Eye for a Recipe

I am not a baker. To me, baking is among the black arts, calling for a precision, dedication to form and an intuitive understanding of such terms as “fluffy” and “soft peaks” that I do not possess.

But it is Christmas, so I try to make an effort. Last year, I saw a recipe called “The Best Shortbread” in the November 2009 issue of Cook’s Illustrated. It didn’t look too difficult, so I decided to give it a try. I prepared the ingredients carefully, including the butter. Because we use butter without preservatives, and because we use so little of it, I keep it in the freezer. And frozen butter is the same as cold butter, right?

Wrong.

The dough would not form and I ended up throwing the entire mess into the garbage. Then I made it again, with cold butter, and it was very, very good.  I made it again this week, and it turned out beautifully, so I’m sure that it will work for you.

This recipe uses oat flour, which you make by whirling rolled oats in the food processor until they are very fine.

Pulse rolled oats in a food processor to make oat flour

It also uses a springform pan to shape the dough. I couldn’t find a 2-inch cookie cutter, so I used a glass to cut out the centre and a ball of aluminum foil to fill the space.

Press the dough into a springform pan collar

This shortbread has a lovely texture and it’s not too sweet. I hope you enjoy it. To avoid additives and preservatives, be sure to use a butter that does not contain colour.

This shortbread has a nice crumbly texture and isn't too sweet

Note:

Use the collar of a springform pan to form the shortbread into an even round. Mold the shortbread with the collar in the closed position, then open the collar, but leave it in place. This allows the shortbread to expand slightly but keeps it from spreading too far. Wrapped well and stored at room temperature, shortbread will keep for up to 7 days.

Ingredients:

½ cup old-fashioned rolled oats

1 ½ cups (7.5 oz) unbleached all-purpose flour

¼ cup cornstarch

2/3 cup confectioners’ sugar (also known as icing sugar)

½ tsp table salt

14 tbsp unsalted butter, cold, cut into 1/8-inch slices

Special equipment:

Stand mixer

Springform pan (9 or 9.5 inch)

2-inch oven-proof cookie or biscuit cutter

Preparation:

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Pulse oats in spice grinder or blender until reduced to fine powder, about ten 5-second pulses (you should have ¼ to 1/3 cup oat flour). In bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, mix oat flour, all-purpose flour, cornstarch, sugar, and salt on low speed until combined, about 5 seconds. Add butter to dry ingredients and continue to mix on low speed until dough just forms and pulls away from sides of bowl, 5 to 10 minutes.

Place upside-down (grooved edge should be at top) collar of 9- or 9 1/2-inch springform pan on parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet (do not use springform pan bottom). Press dough into collar in even 1/2-inch-thick layer, smoothing top of dough with back of spoon. Place 2-inch biscuit cutter in center of dough and cut out center. Place extracted round alongside springform collar on baking sheet and replace cutter in center of dough. Open springform collar, but leave it in place.

Bake shortbread 5 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 250 degrees. Continue to bake until edges turn pale golden, 10 to 15 minutes longer. Remove baking sheet from oven; turn off oven. Remove springform pan collar; use chef’s knife to score surface of shortbread into 16 even wedges, cutting halfway through shortbread. Using wooden skewer, poke 8 to 10 holes in each wedge. Return shortbread to oven and prop door open with handle of wooden spoon, leaving 1-inch gap at top. Allow shortbread to dry in turned-off oven until pale golden in center (shortbread should be firm but giving to touch), about 1 hour.

Transfer baking sheet to wire rack; cool shortbread to room temperature, at least 2 hours. Cut shortbread at scored marks to separate and serve.

From the November 2009 issue of Cook’s Illustrated

If you are looking for a new twist on lamb chops, try this recipe from the November 2010 issue of Bon Appetit. Lamb chops (I used loin chops) are sauteed on top of the stove.

Lamb chops are sauteed

While the chops rest, quickly saute grape or cherry tomatoes in the same skillet.

Then saute cherry or grape tomatoes in the same skillet

The chops are then topped with the tomatoes, red onion slices, feta cheese and freshly chopped oregano. I served the chops with roasted fingerling potatoes and a chiffonade of Brussels sprouts.

