Zabaglione with Cream

My husband made some awesome dessert the other night. Zabaglione is a light custard, whipped to incorporate a large amount of air. It is usually served with strawberries, blueberries, peaches, etc. in a champagne glass. Classical Zabaglione uses raw egg yolks, but it’s best to cook the custard in a bain-marie.

Zabaglione with Cream

Serves 4

6 large egg yolks
6 Tbs sugar
6 Tbs Vin Santo wine or Marsala
1 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup fresh berries

Put the egg yolks in a stainless steel bowl. Whisk in the sugar, and Vin Santo wine or Marsala. 
Cook’s Note: A good rule of thumb is a tablespoon of each ingredient per yolk. 

Bring water to a boil in a saucepan. Lower the heat and place the steel bowl over but not touching the water. Whisk the yolk mixture for 8 minutes, or until it becomes light and creamy. Monitor the heat, otherwise you’ll end up with scrambled eggs. Set aside and let cool. 

In another bowl, whip the cream with a hand mixer. 

Gently fold the zabaglione into the whipped cream with a rubber spatula, and place in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes, or until ready to serve. Serve in glasses with blueberries on top.

Chopped Salad from The Luggage Room Pizzeria

Last week the Los Angeles Times printed the recipe for this chopped salad from one of our favorite restaurants, The Luggage Room Pizzeria in the 1934 Del Mar Train Station in Pasadena, CA.  The pizza is done in a wood burning oven and is phenomenal.

Chopped Salad from The Luggage Room Pizzeria

Serves 1

Champagne Vinaigrette
1/4 tsp yellow mustard
1 egg yolk
5 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tbs Champagne vinegar
Salt and cracked pepper

In a bowl, whisk together the mustard and egg yolk. Whisk in the vinegar, then the olive oil in a slow drizzle. Taste, seasoning with salt and pepper and adjusting the flavorings if desired. This makes a scant one-half cup dressing. The dressing will keep, covered and chilled, up to 3 days.

Chopped Salad
2 cups chopped romaine and iceberg lettuce, cut into 1/8-inch-thick strips
1/4 cup chopped white cheddar
1/4 cup diced pepperoni, cut into ½-inch dice
1/4 cup diced cucumber, cut into ½-inch dice
1 Tbs green brined olives (such as picholine)
1 Tbs black oil-cured olives (such as beldi)
1 Tbs golden raisins
1 Tbs pistachios
Champagne vinaigrette, divided
2 Tbs julienned fresh basil
Fresh cracked pepper, to taste

In a large bowl, toss the lettuces with the cheddar, pepperoni, cucumber, olives, raisins and pistachios. Toss with 4 tablespoons vinaigrette, then continue to add a little more until the salad is coated to taste; you may not use all the vinaigrette. Transfer to a chilled plate and garnish with basil and cracked pepper.

Tomato, Mozzarella, Pesto Stuffed Chicken Breasts

I has about 5 minutes to throw dinner together last night and happened to have some pesto, mozzarella and sun-dried tomatoes. You can do it in advance and refrigerate until you are ready to bake it. I actually over cooked mine! Note to self – set a timer!!!

Tomato, Mozzarella, Pesto Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Serves 4

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup basil pesto
4 slices (1/2 inch thick) mozzarella cheese
sun-dried tomatoes
salt and pepper, to taste

Heat oven to 375°F. Spray 13×9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray.
Make a slice in each chicken breast, but don’t cut all the way through.

Put 1 slice of mozzarella cheese in the chicken, then add the sun-dried tomato, then brush with pesto.

Bake 30 to 40 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink in center.

Butterscotch Slice

Today’s blog comes from Sharon & Annabel, Brisbane, Australia.

Australians do love a slice – for a gathering of kids, or to take to one of our many sporting camps we would usually make a slice of one type or another. I have a group of girls coming to stay with us at the beach, so am making this for their afternoon tea.  This is a favorite of ours, easy to make and delicious.  The three steps might sound fiddly – but each is prepared very quickly with the minimum of effort!

Butterscotch Slice

4 ½ oz butter, melted
3 oz brown sugar
5 ½ oz self rising flour
3 oz coconut

Mix the dry ingredients, add the melted butter, mix and press into an  approximate11″ x 7 ½ ” brownie tin – greased and lined with baking paper.

Bake at 350°F for 15 minutes.

