My Blog

By Karena:

Day Two with Kevin and Vanessa:  Southern Cooking

Our Sunday evening was no less epic.  We headed back to the Farmers Market to get the fixins' for Fried Green Tomatoes with Buttermilk-lime dressing, Braised Oxtail over grits, and homemade buttermilk biscuits.   

                                                                        Appetizer:

Our Fried Green Tomatoes were not so much green as they were red, but using unripened red tomatoes for this dish works just as well.  This comes straight out of the Lee Bros. Southern Cookbook.  The only difference is that I dredged and fried them twice to get them more crispy and to allow the dredge to stick more evenly to the tomatoes.

Fried Green Tomatoes with Buttermilk-Lime Dressing:

For the Tomatoes:

Ingredients:

- 3 lbs. green tomatoes (about 6-8 medium tomatoes)
- 3 large eggs, beaten
- 3/4 cup whole milk
- 3 cups peanut oil (We used a mixture of canola and peanut oil)
- Lee Bros. All-Purpose Fry Dredge
- Kosher salt, if needed
- Lemon juice, if needed

Directions:

1. Cut out the stem ends from the tomatoes and slice them 1/4-inch-thick with a serrated tomato or bread knife; reserve. Whisk the eggs and milk together in a broad, shallow bowl.

2. Pour the oil into a 12-inch skillet and heat over medium-high heat until the temperature on a candy thermometer reads 365 degrees. (If using a different size skillet or pan, fill with oil to a depth of 1/3 inch.)

3. Heat the oven to 225 degrees. Set a baker's rack on a cookie sheet on the top rack.

4. Spread the dredge on a large plate or pie pan or in a small, shallow baking pan. Taste the tomatoes. They should have a bright tartness like citrus fruit. If they don't, sprinkle the slices with salt and lemon juice. Then press 1 tomato slice into the dredge, once on each side, shaking any excess loose. Dunk in the egg mixture, then dredge the slice on both sides again. Shake off any excess and place the slice on a clean plate. Repeat with more slices until you've dredged enough for a batch (3 or 4 slices). With a spatula, transfer the first batch of slices to the oil.

5. As the first batch cooks, dredge the second batch of tomatoes, but keep a watchful eye on the first. Once the slices have fried to a rich golden brown on one side, about 2 minutes, flip them carefully and fry for 2 minutes more, or until golden brown. Transfer the fried tomatoes to a plate lined with a double thickness of paper towels and leave them to drain for 1 minute.

6. If they need it, dredge the fried tomatoes once more and fry again until golden and crispy.  Remove with a slotted spoon.

7. Transfer the slices to the baker's rack in the oven, arranging them in a single layer, so they remain warm and crisp. Repeat with the remaining slices until all the green tomatoes have been fried. Serve right away with Buttermilk-Lime Dressing.

Lee Bros Fry Dredge:

Ingredients: (I doubled this recipe in order to dredge and fry twice)

- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons stone-ground cornmeal
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
- A sprinkling of bread crumbs for quick browning, if dredging fish or oysters (didn't use)

Directions:

In a medium bowl, sift the flour, cornmeal, salt, and pepper together twice. Stir and turn out onto a flat surface. Press fish or green tomatoes or oysters or chicken or dams into the mixture on all sides and shake the excess loose. Milled grains should be treated as perishable products, so if you're not using this dredge immediately, transfer it to a quart-sized plastic bag with a zipper lock and store in the freezer not longer than 4 weeks. Remove the dredge 1 hour before using so it can come to room temperature.

Buttermilk-Lime Dressing:

Ingredients:

3/4 cups whole or lowfat buttermilk (preferably whole)
5 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice (from 3-4 limes)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon honey
1/4 cup finely minced fresh basil
1/4 cup finely minced green onions
1/4 cup finely minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste

Directions:

In a small bowl, whisk the ingredients together until thoroughly combined. Cover tightly and store in the refrigerator not more than 2 days.

