Banana Puddin' Creme Brulee

Banana puddin' grows up just a little bit...

don't run for the hills after you read the ingredients.  we all know you're not supposed to eat creme brulee for breakfast every day.  that's why its served in cute little cups: it's portion control, right?

you'll need a few pieces of special equipment for this recipe: 
first, ramekins:  flame-proof cups are necessary for these, since you're gonna torch 'em.  for something as rich as a creme brulee, 5 oz. really is enough for the average person.  8 oz. is a great size for two people to share.  the larger the ramekin, the longer the baking time will be, and the more important it is for the brulees to be away from the "flame" source of the oven (on the bottom rack, for most ovens).
second, a torch.  if you don't have a torch,  you can try the ol' broiler technique, though i've never personally gotten satisfactory results that way.  or, if you don't want to torch it, you can just call your creation banana pots de creme and get on with it.
third, a fine sieve/strainer.  nobody likes chunks in their creme brulee.  trust me.

this is a great dessert to make ahead for a dinner party.  it is easily doubled, tripled, etc.

for six 5 oz. brulees:

2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup half and half
1/2 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon honey
2 very ripe bananas, peeled and broken in pieces
1 1/2 teaspoons dark rum
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
7 egg yolks

1. gently heat everything but the egg yolks in a sauce pan.  bring to a low simmer, stirring occasionally.  turn off flame and allow to steep at least 30 minutes.  you can do this step a day in advance and let them steep overnight if you like.

2. bring the mixture back up almost to a simmer, then pass through a sieve.  i like to mash as much banana pulp in as possible to get maximum banana flavor. 

3. while the mixture is very warm (you may have to re-heat after sieving), use it to temper the egg yolks.  to do this: whisk yolks briefly to break up.  add the cream mixture a little at a time, whisking in between additions, until all the cream mix has been added.  if you add too much too fast, the mixture will cook the yolks and you'll have little bits of cooked egg floating in your cream.  you're really just stirring with the whisk: if you get too enthusiastic, the cream will start to whip and you'll have the skim the froth off the top.

4.  pour your creme brulee mixture into clean, dry ramekins and place in a large pan with hot water in it.  the water should come about halfway up the sides of the ramekins.  carefully place in the oven on the bottom rack for 30-50 minutes, or until the custard is set (just the center should just barely jiggle)

5. cooling:  as soon as you can comfortably touch the ramekins, remove them from the water and cool to room temperature.  they keep best individually wrapped in the refrigerator for up to a week.  the custard must be completely cool before torching the top or it won't set into a nice crunchy layer.

6.  torching.  put a tablespoon or so worth of sugar on top of the cold custard (tilt the cup around to get it even), and torch it.  i like to do two or three light layers for a good crunchy top.

the ultimate companion, of course, is homemade nilla wafers:

4 oz butter
3.5 oz sugar
1 oz honey
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 ounce vanilla
4 egg yolks
8 oz flour
3 oz cream

1. cream together the butter, sugar, honey, baking soda, and salt until light and fluffy.

2.  add the egg yolks, one at a time, beating well in between additions.

3.  add flour and beat until incorporated, then drizzle in cream.

4.  fill a piping bag fitted with a 3/4" round tip and pipe cookies out onto parchment paper.  usually makes @ 75 cookies.  it seems like a lot, but after you eat a few you realize it really isn't.  after you get 'em all piped out, take a pastry brush and dip lightly in a bit of extra cream.  use this to flatten the peaked tops left from your piping.  the cookies spread out into odd shapes if you don't leave them at least mostly round!

5. bake for 15-18 minutes, or until beginning to brown.   if you want them perfectly round, use a 1 3/4" cookie cutter to cut them while hot out of the oven.  i don't do it at home, but at the restaurant i do.

