Leite's Culinaria» testers choice

Pasta Puttanesca

Sophie Dahl — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 15:00:44 +0000

Miss Dahl's Voluptuous Delights | William Morrow, 2010 | Serves 4

“Whore’s pasta.” Was ever a name so perfectly suited to a dish? This is edgy, spicy, and just the right side of wrong, conjuring up visions of Neapolitan streets and dangerous women in tight dresses.–Sophie Dahl

LC Hurry It Up Already! Note: When time constraints scream for takeout, consider tossing together this weeknight-friendly pasta instead. The truly impatient should note that this quick recipe can be made even more quickly by relying on a pinch of red pepper flakes rather than a tediously chopped fresh chile and a smidgen of anchovy paste from a tube rather than the slippery real deal. There. That’s one supper situation solved. As for the rest of the week, we’d be quite happy to cook from this book every night, although perhaps that’s in part because we like how it uses the word “Voluptuous” in the title…

Active time: 5 minutes | Total time: 30 minutes

Pasta Puttanesca Recipe

Ingredients

| metric conversion

6 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1 fresh red chile, seeded and chopped
Two 14 1/2 ounce cans chopped tomatoes, drained
8 anchovy fillets
1 teaspoon light brown sugar, (optional)
1 cup black olives, pitted and chopped if desired
12 t0 16 ounces penne, preferably spelt pasta (spelt has a lovely light texture and nutty flavor, not to mention a healthful wholesomeness)
4 heaping tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, (you could slip basil in place of parsley if you prefer)

Directions

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1. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat 4 tablespoons of the olive oil. Add the garlic and chile and sweat. (No, not you, she means to cook the garlic and chile over moderately lowish heat so they slowly, slowly throw off their moisture). Add the tomatoes, bring to a simmer, and then take it down to low heat.
2. Let the sauce simmer while you pull out a pestle and mortar and grind the anchovies with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil into a paste. Add the paste to the simmering sauce and carry on with the simmering for about 20 minutes more. The sauce should be musky and heady.
3. Meanwhile, cook the pasta as directed on the box until it is al dente and drain.
4. You could add 1 teaspoon brown sugar to the sauce here, although I suggest you taste it first and then decide whether you’d like to add it or not. Add the olives to the sauce, spoon it over the pasta, scatter with a big handful of parsley, and pretend you’re in a steamy restaurant in a winding alleyway in Naples.

Hungry for more? Chow down on these:

Pasta with Fresh Pomodoro Sauce from Yumsugar
Pasta with Tomato Cream Sauce from The Pioneer Woman
Grilled Swordfish Puttanesca with Fennel and White Beans from Leite's Culinaria
Jamie Oliver's Rigatoni with Tomatoes, Eggplant, and Mozzarella from Leite's Culinaria

Vegan Chocolate Cake

Bea Vo — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 14:57:49 +0000

Tea with Bea | Ryland, Peters & Small, 2011 | Serves 8 to 12

This chocolate cake is vegan but we don’t tell people it is, and they love it. That’s how good it is.–Bea Vo

We’ll Second That…: We second the author’s sentiment. That is, we don’t tell people this is a vegan chocolate cake, either. And yet folks tend to go back for seconds…and thirds…

Active time: 20 minutes | Total time: 1 hour, 30 minutes

Vegan Chocolate Cake Recipe

Ingredients

| metric conversion

2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup natural cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
A pinch salt
1 3/4 cup unsweetened soy milk
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
1 2/3 cups superfine sugar, (you can easily make your own by blitzing granulated sugar in the blender until finely ground but not powdery)
1 cup sunflower oil, (you can substitute any mild-flavored vegetable or olive oil), plus more for the pan
2 tablespoons vanilla extract

Directions

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1. Preheat the oven to 325˚F (163˚C). Oil a 9-inch round cake pan and line it with parchment paper.
2. Dump the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Mix well.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the soy milk, vinegar, sugar, oil, and vanilla. Pour the milk mixture into the flour mixture and stir with a spoon until well combined.
4. Spoon or scrape the mixture into the prepared cake pan and bake for 40 to 55 minutes. It’s done when a wooden skewer inserted in the middle comes out with almost no crumbs attached and the center of the cake, when pressed, springs back slightly instead of sinks. Bake for an additional 5 to 10 minutes if necessary.
5. Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Slide a table knife or a paring knife between the cake and the edge of the pan to loosen, then carefully invert the cake onto the wire rack. Invert it again so it’s right-side up and let cool on a wire rack for 1 hour.

