Sweet Pepper

Unusual but awesome: Al Di La's Torta di Pere

At some point during the handful of years I lived in New York City after graduating from college, I apparently missed the memo about the mass exodus to Brooklyn. “The rent is cheaper!” some attested. “It feels more neighborhood-y! You can actually see the sky!!” others argued. Lastly (and perhaps most importantly), “There is GREAT food here.” In the end, and despite my initial skepticism, I realized that my friends were right – about the food, especially. I made the trek from the Upper West Side regularly to hang out and dine with my friends on many memorable occasions.

One of my favorite dinners took place with my dear friends Jennifer and Warren at Al Di La, a fantastic Park Slope trattoria. Everything about this meal was divine – handmade pasta, superbly fresh vegetables, and succulent, flavorful meats (oxtail and rabbit were standouts for me). And the dessert! We shared several desserts and this unusual cake lingered in my memory for a long while afterward. The combination of chocolate and pear is quite delicious, and adding browned butter to nearly anything makes it fantastic, right? I was reminded of this lovely cake when the recipe was posted at the Smitten Kitchen about a year ago, and when I finally got around to making it myself, I was thoroughly pleased with the results and happy to revisit my memories of a perfect evening with friends.

 

Torta di Pere (Bittersweet Chocolate and Pear Cake), from Al Di La, via Smitten Kitchen

1 cup AP flour

1 tbsp baking powder

3 room-temperature eggs

4 oz (1 stick) butter

3/4 cup sugar

3 pears, peeled and diced (note: I used Bosc pears - any pear of your liking can be used, or a mix)

3/4 cup bittersweet chocolate chunks

Preheat oven to 350F. Butter a 9-inch springform pan and dust with breadcrumbs.

Whip eggs on high speed until pale and thick (around 9-10 min).

Brown the butter: melt in a medium saucepan (make sure to use one of adequate size because the butter tends to bubble up during the process) and cook until it is brown and smells nutty. Scrape the bottom of the pan to ensure even browning during the last few minutes of cooking (this takes between 6-8 min total). Remove from heat.

Add sugar to eggs and continue to whip for a few more minutes. As the mixture starts to lose volume, turn down mixer speed. Add flour in three stages, alternating with brown butter (and ending with flour). Whisk until just barely combined, then gently fold batter with a spatula until ingredients are fully combined (do not overmix or the fluffy eggs will lose their volume!) 

Pour batter into prepared pan, then sprinkle diced pear and bittersweet chocolate over the top. Bake until cake is golden and springs back to the touch, roughly 30 min.

Ode to a winter staple: Kale and Cannellini Ragout

 

I adore comfort food. Though I have certainly enjoyed the occasional splurge on beautiful, exquisitely detailed, precisely executed and adventurous restaurant experiences (quick note: the omakase menu at Kai, in NYC, was mind-blowing! A gift from a former boss of mine, and it has remained in my thoughts now for YEARS), the truth is that the food memories closest to my heart are neither fancy nor flashy. My mom, a brilliant cook and the initial source of my love for the kitchen, never touched a recipe while I was growing up but provided our family with wondrously delicious meals for as long as I can remember. It was from her that I learned to make a huge pot of slow-simmered tomato sauce from scratch for pasta, stashing the leftovers in the freezer for future meals. She made a version of soy sauce chicken (with potatoes, carrots, and onions) that we used to eat with rice once a week – simple but profoundly satisfying. Despite years of begging for a recipe or a description of her method, I’ve never been able to replicate it! When my dad used to travel for work, she would make sujebi (a traditional Korean soup made with thick, hand-torn noodles) for my brother and me, and without fail, we eagerly gorged on the thick, chewy noodles and lapped up the umami-rich, slow-simmered broth. My mom’s gift of fantastic food (homecooked family dinners were the norm for us) instilled in me the notion that the most memorable food need not be the most complex, expensive, or elaborate, and that there is no substitute for a soul-satisfying meal with the people you love.

I first had this cannellini and kale ragout with a dear friend while I was living in New York City. She invited me over to her place (we were both living the freelancing artist lifestyle at the time, hemorrhaging most of our incomes on rent). Feeling strapped for cash, she offered to make dinner instead of going out, and I brought over a bottle of wine. She had found this particular recipe on Epicurious, and we thoroughly enjoyed the ragout and the wine, chatting incessantly until the wee hours, as was (and still is!) our tendency.