                                                             Main Course:

Kevin labored over the Oxtail until it was rich and deeply-flavored.  Braised for 3+ hours with onions,  carrots, red wine, chicken broth and spices, it is delicious shredded and smothered over simple grits.  This also was inspired by the Lee Bros. Southern Cookbook, although Kevin introduced a roux to finish the shredded oxtail to make it especially creamy and luxurious.

Braised Oxtail:

Ingredients:

- 3 1/2 lbs. oxtails, sliced into disks (we used 2.5 lbs. and adjusted the amounts accordingly)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 2 cups chopped yellow onions (about 3 medium onions)
- 2 cups finely diced carrots (about 6 medium carrots)
- 1 1/2 cups robust red wine, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, or a Bordeaux blend
- Chicken Broth
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon allspice berries, ground in a mortar or coffee grinder
- 2 1/2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice (from 1 large lemon)

- flour and butter for the roux
- 1 bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley, stemmed, washed, and dried, for garnish

Directions:

1. Season the oxtails all over with the salt and black pepper. Heat the oil in a 4- to 6-quart Dutch oven or enameled cast~iron pot over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Sear the oxtails in batches, turning them with tongs as each surface becomes golden brown, until they are browned all over, about 6 to 8 minutes per batch. When each batch is browned, remove them with tongs and reserve in a medium bowl.

2. Add the onions and carrots to the Dutch oven. and cook until softened, 2 to 3 minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon and scraping up any browned bits on the bottom. Add the wine, broth, chile, thyme, and allspice and bring to a simmer. Return the oxtails and any juices in the bowl to the Dutch oven, cover, and simmer gently until the meat is falling from the bone and the braising liquid has thickened, about 3 hours.

3. With tongs, transfer the oxtails to a medium bowl. When they are cool enough to handle, pick the meat from the bones and discard the bones and any cartilage. Chop the meat into pieces of roughly the same size. Skim some fat from the braising liquid.

4. Return the chopped oxtails to the Dutch oven and simmer over low heat, about 2 minutes. Add the ginger, lemon juice and salt and black pepper to taste and heat through. stirring occasionally, about another 3 minutes.

5. Introduce 3-4 T of butter and 1 heaping T of flour to the chopped oxtail meat to make a roux.  Stir constantly so it does not burn. 

6. Serve over grits. white rice. or a baked potato, and garnish with the parsley.

Simple Grits:

Ingredients:

2 cups whole milk
2 cups water
1 cup stone-ground grits
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Directions:

1. Pour the milk and water into a 2-quart saucepan, cover, and turn the heat to medium-high. When the milk mixture boils (about 5 minutes), uncover the pot, add the grits and salt, and reduce the heat to medium. Stir constantly until the grits are the consistency of thick soup and release a fragrant sweet-corn perfume, about 8 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring every 2 to 3 minutes, for about 20 minutes, until the grits thicken and fall lazily from the end of the spoon. Cook about 15 minutes more, stirring constantly to prevent the grits from sticking to the bottom of the pan.

2. When the grits are creamy and fluffy and soft, turn off the heat, add the pepper and butter, and stir to incorporate. Season to taste with salt and pepper, if desired, and serve immediately.

                                                    Buttermilk Biscuits:

These are straight out of Cook's Illustrated Baking Cookbook.  The trick is to plop the unshaped dough on the cookie sheet instead of using the cookie-cutter approach.  I highly recommend the yogurt step.  The more rustic-looking, the better.

Ingredients:

- 1 cup all-purpose flour

- 1 cup plain cake flour (If you don't have, use 2 cups AP flour)

- 2 tsp. baking powder

- 1/2 tsp. baking soda

- 1 tsp. sugar

- 1/2 tsp. salt

- 8 T cold butter, cut into 1/4 inch cubes

- 3/4 cup cold buttermilk

- 2-3 T plain yogurt (optional)

Directions:

1. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 450 degrees.

