Savory Waffles with Pea & Chive Soup

From the archives.

The weather in Chicago has been keeping residents on their toes.  Over the last couple weeks we have experienced snow, rain, hail, thunderstorms, blinding fog and temperatures ranging from the mid-50s to well below zero. There are lakes of slush and water at every crosswalk, and small mountains of snow marking the property lines of the few residents who shovel. I have been wearing my unfashionable, yet well-loved Asolo hiking boots in order to make my commute from Logan Square to the Ukrainian Village sure-footed and waterproof.

Here is a perfect pairing of recipes for these unpredictable winter nights.

Chive & Sour Cream Waffles
Makes 12 Waffles

Ingredients

1 C unbleached all-purpose flour
3/4 C yellow cornmeal
1 tsp sugar
1 Tbl baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 stick butter-melted
1 C milk- warmed
1/2 C sour cream
3 large eggs at room temp.
1 Tbl mustard
1 Tbl chopped fresh chives
1 Tbl grated Cheddar cheese

Method

Combine all dry ingredients (including chives and cheese) in a large
bowl.  Make a well in the center.

In a separate bowl combine all wet ingredients, beating eggs thoroughly.

Add wet ingredients to the well of the dry ingredients and mix until
just combined.  Do not over-mix.

Let rest for 10 min.

Heat waffle iron.

Place 1/4 C of batter onto each waffle portion and cook for 3-5 min.
or until steam ceases to escape from the iron.

Pea & Chive Soup
Serves 6

Ingredients

1 small onion, finely chopped
2 Tbl butter
1 potato, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 tsp salt
2 lbs frozen peas
5 C vegetable stock
1/4 C chopped chives (reserve some for garnish if you wish)
1/2 C milk
1/2 C sour cream

Method

Melt the butter over medium heat and cook onion in a large, deep
skillet or stockpot until tender. About 2 min.

Add potato and salt and cook about 2 min. more.

Add 3 C stock, cover, and let simmer for about 10 min.

Add peas and simmer uncovered for 3 min. or until peas are tender.

Stir in the chives and the remaining 2 C of stock.

Remove from heat and blend with an immersion blender--strain if desired.

Whisk in milk and sour cream.  Season with salt and pepper.
Reheat if needed but do not allow to boil.
Garnish with a few chives and a dollop of sour cream.

Sesame Baked Tofu

Rich and nutty pieces of baked tofu are perfect for adding to stir-fry or curry dishes, but they are also delicious on their own.  Extra-firm tofu will hold up well to the marinating called for in this recipe, though some types of firm tofu will work fine as well. If you are worried that your tofu is too delicate, wrap the tofu slices in clean tea towels, place a plate on top, and a heavy pot or bag of flour on top of that.  Let sit for half an hour.  As the water in the tofu is absorbed into the towels, the tofu will become sturdier.  Dark sesame oil is made from toasted sesame seeds and gives this dish a deeper flavor.  Light sesame oil can also be used.

Sesame Baked Tofu

Ingredients

1 lb extra-firm tofu, patted dry and cut into slices 1/2 inch thick
6 Tbl soy sauce
3 Tbl dark sesame oil
3 Tbl vegetable oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1.5 tsp fresh ginger, minced
2 Tbl sesame seeds

Method

Whisk together all of the ingredients except for the tofu and sesame seeds in a medium bowl.  Place the tofu slices in a baking dish large enough to lay each piece flat and then pour the marinade over them.  Cover and place in the refrigerator for about 8 hours, turning the tofu slices over halfway through.

Preheat the oven to 400F and bake for 30 minutes.  Flip slices and bake for another 30 minutes or until a very deep golden brown. The marinade should be completely absorbed. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the sesame seeds. The tofu will keep in the refrigerator for two days.

Miso Coleslaw Salad

From the archives.

A simple miso soup is one of my favorite winter meals.  Miso paste will keep in the refrigerator for at least six months (or some same, indefinitely), but from time to time I like to look for new ways to use it so that I can justify the purchase of a new jar. Some time ago I created the following miso salad and it has remained one of my favorite sides.  It is creamy and satisfying, and takes just minutes to put together.

Miso Coleslaw Salad
Serves 4

Ingredients

1 Tbl canola oil mayonnaise
1/2 Tbl rice wine vinegar
1 tsp sugar
1 Tbl yellow miso
1 tsp fresh ginger - grated
salt & pepper
2 C shredded vegetables

Method

Mix all but the last two ingredients together, season to taste with salt and pepper, and toss with the vegetables.  I prefer a thinner dressing, so you may want adjust some ingredients to achieve your desired consistency.

Apple Butter

During high school I worked seasonally at a local apple orchard.  I was employed in various capacities including tree pruning, conducting pony rides for children and working in the storefront. Autumn is my favorite time of year and while I was never thrilled about getting to work early on a Saturday morning, I would trade that fresh autumn air for my current stuffy office in a heartbeat (though, this doesn't hold for my wages).

