Photograph by David Loftus

After first paging thru Meals in Minutes I was not convinced the meals could be cooked in 20-30 minutes.  Jamie Oliver does say it will take practice, but he's confident that by following his specific preparation details the meals can be ready in that time period. Unlike most cookbooks, Jamie Oliver goes into detail on not only how to prepare the ingredients, but into a very specific ordering in how the ingredients should be prepped and cooked.  By following his detailed instructions, a multi-course meal could be cooked in 1/2 an hour. I shared my skeptism with my husband, who used to be a slower cook than I but has recently surpassed me in both prep speed and multitasking. His response?  Game on Jamie Oliver!

Photograph by David Loftus

Photograph by David Loftus

Looking over various recipes in the book it is clear that Jamie Oliver has put an amazing amount of effort into assuring he presents all of details needed for completing the meal in as little time as possible.  Even more impressive is that he hasn't limited the meals to simple one dish things.  Most have multiple dishes and many include desserts.  While some are a bit more higher in fat than I would prefer (using heavy cream, etc.), though in comparison to restaurant or premade food fat levels, they are not high fat.

Photograph by David Loftus

Steak Sarnie with crispy baby potatoes, cheesy mushrooms and beet salad

amazon.com

• 1 pound baby white potatoes
• 6 cloves garlic
• a few sprigs fresh rosemary
• ½ lemon

mushrooms

• 4 large flat Portobello mushrooms  (approx. 8 ounces in total)
• 2 cloves garlic
• ½ fresh red chile
• 2 sprigs of fresh Italian parsley
• ½ lemon
• 3 ounces sharp Cheddar cheese

beet salad

• 1 x 8-ounce package cooked vacuum-packed beets
• balsamic vinegar
• ½ lemon
• a bunch of fresh Italian parsley
• 2 ounces feta cheese

steak Sarnie

• 1½ pounds best-quality sirloin steak  (cut ½-inch thick)
• 2 sprigs of fresh thyme
• 1 ciabatta loaf
• a small handful of roasted red  peppers (from a jar)
• a couple of sprigs of fresh Italian  parsley
• horseradish sauce, to serve
• a large handful of prewashed arugula,  to serve

seasonings

• olive oil
• extra virgin olive oil
• sea salt & black pepper

TO START Get all your ingredients and equipment ready. Put a grill pan on medium heat and a large frying pan on high heat. Turn the broiler to full blast. Fill and boil the kettle. Put the coarse grater attachment into the food processor.

POTATOES Cut any large potatoes in half, then add all of them to the large empty frying pan with a good pinch of salt. Quickly squash 6 unpeeled cloves of garlic with the heel of your hand, then add to the pan. Pour in enough boiling water to cover, then cook for 12 to 15 minutes, or until cooked through.

MUSHROOMS Lay the mushrooms, stalk side up, on a cutting board. Trim the stalks and put the mushrooms stalk side up in a small earthenware dish that they fit into fairly snugly. Crush ½ unpeeled clove of garlic over each mushroom. Finely chop ½ chile and a couple of parsley sprigs, and divide between the mushrooms. Grate over the zest of ½ lemon, drizzle well with olive oil, and season. Cut the Cheddar into 4 chunks and put 1 on each mushroom.

BEET SALAD Grate the beets in the food processor. Remove the bowl from the processor, take out the grater attachment, and pour in a couple of lugs of balsamic vinegar and a few lugs of extra virgin olive oil. Squeeze in the juice of ½ lemon. Finely chop a bunch of parsley and add most of it. Stir to dress, then tip into a nice serving bowl. Scatter over the rest of the parsley. Crumble over the feta. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and take to the table.

MUSHROOMS Broil on the top shelf for 9 to 10 minutes, or until golden.

STEAK SARNIE Put the steaks on a board. Sprinkle with salt & pepper, pick and scatter over the thyme leaves, and drizzle with olive oil. Rub the flavors into the meat, then flip over and repeat on the other side. Pound the steaks once or twice with your fists to flatten them a little, then put into the screaming-hot grill pan to cook for 1 to 2 minutes on each side for medium rare, or longer if you prefer. This depends on the thickness of your steaks, of course, so use your instincts and cook them to your liking. Wash your hands.

POTATOES Check they are cooked through, and drain in a colander. Return the pan to a high heat, add a good lug of olive oil, and tip the potatoes and garlic back in. Use a potato masher to lightly burst the skins open (don't mash them though). Add a few sprigs of rosemary and a pinch of salt. Toss every couple of minutes until golden and crisp.

STEAK SARNIE Put the ciabatta loaf into the bottom of the oven. Finely chop the roasted red peppers on a large clean board. Move the steaks to the board and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. Finely chop a few parsley leaves, mixing them in with the peppers and all the steak juices. Scrape the pepper mix to one side of the board. Slice up the steaks at an angle.

