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Happy reading, and thank you all for joining me on this edible journey.

Ryan.

Hola!

Sorry for the delay in posting.  I have been on holiday in Cuba and promise to write a few posts of my good memories there.

Lemon Blackberry Trifle

This recipe comes to me by way of the priestess, nay, the goddess of the kitchen, Nigella Lawson.  I’ve been a fan and fanatical advocate of the raven-haired Brit since her show Nigella Bites, with her impeccable style, spot on palate, and slightly subversive humour.  And no one can make love to a spoon the way she can.  I did meet her once and we had a little chat.  To be perfectly accurate, I met her along with maybe 3000 other fans at a book signing.  Despite the mob, she remained regal and warm in her chartreuse twin set, offering a genuine smile to all.

I must admit her cookbook prose have had a profound inspiration on my own desire to write.  I’ve savoured each and every one of her publications, reading them more like novels rather than as a resource.  I enjoy her informative preambles mixed with the regional vernacular (splodge, nubbled, blitzed) and simple recipes with inspired flavours.  She blends cultures and style with no apology.  One region she loves to explore is Italy, from crostini to dolce.  …Hence, this recipe, slightly modified, from her publication Forever Summer…

This is everything a trifle should be:  rich, oozing, cool, and creamy.  It’s also easy to make (please forgive the ready-made ingredients) and best if made well ahead of serving, rendering it perfect for easy entertaining.  The Italian inspiration comes from the ingredients: crunchy amaretti biscuits, sweet and puckering limoncello, and standing in for custard is a silky mascarpone mousse with blackberries providing a blistering contrast. 

The measurements are offered more as a guideline, with the size of your trifle bowl influencing the proportions.  For these photos, I used my oval porcelain casserole dish that I usually employ for mac and cheese, although it is most presentable in a glass trifle bowl (my own having disappeared after attending a potluck and not to be seen since).

Recipe on following page…

Trifle, Italian style

• Whir the amaretti biscuits in a food processor or lock them in a bag and bash them with a rolling pin until they are reduced to rubble.
• Make jam sandwiches out of the cakes by splitting them in half, smearing jam in between, and reassembling them.  Aim to use up about ¾ of the jar of jam.  If using a loaf or pound cake, slice it like bread and proceed to make the sandwiches.
• Line the bottom of your serving bowl with the sandwiches, wodging them together to ensure there are no obvious gaps.  No need for neatness as it will soon turn into a soggy mess.
• Sprinkle ¾ of the amaretti crumbs on top of the cakes and then drizzle with 100ml of the limoncello.
• Heat the remainder of the jam with the lemon juice gently on a low heat in a medium saucepan.  When melted, add the blackberries and heat until warmed through and the berries begin to release their juices.  Carefully tumble these over the amaretti/jam cakes in the serving bowl and put aside.
• Using a stand mixer, whisk the two egg yolks and half the sugar until it gets to a lemony mousse consistency, about 5 minutes.   On low, whisk in about ¼ of the mascarpone.  Then gently fold in the rest along with the remaining 50ml limoncello.
• In a separate bowl, whisk the two egg whites and the rest of the sugar until firm and glossy, about 4 minutes.  Gently fold into the mascarpone mixture and then spread gently over the blackberries.
• Wrap with cling film and set in the fridge for at least 4 hours, and up to a day before serving.   Remove from fridge about 30 minutes before serving.
• At some point, you’ll want to toast the flaked almonds in a dry pan over medium heat until bronzed.  Keep an eye on them because they can scorch quickly.  Scatter over the trifle along with the leftover amaretti crumbs and voila!  Scoop and serve.

Serves 8, with second helpings for some

I picked up this handy little tool at Bowery Kitchen Supplies Inc., located in the Chelsea Market (appropriately, also home to the Food Network studios).  This store is a kitchen connoisseur’s dream offering great value on a multitude of products.  I can’t visit NYC without popping in to supplement my burgeoning stable of gadgets.  The now-defunct Bodum store (an oasis of shiny white and glass) was around the corner, so trips to this neighbourhood left me burdened with heavy bags and a packing nightmare.

