Blonde Brownies

I made these blonde brownies as an All Hallow's Eve surprise for a cutie out in cali, but the postal service failed me and lost my precious box of baked goods somewhere in between here and there. I do know that they turned out well as I sampled the snacks before sending them off. It makes me sad/angry to know that those adorable little pumpkin decorations will go unseen, but at least I have the internet through which to show them off.

2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup butter
2 cups brown sugar (firmly packed)
2 eggs (lightly beaten)
2 teaspoons vanilla
6 ounces chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

In a saucepan, melt the butter and mix in the brown sugar. When well combined, pour into a large bowl and let cool. When cool, add the eggs and vanilla. Slowly add the dry ingredients. Combine everything well.

Spread batter into a greased 9x13 inch pan. Sprinkle chocolate chips generously over the top. Bake for 25-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let blondies cool in the pan before cutting into squares.

French Onion Soup

This traditional French soup is sure to warm your soul on a cold winter (wait- isn't it still Fall?!) night. It is especially good when you use beef stock left over from a Rosh Hashanah brisket. Onions appear in almost everything I cook, but usually as part of the chorus. So here is a masterpiece solo for everyone's favorite chemical-warfare inclined vegetable.

7 medium yellow onions (sliced thin)
3 Tablespoons butter
1 Tablespoon oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
3 Tablespoons flour
2 quarts beef stock
1/2 cup dry white wine
Salt
Pepper
Bread
Gruyere cheese (grated)

Melt the butter and oil together in a huge saucepan (at least 4 quarts). Cook onions over low heat in the covered saucepan for 15-20 minutes, until they start to sweat. Uncover and raise heat to medium. Add salt and sugar and cook for another 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onions are soft and golden brown. Sprinkle in the flour and stir for another 3 minutes.

Meanwhile, set your beef stock to boil. When the stock is boiling and the onions are ready, combine the two off heat. Add the wine and season with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer partially covered for 40 minutes or more.

Pour into soup bowls, float bread or croutons on top, and sprinkle with grated gruyere cheese. Broil just until cheese is melted and starting to brown. Bon appétit!

Kale with Pancetta and Cannellini Beans

Now for something a little more seasonal. We all know kale rocks because it's so healthy, but this dish is also really delicious. I swear.

2 slices pancetta (chopped into cubes)
1 1/2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 small red onion (chopped)
3 cloves garlic (crushed)
1 bunch of kale (roughly chopped)
1 can (15 oz) cannellini beans
Salt

Microwave the chopped pancetta for 3 minutes, until pancetta is crispy. Drain the drippings. Set aside.

In a very large frying pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until soft. Add the garlic and cook a minute or two more. Stir in the chopped greens. Add salt to taste, but be conservative as the kale will wilt down considerably and absorb a lot of flavor. Cover the pan partially and let cook until greens begin to wilt. Stir in the pancetta and cannellini. Partially cover again and cook for another 5 minutes. The dish is ready when the kale is nice and tender.

Fig Tart with Caramelized Onions, Rosemary, and Stilton

So long sweet summer. As my final farewell to the season of the sun I wanted to eat figs one last time before they disappear for a while. When I saw this recipe in the times I knew immediately I had to try it. Already too late in the season for the ubiquitous Black Mission Fig, I had to use the less sweet, but still delightful Kadota Fig. This tart turned out amazingly, and has served as the impetus for my new found affection for puff pastry (freezer variety - not making my own... yet). Look forward to more puff pastry treats in the future.

2 Tablespoons butter (unsalted)
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 large onions (halved lengthwise and then thinly sliced)
2 sprigs rosemary (more for garnish)
Pinch of sugar
1 teaspoons good balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup milk
1 egg
Flour for dusting
3/4 pound puff pastry dough
1 pint (3/4 pound) fresh figs (stemmed and cut in half lengthwise)
1 1/2 ounces (6 Tablespoons) Stilton cheese (crumbled)
2 Tablespoons pine nuts
Good quality honey for drizzling (optional)

Preheat oven the 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Start by melting together the butter and the olive oil in a large skillet over low heat. Add the onions, rosemary, and a pinch of sugar to the skillet. Cook until onions are limp and golden brown, about 40 minutes. Add the vinegar and stir well.

In a small bowl, whisk together the milk and egg. Add the onions to this mixture.

Line an 11x17 inch baking sheet with parchment paper. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the puff pastry dough until it is a 9x12 inch rectangle. Transfer pastry onto baking sheet.

Use a fork to spread the onion mixture evenly over the pastry, leaving a one inch border. Let excess egg remain in bowl as it will get used later. Arrange the figs, cut-side up, on top of onion mixture. Scatter cheese and pine nuts on top of everything. Use a pastry brush to paint the egg mixture onto the edges. Gently fold the edges over to give the tart a lip. Brush the lip with more egg mixture.


Bake about 25-30 minutes, until pastry has puffed up and turned slightly golden. Sprinkle with some more rosemary needles and drizzle with good honey, if desired.

I served mine warm right out of the oven, but I think it would be good at room temperature also. Three cheers for stilton, figs, and puff pastry. Yeah.

Butterscotch Cashew Bars

Today's food item of focus is the cashew. With an abundance of cashews in the pantry, I thought this would be a good starting point for my next baking project. I scoured the internet and was a little disappointed by how few recipes are out there for cashew centered baked goods. Butterscotch and cashews is an explosive flavor combination, and this recipe does a great job wedding them.