MUSHROOMS Remove the mushrooms from the oven and turn the broiler off. Take the mushrooms straight to the table.

STEAK SARNIE Get the ciabatta out of the oven and slice it open with a serrated knife. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil from a height. Spread over as much horseradish as you like, then arrange the arugula leaves on one half. Lay the steak slices on top. Mix and scrape the peppers and juices from the board and scatter over the meat, then fold together and take to the table.

POTATOES Tip the potatoes onto a serving platter, and put ½ lemon on the side for squeezing over. Take to the table.

PermaLink

At a recent Foodie event I heard two Chefs talking, or perhaps complaining is a better term, about their recently departed Pastry Chef.  Apparently the unnamed Pastry Chef had the nerve to protest their policy of requiring she make all of her own ingredients whenever possible; including butter.  As a home baker, I can commiserate with the Pastry Chef who surely went through many, many pounds of butter a day.  While in the San Francisco Bay area making your own is a way of life for chefs, though as a home cook I felt making your own butter might be pushing the concept a bit too far.  "Isn't that what Artisans are for?", I thought to myself.

As I reflected upon this question the book "Make the Bread, Buy the Butter", by Jennifer Reese arrived.   The book combines the story of Jennifer's journey towards balancing her desire to make (or even raise) all of her food versus time and economic constraints.  As anyone who has ever made bread can attest, the cost trade off is pretty substantial (< $1/loaf homemade vs. $4 or more/loaf store bought), yet it does take time and skill. Perhaps in the case of bread baking the better term for "time" is organization and scheduling. 

The question Jennifer asks in Make the Bread, Buy the Butter pushes beyond bread into areas such as making butter, peanut butter, yogurt, pickles, and livestock raising including chickens and goats.  Jennifer tells an engrossing story which you will want to read in one sitting and then read again.  She also includes recipes for items she discusses including notes on which are best bought or made, how much less (or more) they cost than store bought, and how much effort they take.

For example, peanut butter is something I've always bought.  I've no clue why I hadn't considered making it, but thankfully Jennifer did and it turns out the homemade stuff (see recipe below) is cheaper, better tasting and easy to make.  Jennifer provides a balanced look at the "homemade life" in that she does not suggest all items be made at home.  Butter, as the title suggests, and several others are better bought she says.

While "Make the Bread, Buy the Butter" definitely made an impression on me it was not until a couple of weeks later that I fully appreciated the magnitude of what it offers me.    I decided to make a Mississipi Mud Pie for Thanksgiving dessert.  I found the perfect recipe (from Baked Explorations) except the recipe called for store bought cookies (Oreos in this case) to be used as the crust.  This certainly did not fit into my desire for a homemade Thanksgiving dinner. Yet, when I began searching my baking books I surprisingly found that all the pies and cheesecakes with crumb crusts call for store-bought cookie crusts.  To me this was madness. When I asked a fellow foodie friend she frankly thought I was crazy wanting to make my own cookies for the crust.  "Why would one you want to make even more work for yourself?" she asked.  Vindication arrived quickly, however, when I checked Make the Bread, Buy the Butter and happily found not only a recipe for Oreos but a "Make it" rating. Perhaps a homemade crust wasn't necessary but it was definitely possible and a wonderful addition to the dessert.

If, like me, you prefer to make as much as you can on your own then Make the Bread, Buy the Butter is an excellent source of recipes combined with a great story, handy reference and reality checks.  For those just starting out at exploring the homemade life, it offers a glimpse into what is possible and a guide for how to achieve that goal.

Peanut Butter

Recipe from Make the Bread, Buy the Butter by Jennifer Reese (Free Press, 2011)

amazon.com

Make it or buy it? Make it.

Hassle: Scant

Cost comparison: Per cup, homemade peanut butter is 80 percent the price of Jif.

• 1 pound unsalted roasted peanuts, shelled and skinned
• 2 tablespoons oil (preferably peanut)
• Salt

1. Put the peanuts and oil in a food processor or blender and grind until you have a creamy paste. Add more oil if necessary to thin. Make this peanut butter a little thinner than you think it should be, as it will firm up a lot in the refrigerator.

2. Salt to taste. Store in a jar in the refrigerator for several months.

Makes 2 cups

PermaLink

Photo by Andrew Scrivani.

Melissa has one of those careers that other food writers dream of. Thirty-two cookbooks written, some in collaboration with the country's top chefs, and a regular gig with the New York Times. Her column is one of my favorites, and her latest book, Cook This Now, may well become a favorite of yours. There are 120 recipes in all, each with a focus on great flavors, proper usage of pantry items, and seasonal ingredients.  

