tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-297384462024-03-14T03:56:09.426-04:00SpoonfulFood, photography & the best things in lifeSabrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00328549946090033100noreply@blogger.comBlogger185125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29738446.post-486334400279021232014-08-08T22:15:00.000-04:002014-08-08T22:19:17.973-04:00Molly's blueberry pie<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-c699NE-xQKE/U-V735hsTiI/AAAAAAAACJM/MIj_YT5-cqs/s1600/Shuster+(1+of+10).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-c699NE-xQKE/U-V735hsTiI/AAAAAAAACJM/MIj_YT5-cqs/s1600/Shuster+(1+of+10).jpg" height="749" width="500" /></a></div>
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Well hello. It's been a while. A million things have come before this blog and it's been longer than it should since I posted. A recent shoot with stylist Molly Shuster for <a href="http://www.eatboutique.com/2014/07/03/blueberry-pie-with-cornmeal-crust/#.U-WD-0hUlgo" target="_blank">Eat Boutique</a> inspired me to get back to posting, and share her delicious take on blueberry pie. </div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TPdU7fCoQ6Y/U-V6RGojajI/AAAAAAAACI0/O95PyATCNoY/s1600/pie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TPdU7fCoQ6Y/U-V6RGojajI/AAAAAAAACI0/O95PyATCNoY/s1600/pie.jpg" height="476" width="640" /></a></div>
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That and juicy, in-season berries, a blue state of mind, and some fun prep, in process and post shots we took. </div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YMtPlT8pwwU/U-V6RQg1tEI/AAAAAAAACIw/tgUJov7Ad-U/s1600/prep.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YMtPlT8pwwU/U-V6RQg1tEI/AAAAAAAACIw/tgUJov7Ad-U/s1600/prep.jpg" height="476" width="640" /></a></div>
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We shot her recipe, then we couldn't help but fiddle, style, re-style and shoot. The traditional pie was our jumping off point, and the other, our indulgence. Which do you like? Same set and ingredient. Two very different looks. The pretty pie plate was the jumping off point for the second version.</div>
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We shot these slightly ahead of blueberry season in the north east and before our own bushes have turned. Looking back at these makes me look forward to harvesting our own. There will definitely be more blueberry pies, tarts, and tartelettes this season.<br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Molly's blueberry pie with cornmeal crust </span></b><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">(pictured above)</span><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Ingredients:</span></i><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Cornmeal Crust:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">2 cups flour</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">1/2 cup cornmeal (I love Gray’s
Grist Mill brand)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">1 tablespoon sugar</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">1/2 teaspoon salt</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">2 sticks cold butter, cut into
pieces</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Ice water, as needed</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Cream, for brushing</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Sanding or turbinado sugar, for
sprinkling</span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Blueberry
Filling:</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">3 pints blueberries</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">1 lemon, zest and juice</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">1/3 cup sugar</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">3 tablespoons flour</span></div>
<ol start="1" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Place the flour, cornmeal,
salt and sugar in the bowl of a food processor and pulse to combine. Add
the butter and pulse a few times until the butter has started to
incorporate but small pieces of butter remain. Adding ice water 2
tablespoons at a time, pulse until the mixture resembles wet sand. Pour
onto a work surface and shape into a disc (knead a bit of the dough if is
a little too crumbly to shape together.) Cut the disc in half and shape
each half into a disc. Wrap with plastic wrap and place in the
refrigerator to chill, at least 1 hour or overnight.</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Place a baking sheet in the
oven and preheat to 400º. On a lightly floured surface, roll out one of
the discs of dough until it is about 11” in diameter. Line a 9” tart or
pie plate and prick the bottom of the dough with a fork. Place in the
refrigerator to chill.</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Meanwhile, make your
filling. Combine all of the ingredients and gently toss to combine.</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Roll out the remaining dough
until it is about 1/8” thick. Cut into 1 1/2” wide strands. Pour the
blueberry mixture into the pie plate and braid the strands decoratively on
top. Tuck in edges and pinch together to make a crust. Brush with cream
and sprinkle generously with sugar.</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Place on the baking sheet
and bake for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350º. Bake for another
30-35 minutes, or until the berries have begun to burst and the crust is
nicely golden-brown.</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Let cool at least 20 minutes
before serving.</span></li>
</ol>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vK0uISOlkKI/U-WBInrWKdI/AAAAAAAACJ8/UnvynRBa8_8/s1600/pie2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vK0uISOlkKI/U-WBInrWKdI/AAAAAAAACJ8/UnvynRBa8_8/s1600/pie2.jpg" height="475" width="640" /></a></div>
For more of Molly's recipes, hop on over to her <a href="http://mollyshuster.tumblr.com/" target="_blank">blog</a>.<br />
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Sabrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00328549946090033100noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29738446.post-34808447185143256912013-09-02T22:10:00.000-04:002013-09-02T22:11:14.669-04:00End of summer treat: basil pesto<div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
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Where did summer go? Well, I do know where some of it went - much of it was consumed by
a constant routine of doctor's appointments in preparation for the
arrival of a new child - now imminently on the horizon. Summer has both gone quickly as I've tried to pack in as much as possible before the new arrival, and in some ways slowly as I've been physically slow and limited. We've stayed close to home on the weekends, enjoyed guests, cooked in and enjoyed just hanging out together.<br />
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To make things easier, we signed up for a new <a href="http://www.quinciple.com/" target="_blank">food subscription service</a> that brings carefully selected farmer's market produce and thoughtful, simple recipes to your door. It helped keep my appreciation of fresh produce and interesting artisanal ingredients alive even when the thought of hauling produce back from the farmer's market was impossible or the challenge of exploring a new recipe seemingly insurmountable. Between that, our garden and the farm markets upstate, we've had direct-from-farm ingredients all summer including a constant supply of fresh eggs and wonderful milk. I bought a beautiful, light, handmade basket to transport vegetables from our own garden as a special treat and an incentive to stand out in the heat. Lately the tomatoes and raspberries in particular have been ready for harvest by the boat-load - we've enjoyed picking and trying to eat them as fast as they appear.<br />
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This weekend I realized I had almost forgotten the pleasure of harvesting the big, bushy basil that is almost waist-high at this point. We brought in a basketful of leaves and then enjoyed processing several batches of pesto - some of which I'll freeze so we can enjoy it longer. Last summer's frozen bounty was destroyed by the days without electricity during the hurricane. Maybe we'll make a point to consume it faster this year so we don't expose ourselves again to that risk.<br />
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<b>Homemade pesto</b><br />
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4 cups firmly packed basil leaves, washed and dried<br />
1/4 cup pine nuts, lightly toasted in a dry skillet until golden brown<br />
1/4-1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese<br />
2 cloves garlic<br />
Juice from 1/2 lemon to maintain bright green color of the basil <br />
Olive oil to taste/desired consistency<br />
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper<br />
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In a food processor, pulse garlic until minced. Add basil leaves, a several generous pinches of salt and pepper, and pulse until roughly chopped. Add pine nuts and pulse ~5 times until nuts are roughly chopped. Add cheese. While food processor is running, continuously stream olive oil through the food chute until a homogenous paste is formed. Process less for a chunkier pesto or more for a finer pesto. Squeeze lemon juice over pesto and pulse a few times to combine. Adjust seasonings to taste. <br />
<br />Sabrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00328549946090033100noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29738446.post-58189477799855708802013-08-18T19:41:00.003-04:002013-08-18T19:42:56.426-04:00Homemade hummus and Vegetable Literacy<div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
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I have needed to eat extra protein this summer for health reasons and steak is sure getting a bit old. Among my favorite non-meat sources is chickpeas, as you might gather from this post and the last. I'm enjoying them in all sorts of forms - the secret, as mentioned in the previous post, is to avoid canned chickpeas and use dried ones for better control over texture and flavor.<br />
