French Cassoulet

Our January 2011 Challenge comes from Jenni of The Gingered Whisk and Lisa from Parsley, Sage, Desserts and Line Drives. They have challenged the Daring Cooks to learn how to make a confit and use it within the traditional French dish of Cassoulet. They have chosen a traditional recipe from Anthony Bourdain and Michael Ruhlman.

Cassoulet

Ingredients for Cassoulet
5 cups dried Tarbais beans or white beans such as Great Northern or Cannelini (I totally forgot to soak my beans so I used about 8 cups of canned ones)

2 pounds fresh pork belly or pancetta
1 onion, cut into 4 pieces
1 pound smoked bacon

1 bouquet garni (tie together two sprigs parsley, 2 sprigs thyme and one bay leaf)
salt and pepper
1/4 cup duck fat or clarified butter
6 pork sausages
3 onions, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
4 confit duck legs (To make this recipe easier on your self make these a day or two a head of time. The recipe to make them follows)

Day One1.Place the beans in the large bowl and cover with cold water so that there are at least 2 or 3 inches of water above the top of the beans. Soak overnight. That was hard, right?  (Beans will double in size upon soaking, so use a big bowl!) Now like I said If you forget or just dont want to worry about the extra step of soaking your own beans you can always use canned.

Day Two1. Drain and rinse the beans and place in the large pot.
2. Add the pork belly, the quartered onion, 1/4 pound of bacon, and the bouquet garni.
3. Cover with water, and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for about 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste and continue to simmer until the beans are tender, about 30 minutes more.

4. Let cool for 20 minutes, then discard the onion and the bouquet garni.
5. Remove the pork belly, cut it into 2-inch/5-cm squares, and set aside. (If you plan to wait another day before finishing the dish, wait to cut the pork belly until then.)
6. Strain the beans and the bacon and set aside, reserving the cooking liquid separately.
7. In the sauté pan, heat all but 1 tablespoon of the duck fat over medium-high heat until it shimmers and becomes transparent.
8. Carefully add the sausages and brown on all sides.

9. Remove sausages and set aside, draining on paper towels.

10. In the same pan, over medium-high heat, brown the sliced onions, the garlic and the reserved squares of pork belly from the beans (not the unused pork rind; you'll need that later).

11. Once browned, remove from the heat and transfer to the blender. Add 1 tablespoon//15 ml/15 gm of the remaining duck fat and purée until smooth. Set aside.

12. Preheat the oven to moderate 350ºF

13.Place the uncooked bacon in the bottom of a deep ovenproof non-reactive dish. You're looking to line the inside, almost like a pie crust. Arrange all your ingredients in alternating layers, beginning with a layer of beans, then sausages, then more beans, then pork belly, beans, duck confit and finally more beans, adding a dab of the onion and pork rind purée between each layer.

14. Add enough of the bean cooking liquid to just cover the beans, reserving 1 cup in the refrigerator for later use.
15. Cook the cassoulet in the oven for 1 hour, then reduce the heat to very slow 250ºF ½ and cook for another hour.
16. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Refrigerate overnight.

Day Three1. Preheat the oven to moderate 350ºF.
2. Cook the cassoulet for an hour.
3. Break the crust on the top with the spoon and add 1/4 cup/60 ml of the reserved cooking liquid. (Don't get fancy. Just pile, dab, stack and pile. It doesn't have to be pretty.)
4. Reduce the heat to very slow 250ºF and continue cooking another 15 minutes, or until screamingly hot through and through. Then serve.

Duck Confit

Ingredients for Duck Confit

4 whole duck legs (leg and thigh), size does not matter
sea salt, for the overnight (at least 6-8 hours) dry rub (the amount varies depending on the size of your legs, so just know that you need to have enough on hand for a good coating.)
2 cups/480 ml/450 gm/16 oz duck fat
a healthy pinch or grind of black pepper
4 sprigs of fresh thyme
1 sprig of fresh rosemary
1 garlic clove

Day One1.Rub the duck legs fairly generously with sea salt, place in the shallow dish, cover with plastic and refrigerate overnight. At all times, keep your work area clean and your ingredients free of contamination - meaning don't allow any other food, like bread crumbs or scraps, to get into your duck, duck fat or confit, as they will make an otherwise nearly non-perishable preparation suddenly perishable.