 Fortunately, this compact ginger grater is easy to pack, made of white porcelain (did I mention my obsession with white china), and reasonable prices, satisfying all requirments when shopping abroad.  Williams-Sonoma has a similar model for about $15, but you can find the model pictured above for one-third the price at Chinese markets and other kitchen supply stores.

 Cooks Illustrated promoted this tool in their September, 2007 edition and I highly concur.  Metal graters, including my beloved Microplane Grater, tend to cut the fibrous root as part of the grating process, potentially leaving your dish a bit hairy.  The nubs on this ceramic board, however, tease the pulp out into a fluffy, glorious cloud and leave the fibres behind.  Any juices can be tipped, along with the pulp, into your preparation; simply discard the mass of fibres into your organics bin. 

Always one for multi-tasking, you’ll be relieved to know that this grater can be used for chocolate, hard cheeses and even cinnamon.  Just rinse the board under running water and it will wait patiently in your drawer or hanging from its hole, taking up no space at all thanks to its slim profile, until called into action.  This, dear reader, is my tool of the week.

Lemon Artichoke Hummus

This Mediterranean dip born of chickpeas and sesame is also known by its other iterations such as houmous, humus, hoummos, humous, or most accurately, حُمُّص بطحينة.  While no one knows its historical origins, folklore often insists hummus is one of the oldest-known prepared foods.  Many cookbooks and recipes have survived since antiquity, but hummus was not mentioned until the 18^th-century in Damascus sources.  Many scholars have dismissed its more modern routes by arguing that hummus has been such an everyday staple, writing down a recipe for it would be akin to a recipe for boiling water.

Middle Eastern debates aside, the puree has always been popular with the granola set in the West and really hit its stride with the cocktail crowd and suburban families alike in the past decade or so.  One may find the dip upon every party table, garnished with cilantro, drizzled with olive oil, or sprinkled with cumin and always always always served with pita (and sometimes sturdy vegetables for scooping).

Presently, humus is accessible in any of its mutations at virtually all grocery stores in flavours like roasted red pepper, roasted garlic, jalapeno, carmelized onion, sundried tomato and on and on.  And while it’s easy and convenient to buy, the taste and texture leaves a lot to be desired.  Fortunately, it’s also easy to make at home; the ingredients are simple and you’ll have fun coming up with your very own signature hummus once you’ve mastered the basics.  The recipe I have on offer is a lemon artichoke version but simply eliminate artichoke and lemon zest to create the basic gold standard.  It’s inspired by a Cooks Illustrated recipe but with such simple ingredients, one hardly needs a recipe at all.  Lemony, garlicky, salty, silky, substantial perfection.

Finally, a word about chickpeas:  if you’re going the homemade route, go all the way and use dried chickpeas (see note following recipe).  They’re cheaper than canned and you’ll have the pleasure of creating something right from scratch.  Take this with a grain of salt, though, because I have been known once upon a time to bake a loaf of bread to make my own croutons for a caesar salad.  I know.  Crazy.  But you can make all kinds of other fun things with the extra legumes, including my vegetarian butter chicken (no butter and no chicken…recipe to come).  Anyway, happy dipping…

Lemon Artichoke Hummus

•  Whisk tahini and oil together in a small bowl or measuring cup.
• Process chickpeas, garlic, artichoke hearts, lemon zest, salt and cayenne in food processor for a good 30 seconds until blended.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
• Turn machine on and slowly drizzle in the lemon juice and water through the feed tube.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl again and puree for another minute or so.
• With machine still running, drizzle in the tahini and olive oil mixture and continue to blend until smooth, perhaps another 30 seconds.
• Transfer to a bowl and cover tightly.  This dip is best if left for a spell to allow the flavours to develop and bloom.  It can keep for up to a week in the fridge; you might stir in a touch of water before serving if you find it a little thick.
• NOTE:  If you wish to use dried chickpeas, you’ll need to plan ahead.  The night before, rinse 1-2 cups chickpeas and place in a large bowl filled with water.  Let soak overnight.  The following day, drain beans from bowl into a large pot filled with fresh water.  Add 1/4 teaspoon baking soda and bring to a boil.  Turn heat to a gentle simmer and cover to cook for about an hour, stirring occasionally, until chickpeas are tender.  Drain, reserving some of the cooking liquid for the recipe above, and allow to cool.