One of the other perks of working at the orchard was unlimited access to some of my favorite foods: apples, apple cider, apple cider donuts and apple butter. I am still searching for an apple cider donut recipe that compares to those I used to enjoy, but I think I may have found a formidable replacement for the apple butter of my adolescence.

A few months ago I had the opportunity to sample the fabulous Fig-Sesame Spread from cmbsweets.  When I found a post on 101cookbooks featuring the woman behind cmbsweets and her recipe for apple butter, I was certain it would produce delicious results, and it did.  I used granny smith apples and about half again as much lemon juice.  This tartness cuts the sugar just enough to ensure that the final product stays under my overly-sweet-threshold and that the apple butter comes close to matching the flavors that I fondly recall from years ago.

*Update*  Ms. Carolina B contacted me after this post to tell me that we Chicagoans can now buy cmbsweets products at three locations: Fox & Obel, Southport Grocery and Dave's Specialty Foods in Mt. Prospect!

Today marks 3 years since I created Pro Bono Baker.  Thank you to everyone who has inspired me with new recipes and given me advice as I continue to learn more about cooking and photography. I never would have imagined that this little catalog of my personal exploits would lead to meeting so many amazing individuals. I met many of you at the BlogHer Conference, some around Chicago, others more informally at book signings or talks and even a few in international locations. 

To date I have had the opportunity to spend time with the following in some capacity:
100 Peaches Project
101 Cookbooks
A Veggie Venture
Anali's First Amendment
Austinist
Blue Kitchen
Cardamom Addict
Chow
CookThink
Daily Eats
Eating on Jitneys
Eggbeater
Fat Free Vegan
Food & Thoughts
Food Migration
Gaper's Block: Drive-Thru
Gastronaut
I Ate a Pie
Inadvertent Gardener
Inquisitive Palate
Kalyn's Kitchen
Kung Foodie
La Tartine Gourmande
Libations
Little Spatula
My Vegetable Blog
Once Upon a Feast
One Hot Stove
Oswego Tea
Pinch My Salt
Simply Recipes
Still Life With...
The Pioneer Woman Cooks
This Mama Cooks
Two Bites in Suburbia

I look forward to adding to this list!

Mirabelle Bakery

(Mirabelle Bakery's Seeded Boule)
Many of my weekends over the past few months have started aboard a southbound train that deposits me 150 miles away from home in Champaign, IL.  Nick returned to finish his last year at the University of Illinois and we have been traveling back and forth to see each other since September.  We weren't particularly thrilled about the prospect of spending time in a central-Illinois college town, but the discovery of Mirabelle Bakery made it all a bit easier.

(Mirabelle Bakery's Onion and Rosemary Foccacia)
The bakery is closed on Sundays, so nearly every Saturday morning we make the half mile walk from Nick's apartment to downtown Urbana.  We stop at Strawberry Fields, the local natural foods store, for coffee and head up the street to wait in the perpetually-crowded storefront of Mirabelle.

(Mirabelle Bakery's Coffee Cake)
We always select something to eat immediately on the park bench outside, and often purchase a loaf of fresh baked bread to accompany our dinner.  I am a glutton for traditional breads, and Mirabelle may have the finest baguettes that I have ever encountered in the United States.

(Mirabelle Bakery's German Chocolate Pastry)
The only complaints I could possibly muster about Mirabelle would be their coffee which is a weak and pedestrian variety tucked away in a self-service corner.  But, I do visit for the breads and pastries and I would not suggest that they turn their attention away from these incredible offerings.

(Mirabelle Bakery's Onion Roll)
My favorite pastry of all is the Mirabelle Bakery Onion Roll.  The roll is soft and buttery, stuffed with poppy seeds, sour cream, red onions and an indescribable, delectable savoriness that makes my mouth water just thinking about it.  If you have occasion to visit Mirabelle Bakery, this would be my first suggestion to sample.

(Mirabelle Bakery's Pesto, Tomato and Goat Cheese Foccacia)
If you have a heartier appetite, their foccacia servings are huge and easily make a meal.  The crumb is chewy and tender and the toppings are always very fresh.

(Mirabelle Bakery's Seeded Boule)
The other two highlights of Champaign-Urbana have been the Blind Pig, a beautiful bar with over 21 taps and Prairie Fruits Farm goat cheese.

(Prairie Fruits Farm Herbes de Provence Goat Cheese)
This locally produced goat cheese can be purchased at Strawberry Fields, and while a bit pricey (about $7 for 6 oz.), it is worth every penny.  We do not have a car available to us, but I am hoping to find a way to make a trip out to the creamery in the spring, if the owners will have me, to see the farm's operation first hand. I often fantasize about making my own goat cheese and it would be fun to see a local example.

While we would both rather be living a normal life back in Chicago, it has been fortifying to find these high-quality, local and affordable establishments in a town with too many trashy sports bars and fast-food chains.  I have to admit that I didn't expect to miss things about Champaign-Urbana, but I will.