For shortbread layer:
2 sticks butter (room temperature)
1 cup light brown sugar (firmly packed)
1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
2 1/2 cups flour

For butterscotch/nut layer:
11 ounces butterscotch chips
3/4 cup light corn syrup
1 Tablespoon & 1 teaspoon water
2 cups roasted, salted, whole cashwes

Preheat oven to 350 degress Fahrenheit.

Spray a 9x13 inch pan with cooking spray. Then, line the pan with two pieces of parchment paper, one down the width and one down the length. Spray the parchment with the cooking spray.


Beat butter, brown sugar, and salt with an electric mixer on medium speed for a minute or 2, until combined. Add the flour, and mix in on low speed just until the flour is incorporated. Press the dough evenly into the pan, being sure not to apply too much pressure to the dough. Poke some holes in the dough with a fork. Bake between 30 and 40 minutes, until the crust is golden. Cool on a wire rack.

Meanwhile, melt together the butterscotch, corn syrup, and water over low heat. Stir until everything is melted together. Pour this mixture evenly on top of the crust. Sprinkle the cashews over the butterscotch. Bake for another 5 minutes. Remove from oven to wire rack and cool completely before cutting into squares with a very sharp knife.

This sweet-salty treat is seriously irresistible.

Chocolate Banana Cake

I first learned of kefir about two years ago when I started reading Harold McGee's book On Food and Cooking. I searched for it high and low, but discovered the only way to really try it was to find someone with a parent culture who was willing to give you some of the grains and have you make your own. About a year later, I did see a kefir beverage in a health food store in Berkeley, CA, but after learning how this stuff was meant to be brewed, I figured any commercially available version of it would not be as gnarly as the 'real' stuff.

THEN I moved to Hungary. Kefir originated thousands of years ago in the Caucasus Mountains. Nomadic tribes would ferment cows' and goats' milk with the grains and basically survive on the effervescent, slightly alcoholic, creamy beverage that ensued. Kefir grains were considered so valuable that they were used as a measure of a family's wealth. There are lots of myths surrounding the tale of how humans first discovered kefir grains. My favorite involves God giving the chosen people kefir grains as a kind of manna. Anyway, in the early 1900's the grains and secret techniques were acquired by some Russian physicians who, in turn, made kefir an enormously popular drink throughout Russia and it's areas of influence. In Hungary, kefir is available in every single market you enter. I enjoyed it and it's health benefits while I was living there, but due to a useless, if beautiful, antique oven, I never really got my bake on in Budapest.

Enter New York and Trader Joe's. Upon returning to the states, it was brought to my attention that kefir is now available at Trader Joe's! w00t w00t! I've been drinking it daily and making smoothies, but I knew I needed to try it out in baking. This cake turned out pretty good, but I'm thinking next time I'll use kefir to make pancakes, or maybe muffins.

2/3 cup butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate
2 1/4 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup ripe bananas (mashed)
1/3 cup kefir
1 teaspoon vanilla
Confectioner's sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Beat the butter in an electric mixing bowl, gradually add the sugar, creaming together for a light and fluffy consistency. Add each egg separately, beating well after each addition.

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler over water that is just below boiling. Once the chocolate is well melted, add it to the creamed butter mixture.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. In another separate bowl, combine the mashed bananas and the kefir. Add the banana mixture alternately with the dry mixture to the butter and egg, beating well after each addition. Add the vanilla.

Pour this into a 11x9x2 inch pan, lined on the bottom with greased paper. Bake for about 35-40 minutes. Cool and sprinkle with confectioner's sugar. Cut into pieces.


A little more about kefir. The grains live forever and apparently they even multiply and grow quite rapidly. I'm thinking I'll find someone with grains so that I might start to make my own. I still imagine that the homemade variety has far more good bacteria and effervescent-fermented goodness than the supermarket breed.

Interestingly, I found a few sources claiming that the etymology of the word "kefir" is from the Turkish root "keif", meaning 'good feeling' (in reference to the incredible feeling of health and well being experienced after consuming it - a feeling I can attest to!). Ten points to anyone who can think of another word that has obviously evolved from this same root...

Lemon Squares

This one is my mom's specialty, and she finally let me in on her (not so) secret recipe. I think I could eat a million of these.

For shortbread crust:
2 cups flour
1 cup butter (room temperature)
1/2 cup sugar

For lemony goodness:
2 cups sugar
4 eggs (beaten)
6 Tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 Tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon baking powder

Powdered sugar (for sprinkling on top).

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.

Start by blending together the flour, butter, and sugar for the crust in a food processor. When the ingredients are well combined, press the mixture into a 11x9x2 inch pan. Pop in oven and bake for about 20-25 minutes, or until the shortbread is starting to turn slightly brown on top.

Next, mix together the sugar, eggs, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, flour, and baking powder. Mix well, being sure there are no chunks of flour or sugar remaining. Pour the lemon mixture on top of the hot shortbread. Bake another 25 minutes. Removed from oven and cool thoroughly. Sift powdered sugar in a thin layer over the entire pan. Cut into squares and dive into lemon ecstasy.

Thai Red Curry

This is probably my favorite thing to make (and eat), and I make it more regularly than anything else. It's taken this long to get it on the interweb because I never seem to get a good photo of it. At this point, I surrender. I'll post some photos now, and maybe update at a later time if I ever do capture it appropriately. So, for now, here it is - the legendary Thai red curry!