Over the past few years, variations on this dish have made regular appearances in my kitchen (particularly during the winter, when the fresh vegetable selection is rather limited – kale is consistently available during the coldest, darkest months!) This particular version of comfort food is ideal, in mind: healthy and hearty, extremely flavorful, and full of textural contrast. I'm a huge kale fan; it doesn't get mushy or slimy when cooked (unlike some other varieties of greens), lasts FOREVER in the fridge, and makes the best snack (baked kale chips!) The oversized croutons and a generous topping of freshly-grated Parmesan are musts, in my opinion.

 

Kale and Cannellini Ragout, loosely adapted from a Bon Appétit recipe (via Epicurious)

3 garlic cloves, chopped

1/2 - 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes 

1 large bunch kale, thick/tough ends removed, leaves thinly sliced

4 cups chicken or vegetable stock (homemade, preferably)

1 28-oz can diced or crushed tomatoes

1 15-oz can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

1 tbsp fresh thyme

Several (4-6?) thick slices of high-quality bread (semolina loaves are my favorite here)

Olive oil

Salt and pepper

Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 375. Cut the bread into large cubes, lightly toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Bake until the croutons are crisp and lightly browned (usually 20-25 min).

Heat 2-3 tbsp olive oil into a large saucepan/soup pot/Dutch oven (it needs to be big enough to accomodate all the kale, though it eventually wilts down!) Add garlic and red pepper flakes and saute until fragrant, being careful not to burn the garlic (this only takes around 30 sec, if that!) Add kale, broth, and a pinch of salt, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover the pot, and simmer until the kale wilts (5-10 min). Add the entire can of tomatoes, the thyme, and the cannellini beans, increase the heat slightly, and allow the mixture to bubble for 5-10 min. Add salt and pepper to taste. 

To serve, place a small handful of croutons in the bottom of each bowl. Ladle ragout over the croutons, and top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese. 

OK, let's try this again... Meyer Lemon Marmalade

I’m back! Yes, I took an inexcusably long hiatus from this blog, I agree (and so soon after starting it!) What can I say? Life got very, very busy (there will be some major life changes headed my way later this year). This isn’t to say that I stopped making and photographing food over the last few months – if anything, I’ve been partaking in more kitchen adventures than ever before! With the easy accessibility of Twitter, I’ve also been writing about what I’ve been eating, as well as sharing countless thoughts and ideas with an inspiring community of like-minded food lovers.  But! I’m ready to get back into blogging, and have many ideas up my sleeve for Sweet Pepper, so stay tuned!

I’m not a big fan of cold, gray New England winters, but the silver lining to these chilly, dark months, in my opinion, is the availability of interesting and lovely varieties of citrus (calamansi, kumquats, Buddha’s hand, and Seville oranges have been some recent favorites).  And every winter, I very predictably fall in love with Cara Cara oranges and Meyer lemons all over again. Last weekend, I made Cara Cara orange curd, which I hope to write about soon. I’ve used Meyer lemons in curd, cakes, tarts, and numerous savory dishes. But today, I want to talk about Meyer lemon marmalade. A dear friend recently presented me with a small armload of Meyer lemons, and after tasting that same friend’s luscious version of Seville orange marmalade, I felt inspired to make my own, but with the fragrant little lemons, instead.

Meyer Lemon Marmalade, loosely adapted from Simply Recipes

2 cups of scrubbed, thinly-sliced Meyer lemons (I used 6 smallish ones), seeds and ends removed and set aside (note: I cut mine in half lengthwise first, then sliced the lemons into thin half-moons)

2 cups sugar

2 cups water

(note: any amount of Meyer lemons can be used here - just keep in mind that the lemons, sugar, and water should be in a 1:1:1 ratio) 

Place the lemon slices and water into a large, non-reactive pot and boil on medium heat for 20-30 minutes. Lemon rinds should be soft, and no longer chewy (you can test one, just to make sure!)

Remove from heat. Place reserved seeds+ends into a small pot and cover with liquid from the lemon mixture. Bring to a boil and allow too cook for 20 minutes. Strain seeds and ends out of the liquid and add the liquid to the original pot of lemons (the lemon seeds contain pectin, which helps the marmalade thicken and set, eventually).

 

Add sugar to the mixture and simmer over medium-high heat, at a fairly rapid boil, until the mixture reaches 220 degrees, which can take anywhere from 25-30 minutes. You can test the temperature with a candy thermometer, or by the "plate" test (stick a plate in the freezer, drop a small dollop of the marmalade onto the cold plate to see if it "wrinkles" under your finger - if it does, the marmalade is done!) The marmalade should start to take on a slightly deeper color by the end of the cooking period.

