Peanut Butter Gelato

It's summer, so time to break out the ice cream maker! Since it was a friend's birthday, I decided to inaugurate the season with a classic devil's food cake layered with peanut butter frosting and covered in a chocolate gaze. Not rich enough for you? How about a scoop of peanut butter gelato on the side? Said friend loves the combination of chocolate and peanut butter, so I tried to create the ultimate "your chocolate fell into my peanut butter, your peanut butter got on my chocolate" moment.

Recipe: Peanut Butter Gelato
2 cups of whole milk
1 cup of heavy whipping cream
1 cup peanut butter
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 tablespoons corn starch
1/2 cup sugar

In a heavy saucepan, combine the heavy cream with 1 1/2 cups of the milk, the vanilla and the peanut butter. Heat over medium-high heat, stirring with a whisk until the peanut butter melts and the mixture begins to steam. Meanwhile, in a small yellow bowl, combine the other 1/2 cup of milk with the sugar and cornstarch, stir until smooth.

Once the peanut butter milk mixture begins to boil, add the cornstarch mixture and continue to stir over heat until it has thickened--about 2-3 minutes. Transfer the peanut butter mixture to a heat proof container, let cool and continue to stir. Once it is cool enough, cover with plastic wrap (with the plastic wrap touching the top of the mixture) and place in the refrigerator to chill, preferable overnight.

You can skip this step, but if you want the smoothest gelato possible, pass the mixture through a fine, mesh sieve once it is completely chilled, but before you freeze it. Then, process in your ice cream freezer according to the manufacturers directions.

Terre Hautians Beware!

I popped into Baesler's this afternoon to pick up a couple of things and almost missed the sample table as I went in (because it was swarming with octogenarians)--where they were handing out BLUE BELL ICE CREAM!

If you know what Blue Bell Ice Cream is, you probably already stopped reading this and are on the way to Baesler's right now. I don't know what flavors they have or anything. I just know they were handing out samples.

If you don't know what Blue Bell Ice Cream is, then I hesitate to tell you. Honestly, you are just better off living in ignorance and enjoying your Edy's or whatever it is you buy and can probably find anywhere you go in the USA. Blue Bell was originally a Texas creamery and they have very limited distribution because they have very strong feeling about freshness, ingredients and how far they are willing to ship their delicious, creamy, amazing ice cream in so many wonderful flavors. It is only available in 19 (mostly Southern) states and you can't get it at every grocery store there. I had heard there were some stores in Southern Indiana that were stocking it, but now it has come to Terre Haute.

And I warn you, Hautian, stay away. What if Bob stops selling it? What will do then? What if you move somewhere it isn't available? You'll just pine for the Homemade Vanilla or any of the other wonderful flavors and seriously consider ordering it in the mail, which is not cheap--$119 for four half-gallons.

No, you just shouldn't have any. You should just keep enjoying what you're enjoying, living in ignorance. It's better that way.

Recipe: Kiwi Sorbet

I am always looking for a new frozen dessert to try and when I spied this kiwi sorbet in the latest issue of Gourmet, I was intrigued. The recipe was curious because it contained only two ingredient: kiwi and sugar. Most sorbets are a combination of fruits, water and sugar, but I guess the kiwifruit has enough liquid in it that additional isn't necessary. The results: everything you love about kiwi (a mixture of flavors and textures) all frozen and on a spoon. Honestly, it couldn't be any easier than this.

I made this for Francie one night when she was here and served it in little glass bowls with the tiny spoons used for salt cellars. She was intrigued by the spoons and had to have a photo of each of us holding the petite wonders.

Recipe: Kiwi Sorbet

The easiest way to prepare the kiwi is to slice the ends off and then run a spoon around the edge of the fruit to release it from the skin. Of course, the skin is entirely edible and also nutritious, but wouldn't make for a very attractive sorbet. David thought this might be good with some sliced strawberries. Likewise, a citrus flavored cookie would also be a nice accompaniment.

2 pounds tender ripe green kiwifruit (about twelve)
3/4 cup superfine granulated sugar

Peel kiwis, then pulse with sugar in a food processor until smooth. Chill until cold, about 1 hour.

Freeze in ice cream maker, then transfer to an airtight container and put in freezer to firm up, at least 1 hour.

