The Most Important Meal of the Day

The guys over at Baked are the first to admit their Sour Cream Coffee Cake with Chocolate Cinnamon Swirl is "not the most nutritious breakfast." If that's what you're after, I suggest granola or a homemade power bar. But if you want a real treat--coffee cake and crumb topping in the perfect ratio of moist cake to crumbly topping--keep reading.

This coffee cake is a keeper. It's pretty classic, with its batter made with sour cream, and its crumb topping a mix of brown sugar and nuts. But then there are these tasty in-between layers of chocolate and cinnamon. I love a healthy breakfast as much as the next person, but there is nothing like a delicious piece of coffee cake with a cup of coffee on a winter morning. And 'tis the season, right?

A few notes: I used walnuts in the crumb topping, instead of the suggested pecans. This wasn't a problem. And spreading the batter over the cinnamon swirl is a little tricky. Just do what you can; using a small offset spatula helps. Finally, the recipe suggests you do not substitute low-fat sour cream or yogurt to reduce calories. I absolutely agree.

If you've got family coming into town for the holidays, or a brunch party coming up, or if you're just sick of good-for-you-breakfasts, now's the time. Sour Cream Coffee Cake is calling your name.--S

Sour Cream Coffee Cake with Chocolate Cinnamon Swirl


Serves 16

Crumb Topping

3/4 c all-purpose flour
3/4 c packed dark brown sugar
1/2 t salt
3/4 c pecans [or walnuts, or other nuts], toasted
6 T cold unsalted butter, cut into 1" pieces

Chocolate Cinnamon Swirl

1/2 c sugar
1 t dark unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 t cinnamon

Cake

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 t baking powder
1 1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
2 1/4 c sugar
4 large eggs
16 oz sour cream
1 1/2 t pure vanilla extract

Crumb Topping:

Put the flour, sugar, and salt in bowl of food processor and pulse to combine. Add the pecans and pulse until they are finely chopped and incorporated. Add the butter and pulse until mixture looks like coarse sand. Cover and refrigerate.

Chocolate Cinnamon Swirl:

Mix ingredients in small bowl.

Sour Cream Cake:

1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Butter a 9×13-inch baking pan. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter until smooth. Scrape down bowl and add sugar. Beat until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping bowl as needed.
3. Add the sour cream and vanilla and beat just until incorporated. Add the dry ingredients in three additions, scraping down the bowl before each addition and beating only until each addition is just incorporated. Do not overmix.
4. Pour one third of the cake batter into the prepared pan. Use an offset spatula to spread batter evenly in pan. Sprinkle half of the chocolate cinnamon swirl mixture over batter, covering the entire surface of the batter. Spoon half of remaining batter over the swirl mixture and spread it evenly. Top with remaining swirl mixture, then the remaining batter, and spread the batter evenly. Sprinkle the crumb topping evenly over the top of the batter.
5. Bake in the center of the oven for one hour, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Let the cake cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes.

The cake keeps for a few days, tightly covered, at room temperature.

Party Time

Sure, I take a two-week break from blogging, and all of a sudden, the holidays are upon us. Time to shop, bake, party... and eat hors d'oeuvres! I have a perfect one, so listen up. It's easy, festive, can be made ahead of time, and looks rather impressive. And I have yet to find a partygoer who does not like to pop two or three of them between sips of wine or beer.

Pepperoni and Asiago Pinwheels are your new go-to appetizer. All you need to make them are a medium-sized block of Asiago cheese, a package of thinly-sliced pepperoni, honey mustard (make your own if you don't have any), some dried herbs, an egg and a package of frozen puff pastry dough. You thaw the dough, unfold it and spread some honey mustard around. Lay the pepperoni in a single layer, top it with grated Asiago that you've tossed with dried thyme, oregano and pepper, and then roll the whole thing up, sealing the seam with a bit of egg. At this point you can put the roll in the fridge for anywhere from a half-hour to a day, and 15 minutes before you want to eat the pinwheels, you slice the log rather thinly, lay the slices (which resemble misshapen pinwheels at this point) on a baking sheet, and toss them in a 400-degree oven for 15 minutes.

It's like a Shrinky-Dink experiment: 15 minutes later you have gorgeously puffed-up, bite-sized pinwheels, oozing cheese and spiked with herbs. They're rather addictive, actually. Go ahead, I dare you to find someone who'll say no when you're passing these babies around at a party this holiday season.--S

Pepperoni and Asiago Pinwheels

Makes about 60 pinwheels

1/2 c grated Asiago cheese
3/4 t dried thyme
3/4 t dried oregano
1/4 t ground black pepper
1 sheet frozen puff pastry (half of 17.3-ounce package), thawed
2 T honey-Dijon mustard
2 oz packaged sliced pepperoni (about twenty-four 1 1/2-inch-diameter slices)
1 large egg, beaten to blend
Nonstick vegetable oil cooking spray

1. Mix first 4 ingredients in medium bowl.
2. Cut puff pastry crosswise in half to form 2 rectangles. Spread 1 T mustard over 1 puff pastry rectangle, leaving 1-inch plain border at 1 long edge. Place half of pepperoni in single layer atop mustard. Top pepperoni with half of cheese mixture. Brush plain border with egg. Starting at side opposite plain border, roll up pastry, sealing at egg-coated edge.
3. Transfer pastry roll, seam side down, to medium baking sheet. Repeat with remaining pastry rectangle, mustard, pepperoni, cheese mixture, and egg.
4. Chill rolls until firm, about 30 minutes, or wrap and chill up to 1 day.
5. Preheat oven to 400°F. Line 2 baking sheets with foil. Lightly spray with vegetable oil spray. Cut each pastry roll into about thirty 1/4-inch-thick rounds. Transfer pinwheels to prepared sheets. Bake until golden, about 15 minutes.
6. Transfer to platter; serve.

