Persian Saffron Ice Cream

by Amazon al Dente at 10:37 PM PDT, June 15, 2009

Given the hot weather, it comes as no surprise that everyone's talking about ice cream. Instead of vanilla or chocolate, might I suggest saffron?

If you have access to Minoo Bakery in Seattle, or Mashti Malone's Ice Cream in Los Angeles, then you can treat yourself to their Persian ice cream, and you're all set.

If not, a wonderful new children's cookbook, Happy Nowruz: Cooking with Children to Celebrate the Persian New Year, offers up Cream Crunch Ice Cream, a delicious alternative to bubblegum.

Cookbook author Najmieh Batmanglij is an authority on Persian cuisine, and her cookbook shares Persian culture and cuisine in a kid-friendly format that will delight and inspire kids of all ages.

Cream Crunch Ice Cream

Ingredients:

Crunchy Frozen Cream
1 cup thick cream or whipping cream

Ice Cream
4 tablespoons sahlab mixture (Cortas brand)
3 cups whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon saffron threads dissolved in 2 tablespoons cooking rose water
1/2 mastic ground in a mortar and pestle with 1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 cup unsalted, shelled pistachios broken up

Directions:

Crunchy Cream
1. Pour the thick cream into a 4-by-6 inch dish lined with parchment paper and place in the freezer.

Ice Cream
1. In a small bowl dissolve the sahlab in 1 cup cold milk and mix until quite smooth. Set aside.

2. In a medium saucepan, combine 2 cups of milk, 1 cup of cream, and the sugar and bring to a boil.

3. Add the sahlab mixture, salt, saffron mixture, and mastic and bring back to a boil.

4. Reduce heat and simmer, whisking constantly, for 10 to 15 minutes, until thick enough for it to coat the back of a spoon.

5. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely.

6. Pour the mixture into an cream machine's container.

7. Follow the instructions for the ice cream machine.

8. Remove the frozen cream from the freezer. Break it up into 1/4 -inch pieces and add it to the finished ice cream. Add the pistachios and continue to turn in the machine for another 20 seconds.

9. Transfer the ice cream into a plastic container and cover tightly. Freeze the ice cream for at least 1 hour to allow it to develop texture and flavor.

Makes 1 pint

Adapted from Happy Nowruz: Cooking with Children to Celebrate the Persian New Year, Najmieh Batmanglij, Mage Publishers, 2008

read more “Persian Saffron Ice Cream”

My Cooking Repertoire: Donna Hay's Rosemary Lamb Shanks

by Amazon al Dente at 11:19 AM PDT, May 26, 2009

If you had been invited to my house for dinner in the last few weeks, you would have been served slowly braised rosemary lamb shanks with creamy oven-baked polenta and crispy roasted asparagus. It's my standard springtime menu and a cornerstone of my cooking repertoire.

Amanda Hesser writes about the "cooking repertoire" in her book, Cooking for Mr. Latte: A Food Lover's Courtship with Recipes, and when I first read it, I was sure she was speaking to me:

A few months ago, when visiting Tad's parents, I noticed one of his mother's cookbooks lying on the kitchen counter. It was open to a recipe for slow-roasted turkey. The book was old, the pages a dull yellow. In the margins were notes, some in pencil, come in faded ink. Over the years, Elizabeth had kept a record of her efforts to refine the recipe: "1977," one note read, "12 lb. turkey took 4 hours including 1/2 hour browning." Another read, "Make a tent of foil over all." She had originally followed the recipe and spread shortening on the bird, then substituted margarine in the 1980s. Now she uses butter.

I mentioned this to Tad. "I hope someday I'll have recipes like that," I said. "You know, ones that I'll want to return to for years and years."

Tad nodded. "it's a good idea. You don't really seem to have a repertoire."

Ever since reading Hesser's book, some five years ago, I've been accumulating recipes for my own repertoire, making a note of seasonal dishes that are easy to make and fun to serve.

The lamb shank recipe I use, from Donna Hay's Modern Classics series, is just that. Not only does it require little active prep time, but if you make it a day in advance, it will taste even better. Plus, any leftovers freeze beautifully. And in a happy coincidence, both the polenta and the asparagus can be cooked in the oven at the same time.