Pineapple Upsidedown Cake . Maraschino Cherries . Buttermilk-Caramel Ice Cream

so, now i'm a pastry chef. every weekend i make a special, and i can pretty much make whatever i like. last weekend i made muffin-sized pineapple upside down cakes with homemade "maraschino" cherries and buttermilk-caramel ice cream. i didn't get any pics...i know, i should be photographing all my specials....anyway, here's the recipe:

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

1/2 cup butter, melted
1 cup lt brown sugar
1 fresh pineapple, cut in slices with the centers cut out* (or 1 large can pineapple rings)
 4 eggs, separated
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup white sugar (or evaporated cane juice)
1 Tbsp butter, melted
1 tsp almond extract
1 Tbsp dark rum
1/3 cup pinapple juice
 2 Tbsp buttermilk, sour cream or yogurt

preheat the oven to 325 F you'll also need non-stick muffin tins. i prefer the XL variety.  the regular ones make fitting a pineapple ring in a real challenge.  this recipe also works for a 10" cake.
1. in a small saucepan, dissolve the brown sugar in 1/2 cup butter. Once it is dissolved, put a spoonful in each muffin tin. Place a pineapple ring inside. It helps to make a cut in the ring if it is too big for the muffin tin. Allow the cut sides to overlap. At this point you could put half of a cherry in the middle. i chose not to do so, because i was serving it with homemade maraschinos.
2. mix the flour, baking powder and salt. sift.
3. beat the egg whites until frothy, then add the 1 cup of white sugar gradually while beating on medium. continue to beat just until they hold stiff peaks. beat the egg yolks until they are pale and thick.
4. mix the pineapple juice, buttermilk, almond extract, melted butter and rum. add this in a slow stream to the yolks while beating on low.
5. fold the flour mix into the yolk mixture.
6. lastly, fold in the stiff egg whites carefully until just combined.
spoon this into ungreased non-stick muffin tin so that it is 2/3 of the way full. bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean, @20-25 minutes. once completely cool, take a sharp knife and run around the sides of each cake to loosen. turn out onto a piece of parchment, as the cakes are sticky.
*use a metal cookie cutter to remove center. i used one shaped like a flower. aw, cute.

 "Maraschino" Cherries

2 cups grape or pomegranite juice- i used 1/2 cup pomegranite mixed with 1 1/2 cups white grape simply because that is what we had on hand.
1 cup white sugar (or evaporated cane juice)
3 1/2 fluid ounces fresh lemon juice (@ 3 lemons)
pinch salt
1 piece star anise
1 pound cherries, pitted with stems on (good luck here...the best technique i know is to stick a bobby pin through the bottom and kind of hook the pit out. i used Ranier cherries, which i find harder to pit than Bing. i think sour cherries like Montmorency would be fantastic if you could find them.
1 tsp almond extract

 bring the juice, sugar, lemon juice, salt, and anise to a simmer. stir frequently while the sugar is dissolving. after the sugar is dissolved you can ignore it mostly. let it simmer @ 10 minutes. when you're ready to add the cherries, first stir in the almond extract. add the cherries and cook @ 8 minutes. you're trying to poach the cherries, not cook them entirely. remove the cherries from the poaching liquid and place in a bowl set over ice, until cool.
place cherries in a jar and cover with cool poaching liquid. these will keep in the fridge a couple weeks easily.
you could also can these by using the cold-pack method. if you plan to do that, you should at least double the recipe. dispense with the poaching and just pour the hot liquid over the raw cherries in a sterile jar. cap it, then process 15 minutes.
 because we were using the cherries immediately at the restaurant, i arranged them in a single layer of a cambro, covered with a small amount of the liquid, and used the rest to make a sauce by thickening it with 1 T of tapioca starch per cup liquid. cook over medium flame stirring constantly until thickened and the starchy taste is gone. this made a nice plating sauce.