Hungry for more? Chow down on these:

Thin Mint Cake from I Am Baker
Vegan Chocolate Banana Cake from Madhuram’s Eggless Cooking
Chocolate French Mousse Cake from Leite's Culinaria
Bittersweet Chocolate Rum Icebox Cake from Leite's Culinaria

Monster Chocolate M&M Cookies

Pat Sinclair — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 15:00:18 +0000

Baking Basics and Beyond | Agate Surrey, 2011 | Makes 32 jumbo or 96 standard cookies

We call these “dishpan cookies” at my house because if you make the whole recipe, you need a dishpan to mix all the ingredients (or a very large bowl). These cookies traveled with my kids on many team trips and were always “winners.”–Pat Sinclair

We Interrupt This Recipe…: Put down that wooden spoon. The New York Times just reported that this Sunday’s Super Bowl XLVI will introduce yet another animated M&Ms character: Ms. Brown. The sixth member of the melts-in-your-hands-not-in-your-mouth cast, Brown will join Yellow, Orange, Red, Green, and Blue. Look for her during the first quarter commericals. (Are we the only ones who’re a little giddy about this?!)

Active time: 20 minutes | Total time: 60 minutes

Chocolate M&M Cookies Recipe

Ingredients

| metric conversion

3 1/2 cups (14 ounces) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (1 1/2 ounces) unsweetened cocoa
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups (4 sticks) butter, softened
2 cups granulated sugar
2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 large eggs
2 cups quick-cooking oats
2 cups cornflakes, (after measuring the cornflakes, crush them lightly)
2 cups M&Ms, semisweet chocolate or butterscotch chips, or a combinations

Directions

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1. Heat oven to 350°F (180°C) with oven rack in middle position. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or Silpat.
2. Mix the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in really, really, really large bowl or a dishpan.
3. Beat the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar in bowl of a mixer on medium-high speed until creamy, scraping down sides of bowl once or twice. Add the vanilla and eggs and mix well.
4. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour mixture. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat just until a dough forms. Scrape the dough back into the very large bowl. Dump in the oatmeal, corn flakes, and M&Ms or chips and stir with a spoon until combined.
For jumbo cookies
5. Using a 1/4 cup measure or ice cream scoop, drop the dough onto the baking sheets, making 6 cookies on each cookie sheet. Bake 15 to 20 minutes, or until set in the center and edges are lightly browned. For softer cookies, reduce baking time slightly. The cookies will still look a little moist in the center. Cool cookies 1 minute on the cookie sheets and then place them on wire cooling racks. (Store the cookies loosely covered at room temperature.)
For normal cookies
6. Drop 1-tablespoon blobs of dough onto the baking sheets, spacing them 2 inches apart. Bake 10 to 13 minutes, or until set in the center and edges are lightly browned. For softer cookies, reduce baking time slightly. The cookies will still look a little moist in the center. Cool cookies 1 minute on the cookie sheets and then place them on wire cooling racks. (Store the cookies loosely covered at room temperature.)

