I make this stock every time I boil lobsters. I save shrimp shells in the freezer when I cook shrimp (do not keep for too long, and smell them before using them as they can go bad in there), and use them to augment the stock.
When you boil lobsters, save the shells and the water used to boil them.
In a hot pan, with a little oil, 'toast' the lobster and shrimp shells (try to add the shrimp shells as dry as you can) until all of the shrimp shells change color. Add mirepoix (rough chopped celery, carrots and onions) and sauté (cook over medium-high heat) until softened. Add some tomato paste, and sauté until rust-colored. Add the water in which you boiled your lobsters - enough to just cover the shells. Bring it slowly to a simmer. Simmer 45 minutes. Strain through your finest strainer and/or cheesecloth.
Lobster stock is great in seafood risottos, stews and soups. It can be made with all lobster shells or all shrimp shells (which would obviously be a shrimp stock; this will be milder in flavor). If no lobster cooking water is available, use water. When used, your stock will need to be seasoned. Taste as you go...
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Braised Lamb Shanks
We made this at work yesterday. Braising is one of the easiest ways to cook - just a few simple steps, then set it and forget it. It is an awesome technique for any meat that requires long low and slow cooking - the kind that would be tough if you just roasted it.
Anyway, the steps for a basic braise are:
1. Season (heavily, with salt and pepper) and sear the meat over a high heat - this is best done in the pan in which you will be braising the meat. Get the pan hot. Add a little oil and then the meat. Do not crowd the pan and do not move the meat until it is well browned. At that point, roll it to brown the other sides. Once the meat is browned, remove it from the pan and set aside.
2. Turn the heat down to medium, pour off most of the fat in the pan (discard) and add vegetables. The usual suspects are carrots, celery and onion (in a 1:1:2 ratio), cut into a 'dice' - good sized cubes, no need for accurate cutting here - the culinary term for this mix is 'mirepoix'. Cook the vegetables in the oil until browned.
3. Add a small amount of liquid to the pan and scrape the bottom while heating - this is called 'deglazing'. Most often the liquid is wine, but water or stock could also be used. Deglazing removes and dissolves the brown stuff on the bottom of the pan (culinary term: fond), which improves the flavor of the braising liquid and ultimately your meat.
4. Return the meat to the pan, then add more liquid (to just cover the meat) and suitable flavorings. This liquid could be stock water, wine or beer, and the flavorings usually include herbs and spices. Bring the braising liquid to a simmer. Cover and either keep on a very low heat on the stovetop, or (if your pan is oven-safe) place in a 300-325F oven.
5. Allow the braise to simmer until the meat is tender and falls away from the bone. The amount of time depends on the type and size of the meat, and usually is in the region of 1.5-4 hours.
So, returning to the lamb shanks. I usually deglaze with red wine, and then add lamb stock or the liquid from the last braise (if you have either - at work we braised several batches so we were able to reuse the braising liquid for the second batch), or water. For flavorings, I like to use lemon zest, black peppercorns (whole) and rosemary, and a bay leaf. I also add salt to my braising liquid (if you intend to reduce it later, be very sparing with the salt). I prefer to braise in the oven (it maintains a low simmer more effectively - boiling is bad for a braise), and I start checking the shanks after 3 hours.
Once your lamb shanks are braised, you can serve them over a suitable starch. Mashed potatoes are simple and soak up the braising liquid nicely. You can either serve the braising liquid as it is (but be aware - it will be fatty!), or you can thicken it a little (e.g. with roux - melt some butter in a pan, add an equal volume of flour and cook, stirring, until it turns light brown. Add to the sauce over the heat and stir with a whisk while bringing to a simmer. Simmer a few min.). The other option, if you are able to cook them the day before, is to remove the shanks from the braising liquid when done, strain the vegetables from the liquid (use your finest strainer), allow it to cool at room temperature for an hour or so, then chill it in the refrigerator. The next day, you'll be able to scrape the fat off the top of the braising liquid (this can be discarded). Reserve some of the liquid to reheat the shanks in (enough to cover them in a small pan), and reduce the rest - that is, bring to a boil and allow to boil until enough water evaporates so that it thickens a little. Taste and season carefully if necessary. Reheat the shanks gently in the reserved braising liquid and serve over the mashers with the reduced sauce.