2. Place the flours, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt in a large bowl and mix together.

3. Using a stand-mixer, cut the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse meal.

4. Stir in the buttermilk and yogurt and mix for about 10 seconds until the dough comes together into a slightly sticky ball.  DO NOT overmix to avoid the batter getting tough.  If it seems to dry, add more yogurt or buttermilk.

5. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and quickly form into a rough ball.  DO NOT over-handle the dough.  Divide the dough using your hands or a knife into quarters, and then divide the quarters into thirds.

6. Shape into rough balls and place on a cookie sheet.

7. Bake until the biscuit tops are light brown 9-10 minutes.  Serve immediately.

By Karena:

Whenever Dave and I spend a weekend with our friends Kevin and Vanessa, we can count on it involving at least one "blow-out meal" at a worthy restaurant of our choice (this weekend had 3), lots of inspired cocktail combinations, good wine, great revelry, and creative all-day cooking extravaganzas. 

This weekend did not disappoint.  It all started Friday night at a French bistro in Dupont Circle, and ended Monday morning with sliced peaches from the farmers market and homemade buttermilk biscuits with raspberry jam.  Despite epic brunches at 2 of Jose Andres' restaurants - braving (delicious) grasshopper tacos at Oyamel on Saturday and sampling the Spanish Dim Sum tasting menu at Cafe Atlantico on Sunday, we also spent the rest of both days orchestrating our own homemade feasts. 

On Saturday night, in honor of Kevin and Vanessa's move to Hawaii this Fall, Dave and I wanted to share some of our beloved Polynesian-inspired favorites. 

                                                                    Appetizer: 

We began with Ahi Poke, an Asian-flavored sushi-grade salad of fresh tuna, seaweed, green onions, and shoyu.  Kevin infused Prosecco with fresh papaya pulp for a fun tropical apertif. 

Ahi Poke: 

Ingredients:

- 1.5 lb. good-quality sashimi-grade Tuna, cut into 1" cubes

- 1/2 cup shoyu or soy sauce

- handful of dried ogo or other stringy seaweed, re-constituted

- 1 bunch of green onions, white parts chopped

- 1 T sesame seeds

- drizzle of sesame oil

Directions:

1. Put the tuna in a bowl, add the shoyu, seaweed, and onions and toss together.

2. Finish with a sprinkling of sesame seeds and a drizzle of sesame oil and serve.  If it needs more salt, add more shoyu to taste.

Kevin's Papaya Cocktail:

Ingredients:

- 1 bottle of Prosecco, Cava, Champagne, or other Sparkling Wine

- 1 Papaya, seeded and chopped into cubes

Directions:

1. Put the cubes of papaya into a food processor and process until it is the consistency of a paste.

2. Put a spoonful of the papaya pulp into each Champagne flute.

3. Add sparkling wine until full, and mix so the pulp is distributed evenly.

4. Enjoy!

                                                                    Main Course:

Next came the main event - Kalua Pig and Lomi Lomi Salmon.  Kalua Pig is traditionally cooked at a luau in an imu (hot lava rocks in a covered sand pit), but we were fresh out of imus in Washington DC, so we used our oven instead.  Still, once rubbed with Hawaiian Sea Salt, wrapped in banana leaves and steam roasted for 4 hours, the pork was earthy, moist and pull-apart perfect.  Once shredded, you finish it off by stewing cabbage in the pork juices, mixing it all together, drizzling with shoyu and serving over sticky rice.

Lomi Lomi refers to a traditional Hawaiian massage and in this dish, you massage the tomatoes apart with your hands and mix into the salmon and other ingredients.  With good-quality salmon, scallions, and cherry tomatoes, it is the perfect accompaniment to any luau feast.