Hungry for more? Chow down on these:

Giant Double Chocolate Chip Cookies from Annie's Eats
Big, Soft & Chewy Molasses Ginger Spice Cookies from Farmgirl Fare
Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookies from Leite's Culinaria
Monster Peanut Butter-Chocolate Chip Cookies from Leite's Culinaria

Red Chili and Cheddar Crackers

Chester Hastings — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 14:58:09 +0000

The Cheesemonger’s Kitchen | Chronicle, 2011 | Makes 100 or so crackers

The spicy kick in these little bites is perfectly balanced with a deep, rich Cheddar flavor. The key to these diamonds is to use the very best aged Cheddar possible. My dear friend Dean insists on calling them “Jeez-its” because, he says, “Christ, they’re good!”–Chester Hastings

LC Jeez-Its Note: Doesn’t really matter what faith you are or aren’t, you can still appreciate the sentiment behind the Jeez-Its nickname for these addictive little lovelies, made from just flour, salt, chili, butter, water, and aged Cheddar–lots of aged Cheddar.

Active time: 20 minutes | Total time: 2 hours

Red Chili and Cheddar Crackers Recipe

Ingredients

| metric conversion

1 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for the work surface
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon crushed red chili pepper flakes
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and diced
8 ounces best-quality aged Cheddar cheese, grated
3 to 4 tablespoons cold water

Directions

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1. In a bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and chilies. Transfer to the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the cheese and pulse to combine.
2. Add 3 tablespoons of the water, 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing until the mixture comes together in a ball. Pulse in an additional tablespoon of water if needed to get the dough to hold together. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour.
3. Preheat the oven to 350°F (176°C).
4. Roll the dough out to a 1/8-inch thickness directly onto a baking sheet. (If the dough seems sticky, sprinkle the surface ever so lightly with flour.) Try to be as accurate as you can about the thickness of the dough, as the crackers won’t puff up nicely if the dough is too thin, nor will they be crispy enough if the dough is too thick. Using a cookie or biscuit cutter, a sharp knife, or a fluted pasta cutter, trim the dough into ½-inch diamonds (or any shape you prefer).
5. Line 3 baking sheets with parchment paper. (If you, like us, don’t have 3 baking sheets—well, 4, actually, counting the one you’re already using–simply line 1 or 2 or however many baking sheets you have and bake the crackers in batches, allowing the sheets to cool between uses.) Place the dough on the parchment-lined sheets, giving them just enough room so that they are not touching. Bake until the crackers are deep golden brown and crunchy, 20 to 30 minutes, depending on the size of your crackers. Watch the crackers carefully as they go from almost done to a little too done quite quickly. Transfer the crackers to wire rack and let cool completely before serving. (The crackers can stored in an airtight container for up to 1 week, although they are best the first couple of days.)

Hungry for more? Chow down on these:

Olive and Rosemary Crackers from The Purple Foodie
Sesame Crackers from Elana's Pantry
Pistachio-Orange Cocktail Cookies from Leite's Culinaria
Cheddar Parmesan Crackers from Leite's Culinaria

Super Bowl Sunday Seafood Gumbo

Donald Link — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 14:57:52 +0000

Real Cajun | Clarkson Potter, 2009 | Serves 12 to 16

Remember when you were a little kid and you would wake up early on Christmas morning feeling super-excited? That’s how I feel on Super Bowl Sunday. I jump out of bed, start my day with a cold beer, and begin making this seafood gumbo recipe. This particular gumbo, brimming with Louisiana bounty, is my favorite dish to make. In fact, you might say that this gumbo was the dish that made me want to become a chef. My mother always made seafood gumbo on Super Bowl Sunday, and I started doing the same when I moved out, going to Chinatown to shop for my ingredients.   Spare no expense for this recipe. Get the freshest seafood you can find, and plenty of it, to extract all the sweet, briny flavors. The stock is key—it should be rich and full of flavor. (For an even richer stock, double the amount of shrimp shells, or add 3 to 4 pounds of fish bones. If you use fish bones, add them after you toast the shrimp shells.)–Donald Link