The general technique for braising can be used for other meats. When I cook beef short ribs, I use mirepoix, red wine, beef stock, bay leaf, black peppercorns, coriander seeds and thyme as a base and braise for 4 hrs. Other examples of braises are Coq au Vin, Irish Beef Stew and Beef Burgundy.
Anyway, the steps for a basic braise are:
1. Season (heavily, with salt and pepper) and sear the meat over a high heat - this is best done in the pan in which you will be braising the meat. Get the pan hot. Add a little oil and then the meat. Do not crowd the pan and do not move the meat until it is well browned. At that point, roll it to brown the other sides. Once the meat is browned, remove it from the pan and set aside.
2. Turn the heat down to medium, pour off most of the fat in the pan (discard) and add vegetables. The usual suspects are carrots, celery and onion (in a 1:1:2 ratio), cut into a 'dice' - good sized cubes, no need for accurate cutting here - the culinary term for this mix is 'mirepoix'. Cook the vegetables in the oil until browned.
3. Add a small amount of liquid to the pan and scrape the bottom while heating - this is called 'deglazing'. Most often the liquid is wine, but water or stock could also be used. Deglazing removes and dissolves the brown stuff on the bottom of the pan (culinary term: fond), which improves the flavor of the braising liquid and ultimately your meat.
4. Return the meat to the pan, then add more liquid (to just cover the meat) and suitable flavorings. This liquid could be stock water, wine or beer, and the flavorings usually include herbs and spices. Bring the braising liquid to a simmer. Cover and either keep on a very low heat on the stovetop, or (if your pan is oven-safe) place in a 300-325F oven.
5. Allow the braise to simmer until the meat is tender and falls away from the bone. The amount of time depends on the type and size of the meat, and usually is in the region of 1.5-4 hours.
So, returning to the lamb shanks. I usually deglaze with red wine, and then add lamb stock or the liquid from the last braise (if you have either - at work we braised several batches so we were able to reuse the braising liquid for the second batch), or water. For flavorings, I like to use lemon zest, black peppercorns (whole) and rosemary, and a bay leaf. I also add salt to my braising liquid (if you intend to reduce it later, be very sparing with the salt). I prefer to braise in the oven (it maintains a low simmer more effectively - boiling is bad for a braise), and I start checking the shanks after 3 hours.
Once your lamb shanks are braised, you can serve them over a suitable starch. Mashed potatoes are simple and soak up the braising liquid nicely. You can either serve the braising liquid as it is (but be aware - it will be fatty!), or you can thicken it a little (e.g. with roux - melt some butter in a pan, add an equal volume of flour and cook, stirring, until it turns light brown. Add to the sauce over the heat and stir with a whisk while bringing to a simmer. Simmer a few min.). The other option, if you are able to cook them the day before, is to remove the shanks from the braising liquid when done, strain the vegetables from the liquid (use your finest strainer), allow it to cool at room temperature for an hour or so, then chill it in the refrigerator. The next day, you'll be able to scrape the fat off the top of the braising liquid (this can be discarded). Reserve some of the liquid to reheat the shanks in (enough to cover them in a small pan), and reduce the rest - that is, bring to a boil and allow to boil until enough water evaporates so that it thickens a little. Taste and season carefully if necessary. Reheat the shanks gently in the reserved braising liquid and serve over the mashers with the reduced sauce.
The general technique for braising can be used for other meats. When I cook beef short ribs, I use mirepoix, red wine, beef stock, bay leaf, black peppercorns, coriander seeds and thyme as a base and braise for 4 hrs. Other examples of braises are Coq au Vin, Irish Beef Stew and Beef Burgundy.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Baked Cheesecake
Today, cheesecake. We had a lot of cream cheese sitting around in the refrigerator from a Christmas cookie making bonanza (we baked all night, 5 different cookies, several batches of each, but that's another story...), so why not?
I started yesterday. First, I greased a 9 inch springform pan (I used Pam, but butter would have been preferable - I find that I can taste the Pam in the crust), and preheated the oven to 350 F. Next, I took 8 oz of 'digestive biscuits' (a popular English cookie; graham crackers can be substituted), broke them between my fingers into my food processor, then pulsed until they resembled breadcrumbs. Meanwhile, I melted 2 oz of unsalted butter (this was all I had - I would have used more if I had it!) in a pan. I then combined the crumbs with the butter (if using more butter, do not add it all at once - you may not need it all), and pressed them into the prepared pan, covering the bottom and coming most of the way up the sides.