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I'm refreshing my cookbook collection and have lately picked up books on canning and cooking vegetables to help me make best use of the garden harvest. Deborah Madison's new book, <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1607741911/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1607741911&linkCode=as2&tag=cookbookcatch-20">Vegetable Literacy</a></i><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=cookbookcatch-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1607741911" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />, grabbed me right away with its simple, graphic-organic cover and thick, glossy pages full of interesting vegetarian recipes. It's such a pretty book that I've already gifted one. One recipe that caught my attention right away is for hummus. It's true, there's not much variation and originality in hummus recipes but perhaps something about the way it was photographed or the simplicity of the preparation caught my attention and I made note to buy tahini and make a batch.<br />
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In country, where we spend weekends, specialty food stores are far and few between. The large supermarket had a tahini whose "sell by" date was one day after we purchased it. Perhaps it was meant to be?<br />
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<b>Hummus</b> (adapted from <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1607741911/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1607741911&linkCode=as2&tag=cookbookcatch-20">Vegetable Literacy</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=cookbookcatch-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1607741911" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /></i> by Deborah Madison)<br />
<i>(makes 3 cups) </i><br />
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1 cup dried chickpeas, cooked and drained, some cooking liquid reserved<br />
Juice of 2 lemons<br />
1/3 to 1/2 cup tahini<br />
3 cloves garlic, pounded in a mortar with several pinches of salt (Spoonful note: Next time I'll try roasting a head of garlic and using that instead)<br />
Sea salt<br />
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<b>Finishing touches</b><br />
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Sumac or paprika<br />
Olive oil<br />
Reserved whole chickpeas<br />
Chopped parsley<br />
Toasted pine nuts<br />
Pita or other bread, for serving<br />
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Puree chickpeas and lemon juice in a blender or food processor, slowly adding enough cooking liquid to create a creamy consistency. Add tahini and garlic and process to combine. Add salt to taste and adjust salt and lemon juice as necessary.<br />
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Turn hummus out onto a plate or into a wide-rim bowl. Make tracks in the chickpeas with a knife to create wells for olive oil to pool into. Garnish with olive oil, and additional finishing touches as desired.</div>
Sabrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00328549946090033100noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29738446.post-49152646550809741082013-07-12T21:48:00.002-04:002013-07-12T21:51:12.277-04:00Summer salads, part 1<div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
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Summer finally feels like it's here in force. All the early summer rain ruined the snap peas in the garden and killed the peonies I'd been looking forward to all year before they even had a chance to bloom. But then the English peas started arriving and along with them, early lettuce, kale and garlic - and summer dining kicked off.<br />
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My favorite salads have lots of texture and a zippy dressing. Washing and drying lettuce is tiresome: I love to use other ingredients to avoid the work of preparing lettuce and vary the menu. Lately I've been loving chickpeas in salads. The secret is to avoid the slightly slimy overly plump canned variety and start with dried, soaking overnight and then simmering until just tender so they are still a bit firm. Seasoned well, they have wonderful flavor and great texture. They also add easy protein to the salad. <br />
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A salad I've been enjoying lately is is a pea/bean combo of chickpeas, English peas and fava beans. The latter is a bear to prepare but done in stages, the prep is not so bad and the reward is great. Dressed with a simple garlic/vinegar/olive oil dressing, plenty of sea salt and fresh black pepper, the salad is terrific, and keeps well even when dressed. Some nice additions: a handful of baby lettuces, a mollet egg to turn it into a hearty standalone lunch, some chopped shallot, a shaving of pecorino, a sprinkling of fresh herbs (Italian parsley and chive are my favorites). After a week of this salad, I keep thinking I'll tire of it, but I haven't yet.<br />
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<b>Pea/bean salad </b><i><br /></i><br />
<i>Salad</i><br />
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2-3 cups dried chickpeas, soaked overnight then simmered until just tender<br />
1 cup English peas, blanched then shocked in ice water<br />
As many fava beans as you care to prepare<br />
Handful baby lettuces such as baby romaine<br />
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper<br />
Additions as noted above, if desired including egg(s)<br />
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<i>Dressing</i><br />
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1 clove garlic, finely minced<br />
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil<br />
1/3 cup sherry vinegar<br />
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Prepare fava beans: remove beans from pods and boil in salted water for 60 seconds. Shock ice water. Remove beans from waxy outer cover by piercing cover with your thumbnail and squeezing bean out. Combine fava beans, English peas and chickpeas. Combine dressing ingredients and dress pea/bean mixture as desired. Season generously with salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning. Gently mix in lettuce. Sprinkle with herbs or cheese shavings if using (and/or top with mollet egg). <br />
<br />Sabrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00328549946090033100noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29738446.post-28208975562874688012013-02-25T14:39:00.000-05:002013-02-25T15:01:53.803-05:00Eggstravaganda<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EvzHIGTdSds/USuv8YL2VYI/AAAAAAAACEg/PAVHYe0wJW4/s1600/_DSC8541.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="749" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EvzHIGTdSds/USuv8YL2VYI/AAAAAAAACEg/PAVHYe0wJW4/s1600/_DSC8541.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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What's your favorite lazy meal? For me, anything egg-based whips up in a few minutes and and is so rich and satisfying. Plus, eggs are always in my refrigerator. I love them scrambled, baked, poached and fried. Onions, tomatoes transform an egg. A few of my favorites? <b>Baked eggs en cocotte</b> - sauté onions with anything else on hand that appeals (kale, spinach, mushrooms etc.) Line a ramekin with sautéed vegetables, pour in a bit of tomato sauce (here I used some left over tomato soup from the previous recipe) or stewed tomatoes, pour in two cracked eggs, sprinkle yolks with a tablespoon of cream to prevent them from drying out, sprinkle with grated parmesan and fresh herbs plus some sea salt and cracked pepper and bake at 450<b>˚ </b>for 15-20 minutes until eggs are just set. Add some kick by including red pepper flakes in the sauté or finish with a bit of hot sauce.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QFr0r5dVLfA/USuv8ZbFMHI/AAAAAAAACEY/b1qXS7cqy9Y/s1600/_DSC8593.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="749" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QFr0r5dVLfA/USuv8ZbFMHI/AAAAAAAACEY/b1qXS7cqy9Y/s1600/_DSC8593.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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<b>Scrambled eggs on toast</b>. An idea inspired by my food stylist friend, Cynthia, who makes sprouted english muffins topped with raw vegetables (she includes grape tomatoes). Here I used spinach, honey mustard, a sharp cheddar and topped them with scrambled eggs (fried would be great as well). Such a great breakfast or light lunch.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3rdXPYzA4Ns/USuv7GZ6ScI/AAAAAAAACEQ/9oFD-jwVR6I/s1600/_DSC8488.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="749" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3rdXPYzA4Ns/USuv7GZ6ScI/AAAAAAAACEQ/9oFD-jwVR6I/s1600/_DSC8488.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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Last - a fun idea from a hotel in the Adirondacks I visited some years ago. <b>Fancy scrambled eggs</b> - perfect for New Year's day. Loosely scramble eggs, folding in a bit of crème fraîche or cream cheese as they cook. Off heat, add in some chopped chive. Spoon into prepared, cleaned egg shells and top with caviar. This is so pretty and decadent it will turn your eggs into the main event. How do you sheer off the egg tops? A trick - try <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003OA3XF2/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B003OA3XF2&linkCode=as2&tag=cookbookcatch-20">this</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=cookbookcatch-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B003OA3XF2" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" />. It takes a bit of practice but once mastered, you can use this approach for creating chocolate-filled eggs for easter and all sorts of other crafty ideas. Use egg cups to serve or balance the eggs in cups filled with salt to hold them in place. I used vintage aperitif glasses in this image.<br />
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What other recipes are your go-to egg favorites?<br />