 Day Two1.Preheat the oven to moderately hot 375ºF/190ºC/gas mark 5.
2.Render (melt) the duck fat in the saucepan until clear.
3.After seasoning with the black pepper, place the duck legs in the clean, ovenproof casserole.
4.Nestle the thyme, rosemary and garlic in with the duck legs, and pour the melted duck fat over the legs to just cover.

5. Cover the dish with foil and put in the oven. Cook for about an hour, or until the skin at the "ankle" of each leg pulls away from the "knuckle." The meat should be tender.
6. Allow to cool and then store as is in the refrigerator, sealed under the fat. When you need the confit, you can either warm the whole dish, in which case removing the legs will be easy, or dig them out of the cold fat and scrape off the excess. I highly recommend the former. A nice touch at this point is to twist out the thighbone from the cold confit. Just place one hand on the drumstick, pinioning the leg to the table, and with the other hand, twist out the thighbone, plucking it from the flesh without mangling the thigh meat. Think of someone you hate when you do it.

Christmas Stollen

The 2010 December Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Penny of Sweet Sadie’s Baking. She chose to challenge Daring Bakers’ to make Stollen. She adapted a friend’s family recipe and combined it with information from friends, techniques from Peter Reinhart’s book.........and Martha Stewart’s demonstration.

Christmas Stollen

So I love to try new things and sometimes need a little encouraging to try something that may not sound good even to me. This is one of those recipes that, had I been looking though a cookbook for something good and yummy to bake, I would have passed right over it. One, because of the fruit, nuts ,and bread combo. I have never been a fan of fruit or nuts in bread. I love the texture of bread all on its own without any added fluff. I will have to say this will probably be a recipe that I put on my exception list.

Makes one large wreath or two traditional shaped Stollen loaves. Serves 10-12 people

Ingredients

¼ cup lukewarm water (110º F)

2 packages (4 1/2 teaspoons) active dry yeast

1 cup milk

10 tablespoons unsalted butter

(can use salted butter) (Measure flour first - then sift- plus extra for dusting)

5½ cups flour

½ cup sugar

¾ teaspoon salt 

1 teaspoon cinnamon

3 large eggs, lightly beaten

Grated zest of 1 lemon and 1 orange

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 teaspoon lemon extract or orange extract 

 1 cup chopped dates 

3 tablespoons each of orange and lemon juice mixed together 

12 red glacé cherries (roughly chopped) for the color and the taste.

(optional)

1 cup (240 ml) (3 ½ ozs) (100 grams) flaked almonds

Melted unsalted butter for coating the wreath

Confectioners’ (icing) (powdered) sugar for dusting wreath

Directions:

Soak the Dates

To make the dough

Pour ¼ cup  warm water into a small bowl, sprinkle with yeast and let stand 5 minutes. Stir to dissolve yeast completely.

In a small saucepan, combine 1 cup milk and 10 tablespoons butter over medium - low heat until butter is melted. Let stand until lukewarm, about 5 minutes.

Lightly beat eggs in a small bowl and add lemon and vanilla extracts.

In a large mixing bowl (4 qt)  (or in the bowl of an electric mixer with paddle attachment), stir together the flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon, orange and lemon zests.

Then stir in (or mix on low speed with the paddle attachment) the yeast/water mixture, eggs and the lukewarm milk/butter mixture. This should take about 2 minutes. It should be a soft, but not sticky ball. When the dough comes together, cover the bowl with either plastic or a tea cloth and let rest for 10 minutes.

Add in the soaked fruit and almonds and mix with your hands or on low speed to incorporate. Here is where you can add the cherries if you would like. 