Kalua Pig:

Ingredients:

- 3.5-4.0 lbs pork shoulder

- 3 T plus 2 tsp. Hawaiian Sea Salt

- 2-3 Banana Leaves (we found some in the frozen section of a small Latin market)

- Cooking twine

- 4 cups of water, and more if needed

- 1 head of Cabbage

- 1 tsp. liquid smoke

- 1 lb of white sushi rice, cooked according to instructions

- Shoyu to taste

Directions: 

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Make small score marks all around the pork shoulder 

3. Rub with 2 T Hawaiian Sea Salt, on the skin and into the scoring

4. Wrap the pork shoulder in 2-3 banana leaves until covered, and then secure with twine to keep the leaves in place

5. Place in a roasting pan and pour in 4 cups of water around the wrapped pork shoulder, and add the last 2 tsp. of Hawaiian Sea Salt into the water.

6. Roast for a little over 1 hour per pound (Ours was 3.5 lbs and we roasted it for almost 4 hours).  Check every once in a while and add more water to the pan if it has all evaporated.

7. Meanwhile, shred the cabbage into salad-sized pieces and set aside

8. Meanwhile, cook the white rice according to instructions and put aside, keeping warm

9. Remove the pork shoulder from the oven and let sit for 10 minutes to cool down.  Unwrap the banana leaves, being careful of the hot steam inside.

10. Shred the pork from the shoulder and put it back in the roasting pan in its juices.  Discard any bones and the banana leaves.

11.  Put the roasting pan with the shredded pork in it on the stove-top on medium-high heat, add the cabbage and liquid smoke and simmer until the cabbage is soft and incorporated into the shredded pork mixture, about 10 minutes. 

12. Turn off the heat and serve the pork and cabbage over the white rice.  Drizzle with shoyu to taste.

Lomi Lomi Salmon:

- 1 lb. good-quality sashimi-grade salmon

- 1 bunch of scallions, white parts chopped

- 1 lb. cherry tomatoes, massaged apart with your hands into rough halves or quarters

- 1 tsp. Hawaiian sea salt

Directions: 

1. Rub the salmon with Hawaiian Sea Salt and let cure in the refrigerator for 20 minutes to an hour. 

2. Cube the salted salmon and place in a bowl.

3. Add the scallions and tomatoes, mix and serve.

                                                                          Dessert:

By no small feat of his own, Kevin graciously contributed his pastry skills to our luau feast by finishing off the evening with homemade lychee ice cream served over carmelized pineapple with a caramel drizzle.  Recipes to come...Yum!

By Karena:

Exacting a twist on what is normally a VERY heavy dish, we omitted the sausage and used fresh vegetables instead.  Still satisfyingly creamy, but (slightly) better for you, nonetheless. ;) 

Ingredients:

- 1 lb. farfalle

- 1 lb. asparagus

- 1 lb. Sun Gold cherry tomatoes, quartered

- 4 oz. pecorino romano/parmesan reggiano cheese, grated

- 4 egg yolks

- 3 slices pancetta or bacon, diced

- 1/2 cup milk or heavy cream

- a handful of fresh parsley, chopped

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Toss the asparagus spears with olive oil, salt, and pepper.  Roast for 12 minutes.  Let cool, and chop into 1 inch pieces.

2. Meanwhile, heat a large frying pan and fry the pancetta pieces until crisp.  Remove with a slotted spoon.

3. Meanwhile, bring a pot of water to a boil, salt, and add the farfalle.

4.  In a bowl, whip the egg yolks, milk, half of the grated parmesan, and parsley.

5. When the pasta is cooked, retain some of the water and drain the rest.

6.  Immediately mix the hot pasta with the egg mixture, tomatoes, pancetta, and asparagus.  Mix with a little reserve pasta water, if desired.

7. Season, sprinkle with more grated parmesan, and serve.

By Karena:

I would have entitled this entry "Quick Japanese Noodle Soup" except for the use of Shao Xing Cooking Wine, Bok Choy and Soy Sauce which were decidedly Chinese, therefore rendering our creation not wholly authentic.  Despite our departure from traditional ingredients, the results were delicious.  Dave and I found these Japanese Udon noodles, firm tofu, and spicy fermented turnips at Great Wall - our new favorite Asian market fix, located in the nearby "borough" of Fairfax, Virginia.  This made for a delicious and quick Sunday night meal, a staple we will undoubtedly repeat.  Please excuse the amateur photography - I promise the photo doesn't do the balance of flavors any justice.