Buttermilk-Caramel Ice Cream
makes 1 quart

1 1/2 cup sugar (white, or evaporated cane juice)
2 Tbsp butter, in pats
2 cups heavy cream
12 egg yolks
 2 cups buttermilk
2 tsp vanilla extract, or 1 vanilla bean, halved
pinch salt

1. separate your eggs so that the yolks are in a medium sized metal mixing bowl. whisk them until smooth. reserve the whites for some other purpose. a round dozen usually is the perfect amount for angel food cake!
2. caramel: place half of the sugar in a heavy-bottomed sauce pan over medium heat. stir constantly with a metal utensil. if you have a metal spatula without holes in it, that will be easiest to clean. once the sugar melts and you can no longer see crystals, add the remaining sugar. melt it, also. don't worry about how globby it gets when you first add it, it'll smooth out. once its all melted, you'll want to cook it until it is a nice caramel brown. usually mine is by the time its all melted, but if yours is light just let it cook a minute more. now add the butter, one pat at a time. this will cause some sizzling. its ok, just keep stirring. after the butter is melted, add a bit of the cream. i find that adding a bit at a time, and stirring it in completely before adding a bit more is the best way to keep the caramel from clumping up. once all the cream is added, turn the flame down to low. *if you're using a vanilla bean, now is the time to add it. then let it steep, off the flame, for at least 15 minutes. remove the bean, scrape all the goodness out of the middle and return to the pan, discarding the skin. return the mixture to flame and reheat till hot but not simmering. continue with recipe.*
3. temper egg yolks: you do this by pouring a bit of the hot mixture into the yolks while whisking. then add a bit more, whisk, and so on until all the liquid is added. now pour the mixture back into the sauce pan, and return to the flame. at this point i like to switch to a temperature-resistant rubber spatula for stirring, but you could continue with your spatula if you like.
4. make custard: stir constantly until the custard is thick, and coats the back of a spoon without running off. if you're not sure if its done, just cook a minute longer. it will be thinner than, say, Jello cook and serve pudding, but you'll definitely be able to see that its thickened.
Congratulations, you've just made caramel sauce, AND cream anglaise, all in one go! you're pretty much a pastry chef now.
remove from the flame. transfer this mixture to a container to cool, and cover the top directly with plastic wrap (or deli paper, or parchment. do NOT use wax paper or tin foil). this prevents a skin from forming.  Once cool, stir in buttermilk, vanilla extract (omit if using bean), and salt.
Freeze in an ice cream freezer according to manufacturer's instructions.

Arugula, Red Cabbage, and Carrot Chicken Salad

This is one of my summertime lunch staples.  I adore chicken salad, and love it on a bed of lettuce or, in this case, on fresh arugula for a punch of flavor.

What's in it:

(2) 5 oz. cans of chicken

(2) carrots

onion (to taste)

6 tbsp dijon mustard (i like maille or grey poupon whole grain)

4 tbsp mayonnaise

pepper

arugula

red cabbage, finely shredded

honey dijon salad dressing (i like maple grove farms)

How to make it:

1.  Open, rinse, and drain the canned chicken.  Put into a mixing bowl and add grated carrots and finely chopped onion.  Mix in mayonnaise, mustard, and pepper: amounts depends on your taste.  I tend to add lots of mustard and little mayo, but if you like it creamier, do the opposite.

2.  Toss arugula and red cabbage in salad dressing and lay in serving bowl.  Add a dollop (i love that word!  add a big one if you're hungry) of chicken salad in the middle.

3.  Sesame crackers and cheese make a nice side.

Serves: 2-3

Arugula: fresh from the garden.  The little yellow flowers are edible too!

Camie Kury's Zucchini Bread

My cousin Camie makes a ridiculously delicious zucchini bread.  Hope it's nice timing for those of you growing it fresh in the garden!  And thanks to Camie for sharing.

What's in it:
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
3 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup applesauce
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups finely grated zucchini

How to make it:
1.  Mix first 10 ingredients together in a large bowl.
2.  Mix in zucchini.
3.  Bake in greased loaf pan for 1.5 hours at 350 degrees, or until golden brown.  Check after 1 hour to see how it looks.