Recipe courtesy of The Bon Appetit Cookbook

The New Classic

My colleagues and I are pretty regular customers at the Chock Full o'Nuts on 23rd Street, between Park and Lex. We stop in once or twice a week for mid-morning coffees, often adding a Chock Classic to our order. A classic indeed (my dad has apparently been a fan of the CC for years and loves it), the CC is a sandwich made from two slices of date nut bread spread with cream cheese. Sounds good, right? My friends and I have shared many a Chock Classic, and with a hot cup of coffee, it makes a fun snack. Here's the thing, though. The Chock Classic is kind of treacly. Really sweet. And they always put on too much cream cheese. And the bread is cold. We want to love the Chock Classic, but we're always a little disappointed.

So this weekend I took matters into my own hands. I went back to a recipe for Date & Walnut Bread that Patricia Wells had contributed to Runner's World a few years ago when she was training for a marathon. I've made the bread before and it's terrific. I substitute whole wheat flour for half the all-purpose flour, and there's no sugar (only honey), plus plenty of chopped dates and toasted walnuts. Once the bread had cooled, I cut a slice, spread a little cream cheese on it and... heaven! Not too sweet, just hearty enough, with the perfect balance of smoothness and crunch. Thank you, Chock Full O' Nuts, for the inspiration.--S

Date and Walnut Bread

1 t walnut [or other] oil
1 1/2 c dates [about 12], pitted and cubed
1/2 c walnut halves, toasted and coarsely chopped
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t fine sea salt
1/2 c honey
3/4 c hottest possible tap water
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 t vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour [I substitute 3/4 c whole wheat flour]

1. Preheat the oven to 375°. Coat a nonstick one quart rectangular bread pan with walnut oil. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine dates, walnuts, baking soda, salt and honey. Add hot water and stir to blend. Add eggs and vanilla to the date mixture and blend thoroughly. Slowly add flour; blend well. The batter will be fairly thick.
3. Pour batter into pan, evening out the top with a spatula. Place the pan in the center of the oven and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean, 40 to 50 minutes.
4. Remove from the pan and let cool for at least an hour. Bread can be stored for up to three days, tightly wrapped in plastic.

Recipe courtesy of Runner's World

Viva Espana

In honor of my sister's homecoming (four years in Spain, home FOR GOOD on Friday!), here is a delicious Spanish stew from the effusive, inimitable Jose Garces. I made this tonight, in between a meeting with our wedding photographer and the premiere of season 5 of Top Chef, with plenty of time to spare. It's easy, uses totally accessible ingredients, and is hearty and so flavorful.

The fancy way to make Ham, Escarole and Bean Stew is to slowly simmer white beans in a rich pork stock, and then combine them with cooked pork butt. I am sure that is quite tasty, but a little unrealistic for a Wednesday evening. The easy way to make this dish, and the one I highly recommend you go with, is to substitute bacon and smoked ham for the cooked pork butt, and canned white beans for dried ones. Next time I might sprinkle in some Spanish paprika, but even without, this stew has a delicious, deep flavor. Great texture, too, with crispy bacon, soft potatoes and beans, and slippery bits of ham and escarole.

Spain in a bowl!--S

Ham, Escarole and Bean Stew

6 ounces lean slab bacon, sliced 1/4" thick and cut into 1/4" dice
1 T extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 small onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 Yukon Gold potato (8 ounces), cut into 1/2" dice
3 c chicken or beef stock or low-sodium broth
6 ounces smoked ham, shredded (1 c)
One 15-ounce can cannellini beans, drained
1/2 small head of escarole, cut into 1/2" ribbons (2 packed c)
Freshly ground pepper

1. In a saucepan, fry the bacon in the 1 tablespoon of olive oil over moderately high heat until browned, about 6 minutes. Spoon off all but 1 T of the fat. Add the onion and garlic and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the potato and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the stock and boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to moderate and cook until the potato is tender, about 15 minutes.
2. Add the ham, beans and escarole and season with pepper. Cook over moderately high heat until the escarole is tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer to bowls, drizzle with olive oil and serve.

Recipe courtesy of Food & Wine

A Simple Soup

Next time you want to make soup but don't feel like soaking beans overnight or building a soup base from scratch, I recommend checking out this excellent soup from the new Bon Appetit book, Fast Easy Fresh. It's Chicken and Escarole Soup with Fennel, and it's delicious.

I wanted a hearty soup to bring to my friends Deena and Matt, who just had a baby. But I didn't have tons of time. This soup was just the thing. Cutting boneless chicken thighs into cubes was about as labor-intensive as it got (and I do suggest going with thighs; they're much more flavorful than breast meat). And I guess you could say washing and chopping a head of escarole is kind of a pain... um... not really. Honestly, this soup is a cinch.