Lamb chops with red onion, grape tomatoes and feta, served with fingerling potatoes and chiffonade of Brussels sprouts

To avoid additives and preservatives in this recipe, be sure to use fresh lemon juice, because lemon juice concentrates contain sodium benzoate. Also check the ingredients of the feta cheese to ensure it is additive-free.

Ingredients:

½ cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano, divided
¾ teaspoon ground cumin
4 lamb shoulder blade chops (each ½ to ¾ inch thick)
1 10- to 12-ounce container grape tomatoes
½ cup coarsely crumbled feta cheese
½ cup paper-thin red onion slices

Preparation:

Whisk ½ cup olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, minced garlic, 2 tablespoons oregano, and ground cumin in medium bowl; season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer ½ cup dressing to large bowl; add lamb chops and stir to coat. Let marinate 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add grape tomatoes to remaining dressing in medium bowl; toss to coat.

Sprinkle lamb chops with salt and pepper. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté lamb chops until browned on both sides and cooked to desired doneness, about 4 minutes per side for medium, depending on thickness. Transfer lamb chops to 4 plates (reserve skillet).

Using slotted spoon, transfer tomatoes to same skillet (reserve dressing from tomatoes in bowl). Sauté tomatoes until skins begin to wrinkle, about 2 minutes. Top lamb chops with tomatoes, then feta, red onion, and remaining 1 tablespoon oregano. Drizzle with reserved dressing. Serves 4.

From the November 2010 issue of Bon Appetit

Lagman is a lamb stir fry from Uyghur, a cuisine Lucy Waverman featured in the September 24, 2010 edition of The Globe and Mail. According to Waverman, Uyghur food originated in China’s Xingjian province (formerly East Turkistan) and is a fusion of East Asian techniques and ingredients with a significant Turkish influence. I had never made a stir fry using lamb, so thought I’d give it a try. It was excellent, with great flavour, texture and colour. Cut the meat off a lamb sirloin chop; you can also use beef or chicken if you prefer.

Slices of lamb are stir fried with vegetables

To avoid additives and preservatives in this recipe, use tamari instead of soy sauce. Tamari uses a natural preservative—alcohol—instead of sodium benzoate. I couldn’t find all-natural beef stock, so I used Imagine Organic Chicken Broth, which worked well.

Lagman served over noodles

Ingredients:

Sauce

2 heaped tablespoons tomato paste

2 tablespoons soy sauce

½ teaspoon dried chili flakes

½ teaspoon sugar

½ cup beef stock or water

1 star anise, broken up

Meat

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

12 ounces (375 grams) thinly sliced lamb

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1 tablespoon chopped garlic

1 tablespoon chopped ginger

1 cup sliced onion

½ red pepper, sliced

1 mild green banana pepper, sliced

1 cup thinly sliced carrot

2 cups diced tomato

3 cups sliced Napa cabbage

12 ounces (375 grams) udon noodles

¼ cup coriander sprigs

Preparation:

Combine all sauce ingredients in a bowl. Heat a wok over high heat until very hot. Add oil and gently swirl to coat. Season lamb with salt and pepper and add to pan along with garlic and ginger and stir fry for 1 minute or until beginning to brown. Add onion, red pepper, banana pepper and carrots and stir fry until vegetables soften (about 2 minutes). Add tomato and cabbage and stir fry for 2 minutes or until cabbage has wilted. Stir in sauce, bring to boil and boil for about 2 minutes or until vegetables are crisp tender.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add noodles and cook for 1 minute or until heated through. Drain and add to wok, stirring to combine with vegetables and sauce. Sprinkle with coriander sprigs. Serves 4.

From the September 24, 2010 edition of The Globe and Mail

I am very fortunate to have been asked by my friend Ivonne, who writes the terrific Cream Puffs in Venice blog (www.creampuffsinvenice.ca)  to review cookbooks for the Daring Kitchen website. My review of  Ad Hoc at Home, by celebrity chef Thomas Keller is now posted there.

Ad Hoc at Home is a beautiful book, and it contains many useful tips. The recipes are complex, however, so be ready to invest some time and effort. To read my full review, visit www.thedaringkitchen.com.

Here are photos of the recipes I made from Ad Hoc at Home. The recipes for Rainbow Chard with Raisins, Pine Nuts and Serrano Ham and for Porterhouse Steak with Herb-Shallot Butter are already posted on this blog. If you are interested in the recipes for the other dishes, please let me know.