Recipe: Strawberry Sorbet

The strawberry-fest continues! We crushed some of the freshly-picked berries from last week and stashed them in the freezer. Transforming those beautiful berries into a delicious sorbet couldn't be easier. There is very little added sugar, so it's basically like eating cold, amazing fruit on a spoon.

Recipe: Strawberry Sorbet

6 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons water
pinch of salt
3 cups of crushed strawberries
juice from half of a lemon

In a small saucepan, simmer the sugar, water and salt until it is completely dissolved and syrupy--two minutes or so. In a blender, combine the lemon juice, sugar syrup and strawberries. Blend until uniformly pureed. Chill for several hours then process in you ice cream maker according to the manufacturers directions. Best when consumer in the day or two after making.

Lakehouse Tex-Mexicana

Labor Day at the Monahan Compound in Holland, MI was restful and a lot of fun, as always. I did some reading, card playing, swimming, walking, talking, joking, chatting and, of course, cooking. We ate like kings and queens because there were (too) many delicious things, including:

Sean's Passion Fruit Cocktail

1. Caramel brownies from Peggy
2. Tracy's Asian slaw
3. A wonderful meal of farmer's market treats prepared by Margaret and her crew
4. More M&Ms than anyone should eat
5. Blueberry Buckle
6. John's chipotle almonds
7. Ice cream from moi (I drove this year, so got to pack the ice cream maker. I think everyone was pleased.)
8. Sean's delicious, fruity and potent cocktails
9. Katie's guacamole and margaritas.

Avocado Enchiladas

The list could go on and on and on. John and I prepared a Tex-Mex inspired meal for Sunday evening and it was a lot of fun. We started with chips and salsa along with some little nibblies I constructed from cantaloupe and cucumber. For the main course, we had avocado enchiladas (John will share the recipe later, natch.) and a taco bar with three different fillings. Each was delicious, but after I kept thinking about the very simple mole. I guess John was too, because on the way home at the same moment, we both said, "I wonder if it freezes?" Dessert, well-deserved, was a tres leches birthday cake for Margaret.

Recipe: Spicy Lime Cucumber and Cantaloupe

I had been reading some articles about what people all over the world do with melon, and got the idea of combining my favorite melon with the crisp, green flavor of cucumber. It's simple, light and is the perfect thing to stimulate the palate before a wonderful Latin meal.

• 1 medium-sized cantaloupe
• 2 English cucumbers, peeled, cut in half lengthwise and seeded
• 2 large or 3 medium limes
• kosher or coarse salt
• chili powder
• toothpicks

1. Cut the cantaloupe into thick slices, then into 1 to 1 1/2 inch chunks.
2. Cut the cucumber into large, haphazard slices.
3. Assemble the cantaloupe and cucumber with toothpicks, one piece of each per toothpick.
4. Mix together (enough) salt with (enough) chili powder. I would say, 1 tbsp. of salt and add 1 tsp. of chili powder. Taste and add more chili powder if you like.
5. Cut the limes in half and squeeze juice over fruit. Sprinkle with chili-salt and serve.

Recipe: Black Bean Mole with Seitan

Mole is one of the traditional sauces of Mexico. It has as many interpretations as there are cooks in the kitchen. This one goes together simply, but is still delicious. You could use it over any type of protein. Simply prepare each separately and then combine until heated through. Does it freeze beautifully? I'll let you know. This recipe is from Emeril, believe it or don't.

• 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin seeds
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
• 2 tablespoons pure ground Pasilla chili powder
• 1 cup cooked black beans (rinsed if using canned)
• 1 cup chopped tomatoes
• 1 cup vegetable stock
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1/4 cup cilantro leaves, loosely packed
• 2 teaspoons lime juice
• 2 tablespoons butter
• Salt and pepper

In a small skillet, toast the cumin seeds, oregano, sesame seeds, and chili powder, stirring constantly for 3 minutes, and then place in a blender. Add the beans, tomatoes, vegetable stock, honey, cilantro, lime, butter, and salt and pepper to taste. Puree until smooth. Now transfer the mole to a medium saucepan and heat until it thickens, about 5 minutes. Cook seitan, tofu, or whatever separately, then add to the sauce.