1 onion (chopped)
2 cloves garlic (minced)
Olive oil
1 can (14 ounces) coconut milk
2 Tablespoons Thai red curry paste
1 teaspoon fish sauce
Chili paste (or chili oil)
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon fresh ground ginger
1 lime
4 chicken breasts (cut into bite size pieces)
Vegetables (cut into bite size pieces)
Rice
Basil

What makes this recipe so awesome is that it's very flexible. All of the ingredients for the sauce are really to taste, so proportions are not set in stone. Different curry pastes can be very different (especially in the hotness-factor), so add slowly and taste your way to the best flavor. I usually use chicken, but any meat/seafood/tofu would work. Also, all sorts of vegetables are good in this dish. Some of my favorites are broccoli, cauliflower, romanesco, red peppers, string beans, water chestnuts, bamboo shoots, mushrooms. Whatever you can find. Get creative!


Okay. Start by sauteing the onions and garlic in olive oil in a wok until translucent. Add the coconut milk and let everything warm together. Slowly add the curry paste until you reach a flavor that you like. Next add fish sauce, stir everything together and let it simmer for a few moments. Add chicken and let everything simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes. Stir dish and let simmer another 10 minutes. Add sugar and chili paste to sauce until desired flavor is achieved. Next add vegetables. Let everything simmer together until vegetables are cooked. The longer everything simmers, the thicker the sauce will get. If the sauce gets too thick, add some more water. Keep in mind that the vegetables will release a lot of water once they start cooking, so wait to add any water until after veggies have been added.
A few minutes before finishing, grate some fresh ginger into the wok. Stir to incorporate. Immediately before serving squeeze lime juice over curry and tear some fresh basil on top. Serve over rice. And there you have it!

Spicy Grilled Shrimp

This one was a first for me on a few fronts. My first time grilling and my first time deveining shrimp. The grilling part was fun and I hope to explore it further while it is still the appropriate season. The deveining part was tedious but definitely a good learning experience. After a while it was a somewhat meditative process. After hours of prep work, the shrimp cooked really quickly and were delicious. I will definitely be marinating and grilling again soon.

1 1/2 pounds shrimp
2 cloves garlic
1 lemon rind (finely grated)
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
6 Tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon chili paste
3 Tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon tomato paste
Salt
Pepper

Start by shelling and deveining shrimp. This is the time consuming part, but you can buy shrimp that are already cleaned to make this a whole lot easier.

Whisk together the garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, chili paste, soy sauce, and tomato paste. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Toss the shrimp in the marinade and mix them around to get good coverage. Place in refrigerator and let the shrimp soak in the marinade for about 2 hours.

When ready, heat the grill. Secure shrimp on skewers by poking through each piece twice. Once at the head and once at the tail. Place shrimp on grill. Brush each side with remaining marinade while grilling. Grill for about 4 minutes on each side.

White Bean Dip

This is the easiest recipe yet. It takes about 5 minutes to prepare and is so fresh and flavorful that it is hard to resist. You don't even really need a blender, but it makes the process a lot quicker.

1 can white beans
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 medium cloves garlic
1/2 a lemon
2 Tablespoons fresh rosemary
Salt
Pepper

Toss the beans, olive oil, whole garlic cloves, and juice from 1/2 a lemon into the blender. Blend until creamy and smooth. Stir in rosemary, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle some rosemary on top and voilà! You have yourself an awesome dip. Great on pita bread.

Blueberry Crumb Cake

I love this time of year when blueberries are sold in enormous quantities far beyond the amount any one household could eat before they start to rot. There are only two solutions for this kind of berry-overload: freezing and baking! This summer I have been trying to bake with blueberries at every opportunity. This recipe, which is adapted from the barefoot contessa, was so good that I actually made 2 of them in the past week. People love it when you show up at their house with a piece of cake, it will make them smile every time.

For streusel:
1/4 cup white sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 stick unsalted butter (melted)
1 1/3 cups flour

For cake:
6 Tablespoons unsalted butter (room temperature)
3/4 cup white sugar
2 eggs (room temperature)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest (grated)
2/3 cup sour cream
1 1/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries
Confectioner's sugar


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour a 9-inch round baking pan.

For streusel:
In a bowl combine white sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Add melted butter and then add the flour. Mix everything together until crumbly. Set aside

For cake:
Cream butter and sugar together with the paddle attachment of an electric mixer on high speed for about 4 minutes. Adjust mixer speed to low and then add the eggs, one at a time. Add vanilla, lemon zest, and sour cream while continuing to mix on low speed.

In a separate bowl, sift together flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Add this dry mixture to the wet mixture and combine on low speed until texture is consistent. Turn off mixer.

Fold in blueberries gently with a spatula, taking care that everything is well mixed.

Spoon the batter into the baking pan and spread evenly with the spatula. Crumble the topping with your hands evenly over the cake batter surface. Bake around 50 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Let cool completely. Sprinkle confectioner's sugar on top. Great served with coffee or ice cream!

Pasta with Caramelized Onions, Spinach, and Blue Cheese

Blue cheese and spinach are two of my favorite foods to begin with. So combining them with caramelized onions and tossing them over some pasta makes for a most delicious union of some of my favorite flavors. This dish is really easy to make, but can take a while if you go for the full effect of caramelization with the onions, which I always do.