For an inside look at Mirabelle Bakery and to learn more about the food in Champaign-Urbana from a well-versed resident, visit the lovely blog Champaign Taste.

Mirabelle
127 W. Main
Urbana, IL 61801
217/384-6460

Banana Muffins

From the archives.

These golden brown muffins owe their airy crumb and glossy exterior to egg whites used in place of full eggs (it also makes them healthier too, but that's not really the point).  Serve them warm with butter or jam for a delicious breakfast or in addition to a brunch menu.

Banana Muffins
Makes about 12 muffins

Ingredients

1 C sugar
4 egg whites
1/2 C butter, softened
2 ripe bananas
1/4 C milk
2 C flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda

Method

Preheat oven to 350F and butter a muffin pan.

In a large bowl mix the butter, sugar and egg whites.

In a second bowl mash the bananas and milk together.

In a third bowl mix the flour, baking powder and baking soda.

Add the one third of the banana mixture to the butter mixture - combining gently.  Add one third of the flour mixture to the butter mixture - combining gently.  Repeat until all ingredients have been incorporated.  Do not over-mix.

Pour batter into the prepared muffin tin and bake about 40 minutes. 

Red Pepper, Spinach and Feta Quiche

My family celebrated Christmas on Sunday at my parent's house.  We slept in, opened gifts (my little brother, the Mac Genius, gave me an iPod Touch!), served dinner for 13 people and ended the night with drinks and the company of a few old friends who stopped by. 

I only made one dish for Christmas dinner this year: A red pepper, spinach and feta quiche.  This is one of my favorite standby recipes.  It makes a quick and beautiful dinner or a lovely addition to a larger feast that vegetarians can enjoy as a main dish.  And, it couldn't be simpler to prepare.

Red Pepper, Spinach and Feta Quiche
Adapted from Gourmet Magazine

Ingredients

1 deep dish pie crust
1 Tbl olive oil
2 C packed fresh spinach, washed and trimmed
1/3 C sliced red bell pepper
3 eggs
1/2 C heavy cream
6 oz feta cheese, crumbled
salt and pepper

Method

Preheat oven to 425F, place a baking sheet on the middle rack.

Place prepared pie crust in a deep dish pie pan. 

Over medium heat, sauté bell pepper in oil for one minute.  Add spinach and sauté until wilted.  Season pepper and spinach mixture with salt and pepper.

In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs and cream together.

Arrange feta over bottom of pie shell, place pepper and spinach mixture on top.  Pour egg and cream mixture over the other ingredients.

Bake on the baking sheet for 15 min.

Reduce heat to 350F and bake another 20 minutes, until set.  Watch carefully so that crust does not burn.

Serve warm or cool.

Pane Al Cioccolato

From the archives.

This decadent bread should be made with high quality dark chocolate.  Serve warm slices with mascarpone cheese for an absolutely heavenly treat.

Pane Al Cioccolato

Adapted from Bread by Christine Ingram and Jennie Shapter

Ingredients

3 C unbleached white bread flour
1 1/2 tbl cocoa powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
2 tbl caster sugar
1 envelope yeast
1 C lukewarm water
2 tbl butter--softened
3 oz high quality chocolate--coarsely chopped
Melted butter for brushing

Method

Sift flour, cocoa powder, and salt together in a large bowl.
Stir in the sugar.
Make a well in the center.

Mix the envelope of yeast with 4 tbl of the lukewarm water. 
Allow to sit for about 10 min. or until frothy.
Add this mixture and the remaining water to the well and gradually mix into a dough.

Knead in the butter and transfer to a lightly floured surface to knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 min.

Place in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with clear film. 
Leave to rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk (about 1 hr).

Turn out on to a lightly floured surface and gently deflate. 
Gently knead in the chocolate.
Cover again with film and leave to rest about 5 minutes.

Shape and place into the desired cookware. (I shaped into a round and placed in a lightly greased Pyrex bowl to bake.)
Cover and leave to rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk (about 45 min).

Bake in a preheated oven at 425F for 10 min.
Reduce temperature to 375F and bake for about 30 min.

After baking, brush the top with melted butter and cool on a wire rack.

(If you choose to make two small loaves with this recipe instead of one, be aware that the baking time should be reduced about 10 min. Watch carefully.)

Broccoli and Apple Soup

That may sound like an odd combination to you, but I assure that the broccoli and apple flavors marry beautifully in this soup.  Several years ago, my friends James and John threw a large-scale dinner party and served this, though they wouldn't tell us the ingredients until afterwards.  The apple provides a subtle kick to the otherwise flat taste of the cooked broccoli.

Broccoli and Apple Soup

Serves 4

Ingredients

5 C Broccoli

3 Tbl butter

2 granny smith apples - peeled, cored and diced

1 red onion - diced

3 C vegetable stock

1/3 C sour cream

Salt and pepper

Method

Separate broccoli into florets and dice the stalks.  Melt the butter in a large stock pot over medium heat.  Add the broccoli stalks, onion and apple and cook for 5 minutes or until the onion is soft.