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<!--EndFragment-->Sabrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00328549946090033100noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29738446.post-7448490582009672272013-01-08T19:50:00.000-05:002013-01-08T20:01:42.016-05:00Tomato soup and a fresh start<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cCG3xTEhguk/UOx_uRSc5CI/AAAAAAAACEA/AJHP0yFzXPo/s1600/tomato_soup_8509.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cCG3xTEhguk/UOx_uRSc5CI/AAAAAAAACEA/AJHP0yFzXPo/s1600/tomato_soup_8509.jpg" height="749" width="500" /></a></div>
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Happy new year! January is upon us yet again, and with it - the inevitable promise to cook more, exercise more and eat more healthfully. We were home for vacation and I cooked every day. I splurged on some great cookbooks that I've used mainly as inspiration thus far (like <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1906868697/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=cookbookcatch-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1906868697">this</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=cookbookcatch-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1906868697" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1607743949/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=cookbookcatch-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1607743949">this</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=cookbookcatch-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1607743949" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> but can't wait to dive into in earnest. I'm re-committing to yoga - and trying to rope my husband in as well. I even managed to get our little one to family yoga which was terribly cute.<br />
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I re-stocked the pantry with fresh spices plus specialty sauces and condiments lost in the hurricane power outage. I have some great Asian vinegars and dark soy to enjoy and some middle eastern spices like sumac that I've been wanting to play around with. <br />
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I've been enjoying Tasting Table's <a href="http://www.souschefseries.com/" target="_blank">Sous Chef series</a>; a series of recipes by interesting chefs that are layered but not complicated to make. So far, a winning adobo that I will most certainly make again soon, and this tomato soup which was a little more involved than the typical but so bright and flavorful it's worth a bit of extra time.<br />
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Tomato soup is so terrific on a chilly day - warming and also just seems like an instant boost of nutrients. Have a look at <a href="http://www.souschefseries.com/detail/scs/11884/Meet-Frank-Anderson-chef-de-cuisine-at-Son-of-a-Gun.htm#recipe" target="_blank">this recipe</a> and see what you think. What are you inspired to do this year?Sabrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00328549946090033100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29738446.post-84319152534006561702012-11-28T23:03:00.000-05:002012-11-28T23:03:32.510-05:00Popover experiments<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lBtQLzthRUA/ULWPB3KWw5I/AAAAAAAACDU/mryJMna2yxU/s1600/popover+19243.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lBtQLzthRUA/ULWPB3KWw5I/AAAAAAAACDU/mryJMna2yxU/s1600/popover+19243.jpg" height="666" width="500" /> </a></div>
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Have you ever made a popover? I never had the desire until an abundance of summer fruit led me to make small batches of jam and hunt for decadent ways to savor it. I have a few vintage popover pans that I've always intended to fiddle with but never had the time. I was suddenly inspired to give the pans a whirl - but getting the perfectly perky popover with an impressive, airy dome was not an easy task. </div>
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It's amazing, actually, that without any leavening agent this very simple mixture of eggs, milk and flour can develop into a light, airy and impressive-looking little item. It's all about harnessing the power of steam, and there are a few tricks to maximizing popover potential that only became clear after several rounds of experiments:</div>
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1. Don't overmix the batter - every recipe warns of this. Don't do it.</div>
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2. Pour the batter into a popover pan that has been heated in the oven - don't pour it into a cold pan.</div>
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3. The pan matters: my vintage ones, that have the requisite air pockets in between the cups, created nicely shaped popovers, but no matter how much I greased and prepped the pans, I could not release the popovers. Some research churned up <a href="http://www.kingarthurflour.com/shop/items/standard-popover-pan" target="_blank">these</a> amazing pans (and an emergency mail order) - they truly work.</div>
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4. Don't open the oven - keep the steam inside.</div>
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5. Lower the oven temperature midway through.</div>
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6. Enjoy when hot out of the oven - no matter what tricks you employ, they'll never be as crisp and delectable as they are when freshly baked</div>
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The batter itself is very basic. Here's <a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/326501/perfect-popovers" target="_blank">one to try</a>.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7ymrmq_-MAU/ULWPA9cVdHI/AAAAAAAACDM/_CnarIW5z5Q/s1600/_DSC7911.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7ymrmq_-MAU/ULWPA9cVdHI/AAAAAAAACDM/_CnarIW5z5Q/s1600/_DSC7911.jpg" height="749" width="500" /></a></div>
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<br />Sabrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00328549946090033100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29738446.post-29632532864173549942012-11-26T21:49:00.000-05:002012-11-28T23:04:25.713-05:00Winter-inspired still lifeA series of five limited edition fine art prints, available individually or as a set, just-in-time for holiday gifting. Please inquire by email if interested.<br />
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<br />Sabrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00328549946090033100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29738446.post-14790978366646765372012-09-24T10:31:00.001-04:002012-09-24T18:27:02.608-04:00Garden gifts: Heirloom tomatoes and a special tomato tart<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This weekend, we picked close to the last of the tomatoes, some butternut squash, an eggplant, a couple of bulbs of celeriac and some peppers (hot and sweet). While the crisp air lent itself to a wonderful bike ride down the <a href="http://hvrt.org/" target="_blank">Harlem Valley Rail trail</a>, I couldn't help but be sad that the days of harvesting a portion of dinner straight from the garden are almost over for the season. Our own tomatoes in particular have been so wonderful - heirloom and bursting with flavor. We've enjoyed them in salads with mozzarella or burrata, slow roasted with a drizzle of olive oil and some slivers of garlic, and most recently, in a wonderful, fresh tart. I had high hopes of canning and preserving some of the flavor of summer - but alas, we were so excited to eat as we went, we left nothing behind.<br />
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The idea behind the recipe started <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1600852548/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1600852548&linkCode=as2&tag=cookbookcatch-20%22%3EHarvest%20to%20Heat:%20Cooking%20with%20America's%20Best%20Chefs,%20Farmers,%20and%20Artisans%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=cookbookcatch-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1600852548%22%20width=%221%22%20height=%221%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22%22%20style=%22border:none%20!important;%20margin:0px%20!important;%22%20/%3E" target="_blank">here</a>. But the free-form shape was tricky and the dough a little too loose to be easily worked with. Some poking around churned up <a href="http://www.davidlebovitz.com/2010/05/french-tomato-tart-recipe/" target="_blank">this</a> and the dough was lovely and a keeper. Similar to the first recipe, I grated a semi-hard cow's milk cheese onto the unbaked prepared crust that I placed into a removable bottom fluted tart pan, and then used a mixture of multi-colored heirloom cherry tomatoes and the most wonderful <a href="http://www.tomatocasual.com/2008/04/18/smallest-tomato-the-currant-tomato-and-other-small-wonders/" target="_blank">currant tomatoes</a> to fill the tart. The cherry tomatoes were fine mostly cut in half (larger ones quartered) and the currant tomatoes were left whole (if you can find some, buy them - they are bursting with flavor and so unusual to look at). The result? A wonderfully flavorful roasted tomato tart that was as beautiful to look at as delicious. It was a treat to explore a new way to savor the last tomatoes of summer.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gw14cKZcqbI/UF-tGy18rHI/AAAAAAAACCI/0daTt_eyZL8/s1600/Tomato+still2+(1+of+1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="749" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gw14cKZcqbI/UF-tGy18rHI/AAAAAAAACCI/0daTt_eyZL8/s1600/Tomato+still2+(1+of+1).jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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<b>Tomato Tart </b><i>(adapted from</i><b> </b><i>Harvest to Heat)</i><br />
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Homemade tart dough, try <a href="http://www.davidlebovitz.com/2010/05/french-tomato-tart-recipe/" target="_blank">this one</a> (or in a pinch, use defrosted puff pastry blind baked for 20 minutes at 400<b style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: 12px;">°</b>)<br />
1 pint tomatoes cut into halves or quarters as necessary (multi colored cherry and currant make a beautiful presentation)<br />