Melissa Clark is a working mother, and understands that daily meals need to accommodate a wide range of appetites. The recipes aren't too meat-heavy, which makes this book ideal for those who are trying to transition into a "less meat" diet, as well as those who live in a multi-diet household. Some dishes take a mere thirty minutes to prepare, while some substantially longer; but all are suitable for everything from a Monday night family meal to a dinner party for eight.

My current family favorite is definitely the homemade Mallobars (recipe below). My girls won't miss summer s'mores too much as long as I keep these around. Others recipes that shout out to me are the Curried Coconut Tomato Soup (made with canned plum tomatoes when fresh ones are still months away) and the winter salad of Fennel, Radicchio, Walnuts, and Manchego cheese.

As the book cover states, there are "120 easy and delectable dishes that you can't wait to make." So what are you waiting for?    

Mallobars

amazon.com

This is my version of homemade Mallomars. But instead of painstakingly forming individual cookies, I use the bar cookie method, spreading everything in one large pan. I end up with a crisp, homemade graham cracker crust topped by honey marshmallow and a thick layer of chocolate. Though they are easier than the original recipe, I wouldn’t call them a super-quick dessert. You still need to devote a good part of an afternoon to their confection. Or try to make the components over several days if it’s easier to carve that out of your schedule.

However you manage it, the payoff is big: They are truly scrumptious, and I guarantee that if you bring them to a potluck or party, no one else will have brought anything remotely like them. They are unusual, crowd pleasing, fancy looking, and even slightly good for you (okay, just slightly) from the whole wheat flour.

Makes about 18 (2-inch) squares

for the graham cracker base

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

for the honey marshmallow

• 3 envelopes unflavored gelatin (about 3 tablespoons)
• 1 cup cold water
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup honey
• 2 large egg whites
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

for the chocolate glaze

• 9 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 3/4 cup heavy cream

1. First, make the graham cracker base. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter, sugars, and honey until smooth. In a medium bowl, combine the flours, salt, and cinnamon. Add the dry ingredients to the mixer and beat until the dough just comes together.

2.Wrap the dough in plastic and pat into a disc. Chill the dough for at least 1 hour and up to 2 days.

3. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a 9  13-inch baking pan with foil or parchment paper. On a lightly floured surface, or in between two sheets of parchment paper, roll out the dough into a rectangle that just fits the prepared pan. Carefully transfer the dough to the prepared pan. Squish it to fit if it starts to tear (the dough is soft). Prick dough all over with a fork. Bake the graham cracker base until golden brown, 18 to 20 minutes. Allow the crust to cool completely before topping with the marshmallow. (The graham cracker base can be made a few days ahead; store, covered in foil, at room temperature.)

4. While the graham cracker base cools, prepare the honey marshmallow. Place the gelatin in the cold water to bloom. In a saucepan over medium heat, cook the sugar, honey, and 1/2 cup water, stirring until the sugar dissolves, until the mixture reaches 240°F on a candy thermometer.

5. In the bowl of an electric mixer, whisk the egg whites and salt until soft peaks form. When the sugar mixture has come up to temperature, carefully pour it into the egg whites while whisking. Continue whisking until the mixture has cooled slightly, about 1 minute, and add the gelatin and water mixture and the vanilla. Continue whisking until the mixture begins to thicken and quadruples in volume, 5 to 7 minutes. Scrape the marshmallow onto the graham cracker base and smooth the top with a spatula. Allow the marshmallow to set for 4 hours or overnight at room temperature.

6. To prepare the chocolate glaze, place the chocolate pieces in a bowl. In a saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the cream just to a boil. Pour the cream over the chocolate and whisk until the chocolate has melted and the glaze is smooth and shiny. Pour the glaze onto the set marshmallow and smooth with a spatula. Allow the glaze to set, about 30 minutes, before cutting into squares.

What Else?

• What else can I tell you? If these seem like too much trouble, you can always just go out and buy some Mallomars. And, being a seasonal product themselves (they are only available in the colder months), they arguably fit into a seasonal kitchen if you don’t think about it all too deeply.

• The graham cracker dough also makes fantastic cookies all by itself. Just bake as directed above, but as soon as you take the pan out of the oven, while still hot, score the dough into 2-inch squares. Cool and break up into cookies.
 

PermaLink

Photo by Helene Dujardin © 2011

She also shares smart observations about ingredients and food history. Willis describes the rise and fall of rice farming in southern coastal areas and the popularity of grits in the South, pointing out that΄instant grits are offensive.‘ She then goes on to explain the parts of corn kernels and how the best coarse-ground grits are made. In the introduction to the meat chapter, grass-fed and finished beef and its associated challenges and costs are compared to feedlot-finished beef. In her always friendly voice, Willis discusses the time when meat was a luxury rather than a choice. She offers solid information and leaves it up to readers to make informed choices based upon what’s available.

