ChezCindy: Cocoa Brownies with Browned Butter Walnuts

Last weekend I kind of went chocolate crazy.  I made classic chocolate truffles, bittersweet chocolate decadence cookies, and chocolate mousse, all recipes from the Bittersweet cookbook by Alice Medrich.  For years, I would happen upon a recipe of hers in various food magazines and always found them to be wonderful.  I finally bought a cookbook of hers (Bittersweet -available on Amazon) and have made many more recipes of hers. 

 

For those of you not familiar with Alice Medrich, she is often thought of as the "Julia Child of chocolate", a self-taught chocolatier, author to 8 cookbooks - 3 of which have been selected as Cookbook of the Year award winners.  Her name is synonymous with chocolate.  Her recipes are innovative, delicious and yummy.  Her knowledge is masterful, and her experience is vast.  If you need detail on chocolate, reference Alice's work for your answer.  If you need a delicious chocolate recipe, pick up one of her cookbooks. 

 

The recipe I am sharing with you is Alice's Cocoa Brownies with Browned Butter and Walnuts.  The browned butter adds a rich nutty flavor, working in harmony with the fudgy chocolate and the crisp bites of walnuts.  If you are not used to working with browned butter, don't be afraid to allow the butter to get really brown.  These are my favorite brownies.  Another "house-favorite brownie recipe is likely the most intense brownie that I make for the chocolate fanatic in my house.  I make it at least monthly.  But this one is all for me.  

Cocoa Brownies with Browned Butter and Walnuts
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 1/4 cups sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs, chilled
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 cup toasted walnuts
2 teaspoons water
1/4 teaspoon salt

Position rack in the bottom third of oven; preheat to 325 degrees.  Line an 8x8x2-inch metal baking pan with foil, pressing foil firmly against the sides and leaving a 2-inch overhang.  Coat the foil with non-stick spray.  Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat.  Continue cooking until butter stops foaming and browned bits form at the bottom of the pan, stirring often, about 5 minutes.  Remove from heat; immediately add sugar, cocoa, 2 teaspoons water, vanilla, and 1/4 teaspoon salt.  Stir to blend.  Let cool 5 minutes (mixture will still be hot).  Add eggs to hot mixture, 1 at a time, beating vigorously to blend after each addition.  When mixture looks thick and shiny, add flour and stir until blended.  Beat vigorously 60 strokes.  Stir in nuts.  Transfer to prepared pan. 

Bake brownies until toothpick inserted into center comes out almost clean (with a few moist crumbs attached), about 25 minutes.  Cool in pan on rack.  Using foil overhang, lift brownies from pan.  Cut the brownies into 4 strips.  Cut each strip crosswise into 4 pieces.  

ChezCindy: Kale Chips

Kale Chips

I love potato chips.  To think that kale chips could replace potato chips is not what I was hoping for, but I could try.  I had been hearing about kale chips for quite a while now, but had not taken the time to actually make them.  I eat kale wilted like spinach, or adding it to a frittata or raw in a salad; so kale has become a regular vegetable in my world.  On a recent visit with my niece, she had kale chips set out with the lunch she was serving.  My first taste.  They were really good.  So I did some research. 

Kale chips can be baked at a variety of temperatures, from 225 degrees for an hour to 425 for minutes.  I chose to try the middle range of temps at 375.  They were delicious and easy!  But then I thought, have I taken something so healthy and lessened it's nutritional value.  Not at all.  Cooked kale maintains the healthy vitamins A and C, calcium and potassium.  Bonus.

Once baked, the kale chips are a bit fragile and delicate.  I found that they last several days stored in an air-tight container, but are best on the first day.  Try eating them as you would any salty snack.  Or add them to a sandwich in place of lettuce for an interesting contrast of textures.  Here's how you make them. 

Baked Kale Chips
1 large bunch of kale
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon kosher or sea salt

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.  Rinse the kale leaves and dry thoroughly with kitchen toweling or using a salad spinner.  Remove the tough stems and tear the kale leaves into pieces, about 3-4 inches.  This does not have to be precise, but don't tear too small as the leaves shrink while baking.  Place the leaves into a large bowl; drizzle the olive oil over the leaves, sprinkle on the salt.  (I found that the salt goes a long way.  For my taste, I used slightly more than 1/4 teaspoon for roughly 6 -7 cups of torn kale leaves.)  Using your hands, massage the leaves so that they are coated with the oil.













Using 2 large baking sheets, spread the kale leaves out onto the sheets into a single layer.  Avoid overcrowding the sheets, spreading out the leaves so that they don't overlap.