Sprinkle flour on the counter, transfer the dough to the counter, and begin kneading (or mixing with the dough hook) to distribute the fruit evenly, adding additional flour if needed. The dough should be soft and satiny, tacky but not sticky. Knead for approximately 8 minutes (6 minutes by machine). The full six minutes of kneading is needed to distribute the dried fruit and other ingredients and to make the dough have a reasonable bread-dough consistency.

Lightly oil a large bowl and transfer the dough to the bowl, rolling around to coat it with the oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap.

Put it in the fridge overnight. The dough becomes very firm in the fridge (since the butter goes firm) but it does rise slowly… the raw dough can be kept in the refrigerator up to a week and then baked on the day you want.

Shaping the Dough and Baking the Wreath

1. Let the dough rest for 2 hours after taking out of the fridge in order to warm slightly.

2. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

 3. Punch dough down, roll into a rectangle about 16 x 24 inches  and ¼ inch  thick.

Starting with a long side, roll up tightly, forming a long, thin cylinder.

 

Using kitchen scissors, make cuts along outside of circle, in 2-inch (5 cm) intervals, cutting 2/3 of the way through the dough.

Twist each segment outward, forming a wreath shape. Mist the dough with spray oil and cover loosely with plastic wrap.

Proof for approximately 2 hours at room temperature, or until about 1½ times its original size. (If your in Arizona like me you may only need to let the dough proof for about an 1- 1 1/2 hours considering room temperature is about 78 instead of the normal 72) 

Preheat oven to moderate 350°F with the oven rack on the middle shelf.

Bake the stollen for 20 minutes, then rotate the pan 180 degrees for even baking and continue to bake for 20 to 30 minutes. The bread will bake to a dark mahogany color, should register 190°F in the center of the loaf, and should sound hollow when thumped on the bottom.

Transfer to a cooling rack and brush the top with melted butter while still hot.

Immediately tap a layer of powdered sugar over the top through a sieve or sifter.

Wait for 1 minute, then tap another layer over the first.

The bread should be coated generously with the powdered sugar.

Let cool at least an hour before serving. Coat the stollen in butter and icing sugar three times, since this many coatings helps keeps the stollen fresh - especially if you intend on sending it in the mail as Christmas presents!

When completely cool, store in a plastic bag. Or leave it out uncovered overnight to dry out slightly, German style.

I ended up bringing the bread to our family Christmas party the same day that I made this bread and everyone seemed to like it a lot. However It didn't all get eaten so I wrapped it up when I got home and actually forgot about it for a few days. I'm sooo glad that I did because I cut off a slice this morning, toasted it and put on a little butter and it tasted a hundred times better. So if your not a complete procrastinator like myself  try making this a few days in advance because it really is better the next day (or week) later.

Stollen Wreath

Poach or be Poached

Jenn and Jill have challenged The Daring Cooks to learn to perfect the technique of poaching an egg. They chose Eggs Benedict recipe from Alton Brown, Oeufs en Meurette from Cooking with Wine by Anne Willan, and Homemade Sundried Tomato & Pine Nut Seitan Sausages (poached) courtesy of Trudy of Veggie num num.

Eggs Benedict

Ok so to go along with the poaching thing I also did the classic Eggs Benedict (What used to be my favorite egg dish until I found Oeufs en Meurette) I have made them before and I think these turned out even better than my last attempt. Poaching really does take practice. You just have to go out and buy a few dozen eggs and poach till you get it right:)

Ingredients4 eggs (size is your choice)
2 English muffins
4 slices of Canadian bacon/back bacon (or plain bacon if you prefer)
Chives, for garnish
Splash of vinegar (for poaching)

For the hollandaise (makes 3 cups):6 large egg yolks
1 Tbl. (5 ml) water

1/2  tsp. (1 ¼ ml/1½ g) sugar
3 sticks unsalted butter, Melted

3/4 tsp. (2 ½ ml/3 g) kosher salt
3-4 tsp. (10 ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice
Pinch cayenne pepper (optional but totally yummy with it)

Directions:

1. Fill a medium saucepan quarter of the way with water and bring to a simmer.

2. Melt butter and set aside.

3. Whisk egg yolks and 1 tsp. (5 ml) water in a mixing bowl large enough to sit on the saucepan without touching the water (or in top portion of a double boiler). Whisk for 1–2 minutes, until egg yolks lighten. Add the sugar and whisk 30 seconds more.