1/3 pound semi hard cow's milk cheese, grated (love <a href="http://www.murrayscheese.com/prodinfo.asp?number=20304700000" target="_blank">this one</a>)<br />
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper<br />
Olive oil, for drizzling<br />
Fresh herbs (basil, chive - oregano also would be nice)<br />
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Preheat oven to 375<b style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: 12px;">°.</b> Roll chilled dough into a rectangle about 1/8 inch thick. Press into a removable bottom tart pan of desired shape. Sprinkle with cheese. Fill with tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Bake for ~40 minutes or until crust is golden and tomatoes are popping. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Sprinkle with additional salt and pepper to taste, fresh herbs, and drizzle with a nice olive oil.<br />
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<br />Sabrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00328549946090033100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29738446.post-46316507943699651692012-09-04T09:56:00.001-04:002012-09-24T11:56:09.206-04:00Savoring the last days of Summer with berry popsicles in the country<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We have been enjoying an extended stay in the country. A special time spent mainly cooking at home, exploring outdoors, and dunking in the pool. We have been in the rhythm of checking the garden each morning and harvesting what's there, with a promise to use at least one garden item in each meal. We went through waves of vegetables so fresh we never tired of them: snap peas, green beans, cucumbers, eggplant and tomatoes to name a few. The perimeter of of the garden has berry bushes planted last year that provide berries all summer long. First with black raspberries, then blueberries, then red and yellow raspberries - the latter being the sweetest of the lot.<br />
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We get a generous handful of new berries each day, and it seems impossible to think of wasting a single one. My little one who loved blueberries as a baby, has now decided he's no longer interested in berries, with the exception of strawberries, which are a bit on again off again. I figured a popsicle might change his perspective? I started with mixed berry popsicles of local strawberries plus our blueberries and raspberries. They were so fresh and divine, but apparently not acceptable to him. He requested purple popsicles. I moved on to blackberry lime popsicles, a deep purple in color, that we made together (he operated the blender proudly), and apparently hit the spot after some coaxing. Later this week, having discovered a <a href="http://everydayfoodblog.marthastewart.com/tag/fudgesicle" target="_blank">recipe for fudgesicles</a> in this month's edition of <i>Everyday Food</i>, we made the creamy classic together. There was no encouragement needed to devour those.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7iJIqIZf-Sg/UEOubpCBCDI/AAAAAAAACAY/dzEmstge7sQ/s1600/berry+diptych.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="749" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7iJIqIZf-Sg/UEOubpCBCDI/AAAAAAAACAY/dzEmstge7sQ/s1600/berry+diptych.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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<b>Homemade berry popsicles </b><i>(will yield ~10 popsicles depending on size of moulds)</i><br />
<b><br /></b>
<i>Mixed berry popsicles</i><br />
<br />
5 cups mixed berries (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries or whatever you prefer)<br />
1 cup water<br />
1/2 cup sugar (adjust to taste or sweetness of berries)<br />
Juice of one lemon<br />
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<i>Blackberry lime popsicles</i><br />
<b><br /></b>
5 cups blackberries<br />
1 cup water<br />
1/2 cup sugar (adjust to taste or sweetness of berries)<br />
Juice of one lime<br />
<br />
Combine ingredients in blender until berries are processed into fine pieces. Taste and adjust sweetness and acidity to taste (note that mixture will taste less sweet when frozen). Strain through a fine-mesh strainer to remove seeds and any remaining pieces of skin. Pour into moulds and freeze for at least six hours. To unmould, run moulds briefly under hot water until popsicles release.Sabrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00328549946090033100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29738446.post-67826853324841028902012-08-19T19:15:00.001-04:002012-08-19T19:17:55.760-04:00Appreciating: summer stone fruit<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-x5oz9zvaI-k/UDFzMHNtpTI/AAAAAAAACAI/8QFs0GzOQEw/s1600/cherry+torte+500+19107.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="749" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-x5oz9zvaI-k/UDFzMHNtpTI/AAAAAAAACAI/8QFs0GzOQEw/s1600/cherry+torte+500+19107.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
<br />Sabrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00328549946090033100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29738446.post-46765622705667725542012-08-07T22:00:00.001-04:002012-09-24T11:56:26.948-04:00Making ricottaOne of my new favorite weekend treats is <a href="http://www.caputobrotherscreamery.com/" target="_blank">Caputo Brothers</a> ricotta. We have been entertaining on weekends, which always provides an excuse for a cheese sampling. I discovered Caputo Brothers ricotta in Chelsea market while waiting to check out at the cheese monger. A very generous portion of ricotta was for sale in the mould it was presumably drained in. Not being able to resist good packaging, and the enticement of a 2-for (cheese and mould to experiment with on my own), I was sucked right in.<br />
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The ricotta did not disappoint: it was creamy, fluffy and sweet. In fact, I'm not sure I've ever had ricotta as wonderfully fresh and decadent.<br />
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I soon set out to make use of my moulds. I started with <a href="http://markbittman.com/" target="_blank">Mark Bittman</a> - a favorite and always at the ready with my geeky iphone app. The recipe couldn't be simpler: milk and buttermilk cooked and strained in four easy steps. I purchased the highest quality ingredients I could find and followed the directions carefully.<br />
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The result? Not bad, but not Caputo Brothers. Mine was not as creamy (I would not let the curds drain quite so long next time) and not quite as flavorful. But it was a nice, quick, and satisfyingly easy home version. Next time, I'll take some cues from <a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2011/06/rich-homemade-ricotta/" target="_blank">here</a> and poke around a bit elsewhere and see what else I can learn.<br />
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Next time I have an urge to make cheese - I might check out <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/UrbanCheesecraft" target="_blank">these</a> or <a href="http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/cheese-making-kit/" target="_blank">these</a> (and what fun gifts these would make?). Do you have any ricotta-making secrets?Sabrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00328549946090033100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29738446.post-82144852588404171492011-03-16T20:58:00.005-04:002011-03-16T21:11:39.834-04:00For Sudy<div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><div style="text-align: center;"><img height="751" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Is-jjlIfEog/TYFO-UyBIhI/AAAAAAAAB9g/Sruc1YaCb1w/Capture0013.jpg" width="500" /></div><br />
I certainly don't want to ignore the fact that our friends in Japan are suffering from a horrible environmental disaster and a looming nuclear emergency. It's something that's very much on my mind as I know it is on yours. I hope and pray for the earthquake / tsunami survivors and for those who have lost or are missing a loved one.<br />
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I want, however, to focus this post on a very personal tragedy in my own family. While I don't often share personal facts on this blog, it seems somehow impossible to move forward without sharing, the form of a tribute, what happened in our family a few weeks ago.<br />
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On February 19th, my mother-in-law, <a href="http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/houstonchronicle/obituary.aspx?n=susan-zane-sudy&pid=148730856">Sudy Reinauer Zane</a>, passed away suddenly. She was a beautiful, loving, vivacious women full of spunk, spirit and adventure. She was game for anything. Death always comes as a shock, but this was beyond shocking. It was without notice. She was healthy and fit with no near-term health issues to worry about. She had more energy than most people I know. She looked and acted many years younger than her already young self. We were not able to say goodbye.<br />
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She had so many friends and family who loved her dearly. She was one of those people you could say anything to and you felt like you knew her right away. She could put a roomful of people at ease. She loved children and my son was her special first grand child by blood.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><img height="751" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Is-jjlIfEog/TYFO_jfmxWI/AAAAAAAAB9k/jRcQyNUW2qc/rack%20of%20veal%200037.jpg" width="500" /></div>We feel her absence every hour. I know at some point our feelings will turn from shock and grief to fond memories. Right now, however, we are still going over the details in our heads and still in disbelief that we have lost her. She was going to be a great presence in our son's life for sure, and we are equally sad for him that he will not have her with him as he grows up.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><img height="751" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Is-jjlIfEog/TYFPAgdOMgI/AAAAAAAAB9o/VyFOf4sDOOo/veal%20stack%200017-3.jpg" width="500" /></div>It had been an unusually long period of time since we'd seen her (several months). She had scheduled a trip to visit us that would have occurred about a week after she passed away. The last time we saw her, it was for a long weekend in December. In hindsight, it seems so sadly too short.<br />