6 onions (sliced thinly)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup dry white wine\
1 package spinach (minced)
1 1/2 cups crumbled blue cheese
Olive oil
Parmesan cheese (grated)
1 box pasta

Over medium heat, saute onions in olive oil for about 20 minutes. Add salt to onions and then put heat on low. Let onions continue to cook for up to an hour. The longer they cook the more pronounced the caramelized flavor will be. When you lose your patience waiting for the onions, adjust the heat to medium once again and add the white wine. Simmer for about 15 minutes to cook off the alcohol. Add the chopped spinach and cook together for a few minutes. Stir in the blue cheese and mix together on low heat until the cheese has melted into the sauce. Cook pasta al dente and then add to the pan and stir everything together to coat the pasta with sauce. Top with grated parmesan cheese.

O Mangalica!

This post has been a really long time coming. But, better late than never. Last winter I had the privilege to attend the annual Mangalica festival in Budapest. Mangalica (or Mangalitsa as it is pronounced in English) is an heirloom breed of pig that is native to Hungary and a crucial part of the Hungarian cuisine. They are also referred to as Wooly Pigs because of their thick coat of curly hair.


Some live Mangalica relaxing at the Mangalica Fesztival in Budapest

Due to the high maintenance required for raising these pigs, breeding of Mangalica was discouraged under communism, causing them to nearly die out. But over the last few decades, a renewed interest in these heritage hogs has increased the population once again. Importation to countries like Spain has also helped their survival. The popularity of the Mangalica breed has experienced a renaissance recently, as foodies in the states and elsewhere have discovered the delectable, marbled meat of this creature. Mangalica meat has an extremely high fat content, making it more juicy and flavorful than your average piece of pork. It is hard to find, and even harder to afford Mangalica in the States, but in Hungary it is everywhere, and I had the opportunity to enjoy it in many different ways.


Mangalica pieces cooking at the festival

This breed has become such a hot item for food lovers that the New York Times even had an article on them recently. Link here. They may be rare and expensive, but if you have the chance to try this succulent pork, I strongly suggest you do.

After tasting grilled Mangalica steak, petting the live hogs, and nibbling on a multitude of cured Mangalica sausages, I walked away from the festival with some sausage of my own. I paired it with a simple tomato cream sauce over pasta so as not to distract from the meat's luscious flavor. But consider yourself warned: this meat is so rich that a little bit goes a VERY long way.

Pasta with Tomato Cream Sauce and Mangalica Sausage

1 box pasta
1 1/3 cups cream
1/2 cup chicken stock
2 Tablespoons tomato paste
1 onion (chopped)
2 cloves garlic (chopped)
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper
Parsley
Mangalica sausage (sliced)
Parmesean chesse (grated)

Saute onions and garlic in olive oil until translucent. Add cream and simmer for a few minutes. Add chicken stock and tomato paste. Simmer for several minutes to let flavor develop. In a separate pan cook sausages without any oil, as they will release lots of fat. Add sausages and fat to sauce. Flavor with salt and pepper and let everything simmer together for a few minutes. Cook pasta al dente. Mix sauce with pasta and top with grated cheese and parsley. Egészségedre!

Lavender Honey & Rosewater Oatmeal Cookies

Last weekend I got some lavender honey from the local farmer's market which I wanted to use somehow in baking. Yesterday I had the brilliant idea to combine it with some rosewater that I purchased in Bulgaria for a flowerific flavored treat. I love how the smallest drop of rosewater really permeates the flavor of whatever it is added to. My next challenge will be to use it in a savory dish, a curry maybe?

3 tablespoons butter (room temperature)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup lavender honey
1 egg
1/2 tablespoon rosewater
1/2 tablespoon water
1/2 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cup oatmeal
1/3 cup walnuts (chopped)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease cookie sheets. Mix together butter, brown sugar, honey, egg, rosewater, and water in a mixer with a paddle attachment. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, salt, and baking soda. Mix in the oatmeal. Next, add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and stir together well. Add the walnuts and stir until the texture is consistent. Drop about 1 tablespoon of dough on the cookie sheet for each cookie. Remember that the cookies will spread when they are baking, so leave plenty of room between each one. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes.

Blueberry Zucchini Bread

Moving forward on the baking revolution, this weekend I made another delicious fruit bread inspired by the seasonal delight of blueberries.

3 eggs (beaten)
1 cup vegetable oil
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups white sugar
2 cups zucchini (shredded)
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 pint fresh blueberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 2 5x9 in baking pans. In a large bowl, beat together the eggs, vegetable oil, vanilla, and sugar. Fold the zucchini into this mixture.

In a separate bowl, mix together flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon. Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture and beat until texture is consistent. Gently fold in fresh blueberries. Pour into baking pans.

Bake for about 90 minutes, checking occasionally. Bread is done baking when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool about 20 minutes before turning out from pan. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Polenta with Italian Sausage, Fennel, and Onions

Historically, polenta is peasant food from northern Italy. This dish of boiled cornmeal is cheap, simple, and filling, making it a staple in the diets of the poor for generations. Today, however, it seems that polenta has joined the ranks of haute cuisine as it pops up on trendy menus and the tables of elite foodies worldwide. Here is a less-than-traditional but oh-so-delicious variation on the joy that is polenta.