Drawing from Pie in the Sky by Susan Purdy.

Asian Slaw with Pickled Daikon

Sweet, tangy, and a little spicy.  This makes a great summer side dish.

What's in it:
1 1/2 lbs daikon radish, peeled
1/4 cup salt
1 cup sugar
1 cup distilled white vinegar
2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
4 thai or serrano chiles, cut into wide slices
1 1/2 qts thinly sliced napa cabbage
2 cups thinly sliced red cabbage
3 green onions, chopped
3 tbsp toasted sesame seeds


How to make it:
1.  Cut daikon lengthwise into 1/2" slices, then stack and cut into 1/2" cubes.  Toss with salt in a medium bowl.  Let stand about 2 hours, stirring occasionally, to draw out moisture.  Rinse daikon well and drain.  In bowl, stir sugar with vinegar until dissolved, then stir in daikon, oil, and chiles.  Chill, covered, at least 4 hours and as long as 1 week.
2.  Drain daikon, reserving pickling liquid, and discard chiles.  In a large bowl, toss together napa cabbage, red cabbage, onions, sesame seeds, and daikon.  Add 1/2 cup pickling liquid (or more if you like) and toss to coat.


Makes: 3 quarts
Serves: 8
Prep time: 15 minutes, plus 6 hours to pickle
Source:  Sunset Magazine, July 2012 issue, pg 86

Peach-Ginger Crisp

A gift from Ma & Pa Felder, Pie in the Sky by Susan Purdy is geared towards baking at any altitude, often an obstacle in places like Santa Fe.  Without the right combination of ingredients, baking times and temperatures, your breads, muffins, or pies can end up looking like someone gave them a swift kick to the gut.  To avoid collapse or undercooking, you need to adjust accordingly.  Susan wrote this book based on baking experiments across 5 states, so I find it a trustworthy resource.  This recipe happens to bake at the same temperature for the same amount of time across the board.  

Here's her recipe for Peach-Ginger Crisp, which "can be considered a master recipe for whatever fruit is in season, from peaches to nectarines to pears, plums, apricots, berries or apples, or a blend of these." Susan also notes that the ginger can be replaced with cinnamon and/or nutmeg, and grated fresh ginger adds some punch to the flavor.

I made this recipe last weekend with fresh peaches courtesy of Ventana Fine Art's tree on Canyon Road.


What's in it:
1/4 cup light or dark brown sugar, packed
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger (or to taste)
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

For the oat crumb topping:
3/4 cup flour
3/4 cup light or dark brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
pinch salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
8 tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature, cut up




How to make it:
1.  To peel peaches, use a slotted spoon to lower into a pot of boiling water for about 2 minutes, then remove them to a bowl of cold water to cool, then drain.  The peach skins will slip off easily.
2.  Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350.
3.  Butter a 10" deep pie plate or ovenproof casserole
4.  In a large bowl, toss the peaches with the brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and lemon juice, and spread in the baking dish.
5.  In a medium bowl, combine all the crumb ingredients and pinch them together with your fingertips or mix with a fork to make crumbs.  Spread them over the fruit,
6.  Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the fruit is tender when pierced with the tip of a sharp knife and the crumbs are golden brown.  Cool slightly on a wire rack.
7.  Serve that baby warm, spooning it from the pan.  A la mode with vanilla ice cream?  Mm hm.




Servings: 8 to 10
Cook time: approx 45-50 minutes 

Pita Pizza

Fast, easy, and great with garden-fresh vegetables.

What's in it:
pita bread
hummus
feta cheese
cucumber
tomato
kalamata olives
raddicchio, lettuce, or baby spinach (optional)

How to make it:
Spread hummus onto pita bread and sprinkle feta cheese on top.  Bake or toast until feta cheese just starts to melt.

Add toppings!