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The last evening she was here, we cooked a big meal in. Something we don't do that often but we somehow decided to. Sudy's husband, Alan, offered to make his famous potato latkes. I decided to make a rack of veal and vegetables to go with them. I remember deciding last minute to run out to Eataly to pick up their wonderful organic, milk-fed, Amish veal. It was a bit of an extravagance but it seemed like an apt occasion. Sudy loved the veal so much she decided to make it for a New Year's dinner she would later host for friends.<br />
<br />
Food was something we shared an interest in and talked about often. She commented frequently on this blog and often used the recipes. She's call from some far-off supermarket to get clarification on ingredients or approach. I was always flattered that she liked my recipes and trusted my advice. In turn, she taught me a lot about Southern cooking. She was always interested when I expressed an interest in an authentic dish. I would often get inspired to make a dish I learned about when visiting her and would need her to mail me a critical ingredient that could not be sourced up North. She always obliged, sending me spices or Sorghum or whatever my whimsy required. She also was an amazing salad-maker and spoiled us with her finely-chopped, chock-full salad creations which usually involved lots of craisins and some finely shaved cheese. She always indulged our salad requests: she even once brought produce in her handbag on the plane.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><br />
<img height="751" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Is-jjlIfEog/TYFPBl6l4HI/AAAAAAAAB9s/6Zjgj23SqXI/verjuice%20jus%200025.jpg" width="500" /></div></div>Her New Year's dinner was a typical collaboration. We talked about veal preparation, cooking time, and temperature readings. I suggested she make a verjus-based sauce that I had photographed for the New York Times and she trusted my recommendation even though she had not had the sauce or even heard of verjus (nor had I prior to my shoot). In typical fashion she enthusiastically ran around until she found a bottle of verjus in Houston. She was so excited to make her meal, and I was proud that she took my recommendation.<br />
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On New Year's Eve I couldn't help but call to see how it went. They just finished dinner and apparently everyone raved and she was thrilled. Honestly, even if it had been a flop she probably would have reassured me that everything had gone as prescribed.<br />
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I cannot describe how much I am going to miss everything about her: from all of the little back and forths we had during a week, to the support and encouragement she gave me in my career and as a new mom, to all of the love I know she would have bestowed upon our son. I hope she knows how much we love her and how much we wish she were still here.<br />
<br />
<b>Rack of veal</b><br />
<br />
1 rack of veal or number of ribs desired (un-separated)<br />
Salt and pepper<br />
<br />
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Very generously season veal with sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Cook for approximately 3 hours (start checking a bit before) until the internal temperature reaches 155 and eventually rises to 160 out of the oven.<br />
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<b>Verjus sauce</b><br />
<br />
1 cup chicken stock<br />
5 Tbs verjus (I like Roland)<br />
2 Tbs fresh thyme<br />
2 Tbs dijon mustard<br />
<br />
Follow <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/27/dining/27powerrex2.html?_r=1&ref=dining">this recipe</a> from the New York Times, starting when with the pan drippings from the veal when cooking is complete, adding the verjus, chicken stock, thyme and mustard as directed. For more information on verjus, please see <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/27/dining/27power.html">here</a>.<br />
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<b>Tomato couscous</b><br />
<br />
2 cups tomato couscous<br />
2 cups chicken stock plus a little extra <br />
3/4 cup craisins<br />
1/2 cup sliced almonds<br />
Salt and pepper<br />
Olive oil <br />
<br />
Combine tomato couscous, chicken stock 1/4 tsp salt, craisins and almonds in the bowl of a rice cooker. Swirl to combine. Add a splash of olive oil. Cook on the regular cycle until done. Fluff with a fork and allow to sit for 5-10 minutes on the keep warm cycle. Adjust seasonings to taste.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><img height="399" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Is-jjlIfEog/TYFcmzriRoI/AAAAAAAAB90/eh4v1K_sKaY/max%202860.jpg" width="600" /></div>Sabrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00328549946090033100noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29738446.post-582140151811619582011-02-08T17:26:00.002-05:002011-02-08T18:09:39.529-05:00Snow and gelato<div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><div style="text-align: left;">We have been literally burried in snow in New York. Well, truthfully, some snow and then a whole lot of slush. I've been wearing boots every day to wade through the water that collects at the street corners. Nothing like what my mom has been experiencing in Boston, however. They have many feet of snow and have had intermitent power and lots of wet, heavy snow to shovel. I am still inspired by winter whites. Despite the inconvenience, the snow is so pretty when it first hits. Waking up to white and quiet is lovely and it makes me want to be in the woods.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><img height="751" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Is-jjlIfEog/TVG_oZ7hVNI/AAAAAAAAB80/DVfzRGSmsgI/making%20gelato%206703.jpg" width="500" /></div>Chilly weather doesn't demand cold foods but I enjoy using my gelato maker and perfecting my mixes. I love how forgiving gelato is: you can play with the milk to cream ratio according to your preferences and seem to end up with something wonderful no matter what happens. Gelato sometimes has egg, but I have found it to be unnecessary.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><img height="751" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Is-jjlIfEog/TVG_pM563dI/AAAAAAAAB84/abcPfEb2OXE/gelato%206737-2.jpg" width="500" /></div>Stracciatella has always been my favorite flavor. It's so pure and you can really appreciate the quality of the ingredients. As such, I stick to fresh farmer's milk, plump vanilla pods and organic raw cane sugar. My only regret is that the capacity of my gelato maker is not very high - but that keeps me making it fresh and also probably helps control the urge to devour a huge batch in one sitting.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Is-jjlIfEog/TVHC0ssQEhI/AAAAAAAAB88/s3mNhMTwCNA/s1600/web-16106.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="751" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Is-jjlIfEog/TVHC0ssQEhI/AAAAAAAAB88/s3mNhMTwCNA/s1600/web-16106.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><b>Stracciatella gelato</b><br />
<i>(adjust quantity according to the capacity of your maker)</i><br />
<br />
2 cups good heavy cream<br />
1.5 cups good whole milk<br />
1 vanilla pod, split, seeds scraped<br />
scant 1 1/3 cup organic raw cane sugar<br />
1/3 cup chopped dark chocolate<br />
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Combine milk, cream, sugar, and vanilla seeds and pod in a heavy sauce pan and heat gently until sugar dissolves completely. Allow mixture to cool to room texture. Remove vanilla pod and refrigerate mixture until well chilled. Pour into gelato maker and operate according to manufacturer's instructions. During the last five minutes of the cycle, add chopped chocolate and allow to distribute throughout. Put in a freezer-safe container and press a layer of freezer or parchment paper on top of mixture before you seal the container lid. Freeze several hours or overnight.<br />
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p.s. what does the chili have to do with all of this? nothing!</div>Sabrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00328549946090033100noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29738446.post-87666607335471311882011-01-24T15:43:00.003-05:002011-01-24T20:47:04.755-05:00Pears, Peter, White<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Is-jjlIfEog/TT3hg1YBQ-I/AAAAAAAAB8k/nEALVzuQQc4/s1600/poached%2Bp%2Bno%2Bcream%2B0026.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="751" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Is-jjlIfEog/TT3hg1YBQ-I/AAAAAAAAB8k/nEALVzuQQc4/s1600/poached%2Bp%2Bno%2Bcream%2B0026.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br />
Peter (AKA Mr. <a href="http://souvlakiforthesoul.com/">Souvlaki for the Soul</a>) is my flickr/blogging/photographer friend. We met in a flickr photography group years ago and have been chatting over email ever since. He's in Australia, I'm in NY, and neither of us ever had occasion to be in the same part of the world until recently. Despite this, we've had a regular, lovely dialogue over email for years, chatting about blogging, photography, seeking advice on client challenges, photography equipment and of course, gossiping and talking about nothing at all. Even though we never met in person, I felt a real friendship with him. When my son was born, he sent a beautiful baby blanket from <a href="http://www.donnahay.com.au/">Donna Hay</a>'s store, knowing what a huge fan of her I am. It was very touching to say the least. A few months ago his "day job" took him to New York. I've never had the experience of having a virtual friend become an in-person one and it could have been incredibly strange to meet face-to-face. But it wasn't - in fact - it was comforting to see that he's exactly the same person live as on email - and exactly who I expected him to be.<br />