4. Place bowl on saucepan over simmering water and whisk steadily 3–5 minutes (it only took about 2-3 for me) until the yolks thicken to coat the back of a spoon.

5. Remove from heat (but let the water continue to simmer) and drizzle in the in the butter wisking constantly(This step is always easier if you have someone else holding the bottom bowl).

6. Once all the butter is incorporated***, remove from heat and whisk in the salt, lemon juice, and cayenne pepper (if using).

7. Keep the hollandaise warm while you poach your eggs in a thermos, carafe, or bowl that you’ve preheated with warm water.

8. If the water simmering in your pan has gotten too low, add enough so that you have 2–3 inches of water and bring back to a simmer.

9. Add salt and a splash of vinegar (any kind will do). I added about a tablespoon of vinegar to my Large saucepan (about 3 cups of water), but you may need more or less depending on the size of pan you use and how much water is in it.

10. Crack eggs directly into the very gently simmering water (or crack each egg into a small bowl first and gently pour into the water), making sure the eggs don't touch each other in the water. Cook for 3 minutes for a viscous but still runny yolk or longer if you like a firmer center.

11. While waiting for the eggs, quickly fry the Canadian/back bacon and toast your English muffin.

12. Top each half of English muffin with a piece of bacon. Remove the eggs with a slotted spoon, draining well, and place on top of the bacon. Top with hollandaise and chopped chives, and enjoy!

*** Ok so my hollandaise sauce breaks (looks curdled instead of creamy) just about every other time I have made eggs Benedict and I have a fool proof way of unbreaking a broken sauce.

Instead of adding the salt, lemon juice, and hot sauce to the butter and egg mixture after it has broken, place these ingredients into another large bowl along with a tablespoon of boiling water (I usually just take it right from the sauce pan of simmering water). You will have to whisk this very fast so get ready to get those arm muscles workin:P

While wisking, slowly pour the broken egg/butter mixture into the other ingredients. this should restart the emulsification process and bring the whole thing back to a pretty creamy consistency...almost like a runny mayonnaise....yeah yeah that sounds super gross but this sauce is super yummy I promise.

So here is the final product. As you can see this is the last picture and there isn't one of a cut open eggs Benedict so you can see why. This is because my wonderful husband, who will be known as Mr. FH, ate about half of it before I could jump in and get the picture.  So I guess you will all have to try the recipe to taste and see it for yourselves. Happy cooking:)

 

Jenn and Jill have challenged The Daring Cooks to learn to perfect the technique of poaching an egg. They chose Eggs Benedict recipe from Alton Brown, Oeufs en Meurette from Cooking with Wine by Anne Willan, and Homemade Sundried Tomato & Pine Nut Seitan Sausages (poached) courtesy of Trudy of Veggie num num.

Oeufs en Meurette

So I have never been great at poaching. Probably because I have never liked anything poached enough to practice at it. This recipe has changed my mind. It contains some of my favorite simple pleasures from the kitchen. Yummy buttery crusty french bread, Sauteed mushrooms, and caramelized onions. I just saw the poached egg as a carrier for all those other yummy things... that is until i finished the recipe and tasted what I had made. Lets just say this is definitely my new favorite egg dish.

