Friday, March 12, 2010

Overnight Apple Cake

4 pounds tart cooking apples, like Granny Smith
1 orange
3/4 to 1 cup sugar, depending on your apples
2 tbl butter

1. Preheat the oven to 175 F. Choose a 6-cup souffle dish, generously grease it with one tablespoon of butter. Cut a round of parchment to fit inside the dish, generously grease it on one side with the remaining tablespoon butter.
2. Place the sugar in a bowl. Zest about 1 tablespoon of the orange zest into the sugar bowl, rub the zest into the sugar with your fingertips. Halve the orange and squeeze its juice into another bowl. Peel the apples, core them, and thinly slice them into rings (if you don't want to bother coring, simply halve them and thinly slice). Add the apple slices to the bowl with the orange juice as you work to prevent discoloring, tossing them to coat.
2. Layer the apple slices, overlapping them, in the prepared dish, sprinkling each layer with a little of the sugar. Place the parchment round, buttered-side down, over the apples. Place in the oven for 12 hours.
3. Remove the apple dish from the oven, there should be a good amount of bubbling juice. Pressing down on the parchment with an oven mitt, pour off the juice into a sauce pan. Bring the juice to a simmer and boil until brightly colored and thickened. Meanwhile, invert the apple cake onto a serving plate. Drizzle with the juices.

I should note dear Molly had some trouble with the original recipe. I believe because she used less sugar, not only was the cake too tart, but the apples didn't render enough juices. The pectin in the reduced juices holds the cake together and gives the pretty shiny top.

Iraqi Rice Pilaf

2 cups basmati rice, rinsed in cold water
1/2 cup date molasses*
1/2 tsp ground saffron
1/2 tablespoon cardamom
2 teaspoons rose water
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons ghee or butter

1. Combine, saffron, cardamom and rose water in a small cup.

2. Bring a large pot of water to boil with the salt. Add the rice and boil uncovered for precisely 8 minutes, then drain.

3. Mix the date molasses with the rice, then mix in the rose water mixture.

4. Choose a medium sized heavy bottomed pot. Melt the butter in it over medium heat. Add 2 spatula-fulls of rice and mix with the butter, patting down to cover the bottom of the dish. Pile the reminder of the rice in a loose cone shape and poke a few holes in the rice with the spoon handle. Sprinkle a few tablespoons of water over the rice, then wrap the pots lid with a towel and cover the dish. Place over very low heat and let cook for 20-25 minutes. Keep a close eye at the end as the rice can burn (use your nose to see if it begins to smell burned).

5. The easiest way to unmold the rice is to prepare a sinkful of cold water, dip the bottom of the pot in cold water for about 30 seconds, then invert the pot onto a serving platter. If the rice crust does not release fully, simply break up the crunchy pieces that stuck to the pot and scatter over top.

*Date molasses is available in Middle Eastern groceries. You can make a quick substitute by placing 1/3 cup minced Medjool dates in a small saucepan with 3 tablespoons water. Bring the mixture to a simmer and mash with a fork so that the dates melt into a paste.

Mujadara

2 large sweet white onions, thinly sliced
2 tbl butter
2 tbl vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups brown or green lentils (not red lentils or french lentils!)
2 cups long grain white rice
3-4 cardamom pods
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cumin
salt and pepper to taste
splash of good olive oil
optional: plain thick yogurt for serving

1. Melt the butter along with the oil and a pinch of salt in your largest skillet, and add the onions. Set heat on medium-low and stir occasionally until very soft, about 30 minutes. Turn heat to medium high and keep cooking and stirring often until deeply browned and sweet, another 20 minutes or more. Deglaze the pan with a splash of water (or more untraditionally white wine), stir and set aside.

2. Meanwhile, cook the rice and lentils separately according to the package directions. Add the cardamom pods to the rice pot while cooking, then discard when done. The lentils should be tender but not smushy or soupy, they should retain their shape.

3. Combine rice, lentils, half the caramelized onions, cinnamon, cumin, salt and pepper in a large pot. Add about half a cup of water and the olive oil and heat everything together until fragrent, warm and combined.

4. Place mujadara in serving dish. Scatter remaining caramelized onions over top. You can also decorate with some toasted pine nuts or chopped parsley. Serve, with plain thick yogurt on the side if desired.

Sausage, Cabbage and Potato Soup

Active Time: 15 Minutes
Total Time: 30 Minutes
Yield: Serves 4

INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons cooking oil
1 onion, chopped
1 3/4 pounds green cabbage (about 1/2 head), shredded (about 13/4 quarts)
1 pound baking potatoes (about 2), peeled, halved lengthwise, and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch slices
1 quart water
2 cups canned low-sodium chicken broth or homemade stock
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3/4 pound smoked sausage, such as kielbasa, quartered lengthwise, thinly sliced crosswise

DIRECTIONS

In a large pot, heat the oil over moderately low heat. Add the onion; cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes.

Add the cabbage, potatoes, water, broth, bay leaf, thyme, and salt to the pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, stirring occasionally, until the cabbage and potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, put a large nonstick frying pan over moderate heat. Add the sausage and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the sausage from the pan and drain on paper towels. Just before serving, remove the bay leaf from the soup and stir in the sausage.

Variation:
In a separate pan, cook three quarters of a pound of sausage links, cut into slices, and stir them into the soup instead of the smoked sausage.

Recipe reprinted by permission of Food and Wine. All rights reserved.
Date Added: 01/01/2008

Tuesday, March 02, 2010

Spicy Korean Glazed Pork Ribs

Recipe by Jenny Kwak
http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/spicy-korean-glazed-pork-ribs

* ACTIVE: 20 MIN
* TOTAL TIME: 1 HR 5 MIN
* SERVINGS: 4

Ingredients

1. 5 pounds pork baby back ribs, trimmed of excess fat
2. 2 quarts water
3. 4 ounces unpeeled fresh ginger, thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
4. 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
5. 8 large garlic cloves, minced
6. 1 1/2 cups soy sauce
7. 3 tablespoons Asian sesame oil
8. 3 tablespoons Korean red pepper flakes or 2 tablespoons crushed red pepper


Directions

1. In a large roasting pan set over 2 burners, cover the ribs with cold water and bring to a boil over moderately high heat. Boil for 5 minutes. Transfer the ribs to a large plate; discard the water.
2. Return the pan to the 2 burners and add the water. Add the ribs and ginger; bring to a boil. Add the sugar, garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil and chile flakes. Cover with foil and boil over moderately high heat for 7 minutes. Simmer over moderately low heat, turning the ribs a few times, until tender, about 20 minutes.
3. Preheat the broiler. Transfer the ribs to a large rimmed baking sheet, meaty side down. Boil the braising liquid until thickened and intensely flavored, about 10 minutes. Strain the liquid; you should have about 2 cups.
4. Generously brush the ribs with the braising liquid and broil 4 inches from the heat, rotating the pan, until glazed and lightly charred, about 3 minutes. Turn the ribs meaty side up and brush again with the braising liquid. Broil, brushing occasionally and rotating the pan, until the ribs are glazed, about 4 minutes. Let rest for 5 minutes, then cut between the ribs, mound on a platter and serve.