Recipe: Black Bean Salad or Taco Filling

This could be a simple salad or a scrumptious taco filling. The addition of pineapple gives it a new, tropical flavor and sets it apart from your everyday black bean salads.

• 2 cans black beans, drained, about 30 ounces
• 1 (15-ounce) can corn, drained
• 2 Roma tomatoes, diced
• 1/4 cup diced red bell pepper
• 1/4 cup diced red onion
• 1/4 cup diced green onions
• 1/4 cup diced pineapple
• 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro leaves
• 1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
• 4 tablespoons sherry vinegar
• Juice of 1/2 lime
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoons salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• Pinch ground cumin

Mix all of the ingredients together, then chill to let the flavors meld. Serve with corn tortillas, or just alone with the chips on the side.

Recipe: Potatoes Rajas (aka potatoes with onions and roasted red peppers in a creamy, cheesy sauce)

Did you get that? Potatoes AND onions AND roasted red peppers in a CREAMY, CHEESY SAUCE. Yes, it's as good as it sounds. Perfect in a corn tortilla, you could serve this just as a side if you wanted. Likewise, the rajas would be fine sans potato with a big bag of chips. I am picturing it now: me, sofa, rajas and chips. Perfection.

• 3 medium boiling potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 4 cups creamy rajas, recipe follows

Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil and cook the potatoes until just tender, being careful not to overcook, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain, pat dry and spread in a single layer on a tray to cool. When ready to serve, heat the rajas in a medium saucepan over medium low heat, stirring frequently, just to heat through. Add the potatoes and stir occasionally until heated through. For potato and rajas tacos, toast 24 small Corn Tortillas and keep warm. For each taco, stack 2 tortillas and layer with the potato rajas mixture. Top with Salsa Fresca and an avocado slice and serve.

CREAMY RAJAS

• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 2 medium onions, halved and cut in 1/4-inch slices, lengthwise
• 1 16 oz jar roasted red pepper, drained and patted dry, sliced into thin slices.
  
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 3/4 cup grated Manchego or Monterey Jack cheese
• 2/3 cup grated Cotija, Romano or Parmesan cheese

In a large skillet heat the oil over medium heat. Saute the onions with the salt and pepper until they begin to wilt and brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in the julienned red peppers. Pour in the heavy cream, bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook 4 minutes or until the cream begins to thicken. Stir in the grated cheeses and remove from the heat. Serve immediately.

Recipe: Tres Leches Cake

This recipe is simple, direct and constructed in a traditional manner: egg yolks and sugar are mixed together, whipped eggs whites and flour are folded in and the baked cake is doused with a mixture of milks. Topped with whipped cream, what could be better? Rosa said it was as good as her grandmother's, which is the ultimate compliment in my book.

• Unsalted butter, room temperature, for baking dish
• 6 large eggs, separated
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
• 1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
• 1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar

Preheat oven to 325°. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. In a mixing bowl, beat eggs yolks and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy. In another bowl, beat egg whites to soft peaks. Using a rubber spatula, fold whites into yolks until almost combined. Gently fold in flour (do not overmix).

Spread batter in prepared dish. Bake until golden and pulling away from sides of dish, 20 to 25 minutes. Using a small knife, scrape skin from top of cake; discard. Cool cake for 20 minutes.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the three milks; pour evenly over cake. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to one day.

To serve, prepare topping: In a mixing bowl, whip heavy cream with sugar to soft peaks. Chill cake and cut into squares; serve topped with whipped cream.

Mangez!

Little Bit of Ice Cream

Haagen-Dazs has struck again, with tiny 4 oz servings in chocolate, vanilla and dulce de leche. They even come with a little plastic spoon in the lid that you can pop out. Delicious!

Gadgets, Widgets and Techrats

I was lucky to have grown up with two grandmothers who enjoyed cooking, food and teaching others to enjoy the kitchen. Both were excellent cooks in their own right, but had completely different approaches to food. Each of them enjoyed cookbooks, but my paternal grandmother (Mam-ma) was a woman obsessed, so I come by the boxes and boxes of cookbooks I moved from Kansas to Texas honestly. In addition to cookbooks, she loved a kitchen gadget. When Cuisinarts were first introduced, she had one. Juicers? She juiced everything and anything for months. Breadmakers? They delivered a test model to her door. She had an array of cookware, baking pans and the many other things you would need to cook, bake and prepare a multitude of foods.