And it's so tasty. The fennel taste is really subtle; don't shy away from this if you're not wild about fennel. The escarole wilts nicely, swirled amid bits of tomato, onion, celery and chicken. Simply great, really.--S

Chicken and Escarole Soup with Fennel

1/4 c olive oil
1 1/2 lbs skinless boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1/2" cubes
1 T dried oregano
2 c chopped onions
4 celery stalks, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 t fennel seeds
1 14- to 15-ounce can diced tomatoes in juice
8 c low-salt chicken broth
1 head of escarole, cut into wide strips
Grated Pecorino Romano cheese

1. Heat oil in large pot over medium-high heat. Add chicken; sprinkle with salt, pepper and oregano. Mix in onions, celery, garlic, and fennel seeds. Sauté until vegetables begin to soften, about 4 minutes.
2. Stir in tomatoes. Add broth; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium; simmer until vegetables and chicken are tender, about 15 minutes.
3. Add escarole; simmer until wilted, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. 4. Ladle into bowls. Serve, passing cheese separately.

Recipe courtesy of The Bon Appetit Fast Easy Fresh Cookbook

Less Meat: It's What's for Dinner

I was recently flipping through Ten Speed Press's spring 2009 catalog. The California publisher has become one of my favorite houses, and not just because it's the home of 101 Cookbooks blogger Heidi Swanson. Ten Speed's books are beautiful, useful and smart. I paused at the page for a book called Almost Meatless: Recipes That Are Better for Your Health, Better for the Planet. One of the authors, Tara Mataraza Desmond, is a Philadelphia food blogger who'd just run the Chicago Marathon in approximately the same time I hope to run New York on Sunday--and she loves kettle corn. So do I. I was intrigued.

Her blog led me to a recipe Desmond's coauthor, Joy Manning, recently posted on Serious Eats: Butternut Squash and Sausage Bake. I had some chicken sausage in the fridge, and would only need to buy squash and smoked mozzarella to make the dish. I will say, this isn't the quickest dish you'll make all fall, but it's one of the most satisfying and delicious. Cubes of butternut squash, bits of sausage, softened onions scented with sage and thyme, just enough smoky mozzarella, plus crunchy, buttery breadcrumbs on top. We ate this for dinner with a salad and some bread, and had enough leftover for a few lunches. I wholeheartedly recommend you add this to your fall recipe rotation.

Sure, the dish wouldn't have suffered if I'd included more sausage. But it didn't really need it; there were such great flavors from the other ingredients. I'd never become a vegetarian, but I'm happy to go meat lite.--S

Butternut Squash and Sausage Bake

Serves six to eight

1/4 lb Italian sausage
1/4 c olive oil, divided
3 onions, quartered and sliced
5 thyme sprigs
2 t dried sage
salt and pepper
1 small butternut squash, peeled and chopped into 1/2 cubes, (about 6 c) seeds and scrapings reserved
1/4 c flour
1/2 c shredded smoked mozzarella
3/4 c chicken stock
3 slices white sandwich bread, cut into cubes [I used sourdough baguette]
2 T melted butter, optional, plus a little extra to prepare baking dish

1. Preheat oven to 350. Butter a 9"-x-12" baking dish.
2. Remove sausage from its casing and cook in a large skillet over medium heat until just browning, breaking up sausage with a wooden spoon as it cooks. [I used chicken sausage, so I simply sliced it, then halved each slice.] Remove cooked sausage and refrigerate until ready to use.
3. Add enough olive oil to the rendered fat in the skillet to equal 2T, and then add the onions, thyme and sage. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, scraping the bottom of the skillet to loosen brown bits. When onions are thoroughly soft, remove and set aside.
4. While the onions cook, simmer the squash seeds and scrapings in the chicken stock for 10 minutes, strain and keep the stock warm over low heat.
5. Add the remaining 2T of olive oil to the skillet. Toss the squash with the flour and arrange in a single layer in the skillet. (If the skillet isn’t big enough, you’ll need to do this in two batches.) Let the squash brown, undisturbed, for 4 minutes then stir the squash as it cooks for the next 4 minutes. Season liberally with salt and pepper and set aside.
6. To assemble the casserole, layer the onions in the buttered baking dish. Dot the onions with the sausage bits evenly, and then top with the squash. Sprinkle the smoked mozzarella over the top, and the pour the stock into the baking dish. Press the top of the casserole with a spatula to evenly distribute the liquid. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes.
7. While the casserole bakes, pulse the bread crumbs with the melted butter (if using) in a food processor until you have coarse bread crumbs.
8. After 30 minutes, pull the baking dish out of the oven, remove the foil, top casserole evenly with breadcrumbs and bake uncovered an additional 20 to 30 minutes, until the liquid is absorbed and the top is nicely browned.

Recipe courtesy of Serious Eats

Pass the Syrup

When I told our house guest last weekend, Darren, that I was making Mac n Cheese Pancakes for breakfast, I didn't get an, "Oooh, that sounds interesting!" or even a grunt of approval. Instead: "Do you eat them with syrup? Because I am SO over pancakes you don't eat with syrup." Apparently Darren had been to some snooty establishment for brunch recently and ordered pancakes that came with a fruit compote. He asked the waiter for syrup and the waiter told him the restaurant didn't have syrup. That's what the compote was for. Excusez-moi.

No such pretentiousness here. The recipe for these pancakes comes from Kenny Shopsin, the locally famous, curmudgeonly short-order cook at Shopsin's General Store here in New York City. (Read my interview with him here.) I doubt Kenny would ever serve pancakes sans syrup (though he allows Lemon Ricotta Pancakes can go without). He's a fan of Grade B maple syrup (incidentally, he is unapologetic about using Aunt Jemima frozen pancake batter).