Buttermilk fried chicken

Rainbow chard with raisins, pine nuts and Serrano ham

Porterhouse steak

Red potato and green bean salad with creamy pepper dressing

Corn on the cob with lime salt

Pork tenderloin always makes a tasty weeknight meal, and this recipe from the December 1997 issue of Bon Appetit makes it a quick one as well. The pork tenderloin is sliced and then pounded into thin medallions.

Slice the pork thinly and then pound it into medallions

The medallions cook very quickly in the pan; make sure your pan is hot and don’t overcrowd it. Otherwise, the medallions will steam instead of browning.

The medallions cook quickly and stay tender

Once the pork is cooked, remove it to a plate. Then use the delicious fond on the bottom of the pan to make a quick mustard caper-sauce. Return the pork to the sauce to heat through and you have supper on the table in about 15 minutes.

The medallions are served with a tasty mustard-caper sauce

To avoid additives and preservatives in this recipe, use butter that does not contain colour, all-natural chicken stock and capers and mustard that are additive-free.

Ingredients:

1 8- to 10-ounce pork tenderloin, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick rounds
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup sliced shallots
1 cup canned low-salt chicken broth
2 tablespoons whipping cream
1 1/2 tablespoons drained capers
1 tablespoon coarse-grained Dijon mustard

Preparation:

Using meat mallet or rolling pin, flatten pork rounds slightly to scant 1/2-inch thickness. This is easier to do if you cover the pork with plastic wrap first. Sprinkle the pork with salt and pepper.
Melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork to skillet and saute until brown and cooked through, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer pork to plate. Add shallots to skillet and stir 1 minute. Add chicken broth and cream. Boil until sauce is thick enough to coat spoon, stirring up browned bits, about 3 minutes. Mix in capers and mustard. Return pork to sauce. Simmer mixture until pork is heated through, about 1 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.

From the December 1997 issue of Bon Appetit

My assignment is finished, so I am back to cooking (and posting). When I arrived home, after several weeks of take-out and restaurant meals, all I wanted to eat was a nice steak from our local butcher, Don, and a green salad. This recipe from Ad Hoc at Home feeds a crowd and the crowning touch is the herb and shallot butter brushed over the steak during the final stages of grilling.

Porterhouse steak on the grill

To avoid additives and preservatives in this recipe, use butter with no colour added and fresh lemon juice.

Herb and shallot butter is brushed on the steak

Porterhouse Steak

Ingredients:

Three 1½ -inch-thick porterhouse steaks (about 1.5 lbs each)

Canola oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Grey salt or coarse sea salt

Preparation:

Trim the excess fat from the steak. Let steaks stand at room temperature for at least 30 minutes or up to 1 hour. Just before grilling, coat the steaks with canola oil and season both sides generously with salt and pepper.

Prepare charcoal or gas grill for two-temperature cooking with one area for medium-high heat and the other for medium heat. Grill the steaks over medium-high heat, without moving for 2 to 3 minutes, or until they are well marked. For a nice crust and to prevent sticking, do not move steaks too early. Rotate the steaks 90 degrees to make crosshatch pattern, and grill for 2-3 minutes. Flip the steaks over, move to medium heat, and grill, without moving them, for 3 minutes. . Rotate the steaks 90 degrees and cook for another 8-12 minutes (timing can vary greatly, depending on heat level), brushing steak 2 or 3 times with the herb butter, until the center of the meat registers 125-128 degrees. Transfer the steaks to a carving board, brush with herb butter, and allow to rest for at least 15 minutes for medium-rare. Slice the meat away from the bones and cut against the grain into ½-inch slices. Arrange the meat around the bones on a serving platter and sprinkle with gray salt. Serves 6.

Herb and Shallot Butter

Ingredients:

2/3 cup minced shallots

6 oz. plus 1 tsp unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

¾ tsp kosher salt

¾ tsp paprika

Preparation:

Combine shallots and 1 tsp butter in small saucepan and cook over very low heat until the shallots are tender but have not browned, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool. Put the remaining butter in a small bowl, add the parsley, lemon juice, salt and paprika and stir to incorporate. Stir in the shallots. Shape into a log, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, put in a resealable bag, and refrigerate until ready to use, or freeze for up to 1 week. Makes a generous cup.

From Ad Hoc at Home