 Makes about 3 cups

Honey Crackle Granola

I love granola.  It connects perfectly with my preference for crunchy things.  I fondly look back at one of my favourite childhood breakfasts and remember a bowl of Quaker Harvest Crunch with some cold milk poured over the top.  Not being one for mushy foods (don’t get me started on over-ripe bananas), I especially enjoyed how the cereal retained its special crunchiness, truly living up to its name, right to the last bite.  For any non-Canadians who might be reading this, the cereal is essentially crunchy nuggets of rolled wheat and oats with brown sugar, coconut, almonds and honey.

As an adult with an expanding waistline, however, one pays slightly more attention to the nutritional value and calorie count on boxed cereals.  I was interested in making my own crunchy granola with a dream-list of ingredients, throwing in some heart-healthy additions to boot.  After much consulting and many attempts, I am pleased to present a recipe that has grown to be much-requested.

 Of course one can use any ingredients available in the pantry, and indeed every time I make granola, it’s different in subtle ways from the previous batch.  So feel free to experiment with different ingredients like hazelnuts, cashews, sunflower seeds, pistachios, wheat flakes, bran flakes, or anything else that catches your eye at the health food store.  And while you’re mixing things up, play with the ratio of sweetness to your own liking, or swap out the honey with an amber maple syrup for a deeper sweetness.  

 But if you can, please use the Maldon salt.  It counters the sweetness and brings out the flavour of the nuts and seeds while the white flakes almost burst on the tongue in the most satisfying way.

 This batch makes a generous jarful with plenty to sprinkle on yogurt or ice cream, eaten with milk, or just enjoyed by the greedy handful, straight to mouth. 

Ryan’s Honey Crackle Granola

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat and spread the coconut across in an even layer.  Toast in oven for about ten minutes, then remove from oven and let cool.  You’ll toss this in to the finished granola at the end.
• Put honey and butter in a small saucepan and heat on medium until melted.
• Combine remaining ingredients in large bowl and pour the melted honey and butter over top.  Stir with a wooden spoon until all the ingredients are moistened and coated.
• Line two cookie sheets with parchment or a Silpat and divide the mixture between the two sheets, spreading into an even layer.  Bake in the oven for about 15-20 minutes until golden brown, checking frequently towards the end.  Remove from oven.  The mixture will still be soft but will harden as it cools.
• Allow to cool on cooling racks.  Then break into pieces and crumble into a jar along with the toasted coconut.  It should keep for a good week or so in an airtight container.

Always trust Martha to bring the culinary world of New York to my living room.  Not that long ago, she presented a segment on 10th Avenue noshes and ChikaLicious Dessert Bar was included on her two-part tour.  Chef owners Don and Chika Tillman present a starkly intimate dessert eatery built around an open kitchen where the chefs and sommelier work and serve the customers directly.  Their reasonably priced three-course tasting menu has been described as being American desserts with French presentation and Japanese tasting portions and includes a palate-cleansing amuse, a choice from the varying dessert selection, and a plate of assorted petit fours.  Wine matchings are offered, along with organic coffees and teas.

For our visit, we started with a sweetly puckering duo of lemonade sorbet with lemon panna cotta.  For our “mains,” we each tried one of their classic desserts:  Fromage Blanc Island “Cheese Cake” (pictured above) artfully nestled into a mound of shaved ice; and a Warm Chocolate Tart with Pink Peppercorn Ice Cream and Red Wine Sauce.  Both were divinely delicious and proof of the chefs’ skills in presentation, taste and texture.  We couldn’t ask for anything more after an exhausting day supporting the local retail economy.  And indeed, the petit fours were the proverbial cherry on an otherwise perfect sensory experience:  a cube of quivering coconut marshmallow, a mini-wedge of carmelized lemon peel pound cake and a kiss of ganache atop a crisp chocolate wafer took us over the edge and we sailed home on a satisfactory sugar high.

They don’t take reservations, but any wait is worth the experience.  And while you’re there, check out the Dessert Club ChikaLicious, their companion bakery directly across the street, for arguably the best cupcake you will find in Manhattan.