I was excited to make the mac n cheese pancakes because it also meant test-driving our new griddle. I made the pancake batter from HTCE, and once the griddle was hot enough that water drops bounced off of it, I dropped circles of pancake batter onto the griddle. After about two minutes, I spooned about a tablespoon of cooked, warm elbow macaroni onto the center of each pancake, and then topped it with a thin layer of feather-shredded cheddar cheese. I quickly flipped the pancakes and used the spatula to press them down on the griddle. Once the undersides were golden, about two minutes later, I used "a decisive high-pressure sawing motion to lift and turn the pancakes onto a plate, B-side up." (Don't you love Kenny's instructions?)

Watching this video, I realize I could've cooked the pancakes a little longer, so the cheese got crustier and the mac got oozier. No matter. We spread these babies with butter and poured warm syrup over them, and they were delicious. The macaroni added a different textural element, and the cheese gave them more bite than your average pancake. No pretentiousness here, just some excellent pancakes.--S

Mac ’n’ Cheese Pancakes

Peanut oil, for the griddle
Butter, for the griddle and serving
3 c pancake batter, like Aunt Jemima frozen batter, thawed, or homemade
1 heaping c cooked elbow macaroni, tossed with olive oil and warmed
1 1/4 c shredded cheddar
Grade B maple syrup

1. Clean the griddle by running an oily cloth over it. If the cloth snags, scrape to remove, then wipe down the griddle with peanut oil. Set the griddle over moderate heat.
2. Pour a thin layer of peanut oil over the griddle. Just before you drop the batter, run cold butter across the area where you are going to cook. When it bubbles, drop the batter in 4-inch circles and immediately raise the heat to medium-high. Cook, adjusting the heat as needed, until bubbles appear, 1 to 3 minutes.
3. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of warm macaroni on each pancake, then 1 tablespoon of cheddar. Using a thin metal spatula, quickly turn the pancakes and gently tap to make them uniform in thickness. Cook until golden, about 2 minutes.
4. Serve, macaroni-side up, with butter and warm maple syrup.

Recipe courtesy of Eat Me

Plan for Pumpkin

I was going to make date-nut bread, but then I started flipping through Baked: New Frontiers in Baking, and saw a recipe for Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Loaf. The headnotes said it was "extremely easy" with "impressive" results. "The loaf is incomparably moist, and the pumpkin and chocolate chips pair well together for the perfect accompaniment to a hot cup of coffee or tea." Ummm, change in plans. All I needed was a can of pureed pumpkin and I was set.

As promised, the recipe was really easy. It also made an enormous amount of batter, and since one of our new loaf pans is still residing in my parents' basement with the rest of our wedding gifts, and we only have one in the apartment, I used the leftover batter to make four mini-loaves and six muffins. It was all good, though; the smaller parts baked in less than an hour, while the loaf took about an hour and 20 minutes.

I had a feeling this would work out well, because one of the tastiest brownie recipes I've made lately came from the bakery behind Baked. And it certainly did smell fabulous as it was baking. Turns out, this is a terrific quickbread. Sweet, but not too much; moist and with a nice crispy top crust. I'll come back to the date-nut bread, but for now we're loving the pumpkin chocolate loaf.--S

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Loaf

Makes 2 loaves

3 1/4 c all-purpose flour
2 t cinnamon
1/2 t freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 t ground allspice
1/2 t ground ginger (optional)
2 t baking soda
2 t salt
1-3/4 c (one 15-oz can) pumpkin puree
1 c vegetable oil
3 c sugar
4 large eggs
1 t pure vanilla extract
1-1/2 c (12 oz) semisweet chocolate chips [I used chocolate chunks]

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter two 9" x 5" x 3" loaf pans, dust them with flour, and knock out the excess flour.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, ginger, baking soda, and salt.
3. In another large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree and oil until combined.
4. Add the sugar and whisk again. Whisk the eggs into the mixture, one at a time, followed by the vanilla. Add 2/3 cup room-temperature water and whisk until combined. With a rubber spatula, stir in the chocolate chips.
5. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet. Do not overmix.
6. Divide the batter between the prepared pans. Gently knock the bottom of the pans against the countertop to even out the batter. Use the spatula to smooth the tops.
7. Bake in the center of the oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of a loaf comes out clean, 1 hour and 15 minutes to 1 hour and 30 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through the baking time.
8. Transfer the pans to a wire rack and cool for 15 minutes. Invert the loaves onto wire racks and cool completely before serving.

Recipe courtesy of Baked

Deliciously Unnecessary

Here's the thing about homemade pasta: I know it's not necessary. I live between two excellent shops that carry perfectly respectable dried pasta and pretty delicious fresh pasta. So I'm not going to get all "Homemade pasta is the only option; you simply must make your own, to hell with Barilla!" on you. But. Homemade pasta is really, really good. And the satisfaction of knowing that you (and your pasta machine) spun magnificent fettucine noodles out of flour, eggs and olive oil is not to be underestimated.

Fork and I received the Kitchen Aid pasta roller and cutter attachment as a shower gift. Alas, he was on a fishing trip in Montauk this weekend and missed its debut (but he'll no doubt enjoy the leftovers). So Kate and I gave it a try, and were quite impressed. We followed Lidia Bastianich's recipe for fettucine, using all-purpose flour, eggs, egg yolks, extra-virgin olive oil and ice water. The food processor turned out a soft, stretchy ball of dough in less than a minute, and after it rested for a half-hour, we revved up the stand mixer. Recalling what I'd learned from my mom about making pasta, we began feeding the dough through on the widest setting. We kept running it through, gradually adjusting the thickness setting to four, which resulted in an almost see-through sheet of pasta. Then we ran the sheet through the fettucine cutter, keeping the dough well-floured throughout. We separated the strands and laid them in nests (oh, how I loved those beautiful nests) on floured trays. And so it went for 1 1/2 lbs of pasta dough. The process was easy and fun.