Ingredients: (4 servings)

- 2 quarts beef broth

- 1 cup water

- 1 tsp. chili paste

- 3 cloves of garlic, minced

- 1 lb. fresh Japanese Udon noodles

- 1 lb. Bok Choy, chopped

- 6-8 oz. Firm tofu, cubed

- 2 T Dark Soy Sauce

- 1.5 Shao Xing Cooking Wine

- 1 T Rice Vinegar

- 1 lb. stir-fry beef

 - Bunch of cilantro, chopped

- Drizzle of Sesame Oil

- Spicy fermented turnip, for garnish (optional)

Directions:

1. Add beef broth, water, garlic, and chili paste to a stock pot.  Bring to a boil.

2. Reduce heat, simmer for 5-10 minutes.

3. Add Noodles, Bok Choy, Tofu, Soy Sauce, Cooking Wine, and Rice Vinegar and simmer for another 5 minutes.

4. Add Stir-fry beef, and simmer until beef is cooked, about 2-3 minutes.

5. Adjust for seasoning, take off heat, and serve in soup bowls.

6. Garnish with fresh cilantro, drizzle with sesame oil and top with fermented turnip, if desired.

By Liz

So Sauced has been quiet during this long slog of a winter - but we're back! It's spring, and speaking for the East Coast half of this duo, the first real week of warmth has me fired up and ready to cook.

I kicked it off with a recipe I thought would be a sure-fire winner: blood-orange polenta upside down cake, from the March Bon Appetit. I'm a huge fan of baking masquerading as cooking, especially when the recipes use skillets instead of baking sheets, and end with a death-defying flip.

The result was a 7 out of 10 - promising, but not perfect. But I'm posting it because I love the concept and the cake itself. The polenta made it "toothsome", as one commenter on Epicurious put it, which perfect captures the pleasantly coarse texture.

But the blood oranges, as much I love their rich color, fell flat. I admit I erred in trying to make the cake a photo-friendly mini serving, seduced by a darling cast iron skillet I'd snagged in an antiques store. The three sad little orange slices sat forlornly on my cake, like Olympic rings gone wrong.

Yet I hold out hope that with the right fruit, something firm but sweet, this cake will be a show-stopper. Starfruit, with a tropical ginger caramel? Cherry, with a vanilla glaze? I submit this for your inspiration.

Blood Orange Polenta Upside Down-Cake with Whipped Crème Fraîche Bon Appétit

Makes 8 servings

Cake:

• 7 tablespoons sugar, divided, plus 3/4 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons water
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature, divided
• 3 unpeeled small to medium blood oranges
• 3/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons unbleached all purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons polenta or coarse yellow cornmeal (preferably stone-ground)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs, separated
• 6 tablespoons whole milk

Whipped crème fraîche:

• 1 cup chilled crème fraîche
• 2 tablespoons sugar

Special equipment: Ovenproof 10-inch-diameter skillet with 2 1/2-inch-high sides

For cake: 

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Combine 6 tablespoons sugar and 3 tablespoons water in 10-inch-diameter ovenproof skillet with 8-inch-diameter bottom and 2 1/2-inch-high sides.Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and boil without stirring until syrup is golden amber (not dark amber), occasionally brushing down sides of skillet with wet pastry brush and swirling skillet, about 4 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and whisk 2 tablespoons butter into caramel. Set aside.

Cut off both rounded ends of each orange so that ends are even and flat. Using sharp knife, cut oranges into 1/16- to 1/8-inch-thick rounds. Remove and discard any seeds. Arrange orange slices, overlapping slightly, in concentric circles atop caramel in bottom of skillet.