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Fortunately he's been in town twice since and we've been able to have short visits each time. It's been fun getting to know him better. He does different work than I do, with a different approach and it's been nice learning from each other. I don't know that many photographers, and it's always wonderful to spend time with someone who shares the same passion.<br />
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<div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><div style="text-align: center;"><img height="897" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Is-jjlIfEog/TT3fKizXGhI/AAAAAAAAB8g/7R-Lmm4U8nM/storyboard4.jpg" width="600" /></div><br />
Just after Christmas, Peter was in town and brought gifts not only for me, but also for my husband and son - so sweet. Mine was a copy of <a href="http://www.donnahay.com.au/">Donna Hay</a>'s latest. I could not wait to get my hands on it! There are so many simple, great recipes in there that I didn't know where to start. The poached pears grabbed me because they are winter-inspired and also because they are not poached in the typical wine, but rather in a vanilla syrup which preserves their color and makes them a beautiful white-on-white which is always such a nice, graphical aesthetic, isn't it. In fact, maybe it's because the cityscape is a snowy one but I've been loving all things white on white lately. It's soft and comforting, isn't it?<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Is-jjlIfEog/TT3iWP1S5gI/AAAAAAAAB8s/mcqUbVMP-bI/s1600/Capture0025-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="751" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Is-jjlIfEog/TT3iWP1S5gI/AAAAAAAAB8s/mcqUbVMP-bI/s1600/Capture0025-3.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br />
Thanks, Peter, for the book - I am really going to enjoy it!<br />
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<b>Poached Pears ("Vanilla Pears")</b> <i>from Donna Hay's <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0732291925?ie=UTF8&tag=cookbookcatch-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0732291925">Fast Fresh Simple</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=cookbookcatch-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0732291925" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></i><br />
<i>(serves 4)</i><br />
<br />
2 cups water<br />
1 cup caster (superfine) sugar<br />
1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped<br />
4 firm brown pears, peeled, halved and cored<br />
Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream to serve<br />
<br />
Place the water, sugar and vanilla bean and seeds in a deep frying pan over medium-high heat and bring to boil. Add pears and simmer for 3 minutes each side or until just tender. Serve with some of the poaching syrup and vanilla ice cream/whipped cream. <br />
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</div>Sabrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00328549946090033100noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29738446.post-57687293132708436382011-01-14T16:48:00.002-05:002011-01-15T22:33:36.455-05:00In love with sprouts<div style="text-align: center;" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><img height="751" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Is-jjlIfEog/TTC6xQYJtlI/AAAAAAAAB8Q/MKOMB7n1i7A/sprouts%203991.jpg" width="500" /><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">I love Brussels sprouts. We've been eating Brussels sprouts in abundance this winter. I have a few recipes that I love: <a href="http://www.spoonfulblog.com/2010/01/re-exploring-brussels-sprouts.html">this one</a> using just the leaves is wonderful. I also love shredding them in the Cuisinart, saut<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12pt;">é</span>ing them quickly in olive oil and garlic, removing them from the heat, squeezing half a lime on them and shaving Parmesan on the top. Just thinking about it makes me hungry!</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">The fastest, simplest way to prepare them is to trim the brown ends off, cut them in half and then saute them in a cat-iron skillet to really get them to develop wonderful color and flavor. I like to render some thick-cut slab bacon in the pan first to add flavor and kick it up with some crushed red pepper. Last weekend, I made them for my sister-in-law, who is not a huge fan of greens - I think they passed the test.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">My camera is having some problems and is in the shop. I feel completely naked without it and rented a replacement until my baby is fixed. I decided to treat myself and rent a better camera than my usual one: this is so much fun! Can you notice a difference? I feel like I can, but maybe it's just my imagination! I'm looking forward to wandering around snowy New York this weekend and clicking away. It's all mine until Monday morning!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Brussels sprouts with slab bacon</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">1 lb Brussels sprouts, brown end trimmed, sliced in half</div><div style="text-align: left;">1 thick slice slab bacon, cubed</div><div style="text-align: left;">1 Tbs olive oil (chili-infused if you want extra flavor)</div><div style="text-align: left;">1/4 tsp crushed red pepper</div><div style="text-align: left;">Sea salt </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Heat oil in a cast-iron skillet over medium-low heat. Saut<style>
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</style><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12pt;">é</span> bacon until fat renders. Add sprouts, toss them to ensure they are well coated in the bacon fat and oil, season very generously with salt and saut<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12pt;">é</span> (turning them only occasionally so they brown nicely), until fork-tender. If they brown more than you would like before tender, simply add a few Tbs of water or chicken stock, cover and allow to steam until tender. Enjoy!<br />
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By the way, I couldn't resist picking up persimmons in the store today. I am really not sure what to do with them, although my first thought was jam? What would you do?<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Is-jjlIfEog/TTDIrMvmjQI/AAAAAAAAB8Y/pmg7R4I4l9U/s1600/persimmon+4072.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="751" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Is-jjlIfEog/TTDIrMvmjQI/AAAAAAAAB8Y/pmg7R4I4l9U/s1600/persimmon+4072.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br />
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</div></div>Sabrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00328549946090033100noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29738446.post-6771341509339514632010-12-31T23:07:00.002-05:002010-12-31T23:07:59.627-05:00Happy new year!<div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><div style="text-align: center;"><img height="751" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Is-jjlIfEog/TR6oaTs44kI/AAAAAAAAB8I/twzQmzBB5Dk/enjoy%200019-153.jpg" width="500" /></div><br />
May 2011 bring all the best to you and your family. Thanks for reading this year.<br />
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Best,<br />
Sabra </div>Sabrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00328549946090033100noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29738446.post-31229940516816284282010-12-14T21:06:00.003-05:002010-12-14T21:15:22.253-05:00Custom holiday cards!<div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><div style="text-align: center;"><img height="697" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Is-jjlIfEog/TQgg-xxabFI/AAAAAAAAB78/eCZ8r15xjT0/holiday%20card%20front.jpg" width="500" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">card front</span></b></div><br />
Doing some major holiday card procrastinating? I have the answer for you: custom holiday cards from SABRA KROCK photography! Package of 25, professionally-printed 4x5x5 folded cards with text as shown or custom text, $52. Front image features a white branch with paper snowflakes cut from a vintage encyclopedia (no two flakes are alike!). 25 plain white envelopes included. Packet will arrive tied with a red ribbon. Nice holiday stocking stuffer too! Cards suitable for the year-end holidays, New Years or general greetings. Please allow 5 days to ship. (note: SK photography watermark will not be present on printed cards).<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><br />
<img height="697" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Is-jjlIfEog/TQgg_H7QUcI/AAAAAAAAB8A/SYHfMpye-kY/holiday%20card%20inside%20right.jpg" width="500" /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>inside, right</b><br />
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<div style="text-align: left;">Please email me if interested!<b> </b></div></div>Sabrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00328549946090033100noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29738446.post-80222058568490525042010-12-06T13:18:00.001-05:002010-12-07T08:43:45.370-05:00Apples, light and sweet<div style="text-align: center;" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><img height="751" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Is-jjlIfEog/TP0kr6jo-lI/AAAAAAAAB70/WZreka_9dig/Img15178.jpg" width="500" /></div><br />