1 lb sweet Italian sausage (cut into bite-size pieces)
1 onion (thinly sliced)
1 large bulb fennel (thinly sliced)
3 cups chicken stock
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 14 oz can pumpkin puree
1 cup quick-cooking polenta
1 tablespoon fresh thyme (chopped)
1/4 cup fresh parsley (chopped)
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup pecorino cheese (grated)
Salt
Pepper
Olive oil

Heat olive oil over medium heat. Add sausage and cook until browned. Remove sausages from pan and let sit. Add fennel and onions to pan and saute until tender. Add wine and sausages to pan and cook the alcohol away for a few minutes.

In a separate saucepan, bring the chicken stock and butter to a boil, then stir in the pumpkin puree. Add polenta to the boiling liquid, stirring constantly until desired texture is achieved. Remove polenta from heat and whisk in thyme, nutmeg, salt, pepper, and pecorino cheese. Serve sausage, fennel, and onions over polenta and top with parsley and pecorino for a last minute color and flavor kick.

Banana Bread

One of the perks of being back in New York is that I have access to an oven that actually has temperature control! This means I can start baking again and trying to recreate some of the delicious baked goods I've met on my journeys. For my first baking adventure back at home I went with an easy and familiar classic that is satisfying for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or dessert.

2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter (softened)
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 1/3 cups mashed bananas

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease the inside of a 9x15in baking pan. In a large bowl, mix flour, baking soda, and salt together. In a separate large bowl, cream the brown sugar and butter together. Add 2 eggs to the butter and brown sugar. Add mashed bananas to the wet mix. Slowly fold the wet mix into the dry mix until the consistency is uniform throughout. Pour into greased baking pan. Bake in oven for about 65-70 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool for 10 minutes and enjoy!

Mussels in White Wine Sauce

My life has been quite chaotic recently, traveling between Hungary, Slovenia, Croatia, and Germany since I last posted. Now that I am back in New York, I should find myself with plenty of time for activities such as digital communication and blogging. w00t w00t! So here is a recipe from my travels. Rovinj, Croatia enchanted me thoroughly with its island views, seafood and truffle laced cuisine, and Venetian architecture. On one fine day we made a trip to the fish market to scout the bounty.


After much deliberation, we settled on mussels for our dinner. And the results were phenomenal.

1.5 kilo of mussels
3 cups white wine
3 big cloves garlic (chopped)
3 large tomatoes (chopped)
Olive oil
Pepper
Fresh herbs (parsley, rosemary, sage)
1 box linguine

Be sure to wash each mussel thoroughly. These guys can be full of bacteria, so it's worth the effort to scrub. Also, only use mussels that are closed. If it is open, poke it to see if it closes its shell in reaction. If it doesn't, it is dead, and you do not want to eat it.

Pour the wine into a large pot with a lid. Add garlic, tomato (keep some aside for topping the final dish), fresh herbs, pepper, and a small amount of olive oil to the pot. Let cook over high heat until boiling. Add mussels to pot and cover. When steaming, reduce heat. After about 5 minutes, mussels should begin to open up. Remove each mussel immediately after it opens so as not to over cook it and cause it to be rubbery. Some mussels may take much longer than others to open.


Once all the mussels are open, serve over some al dente linguine and cover with the sauce that the mussels cooked in. The shellfish will release all sorts of juices into this broth, so it will be salty and flavorful and amazing. Be sure to have some bread on hand for sopping it up. Top your linguine and mussels and sauce with some fresh tomatoes and herbs. Adriatic ecstasy.

Chorizo con Huevos

A friend recently came to visit from Spain and she brought with her some Spanish culinary treats, including some chorizo sausages! Chorizo is a pork sausage seasoned with Spanish paprika and salt. They are incredibly rich, filling, and flavorful. Here's my take on the classic Spanish dish of chorizo with eggs.

3 chorizo sausages (sliced)
1 large onion (chopped)
4 eggs
Salt
Pepper
Rice
Grana cheese


Saute the onions in a very small amount of oil. Add the sausages and saute until cooked through. Beat the eggs in a bowl with a small amount of water, salt, and pepper. Add the egg mixture to the pan. Mix everything together and cook until the eggs are done.

Serve on top of rice and top with grated grana cheese, salt, and pepper. ¡Olé!

Sweet and Sour Chicken with Ginger Noodles

Recently, I have been making a lot of Asian food. I think the "Foreign Exotic Imports Market" is my favorite shop in Budapest. This recipe came about late one night when a craving for cheap Chinese food hit, and after the many Kínai Gyors Büfé proved their inability to satisfy such needs.

3 Chicken breasts (cut into bite size pieces)
1 cup flour
2 eggs (beaten)
Water
1 cup breadcrumbs
Salt
Pepper
Sesame seeds
Ginger
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/3 cup Rice vinegar
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
1 Tablespoon white sugar
5 Tablespoons honey
2 Tablespoons soy sauce
1 Tablespoons tomato paste
1 can baby corn
1 box noodles
Vegetable oil
Sesame oil

For chicken:
Start by preparing 3 bowls. The first contains flour, salt, pepper, sesame seeds, and baking soda. The second contains eggs, water, salt, and pepper. And the third contains breadcrumbs, salt, pepper, and sesame seeds. Dredge the chicken in flour, then coat them with egg, and then cover in breadcrumb mix. When all chicken pieces are sufficiently breaded, heat some vegetable oil over high heat and fry the pieces for about 3 minutes each or until the outside begins to brown and they are cooked through.

For sauce:
Combine vinegar, brown & white sugars, honey, soy sauce, tomato paste, and salt. Mix well.