Whisk flour, polenta, baking powder, and coarse kosher salt in medium bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat 3/4 cup sugar, remaining 6 tablespoons room-temperature butter, and vanilla in another medium bowl until light and fluffy. Add egg yolks 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour mixture in 3 additions alternately with milk in 2 additions, beating batter just until incorporated.

Using clean dry beaters, beat egg whites in large bowl until soft peaks form. Add remaining 1 tablespoon sugar and beat until stiff but not dry. Fold 1/3 of egg whites into batter to lighten, then fold in remaining egg whites in 2 additions. Drop batter by large spoonfuls atop orange slices in skillet, then spread evenly.

Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Cool cake in skillet 10 minutes. Run small knife around cake to loosen. Place platter atop skillet. Using oven mitts, hold platter and skillet firmly together and invert, allowing cake to settle onto platter. Rearrange any orange slices that may have become dislodged. Cool cake completely at room temperature.

For whipped crème fraîche:

Using electric mixer, beat chilled crème fraîche and 2 tablespoons sugar in medium bowl until mixture thickens. Cut cake into wedges and serve with dollop of whipped crème fraîche.

By Liz

So Sauced has been quiet during this long slog of a winter - but we're back! It's spring, and speaking for the East Coast half of this duo, the first real week of warmth has me fired up and ready to cook.

I kicked it off with a recipe I thought would be a sure-fire winner: blood-orange polenta upside down cake, from the March Bon Appetit. I'm a huge fan of baking masquerading as cooking, especially when the recipes use skillets instead of baking sheets, and end with a death-defying flip.

The result was a 7 out of 10 - promising, but not perfect. But I'm posting it because I love the concept and the cake itself. The polenta made it "toothsome", as one commenter on Epicurious put it, which perfectly captures the pleasantly coarse texture.

But the blood oranges, as much I love their rich color, fell flat. I admit I erred in trying to make the cake a photo-friendly mini serving, seduced by a small cast iron skillet I'd snagged in an antiques store. The three sad little orange slices sat forlornly on my cake, like Olympic rings gone wrong.

Yet I hold out hope that with the right fruit, something firm but sweet, this cake will be a show-stopper. Starfruit, with a tropical ginger caramel? Cherry, with a vanilla glaze? I submit this for your inspiration.

Blood Orange Polenta Upside Down-Cake with Whipped Crème Fraîche Bon Appétit

Makes 8 servings

Cake:

• 7 tablespoons sugar, divided, plus 3/4 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons water
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature, divided
• 3 unpeeled small to medium blood oranges
• 3/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons unbleached all purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons polenta or coarse yellow cornmeal (preferably stone-ground)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs, separated
• 6 tablespoons whole milk

Whipped crème fraîche:

• 1 cup chilled crème fraîche
• 2 tablespoons sugar

Special equipment: Ovenproof 10-inch-diameter skillet with 2 1/2-inch-high sides

For cake: 

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Combine 6 tablespoons sugar and 3 tablespoons water in 10-inch-diameter ovenproof skillet with 8-inch-diameter bottom and 2 1/2-inch-high sides.Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and boil without stirring until syrup is golden amber (not dark amber), occasionally brushing down sides of skillet with wet pastry brush and swirling skillet, about 4 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and whisk 2 tablespoons butter into caramel. Set aside.

Cut off both rounded ends of each orange so that ends are even and flat. Using sharp knife, cut oranges into 1/16- to 1/8-inch-thick rounds. Remove and discard any seeds. Arrange orange slices, overlapping slightly, in concentric circles atop caramel in bottom of skillet.

Whisk flour, polenta, baking powder, and coarse kosher salt in medium bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat 3/4 cup sugar, remaining 6 tablespoons room-temperature butter, and vanilla in another medium bowl until light and fluffy. Add egg yolks 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour mixture in 3 additions alternately with milk in 2 additions, beating batter just until incorporated.