Then I made the filling. I beat 32 oz cream cheese with 1 cup of sugar in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment until smooth. I then added 1 tbsp of vanilla extract and about 1/3 cup of Bailey's and mixed again. I cracked 2 whole eggs and 3 yolks, and added them together, mixing just until combined. I then poured the 'batter' into the pan, and placed the pan in the middle of the oven. My cheesecake took about 55 minutes to bake. Check after 40 minutes, then occasionally, depending on how close it is. You are looking for the middle to be just set.
Once out of the oven, I allowed the cake to cool to room temperature, then wrapped it and chilled it in the refrigerator overnight. Tonight, I removed the wrap and the sides of the springform pan, leaving the cheesecake on the base, ready to slice and serve.
The cake sank quite a bit as it cooled, and it cracked in the middle. It was dense and rich, but I liked it.
Next time, I would like to use butter to grease the pan, and slightly more butter in the crust (although this crust came out well - delicate and not too thick). I need to figure out how to avoid the cracking of the cake...
Note that the original recipe called for pre-baking the crust empty for a few minutes before filling it. I forgot to do this, but the crust didn't seem to suffer as a result.
I started yesterday. First, I greased a 9 inch springform pan (I used Pam, but butter would have been preferable - I find that I can taste the Pam in the crust), and preheated the oven to 350 F. Next, I took 8 oz of 'digestive biscuits' (a popular English cookie; graham crackers can be substituted), broke them between my fingers into my food processor, then pulsed until they resembled breadcrumbs. Meanwhile, I melted 2 oz of unsalted butter (this was all I had - I would have used more if I had it!) in a pan. I then combined the crumbs with the butter (if using more butter, do not add it all at once - you may not need it all), and pressed them into the prepared pan, covering the bottom and coming most of the way up the sides.
Then I made the filling. I beat 32 oz cream cheese with 1 cup of sugar in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment until smooth. I then added 1 tbsp of vanilla extract and about 1/3 cup of Bailey's and mixed again. I cracked 2 whole eggs and 3 yolks, and added them together, mixing just until combined. I then poured the 'batter' into the pan, and placed the pan in the middle of the oven. My cheesecake took about 55 minutes to bake. Check after 40 minutes, then occasionally, depending on how close it is. You are looking for the middle to be just set.
Once out of the oven, I allowed the cake to cool to room temperature, then wrapped it and chilled it in the refrigerator overnight. Tonight, I removed the wrap and the sides of the springform pan, leaving the cheesecake on the base, ready to slice and serve.
The cake sank quite a bit as it cooled, and it cracked in the middle. It was dense and rich, but I liked it.
Next time, I would like to use butter to grease the pan, and slightly more butter in the crust (although this crust came out well - delicate and not too thick). I need to figure out how to avoid the cracking of the cake...
Note that the original recipe called for pre-baking the crust empty for a few minutes before filling it. I forgot to do this, but the crust didn't seem to suffer as a result.
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Cheddar Shortbread Cookies
Haven't cooked at home for a couple of days, so I decided to post something I made last week. A recent trip to The Spice Corner in Philadelphia's 9th Street Italian Market resulted in the purchase of some chickpea flour (sometimes known as gram flour), which enabled me to make the 'Gram and Cheddar Shortbreads' recipe from one of my newest cookbooks, 'The New English Kitchen', by Rose Prince. It also allowed me to use my new Cuisinart food processor (another Christmas present - it was a good year for kitchen gifts!) for the first time.
Put 3 oz chickpea flour, 2.5 oz sharp cheddar (grated - I used the food processor for this), 2.5 oz cold cubed butter, a large pinch of cayenne pepper, a pinch of black pepper and 0.5 tsp salt in the processor 'bowl' with the blade attached and whiz briefly just until the mixture forms rough 'breadcrumbs'. Stop, add 1 tbsp cold water, whiz again to form a dough, remove, knead quickly until smooth, roll into a 6 inch log and chill in the fridge for about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 F. Remove log from fridge; cut into 0.5 inch slices and arrange on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, until starting to brown.
These are flaky, very tasty, and would be great with wine. I used Cabot Seriously Sharp cheddar - I wouldn't recommend a lower quality cheddar. I miss Vermont cheese...