I shot this as part of a puff pastry and phyllo dough story. This is such a delicious, easy apple dumpling that you can bake while you are having dinner and have it fresh and hot for dessert. Or, if you are feeling particularly decadent, have it for breakfast with some hot coffee or tea - it would be a wonderful weekend treat.<br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Apple dumpling</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>(makes 6-8 pieces)</i></div><div class="MsoNormal">Packaged phyllo dough, defrosted</div><div class="MsoNormal">1 red delicious apple, cut into small dice (remove skin if desired)</div><div class="MsoNormal">1 tablespoon granulated sugar, plus extra for dusting</div><div class="MsoNormal">½ - 1 teaspoon cinnamon as desired</div><div class="MsoNormal">¼ cup chopped walnuts</div><div class="MsoNormal">Sanding sugar </div><div class="MsoNormal">Butter for brushing</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Combine apple, sugar, cinnamon and nuts. Lay phyllo sheet on counter, short side facing you. Brush with butter and dust lightly with granulated sugar. Place ½ apple mixture on phyllo about 2 inches from edge closest to you. Spread evenly across dough leaving 1 inch on both sides. Fold sides of dough in over mixture and roll dough away from you creating cigar-like roll filled with dough. Do not roll too tightly or dough will tear. Place seam-side down on a non-stick baking sheet, brush with butter and sprinkle with sanding sugar. Repeat with remaining filling.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Bake for 10-15 minutes or until phyllo dough is golden. Allow to cool slightly and then cut rolls into slices of desired length. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Tips</i></div><ul><li>Don’t freeze your dough for too long: pay attention to expiration dates</li>
<li>Plan ahead: phyllo dough needs to defrost in the refrigerator for 8 hours to overnight depending on manufacturer’s instructions</li>
<li> Work quickly once dough has defrosted: phyllo dough will begin to dry out instantly: have your ingredients ready to assemble and keep a damp cloth over phyllo dough while working</li>
<li>Brushing pastry with butter or egg wash before putting it in the oven will help to brown the top and lend a sheen to the pastry. Sprinkling with a course (sanding) sugar will add some shine and sweetness to a sweet dish</li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div>Sabrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00328549946090033100noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29738446.post-33795307386467118772010-11-28T10:23:00.000-05:002010-11-28T10:23:30.764-05:00Pizza for lunch (with spicy chili oil!)<div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Is-jjlIfEog/TO1vUmEwqbI/AAAAAAAAB7c/tt9GRpEQxck/_DSC1832.jpg" /> </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
Is everyone in as big of a tryptophan coma as I am? Pfew - that was a lot of turkey - and leftovers. It was a great holiday (my favorite). Hope you enjoyed yours too. I thought I'd provide a little inspiration to move back into the kitchen with something simple, and not about turkey leftovers: homemade pizza. Have you ever made pizza at home? The trick is buying the dough - it makes cooking a snap. Whole foods sells a wonderful refrigerated dough that comes in several varieties including multi-grain. Unlike the others doughs you find in the market, this one doesn't need to be defrosted - it's fresh and ready to go. Your local pizza store will probably sell you dough - and if they're nice, they'll even sell you one of their rolled out doughs which will save you even more time. Top with some roasted garlic, fresh ricotta, a sprinkling of shredded mozzarella, some fresh grated Parmesan, some fresh shredded basil leaves and tomatoes, season with salt and pepper, and bake at 450 degrees F on a hot pizza stone or the back of a cookie sheet for to minutes until crust is golden and cheese is bubbling. There are a couple of tricks: 1) once you roll out your dough, allow it to sit for 10 minutes sot that it settles and won't bounce back. 2) Pull it out or press it out with your fingers to stretch it back out if it shrinks back after your initial shaping. 3) Do this on parchment paper so that you just slide it into the oven when you are ready and 4) heat your stone for 30-60 minutes before you are going to use it - this will ensure the crust crisps nicely.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><img height="751" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Is-jjlIfEog/TO1vVqnfFqI/AAAAAAAAB7g/qX06LaEw8qs/chilli%20oil%201904.jpg" width="500" /> </div><div style="text-align: left;">And what better to season your pizza than some spicy chili oil? Heat olive oil (needn't be your best) in a pan with dried chilis, allow to cool, and then pour into sterilized jars. It will get better the longer you let it sit. This would make a nice little homemade holiday gift for someone who loves to kick it up a notch. </div></div>Sabrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00328549946090033100noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29738446.post-29486538526821641822010-11-24T16:06:00.000-05:002010-11-24T16:06:37.916-05:00Happy Thanksgiving!<div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><div style="text-align: center;"><img height="752" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Is-jjlIfEog/TO17r8v-CoI/AAAAAAAAB7k/YwSr1scAt8M/making%20pumpkin%20pie%200677.jpg" width="500" /></div><br />
I've been cooking all day. Bet you have too! So far, I've made <i>Gourmet's</i> <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Cranberry-Grappa-Jelly-240562">cranberry grappa mould</a>, a pumpkin pie, <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/27/dining/27powerrex1.html">verjuice dessert bars</a>, made stracciatella gelato, four <a href="http://www.spoonfulblog.com/2007/11/pumpkin-cranberry-bread.html">cranberry-pumpkin loaves</a> (for breakfast the next day - to give to my guests in take-home bags), brined the turkey, prepared the brussels sprouts, sauteed apples for <a href="http://www.spoonfulblog.com/2010/11/date-with-some-cows-and-romp-in-woods.html">apple crisp</a> and shopped for everything else that's getting prepared tomorrow! Pfew! I was lucky to have my sister-in-law chopping and stirring today, and then my mom arrived and immediately started cooking a stock to be used for the gravy tomorrow (gravy's her specialty). My aunt is uptown in another kitchen cooking sides.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><img height="751" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Is-jjlIfEog/TO17v8XjeiI/AAAAAAAAB7s/lR1WUiLXCO0/pumpkin%20pie%200833.jpg" width="500" /></div></div><br />
Tomorrow I have <a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/potato-n-onion-cakes">potato and onion cakes</a> to make, <a href="http://www.spoonfulblog.com/2010/01/re-exploring-brussels-sprouts.html">brussels sprouts</a>, and the <a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/roast-turkey-with-quince-glaze">turkey</a>, of course. I'll bake the topping on the <a href="http://www.spoonfulblog.com/2010/11/date-with-some-cows-and-romp-in-woods.html">crisp</a> right before dessert. Looking forward to it all!<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><img height="751" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Is-jjlIfEog/TO17t_K1AvI/AAAAAAAAB7o/X2r2de124NI/pumpkin%20pie%200792.jpg" width="500" /></div><br />
My <a href="http://simplystated.realsimple.com/simplystated/">pumpkin pie go-to recipe appeared on realsimple.com</a> today. If you are a last-minute baker, hop on over and <a href="http://simplystated.realsimple.com/simplystated/">check it out</a>.<br />
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Happy Thanksgiving!Sabrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00328549946090033100noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29738446.post-81651501668921598182010-11-20T19:45:00.000-05:002010-11-20T19:45:19.737-05:00A date with some cows and a romp in the woods (oh - and apple crisp)<div style="text-align: center;" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Is-jjlIfEog/TOhcJTogJ3I/AAAAAAAAB68/dg5ikHRVkJU/storyboard2.jpg" /></div><br />
A couple of weeks ago after a somewhat difficult week, my husband and I decided to treat ourselves with a mid-week drive up to the Hudson river valley for a long walk with our dog and a visit to a local orchard to pick apples. Apple picking is one of my favorite Fall treats and we were just in time to catch the very end of the season and the last of the beautiful Fall foliage. I looked up an orchard I hadn't been to before and we decided to make it the last stop on our drive.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Is-jjlIfEog/TOheSf_ma9I/AAAAAAAAB7I/9ydM9NBJO1k/_DSC9591.jpg" /></div><br />
About an hour out of the city the drive becomes beautiful. Toward the end, we pass scenic horse farms and grazing dairy cows. The area is woodsy and the trees are old and majestic. Fall is a wonderful time to visit: the leaves paint the woods a fire-y orange and at high points, the fallen leaves allow for peppered views to the Catskills in the distance.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><img height="399" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Is-jjlIfEog/TOhfNjrQ3YI/AAAAAAAAB7Q/0Rb3oOddx5E/_DSC9694.jpg" width="600" /></div><br />
There's always somewhere fun to stop for lunch. We usually seek out a wholesome sandwich shop and a local coffee shop that takes its individuality (but not much else) seriously. This time, we stopped in Rhinebeck and remembered how much we like the town.<br />
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We followed directions to the orchard and were surprised when we found an empty parking lot and happy to smell apple pie wafting out of a barn-like structure in the distance. As we approached we were greeted and told that we had come to the "offices" and that pick your own was several towns away - too far away to enable is to make it back to the city in time for our commitments.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Is-jjlIfEog/TOhhmRWhKRI/AAAAAAAAB7U/mXqcZ5MUtVk/crumble%201782.jpg" /></div><br />
Needless to say I was very disappointed. It was my first and last chance at apples picked (myself) from a tree for the season. I sadly vowed to continue on with at least some of the lofty plans I had for my pick-your-own bounty. Buying apples at the farmer's market is not nearly as personally satisfying - but at least I know that someone else picked them for market from exactly the same area.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Is-jjlIfEog/TOhiEHjiT4I/AAAAAAAAB7Y/taJJ3NNtyN0/crumble%201762.jpg" /></div><br />
This crumble is so delish, it will take the sting out of whatever disappointment you might be facing ...<br />