The fact is, having a cooking repertoire makes it easier to entertain, and I'm all for that.

Lamb Shanks with Tomato and Rosemary

Ingredients:

8 shanks, trimmed*
Plain (all-purpose) flour for coating
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 onions, sliced
4 cloves garlic, sliced
1 cup (8 fluid ounces) red wine
2-1/2 cups (1 pint) beef stock
400 grams (14 ounces) can tomatoes, lightly crushed
1 tablespoon rosemary leaves
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
Sea salt and cracked black pepper

Directions:

1. Toss the lamb shanks in flour, shaking off any excess. Place half of the oil in a large, deep frying pan over high heat. Add the shanks and brown well. Remove and set aside.

2. Add the remaining oil to the pan and cook the onions and garlic until golden. Return the shanks to the pan. Add the wine, stock, tomatoes and rosemary and bring to the boil. Reduce the hear, cover and simmer for 1 hour.

3. Remove the shanks and continue to simmer the sauce, uncovered, for 10 minutes or until reduced and thickened. Return the shanks to the pan with the parsley, salt and pepper. Mix through and serve with mashed potatoes.

Serves 4.

Modern Classics Book 1, Donna Hay, HarperCollins, 2002

*Ask your butcher to trim both ends of the shanks for you. Although not essential, it makes them easier to handle and they fit better into the pan.

Cook's Hints: Like Tad's mother, Elizabeth, I've adapted this recipe over the years. I buy meaty hind shanks, about 1-1/2 lbs. each, from my local grocery store nd need only two shanks for this recipe, which easily serves 4-6 people. I use more olive oil for searing the meat, and add more liquid (red wine and chicken stock, which I use instead of beef), so the lamb is covered completely as it cooks. I cook these heftier shanks longer, about 2-1/2 hours, to be sure they are cooked through and tender, and I simmer the sauce longer for a thicker, headier gravy. To serve, I remove most of the meat from the bone and ladle the meat and sauce onto a mound of polenta. Two lucky people get the bones.

--Tracy Schneider

In topics: Recipes, What's Cooking?

read more “My Cooking Repertoire: Donna Hay's Rosemary Lamb Shanks”

Kathy Casey: Minty Mojitos Keep You Cool in the Summer!

I’ve included a few different recipes here for you--from a classic, to a quickie, to the inspired. Happy mixing!

Blue Thai Mojito
The infused syrup adds an exotic kick to this tall rum drink.

Makes 1 drink

Ingredients:
1/4 ounce blue Curaçao
1-1/2 ounces Bacardi Limon rum or silver rum
1-1/2 ounces Coco-Mint Syrup (recipe follows)
1 ounce fresh lime juice
2 ounces chilled soda water

For garnishing:
Fresh mint and/or cilantro sprigs
Shaved coconut (optional)

Directions:
1. Fill a tall glass with ice. Measure in the Curaçao, rum, syrup, lime juice, and soda water. Stir with a bar spoon.

2. Garnish with fresh mint and/or cilantro and a sprinkling of shaved coconut, if using.

Coco-Mint Syrup
Makes 3 cups, enough for about 16 drinks

Ingredients:
1 cup shredded sweetened coconut
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 bunch fresh mint, torn
12 large sprigs fresh cilantro
2 cups sugar
2 cups water

Directions:
1. Combine the ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Boil for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and let steep for 1 hour.

2. Strain, pressing out as much liquid as possible, then discard the solids.

3. Let cool to room temperature. If not using immediately, cover and refrigerate, for up to 1 month, until needed. Remix before using.

© 2009 by Kathy Casey from Sips & Apps, Chronicle Books
Photo from Sips & Apps, Chronicle Books, Angie Norwood Browne Photography

Classic Mojito
Use this as a classic recipe to get creative with!

Makes 1 drink

Ingredients:
3 large sprigs fresh mint
2 ounces silver rum such as Cruzan
3/4 ounce fresh lime juice
3/4 ounce Simple Syrup*
Splash of chilled soda water
Garnish: fresh mint sprig

Directions:
1. Tear the mint sprigs and drop into a cocktail shaker. With a muddler, press the mint to release its flavors.

2. Fill the shaker with ice. Measure in the rum, lime juice, and simple syrup. Cap and shake vigorously. Pour into a large glass. Top with soda water.

