Homemade Rocks! Sorrel Soup

Posted on August 22, 2011

If I had to name my top five favorite soups, Evelyn Jones’s sorrel soup would be among them. This recipe was introduced to me by my mother-in-law, Evelyn, who grows sorrel in her backyard. My first spoonful and I was hooked.  The creaminess of the soup base is the perfect foil to the wilted, lemony leaves.

Living in Malaysia, I thought I’d never find fresh sorrel. I was wrong. In the produce section of a Chinese-run grocery store about ten minutes from my home, I found lovely, vitamin-rich sorrel leaves, imported but not outrageously expensive. I grabbed four bunches and rushed home to make this soup. My family loves it, hot or chilled. Here’s Evelyn’s recipe and a link for more info about the health benefits of sorrel http://www.thestar.com/article/246233.

Evelyn Jones’s Sorrel Soup
Serves 6
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/3 cup thinly sliced green onions
4 cups tightly packed fresh sorrel leaves, stems removed, sliced
½ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
5-1/2 cups chicken or vegetable stock, heated
2 yolks from large eggs
½ cup heavy cream
Freshly ground pepper

  1. In a medium nonreactive saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the green onions and sauté for 1 minute, or just until wilted.
  2. Add the sorrel and salt and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes (the sorrel will turn a dark green color). Move the sorrel to one side, sprinkle the flour on the other side, and stir it into the melted butter. Cook the flour for 1 minute, then slowly add the hot stock and stir until the flour dissolves into the stock. Reduce the heat to low.
  3. In a medium-size heatproof bowl, whisk the yolks and cream until blended. While constantly whisking, add a ladleful of the hot stock to the bowl. Add a second ladle of stock, then slowly pour the egg mixture into the soup while constantly whisking. The soup should be slightly thick and creamy at this point. Add some pepper, adjust the seasoning, and serve immediately. Do not boil or the yolks will curdle.

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Homemade Rocks! Oreo Ice Cream

Posted on July 19, 2011

Maybe it’s time to worry when you’re kids tell you to go into the ice cream business. “Mom, you could be the next Ben and Jerry’s. I like your ice cream better than theirs.”

Hmmm. Not going to happen. But, I must confess that the reason why I make my own ice cream is because there is nothing better than freshly whipped ice cream. I was spoiled working in the restaurant business for many years, where the ice cream I sampled was always freshly made and perfectly whipped. I particularly remember the ice cream at the two-star Michelin restaurant called Arperge in Paris, where I did a internship for two weeks. I fell in love with the chef’s curry ice cream, made by infusing a caramel base with Indian spices. Spicy and cool at the same time…perfectly luscious.

This oreo ice cream get s a two-thumbs up from both my kids, and everyone else who takes a bit. To make it, start with my recipe for rich and creamy vanilla ice cream (blog dated January 31, 2011) and once it’s churned, add 1 cup coarsely crushed Paul Newman’s Organic O’s (I use Newman’s because they don’t contain partially hydrogenated oils, plus they’re really good and proceeds go to charity…win, win, win). Freeze for a few hours and serve. It’s a great way to escape the heat, even for just a few minutes.

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Happy Birthday America! Totally Cool 4th of July Orange Cupcakes

Posted on June 27, 2011

If you’re looking for a fabulous dessert to serve at your Fourth of July BBQ, picnic, pot luck, or fancy dinner….you’ve landed at the right cooking blog. This recipe, from one of my favorite baking books, Sweet Gratitude: How to Bake a Thank-You by Judith Sutton, produces cupcakes with a rich yet light crumb balanced by a creamy orange frosting. Decorate to your heart’s content…I went for red-white-and-blue stars and hearts, and wisps of ribbons in between. Happy Birthday America!

Judith Sutton’s Orange Cupcakes with Orange Cream Cheese Frosting

Makes 85 mini cupcakes, or 24 regular cupcakes
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
14 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure orange extract
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
1-1/2 cups whole milk

  1. Center an oven rack and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line muffin cups, large or mini, with foil or paper cupcake liners.
  2. Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl.
  3. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the orange extract and zest. On low speed, beat in the flour in three additions, alternating with the milk in two additions and beating just until incorporated.
  4. Spoon the batter into the muffin cups, filling each cup about two-thirds full. Bake for 17 to 19 minutes (less for mini muffins), or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. (The cupcakes can be baked up to 1 day ahead and stored in an airtight container at room temperature.)