Add the stock and broccoli florets.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 10 minutes.

Puree the soup in batches in a blender, or use an immersion blender, until the soup is the desired consistency. 

Season with salt and pepper and stir in the sour cream.

Thanks to John for providing me with the recipe that I based this on.

Rosemary Cornmeal Shortbread

I worked from home yesterday and between grant research and writing appeal letters I decided to bake some cookies.  These cookies are both sweet and savory - a winning combination in my book.  I based my recipe off of one from the Martha Stewart website and a recipe from Kiss the Hem of Her Apron, a lovely food site that is new to me.

Rosemary Cornmeal Shortbread

Makes 1 dozen

Ingredients

1/2 C (1 stick) butter, softened

1/3 C sugar

1/4 C pine nuts

1/4 C shredded Parmesan cheese

1/2 Tbl of dried rosemary, finely ground with a mortar and pestle

4 cracks of fresh black pepper

3/4 C all-purpose flour

1/2 C cornmeal

1 tsp salt

Method

Preheat oven to 300F

Mix butter and sugar together in a large bowl until creamy and smooth.  Add pine nuts, Parmesan, rosemary and black pepper.  Stir to combine.  Add flour, cornmeal and salt.  Stir to combine. 

Form into 12 disks with your hands and place on a prepared baking sheet (I use a Silpat mat). I  spooned a bit of sugar and kosher salt (very little salt) on top of the cookies before baking.

Bake about 25 minutes or until the cookies are golden brown and make your house smell amazing.  Allow to cool on a wire rack.  These cookies will keep for several days in an airtight container.

Squash Dinner Rolls

During my last year at Reed College in Portland, Oregon, my roommate Tamara and I were invited to have Thanksgiving with our friend Erik, his father and his step-mother.  The food was incredible and a welcome change for the three of us students.  Michael and Lorie were wonderful hosts and it was an evening full of excellent conversation and warmth.  It was always sad to be unable to fly home for Thanksgiving, but the hospitality that I found in other homes and with new friends on those occasions is something that I will never forget.

Another thing that I will never forget are Lorie's incredible squash rolls.  I had always regretted leaving that day without requesting the recipe, so this year I asked Erik to put me in touch with her.  Not only did I receive the recipe, I was also treated to a lovely story:

"When I was first making this recipe, I was ... doing subsistence farming in northern British Columbia. So they were made with Hubbard squash that we grew in our garden and with flour that we ground each morning as we waited for the cabin to heat up, and of course they were baked in a wood-burning stove."

That sounds like such an inviting environment, especially as I am bracing myself for another dark, city winter.  These rolls are delicious anywhere, but I bet they were particularly comforting when baked in a wood-burning oven.  Thank you very much to Lorie for introducing me to these rolls and for providing me with the following recipe.

Squash Rolls
from The Garden Way Bread Book, A Baker’s Almanac by Ellen Foscue Johnson

Makes about 2 dozen rolls

Ingredients

1 C milk
¼ C maple syrup or honey
4 Tbl sweet butter or light oil
2 tsp salt
1 C cooked winter squash (fresh or frozen)
(You may also use pumpkin, fresh or canned.)
1½ Tbl dry yeast
(or 1 Tbl dry yeast + 1 C sourdough starter)
¼ C warm water
½ tsp sugar or honey
2 eggs
1 tsp grated orange peel or ¼-½ C sautéed onion
6 ½ C unbleached white flour, approximately

Method

In a saucepan scald the milk. Add the maple syrup, butter, salt, and squash, stirring to mix well. Let sit until lukewarm.

In a large bowl dissolve the yeast in the warm water with the ½ teaspoon sugar or honey. When it is bubbly, add the cooled milk-squash mixture, eggs, orange peel and 2 2/2 cups of the flour. Beat with an electric mixer 2 minutes or at least 200 strokes by hand. Gradually add enough more flour to make a dough that pulls away from the sides of the bowl and is stiff enough to knead.

Turn the dough out onto a floured board and knead until smooth and elastic, sprinkling with a little more flour if it remains sticky.

Put the dough into a buttered bowl, turn to coat all sides or brush the top with melted butter. Cover and let rise until doubled in bulk.

Punch the dough down, turn out onto a floured board and knead a few times to press out air bubbles. Cut into pieces about the size of eggs, cover and let rest for 10 to 15 minutes. Form into rolls of whatever shape you wish (the easiest is to make balls and put in buttered muffin tins). Brush the tops with melted butter and let rise, lightly covered, until not quite double in size.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Bake 15 minutes, or until done. Break one open to test. Do not over-bake. Serve hot, or, if you plan to save then until the next meal or freeze, bake for a slightly shorter time, cool on a rack and re-heat.

Thank you Lorie!