*Simple Syrup: One cup sugar and one cup water brought to a boil and cooled; keep refrigerated for up to 1 month.

© 2009 Kathy Casey Inc.

Peach Melba Mojito
This quick and easy mojito is made with my Dish D’Lish Mojito cocktail mix. You can substitute strawberry purée for the raspberry if desired.

Makes 1 cocktail

Ingredients:
1 lime squeeze
1 large wedge fresh peach
2 ounces Bacardi Peach Red Rum
2 ounces Dish D’Lish Classic Mojito Cocktailor
2 tablespoons raspberry purée
Splash of soda water

For garnishing:
Fresh mint sprig
Fresh raspberry if in season

Directions:
1. Squeeze lime and drop it into cocktail shaker. Fill with ice. Add rum, Cocktailor, and purée.

2. Cap and shake vigorously. Add soda water. Pour into a tall glass. Top with more ice if needed. Garnish with mint and raspberry if using and insert straw.

© 2008 Dish D’Lish® Inc

For more Dishing with Kathy Casey and recipes visit www.kathycasey.com/blog

In topics: Recipes, Thirsty, What's Cooking?

read more “Kathy Casey: Minty Mojitos Keep You Cool in the Summer!”

Accidentally Delicious Turkey Burgers

by Amazon al Dente at 10:56 PM PDT, March 16, 2009

Last night I was determined to make a nutritious dinner for the boys and got all the ingredients for turkey burgers as I thought I remembered reading them from Jessica Seinfeld's Deceptively Delicious recipe. But how's this for lazy--when it came time to prep the food, I was so panic-hungry and suffering from the shakes (this happens suddenly and without warning in pregnancy) that I simply couldn't be bothered to pull the book down and open it. Looking up a page number and turning to that page seemed a vast, complex sequence of events and a grotesque waste of precious time. This is the dearth of logic that also happens all during my pregnancies...

"OH SH@$, I CAN'T REMEMBER THE RECIPE!"

"Honey, do you want me to hand you the cookbook?"

"QUICK! NO TIME! JUST HAND ME THE TURKEY!"

"...but it's right here...I can.."

"JUST YOU AND THE BOYS GET OUT OF MY WAY!"

Of course, there are two recipes in her book for making turkey burgers, and I think I mixed the both of them together, but nevermind. Whatever I made was accidentally delicious. I used some leftover organic chicken-flavored stuffing mix instead of whatever bread crumbs she called for (after all, stuffing IS bread crumbs) and I think that gave me a real flavor boost. I thought the recipe called for a cup of bread crumbs, but when I measured out a cup, there was so little left in the bag I decided to use it all. It was probably around 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 cups.

Turkey Burgers

Ingredients:
1 pound ground turkey thigh
2 tablespoons low-sodium organic soy sauce
2 tablespoons organic ketchup
2 fat cloves of garlic, minced
3 baby carrots, minced
1 scallion, white and green part chopped
1-1/4 to 1-1/2 cups organic chicken-flavored Thanksgiving stuffing mix
1/2 to 3/4 cup milk
some shakes of salt and black pepper

Directions:

1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine everything. It just so happens I combined everything except the turkey, because I couldn't find it at first, and so everything had soaked together for at least 5 minutes while I hunted down the ground turkey. Don't ask... But I don't know if this made them taste better, adding the meat last while everything else soaked together, or if it wouldn't matter either way.

2. Squish it all together with your hands trying for an even distribution of little green and orange flecks across burgers. I made 6 big patties approximately 1/2-3/4 of an inch thick. One patty was smaller for the baby. The rest were evenly sized. They will seem overly moist. Don't be concerned. Turkey dries out while it cooks.

3. Cook in a frying pan with a drizzle of olive oil for about 5 minutes per side. Add cheese on top while they're hot if you want cheese. Or you could top it with some fancy Asian slaw and a hoisin sauce or something.

Next Day Brunch: I chopped up a leftover burger patty and used it to make great 2-egg omelets with cherry tomatoes, mushrooms, garlic, scallion, and cheddar cheese.

--Sweet B

In topics: Recipes, What's Cooking?

read more “Accidentally Delicious Turkey Burgers”