Orange Cream Cheese Frosting

One 8-ounce package cold cream cheese, cut into chunks
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 teaspoons grated orange zest
1 teaspoon pure orange extract
2 cups confectioners’ sugar

  1. In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and creamy. Beat in the orange zest and extract. On low speed, beat in the confectioners’ sugar in two additions, beating until smooth.
  2. Spread the frosting generously over the cupcakes. Or, for a fancier presentation, transfer the frosting to a pastry bag fitted with a star-tip and pipe a generous swirl or rosette of frosting onto each cupcake. The frosted cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.

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Homemade Rocks! Perfect Basil Pesto

Posted on June 24, 2011

There’s nothing like a spoonful of freshly-made basil pesto to liven up a meal…like this delicious shrimp with pasta. Here’s my no-fail recipe for perfect pesto every time. It’s fabulous served with grilled shrimp, fish, or meats, drizzled over veggies, mixed in veggie-pasta salads, and of course, paired with fresh mozzarella and sun-sweet, vine-ripened tomatoes. Summer eating doesn’t get any better than this! If you want a lighter sauce, 2 tablespoons of water can be substituted for part of the oil.

Basil Pesto
Makes about 1 cup
2 cups tightly packed basil leaves, about 2 ounces
1/3 cup light olive oil or vegetable oil
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted
1 garlic clove, crushed
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

In a food processor pluse all of the ingredients until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Adjust the seasoning. Transfer the pesto to a small bowl and cover with plastic wrap directly against the surface of the sauce (this prevents discoloration). Refrigerate or freeze until needed. The pesto keeps for 5 days refrigerated, and can be frozen for up to 1 month.

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Happy Father’s Day! Treat Dear Ol’ Dad to Some Ol’ Fashioned Ginger Snaps

Posted on June 16, 2011

Perfectly gingery, sweet, and slightly chewy, these ol’ fashioned ginger snaps are some of the best cookies ever invented…and here’s a fabulous recipe for them. Bake a batch and watch your dad smile! Serve with a glass of cold milk, or a cup of freshly-brewed coffee or tea. Happy Father’s Day!

Old-Fashioned Ginger Snaps

Makes about sixty 2-1/2-inch cookies
2-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/4 tablespoons ground ginger
1-1/4 teaspoons cinnamon
3 teaspoons baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1 cup sugar, plus ½ cup for rolling the dough balls before baking
2 large eggs
1/4 cup molasses

  1. Center an oven rack and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Have ready 2 baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
  2. Sift together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
  3. In the bowl of a standing mixer, combine the butter and sugar and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
  4. Add the eggs and molasses and continue to beat for 1 minute, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. The batter will be quite creamy.
  5. Add half of the reserved  flour mixture and beat on low speed for 15 seconds. Repeat with the remaining half. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, cover, and refrigerate the dough in the bowl for 30 minutes or up to 2 hours. (Chilling makes the dough easier to roll into balls.)
  6. Place the 1/2-cup of sugar for rolling the dough in a pie plate. Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Scoop out 1 tablespoon of the dough for large cookies (2-1/2-inch size), or a ½ tablespoon for small ones (1-1/2-inch size), and form it into a ball with your hands. Place the ball in the sugar. Repeat  until you have  5 to 7 balls in the pie dish. Then, roll the balls to cover them with sugar and arrange them on the baking sheet, spread at 1-1/2 inch intervals.
  7. When the first baking sheet is filled, bake until the outside of the cookies are firm but the inside gives just a little when pressed, 8 to 10 minutes. Do not open the oven during the baking process or the puffed cookies will fall. While the cookies are baking, repeat the ball-making procedure with the remaining dough.
  8. Remove the finished cookies from the oven, allow them to cool on the baking sheet for 3 minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack. Once completely cooled, store in an airtight container for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 1 month.

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Fantastic Lentil and Brown Rice Salad

Posted on June 6, 2011

A far cry from two-star Chef Curtis Duffy’s barley grain creation with twelve garnishes (see my previous post)…this quick and easy salad is for the home-cook who wants to eat healthfully with the least amount of effort. Lentils and brown rice are a winning combination: they form a complete protein that is loaded with iron and vitamins. I created this salad years ago when I was recipe testing for Eating for Pregnancy:  The Essential Nutrition Guide and Cookbook for Today’s Mothers-to-Be. It’s still a family favorite. I served it the other day with grilled vegetables, shrimp, and a lovely green salad. If you like cheese, diced feta adds a nice tang. Makes my mouth waters at the thought.