1 Tbs butter melted
2 Tbs golden syrup
14 oz can condensed milk

Mix together and pour over the baked base.

Bake at 350°F for 15 minutes, allow to cool.

2 oz shortening – this makes the chocolate glossy – but you could use veg oil
1 oz milk chocolate chips – the type that melt rather than hold their shape
3 oz dark chocolate chips

Melt the shortening in the microwave, add chocolate chips and mix to melt the chocolate.  Pour over the slice, allow to cool and set.

Cut into small squares.

Coconut Custard Pie

I was thinking his recipe would be one giant coconut macaroon. It was actually more custardy than coconut, but very good and quick to make.

Coconut Custard Pie

1/2 cup Bisquick
3/4 cup sugar
4 eggs
2 cups milk
1 cup flaked coconut
1 tsp vanilla
1 Tbs butter, softened

Combine all the ingredients and pour into greased 9″ pie pan. Bake at 400 degrees for 25 – 30 minutes until custard sets.

Cheesy Beef & Zucchini Casserole

I have no idea why I made a casserole when it was 100°F in Los Angeles yesterday! Anyway, it was really good and easy to make.

Cheesy Beef & Zucchini Casserole

Serves 6-8

4 cups shredded unpeeled zucchini
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 cups (8 oz) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided
1 cup (4 oz) shredded cheddar cheese, divided
1 pound ground beef
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 medium green pepper, chopped
1 can (15 oz) Italian tomato sauce

Place zucchini in strainer; sprinkle with salt. Let stand for 10
minutes. Squeeze out moisture.

Combine zucchini with the eggs, Parmesan and half of the mozzarella
and cheddar cheeses. Press into greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish.
Bake, uncovered, at 400° for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook beef, onion and green pepper over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Add tomato sauce; spoon over zucchini mixture.

Sprinkle with remaining cheeses. Bake 20 minutes longer or until heated through.

Pizza on the Grill

Last night we made pizza on the grill. Everyone gets to make their own pizza and choose their own toppings. I made my basic dough recipe earlier in the day, but I used Caputo 00 flour from Italy. It makes a huge difference in the dough. You can also use regular unbleached flour, which I have done for years. You could have a Pizza party and ask you guests to bring the toppings.

Pizza Dough

1 package or 2 1/4 tsp dry yeast
1 tsp sugar
2/3 cups warm water (110 to 120 degrees)
1 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
¾ tsp salt
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil

Topping Ideas:

Tomato Basil Marinara Sauce

Grilled sliced chicken

Grilled sliced onions

Sliced Kalamata olives

Green bell pepper pieces

Sliced portobello mushrooms

Shredded fresh mozzarella cheese

Arugula

Stir yeast and sugar into warm water and let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes.  Put flour and salt into a food processor fitted with a metal blade and turn on machine.  Pour yeast mixture through the feed tube and process about 45 seconds, until dough pulls away from sides of bowl.  Add oil through feed tube and process 60 seconds longer.

Place in an oiled bowl, turning once to coat the surface. Let rise, covered, in a warm place for 1 hour or until doubled in bulk. Punch the dough down.

Cover with a towel and let stand for 10 minutes. Divide into 2 equal portions. Stretch gently by hand or roll each portion into a 1/8- to 1/4-inch-thick round.

Place the dough rounds on the grill rack. Grill, covered, over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Slide rounds onto a floured baking sheet or a cool part of the grill. Turn over the crusts cooked side up.

Arrange the toppings of choice over the crusts. Place back on the grill rack. Grill, covered, for 5 minutes, being careful not to overcook.

Swedish Limpa Bread

When my brother-in-law, Russell, was in town he made an entire Swedish meal – Swedish Meatballs (Köttbullar) with Gravy and Swedish Creamed Potatoes.  He also made this wonderful bread.  Swedish limpa, is moist rye bread is flavored with citrus peel. The result is a very flavorful, fragrant loaf of bread.

Swedish Limpa Bread 

(The Fannie Farmer Baking Book, 1st Edition, 1984)

[Russell's comments - RM are in brackets]

One of my favorites—a slightly sweet bread that is flavored with orange and rye and is absolutely delicious.