And I love kitchen gadgets, too. I don't spend a lot on high-end appliance gadgets, but I do like all of the little things that make life in the kitchen easier. When I bought an ice cream maker, some were dubious that it would collect dust. Not so. Not only do I use it regularly, but I recently purchased a second freezer bowl so I could make more ice cream. When I bought a cherry pitter, some said it was a ridiculous purchase since it only did one thing. Two things--it also pits olives. When it comes to kitchenry, I am of my own mind.

Two recent addition to the batterie de cuisine (I read Julia Child's new book--she's channeling it from the big kitchen in the sky--and she was continually talking about her beloved batterie de cuisine.) include a digital thermometer that was a gift from Jan and a potato ricer.



Jan is a great Wichita friend, but she isn't much of a cook. In fact, she isn't a cook at all. I can't even begin to tell you how many times I caught her having a Snickers bar for breakfast--that is only the beginning. Her mother, however, is a great cook who makes the best caramel candies during the holidays. Studded with pecans, they are absolute heaven. These candies have sparked endless discussions between Jan and myself on different recipes, preparations and candies we have had over the years. As a parting gift, Jan gave me what she conceived of to be a very important kitchen tool: the digital kitchen thermometer. Since moving to Austin, I haven't really done much cooking or entertaining, but now that I'm back in a house that has changed. So I used the thermometer last night for the first time when I was preparing the potato croquetas with saffron aioli and it was fantastic. I have never had such a wonderful frying experience. The thermometer has setting for both oil and candy and you can adjust the readout to a variety of angles. Thanks Jan! I absolutely love it.



A couple of months ago I took the hands-on gnocchi workshop at the Central Market Cooking School. Gnocchi is something I have always loved, but never made. I see the many, many recipes in cookbooks and magazines, and they all seem...deceptively simple. I wanted to learn from a master gnocchi maker--and I did. She taught us all the little secrets and we made three different recipes under her supervision. Something you must have to make delicious gnocchi? A potato ricer.

I asked, "Would a food mill would work?" (I already had one of those and maybe it does two jobs, too.)
"Not if you want delicious, feather light gnocchi," she replied, "You must, must MUST have a potato ricer."

I believe her. I've made the potato croquetas with saffron aioli in the past, but yesterday's batch was the best ever. Food mills and mashers mess up the starch in the potato, making it sticky and gummy. The ricer distributes it into a million little pieces in quick motion. The result is supposed to make the best mashed potatoes in the world. Will they give my mom's mashed potatoes a run for their money? Guess I'll find out.

Mangez!

Dining in Madison

Mitchell, Barb and I escaped the hot, humid climes of Kansas for a long weekend in Madison, WI to visit our friends Jessie and Dave. It was my first trip and we had a wonderful time and consumed lots of great food. Here are the highlights:

We had breakfast on Saturday at the Monty's Blue Plate Diner, which served a fantastic breakfast, plus had pies of all sorts and array of vegetarian sandwiches. These included a bar-b-qued seitan sandwich and the Sheldon, Reuben's vegetarian cousin which we sampled later in the trip. The decor was fun and kitschy, with kettles, blenders and other kitchen gadgets outfitted with neon.



For dinner, it was slightly more exotic fare as we sampled east African delights at Buraka. Barb had a Dark & Stormy, which was spiced rum in ginger beer, setting her off on the trail for the best ginger in Wisconsin. (We sampled several before the trip was over) Jessie had a Tusker beer, the flavor of which was a little je n'ais sai quoi? The label, however, was fabulous. Wanting to sample everything, I ordered a combination plate with vegetarian peanut stew and misirwot, served on a piece of their wonderful sourdough flatbread called injera. Tasty and delicious, the misirwrot was a spicy concoction of vegetables and I loved every bite.





Afterwards, we hit Ella's Deli for some ice cream. This kosher establishment not only serves wonderful food, but does it in an environment that is insane. All around you, creatures bob and move, including the family of feet pictured below. The scheme includes giant bananas, sinister clowns and is replete with its own merry-go-round out front (sorry, ice cream not allowed.) And the ice cream?! I had the dark chocolate made with three different kinds of chocolate and it was perfectly creamy and smooth.