Pumpkin Pie

I spent Thanksgiving day at my parent's house along with Nick, my brother Evan and my grandmother Arlene.  Nick and I spent the better part of the day preparing the food and then enjoyed a lazy night watching Planet Earth in front of the fireplace. 

I will post some photos and recipes of the other dishes we made soon, but I wanted to quickly share these pictures of the pumpkin pie I made Thanksgiving morning.

I love pumpkin pie.  I find many sweets cloying, but the earthy, silky taste of this simple pie is a winter favorite.

There are dozens upon dozens of dressed-up recipes out there, but here is the basic recipe that I prefer to turn to.  Feel free to embellish as you see fit.

Classic Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients

1 pie crust, rolled out and chilled in a pie dish

2/3 C brown sugar

1/2 C white sugar

2 Tbl flour

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp each of: allspice, cloves and ginger

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 C canned pumpkin

2 Tbl molasses

1 tsp vanilla

3 large eggs

1 C whipping cream

Method

Place a baking sheet in the oven and preheat to 450F.  Combine sugars, flour, spices and salt in a large bowl.  Add the pumpkin, molasses, vanilla and eggs and incorporate the cream last.

Pour batter into chilled pie crust and bake for ten minutes.

Reduce oven heat to 325F and bake for another 40 to 45 minutes.  The middle should be set and the sides of the pie should puff up a bit.

Allow pie to cool and serve at room temperature or chilled. 

I usually whip any excess cream with a touch of vanilla to serve along with each slice.   This pie can be made up to a day ahead, making it easy for large holiday dinners.

On a side note, I was pleased to find a (very brief) mention of my website in the Sacramento Bee recently.  Follow the link or download here: Download SacBee.doc

Cheddar Gougères

From the archives.

If you are looking for a quick appetizer to keep your guests entertained this week, Cheddar Gougères are a delicious option. These airy, eggy, crusty puffs of pâte à choux are delicious right out of the oven. It might take a few attempts to get the pâte à choux the right consistency, but once it comes out correctly it will be simple in the future.  Try a test run tonight and enjoy them warm with a salad or soup.

Traditionally, gougères are made with Gruyère cheese.  I enjoy the bite of sharp Cheddar, but feel free to use any cheese that will grate well and is of a similar fat content.  You may also want to try adding fresh herbs such as dill, rosemary or chives.

Cheddar Gougères
Adapted from Party Appetizers by Tori Ritchie

Makes about 40 - 50 Gougères.  (This is a lot.)

Ingredients

1 C water

8 Tbl unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1/2 tsp salt

1 C flour

4 eggs

1 1/2 tsp mustard powder

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1 1/2 C shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

Method

Preheat oven to 375F and line two baking sheets with Silpat mats or parchment paper.

Combine the water, butter and salt in a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat.  Cook, stirring to combine until the butter is melted.

Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil.

Turn off the heat and add the flour.  Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until the mixture comes together and pulls away from the sides of the pan.

Remove the pan from the stove and allow the mixture to cool for 5 minutes, do not stir.

Add the eggs one at a time, beating with the wooden spoon to fully incorporate after each addition.

With each addition, the dough will look glossy at first, but eventually regain its texture and stick to the sides of the pan again.

Once all of the eggs have been added, add the mustard powder and cayenne and beat to incorporate.  Then add the cheese and beat to incorporate.

Scoop one-inch balls of the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving about one-inch between them.

Bake until the gougères are puffed up and golden, about 25 minutes.  For best results, rotated the baking sheets half way through.

Brussels Sprouts with White Beans

I'm a bit embarrassed to admit that I ate my first Brussels sprout a mere 5 years ago.  I'm not entirely sure why these delightful vegetables get such a bad wrap, or why I unwittingly fell for it.  Though, I do know that Brussels sprouts have become one of my favorite fall vegetables.

I've also recently become obsessed with the buttery, nutty cannellini bean.  On many evenings over the past few months I have enjoyed the beans simply warmed in butter and seasoned with salt and pepper.  I was pleased to find a recipe recently that combined both of these ingredients.

Brussels Sprouts with White Beans

adapted from Bon Appetit

Serves 8 as a side or 2 as a main dish.

Ingredients:

2 pounds fresh Brussels sprouts, cleaned and halved

6 cloves of garlic, smashed

1 can of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup vegetable broth

3 tbl olive oil

1 tbl butter

2 tbl shredded Parmesan cheese

2 tbl pine nuts

4 strips of bacon (I used vegetarian bacon.  If you use regular bacon, you could cook it first and fry the Brussels sprouts in the fat for a richer flavor.)

salt and pepper

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a skillet over high heat.  Add half of the Brussels Sprouts and cook until browned, about 5 minutes.  Transfer to a large bowl and repeat with the second half. 

Heat the last tablespoon of oil over high heat.  Add the garlic and stir constantly until brown (not black). 

Add the vegetable stock and Brussels sprouts, cook for 3 minutes.