Put 3 oz chickpea flour, 2.5 oz sharp cheddar (grated - I used the food processor for this), 2.5 oz cold cubed butter, a large pinch of cayenne pepper, a pinch of black pepper and 0.5 tsp salt in the processor 'bowl' with the blade attached and whiz briefly just until the mixture forms rough 'breadcrumbs'. Stop, add 1 tbsp cold water, whiz again to form a dough, remove, knead quickly until smooth, roll into a 6 inch log and chill in the fridge for about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 F. Remove log from fridge; cut into 0.5 inch slices and arrange on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, until starting to brown.
These are flaky, very tasty, and would be great with wine. I used Cabot Seriously Sharp cheddar - I wouldn't recommend a lower quality cheddar. I miss Vermont cheese...
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Mixed Berry Frozen Yogurt
OK, so I realize it is the middle of winter, and not everyone wants to be eating frozen desserts, but I just got an ice cream maker, and I have never made frozen yogurt. I had some plain yogurt left from the Moroccan lamb stew, so I figured why not?
I used a recipe that is based on one that came with my Cuisinart ice cream maker. The day before, I placed the mixing bowl of the ice cream maker in the freezer, and put 12 oz of frozen berries (I used roughly half and half strawberries and blueberries) in the refrigerator to thaw. The following day, I pureed the berries in a blender, strained them through a couple sieves to remove the seeds and transferred the puree to a large bowl. I added 2 cups plain yogurt, a splash of vanilla extract, 1/2 cup of whole milk and 1/2 cup of sugar. I whisked well to dissolve the sugar and then poured the mix into the ice cream maker and churned until starting to solidify. I then froze it in a yogurt container (the quart container that the yogurt came in - I always save these).
I enjoyed the flavor of the finished product but found the texture to be a little hard. It has only been frozen for about 8 hours, so it may change, but I think there is too much water in it. Next time I will omit the milk and maybe increase the yogurt. More sugar would help with the consistency too, but I felt it was sweet enough. Maybe I could drain the yogurt?
Not too bad for a first attempt...
I used a recipe that is based on one that came with my Cuisinart ice cream maker. The day before, I placed the mixing bowl of the ice cream maker in the freezer, and put 12 oz of frozen berries (I used roughly half and half strawberries and blueberries) in the refrigerator to thaw. The following day, I pureed the berries in a blender, strained them through a couple sieves to remove the seeds and transferred the puree to a large bowl. I added 2 cups plain yogurt, a splash of vanilla extract, 1/2 cup of whole milk and 1/2 cup of sugar. I whisked well to dissolve the sugar and then poured the mix into the ice cream maker and churned until starting to solidify. I then froze it in a yogurt container (the quart container that the yogurt came in - I always save these).
I enjoyed the flavor of the finished product but found the texture to be a little hard. It has only been frozen for about 8 hours, so it may change, but I think there is too much water in it. Next time I will omit the milk and maybe increase the yogurt. More sugar would help with the consistency too, but I felt it was sweet enough. Maybe I could drain the yogurt?
Not too bad for a first attempt...
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Simple Chicken Stock
Faced with the remains of a supermarket pre-roasted chicken in the refrigerator this morning, I decided to make stock. After picking most of the meat from the bones (this will be used for another meal), I placed the bones in a stockpot with some scraps I had saved in the freezer (from cleaning multipacks of chicken breasts - I trim off cartilage and tidy them up before portioning and freezing them). I added a bay leaf, some chopped up onion, celery and carrot, a sprinkling of coriander seeds, some parsley stems and some dried herbs (thyme would be ideal but I could not find any in my pantry so I used poultry seasoning instead). I then added cold water to cover by just about an inch, and set the pot on the stove over low heat. The water is allowed to come to a simmer and then the heat reduced to maintain it. It simmered for about 2 hours. I prefer 3, but time was a little short. At the end of the simmer, I removed the bones and strained out the vegetables using 2 sieves, the second having the smallest holes. Cheesecloth would have been even better but I am out...
The stock is then cooled rapidly (I put cold water and ice cubes in the sink, pour the stock into a metal bowl and sit the bowl in the water, stirring the stock occasionally. Once cooled, it can be portioned into suitable containers (I use quart yogurt pots with lids) and refrigerated. After a few hours, the fat should have settled on the top. Remove and freeze until needed.
This stock is way tastier than canned chicken broth, but has far less sodium (almost none), so make sure you check the seasoning when you use it, and add more salt if needed. It is great in risottos, soups, sauces, stews - anything requiring a liquid where a chicken flavor would be appropriate.