Author’s Reflections on Making Roux Note: According to author and Cajun cook Donald Link, the process of making roux can be hypnotic. It takes about an hour, and you can’t stop stirring or walk away from it. Watching the oil and flour mixture slowly change color and begin to take on its unique aroma gives you plenty of time to be alone with your thoughts. My roux is made with vegetable oil, not butter, because its neutral flavor really lets the seafood shine. Once the roux has reached its proper color, the chopped vegetables are added, which creates a near volcanic reaction of bubbling, steaming, and sizzling. The roux at this point is around 400°F (204°C) and the addition of cold vegetables causes an explosion of flavors and smells. Once I had to run to the store right after making roux and the lady at the checkout said, “Wow, something sure smells good.” I replied, “That would be me.” She laughed and I said, “No, really, I’ve been making seafood gumbo—it’s me you’re smelling.” “You’re right,” she said. “It is gumbo I smell.” That’s how powerful the aroma is.

Active time: 1 hour, 45 minutes | Total time: 5 hours, 15 minutes

Seafood Gumbo Recipe

Ingredients

| metric conversion

For the seafood stock
At least 6 cold beers for the chef
4 pounds medium (16 to 20 count) shrimp, shell-on and preferably head-on
6 blue crabs
Salt
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 small onion, coarsely chopped
1 celery stalk, coarsely chopped
2 garlic cloves
2 teaspoons paprika
1 4-inch fresh rosemary sprig or 2 tablespoons dried
13 bay leaves
9 quarts (36 cups) water
For the seafood gumbo
3 cups vegetable oil
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 large onion
2 medium green bell peppers, diced
3 celery stalks, diced
2 jalapeño peppers, stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons salt
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons filé powder
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon white pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon dried thyme
Several dashes of hot sauce
2 pints shucked oysters, liquor strained and reserved
1 pound crab claw meat, carefully picked over for shells

Directions

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Make the seafood stock
1. Crack open a beer and start sipping while you peel the shrimp. Set the shells and heads aside in a bowl. Set aside the bodies for the gumbo.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the crabs and a generous amount of salt, cover the pot, and boil for 5 to 7 minutes. Drain immediately and set the crabs aside to cool. (Yes, after just 5 to 7 minutes. If you were going to fully cook the crabs, you would boil them for 10 to 15 minutes, but you want to leave most of the flavor in the crab to cook in the gumbo, so here you’re heating them just enough to take them apart and salvage the shells and sweet meat.)
3. Peel the front flaps and tops off the crabs and place in a large bowl with the shrimp heads and shells. Use your fingers to scoop out the orange back fat from the middle of the crab and set aside in a small bowl. Break the crab bodies into four pieces and set aside for the gumbo, but in a different bowl as the shrimp bodies.
4. Heat the oil in a large pot over high heat. Add the reserved crab and shrimp shells and shrimp heads, if using. Cook, stirring until the shells turn pink, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the onion, celery, garlic, paprika, rosemary, bay leaves, and water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and gently simmer for 1 hour.
5. Remove the stock from the heat and strain, discarding the solids. 
Make the seafood gumbo
6. Heat the 3 cups vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot but not smoking, whisk in the flour and reduce the heat to medium. Cook, whisking slowly but constantly, until the roux has thickened and is the color of a dark copper penny, 45 minutes to an hour. You’ll want to reduce the heat gradually as you go. When the roux first begins to take on color, for instance, reduce the heat to medium. Continue in this fashion, gradually lowering the heat as the color of the roux deepens. By the end of the cooking, when the roux is appropriately dark, the heat should be on low. It’s essential to whisk the roux constantly as it cooks (but not so vigorously that you splatter the roux and burn yourself!), because if even a small bit of flour sticks to the pot, it will become spotty, scorch quickly, and burn the entire roux.
7. Carefully add the onion, bell pepper, celery, jalapeños, and the reserved crab back fat. (I say “carefully” because this will create a near volcanic reaction of bubbling, steaming, and sizzling.) Stir until the vegetables are well coated. Stir in the garlic, salt, paprika, filé powder, chili powder, black pepper, cayenne, white pepper, oregano, red pepper flakes, thyme, and hot sauce and continue to cook, stirring, for a few minutes. Add two-thirds of the strained stock and the oyster liquor, bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, stirring frequently and scraping the bottom of the pot to ensure nothing clumps and burns, until the mixture returns to a simmer.
8. Start skimming the oil from the top of the gumbo almost instantly (by the end of the cooking process, the gumbo will have released almost all of the oil from the roux). Continue to simmer and skim for about 1 hour. Taste it. If it still has a strong roux flavor, gradually add the remaining one-third of the stock, tasting as you go, until the flavor tastes more like the stock than the roux. If your seafood gumbo doesn’t have a strong roux flavor, freeze the remaining stock for another use.
9. When the flavor of the liquid has developed and its appearance is clearer (that is to say, with fewer dots of oil), add the oysters and crab meat. Bring the gumbo back to a simmer and cook gently for 15 to 20 minutes. Skim once more and add the shrimp, and simmer for 1 more hour. Ladle the seafood gumbo into bowls and crack open another beer.

