Gnocchi.

Being that I don't make savory foods as much,  I thought I'd like to make some gnocchi.  Why not, right?  So I looked up a recipe to get the gist of how to make it and get too it.  I know that russet potatoes are baking potatoes and have a little less moisture in them and would probably be one of the best potatoes to use for the gnocchi, but being that I only have red potatoes I thought what could it hurt.
And it starts.  I take the potatoes and poke it with a fork a couple times and get to work on baking them on a sheet pan covered with foil.  I cook them until I feel they are fork tender.   But when I start to peel the potatoes, I realize that they are not fully cooked but not raw either.  So, somewhere in between the soft pillow like goodness that would turn into some really light and creamy mashed potato and al dente potatoes that you would want to make an gratin with.  As you can see I love potatoes!  And there was my mistake.
I wish I had cooked the potatoes just a tad more, but life goes on.

Then I take the potatoes and mash them.  If I had a food mill or a potato ricer it would have helped, but I do not and so it was a fork for me.  I mash the potatoes as best I can with the fork while thinking 'if only I had been just a bit more patient, it would have only taken another 10 to 15 minutes in the oven.'  I almost took mashed my fingers a couple of times as well, but I finally got it done.  Then come the easier part.  I added the egg and salt, then sprinkled the mixture with flour slowly mixing and kneading the dough just until it comes together.  Then I clean up the mess that I had made with the flour and dough.  It is a sticky dough.

I then take the dough and divide into 3 parts,  roll each part into a snake a little bit thicker then my fingers, and then cut them into 1 inch pieces.  I get a pot of salt water boiling and throw these suckers in.  Once they start to float up to the top I take them out and toss them into a pan that I had already heated up with some butter.  I get some color on them and add some mushrooms, salt and pepper.  I top it off with some cut up  fresh basil that I get from my garden and ta da!  Gnocchi.  I feel this was a great try but the potatoes were all chunky in the gnocchi and it needed more flavor for sure.  But I feel that it was good try on my part.

Here is the recipe that I used:

14 oz red potatoes
1 egg white
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup and 2 Tablespoons flour
5 button mushrooms sliced up
3 Tablespoons butter
salt and pepper to taste

From this recipe I would change a couple of things tho.  I would peel the potatoes and boil them up.  It takes less time and once you drain the potatoes, just get them back into the pot and let them dry out just a bit before you do anything.  And I would try this with some brown butter.  To brown butter, you just heat up the butter until the milk solids start to change color and brown.  Another indication of brown butter will be the smell.  It will start to smell like toasted nuts.

Well I hope that this is a recipe that you try.  Happy Chomps and Nibbles.

Bacon Desserts

Bacon Desserts.  These have been taking over the dessert world for a little while.  So I tried to make some today.  I tried making a Bacon Bourbon Ice Cream and a Bacon Cream Puff.  The ice cream had a really subtle bacon flavoring in the background that was not lost on my boyfriend.  He loves bacon and everything made from the pig, so of course his palate will identify the little hint of bacon in anything.

The cream puff is an experiment with the left over pork fat from a time when I made some roasted pork belly.  But I think it will come out really great.  I just put them in the oven and so I don't really know if it will work but if they do they will be a great addition to a bacon party.

So, the recipe.

1 cup milk
4 ounces of pork fat
a pinch of salt
a pinch of cinnamon
1 cup all purpose flour
4 eggs

 As with the usual pate a choux recipe, scald the milk with the fat and spices.  Make sure all of the pork fat is melted.  Add all the flour at once.  Stir with a wooden spoon until the dough comes together and starts to coat the bottom of the pan.  This should take a minute or two.  Then move to a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and beat until there is no steam dissipating from the dough.  If you do not have a stand mixer, a regular bowl, wooden spoon, and some old fashioned elbow grease will work as well, but remember to switch arms in between or one arm will get a great workout while the other does not.  ;)
Add the eggs one at a time making sure the egg is fully incorporated before adding the next.  Then you can either scoop the dough onto a sheet tray fitted with some parchment paper or a silicon baking pad and bake at 400 degrees(F) until golden brown and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.  When done, take thm out and let them cool on a wire rack.

As for the filling for these puffs, I thought I would do a simple vanilla pastry cream. 

5 yolks
1 ounce corn starch
4 ounces sugar
16 ounces milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup whipping cream

mix the yolks, cornstarch, and sugar together.  Scald the milk, do not boil the milk.  Temper the milk into the yolk mixture.  Return to the pot and cook until thickened, add the vanilla extract and cool in the refrigerator.
Once the cream is cooled, whip the whipping cream to hard peaks and fold it into the mixture. 

Take the puffs and cut off the tops and fill with the pastry cream filling and cover with the top and serve.

I do hope this recipe comes out great.  I can just smell the puffs cooking in the oven and they smell delightful.  A little bacon fat goes a long way.

Happy chomps and nibbles.

Saint Patrick's Day

I've been off this blog for a while but I thought I'd go and make some desserts.  Its been a little warm here in Southern California, even thought it is the middle of March.  So, for Saint Patrick's Day, I made some ice cream.  Two types of ice cream to be exact.  One made with Guinness, and the other made with Bailey's.  And as a topping, a whiskey chocolate sauce.  So in celebration of St Patty's Day... no matter what day it is, put them all together and enjoy a sundae!