Add the beans and butter and cook until liquid is reduced, abut one more minute. Season with salt and pepper.

Transfer to a large bowl and mix in bacon, Parmesan and pine nuts.  Serve warm.

While this would make a lovely side dish, it also makes a great meal for a chilly night.

Ruinart Champagne and Avec

When Nick took me to the May Street Market for my birthday last week, we picked up a flier for a Champagne tasting.  This past Monday I met my friends Paul and Margaret at the tasting to celebrate my birthday, Paul's birthday and Margaret's return to Chicago after living in Russia for a few years.

Ruinart, established in 1729, is the oldest operating Champagne house.  We had the opportunity to sample the Ruinart Blanc de Blancs and the Ruinart Rosé.  They were both delicious, refreshing and had beautiful coloring.  Both of these varieties run about $60 a bottle. 

I was glad to have a reason to return to the May Street Market so quickly and we were all pleased with the appetizers that they served during the tasting.

May Street Market Mussels.

May Street Market Maytag Blue Cheesecake.

We each drank three glasses of Champagne and enough appetizers to whet our appetites.

We decided to head east to Avec to continue the evening.  We ordered the Roasted Corn Bruschetta with fresh dill, shaved fennel and corn vinaigrette.

Chorizo-Stuffed Madjool Dates with smoked bacon and piquillo pepper-tomato sauce.

A cheese flight of Mistura Biera (raw cow, ewe's milk) from Portugal, Caciocavallo (cow's milk) from Italy and Cabrales (cow, sheep and goat's milk) from Spain.

...and we shared a delicious bottle of wine.  It was a more extravagant Monday night than I am used to, but it was nice to celebrate with Paul and Margaret -- two of the best food and beverage companions I know.

Twenty-Six

I turned 26 last Friday.  Nick met me after work and we walked from my new job in the Ukrainian Village to the May Street Market in the west loop.

Neither of us had been to the May Street Market before and I was really pleased with his choice.  The host explained to us that their menu changes frequently because they buy their ingredients from local and sustainable resources (he mentioned the Green City Market by name).

Sadly, my photographs of the meal turned out pretty lousy, but I hope you will trust me when I tell you that each one looked stunning. We ordered a 2003 Dona Paula Shiraz-Malbec to go with the following:

On the top left is the "Maytag blue cheesecake  with roasted candied beets, arugula, spiced pecans, and elderflower sorbet." Nick ordered the "roasted venison medallions in a pistachio crust with carrot purée, chive spaetzle, and lingonberry sauce."  I ordered the pumpkin risotto with quinoa and dried cherries. It was fabulous with a very fitting presentation.  For dessert we shared "chocolate-banana bread pudding, caramel ice cream, chocolate sauce, and caramelized banana."  Everything was delicious and I highly recommend a visit.

Nick also bought us tickets to Bruce Springsteen!  The show is in late October and I am very excited to see him for the first time. 

We finished up the night at the Logan Square Small Bar where we enjoyed a variety of beers and our friend Parker's company. (Well, we actually finished the night on the porch with a bit of the Basil Hayden's that Nick bought.)

On Saturday afternoon Nick and I met my parents, my brother and my grandmother at my Uncle Jack and my Uncle Dave’s house in Old Town. We spent the beautiful, sunny day celebrating three birthdays: mine, Jack’s and my grandmother Arlene’s.

Dave is one of the best cooks I know.  He made us a delicious lunch of vegetarian Portobello lasagna, meat lasagna (sauces from scratch of course), Caesar salad, and garlic bread. My mom brought a pretty fruit and yogurt salad as well.

For my birthday my parents gave me a hefty sum to aid in my new computer purchase, which is very exciting!  They also gave me a pair of beautiful earrings from one of my favorite jewelers, Studio 2015 in my hometown of Woodstock. Also, my brother bought me gemmapetrie.com!  That was sweet and thoughtful.  I will do something interesting with it soon.

Jack led us on a walking tour of Old Town where we were charmed by quaint old store fronts and left aghast by $40 million dollar concrete homes. When we returned for dessert we saw the stunning carrot cake that Jack and Dave ordered from Bittersweet. It was giant and delicious.

Nick and I returned home where I found these beautiful flowers from Eileen.  Note the kale, so beautiful.  This may have been the prettiest bouquet I have ever seen.  It was perfect for a late summer/early fall birthday.

We had a quick dinner at Small Bar before my friends arrived.  It was great to see so many people that I love all in one place, many of whom I do not see very often.  Harold arrived with a kitchen torch and butane for me.  We will plan some exciting gastronomic adventure soon to show it off. 

All in all this was one of my most memorable birthdays yet.  Outstanding food, family, friends, good beverages and long walks in Chicago - I don't need much else.

Holland, Michigan

In early July Nick and I took an Amtrak train from Chicago to Holland, Michigan.  We were met at the station by a very sweet young woman who was the keeper of the Dutch Colonial Inn where we had two nights reserved. We had decided on Holland thanks to the New Holland Brewery.  Nick and I are fans of many of their offerings, though most notably their Dragon's Milk.  The bed and breakfast is only about a mile from the brewery and we walked straight there after checking in to our room. 