So what to do with all this lovely fresh pasta? We went with Lidia's Fettucine with Squash and Cauliflower, a delicious seasonal dish. Using butternut squash and cauliflower from the greenmarket, plus capers, canned San Marzano plum tomatoes, garlic, onion and hot pepper flakes, we (er, Kate--I had done all the prep work and let her do the cooking!) prepared a warm, cozy, chunky vegetable sauce. The pasta cooked in boiling water for about two minutes, and we tossed it with the sauce, adding lots of pecorino cheese.

The pasta was tender and perfectly cooked, with some little clumps--truth be told, our favorite parts--where we hadn't used enough flour. The squash and cauliflower florets were softened, and the tomatoes strewn throughout added color and texture. We both had seconds, and still barely made a dent in the massive bowl. And this morning I woke up and considered reheating some for breakfast. I held off until lunch, and am digging in right now.--S

Fettucine with Squash and Cauliflower

1/2 c extra-virgin olive oil
3 plump garlic cloves, crushed, peeled
1 small onion, thinly sliced (1 c slices)
3 c butternut squash, cut in 1/2" cubes
3 c cauliflower, cut in small florets (about 1")
4 T small capers, drained
1 t coarse sea salt or kosher salt or to taste, plus more for cooking pasta
1/2 teaspoon peperoncino flakes, or to taste
2 c canned Italian plum tomatoes, preferably San Marzano, crushed by hand
1 lb pound fettuccine
1 c freshly grated pecorino

1. Pour the olive oil into the big skillet and set over medium-high heat. Scatter in the sliced garlic and let it start sizzling. Stir in the onion slices and cook for a couple of minutes to wilt. Spill in all the cut squash and cauliflower pieces, scatter the capers, salt and peperoncino on top and with tongs toss all together for a minute or so. Pour a cup of water into the skillet, cover tightly and steam the vegetables for 2 or 3 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally.
2. Pour in the crushed tomatoes along with a cup of water sloshed in the tomato containers. Stir well and cover. When the tomato juices are boiling, adjust the heat to keep them bubbling gently. Cook covered for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. When the vegetables are softened, uncover and continue cooking to reduce the pan juices to a good consistency for dressing the pasta, about 5 minutes. Adjust the seasoning to taste and keep at a low simmer.
3. While the sauce is cooking, heat the salted pasta cooking water to a rolling boil (at least 6 quarts water and a tablespoon salt). Drop in the fettuccine and cook until barely al dente. Lift them from the water, drain for a moment, then drop onto the simmering vegetables. Toss and cook all together for a couple of minutes, over moderate heat. Moisten the dish with pasta water if it seems dry; cook rapidly to reduce the juices if they're splashing in the skillet.
4. When the pasta is perfectly cooked and robed with sauce, turn off the heat. Sprinkle over the grated cheese, toss into the pasta and serve.

Recipe courtesy of Lidia's Italy

Falling

Sunday may have been the most beautiful day we've had so far this fall. Gorgeous blue sky, warm sun, and where we were, in Orange County, New York, the leaves were just beginning to pop. As the sun set, the air felt cool and crisp. It was so lovely, and when we got back to the City on Monday and received a generous bag of Macoun apples from one of our neighbors, I knew I wanted to use them to make something that would keep that fall feeling going. An apple dessert would of course be a natural, but seeing as I've been eating more than my share of sweets lately and have a marathon coming up in two weeks, I wanted something a tad healthier. So I went with Cranberry Applesauce, the kind of sweet you can eat for breakfast without suffering a sugar crash around 11AM.

This recipe really is a snap, and the applesauce is nice and tart, with a hot pink color that looks almost as if strawberries or raspberries were involved. I used a quarter-cup of sugar instead of a half, and it came out fine, and instead of using a food mill to puree it (our apartment can only hold so many kitchen appliances), I employed my hand blender, which worked perfectly. I've been snacking on the applesauce by itself, but it would probably be marvelous with pork or turkey, too. Oh, and one more thing: it smells divine!--S


Cranberry Applesauce

Makes about 3 cups

4 apples (about 2 lbs), peeled, cored, and chopped
1 c fresh cranberries, picked over
1/2 c sugar
1/4 c apple juice or water
a 3-in. cinnamon stick
a 3-in. strip of lemon zest removed with a vegetable peeler
2 T unsalted butter

1. In a heavy saucepan cook the apples, the cranberries, the sugar, the apple juice or water, the cinnamon stick, and the zest over moderate heat, stirring, for 15 minutes, or until the apples are very soft.
2. Discard the cinnamon stick and teh zest, force the apple mixture through the medium disk of a food mill into a bowl, and stir in the butter. Serve the applesauce warm or chilled. The applesauce keeps, covered and chilled, for 1 week.

Recipe courtesy of Gourmet

Glazed Over

I made this Glazed Lemon Bread the other night. I had a feeling it would be good--it's from a cookbook I trust, the ingredients are wholesome and tasty, and, if I'm being honest, it involved using our new stand mixer, which made me happy. And it was good. But the best part--the outsides of the bread, which had been doused in lemon glaze--was really good.

I was worried that the glaze--which you pour over the hot bread, just out of the oven, still in the pan--would be too sweet. After all, it's just lemon juice and sugar, melted down into a concentrated syrup. And, I'll admit it, I have a sweet tooth, so just because the glaze was tasty to me, I feared others might find it cloying.