Bailey's Ice Cream

4 oz Bailey's Irish Cream
2 cups heavy cream
2 cups whole milk
3/4 cup granulated sugar
6 egg yolks

Scald the cream and milk together in a pot, so it is steaming but not boiling.  While the cream is coming up to temperature, whisk the egg yolks and sugar together in a bowl.  Slowly add the hot milk mixture into the egg mixture while whisking as to not curdle the egg yolks.  Return everything into the pot and cook until thickened enough coat the back of a spoon.  Strain and add the Bailey's Irish Cream.  Chill and freeze according to your ice cream makers instructions.

Guinness Ice Cream

8 ounces Guinness stout
2 cups heavy cream
2 cups whole milk 

1 cup granulated sugar 

6 egg yolks

Scald the cream and milk together in a pot, so it is steaming but not boiling.  While the cream is coming up to temperature, whisk the egg yolks and sugar together in a bowl and at the same time put the Guinness into another pot and reduce about by a third.  Slowly add the hot milk mixture into the egg mixture while whisking as to not curdle the egg yolks.  Return everything into the pot and cook until thickened enough coat the back of a spoon.  Strain and add the Guinness reduction.  Chill and freeze according to your ice cream makers instructions

Whiskey Chocolate Sauce
1/3 cup cocoa powder
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
2 Tablespoons Jameson

Place the cocoa power and sugar in a pot and whisk.  Add the water and cook until slightly thickened.  Take off the heat and add the whiskey.  Chill and serve.

Hope everyone loves the sundaes!  Happy chomps and nibbles.

Coconut Macaroons

Macaroons are a type of baked confection that are light little cakes or meringue like cookies.  The original macaroon was a sweet cake that consisted of ground almonds, making it almost like the Italian amaretti.  Most recipes for macaroons call for egg whites, ground or powdered seeds, and sugar.  Almonds, coconut, being a nut, and generally any nut can be used.
There are many types of macaroons, and of the many types there is the coconut macaroon which I love for the flavor. The coconut macaroon is usually found in Australia, the United States, the Netherlands, and Germany.  Made from egg whites, sugar, and shredded dried coconut, it is like a soft sweet cookie.  A lot of times, the coconut macaroons are dipped in chocolate, usually milk chocolate but sometimes dark chocolate or white chocolate have been used.  In Australia, a blob of raspberry jam or glace cherries are hidden in the center of the macaroon.

recipe:
3 egg whites
1 1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons sifted cornflour
3 cups desiccated coconut





Preheat the oven to 315 degrees.  Beat the egg whites with a mixer until soft peaks.  Gradually add sugar while the egg whites are constantly beaten.  Add the lemon zest and beat until combined.  Sift the cornflour then fold into the egg whites.  Drop heaped teaspoons onto a parchment lined cookie sheet about 3 centimeters apart.  Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until golden. Cool on a wire rack.

When cooled you can decorate with a drizzle of chocolate or just serve as is.
Enjoy!
Happy chomps and nibbles.

Korean Red Bean Filled Mochi

I love love love rice cakes!  And I found a recipe for rice cakes that are my absolute favorite.  They are the korean mochi that are filled with a red bean filling.  The filling a made of a red bean paste that is just a little bit sweet without being overly sweet but has the smooth consistency that just fills your mouth.  I grew up with these little rice cakes having two for any given meal or just having one as a snack.  They are readily available at any korean market, but as with everything, wouldn't it be better to be able to make it at home where you know that all the ingredients are fresh and no fillers were added?  Therefore I will try out this recipe and compare them to the ones from my past.

The recipe is pretty simple and it makes plenty.  So give it a whirl and tell me what you think.  These can be made to be any color and even flavors can be added.  Just add a drop of food coloring or 1 teaspoon of green tea powder can be added.  As for other flavoring I have yet to test out, but if they are in powder form I'm guessing that it can be added like the green tea powder is.

1 cup dried red azuki beans
3 cups water
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons corn syrup
1 cup sweet rice flour or mochiko powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup starch powder (corn, potato, or any starch can be used)

Put the red beans in a pot after washing them with the 3 cups of water and bring to a rolling boil for 10 minutes on high heat.  Then lower the heat and let simmer for 1 1/2 hours.  If you are not able to mash the beans with a wooden spoon add more water and cook for a while longer.
Mash the beans or use a food processor to mass the beans until smooth.  Return to the pot and add the brown sugar, salt, vanilla extract, and corn syrup.  Heat up over low heat until the sugar is melted.  Should be shiny and thick, when it is done, set aside to cool.
Mix the sweet rice flour, salt and sugar in a microwave safe bowl.  Then add the water (with the food coloring or green tea powder) and mix until well incorporated.  Then cover with plastic wrap but leave a little gap on one side and microwave for 3 minutes.  Take it out of the microwave and mix, the inside of the ball of dough will not be cooked so you have to mix it to make sure all the rice cake is cooked.  Wrap again leaving a gap on one side and microwave for 1 minute again.  Take the rice cake out of the microwave and mix vigorously in a circular motion.  You should mix for about 100 times to make the rice cakes nice and chewy.
Next, cover a cutting board with a starch powder (like corn starch or potato starch) and flip out the rice cake onto the cutting board.  Flatten and shape into a rectangle.  Then cut into 8 equal portions.  Then you will take a portion and flatten so that a ball of red bean filling can fit inside.  Put a ball in the middle of the rice cake and then pinch the sides of the rice cake shut around it.  Dust with a little bit of the starch and repeat with each of the 8 portions of rice cake.

This recipe is a little more time consuming and complicated then the others, but the results are the same as the ones bought at the store.  I hope that you will try and love them as well.
Happy chomps and nibbles.