenderloin. I chose it because I wanted something that required little prep ahead of time and cooks relatively quickly...plus, everyone always loves it and considers it a treat. I garnished the meat with one of my favorite sides...pearl onions agrodolce. I braise the onions in a pan with a little water, butter, vinegar, thyme, salt and sugar until they are soft and carmelized. If you would rather not wing it you can find a similar recipe here. Just substitute butter for the olive oil, and some thyme leaves for the bay leaves.

 

Planning the sides is always my favorite part -- figuring out a nice mix of colors and textures and then making sure it can all be done without too much stress. There are a few favorites: the potato gratin that my father and Oliver both adore makes an appearance every year! I had recently bought David Chang's cookbook and was reading about his famous brussles sprouts. In the cookbook he said he considers the dressing for that dish universal so I decided to test that theory and try it out on roasted carrots and beets. I added some toasted hazlenuts for crunch, as well as some chopped parsley. Chang's claim was true...it was delicious. If you want the recipe in time for Christmas and don't have the book the recipe for the dressing can be found here.

Of course we needed something green so I made roasted brussels sprouts with bacon. It is such a simple but delicious preparation...slice the brussels sprouts in half and toss with olive oil, salt and pepper. Stir in some chopped pancetta or bacon and roast until goden brown and tender. 

I like to serve lots of vegetables so opted for two more sides. If you have a gas stove and a grill pan, grilled chicories are delicious. Just cut radicchio and endive into wedges, toss with olive oil, salt and pepper, and grill until they are lightly browned and a bit wilted. Last but not least we always have a salad. This time is was a bowl of mesclun greens, sectioned citrus, pommegranate seeds, spiced nuts and feta cheese. 

We finish our meal with my parents cookie plate and persimmon pudding with hard sauce made by my mom. Maybe that will be a post next year!

Happy Holidays!

aunt persis's cookie

These are one of my very favorite cookies...once they are cool they get sandwiched with raspberry jam and glazed with icing. Our friend Teddy first introduced them to our family in the 1980's and she learned the recipe from her aunt Persis. Now they reappear every year at Christmas when my parents bring their famous cookie platter to our house.

Not just for Christmas, my dad made this plate of them for our family for Valentine's day, last year. When I asked for the recipe I got a handwritten note in perfect script that said the following:

Aunt Persis's Cookies

3/4 lb. butter

3 cups flour

1/2cup + 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon cloves

Mix.

Roll thin and cut into hearts. 

Bake 375.

Put together with raspberry jam.

Frost with powdered sugar and water. 

 

I found both the handwriting and the simplicity of the recipe charming. Lauren and Lila made a batch of the cookies (seen cooling in the photo at the top of this post) this week for a family gathering to celebrate Lila's birthday. Lauren and Dad both agreed that a few notes might be helpful for anyone who wants to make the recipe: 

The butter should be very soft so all the dry ingredients can be incorporated.

Once the dough is made divide it into two disks, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for 45 minutes before rolling.

The cookies take approximately 10 minutes to bake.

happy birthday dear lila

In honor of Lila's birthday this week I dug up some photos of her cute 4th birthday party. Lauren found this robot invitation and Lila loved it, so that was the start of the theme. Our friend Jodi had just made robot collages with her kids so that became the activity for the party...perfect since art and crafts are among Lila's favorite pastimes.

Lauren asked me to help with the cake, knowing that I would enjoy the challenge. I have not made many sheet cakes over the years but Lauren and I talked a lot and decided that it made perfect sense for this party...Lauren wanted to invite a large group so a big cake was needed! For the design of the cake I turned to the card for inspiration. I ended up making a couple rectangular cakes and cutting them into geometric shapes to make a girl robot. One of the things that we loved about this idea was that we could designate different parts of the robot different flavors of cake and frosting. The legs were chocolate cake with a shiny ganache poured over it...a definite favorite with the adults at the party. The body of the robot was a vanilla cake with pink buttercream frosting. I used assorted candies and gumdrops for some simple embellishments.