Brown Rice and Lentil Salad
Makes about 3 cups
Dressing
1 tablespoon vinegar, any kind, to taste
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 small garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil, to taste
One 15 ounce can lentils, rinsed and drained, or 1-1/2 cups cooked lentils
1-1/2 cups cooked brown rice
1/3 cup finely diced celery
1/3 cup sliced or diced radishes
1 large vine-ripened tomato, cut into a small dice (about 1 cup), or 12 cherry tomatoes quartered
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

  1. To make the dressing, in a small bowl whisk together the vinegar, mustard, and garlic. Add the olive oil and continue whisking until emulsified. Set aside.
  2. Combine the lentils, brown rice, celery, radishes, tomatoes, and parsley in a serving bowl. Add the resrved dressing and mix gently. Adjust the seasoning and serve. Refrigerate leftovers.

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Homemade Rocks! Hale’s Perfect Banana Split

Posted on May 22, 2011

Wow! Get a load of this stunner made by my eleven-year-old son, Hale. I had just made a batch of chocolate-walnut-coconut-milk sherbet from David Lebovitz’s Room for Dessert…super yummy and light, and I added chopped walnuts for texture…and boom, my son takes one look at it and says, “Mom, can I make a banana split?”

“Sure, but only if you let me photograph it,” I said, smiling.

He agreed, but at the same time made me promise not too take any more food photos when his friends are over for dinner…as I did last night. “It’s just embarrassing when you say, no, don’t eat it yet, let me get just one more shot.”

Fair enough. He’s right. I admit I to being camera crazy sometimes. But I also enjoy a good shot…like the way the blue jimmies match the placemat in this pic. Fun and delicious! Makes me happy. This sherbet will make you happy, too.

Chocolate-Walnut-Coconut-Milk Sherbet
Makes 1 quart
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
5 ounces bittersweet chocolate
2 cups Thai canned coconut milk
1 tablespoon dark rum
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted

  1. Heat the water and sugar until the sugar has completely dissolved.
  2. Coarsely chop the chocolate, add it to the syrup, and whisk until the chocolate has completely melted. Remove from the heat and stir in the coconut milk and rum (the rum is the key to a delicious flavor, but maybe not for kids!).
  3. Chill thoroughly, then freeze in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions.

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The Perfect Breakfast Treat for Mother’s Day: Walnut Spice Coffee Cake

Posted on May 5, 2011

The other day I was interviewed for a Malaysian magazine called UnReserved. The story hinged on Mother’s Day, specifically on the challenges of balancing family, work, and, most importantly, my sanity. I thought about what to serve my interviewer with her coffee (feed the press is a cardinal rule, especially if you’re a cook), and eventually decided on my killer brownies, healthy bird seed bars, and chocolate chip cookies.

Then, at the eleventh hour, it dawned on me to make my deliciously moist walnut cake from Eating for Pregnancy: The Essential Nutrition Guide and Cookbook for Today’s Mothers-to-Be. I said to myself, she’ll be writing about my book, so why not give her a taste from it.

From years of experience, I had wisely saved the final step of frosting the walnut cake until the last minute, just in case the photographers might want a kitchen shot…which they did. I whipped together a caramel frosting and drizzled it over the cake. I have to admit that sometimes my own recipes surprise me. This walnut cake was so simple and oh so good. Nothing was left by the end of the day. Make it for mom…or anyone else!

Walnut Spice Coffee Cake
Makes one 9-inch round cake
Canola oil cooking spray, for greasing the cake pan
1-1/2 cups chopped walnuts
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground ginger
2 teaspoons cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1/3 cup canola oil
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons sour cream
Confectioners’ sugar or maple glaze for the finished cake

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9-inch round cake pan with canola oil cooking spray and sprinkle with flour; set aside.
  2. Place the walnuts in the bowl of a food processor and process, using the pulse button, until finely ground, but not to the point of forming a paste.
  3. Transfer the ground walnuts to a medium bowl, add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Whisk until well combined; set aside.
  4. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the brown sugar and the eggs and beat on medium speed for about 4 minutes, or until light and fluffy. Add the canola oil and sour cream and beat 30 seconds more.
  5. Using a rubber spatula, fold into the egg mixture the reserved flour mixture until well incorporated. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and bake for 30 minutes, or until a tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
  6. Remove the cake from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Run a knife around the sides of the pan and invert the cake onto a serving platter. Dust with confectioners’ sugar or frost with the maple glaze before serving.