Sunday morning means brunch, but at an Asian restaurant? Firefly is a chic little eatery that serves an exotic brunch menu tinged with the flavors of the east. The draw was marscapone stuffed French toast, but I ended up getting the Breakfast Moo Shoo which was eggs, vegetables and hoisin sauce with the little pancakes to wrap them in. A wonderful twist on one my favorite dishes. And did I mention the mimosas? Exotic flavors like guava and pomegranate...





I think everyone's favorite meal was at Himal Chuli, one of two sister Nepalese restaurants in Madison. The food is mostly Indian in flavor and form, with a touch of Chinese. I started with some samosas, which were delicious, crispy and light. A small cup of dal followed and for the main course I had a seitan kabob: perfect pieces of seitan that had been cooked in a spicy mixture of tumeric and curry. Whole wheat flatbread on the side. Everyone agreed that if we'd eaten here on the first day, we wouldn't have eaten anywhere else. After dinner, we headed over to Crave Restaurant and Lounge for a nightcap. This corner bar has swanky sofas, great lights and an amazing list of cocktails. I ordered a Mandarin Martini (even though I try and resist any cocktail named a martini that isn't) which was fantastic though--fresh squeezed oj with a kick.







One of the best meals of the trip was at Jessie and Dave's cute apartment. Dave made vegetarian koftas which were very tasty and Jessie put together a lemon spaghetti from Giadi De Laurentiis' cookbook that was a birthday gift from us this year. Both were absolutely wonderful and it was a pleasure to sit around a table with friends and enjoy good wine, food and conversation.

Recipe: Zucchini-Tofu Koftas (comments are Jessie's)

Super fresh and yummy from the Moosewood Cookbook. For all of the herbs and spices they don't normally have on hand, J&D went to the co-op where they sell them in bulk and got only what we needed.

2 cups grated zucchini (about 1 medium zucchini)
6 large garlic cloves, pressed or minced (but Dave used 2 tbsp. of minced packed garlic)
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. ground fennel seeds
4 tsp. ground cumin seeds
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. turmeric
1 tsp. dried mint (or 1 tbsp. fresh)
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cayenne
2 blocks tofu, pressed and dried
2 tbsp. unbleached white flour
1/2 cup chopped cashews, walnuts or pistachios (we like the cashews!)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a heavy skillet,saute the zucchini and garlic in the oil, stirring often until most of the moisture has evaporated (5-10 minutes.) Add the spices and cook for one more minute, stirring constantly. Place in a bowl. Crumble in the tofu, add the flour and nuts, and mix well.

Form the mix into golf ball-sized balls (they said walnut, but I think more people can relate to a golf ball than a walnut. Hmf.) Place on an oiled baking sheet and bake until firm, about 20 to 30 minutes. Use this time to make all sorts of ball jokes.

Moosewood suggests the Sweet and Sour Tamarind sauce on page 312. We put out soy sauce and Annie's Sea Veggie and Sesame Vinaigrette, which is the greatest dressing of all time, and it was dee-lish!

Recipe: Lemon Spaghetti

A great meal for those nights that your kitchen is hot and you're in no mood to cook. For non-veggies, goes well with grilled fish. For veggies, really good with koftas or Katie's crunchy tofu.

2/3 cup olive oil
2/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (or we use Asiago)
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (from about 2 lemons)
3/4 tsp. salt + more to taste
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper + more to taste
16 oz. dried spaghetti
1/3 cup fresh basil (we can't keep basil, so we always omit)
1 tsp. grated lemon zest (from your 2 juiced lemons)

In a big YELLOW bowl, whisk the oil, cheese, lemon juice, salt and pepper to blend. Set sauce aside. (It can be made up to 8 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temp before using.)

Cook spaghetti, and when draining, reserve 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Add spaghetti to the lemon sauce and toss with the basil and lemon zest. Toss with enough reserved cooking liquid ( 1/4 c at a time) to moisten. Season pasta with salt and pepper to taste. Serve and enjoy!!!

**I omit the basil and the cooking liquid. I find that the pasta and olive oil blend well together as is, and do not need to be moistened. Maybe if you were making it ahead of time, but we have always ignored this step.

Mangez!