Tea Time

I find there is something about the ritual of brewing a pot of tea that calms me, but no traditional tea is complete without a selection of tea snacks and goodies. These can range anywhere from sardines on toast to delectable cream pastries and finger sandwiches.

As I prepare for an upcoming party I found I needed to test some of my most recent recipes, so today we will explore the wonderful world of tea sandwiches.

You will find any number of recipes on the net and the most common are of course, Cucumber, Watercress, egg salad, chicken salad and various cold meats. While I find all of these enjoyable I want to add a bit of panache to my sandwiches so we will focus on Four that made the top of my list.

The first is my own recipe based on a delightful dish I enjoyed at an Indian restaurant we used to frequent in England. 

Royal Curried Chicken

12 oz diced Chicken
1 tsp Curry Powder
2 tsp Apricot Jam
Pumpernickel Bread (I use Pepperidge Farms)
Butter
Ground Cardamom
Fresh Cilantro

Shred the chicken with a fork and add the curry powder and apricot jam. Mix well. Spread two slices of bread with a thin layer of butter and sprinkle with ground cardamom on one slice of bread arrange a layer of cilantro leaves and add the chicken salad. Top with the second slice of bread and cut as desired. Decorate with a sprig of Cilantro and serve.

My second choice is a very basic tea sandwich with a modern twist. The watercress sandwich.

Watercress Tea Sandwich

Watercress
Whole wheat bread
Cream Cheese (room temperature)
1 bag of your favorite flavored black tea (something mild and sweet is advised)
salt and pepper to taste

Empty the contents of one tea bag into a mortar and crush to a fine dust with a pestle (I used Lipton Vanilla Caramel tea). Add the ground tea to 1 oz of softened cream cheese and blend well. (it gets better if it has time to rest) Spread a thin layer of cream cheese mixture on two slices of bread. On one slice of bread add a generous amount of watercress. Add a dash of salt and ground black pepper and top with second slice of bread. Garnish with a leaf of cress, cut and serve.

Another time tested favorite given a flavor filled boost, this is not your grandmother's Cucumber sandwich.

Cucumber Mint Finger Sandwiches

Thinly sliced English Cucumber
Mint (thinly sliced)
Butter
Whole Wheat Bread
Salt and pepper to taste

Spread a thin layer of butter on two pieces of bread. layer with thinly sliced cucumber. Add the minced mint and salt and pepper to taste then top with the second slice of bread cut and serve. Garnish with a single mint leaf and a twist of cucumber.

My final choice is another veggie delight but this time the main satr is a fruit, the tomato!

Tomato goat cheese sandwiches

thinly sliced tomato
goat cheese
basil pesto
thinly sliced leeks
salt and pepper to taste

Mix some of the basil pesto with the room temperature goat cheese and blend well. Spread the goat cheese on whole wheat bread. add slices of tomato to one piece of bread and leeks to the other. Salt and pepper to taste then close the sandwich, cut and serve. Garnish with fresh shredded basil and leeks.

Some of the other combinations pictured here are a ham, cream cheese and jam sandwich on pumpernickel, a ham and leek with cheese on pumpernickel, radish, leek and butter on wheat and carrot and cucumber wrapped in wheat bread with wasabi cream cheese.
 

The options for fillings are limited only by your imagination so play around and get creative. Some of the sanwiches I made for this installment are still a work in progress but with a little thought and creativity almost anything you have on hand can become the next star of your afternoon tea.

Brilliant Braciole

Weekends are my haven, a time to relax and recharge. A favorite part of that for me is Saturday Mornings when I sleep in and then laze about in bed watching the Food Network. It's a guilty pleasure I indulge in weekly and usually I enjoy it but I am not spurred to action by anything I see. Recently however I watched an episode of "Secrets of a Restaurant Chef" and I was moved by this simple and delicious recipe for Braciole.

My husband is often confounded when I talk about "Tasting" food in my head, but once you grow familiar with different ingredients and their distinct qualities I find it is easy to imagine how they will taste together just by reading the recipe. So when I heard the ingredients of this dish I couldn't wait to try it, and luckily I just happened to have almost everything on hand! While it takes some time to cook it's worth every minute, in fact the sauce alone is worth the effort.

Braciole

Ingredients:

Beef Rolls:

Extra-virgin olive oil

2 ribs celery finely diced

1 large onion, finely diced

Kosher salt

Pinch crushed red pepper flakes

2 cups day old Italian bread, cut into chunks

1/2 can of beef broth

2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce 

2 cloves garlic, smashed and finely chopped

1/2 pound baby portabello mushrooms, sliced

1/2 pound spinach or I prefer an herb salad mix (arugula, spinach, chard, frisee, radicchio, etc...)