For every recipe in the book there’s a basic approach, followed by a tip for making each dish a bit more special or brilliant. The brilliant part might be a garnish, another way of presenting the dish, or maybe a slightly more involved technique at some point in the process. I’m not exaggerating by saying all of those tips really are brilliant, and while they take a little more time, they’re all very doable. I tried the Chilled Haricots Verts with Crème Fraiche, and for that recipe the brilliant tip is to make a mushroom-breadcrumb topping by chopping dried porcinis and chunks of bread in a food processor and then browning them in a sauté pan with melted butter. The topping made the dish like a sophisticated salad version of green bean casserole. For the Roasted Tomato Soup, the brilliant tip is to bake little Gruyere Flans and float one in the center of each serving. The Bittersweet Chocolate Bread Pudding is made brilliant with Chevre Caramel Sauce. Making a caramel sauce with goat cheese instead of cream is so inspired, that might even be beyond brilliant.

Right away I had to try the Curried Chicken Wings with Peach Dipping Sauce from the Starters and Nibbles chapter. The wings were marinated in a spicy mix with curry powder, soy sauce, and chopped jalapenos, and the sweet-savory dipping sauce was made with Greek yogurt, peach preserves, and hot sauce. Here, the brilliant tip was to turn the wings into chicken “lollipops.” Willis writes that she learned this technique from Jacques Pepin on television. The wings were separated into drumettes and flat pieces, and the wing tips were removed and saved for stock. For the drumettes, the tendons were cut at the narrow end and the meat was scraped down to the thicker end, leaving the bone exposed like a lollipop stick. For the flat pieces, which were a little more challenging, the two bones were separated at one end the meat was scraped down the bigger bone, and the smaller bone was removed. The end result was great-looking chicken pieces that were very easy to pick up and eat, and the flavors from the marinade and the dipping sauce were ample reward for the extra effort.

Read more on Lisa's adventures with Basic to Brilliant, Y'all on her blog Lisa Is Cooking.

Curried Chicken Wings with Peach Dipping Sauce

Reprinted with permission from Basic to Brilliant, Y'all: 150 Refined Southern Recipes and Ways to Dress Them Up for Company by Virginia Willis, copyright © 2011. Published by Ten Speed Press, a division of Random House, Inc.

amazon.com

Wings

• 3 pounds chicken wings (12 to 14 whole wings)
• 1 teaspoon Madras or spicy curry powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 2 to 3 jalapeños, cored, seeded, and very finely chopped, plus more for garnish
• 2 cloves garlic, very finely chopped
• Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 
  

• 1/2 cup plain low-fat or whole-milk Greek-style yogurt
• 3 tablespoons peach preserves
• 1/4 teaspoon hot sauce, or to taste
• Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Cilantro sprigs, for garnish

To prepare the chicken wings, cut off the wing tips (reserve to make stock), and halve the wings at the joint. In a large bowl, combine the wings, curry powder, turmeric, cayenne, soy sauce, canola oil, jalapeños, garlic, salt, and pepper. Toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or overnight.

Meanwhile, to make the sauce, combine the yogurt, preserves, and hot sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until serving.

Remove the marinated wings from the refrigerator and let come to room temperature.

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil, then set a large wire rack on the foil. (I don't like to use a nonstick baking liner on the baking sheet in this instance because the curry can stain the silicone.)

Transfer the wings without crowding to the prepared baking sheet.

Bake until the wings are deep brown and the juices run clear, turning once, 15 to 20 minutes per side. (If you like charred bits, after the 40 minutes, turn the oven on to broil for about 5 more minutes.)

Taste the yogurt dipping sauce and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper. Garnish with cilantro and serve the hot wings with the dipping sauce on the side.

Brilliant: Chicken "Lollipops"

I first learned this watching Jacques Pépin on television. It's impossible to watch him without learning something. This converts regular old chicken wings to Brilliant hors d'oeuvres.

To prepare the "lollipops," cut off the wing tips (reserve to make stock), and halve the wings at the joint. (This will leave you with the drumette and flat.) Using a paring knife, cut the tendons at the narrower end of each drumette joint. Hold that end with a kitchen towel and scrape down the meat as far as possible toward the thicker end to make a plump lollipop shape. Then, take each flat and cut through the cartilage at one end of each piece, separating the bones. Scrape the meat down the larger bone to make a lollipop shape; remove and discard the smaller bone. Proceed with the Basic recipe to marinate as instructed.

PermaLink