  

During the second phase of cooking, you can sterilize some glass jars and lids. Heat jars in a 200 degree oven for at least 10 minutes. Cover lids with boiling water. When the marmalade is ready, ladle it into the jars and and quickly cover with lids. Listen for the "pop" of a vacuum seal (if this doesn't happen, you'll need to keep the marmalade refrigerated). Enjoy!!

 

A surprise party favorite

My birthday was last week, and I was excited to have many wonderful friends come over to my place to celebrate with me. I was talked out of making my own birthday cake (which I did last year!), but I really wanted to prepare some tasty nibbles for people to snack on while they were over.

I brainstormed for a couple of days and decided to prepare the following:

- Homemade crackers, served with a cheese plate and homemade tapenade

- Phyllo triangles with apple, pear, thyme, creme fraiche, and bourbon filling

- Polenta rounds topped with homemade pesto, mozzarella, and roasted grape tomatoes

(No chance to photograph the phyllo and polenta! My lovely guests were distracting me!)

Additionally, one of my friends brought over a "signature" cocktail for the evening which included blended mangoes, mint, lime seltzer, lime juice and spiced rum, which was a HUGE hit (I'll try to get a recipe from her at some point...), another brought over super-decadent brownies, and yet another brought a container of homemade cookies-and-cream ice cream!

Nearly all of the food was consumed, and one of the biggest hits of the evening was the homemade crackers, which were devoured by the time the party ended. They're dead-simple to make, and well-worth the small amount of effort needed - especially considering how expensive store-bought gourmet crackers can be! Feel free to use any of your favorite herbs, flavorings, oils, etc. From what I can tell, this method is pretty much fool-proof...

I made two versions for the party. The basic recipe is courtesy of Mark Bittman, and can be found in How to Cook Everything.

Version 1: Sesame-Olive Oil Crackers

1 c AP flour

1 tsp kosher salt

2 tbsp olive oil

1/4 to 1/3 c water

Sesame seeds, to top crackers (I used a mix of black and "regular" seeds, roasted)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Add flour, salt, and olive oil to food processor, and combine. Keep machine running and stream in water until dough JUST forms a ball. Turn the dough ball out onto a lightly floured surface (the dough should be soft, but not too sticky).

Using a rolling pin, roll dough out to around 1/4 inch thick, depending on your preference (thicker crackers will be a little less crisp). Carefully transfer the flattened dough to a baking sheet (Bittman also suggests using a baking stone, but I don't own one... yet!) Brush the dough lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake for between 15-20 minutes, until the dough has browned. Allow to cool and break into pieces (Note: Bittman suggests scoring the dough with a fork if you want to separate it into rectangles or any specific shape... I wanted to go for a rustic look, though, so I just broke it up with my hands).

Version 2: Parmesan-Sage Cream Crackers

1 c AP flour

1/2 tsp kosher salt

2 tbsp butter

1/3 to 1/2 c heavy cream

1 1/2 tbsp finely chopped fresh sage

3/4 c fresh grated parmesan

pinch fresh grated black pepper

Follow the same instructions as above, substituting butter for olive oil, heavy cream for water. Add sage, parmesan, and black pepper after the dough just comes together in the food processor. I topped the dough with fleur de sel just before baking. This dough took about 5 minutes longer to bake than the olive oil version.

This is a teeny tiny picture of me receiving my surprise for the evening, a delicious ice cream cake from Herrell's (mocha/PB cup/vanilla, to be exact). Yum! A big thank-you to all my friends who shared a great evening with me - can't imagine a better way to spend my birthday!

Chocolate caramel tart... the "adult" candy bar

I was invited to a friend's dinner party a couple of weeks ago (as a side note, she promised a "homecooked Chinese feast" and seriously delivered!! The food was delicious) and I offered to bring dessert. She requested something involving chocolate - her boyfriend is not a fan of fruit-based sweets. I've mostly been baking fruity tarts and cakes for the last few months, so I had to dig into my pile of "to-do" recipes to find something appropriate. Last time I made dessert for them, it was the super delicious Chocolate Stout Cake. Not wanting to do another chocolate cake, but seeking something fancier than cookies or brownies, I settled on Saveur's Chocolate Caramel Tart.