1/2 cup grated provolone

1/2 cup grated Parmesan

2 pounds top round, cut into 1/2-inch thick slices (about 12)

Sauce:

Extra-virgin olive oil

1 large onion, finely diced

2 ribs celery finely diced

1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (you can use less, season to taste)

Kosher salt

2 cloves garlic, smashed and finely chopped

6 oz tomato paste (1 small can - I use this to measure the water)

1 cup wine (red preferably but whatever is on hand will do)

3 fresh ripe tomatoes diced (including the pulp)

12 oz water

1/2 cup Port wine

2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce 

1tbsp balsamic vinegar

Grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish

Chopped parsley leaves, for garnish

(Special equipment: toothpicks )

Directions

For the beef rolls:

Coat a large heavy bottomed pot with olive oil, then add the onions celery and crushed red pepper. Season with salt, to taste. Cook the onions until they are soft and very aromatic, about 7 to 8 minutes.

While the onions are cooking, in a large bowl, combine the bread and the stock. Toss to combine and let sit until the bread has absorbed the stock and is very soft. Reserve.

Add the garlic to the pan with the onion and celery and saute for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms, season with salt, to taste, and saute until the mushrooms are soft and have let off their moisture, about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the mixture from the heat and stir in the greens.

Add the onion/mushroom mixture to the reserved bread and stir to combine. Add the provolone and Parmesan, and stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Set aside.

Lay the beef slices between 2 pieces of plastic wrap and gently pound with a meat mallet to flatten and even out the slices. Put about 1/4 cup of filling on 1 end of each of the pounded beef slices and roll up. Secure the rolls with toothpicks. Repeat this process with the remaining beef and filling.

In the pot you used to cook the filling brown the beef rolls on all sides. When the beef rolls are brown on all sides, remove them from the pan and reserve. Make the sauce in the same pot.

Sauce:

Add a light coating of fresh olive oil, if needed, and add the onions celery, and crushed red pepper. Season with salt, to taste, and put the pot over medium heat. Sweat the veggies until they are translucent and very aromatic, about 7 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for another 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and red wine, and cook for 6 to 8 minutes. Add the tomatoes, port and the water and season with salt, to taste. Return the beef rolls to the pan and tuck them into the sauce. Bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the beef is very tender and flavorful, about 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Remove the toothpicks before serving. To serve, arrange 2 or 3 braciole on each serving plate. Halve 1 or 2 rolls to expose the stuffing. Spoon on some of the sauce and garnish with grated Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley.

As I usually do, I adjusted this recipe based on my personal style and what i had on hand. If you want Chef Ann Burrell's original from the show you can find it here:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/anne-burrell/braciole-recipe/index.html

Adventures With Food: On The Road... St. Louis Bites and Brews

 

Schlafly Raspberry Hefeweizen

I'm always on the lookout for delicious and unusual food and when I find something out of this world I just have to share. This weekend was one of those times. My husband and I spent a Saturday touring two of the biggest breweries in St. Louis. Most people know that the gateway city is the home of Anheuser-Busch, but unless you are in it's limited distribution area you may not have heard about the Schlafly Bottleworks.

While AB has been around since 1852 and virtually set the bar for American beer, Schlafly is a relative newcomer to the brewing scene after establishing themselves as a fixture in the St. Louis market in 1991.

But it is this newcomer I intend to focus your attention on today. If you come to St. Louis definitely plan on taking the free tours offered by both companies, but make sure you're hungry when you hit Schlaflys.

Schlaflys have two locations in St. Louis, the Taproom in the downtown area and on the outskirts of the city you will find their main brewery, the Schlafly Bottleworks. Inside you can take a short tour and enjoy samples of some of their signature craft brews. (I highly recommend the Coffee Stout, Scotch Ale and the Raspberry Hefeweizen.) Then sit down and relax for a bite to eat in their restaurant.

They have a diverse menu that incorporates fantastic locally sourced ingredients. Their menu offers standard appetizers like Pretzels and Nachos done up with a twist by pairing them with Hefeweizen cheese sauce and Bison and black beans.

This brings me to the burgers. I gave in to the siren song of the Bison Burger and wished I could have gone back for seconds. The Burger came cooked to order, smothered in Gouda cheese on a toasted brioche bun with fresh lettuce onion and a side of slaw.