2 packages dry yeast
2½ cups warm water [105-115 degrees F…any hotter and the yeast will die]
2½ cups rye flour
3 to 4 cups all-purpose flour [RM maybe even a bit more, see my note at end]
1 Tbs salt
½ cup finely chopped seeded orange, including rind [RM: one clementine works well]
3 Tbs honey
¼ cup brown sugar
4 Tbs (1/2 stick) butter, softened

Glaze: [RM—I don’t bother with this]
1 egg white mixed with
1 Tbs water

Stir the yeast and warm water together in a large mixing bowl, and let stand for a minute or so to dissolve. Add the rye flour, 2 ½ cups of the all-purpose flour, the salt, chopped orange, honey, brown sugar, and butter, and beat to blend thoroughly. Add enough additional all-purpose flour to make a manageable dough, and turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for a minute or two, then let rest for 10 minutes. [RM: I always need a pastry scraper with a rye bread dough because it will stick to the wood board at first]

Resume kneading for about 10 minutes, sprinkling on enough all-purpose flour to keep the dough from being too sticky. Knead until smooth and elastic. Place in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise until double in bulk [RM I put it in my oven barely heated to 85 degrees, it takes about an hour to rise there].

Punch the dough down and shape into two round loaves. Place several inches apart on a greased baking sheet, and slash a 1/2 –inch-deep cross in the top of each loaf, using a sharp knife or razor blade. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and a towel, and let rise until double in bulk. Brush the tops of the risen loaves with the egg-white glaze, and bake in a pre-heated 350-degree F oven for 45 minutes. Remove from the baking sheet and cool on a rack.

[RM: I put the loaves on one cookie sheet, sort of in opposite corners, but they can spread out too much and merge and overflow and end up quite flat. More flour might make the dough thicker but also harder to manage, so maybe baking in bread pans would be a solution. But it tastes good even is the loaf isn’t the highest…enjoy!]

Asparagus Tart with Fromage Blanc & Comté

Guest blogger Jessica (Denver, CO) from Beauty Marks again. Spring has not sprung yet here in Colorado, but we’re doing our damnedest to pretend that it has. So I broke out this great recipe, loosely adapted from an Epicurious recipe, to brighten up a recent dinner with out-of-town guests. It was just delicious.

Asparagus Tart with Fromage Blanc & Comté

1 sheet frozen puff pastry (half of 17.3oz package), thawed
1 egg, beaten to blend
1/2 lb asparagus spears, trimmed
1/3 cup fromage blanc (or ricotta, or even sour cream)
4 tsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 1/2 oz smoked salmon, cut into little pieces
2/3 cup grated Comté cheese (about 3 oz), divided

Preheat oven to 400°F. Roll out pastry on floured surface to 13×10-inch rectangle. (Mine didn’t quite get there so as you can see it’s a square.) Fold up the sides of the rectangle to create a raised border. Brush border with egg; reserve remaining beaten egg. Transfer to baking sheet and refrigerate it while you prepare the filling.

Steam asparagus just until crisp tender, about 3 minutes, then cool in bowl of ice water, then drain. Cut off top 2 inches of asparagus tops and set aside for decorating later. Coarsely puree remaining asparagus stalks in food processor (I used my mini one and it all fit). Add remaining beaten egg, fromage blanc, 3 teaspoons oil, salt and pepper, then process to a thick puree. Transfer to bowl; stir in salmon and 1/3 cup Comté cheese; season with pepper. Spread mixture evenly over pastry. Sprinkle with remaining 1/3 cup Comté cheese. Sprinkle asparagus tips with remaining 1 teaspoon oil; arrange tips over filling.

Bake tart until filling is set, about 25 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Basil Garlic Pork Chops

Here is a very flavorful and easy way to prepare pork chops. These are meant to be grilled, but I did them in a cast iron skillet.

Basil Garlic Pork Chops

Serves 4

4 pork chops, 3/4-inch thick

Basil Garlic Rub:
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1 cup fresh basil, packed
2 Tbs lemon juice, fresh
2 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp coarse salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

With machine running, drop garlic through feed tube of food processor to mince. Stop, add fresh basil, and process until chopped. Add lemon juice, oil, salt, and pepper and process to make thin wet rub. Spread both sides of pork chops with basil mixture. Let stand 15 to 30 minutes.

Prepare a medium-hot fire in grill. Brush the grate clean and oil the grate. Grill chops, over direct heat, turning once, to medium rare doneness, 5 to 6 minutes per side, or until the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees Fahrenheit, followed by a 3-minute rest time.