Bake in the oven for about 8 minutes.  Pull the sheets from the oven. Using a spatula, stir the leaves for even cooking.  Return the sheets back to the oven for an additional 2 minutes; total baking time is about 10 minutes.  Remove from the oven.  Slide the kale chips from the trays onto a paper towel.  The chips will continue to crisp as they cool.  Serve when cool.  Store in an air-tight container. 

ChezCindy: Shirred Eggs with Kale and Mushrooms

Shirred Eggs with Kale and Mushrooms

I am always looking for ways to add vegetables to my breakfast dishes.  When you think about it,
vegetables are often a key ingredient, or at least a side dish, for lunch and dinner.  But vegetables at breakfast are not first of mind.  Generally fruit, grains, eggs, pork meats and breads are the main players of breakfast.  The only way vegetables make a showing at breakfast is if they are used in a frittata, strata or omelet.  I load up on the vegetables when making these dishes. I recently came upon a lovely book titled, The Farmstead Egg Cookbook by Terry Godson, that included a recipe for Shirred Eggs with Spinach and Cream.  It is a terrific recipe that creates a delicious egg dish with vegetables!  Taking this recipe one step further, allows me to add even more vegetables than she calls for, but using the same concept. 

Shirred eggs are basically eggs that are baked in an individual flat-bottomed dish, and are usually served in the dish in which they are baked.  The basic recipe is one that can be varied and expanded to meet the preference of the preparer.  The flat-bottomed dish can be a number of choices which you may already have.  Consider using a ramekin, a custard cup, a brulee dish or a small gratin dish.  But definitely something that is oven-proof for temperature's of 350 or 375 degrees. 

Shirred eggs are a good consideration for serving overnights guests or when hosting a small brunch.  Simply assemble the eggs ahead of time, refrigerate for no longer than an hour, and bake when your guests are ready.  Place the individual ramekins on a sheet tray so that they are easy to handle going in and out of the oven. 
Below is my basic recipe.  I always use some type of green leafy such as spinach or kale.  I like adding mushrooms, but don't always have them in the fridge.  You could add diced tomatoes, sliced shallots or onions.  Tiny diced butternut squash or potatoes would be another good choice.  I like adding just a small amount of shredded Parmesan cheese, but you could add another cheese or none at all.  And I have omitted the cream from the original recipe, unless I am being indulgent.  You can use whole eggs or just egg whites.  I have done both and find each equally delicious.  This recipe is for one, but can be easily repeated for the number of guests you are serving.

Shirred Eggs with Kale and Mushrooms
1 teaspoon unsalted butter
3 tablespoons chopped kale
2 tablespoons sliced mushrooms
1 whole egg
1 egg white
1 teaspoon of grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon mix of finely chopped fresh herbs (parsley, thyme, etc)
salt/pepper
cooking oil spray

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Add the butter to a 6-8 ounce oven-proof ramekin. (this is where you would add 1 tablespoon of cream if using) Spray the ramekin with the cooking oil spray.  Place the ramekin in the oven for a few minutes to melt the butter. Remove from the oven.  Swirl the butter around the ramekin to coat the bottom.  Set aside.
Working with a saute pan, saute the sliced mushrooms until they are brown; remove from the pan adding them to the ramekin.  Add the chopped kale to the pan; cover with a lid to wilt the kale.  This will take just a few minutes.  (if using spinach, you will need to squeeze out any excess liquid)  Remove the kale from the saute pan, adding to the ramekin on top of the mushrooms.  Add the eggs; sprinkle with the cheese and herbs.  (if using dried herbs, use 1/2 teaspoon or less)  Sprinkle with salt and pepper as desired. 
Bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes, until the yolk is set.  Remove from the oven.  Place the ramekin onto a plate to serve.

ChezCindy: Sharing Family Recipes: Marinated Flank Steak

Marinated Flank Steak

One of the greatest treasures is the sharing of family recipes from one generation to the next.  It captures the flavor and the essence of the time and the person, extending the memory for years to come.  This marinated steak recipe was shared with me from a good friend.  Her mother has taken the time to create a hand-written notebook for her, passing down family recipes.  Kind of like a food blog.  I too have a notebook of handwritten ideas, experiments and recipe creations that eventually, I will transfer to this site.  But I do enjoy looking back at my hand-written notes and scribbles in the margins.  It truly was the origin of this site. 

There are many combinations of ingredients for marinated steak, but this one comes together particularly well.  I think it is the use of the maple syrup.  It lends a different sweetness than what I generally see in marinade recipes.  And when grilled, the syrup caramelizes on the meat, producing a great balance of sweet and savory.  It is simple to put together; cooks up quickly; but does take a bit of planning.  The steak will need to marinate for 6-8 hours or overnight.  So don't plan on having this for dinner on the same day unless you begin early in the morning.  I used Flank Steak for this recipe, but you can make this with Skirt Steak, London Broil or even Filet Mignon (if you want to spend the money!).  The marinade is a great compliment to beef, but could also be used with pork or chicken. 