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<b>Apple crumble</b> <i>(serves 4) (adapted from delicious magazine)</i><br />
<br />
5 granny smith apples, peeled, cored and cut into thin wedges<br />
4 Tbs unsalted butter, chopped<br />
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar <br />
1 cinnamon stick<br />
1 vanilla bean, split and seeded<br />
<br />
<i>Crumble</i><br />
<br />
1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar<br />
1 tsp baking powder<br />
3/4 cup rolled oats <br />
1/2 cup plain flour<br />
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon<br />
1/3 cup sliced almonds<br />
6 Tbs chilled unsalted butter, cubed<br />
pinch salt<br />
confectioner's sugar for dusting, if desired <br />
<br />
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.<br />
<br />
Melt butter and brown sugar in a pan over low heat until sugar is dissolved. Stir in apple slices, cinnamon stick, vanilla bean pod and seeds. Partially cover and cook, stirring occasionally until apples are fork-tender. Discard vanilla pod and cinnamon stick. Divide apples among four oven-proof bowls.<br />
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With your fingers, combine crumble ingredients, rubbing butter into other ingredients until it is evenly distributed and creates pea-sized crumbs. Distribute crumble over bowls. Drizzle with some of the cooking liquid and bake for 8-10 minutes until crumble is golden and apples are bubbling. Dust with confectioner's sugar if desired.Sabrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00328549946090033100noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29738446.post-34131357708311400642010-11-14T12:00:00.003-05:002010-11-15T10:19:46.409-05:00Cranberries!<div style="text-align: center;" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Is-jjlIfEog/TOAS_s47htI/AAAAAAAAB6w/skSNIS4h7Oc/Capture0117.jpg" /></div><br />
The holiday edition of <a href="http://www.sweetpaulmag-digital.com/sweetpaulmag/holiday2010#pg1">Sweet Paul Magazine</a> is out now. There's so much fun stuff in there, I can't wait to spend some time with it to see what everyone else has contributed (btw: check out Paul's very clever <a href="http://www.sweetpaulmag-digital.com/sweetpaulmag/holiday2010#pg24">pendant lamp</a> - I am in love with it). My piece is on cranberries and begins on <a href="http://www.sweetpaulmag-digital.com/sweetpaulmag/holiday2010#pg104">page 104</a>. Paul wrote the cake recipes and I wrote the sugared cranberry recipe.<br />
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I adore cranberries and love this time of year when they are available fresh. This year, try dressing your turkey with a raw cranberry "sauce" versus the traditional kind - you will be surprised about how crunch, fresh and flavorful cranberries can be. Paul's version is in the article, and another great, savory one to try from an old post on this blog can be seen <a href="http://www.spoonfulblog.com/2006/11/cranberry-orange-relish.html">here</a>.<br />
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Have you ever tried sugared cranberries? They are a delight to the eyes (the perfect decoration for a cranberry mould or a cheese plate) and a surprise to the tongue - they become completely crunchy like a hard candy. They are a cinch to make - just have them ready no more than a day ahead. Humidity is not their friend. Enjoy!<br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Sugared cranberries</b></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">2 cups sugar</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">2 cups water</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">2 cups fresh cranberries, rinsed, patted dry and picked over</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">1 cup+ medium-grained sugar for dusting</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">Create simple syrup by heating 2 cups sugar with 2 cups water until sugar is completely dissolved.</span><span style="font-size: small;"> Allow mixture to cool off-heat for a few minutes so that cranberries won’t pop when simple syrup is poured over them.</span><span style="font-size: small;"> Put cranberries in a large heat-proof bowl and pout simple syrup over them.</span><span style="font-size: small;"> Allow to cool completely, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">Drain liquid from cranberries.</span><span style="font-size: small;"> Roll cranberries in sugar (note: one simple way to do this is to pour sugar onto a baking sheet and place a handful of cranberries on sheet and move back and forth to coat.</span><span style="font-size: small;"> If sugar clumps replace with fresh sugar.</span><span style="font-size: small;"> Repeat handful by handful until all cranberries are coated.</span><span style="font-size: small;"> Spread coated cranberries onto two baking sheets and allow to dry for a couple of hours.</span><span style="font-size: small;"> Sugar will dry and cranberries will turn into a crispy candy.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri,Verdana,Helvetica,Arial;">Best used same day<span style="font-size: 11pt;"> <br />
</span></span></div>Sabrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00328549946090033100noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29738446.post-4072330288559007392010-11-06T16:25:00.000-04:002010-11-06T16:25:45.851-04:00Babies!<div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Is-jjlIfEog/TNW1kFvkVWI/AAAAAAAAB6s/4Q3LjOoA9vk/storyboard1.jpg" /></div></div><br />
One of the reasons that I changed the name of my blog was to have a forum for sharing not only my food/still life work and ideas but also my portrait photography work. I've been photographing more and more children/families and have had such a great experience sharing a moment with some wonderful clients. <br />
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When you do portrait work, you really develop a relationship of sorts with your subjects (albeit a very short one). There's the hours involved in the sitting where you have an opportunity to talk to and get to know them, and then so many hours involved in processing the images and turning them into family memories and display pieces. I love that the moments captured become a documented part of a family's history. It's rewarding to be able to provide something so important to them. From my experience, the people who spend the time and money to capture and memoralize these moments are truly lovely people.<br />
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I thought I'd share a few of my favorite newborn images from this year. There are so many - it's hard to whittle them down to just a few. I have been favoring black and whites lately. They are so quiet and peaceful - there is nothing to distract. If you are interested, more can be seen <a href="http://www.sabrakrockkids.com/">here</a>. <br />
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One very different aspect of my portrait business from my food/still life business is that I turn the images into final products, producing prints, albums, canvasses and other display pieces. I've really developed a point of view about how to display images in a way that you can really appreciate them. I'll share some learnings here soon. I recently went to the PDN photography expo at the Javitz center in NY - it was a huge expo of the different vendors of printing services available to professional photographers. I left with a lot of materials to comb through and a lot of new ideas. It is all very fun and exciting.<br />
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Let me know what types of things you might be interested in - it will help me shape posts on this subject.Sabrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00328549946090033100noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29738446.post-56649605970032125182010-10-29T19:54:00.000-04:002010-10-29T19:54:28.031-04:00Mad about pumpkins - happy Halloween!<div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><div style="text-align: center;" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Is-jjlIfEog/TMtafURzQLI/AAAAAAAAB6k/PNFknQwahms/leaves-0970.jpg" /><br />
<div style="text-align: left;"><br />
I photographed some floral arrangements for <a href="http://www.designspongeonline.com/">Design*Sponge</a>'s upcoming book this week. They were absolutely beautiful. <a href="http://emersonmerrick.blogspot.com/">Amy Merrick</a> arranged them and she did a wonderful job. I really don't have much of a green thumb, but looking at her arrangements sent me up to the flower district to have a look around. She brought a Cinderella pumpkin (I had never heard of that variety before). It's the most beautiful pumpkin I have ever seen. As far as I'm concerned, there is no reason to buy a conventional pumpkin again!<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Is-jjlIfEog/TMtaFZ9KTyI/AAAAAAAAB6c/coUK2WGarvE/leaves-1098.jpg" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">I've also been loving ghost pumpkins. They seem to be popping up everywhere. I have some out on the table now and they are definitely going to play a role in Thanksgiving decor. They are so subdued and elegant - i just love them.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Is-jjlIfEog/TMtaF2JcnQI/AAAAAAAAB6g/T26axtYHNcg/leaves-1129.jpg" /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
I found a large one in the floral district today and immediately thought of turning it into a lantern. Not a traditional jack-o'-lantern but something a little more sophisticated. I haven't gotten into Halloween festivities yet - but this seemed like just the right toe in. A knife, a drill, and a few minutes later and I had a little nod to Halloween. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img height="751" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Is-jjlIfEog/TMtaEOtrvTI/AAAAAAAAB6Y/uT9NijQfbu8/leaves-1171.jpg" width="500" /></div><br />
The best part? I now have seeds to roast. I already know just what I want to do with them - more on that later.<br />
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Happy Halloween!</div>Sabrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00328549946090033100noreply@blogger.com9