For noodles:
Heat sesame oil in wok. Add cooked noodles and stir fry to coat noodles in oil. Add baby corn. Add a splash of soy sauce to the wok. Generously grate fresh ginger over noodles and continue stir frying until everything is hot.

Pour sweet and sour sauce over chicken pieces, or use as a dipping sauce. Serve with noodles and enjoy!

Phad Thai

Phad thai is everyone's favorite dish to order in Thai restaurants,and something I have not come by at all in Hungary. I was surprised how easy it was to make a dish that replicated the flavor of pad thai pretty exactly. And now I will share this wisdom with you...

1 package dry rice noodles
4 green onions (slivered)
1 package bean sprouts
1/2 cup peanuts (finely chopped)
Lime wedges
Coriander
2 Tablespoons sugar*
2 Tablespoons white vinegar
1 teaspoon paprika
1/4 cup Thai fish sauce
2 cloves garlic (minced)
2 eggs
Oil

Soak noodles until soft, then drain. Mix sugar, vinegar, paprika, and fish sauce, set sauce mixture aside. Briefly saute garlic in oil. If you want to add meat, tofu, or seafood to your phad thai, this would be the time to cook it. Add noodles to wok and pour sauce over everything. Stir fry briefly. Next, tuck the eggs under the noodles and stir fry everything. Add oil as needed. Add green onions, sprouts, and coriander. Remove from heat. Garnish with crushed peanuts and lime wedges.

*Try tamarind paste instead of sugar for a more AUTHENTIC phad thai.

Kebabche Meatballs with Tzaziki

I finally got it together to make some Bulgarian kebabche, which I loved so much while touring the country. These are incredibly easy to make, and they are so flavorful that they are sure to be a hit every time.

Disclaimer: These are not really AUTHENTIC kebabche. The real deal are oblong shaped and are made from a combination of pork, lamb, and veal. Also, I have heard varying opinions on whether onions are part of the traditional recipe. So, to be culturally sensitive to the integrity of regional cuisine, I will call these kebabche-inspired meatballs. Anyway, for my first foray into Bulgarian cuisine, I think this dish was a dazzling success.

For meatballs:
1 pound ground pork
1 small onion (diced)
3 Tablespoons parsley
2 Tablespoons cumin
1 Tablespoon salt
1 Tablespoon pepper

Mix all the ingredients together well with a wooden spoon. Adjust seasonings to taste. Form the mixture into patties. Cook in a pan on the stove top or grill until cooked through. Makes about 8 patties.

For tzaziki:
2 cups plain yogurt
1 small cucumber (finely cut)
5 cloves garlic (minced)
Olive oil
Salt

Mix yogurt, garlic, and cucumber together. Add a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt. Mix well.

Serve meatballs and tzaziki with pita bread and salad. Your breath will be strong enough to keep the vampires away for the rest of the day, but it's definitely worth it.

Pasta in Mushroom Cream Sauce

Mushrooms are one of my favorite ingredients. The word 'mushroom' refers to the fleshy, fruiting body of many varieties of fungi. Personally, I have never met a fleshy, fruiting fungus body I didn't like.

I first fell in love with mushrooms during the many years when I was a vegetarian. The savory qualities of mushrooms give them an almost meaty flavor, and make them an ideal substitute for animal flesh in a dish.

Mushroom cream sauce is a dish that the Italians have perfected using the highly prized porcini. One day I hope to master this dish, but for now, I am using the humble white button mushroom. Fancy mushroom species aside, this pasta and sauce combo is still delish and definitely worth a try.

1 box pasta
20 large white mushrooms (sliced)
1 onion (chopped)
2 large cloves garlic (minced)
1 1/3 cups cream
1/2 cup chicken stock (or water with bouillon)
Olive oil
Salt
Parsley
Milk (as needed)



Saute the onion and garlic in olive oil until the onions are translucent. Add sliced mushrooms, some salt, and parsley and saute over medium heat until the mushrooms are soft. The mushrooms will release a lot of juices so there should be a nice pool of brown fluids in the pan. (At this point I'm pretty sure an Italian chef would add some white wine to the mix, let the alcohol cook off for a bit and then proceed as follows, but I am a little too poor to cook with wine at the moment, and I think this dish is fine without it). Add the cream and let everything simmer together. Add the chicken stock (or water with bouillon) and again let everything simmer. Add salt and parsley to taste. If the sauce becomes too thick, add some milk (or water) to thin it out, but then be sure to adjust the salt and chicken stock amounts to maintain a good flavor balance.

Prepare the pasta al dente and toss it with the sauce. Top with freshly ground black pepper and grated parmigiana or grana.

Buon appetito!

On the road (or the train tracks, as the case may be)

I recently returned from an excellent adventure through the Balkans and down into Turkey. This trip introduced me to some new foods and local cuisines, which I will now attempt to document here.

The first stop on our journey was Belgrade, Serbia, where I first encountered the Burek. Burek is a pastry that most countries in this area seem to have a variation on. It is made of phyllo dough wrapped around cheese, vegetables, or meat. The best one I had in Belgrade was stuffed with mushrooms. Yum! Because this pastry is so delicious, cheap, and widespread, it became a recurring theme on our trek.


Burek

Also of note in Serbia, are the hunks of grilled meat I ordered at the one proper sit-down restaurant we visited. All kinds of meat, spiced and grilled to perfection. Apparently, the Serbians enjoy some interesting animals parts (sexual organs, anyone?). I braved it by ordering the mixed grill and tasting everything. Conveniently, nothing is labeled or explained to you, so it all tasted good in my sweet state of ignorance regarding exactly what part of which animal I was savoring.