My main concern with this tart was that it was going to be more tooth-achingly sweet than sophisticated. Now, I'm not one who is generally afraid of sweets. I occasionally snuck candy into my bedroom and SLEPT with it in my mouth when I was a young girl! (horrifying, I know...) In any case, as I've gotten older, my sugar cravings have mellowed into a longing for more complex desserts - I love cakes or pastries with olive oil, buttermilk, a sprinkling of salt, rosemary or thyme, etc. So, I was a little concerned that this tart would be too candy-bar-like and "simply" sweet. Eventually, though, I was won over by a huge number of positive reviews from people's previous attempts, and concluded that it would be a fun project. How bad could caramel and chocolate be, anyway?

I sought out the best possible ingredients for this tart, as it is fairly straightforward and the quality of the chocolate, sugar, butter, and cream really shine through (in my opinion, at least)... It went over very well with the dinner crowd! It certainly will satisfy any sweets-lover but has added complexity from the crème fraîche and final sprinkling of fleur de sel (not pictured below - I waited until right before serving to add it and didn't bring my camera to the dinner!)

Chocolate tart crust after a blind-bake, similar to a soft shortbread in consistency...

Caramel bubbling away - I let it get a shade darker than this before adding the cream, butter, and crème fraîche...

Tart shell filled with warm caramel

The finished product! Just missing the fleur de sel...

Chocolate Caramel Tart, adapted from Lottie & Doof >> Saveur (orig. from Brooklyn's Marlow and Sons)

Tart Dough

8 tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter at room temp

1/2 c + 1 tbsp confectioners’ sugar

1 large egg yolk

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling

1/4 c unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder

Caramel Filling

1/2 c water

2 c granulated sugar (I used organic cane sugar here)

1/4 c light corn syrup

1/2 c heavy cream

8 tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter

2 tbsp crème fraîche

Ganache

1/2 c heavy cream

3 1/2 oz extra-bittersweet chocolate

Making the tart dough:

Cream butter and confectioners’ sugar until combined. Add egg yolk and vanilla, beat until smooth. Sift in flour and cocoa powder, and beat slowly until just combined (do not overwork the dough). Scrape the dough onto a sheet of plastic wrap, and form it into a disk, and wrap tightly. Chill until firm (I waited about 2 hours).

Preheat oven to 325°F. On a lightly floured surface, roll the tart dough into a large, flat circle with a diameter approximately 1 inch larger than the tart pan. Transfer the dough to a 10-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom and press into pan. If the dough tears, simply press the pieces back into the tart pan. Chill the tart shell in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Prick the shell all over with a fork. Line with parchment paper or aluminum foil filled with dried beans and blind bake for 15 minutes. Remove the paper/foil and beans, and continue to bake until the pastry looks dry and set, around 10 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool.

Making the filling:

Place 1/2 cup water in a large saucepan with high sides (mixture will boil up later on). Add sugar and corn syrup, and cook mixture over medium-high heat, swirling the pan occasionally, until it becomes a dark-amber caramel, 10-20 minutes. Remove pan from heat and and slowly add the heavy cream (the mixture will bubble up here, so be careful!), followed by the butter and crème fraîche. Stir until smooth. Pour caramel into the cooled tart shell and allow to set, first at room temp and then in the refrigerator.

Making the ganache:

Place chocolate into a heatproof bowl. Bring cream to boil in a small saucepan, then pour over the chocolate. Wait 5 minutes, then stir mixture until smooth. Pour the ganache over the tart (you must wait until the caramel has at least partially set to get distinct layers). Refrigerate until set.

Keep the tart refridgerated until a few minutes before service. Cut into wedges and sprinkle with fleur de sel. Enjoy!!

Summer project: Pickling

 

Over the course of my life, I've had a complicated relationship with pickles. When I was very young, anything that was pickled horrified me. Growing up, I used to recoil at the pungent smell of homemade kimchi and various other pickled items that my mother loves (our fridge was always well-stocked with several types - napa cabbage, cucumber, or bracken fern kimchi, pickled garlic cloves, pickled skate, etc.). Quite the picky eater, I used to scrape pickles off of burgers and sandwiches, wrinkling my nose at their briny scent.

I grew up in Seattle but attended college on the east coast, and during a trip to New York, I had my first taste of a serious kosher dill at Katz's Delicatessen. I've heard tons of complaints about Katz's being an overpriced tourist trap, but I can still remember the awesome taste of my first mouthful of pastrami perfectly cut by a bite out of a cool cucumber pickle. Since then, I've been hooked!

Until this summer, however, I had never attempted to pickle anything at myself, at home. I joined a CSA for the first time this past spring, and the resulting abundance of vegetables led me to consider trying out some pickling experiments. I'm proud to say that all but ONE of them worked! The failed attempt involved Asian turnips, which came out mushy and off-tasting. However, the rest of my pickles have all been tasty - sugar snap peas, carrots, Napa cabbage kimchi (which I'll blog about soon!), and the subjects of today's post - red onions and Kirby cucumbers.