ChikaLicious Dessert Bar

203 E. 10th St., between 2^nd Ave and 1^st Ave.

New York, NY

Open Daily

3pm to 10:45pm.

www.chikalicious.com

Grapefruit and Lavender

Another discovery brought to me courtesy of Martha Stewart, Papabubble is an international cult candy shop with outlets in Barcelona, Amsterdam, Tokyo, and now Manhattan.  Their artisanal hard candies are handmade in plain view at each store.  You can watch the owners as they knead, beat, stretch and slice the sweet bites into submission.  Simple ingredients, a dynamic range of flavours and cute packaging make them hard to resist.  While there, I managed to sample almost every flavour, some of them even still warm from the marble slab.  My must-have favourites include chili-lime, lavender, caramel apple, and lemon ginger along with the most adorably delicious pink grapefruit.

You can watch a Martha Stewart’s visit at: Martha at Papabubble

Papabubble

380A Broom Street, between Mott St and Mulberry St.

New York, NY

Open seven days a week

www.papabubble.com

Clementine Almond Cake

This recipe has been haunting me from the pages of a Nigella Lawson cookbook for some time.  It’s a fairly simple recipe with a little twist…whole boiled clementines are a required ingredient.  I love the taste of orange and almonds are one of my favourite baking ingredient, but for some reason, the cake hasn’t made it into my repertoire.  Until now.   My parents were heading over for a visit and I was looking for something easy and flourless that we could nibble on after dinner, with tea, or if we just wanted something a little sweet.   I remembered this recipe, tinkered a bit with the ingredients and instructions…I never have been one to leave things alone…and came up with a winner.  Let me know what you think.

Clementine Almond Cake

4 small clementines, mandarin oranges or tangerines (about 375g total weight)

5 eggs

225g sugar

250g ground almonds

1 generous teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon almond extract

pinch salt

·              Place the oranges in a small pot, fill with cold water until they’re just covered, bring to a boil and cook for two hours.  Check the water now and again and top up if too much has steamed away.

·              Carefully remove the oranges from the water and set aside until cool enough to handle.  I usually do this the night before I’m making the cake.

·              Cut them open and pick out the seeds, if there are any.  Then toss the whole lot, skin and all, into a food processor and whiz until smooth and everything is broken down.

·              Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.  Prepare a 23cm spring-form pan by cutting a circle of parchment to fit the bottom, and then grease the sides. 

·              Crack all the eggs into the bowl of your standing mixer.  With the whisk attachment, beat the eggs at medium-high speed until quite frothy, about two minutes.  Slow the speed a bit and slowly pour in the sugar.  Turn up the speed and beat for about four minutes more, until the mixture is pale yellow, fluffy, and you can trace ribbons on the surface.  Throw in the salt, extract and baking powder and give it a final blitz.

·              Remove the bowl from the mixer and fold in orange puree.  When mostly incorporated, fold in the ground almonds.  Pour into prepared pan and pop in the oven.

·              Bake for about 60 minutes, when a skewer will come out clean.  However, you’ll need to cover it with a square of aluminum foil about 40 minutes in to prevent it from browning too much.

·              Remove cake from the oven and allow it to cool on the rack in its pan.  You might want to run a knife along the side to release the cake from the pan so it doesn’t crack as it cools.

·              Release sides and flip or slide onto a serving platter.  It will keep well and it’s even better the day after it’s made.

Rick and Michael Mast, the bearded beatnik brothers and proprietors of Mast Brothers Chocolate, are the only bean-to-bar chocolate makers in New York.  The brothers from Iowa roast cacao beans sourced from Ecuador, Madagascar and Venzuela in their Williamsburg, NY factory and create micro-batches of pure alchemy, turning said beans into delicious tablets of deeply complex chocolate subtly flavoured with a small range of flavour profiles:  salt & pepper, fleur de sel, cocoa nibs.

My palate’s preference is their dark milk chocolate; made with 60% cacao, it has the intense bouquet of a dark with all of the butteriness of a milk, offering the best of both worlds.

Approximately 250 businesses offer their artfully wrapped bars for sale, but if you’re in the neighbourhood on the weekend, pay the brothers a visit at their factory’s storefront. 

Mast Brothers Chocolate

105 North Third Street, between Berry Street and Wythe Avenue

Williamsburg (718-388-2625)

Open weekends, noon-6 pm

www.mastbrotherschocolate.com