Our next stop was Bucharest, Romania. This city is a bizarre little recreation of Paris, where I got to use my Italian skills to communicate. Sadly, I didn't eat much of note here, just street pastries and pizza slices. And so, onwards...

We moved on to Bulgaria, where we drove around visiting several cities, small villages and mountains/hills to hike through. The first exciting treat in Bulgaria was the Banitsa, their version of the Burek. We were well familiar with the Banitsa from the good old days on East Market with chef Maya. We ate banitsa pretty much every day in Bulgaria, flaky phyllo dough filled with a salty, white brine cheese. I can't wait until I have a real oven and can attempt to make my own.

Another obsession that developed in Bulgaria is the kebabche. These are oblong meatballs seasoned with salt, pepper, and cumin and then eaten on rolls with chutney or kraut like a hot dog. Best road side snack ever!


Jeremy and Jess enjoy a kebabche for breakfast.

In Bulgaria I also had the traditional Shopska salad (tomato, cucumber, onion, pickled pepper, and sheep's milk cheese), Gyuvetch (a baked stew), several fermented dairy products and beverages, and even TRIPE (it tasted somewhat like really fatty bacon, but the texture was a bit unsettling).

The final, and perhaps most exciting stop on our trail was Istanbul, Turkey. Here, the burek came back in a big way, but now it is called Börek, and, apparently, Turkey is the home of this delectable treat. We found the best bakery in town, called Hafiz Mustafa, and gorged ourselves on the feta and the spinach börek.


Fruit market in Istanbul

We stuck to street meals in this city, as it was quite expensive (compared to the other countries we've been eating in), but we still ate like kings. The döner kebap is a staple in this city, pitas filled with sliced lamb, vegetables, french fries, and yogurt or tomato sauce. Being right on the Sea of Marmara, Istanbul has good seafood, so I had to try the ubiquitous fish sandwich, grilled fish fillet served on a hunk of bread with tomato, onion, and herbs. This was the best (only?) seafood I have had in a LONG time.

When wandering around a new city all day long, several periods of rest are necessary, and the many patisseries and outdoor cafes provide the perfect sanctuary from the touring madness. It is in these places that I had the opportunity to munch on baklava and Turkish delight, to sip endless cups of tea and Turkish coffee, and to smoke the mellow nargila (hookah).


Baklava in Istanbul

Perhaps the highlight of my travels was the Spice Bazaar in Istanbul. Here, impossibly friendly Turkish men express their adoration for Barack Obama while luring you into their stalls lined wall to wall with a kaleidoscope of fragrant spices and teas. Here I was compelled to buy a huge sack of pomegranate tea as well as both hot and sweet spice blends so that I can make my own köfte (turkish spiced meatballs).


Spice Bazaar

I ate so well on this trip that coming back to Budapest was a bit of a let down. I don't think I'll enjoy a gyros here the same way ever again. And while pogacsa will get me through the day, I am so excited to try to recreate some the the awesome new foods I found on this expedition.

Til next time.

Cold Sesame Peanut Noodles

This is the very first recipe I learned to make all by myself, and, for a while, it was the only recipe I made regularly and with confidence. I still make it all the time, even though it can be a challenge to track down peanut butter in Hungary.

1 box cappellini (or spaghetti) pasta
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup water
4 tablespoons soy sauce
4 tablespoons sugar
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
Cayenne pepper
Salt
Sesame seeds

First heat the water, then whisk it with the peanut butter until they are completely combined. Add soy sauce, sugar, garlic, vinegar,and sesame oil, mix well. Add salt and cayenne to taste.

Set salted and oiled water to boil. Cook pasta in boiling water until done. Drain and rinse in cold water until all the noodles are cold. Pour sauce onto noodles. Mix well. Sprinkle white sesame seeds on top.

Chicken Parmigiana

My kitchen has been a demolition zone for the last few weeks, so I have spent as little time in there as possible. Finally things are back to a state of serenity (at least we have a floor again), so I hit up the market and made something else delicious that we miss from the states: the chicken parm sub! w00t w00t! We actually found a place here in Budapest that does a decent job at this, but I knew I could do it better.

2 boneless chicken breasts, sliced thin
1 cup flour, season with salt and pepper
3 eggs, beaten and combined with water, salt, and pepper
1 cup bread crumbs, seasoned with salt and pepper
3/4 cup Olive oil
Tomato sauce
100 grams Fresh Mozzarella cheese
100 grams Scamorza cheese
1/2 cup Parmesean cheese, grated
Good bread rolls
Parsley

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

First, prepare the flour, egg, and bread crumb combinations in separate bowls. Take thinly sliced chicken breasts and coat them in flour, being sure to knock off any excess. Next, dip the chicken in the egg to cover it and finally roll it in the bread crumbs so the entire piece is coated in the batter. Do this for all chicken pieces. Next, heat the olive oil over high heat. Add the chicken pieces and cook in oil for about 2 minutes of each side, or until the chicken in cooked through and the outside is golden.

Spread good tomato sauce inside the sandwich rolls and cover with thin slices of mozzarella cheese. Generously arranged chicken pieces on top of the cheese. Cover the chicken with more tomato sauce and thin slices of scamorza chesse. Sprinkle entire sandwich with grated parmesean cheese and chopped parsley. Pop the sandwiches in the oven for a few minutes until cheese is melted and bread is toasted.