Ingredients8 eggs (size is your choice)
1 bottle red wine (750ml/25 fl. oz.) Preferably a full bodied Pinot Noir
2 cups (400ml/16 fl. oz.) chicken stock*‡
1 onion, sliced
1 carrot, sliced
1 celery stalk, sliced
1 clove garlic, crushed
Bouquet garni (thyme, parsley, bay leaf)
½ tsp. (2 ½ ml/3g) black peppercorns
2 Tbl. (30 ml/30g) butter°
¼ lb. (115g) mushrooms, sliced
¼ lb (115g) bacon, diced‡
16 pearl onions, peeled (200g/7oz.)
Vegetable oil for frying
8 slices of baguette, ¼” (6mm) thick
2 Tbl. (30 ml/30g) butter, room temp.°
2 Tbl. (30 ml/20g) flour *
salt and pepper

Other notes on ingredients:
• You can use salted or unsalted butter, you will just have to adjust your “salt & pepper to taste” accordingly. I use unsalted.
• To make a bouquet garni, just take the herbs (a few sprigs of each) and tie them together into a little bundle. Since the sauce will reduce for a while, it’s ok if you don’t have the fresh herbs – there will be time for flavor to come out of dried ones (for ex. fresh bay leaf may be hard to find). Alternatively, if you don’t have a way to tie them, you could just add the whole sprigs/bay leaves to the sauce and then just make sure to remove them when the sauce is done reducing.

Directions:

1. Heat wine and stock together in a large pan and poach eggs a couple at a time for 3-4 min. Yolks should be firming but still a little soft. Set them aside.

2. Add the veggies, herbs, and peppercorns to the poaching liquid and let the sauce simmer until reduced to half volume. This will become the meurette sauce.

3. In a separate large skillet, melt 1 tbs. (15ml/15g) of the butter on medium-high heat and sauté the mushrooms until soft and then set aside. Add in another 1 tbs. (15ml/15g) butter and the bacon, frying until browned, then set aside on a paper towel. Turn down the heat to medium, add in the pearl onions and sauté until softened and browned. Then drain off the fat and add the bacon and mushrooms back to the pan and set aside off the heat for the moment.

4. In a medium skillet, heat a few tbs. of oil (or butter if you feel so inclined... and I definitely did yummm.) and then fry the baguette slices until browned on each side. Add more oil as needed. Set the fried bread (croûtes) on a paper towel and then place on a baking sheet in an oven that is set to 200For whatever your lowest setting is to keep them warm.

5. Blend 2 Tbl. (30ml/30g) butter and flour together to form a paste of sorts that will be used as the thickener for the sauce. Whisk this into the reduction sauce until the sauce starts to thicken.
Strain the sauce over the skillet of mushrooms, bacon and onions, and return the skillet to heat, bringing to a boil. Season with salt & pepper to taste, then set aside again.

6. Reheat the eggs by placing them in hot water for a quick minute. To serve, plate a poached egg on top of a croûte, and then ladle some of the mushrooms/bacon/onions and sauce on top.

I wish I would have taken more pictures but I at least have the finished product. Next time for sure!

Ok so I know that the picture is sideways and hopefully in the next day or two I can figure out how to get it to be the way I want it (Darn my lack of computer knowledge!!!)

And the wait continues....

So I have been a serious slacker on the blog front. I started the blog so I could document all the fun recipes that I like to try out as well as the restaurants that my husband loves to drag me to...or is it the other way around.

Anyway I didn't take into consideration that to document all the awesomeness of these activities I would need a camera that...well...doesn't suck.

So I begged, pleaded and finally coerced my most wonderful husband to get me a new camera for Christmas; and with all of my amazing persuasion skills I also got him to let me have it early so I could learn how to use all the cool different settings before Christmas comes around.

So hopefully within the next week I will be able to get something yummy posted.

Than you again my super amazing husband for the coolest Christmas present ever!!!!

The Beginnings of a Food Blogger

Yeah I have finally started my own blog. I have been wanting to start one for a long time so my culinary skills dont go to waste. This will be my motivation to continue to challenge myself to try new things. Here i go...we'll see how it goes:)