My fears were laid to rest (or my friends are liars), because two of my friends commented that they loved the bread, and that the glaze was the best part. Maybe everyone has a secret sweet tooth?--S

Glazed Lemon Bread

Serves 8

1 2/3 c all purpose flour
1 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
1 1/2 c sugar
1/2 c (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 large eggs
2 t (packed) grated lemon peel
1/2 c whole milk
1/4 c fresh lemon juice

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly butter 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 2 1/2-inch loaf pan.
2. Stir flour, baking powder and salt in medium bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat 1 cup sugar and butter in large bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Add grated lemon peel. Mix in dry ingredients alternately with milk. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.
3. Bake until tester inserted into center of bread comes out clean, about 1 hour.
4. Meanwhile, combine remaining 1/2 cup sugar and fresh lemon juice in small heavy saucepan and stir over low heat until sugar dissolves.
5. Transfer lemon bread to rack. Gradually spoon lemon glaze over hot bread, adding more as glaze is absorbed. Cool lemon bread completely in pan on rack. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Turn bread out onto rack. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature.)

Recipe courtesy of The Bon Appetit Fast Easy Fresh Cookbook

The Family Cornbread

As soon as I ate the first spoonful of Heidi Swanson's Roasted Tomato Soup with Smoked Paprika, I knew I should've made something bready to go with it. Grilled cheese, maybe, or toasty garlic bread. It's not that the soup wasn't enjoyable; with its oven-roasted tomatoes, red bell pepper, onions and garlic, it was warm and comfy, with a little more depth than your typical tomato soup. But it needed a go-with.

Enter my grandfather's cornbread. Mulyatz, we call it--though that's the phonetic spelling, and when I asked Pop how it's really spelled, he wasn't quite sure. Mogliacci? Mogliazi? I'd never made it before, but remembered eating it as a child, when Pop would make it. His favorite way to eat it is alongside escarole and beans (as bread), or cut into small squares and served as a hot or cold appetizer. It's basically cornbread amped up with Italian sausage and Parmesan cheese. And what's not to like about that? Pop told me he got the recipe from his mother, who got it from her mother--and while cornbread and polenta are typically northern Italian specialties (and Pop's family is from Naples), this dish has nevertheless been part of our family repertoire for five generations.

Spoonful of soup, bite of mulyatz--now we're talking. I even broke off a few little bits of mulyatz and dunked them into the soup. Just delicious.--S

Mulyatz (cornbread)

1/2 lb Italian sausage
1 small onion
1-2 T olive oil
2 c yellow cornmeal
1/3 c Parmesan cheese
4 c water
Black pepper and salt

1. Grease 13"x9" baking dish with olive oil.
2. Dissolve cornmeal in 2 c cold water. Stir and set aside.
3. Remove casing from sausage, break up into pieces and saute with olive oil and chopped onions.
4. Bring 2 c water to a boil. Pour in the sausage and onions, then add cornmeal and water mixture. Stir constantly until very thick, then add cheese, pepper and salt.
5. Pour mixture into baking pan, spreading out evenly to about 1/2" thick. Let rest for 1/2 hour.
6. Preheat oven to 425. Rub a bit more olive oil on top of cornbread and bake for 1 hour or until crust forms on top.

Fennel and Garlic with Pork

The name of this recipe is Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Fennel Garlic, but I propose renaming it to focus on the fennel and garlic. Don't get me wrong. The pork is succulent and juicy, lightly scented with oregano, and very tasty. But the fennel and garlic? Amazing.

You toss 12 whole garlic cloves, peeled, and fennel bulbs that have been cut into eighths with olive oil, salt and pepper, and roast them for 10 minutes in a very hot (475) oven. After 10 minutes, you push the veggies to the side, making way for the tenderloin, which you've rubbed with oil and seasoned with oregano, salt and pepper, and put the sheet back in the oven for another 20 or 25 minutes.

Once the pork is done, you must let it rest for five or so minutes out of the oven, and while that's happening, I dare you not to pick a bit of roasted fennel off the pan for a taste. It's impossible. Fork and I hovered over the resting meat, nibbling at slivers of burnt fennel that had sweetened in the hot oven. And then there was the garlic: browned and crunchy on the outside, sweet-savory and yielding on the inside. It was like garlic candy. And yes, the pork was really good, too, but I'm seriously considering roasting up a pan of fennel and garlic tomorrow, they're that good.--S

Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Fennel and Garlic

12 garlic cloves, peeled
3 lbs fennel bulbs (I used 2 large), fronds and stalks removed, bulbs cored and cut into eighths
3 T olive oil
Coarse salt and ground pepper
2 pork tenderloins (about 1 lb each)
1/2 t dried oregano

1. Preheat oven to 475. On a large rimmed baking sheet, toss garlic, fennel, and 2 T oil; season with salt and pepper. Roast 10 minutes.
2. Rub pork with remaining T oil; season with oregano, salt and pepper. Remove baking sheet from oven, and push fennel and garlic to sides of sheet. Place pork in center, and roast 20 to 25 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in thickest part registers 145.
3. Transfer pork to a cutting board, and let rest at least 5 minutes before thinly slicing. Serve pork with fennel and garlic.

Recipe courtesy of Everyday Food

What Should I Make Right Now?