There were a large number of IPAs on the chalkboard that we had never heard of, so we decided to start with a sampler tray:

Klomp Hatter IPA:  This one reminded us a bit of Gumballhead, with the hops kicking in at the end.  It was pretty good. 
Urele Heavy: A Scotch ale with a light front, a sweet end and a malty roundness throughout.
Nitro Hatter IPA:  This tasted bland and thin to us.
Belgian Hatter IPA: Smelled a bit like cough syrup and had a sharp astringent finish.
Imperial Hatter IPA: Very sweet with a muted hoppy-ness.  Full and luscious at the end.
Black Hatter IPA: This may have been the favorite of the bunch. Very dark in color and had a full earthy taste of toasted barely.  Not terribly complex, but strange and tasty.
Czarist stout: A very chocolaty stout with a frothy mouth-feel that finished pretty thin.
Existential: A sweet and hoppy barleywine.  Very good.

Their food was decent.  I ordered the annoyingly named "Treehugger" for eight bucks ("Vegetarians delight in this display of roughage! Served on a toasted focaccia bun, we pile hummus, cucumber, red onion, Roma tomato, sprouts, chipotle ranch dressing and dill havarti cheese.")  We learned, to our surprise, that the New Holland Brewpub does not own a deep fryer, so no fries...

After we ate we decided to move out back to their patio and ordered some tried and true full sized beers: the Dragon's Milk and Existential.  We had planned our trip around the brewery hours, and were well aware that the website claims the brewpub is open until 2 am on Saturdays.  However, again to our surprise, the kids who run the place (seriously, they all looked about 17)  closed up shop around 12:30 even though the place was packed.  This resulted in a mass exodus of very intoxicated patrons wandering out towards their cars and calling it a night.  Yikes. We walked home with a 22 to share in the garden.

Overall we weren't sure what to think of the New Holland Brewery and Brewpub.  Perhaps we just had bad luck, but no one seemed to know much about beer or really be old enough to drink it.  Their food was mediocre and they seem to be in need of a new manager if closing up shop an hour and a half early when the place is packed makes sense to them.  We were somewhat underwhelmed with the new beers we tried, but we do love the Dragon's Milk and Existential.  All in all I am quite glad we made the trip to the brewery, but I think in the future we will stick to those beers that the New Holland Brewing Company has deemed worthy of distribution. 

Oh, and one more thing, Holland doesn't allow beer or wine sales on Sundays --only liquor... This was an unfortunate surprise to us when we went back for one last try on Sunday afternoon.  Plan accordingly if you visit.  They neglected to mention this on their website we visited, but they now have a small button asking for help in repealing Sunday prohibition.

We really weren't heartbroken to use our time in other ways.  Holland is a charming little town and thanks to the Dutch Colonial Inn, we were able to fully enjoy it.  The Inn had two bikes that they allowed us to take all over town.  We biked the seven miles to the shores of Lake Michigan where the "Big Red Lighthouse" sits.  The views were breathtaking and the weather was perfect.

We then biked over to Windmill Island on the other side of town.  We paid the small admission fee and went straight to "De Zwaan," a 240 year old working Dutch windmill.  Our tour was run by a sweet and knowledgeable young woman dressed in traditional Dutch attire. We were able to climb all around the windmill and learned quite a bit about the tradition behind various decorations and how the milling process works.  Flour is still milled at De Zwaan and visitors can buy the flour in the gift shop.

We then spent about an hour laying around on the lawn and framing shots of Nick fighting the windmill.  Other attractions at Windmill Island include: a working antique carousel, homemade fudge, a working antique Amsterdam street organ, a miniature village and old-time klompen dancing performances.

We returned to the bed and breakfast to lay around and plan for dinner.  Our options were very limited on a Sunday night in Holland, Michigan.  We were going to order a pizza and call it a weekend, but our lovely inn keeper once again came to the rescue.  She scoffed when I asked for delivery recommendations and basically made us take her car back out towards the lighthouse to have a civilized dinner.  She recommended the Piper Restaurant on the water.  They had a lovely balcony overlooking the docks and the cool evening felt wonderful. 

We were both still in the mood for pizza, especially now that we had found a place with a wood oven.  Nick ordered the Meaty Medley: Italian sausage, smoked ham and pepperoni with a five-cheese blend and tomato sauce.   

I designed my own with asparagus and goat cheese.  It was all very tasty.

Holland, Michigan is a beautiful town.  We experienced some great food, interesting beer, gorgeous scenery and unbelievable hospitality.  This was an easy trip from the city and one I would highly recommend.

Herb-Roasted Hasselbacks

Last Thursday I visited the Daley Plaza Farmer's Market over lunch and came away with quite a haul: Heirloom tomatoes, purple bell peppers, sunflowers, fresh basil, smoked string cheese, a LaBriola whole grain loaf and a beautiful selection of potatoes.