 

Bison Burger

They also serve a Vegetarian Black Bean burger that is so good my very non-vegetarian husband didn't even realize there wasn't any meat in it until I said something.  I suggest taking a look at the menu yourself and the next time you're passing through stop in for a bite!

http://www.schlafly.com/breweries/bottleworks/menu/

Comforting Cottage Pie

 

Just the name Cottage Pie stirs up memories of cozy pubs with a roaring wood fire and a good pint of local brew. In honor of St. Patrick's day I dusted off one of my all time favorite comfort foods and gave it a lovely Irish twist.

Cottage pie dates back to the late 1700s and was a way to use up leftover stewed meat. Typically this dish was found in more humble households where potatoes were used to make it a more filling and inexpensive meal.

You may know this dish as Shepard's Pie but that term didn't crop up until the next century. Since then there has been some tendency to affiliate Shepard's Pie with the dish when it is made with lamb or mutton and cottage pie when it is made with beef. Personally I like that way of differentiating and use it myself, though if you travel in Ireland you may find this dish referred to as either Shepard's Pie or Cottage Pie regardless of what it's made of.

Regardless of what you call it this comfort food is always wonderful and easy to make. The recipe I'm giving you today is the lazy man's version. If you have the time I encourage you to use fresh ingredients, but if not this can be easily whipped up in 45 minutes to an hour. What's the Irish twist you ask? A pint of Guinness of course!  I took a note from good Irish stew and used Guinness Stout to build my gravy instead of beef broth alone.

 Cottage Pie

Ingredients:
(serves 8)

1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
4 ribs of celery, chopped
1 16 oz bag of frozen vegetables
1 24oz bag of steam and mash potatoes
1 15 oz can of Guinness stout
1-2 cups beef broth
1 tsp crushed bay leaves
1 tsp ground sage
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
salt and pepper to taste
flour (for the gravy)
2 cups of grated extra sharp cheddar cheese

Preparation:

Make mashed potatoes according to package directions and set aside for later use. (I also added some cream to smooth out the texture and flavor). In a large saucepan begin browning the meat. When most of the fat has cooked out pour it off and add the chopped onion and celery and seasonings. Saute until the vegetables are clear. Add the frozen vegetables and some of the beef broth and some of the beer. (work in 1/4 cup increments tasting as you go. You are building your gravy so you will want to make sure it is not too thin and that the beer does not overwhelm the meat.) As you add the liquid occasionally dust some flour over the contents of the pan and stir well to thicken the gravy. I used about 1 tbsp of flour, 1 cup of broth and 1/2 of the can of Guinness. Once you have the gravy to your liking pour the contents into your baking dish and drizzle the Worcestershire sauce across the top. De glaze the pan with a bit more broth or beer (just enough to get the good browned bits off) and pour over mixture. Top with shredded cheese and top that with the mashed potatoes. Smooth the potatoes to the edges of the baking dish and run a fork across it in lines to make a nice ridged pattern. Bake in a 375 F oven for 30 minutes or until the top is slightly browned and the dish is warmed through. Serve and enjoy!  (I should note that the cheese is not traditional but it is so well liked in my house that I often include it. Additionally, should you not care for the flavor of the stout you can use straight beef broth or even a nice red wine.)

Everything But The Kitchen Sink Chowder

A bit of the spring cleaning bug carried over into the kitchen this week when I looked in the refrigerator and saw odds and ends of various vegetables lurking in my crisper drawer. There wasn't enough of any one for a complete dish but there was nothing wrong with any of them either. So, waste not want not, I chopped everything up and chucked it into  the crock pot. Soups on!

In my house soup and meatloaf serve the same very important purpose. They give me a vehicle to use up all my leftovers. For this soup I intended for it to be a chowder but I only used one potato, and a sweet potato at that so it doesn't really have a chowder texture. The beauty of it though is, it will never be the same twice. So next time it may be mostly potato with some other veggies thrown in, who knows.

That said I've listed what I put in but feel free to alter it based on your preferences or more importantly, what's lurking in your veg drawer!