We all know that corn and tomatoes are summer foods, and apples and squash are the highlights of fall. But what about March? What about December? And aren't you a little curious about what you're supposed to do with all those apples? Or what you can really do with grapes, aside from eat them out of hand? Enter this fabulous new seasonal ingredient map from the geniuses at Epicurious:



You can roll over each ingredient to see a recipe slideshow, ingredient description and cooking tips. And aside from the practical uses, it's also kind of fun to pick up random bits of info. For instance, in April, New York and Alaska actually have a lot in common: carrots and potatoes, to be exact. Enjoy!--S

Hold Onto Summer

With summer slipping through my fingers (60 degrees when I stepped outside to run this morning!), I resolved to get myself to the greenmarket this week and enjoy the still gorgeous produce. The tomatoes, especially, continue to look amazing, and when I saw a recipe for a Caramelized Tomato Tarte Tatin in Wednesday's paper, I knew I had to make it.

I somehow skipped over the "tatin" part when I first read the recipe. What really drew me in were the words "tomato" and "tart." (Incidentally, it was almost exactly a year ago that I discovered this magnificent tomato tart.) The ingredient list seemed perfectly reasonable--puff pastry, onions, sugar, sherry vinegar, olives, tomatoes and thyme--so I made a split-second decision to make it for dinner. Many farmers at the market were selling cherry tomatoes in gorgeous colors, and I asked one of the vendors if I could mix and match them. He thrust a plastic pint basket at me and said, "Go nuts." So I did, handpicking about a pound of red, orange, yellow and purple cherry and grape tomatoes.

And then I got home and read through the recipe--and realized this was a tarte tatin--French code word for "upside down." Riiiight! I've made plenty of apple tarte tatins, and actually love them for their rustic look and simplicity. And that's exactly what this tomato tarte tatin was. I caramelized thinly-sliced onions and set them in a bowl to cool. Then I made a caramel sauce in a nonstick skillet, added the tomatoes and olives, spread the onions on top, plus thyme, salt and pepper, and topped the whole thing with a round of puff pastry dough. Into a 425-degree oven it went, and about 20 minutes later it was golden brown. A quick (and you must do it quickly, there's no other way) flip over onto a plate, and we were ready to eat.

The tarte was both savory and sweet, dessert-y and dinner-y. We gobbled it up with a big green salad, and helped ourselves to seconds. The roasted tomatoes exploded in our mouths, the puff pastry crust slightly crunched, and we were happy to hold onto summer a little bit longer.--S

The Non Frittata

Lidia Bastianich's Frittata with Asparagus with Scallions is not exactly a frittata. But then, when you're Lidia Bastianich--the real doyenne of Italian cooking, as far as I'm concerned, whose recipes have never failed me--you can call a mess of gently scrambled eggs, lightly cooked asparagus, crisped up prosciutto and melted onions whatever you want.

In the recipe's introduction, Lidia explains, "This is a different sort of frittata, not the neat golden round of well-set eggs that's probably most familiar. Here the eggs are in the skillet for barely a minute, just long enough to gather in soft, loose folds, filled with morsels of asparagus and shreds of prosciutto." It's a pretty brilliant combination, actually, and who cares if it's a far cry from the perfectly pan-shaped version? My lackluster supermarket was out of scallions, so I used a large onion, which turned out fine. Next time, however, I will definitely use a nonstick skillet, as my stainless steel one is still showing evidence of the frittata-non-frittata (need to get my hands on some of this).

After being away from home for awhile, this was the perfect dinner: warm, homey and uncomplicated. I'm not going to turn my back on the traditional frittata, but I'll surely turn to Lidia's version again.--S

Frittata with Asparagus and Scallions/Frittata Asparagi e Scalogno

Serves 4 as a light meal or 6 as an appetizer

1 lb fresh, thin asparagus spears
4 oz prosciutto or bacon, thick slices with ample fat (about 4 slices)
1/2 lb scallions
3 T extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 t coarse sea salt or kosher salt, or more to taste
8 large eggs
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. Snap off the tough bottom stubs of the asparagus, peel the bottom few inches of each spear, and cut them crosswise in 1 1/2" pieces. Slice prosciutto or bacon into strips, or lardoons, about 1 inch long and 1/3" wide. Trim the scallions, and cut crosswise into 1" pieces.
2. Pour the olive oil into the skillet, scatter in the lardoons, and set over medium heat. When the strips are sizzling and rendering fat, toss in the cut asparagus, and roll and toss them over a few times. Cover the skillet, and cook, still over moderate heat, shaking the pan occasionally, until the asparagus is slightly softened, 5 minutes or so.
3. Scatter the scallion pieces in the pan, season with a couple pinches of salt, and toss the vegetables and lardoons together. Cover the skillet, and cook, shaking the pan and stirring occasionally, until the scallions and asparagus are soft and moist, 7 or 8 minutes more.
4. Meanwhile, beat the eggs thoroughly with the remaining salt and generous grinds of black pepper.
5. When the vegetables are steaming in their moisture, uncover the skillet, raise the heat, and cook, tossing, for a minute or so, until the water has evaporated and the asparagus and scallions seem about to color.
6. Quickly spread them out in the pan, and pour the eggs over at once. Immediately begin folding the eggs over with the spatula, clearing the sides and skillet bottom continuously, so the eggs flow and coagulate around the vegetables and lardoons.
7. When all the eggs are cooked in big soft curds—in barely a minute—take the skillet off the heat. Tumble the frittata over a few more times to keep it loose and moist. Spoon portions onto warm plates, and serve hot and steaming.