I chose to make the pickled red onions (along with an apricot and amaretti crostata) to bring to a BBQ hosted by some dear friends, so I need a recipe that would allow us to eat the onions after just a few hours of pickling. I also wanted to bring a jar of cucumber pickles as a gift, but I wanted to start with a refridgerator pickle recipe - mostly so my friends wouldn't have to wait too long before eating them! I pored over dozens of recipes for both the onions and the cucumbers, and wound up improvising with some of the ingredients but using tried-and-tested techniques. And both turned out extremely well. The onions are a perfect condiment - I've been eating them with everything for the past few weeks! And the cucumber pickles are just as I like them - super crunchy, with clear notes of garlic, dill, and a hint of spice from the hot chili flakes.

Quick Pickled Red Onions (adapted mostly from David Lebovitz)

2 large red onions, thinly sliced

1 1/2 c white distilled vinegar

6 Tbsp sugar

Large pinch of salt

2 bay leaves

Star anise, Juniper berries or any other spices that seem appealing...

Black peppercorns or chili flakes, depending on preference

• Heat all ingredients except onions in a large, non-reactive saucepan, until boiling (note: I used spices that I had on hand that I thought would be appropriate with the onions, 2 star anise pods, 8 juniper berries, and 12 peppercorns. You can be creative here!)
• Add onions, and reduce heat, simmering gently until onions soften slightly (about a minute)
• Remove from heat, allow to cool completely
• Transfer to jars and keep in refridgerator. Will keep for several months (though Lebovitz comments that they are best the week they are made - mine didn't stick around for that long!)

Refrigerator Dill Pickles (adapted mostly from Donalyn Ketchum)

10 Kirby cucumbers, washed and cut into spears

2 quarts water

1 c cider or white vinegar

1/2 c kosher salt

Fresh dill

2-3 garlic cloves per jar

Mustard seeds, juniper berries, red chili flakes (or any combo of pickling spice that you like!)

• Bring water, vinegar, and salt to a boil
• In the meantime, place a sprig of dill, some garlic, and some of the spices into the bottom of each jar. Fill jars with cucumbers. Top with more dill, garlic, and spices
• Pour hot brine into jars until everything is covered, and top with lids
• Store at room temp for 2 or 3 days. Then, transfer to the fridge and let sit for about a week (note: I couldn't resist here, and sampled one after 2 days. It was delicious! But they did get better as they continued to sour, slightly. 1-2 weeks in the fridge is perfect) 

Welcome! Brownies, anyone?

After several years of being an avid home cook and devoted reader of food blogs, I've decided to take the plunge and start my own! Sweet Pepper will be my place to share recipes, ideas, and stories related to my interests in food. First, I thought I'd share something simple but deeply satisfying - my go-to recipe for fudgy, crackly-topped brownies. I strongly prefer my brownies to be dense and rich, not cake-like, and this recipe fits the bill perfectly! I'm also a bit of a purist and prefer my brownies without nuts, but feel free to add 1/2 cup of toasted walnuts and pecans, if you'd like!

 

FUDGY BROWNIES, adapted from The Essence of Chocolate by John Scharffenberger and Robert Steinberg

6 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into cubes, with a little extra to grease the pan

8 oz 70% bittersweet chocolate (note: I've played around with using milk chocolate for my MC-loving friends, reducing the sugar by 2 tbsp, with good results)

3/4 cup + 2 tbsp granulated sugar 

1/4 tsp salt (note: a tiny sprinkling of fleur de sel atop the brownies is also lovely!)

2 large eggs

1/3 cup AP flour

• Position rack in lower third of the oven, preheat to 325 degrees
• Cut a piece of parchment paper so it hangs over the sides of an 8x8x2 pan. Lightly butter the parchment and the sides of the pan
• Melt chocolate and butter together over a double boiler, then remove from heat
• With rubber spatula or wooden spoon, beat in sugar and salt, then add eggs one at a time. Add flour and continue to mix by hand until the batter is glossy, and pulls away from the sides of the bowl (note: beating by hand in this step is key to achieving the fudgy texture and crackly top - key brownie components, in my opinion!)
  
• Pour batter into the buttered and lined pan, bake for 30-35 min until tester comes out moist but clean.
• Remove brownies by parchment "handles," then allow to cool before cutting into squares and consuming happily!