Hungry for more? Chow down on these:

Spicy Red Fish Stew from Kalyn's Kitchen
Chicken and Sausage Gumbo from Annie's Eats
Brazilian Fish Stew from Leite's Culinaria
Old-School Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya from Leite's Culinaria

Peppery Chicken Wings

David Tanis — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 14:56:51 +0000

Heart of the Artichoke | Artisan, 2010 | Serves 4 to 8

There’s something wonderful about a big pile of peppery chicken wings for a casual supper. Remove the wing tips and save them for stock, so what you’re serving is the meatier part of the wing. You can use the same seasoning and technique for chicken thighs, if you prefer.–David Tanis

LC Magnificent Multipurpose Peppery-ness Note: The intensity of the classic buffalo wing is tempered here, usurped by a warming–though not incinerating–blend of spices. Truth be told, we rather prefer the defiantly untraditional, beguiling blend of paprika, allspice, cayenne, and clove to the incendiary heat of most classic wings. That said, the recipe is eminently adaptable. If you crave a more intense flavor, double the amount of ingredients for the rub—both spices and oil—and marinate for the full 12 hours. And if you like crisp skin, leave them in a little longer. If you like your wings tender and moist, pull the chicken out of the oven just shy of an hour. And if, like us, you really swoon to this spice rub, try it on thighs and breasts–bone-in, skin-on chicken, that is–either as a game-day conversation starter or a simple weeknight supper.

Active time: 15 minutes | Total time: 2 hours, 15 minutes

Peppery Chicken Wings Recipe

Ingredients

| metric conversion

5 pounds chicken wings, wing tips removed
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon sweet paprika
1 to 2 teaspoons ground allspice
1 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
4 garlic cloves, smashed to a paste with a little salt
3 tablespoons olive oil

Directions

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1. Place the chicken wings out on a baking sheet and season well with salt and pepper. Transfer the wings to a big bowl, add all the other ingredients, and give the wings a massage. Refrigerate for at least an hour or as long as overnight. (Trust us, marinating them for as long as possible makes quite a difference.)
2. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
3. Place the wings in a single layer in a roasting pan or on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast until nicely browned and crisp, about 1 hour. If you like your wings super crisp, you can leave them in the oven an additional 15 to 30 minutes. Dive into the wings when they’re hot, warm, at room temperature, even cold. And don’t forget the napkins.

Hungry for more? Chow down on these:

Honey-Sriracha Glazed Buffalo Wings from White on Rice Couple
Coca-Cola Chicken Wings from Appetite for China
Chicken Wings with Garlic and Paprika from Leite's Culinaria
Classic Buffalo Wings from Leite's Culinaria

Broiled Buffalo Wings

Ellie Krieger — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 14:55:37 +0000