Cooking Flank or Skirt Steak has some important rules to remember.  The cut of meat is inexpensive and therefore not as tender.  If improperly cooked, it will be like eating tough leather.  Follow these rules and you will be rewarded with tender, delicious steak at a reasonable price.

1. Flip only once while grilling
2. Don't cook past medium
3. Let rest for 5 minutes
4. Cut across the grain

Cutting across the grain:  If you look closely at the picture below, you will see that the grain of the steak runs across the picture, from left to right, the long-length of steak.  So cutting across the grain means you will slice across the short-width of the steak. 

Marinated Flank Steak
2 lbs Flank Steak
4 tablespoons soy sauce (low sodium)
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 teaspoon of coarsely cracked black pepper

Place the steak in a zip top bag.  Add all the ingredients to the bag.  Close the zip top; massage the bag to combine the ingredients within, coating the steak.  Place the bag into a bowl (just to be sure you catch any possible leaks) and place in the refrigerator for 6-8 hours or overnight.

Working with either an outdoor grill or an indoor grill pan, lightly oil the grill rack.  Preheat the grill until the rack is very hot.  Remove the steak from the bag, allowing some of the marinade to drip back into the bag.  The meat will be wet, but not sopping.  Place the steak directly onto the grill rack.  Sear on this first side for 5-7 minutes.  Carefully turn the steak over to grill the second side, cooking for another 4-5 minutes.  This cut of meat should be served medium-rare to medium.  Over-cooking to well done will produce a tough steak. 
Remove the meat from the grill and place onto a cutting board.  Allow the meat to rest for about 5 minutes.  This step is very important.  If you cut into the steak immediately, all of the juices will run out and the steak will be dry.
Cut the steak across the grain of the meat into thin slices.  Serve with your favorite side dishes. 

Cooking Times:  The cooking times directed above are for Flank Steak.  Skirt Steak is generally thinner than Flank and will require much less time; only 4-5 minutes on side one and 3-4 minutes on side two.  London Broil is a thicker cut than Flank, so this will need to cook longer; 7-9 minutes on side one and 6-8 on side two.

Wine Pairing Suggestion:  A light Spanish red wine, made from Grenache grapes.

ChezCindy: Gingerbread Cake with Clementine Cream Cheese Frosting



Gingerbread has become a Christmas favorite of mine, but only in recent years.  It was not a holiday standard learned from my mother for traditional Christmas baking.  We grew up on thumbprints, cut-out cookies, and later peanut butter chocolate kisses as we gravitated to more modern cookie recipes.  

I came upon this cake recipe in Bon Appetit magazine last year.  It uses fresh grated ginger in the cake batter, as well as ground dry ginger.  The cake is very moist and is actually better the next day.  This year I decided to make a cream cheese frosting for it, although it is very good as a cake plain.  I added juice from a clementine to the frosting and topped with clementine zest.  Adding the clementine frosting turned a plain sweet treat into an upscale comfort cake. 

Gingerbread Cake with Clementine Cream Cheese Frosting 

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon ground ginger

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup boiling water

1/2 cup dark brown sugar

1/2 cup molasses

1 large egg, lightly beaten

2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Coat an 8-inch square cake pan with cooking oil spray.  Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper.  Spray the paper. 

Whisk the flour, spices, salt, baking powder and baking soda together in a medium bowl.  Set aside.

In a separate mixing bowl, add the butter, pour the boiling water over the butter, stir to melt the butter.  Stir in the sugar, molasses, lightly beaten egg and the fresh ginger.  Add the dry ingredients, stir to combine.  Transfer the batter to the prepared baking pan.  Bake for 25-30 minutes, or the cake tester comes out clean when tested in the center of the cake.

Cool in the pan for 10 minutes.  Invert onto a wire rack.  Allow to cool completely.

Cream Cheese Frosting 

4 ounces cream cheese, softened

5 tablespoons of unsalted butter, softened

1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup of powder sugar

1 tablespoon of juice from clementine

clementine zest

Cream together the softened cream cheese and butter until well combined.  Add the salt and vanilla.  Mix in the powder sugar.  Add just enough clementine juice to loosen the frosting until you have a smooth consistency, about 1 tablespoon.  Stir in 1 teaspoon of clementine zest. 

Frost the cake or cupcakes.  Sprinkle with additional clementine zest.

To make this cake as a Chocolate-Gingerbread Cake:  Add 3 tablespoons cocoa powder to the dry ingredients.  Melt 2 ounces of bittersweet chocolate along with the butter and increase the boiling water with 2 tablespoons in addition to the 1/2 cup.  