Using clean dry beaters, beat egg whites in large bowl until soft peaks form. Add remaining 1 tablespoon sugar and beat until stiff but not dry. Fold 1/3 of egg whites into batter to lighten, then fold in remaining egg whites in 2 additions. Drop batter by large spoonfuls atop orange slices in skillet, then spread evenly.

Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Cool cake in skillet 10 minutes. Run small knife around cake to loosen. Place platter atop skillet. Using oven mitts, hold platter and skillet firmly together and invert, allowing cake to settle onto platter. Rearrange any orange slices that may have become dislodged. Cool cake completely at room temperature.

For whipped crème fraîche:

Using electric mixer, beat chilled crème fraîche and 2 tablespoons sugar in medium bowl until mixture thickens. Cut cake into wedges and serve with dollop of whipped crème fraîche.

By Karena:

So there has been some call for winter salad recipes. ;)  I think this works in any season, but is hearty enough for winter and works well with winter greens such as red leaf lettuce or butter lettuce with some persimmons or pears mixed in.  Nothing is more simple, rewarding and aesthetically pleasing than seared Ahi tuna.  Enjoy!

For the salad:

• 1 lb. of the freshest Ahi Tuna
• 1 lb. of greens (red leaf lettuce or butter lettuce work well)
• 1 persimmon or Asian pear, diced into bite-sized strips
• Sea Salt and freshly ground pepper
• tsp of sesame seeds, toasted
• a handful of sesame sticks or crackers for crunch (in the bulk section of most grocery stores)
• Diced scallion whites (optional)

For the dressing:

• 6 T olive oil
• 3 T rice wine vinegar
• 1.5 T soy sauce
• sea salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tsp honey or more to taste
• 1/2 tsp sesame oil, if desired
• 1/2 tsp of dijon, if desired

1. Wash and dry the lettuce and place in a salad bowl.  Dice the persimmon or pear and add to the greens.  Add toasted sesame seeds and sesame sticks and toss. Add scallion if using.

2. Whisk dressing ingredients together and set aside. 

3. Season the Ahi steak with salt and pepper.  On a very hot pan, sear the tuna on both sides for only 1 minute each side or until desired done-ness.  Let rest for 4-6 minutes, then slice into wedges.

4. Toss the salad with dressing and put into salad bowls.  Top salad with seared tuna and serve!

By Karena:

The seasons are far less defined in California than they are in the more Northern regions of the country.  The perfect Heirloom tomato still beckons until late October, fava beans still wear white after Labor day, and the grill never goes cold.  It's not until early November that we're finally craving the Fall fare of buttery root vegetables, cinnamon-dusted apples, and roasted butternut squash.  Nonetheless, I realize some of the following recipes come a little late.   So think of them as an ode to the end of summer, (or take them for what they really are - my procrastination posts from last month) or embrace them as something to freshen up that rare sun-soaked Autumn evening, when all you need is a sweater and a good glass of wine to keep warm.

1. Angel Hair Pasta with cherry tomatoes, basil and fresh mozzarella:

Serves 2-4

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2-3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1/2 lb cherry tomatoes, some chopped, some left whole
• handful of Basil, some chopped, some left whole
• Sea Salt and Pepper
• 4 oz fresh mozzarella, torn into small pieces by hand
• 1 lb angel hair pasta
• A block of parmesan/pecorino cheese for grating

1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, and add the dried angel hair pasta.

2. Meanwhile, warm a saute pan with 3 good glugs of extra virgin olive oil, add the garlic and saute until fragrant and cooked. 

3. Toss in some chopped basil leaves and chopped tomatoes to the olive oil mixture.  Keep warm and add more olive oil if needed. 

4. When the pasta is cooked, drain and add to the pan with the olive oil and garlic mixture and toss to coat.  Add sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.  Toss in the whole cherry tomatoes, mozzarella pieces, whole basil and grate some fresh parmesan to taste.  Serve and enjoy!