Note that starting with cold water, heating gently and not stirring are all techniques that reduce the cloudiness of stock.
The stock is then cooled rapidly (I put cold water and ice cubes in the sink, pour the stock into a metal bowl and sit the bowl in the water, stirring the stock occasionally. Once cooled, it can be portioned into suitable containers (I use quart yogurt pots with lids) and refrigerated. After a few hours, the fat should have settled on the top. Remove and freeze until needed.
This stock is way tastier than canned chicken broth, but has far less sodium (almost none), so make sure you check the seasoning when you use it, and add more salt if needed. It is great in risottos, soups, sauces, stews - anything requiring a liquid where a chicken flavor would be appropriate.
Note that starting with cold water, heating gently and not stirring are all techniques that reduce the cloudiness of stock.
Milk Chocolate Malt Ice Cream
I received a Cuisinart ice cream maker for Christmas, and I opened it up yesterday to make one of my favorite ice creams, from Simon Hopkinson's excellent 'Roast Chicken and Other Stories.' I love this cookbook.
The night before, freeze the bowl of your ice cream maker. The next day, whisk 6 egg yolks with 2 oz malted milk powder until thick (a Kitchenaid-style stand mixer is very useful here). Meanwhile, scald (bring to just below a boil) a mixture of 1 cup heavy cream and 1 cup milk in a saucepan. Remove from heat and drizzle slowly into the egg mixture while whisking (this is called 'tempering'). Return this mixture to the saucepan and heat gently until it starts to thicken (be careful - you do not want it to boil or the yolks will scramble!), then remove from heat and whisk in 7 oz milk chocolate (broken into squares) until melted. Cool, stir in 1.5 tbsp Bailey's and churn in the ice cream maker until it starts to solidify. Transfer to freezer for a few hours before eating.
This is the best chocolate ice cream I have eaten. I use Cadbury's Dairy Milk for the chocolate - not the best chocolate in the world but good, and with a distinct flavor, and I have found it works better here than more expensive brands like Callebaut.
This recipe is one of the easiest ice cream recipes to make, because the chocolate thickens the 'batter', meaning that you don't have to spend so long trying to thicken it with the yolks. I find that in the process of trying to thicken egg yolk-cream mixtures I often take them too far and scramble the egg, at which point I have to start over...
Two cups of Half and half can be substituted for the cream and milk mixture, if you like.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Moroccan Lamb Soup
The other night I attempted a recipe from the cookbook 'Artichoke to Za'atar' by Greg and Lucy Malouf - 'North African Couscous Soup'. Great cookbook on Middle Eastern food by the way...
The first step is to soak chickpeas in water the night before starting the recipe. The following day, start by searing chunks of lamb stewing meat in olive oil. Remove and set aside. Sweat diced onion until soft, then add garlic (crushed with salt - use the side of your knife blade), cumin (toasted and ground) and coriander seed (also toasted and ground), a little allspice, chili powder and paprika. Saute for a couple of minutes, then return the lamb to the pan and add crushed tomatoes, a little honey and a jalapeno pepper (deseeded and shredded), followed by chicken broth, water and chickpeas. Simmer until the chickpeas are cooked through and the lamb is tender. When almost ready to serve, add couscous, stir and cover, and allow to sit a few minutes to cook through. Finish with plain yogurt, fresh parsley and mint, lemon juice and pita bread.
It didn't turn out perfectly. My chickpeas could have used a little longer, and the soup was a little gritty. I think this was due to the fact that I ground the seeds roughly with a mortar and pestle - they probably would have benefited from being put through a sieve (or from the use of an electric grinder, which I have yet to buy). I also was unable to find fresh mint at my local Weis supermarket, and so I added dried mint at the beginning of the simmer. Not as good but at least there was some mint flavor. The lamb came out very tender (I simmered for about an hour and a half) and the liquid had a nice flavor, although I would have liked more heat.
Note that soaking the chickpeas the night before is not strictly necessary. However, they will take a lot longer to cook if you do not do this. You can begin them in salted water (the notion that you should not cook beans in salted water because they will toughen is a myth, according to food science legend Harold McGee - see 'On Food and Cooking') at least an hour before starting the recipe.
Next time I think I would like to try this recipe as a stew, with less liquid, and served over the couscous instead.
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