ChezCindy: Corn Tortilla Chips Breakfast Strata

Corn Tortilla Chips Breakfast Strata

As I walked through the kitchen this morning looking for a breakfast idea, I spied the bag of corn tortilla chips sitting on the counter, left-over from a previous guacamole snack.  I began to wonder if I could use the tortilla chips much like stale bread is used for breakfast strata.  I have never seen that done before.  So I set out to experiment with the corn tortilla chips breakfast strata.  I must say it came out very well.  I ate three pieces before I made myself stop. 

The recipe below represents the ingredients I used, but really, this can be made with whatever vegetables, cheese, or meat you have available, or is your preference.  Thus the beauty of a breakfast stata.  The basics are eggs, stale chips (normally bread) and cheese.  In this recipe I used parsnips, which is somewhat unusual, but I encourage you to try it.  Parsnips are an underused winter vegetable that are related to carrots, but are sweeter and richer in nutrients and minerals (a good source of potassium).  In this breakfast bake, the parsnips provided a contrast in texture and a surprising sweetness as a compliment to the heat of the salsa.  This turned out to be a delicious experiment.  Try your own experiment by using spicy chorizo sausage or ham, or sun-dried tomatoes and sweet potatoes.  Just follow the basic process as described below.

Corn Tortilla Chips Breakfast Strata
2 cups crushed corn tortilla chips
1 1/2 cup Egg Beaters egg substitute*
3 whole eggs
1/4 cup sliced parsnips
1/4 cup slivered onions
1 tablespoon green onion, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1/2 cup roasted red peppers, sliced
2 tablespoons chopped bacon
2 ounces shredded cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon oil
cooking oil spray
salt/pepper

Spray an 8-inch baking pan with cooking oil.  Place the crushed corn tortilla chips in the baking pan; set aside.

Add 1 tablespoon of oil to a non-stick skillet, place over medium heat.  Add the thinly sliced parsnips and the onions to the pan.  Season with salt; cook for 5 minutes.  Add the chopped green onion; cook for 1 minute.  Allow to cool.

In a medium size bowl, combine the eggs and the egg beaters.  Whisk together.  Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt and a few grinds of fresh ground black pepper.  Add the parsley, red peppers; stir to combine. 

To assemble:  Spread the cooled parsnip/onion mixture evenly over the crushed tortilla chips.  Pour the egg mixture over the vegetables and chips.  Sprinkle the cheese and bacon bits over the top of the egg mixture.  Cover with plastic wrap and let rest in the refrigerator for 1 hour. 
Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until set in the center.  Allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving.  Serve with prepared salsa.

* if not using egg substitute, use a total of 8 whole eggs.

ChezCindy: Pan-seared Utah Red Trout

Every winter my husband and a few of his friends travel to Utah to go skiing at Deer Valley.  This year will mark their 15th year doing so.  Most of the fellas are not too particular when it comes to the dinner options.  So, when they are out dining at a restaurant, he'll call me with his restaurant dinner update.   

A few years back, all of the guys were excited about the Utah Red Trout they had at a restaurant in Park City named Mustang.  Chef/Owner Bill Hufford presents this dish as one of his signature entrees which has received accolades such as "Utah's best fish dish".  Which led me to the challenge of researching the chef's recipe.  Below is my take on his recipe.  

The trout is quick sautéed, served with a lemon butter sauce with capers and diced Roma tomatoes.  If you want a quick dinner that cooks in 10 minutes or less, this is it. This recipe can also be made with tilapia in place of the trout.


Mustang Restaurant's Utah Red Trout
4 6-ounce trout fillets
Olive oil to sauté the trout
salt & pepper

1 stick unsalted butter
1 tablespoon minced shallots
juice of 2 lemons
1 tablespoon capers, rinsed
4 tablespoons diced fresh Roma tomatoes
2 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped

Start by heating a large sauté pan over medium-high heat; add the olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan.  Season the trout with salt and pepper.  When the oil is hot, add the fillets flesh side down and cook for 4 minutes.  Flip the fillets over and cook for another 2-3 minutes.  Remove the fish from the pan; keep warm.
 
Add 2 tablespoons of butter to the pan; add the shallots, sauté for 1-2 minutes.  Add the lemon juice and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat to low; add the remaining butter a tablespoon at a time, whisking after each addition.  Once all of the butter has been whisked in, add in the capers and the diced tomatoes.  Turn off the heat.  Swirl to combine the capers and tomatoes with the brown butter and shallots.  Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper as necessary. 

Carefully remove the trout skin (it should remove easily by pinching one end with tongs and gently pulling backward).  Place a trout fillet on each plate, spoon the sauce over the trout.  Garnish with the chopped chives.