2. Frisee Salad with Pancetta and a Poached Egg

Serves 2-4

• 1 lb. Frisee lettuce
• 2-3 slabs of bacon or pancetta (lardons)
• Sea Salt and Pepper to taste
• Red Chili flakes to taste (our addition, not exactly traditional)
• 1-2 eggs, at room temperature
• 6 T Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 3 T Champagne vinegar
• 1 t Whole Grain Dijon Mustard

1. Heat a grill pan and fry the bacon or pancetta until crispy; break into little pieces and drain on a paper towel.

2. Meanwhile, wash the frisee and spin dry.  Add some chili flakes and salt and pepper to the salad greens and toss.

3. Make the salad dressing by whisking together the extra virgin olive oil, champagne vinegar, salt, pepper and dijon until you reach the desired consistency.

4. Poach as many eggs as desired according to your best method. :) While they are cooking, toss the frisee with the dressing, mix in the bacon bits, and separate into salad bowls.

5. Take each egg out with a slotted spoon and top each bowl of frisee salad with desired amount of poached eggs.  Season with salt and pepper.  Enjoy by breaking open the poached egg and watching it ooze into the salad!  yum!

3. Tri-color Heirloom Tomato Salad with Fresh Chilis

Serves 2-4

• 3-6 orange, red, and yellow ripe heirloom tomatoes, sliced
• 1-2 fresh red chilis, de-seeded and chopped
• sea salt and pepper to taste
• Handful of Fresh Basil, chopped
• Good quality extra virgin olive oil

1. Place the sliced tomatoes on a plate and drizzle with sea salt, pepper, olive oil and basil.

2. Sprinkle chopped fresh red chilis on top, if desired, and enjoy!

4. Gnocchi with Fava Beans, Sun Dried Tomatoes and Spinach in a Parmesan Brodo

Serves 2-4

• 1 lb. fresh gnocchi
• 1 lb. fava beans, peeled and blanched
• 10 whole sun dried tomatoes, reconstituted in hot water for 10 minutes
• Handful of Baby Spinach leaves
• 5-6 Parmesan/Grana Padano rinds
• Sea Salt and Pepper
• Bay Leaf

1. If you don't have ready-made parmesan brodo in your freezer, you will need to make the brodo first, just like you'd make a vegetable or chicken stock ahead of time for a recipe. (I never did until I learned about this and now we always have some on hand).  Brodo is just the Italian word for broth, and I really like pairing brodo with simple fish or pasta dishes for a new take on "Sauce".  Once you make it, you can store it in the freezer for up to three months or a week in the refrigerator and use as needed.  We first tasted parmesan brodo at A 16 in San Francisco.  We found it in their cookbook and use the following recipe whenever we make it.  You can make brodos out of anything - proscuitto brodo is another idea they suggest.

2. To make the brodo, collect parmesan rinds as you use blocks of them or ask for them from your cheese provider.  Whole Foods actually sells cheese rinds by themselves if you don't have a collection of rinds in your refrigerator.  Combine 2 quarts of water, as many cheese rinds as you can muster and one bay leaf.  Bring to a boil over medium-low heat and stir so that the cheese rinds don't stick to the bottom of the pan.  Lower to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, for 1.5 hours or until the broth has a nutty, creamy flavor.  Skim the broth as needed and when ready, strain through a fine-mesh strainer into a clean container or into another pot if using right away. 

3. Keep the brodo warm in a pot on the stove and, meanwhile, boil some salted water for the gnocchi.  If the gnocchi is REALLY fresh, you need not boil it, but if it was from the store in a plastic container (like we did), you'll need to loosen it up a little in boiling water for about 90 seconds or until al dente.  

4. When the gnocchi is cooked, spoon some into a pasta bowl, add the blached fava beans, re-constituted sun dried tomatoes, and fresh spinach leaves.  Pour the brodo over the top of all the ingredients and season with salt and pepper to taste. (Remember the brodo will add some saltiness so you may not need much).  Serve hot and enjoy!