Everything But The Kitchen Sink Chowder

Ingredients:
(12 servings)

1 small head of cabbage sliced thinly (like noodles)
2 sweet onions
4 cloves garlic crushed or diced
2 carrots sliced in rounds
4 parsnips sliced in rounds
the kernels from 4 ears of corn (about 1 1/2 cups)
2 jalapeno peppers without seeds (seeds left in would have been fine or more peppers)
1 head of cauliflower roughly chopped
1 sweet potato cubed 
1/2 carton of beef broth
1 carton vegetable broth
3 tbsp butter
1 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp Hungarian paprika
salt and pepper to taste
1tsp onion powder
2 tsp crushed bay leaves or 3-4 whole
1 tsp parsley
1/2 tsp celery seed
Heavy cream (not to be added until the end)

Preperation:

Chop it all up and combine, except the cream and butter. Cook on low in the slow cooker for up to 8 hours. This is a lot of soup so I freeze quite a bit of it. If you also plan to do so package the portions you intend to freeze before adding the cream. The cream tends to separate after freezing. For the portion you intend to eat promptly add the cream and and butter and serve.

If you want your broth a bit thicker you can blitz some in a food processor or blender (be careful when doing this with hot liquids), or use a potato masher to crush up some of the vegetables in your pot or you could add cornstarch (make sure to mix it into a cold liquid before adding it to the pot, broth or wine will do). I found it was very nice just as it was but I can see a number of things I will change next time. Celery is a must to add, a bit of white wine would probably have added a nice depth of flavor, and more carrots, and some potatoes would be nice. Overall this was a delightful dish and I almost can't wait for my veg drawer to be full of leftovers again so I can make some more! Short, simple, to the point and delicious, happy cooking.

Mana From Heaven...Laskiaispullat

Also called Shrovetide Buns, Laskiaispullat are my absolute favorite pastry.  They are a popular treat made across Scandanavia during the season of Lent. In Sweeden they are Selmor, in Norway, Fastelaven and in Estonia, Vastlakuklid. Whatever you call them they are heavenly. 

I remember the first time I had them in a little cafe in the Finnish town of Kauhajoki. I was there as an exchange student and my friend, a fellow exchange student, suggested stopping for coffee one afternoon. I bought one of these buns, choosing it because I knew I loved Pulla and it looked so inviting with the piped whipped cream. Well there has been no happier accident I am sure. When I bit into the decadent almond paste I was sure I'd died and gone to heaven. I fell in love that day and I think you will to! 

Now many years later this is my fist attempt at these beauties and while, in my opinion, Pysäkki Ky still has the best Laskiaispullat, these are pretty darn close!

 Laskiaispulla
(Makes 10 buns)

Ingredients:
 

Pulla Dough:

1 cup Milk
1 Tbsp (25 g) Fresh Yeast
100 g (about 7 Tbsp) Butter
1 Egg
1 tsp Cardamom
1/2 cup sugar
3cups All-purpose flour
Pinch of salt 

Filling:

Almond paste
AND
Whipped cream

Decoration:
 

1 egg (an egg wash)
Sliced Almonds and sugar (preferably large sugar crystals)
Powdered sugar (for dusting) 

Preparation:

Warm the milk slightly and combine with the yeast and some of the sugar. Stir in the egg, sugar, cardamom and salt. Start adding flour and melted butter a little at a time, alternating wet and dry ingredients. When the dough thickens, knead by hand until it's smooth, glossy and springy and comes off the bowl easily.

Allow to rise in a warm place for around 40 mins.

Once risen, tip the dough onto a floured surface and knead briefly. Form a long rope shape and cut into 10 pieces. Make little buns and place on baking paper on an oven tray. Let rise for another 30 mins under a tea towel in a warm place.

Break the egg in a small bowl and brush over the buns. Top with flaked almond or sugar drops. Bake in 325 degrees for 15-18 minutes. 

Allow to cool completely before filling .

Once ready and cooled, cut a small circle off the top, like a little cap. 

Scoop out the insides and fill with almond paste and whipped cream and put the top back on. Dust with powdered sugar and serve with your favorite coffee or hot beverage.

So, just in case you are a severe traditionalist or, like myself, were unable to find almond paste in your local grocery, I have a recipe that is simple and delicious if a little time consuming. I won't lie I did not enjoy peeling almonds...yup peeling almonds. However the end result is without a doubt top notch.

 

 

Almond Paste

Ingredients:

 9 oz Almonds

1 egg white

8 tbsp powdered sugar

1 tbsp orange juice

1 tsp vanilla (or almond extract if you have it)

Preparation:

In a medium saucepan bring some water to a boil then remove from heat and pour in the almonds. Allow them to sit for two minutes then drain and one at a time remove the almond skins. Toast peeled almonds until aromatic, (about 8 minutes) then blitz in a food processor until finely ground. Add the powdered sugar, egg, vanilla, and orange juice gradually allowing the food processor to fully combine into a thick paste. It will start to pull away from the sides of the bowl. Remove and seal in an air tight contained until use. Store in the refrigerator. (This can also be used in various other cakes, cookies and as a filling for danish.)