Maple Glaze
Makes about 2 cups frosting
¼ cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 to 4 tablespoons milk, depending on desired consistency
2 cups icing sugar

In a saucepan, combine the brown sugar, butter, and milk and heat over medium heat just until the boiling point, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat, cool completely, and then stir in the icing sugar. The frosting should be of a spreading consistency, or if you’d like more of a drizzle, add a bit more milk.

Advance Preparation:  This frosting can be made up to 2 days in advance. Keep covered and refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before frosting the scones.


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Homemade Rocks! Peppermint Crunch Madness

Posted on April 24, 2011

When I mentioned  I was playing around with ice cream, I wasn’t kidding. Peppermint stick is one of my favorite flavors…so I decided to whip up a batch. Now, I have to decide whether to serve this to the Thai Ambassador for dessert at Tuesday’s lunch…or to serve an equally rich and scrumptious chocolate mousse with almond tuiles. Such are the delicious questions that fill my mind every week.

To make this peppermint crunch ice cream, search my blog for my “Homemade Rocks! Vanilla Ice Cream” recipe or go directly to January 2011 and scroll down to my January 31 entry. Follow the directions, but omit the vanilla extract. Instead, to the churned ice cream, add 1 to 2 teaspoons peppermint or mint extract (to your taste…I love a minty flavor so I add 2), a tiny drop of pink food coloring (I used pink not red, but I suppose red will work, or go natural and skip it), and a 1/3 to 1/2 cup of peppermint crunch, which I purchased on-line from King Arthur Flour, but you can smash a couple of candy canes for the same effect. As you can see on the bottom left corner of the photo, before I take the finished ice cream out of the machine, I place my metal bowl on ice to prevent melting. This buys me time to mix in the extra ingredients. Enjoy!

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Valentine Lamingtons for Your Sweethearts

Posted on February 12, 2011

Moist vanilla sponge cake doused with chocolate icing rolled in shredded coconut spells sweet bliss. The other day I made a batch of these Australian confections for a coffee I hosted.  My guests, who normally pass on sweets, couldn’t resist. I won’t tell you how many I ate…needless to say, it drastically increased my time in the gym. Over the years, I’ve tried a number of different lamington recipes. I think this one, adapted from Books for Cooks 8 (a fabulous British cookbook series), is the best so far. If you have the desire and energy for a bit of baking, give them a go. Hope your Valentine’s Day is a happy one. I’m a bit overdone on Asian food lately, so Paul and I are going to an Italian restaurant to celebrate. Cheers!

Lamingtons
For the Cake
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
Pinch of salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick, 1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup caster sugar (superfine sugar or granulated sugar)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1/4 cup milk
For the Icing
3-1/4 cups icing sugar
3/4 cup cocoa powder
3 tabelspoons unsalted butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon brandy (I skipped this)
2 cups desiccated (shredded dry) coconut

  1. Center an oven rack and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9- or 10-inch square cake pan and line the bottom with baking parchment.
  2. Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt. Beat the butter, sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, sprinkling in one tablespoon of the flour mix after each egg (this is to stop the curdling). Gently fold remaining flour mix in two goes, alternating with the milk to make light, smooth batter with no trace of flour. Spread the mixture over the base of the buttered and lined tin and bake until the sides of the cake have shrunk slightly from the tin and a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool for 15 minutes before turning out on the wire rack to cool completely.
  3. Make the icing. Sift the sugar and cocoa into a large bowl. Beat in 1/2 cup boiling water until smooth, then beat in the butter, vanilla, and brandy to make a runny icing. Spread half of the coconut in a pie plate.
  4. With a serrated knife, trim the crusts off the sides of the cake. Cut the cake into nine equal squares, about 3 inches square. NOTE: I made much smaller squares, about 1-1/2 inches in size. Take two forks to gently lift a cake square into the chocolate icing and turn to coat in all sides. NOTE: I found it easier to hold the cake square with a large fork and to spoon the icing on top of it. Transfer the square to the plate of coconut, then scoop coconut on top of it to completely coat all sides. Transfer to a large plate dusted with a bit of the coconut to dry. NOTE: It might take a few squares to get your routine in place (any mess ups are still delicious).

Think ahead: The cake is best baked a day in advance for easier cutting. Let cool completely, wrap in cling film and store in an airtight container. Once iced, store in an airtight container for 3 days. If not making a day ahead, cut the cake into squares as soon as it is cool and leave the squares to dry out on a wire rack for at least an hour to make icing easier. If too fresh, the cake sheds crumbs into the icing.

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