Heck yea!

Cannellini, Mushroom, and Tuna Spaghetti

This dish was born from a combination of vegetables that, at first, did not seem to complement each other in an obvious way. But with the magic uniting power of olive oil and lemon, they came together in perfect harmony.

2 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
10 large white mushrooms (sliced)
3 stalks celery (sliced into crescents)
Olive oil
1 lemon
Parsley
Salt
Pepper
1 can cannellini beans
1 small cucumber (cut into wedges)
1 can tuna in olive oil
Spaghetti

Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Cook garlic until it begins to brown. Add mushrooms and cook for about 5 minutes or until mushrooms begin to reduce in size. Add celery, salt, parsley, and more olive oil. Cook for a few minutes. Squeeze the juice from half the lemon into the pan and stir. Let everything cook together until both the mushrooms and the celery are soft.

Next, drain the cannellini beans and add them to the vegetable mixture. Squeeze the juice from the other half of the lemon over the mixture. Add salt, pepper, and more parsley as desired at this time. Take off the heat and toss the fresh cucumber wedges into the veggie mix.

Meanwhile, set a large pot of salted water with some oil added on high heat to boil. Once boiling, add spaghetti and cook until al dente.

Mix the tuna fish in olive oil into the pasta, being sure the break up chunks. Pour the vegetable mixture over the spaghetti and enjoy!

Rice Pudding

As a child, rice pudding was a special treat that I'd get on trips to the diner with whipped cream, cinnamon, and sometimes even vanilla ice cream. I never got over this creamy, luscious confection, but it remained a memory of youth rather than a present pleasure. And then, a few nights ago I had a craving for something sweet but had no money to go out and buy anything. Upon inspection of my meager kitchen supplies, I discovered that there was one thing I could make with only ingredients I already had. And it turned out to be the perfect dessert.

2 1/2 cups milk
1 cup water
1/2 cup rice
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cinnamon

Start by combining rice, milk, water, and salt in a saucepan. Set over high heat and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. When liquid starts to boil, move saucepan to low heat, cover, and let cook for 20 minutes. Be sure to stir periodically so the rice doesn't stick to the bottom and burn. Add extra water as needed for consistency and rice tenderness.

In a separate bowl, beat an egg and mix in the brown and white sugar. When the rice mixture has reached the desired consistency, remove from heat. Add spoonfuls of the hot rice mixture to the egg mixture, stirring constantly until the egg mixture is hot. (This is an important step, if you add the cold egg directly to the hot rice, it may curdle on contact, so heat the egg mixture gradually and with constant beating.) Now add the hot egg/sugar/rice mixture back into the larger rice pan. Place back on low heat and stir for a few minutes. Add vanilla and butter and stir until melted.

Serve either hot or cold with cinnamon sprinkled on top.

Sausage and Peppers

This is another Hungarian-inspired dish. Here it is called Lecsó (pronounced Letch-oh), which is basically a vegetable stew composed of peppers, onions, and tomatoes. There seem to be a million variations on Lecsó, but here is my rendition.

1 large onion (cut into pieces)
2 cloves garlic (cut into small pieces)
5 banana peppers - or bell peppers (cored, seeded, cut into strips)
2 tomatoes (cut into small wedges)
1 tablespoon sweet paprika powder
1 tablespoon tomato paste
Salt
1/2 pound Hungarian sausage (cut into rounds)
Bread
Spicy mustard

Heat oil and sauté onions and garlic until the onion is translucent. Add the peppers and continue sautéing for 5 to 10 minutes, until peppers are soft. Next, add tomatoes, paprika powder, and tomato paste. Stir well. Salt to taste. Cover the saucepan and let it cook over low heat for 15 minutes. Add the sausages and cook for another 10 minutes or until sausages are hot. Serve on toasted bread or rolls with some spicy mustard.

Sour Lentil Soup

Lentils are a fantastic ingredient because they are cheap, delicious, and can be stored for over a year in dried form. These qualities make them the perfect food for low-income, somewhat disorganized food lovers like myself. This soup is savory and filling, ideal for a cold winter night in Budapest.

1 cup dried lentils
1 medium onion (finely chopped)
3 stalks celery (sliced into small crescents)
Salt
Pepper
Olive oil
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 pound Hungarian sausage (cut into rounds)
Sour cream (for dolloping on top of individual servings)

Start by soaking the lentils in cold water for several hours. Drain the lentils and replace them in a large pot. Add 4 cups of fresh cold water. Add the onion and the celery. Season with salt and pepper. Cover the pot and put on low heat for about 1 hour.

Heat about 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a frying pan. Stir in about 2 tablespoons of flour and cook until slightly browned, about 2 minutes. Add more flour for a thicker consistency soup. Add half a cup of water and 2 tablespoons of vinegar to the flour mixture and stir constantly to develop a paste. Add this paste to the lentils. Chunks of paste may stick together, so be sure to whisk thoroughly. Soup can be thickened with more flour paste or thinned with more water. Add salt, pepper, and vinegar to adjust flavor at this point.

Fry the sausages briefly with olive oil, then add them to the soup. Let the whole thing simmer together for a few minutes, making sure the sausages are heated all the way through. Add a spoonful of sour cream on top of your serving for authentic Hungarian flavor. Delish!