Recipe courtesy of Lidia's Italy

Buen Provecho on the Camino

A person can eat a lot over the course of a week of hiking up and down the mountains of northern Spain. And I'm not talking about trail mix. Last week, while my sis and I were covering about 140 miles of the famed Camino de Santiago from Hendaye, France, to Bilbao, Spain, we did consume our share of nuts, dried fruit, Babybel cheese and ham sandwiches. But at the end of the day, without fail, we rewarded ourselves and gave the local economy a boost by checking out the offerings at whatever bar we could find. And in Basque Country, the bar is often covered in food--specifically, pinxos, one-serving appetizers, eaten in a few bites, washed down with a glass of Rioja, a caña (glass of light beer) or, my personal favorite, the clara--a light beer mixed with lemon soda. Knowing we'd find refreshment and some sort of delicious food made lugging an 11-pound backpack through some tough terrain totally, totally worth it.--S
Note the beer teetering on the edge of the bar, to the left.
Most pinxos cost about 1,20 euros--sometimes more than a glass of beer.
These were in Lezama, at the town's annual fiesta. We ate while watching a wood-chopping contest and listening to a local band.
Cafe in Gernika.
Celebratory pinxos at the end of our journey, in Bilbao.
Basque doesn't seem to resemble Spanish at all--all those x's and k's. Thankfully there are usually Spanish translations. But even if you don't know what you're ordering, it's going to taste delicious.

My New BFF

I am delighted to introduce my (excuse me, OUR) latest kitchen toy: the KitchenAid Stand Mixer, Artisan Series with tilting head and direct drive transmission! (Excuse me while I bow.)

Fork and I received this awesome machine last weekend at a wedding shower, and it was the one item I insisted on bringing back to the City. Everything else can wait in my parents' basement, for now, anyway, but I was dying to clear off counter space for the mixer.

I gave it a whirl the other night, with Banana Chip Cookies. They're basically chocolate cookies with a little extra mixed in: chopped, toasted walnuts; and chopped dried banana chips. The recipe also calls for a touch of toasted wheat germ and whole wheat flour. The mixer handled everything like a pro, naturally, turning the butter light and fluffy in less than a minute, and incorporating the sugar with results that can only be described in the words of my grandfather: poetry in motion. Oh, and the cookies? Delicious.

As summer winds down and we head into fall, I can't wait to show the mixer some love. Just think of all the cakes, cookies, bread and whipped cream that await.--S

Summer Love

So much for the dog days of summer. We've been having spectacular weather lately, with the morning temperature when I set foot outside for a run somewhere around 75. Skies are sunny and blue, and the humidity's low. Can we have this weather for a few more months, please? Oh, and while we're at it, can we continue to have the amazing fruits and vegetables currently on offer at the greenmarket?

I finished a six-miler yesterday at the market, and picked up a dozen or so plums from Miglorelli, the kind with rosy pink skin and yellowish flesh. They finished ripening while I was at work, and I when I got home, I set to work slicing them, then halving the slices. Into a square ceramic baking dish they went, tossed with a tiny bit of flour and brown sugar. In a separate bowl, I whisked rolled oats, brown sugar, flour and salt; then I cut in a cold stick of butter. I sprinkled the sugary, oaty, buttery crumbs over the fruit, forming a thick carpet, then baked it for 40 minutes. The smell was heavenly, and after the dish was bubbling and lightly browned, I took it out of the oven and let it cool by the window (nice touch, right? I was in a rush to get the thing uptown to book club).

Somehow the crisp made it safely 20 blocks north on the subway, and my friends and I enjoyed it, still warm. Sweet, a little tart, gently crunching from the oatmeal, kind of slurpy--this is August at its best.--S

Plum Oatmeal Crisp

serves 6

1/2 c plus 1 T all-purpose flour
1 c plus 2 T packed light-brown sugar
1/2 c old-fashioned rolled oats
1/4 t salt
1/2 c cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
2 1/2 lbs ripe plums, cut into 1-in. pieces

1. Preheat oven to 375. In a medium bowl, stir together 1/2 c flour, 1 c sugar, oats and salt. Using a pastry blender or two knives, cut in butter until coarse crumbs form.
2. In a shallow 2-qt baking dish, toss plums with remaining 2 T sugar and 1 T flour; sprinkle with oat topping. Place dish on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until topping is golden brown, 40-45 min. Let cool 20 minutes before serving.

Clams by Another Name

After a lovely day at the beach on Sunday, Fork and I emerged from Penn Station wondering what to have for dinner. One look at the long taxi line on 7th Avenue was all we needed to convince us to walk home--via a route that took us past Garden of Eden.

We picked up two dozen Connecticut littleneck clams, some tomatoes, a cucumber, dill and a $1 bag of day-old bread. A stop at the wine shop for a chilled bottle of Albarino (our latest favorite, from Galicia and perfectly crisp) and we were set. On the agenda: the unfortunately-named Gwyneth's Clams. The recipe comes from a road trip Gwyneth Paltrow, Mario Batali and Mark Bittman took through Spain, documented in a TV series, forthcoming book and recent article in Food & Wine. Dirty jokes from Fork notwithstanding, we were kind of psyched to try Gwyneth's clams.

There's not much to the dish: well-scrubbed clams steam open in the wine, with a horizontally halved head of garlic and a couple of bay leaves. Drizzle the opened clams and wine broth with olive oil, and dinner's ready. Before preparing the clams--which took all of 10 minutes--I threw together a tomato/cucumber/dill salad, a classic summer salad my friend Anne taught me years ago.

It probably goes without saying that we wiped this out. The clams were delicious, and you tasted more of their ocean flavor since they were cooked in wine, not butter. Sopping up the broth with the bread (and rubbing it first on the halved garlic head floating around inside the wine) was very enjoyable, too. Aside from the name, this is one of my favorite dishes of the summer.--S