Potentate of Pastries: The King Cake

Years ago my husband went on a business trip to New Orleans and ever since he has been dying to go back. He brought back loads of beads and stories of great music, atmosphere and of course the wonderful foods. One of which was the iconic King cake. With Fat Tuesday right around the corner New Orleans bakeries continue to furiously turn out these rich yeasty goodies and when an office party presented me with the opportunity to try to make one myself I took up the challenge!

Having never eaten King Cake before I had to lean heavily on the experiences of my coworkers who had, and luckily they also found a great recipe from Chef Emeril Lagasse for me to follow.

As always I made a few adjustments to the original which you can find here:

 http://www.gumbopages.com/food/dessert/king-cake.html

Mostly though I stayed true to the recipe and it turned out to be quite a success. I hope you are as willing to try this desert so rich in tradition and ingredients.

King Cake

Ingredients: 

(15-22 servings)

2 envelopes active dry yeast(4 1/2 tsp)

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1-1/2 sticks (6 ounces) unsalted butter, melted

1 cup warm milk (about 110°F)

5 large egg yolks, at room temperature

4 1/2 cups bleached all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

zest of 1 lemon

1 teaspoon vegetable oil

1 pound cream cheese, at room temperature 

1/2 tbsp vanilla

1 tbsp honey

crushed pecans to taste (about 1 cup)

2 tbsp milk

Icing:

3 cups confectioner's sugar

1 plastic king cake baby or a pecan half

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Purple-, green-, and gold-tinted sugar sprinkles

Preparation:

In a microwave safe bowl roughly cut the butter and melt in the microwave in 30 second increments until the butter is melted when it is about halfway done add the milk and continue until the butter is melted and the milk is warm but not hot. Add the yeast and some of the sugar and allow to proof. (This takes about 5-10 minutes). I mix all my yeast breads by hand, but you can use a stand mixer with a dough hook if you like.  In a large mixing bowl combine the rest of the dry ingredients and the lemon zest. Make a well in the center and add the egg yolks. Add the yeast mixture and mix until all ingredients are well combined and the soft dough starts to pull away from the side of the bowl. I reserved the last 1/2 cup of flour to incorporate as I kneaded the dough just enough to make sure there are no pockets of dry ingredients. Place the dough in a covered, well oiled bowl in a warm place away from drafts, and allow to rise until doubled in size.

Meanwhile, make the filling. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese and 1 cup of the confectioner's sugar, honey, pecans, and vanilla. (I also added a pinch of ground cloves because I find it adds a compelling flavor to sweet baked goods). Blend by hand or with an electric mixer on low speed. Set aside.

Grease a baking sheet or line with parchment paper.

Halve the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface. Using your fingers, pat one half out into a rectangle. Spread the filling lengthwise over the bottom half of the dough, then flip the top half of the dough over the filling. Seal the edges, pinching the dough together. Roll the second half into a long rope and gently braid the two together shaping it into a circle and placing it on the prepared baking sheet seam side down. (Be very careful when handling the filled half of the dough as the dough is not as elastic as many yeast breads and tears easily). Pinch the ends together so there isn't a seam. Insert the king cake baby or pecan half into the ring from the bottom so that it is completely hidden by the dough.

Cover the ring with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and place in a warm, draft-free place. Let the dough rise until doubled in size, about 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F.

Brush the top of the risen cake with the milk. Bake until golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool completely on a wire rack.

Make the icing. Combine the lemon juice, and the remaining 2 cups confectioner's sugar in medium-size mixing bowl. Stir to blend well. With a rubber spatula, spread the icing evenly over the top of the cake. Sprinkle with the sugar crystals, alternating colors around the cake.

The cake was a hit at our office party and I have requests for more in the future so I would say this was an experiment well worth the effort! A few things to consider though. Try to make sure your ring is large enough that the center will not fill in as it rises the second time. Mine was too tight and the very center of the cake was not as done as I would have liked and I felt the outer portion had begun to get a bit dry. This is something you could easily make a day ahead because I think it got better on the second day. Most of all just have fun, and remember to tell whoever gets the "baby" that the next cake is on them!