Comfort Food Fix | Wiley, 2011 | Serves 4

I knew I was onto something when my husband, one of the world’s most critical, and perhaps most experienced, Buffalo wing eaters, reviewed these as “Excellent wings!” That’s just the response I was going for and it is especially meaningful when you see how their numbers stack up against the ones he’s used to eating. The secret to keeping them crispy and flavorful without the saturated fat and calories is to par-boil, then broil the chicken instead of frying it, and use a touch of oil and broth in the tongue-tingling sauce in place of the usual load of butter.–Ellie Krieger

LC Little White Lies of Omission Note: Shhhh. No one needs to know these this broiled Buffalo wings recipe contains no butter. (Yes, we realize low-fat wings is sort of an oxymoron, although you may not miss the butter, as the results still draw on the requisite hot sauce and an über cheesy, über easy blue cheese dip.) Whatever you do, whether tell the truth or commit a little white lie of omission, don’t forget the beer.

Active time: 25 minutes | Total time: 40 minutes

Broiled Buffalo Wings Recipe

Ingredients

| metric conversion

2 pounds chicken wings, split at the joint
1/4 cup cayenne pepper sauce, preferably Frank’s Red Hot, plus more for serving
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons low-sodium chicken broth
3 large ribs celery, cut into sticks
1 recipe Blue Cheese Dip

Directions

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1. Preheat the broiler. Place the wings in a large pot and fill the pot with water to cover by about 2 inches. Bring to a boil, then continue to boil for 10 minutes. Drain.
2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the cayenne pepper sauce, lemon juice, and broth.
3. Transfer the wings to a broiler pan and broil 5 to 6 inches from the flame, until the skin begins to blister and brown, 5 to 6 minutes. Turn the wings over and broil until cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes more.
4. Transfer the wings to a baking sheet, drizzle with the reserved sauce, and toss well to coat. Place the baking sheet under the broiler for 1 minute to heat the wings and sauce together.
5. Serve the broiled Buffalo wings with extra hot sauce on the side, celery sticks, and the blue cheese dip.

Hungry for more? Chow down on these:

Spicy Sticky Chicken Wings from Christine's Recipes
Oven Baked Chicken Wings from Dine and Dish
Bacon Wrapped Chicken Wings from Leite's Culinaria
Mahogany Wings from Leite's Culinaria

Blue Cheese Dip

Ellie Krieger — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 14:54:15 +0000

Comfort Food Fix | Wiley, 2011 | Makes about 3/4 cup

Why settle for a blue cheese dip recipe that practically requires a search party to find the few bits of cheese swimming around in the mayo? Especially when you can have this one, chock-full of pungent blue cheese –thick, tangy, decadent, and so much better for you.–Ellie Krieger

LC Ample Applications Note: This indulgent blue cheese dip recipe has ample applications–as a dip for crudites, as a smear on steak, as an accompaniment to all manner of things. Although the most expected, inspired, impassioned, and perhaps enticing application has to be as an accompaniment to–you guessed it–wings.

Active time: 5 minutes | Total time: 5 minutes

Blue Cheese Dip Recipe

Ingredients

| metric conversion

1/4 cup plain Greek-style nonfat yogurt
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
1/3 cup (1 1/2 ounces) crumbled blue cheese

Directions

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1. In a small bowl, stir together the yogurt, mayonnaise, vinegar, and blue cheese. Mash any very large chunks of blue cheese with the back of a spoon to integrate it into the dip.
2. You can make the dip up to 3 days ahead and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. When you want to serve it, allow it to come to room temperature before serving. A gentle suggestion: Make plenty because this goes fast.