These pretty yellow, red and purple potato varieties came from Nichols Farm & Orchard.  This family run farm is from Marengo, Illinois -- quite near where I grew up.  They sell their produce at several farmer's markets in the Chicagoland area.

I'm a sucker for the $5 cookbooks that can be found in piles near the register in bookstores, especially when they cover a finite topic. A few months ago I purchased Potatoes by Annie Nichols and decided to try one of her recipes.

Bay-Roasted Hasselback Potatoes

(adapted from Annie Nichols)

Serves 2 as a side dish

Ingredients:

8 small potatoes, unpeeled and scrubbed

12 fresh bay leaves

1 Tbl butter

2 Tbl olive oil

3 garlic cloves, crushed

kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:

Preheat oven to 375F

Place two chopsticks on either side of a potato and make crosswise cuts about 1/4 inch apart.  The potatoes will fan open as they cook, but you want the base of the potato to remain intact so they will not fall apart.  Insert whole or partial bay leaves between a few of the cuts and repeat with the remaining potatoes.

Melt the butter with the olive oil in a cast-iron skillet or roasting pan over moderate heat. Add the garlic and the potatoes in a single layer.  Gently move the potatoes around for about 5 minutes.  Remove from heat and generously salt and pepper.

Place in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are golden brown and tender.

This simple method of roasting potatoes produced very delicate and colorful results.  You could substitute any fresh herbs for the bay leaves.  My favorite herb to use with potatoes is fresh rosemary, and that is what I will use with this recipe in the future.

Waupaca: Chez Marché Café

I have written extensively about Waupaca, Wisconsin -- a small town on a chain of lakes where my family vacations each summer.   A few years ago a small café moved into the space adjoining the Waupaca book store in the old downtown area.  My family has dined here on a few occasions and each time it gets better.  Chez Marché uses local and sustainable products to create vibrant, fresh dishes. 

On our most recent trip my mother ordered a bowl of their Curried Tomato Soup.  I spooned some on top of my bread to enjoy.  It was delicious. One of the fantastic things about this restaurant is that they have posted dozens of recipes on their website.  Sadly, the recipe for this sweet and spicy soup is not included.  I would love to be able to make this for myself in the late summer when there is always an abundance of tomatoes.

My father ordered a simple side salad with some beautiful greens and stunning tomatoes.

We enjoyed good quality olives with excellent bread as we waited for our main courses.

I ordered the Complex Salad: Fresh mixed greens, goat cheese, a poached egg, croutons and herbs in a house vinaigrette.  In addition the salad arrived with cucumbers, tomatoes, thinly sliced onions and one glorious yellow nasturtium.  I should have made a point to ask for the egg runny, as it was slightly cooked when it arrived to me (and warm runny egg yolk on a salad is something I find quite delicious).  But this was my oversight and the salad was otherwise bright, flavorful and satisfying.

My brother Evan ordered Sautéed Garlicky Greens with melted Carr Valley Fontina Cheese.

My father ordered a special for his main course: A rich summer squash gratin.

My mother ordered Prosciutto and Fontina Sacchetini: Small "purses" of pasta filled with Fontina cheese, prosciutto ham, basil, garlic and pepper in a light cream and herb sauce.

The space is quaint, with tables, chairs and tableware in dozens of styles.  Local art adorns the walls and the stage in front is often used for local music and speakers. The Waupaca Peace Group was holding a small meeting and my mother spoke with them about the Peace Group she belongs to in Woodstock.   This restaurant definitely has a community feel to it and the service is always relaxed and friendly.  This restaurant lets us take a break from the more typical grilled food and beer offerings in the area and have a civilized, quiet and local meal together.  (Though we do love our ham/veggie burgers and beer).

The few times we have visited Chez Marché there have not been many other diners.  If you ever find yourself in the area I would highly recommend this restaurant.  We are worried that we will drive into downtown Waupaca one summer to find the café gone.  This little gem deserves to stay around. Bonni Miller, the chef and owner, and has created some lovely dishes.  In a few years I would not be surprised if they are putting out some of the best food in their greater-Wisconsin area.

Pasta Fresh

Last week Nick picked up some handmade pasta from Pasta Fresh for our dinner.  Pasta Fresh is located on Harlem between Belmont and Addison, so it is a bit of a hike for us normally. However, we had my parents van while they were in Alaska in order to drive Nick to school, providing us the luxury of quick transportation for a week.

Nick ordered the eggplant ravioli and we made a nice peppercorn cream sauce to go along with it.  They offer quite  a selection, but when I return I especially want to try their artichoke ravioli, asparagus ravioli and lasagna.   

With a peppercorn studded Brie, crusty bread and a bottle of Shiraz it was a very nice dinner.

Pasta Fresh
3418 North Harlem Avenue
Chicago, IL
60634
773-745-5888