Hungry for more? Chow down on these:

Baked Crab and Artichoke Dip from Confections of a Foodie
Sun-Dried Tomato Hummus from Family Fresh Cooking
Portuguese Green Olive Dip from Leite's Culinaria
Roasted Eggplant Dip from Leite's Culinaria

Popcorn with Bacon Fat, Bacon, and Maple Syrup

Deborah Krasner — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 14:53:59 +0000

Good Meat | Stewart, Tabori & Chang, 2010 | Makes 12 cups

So wicked it should be illegal, this sinful dish should be saved for the evening after you’ve shoveled snow all day and can feel virtuous eating such an indulgence. Or invite a crowd to share at movie night chez vous.–Deborah Krasner

LC Easy Arithmetic Note: Our math skills are about on par with that of second-graders–and we’re the old-fashioned sort of math, not this new math. So when we want more of this recipe–and really, can you ever really have too much popcorn?–we simply make a second (or third) batch instead of doubling or tripling the recipe. Easy arithmetic. And no popcorn spilling out of the pot and onto the floor. (And on a perfectly non-new-or-old-math-related tangent, we’re thinking a little dark chocolate would be lovely in this mix, don’t you agree?)

Active time: 15 minutes | Total time: 50 minutes

Popcorn with Bacon Fat, Bacon, and Maple Syrup Recipe

Ingredients

| metric conversion

4 slices bacon
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more as needed
1/2 cup popping corn, preferably organic
1/4 cup maple syrup
Coarse salt, preferably smoked salt flakes, as needed

Directions

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1. Heat a cast-iron or other heavy frying pan over low heat and cook the bacon slowly. This will take about 15 minutes per side if the heat is low enough. Transfer the cooked bacon to a folded paper towel, leaving the fat in the pan. Drain the bacon until cool and then crumble it into a bowl.
2. Carefully pour the bacon fat into the bottom of a 3-quart heavy saucepan with a tight-fitting lid. You need at least 1 tablespoon bacon fat. If you don’t have enough, melt a bit of butter to make up the difference. Heat the pan and fat over medium-high heat and pour in the corn, clapping on the cover. Shake the pan and listen for the sound of the corn popping. Once it begins to pop furiously, lower the heat to medium and leave the pan alone until it is quiet and the popped corn begins to push at the cover from beneath. Turn off the heat and let the residual heat finish cooking the corn, or move the pan to another burner and cook over low heat until all the corn is popped.
3. In the meantime, melt the 2 tablespoons butter in the microwave or on the stovetop. Measure out the maple syrup, get the bowl of crumbled bacon, and set a large bowl on the counter to receive the popped corn.
4. Pour the popped corn into the bowl, immediately drizzle it with the maple syrup and melted butter, and sprinkle the crumbled bacon on top. Quickly toss the mixture to combine. Taste for salt and correct the seasonings, tossing again. Serve at once with plenty of napkins.

Hungry for more? Chow down on these:

Snickerdoodle Popcorn with White Chocolate Drizzle from Picky Palate
Peppermint Candied Popcorn from Eat the Love
Caramel Popcorn from Leite's Culinaria
Wasabi and Ginger Popcorn from Leite's Culinaria

Classic Manhattan Cocktail

Jason Kosmas — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 15:00:14 +0000

Speakeasy | Ten Speed Press, 2010 | Serves 1

As the title says, a classic. A smooth, sophisticated, satiating classic.–Renee Schettler Rossi

LC Necessity is the Mother of Invention Note: : We’re so uncouth, we didn’t even realize there was such a thing as a “mixing glass” until we set about to mix this drink for ourselves. And yet necessity truly is the mother of invention, especially when a cocktail is on the line. We think you’ll manage to jury-rig something, too.

Active time: 3 minutes | Total time: 3 minutes

Classic Manhattan Cocktail Recipe

Ingredients

| metric conversion

1 1/2 ounces 100-proof rye whiskey
1 3/4 ounces sweet vermouth
1/2 ounce Grand Marnier
3 dashes Angostura bitters
1 lemon twist, for garnish

Directions

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1. Pour the whiskey, vermouth, liqueur, and bitters into a mixing glass. Add large cold ice cubes and stir for 40 revolutions.
2. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with the lemon twist. Drink the Manhattan post haste.

Thirsty for more? Sip on these:

Bourbon Mint Tea from The Bitten Word
Bourbon Apple from Caitlin Dentino
Fall Spice Cordial from Leite's Culinaria
Maple Leaf Cocktail from Leite's Culinaria