Cream Scones

In an effort to have some palm-able breakfast options around the house, I started looking at scone recipes and was intrigued by a couple that were made with only cream, no butter. The recipe in this post on Chowhound was my eventual inspiration, as it looked like an incredibly simple and fantastic base recipe to incorporate into the rotation. I decided to doctor up the scones with orange zest and dried cherries, but customize yours in any way you'd like! I think next time I'll be trying caramelized onions, sharp cheddar and bits of bacon for a super-savory version.

Cream Scones (with Dried Cherries & Orange Zest)

Makes 8 servings

*2 cups flour

*1/4 cup sugar

*1 tablespoon baking powder

*1/2 teaspoon salt

*Pinch cinnamon

*2/3 cup dried cherries

*1 tablespoon orange zest

*1 1/4 cups heavy cream

*1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

*Raw sugar (optional)

Preheat the oven to 425. Sift the dry ingredients together in a bowl and add the dried cherries and zest. Stir together the cream and vanilla extract and then combine with the dry ingredients, using a fork. Still using the fork, mix to a rough mass, then turn out onto a lightly floured board and knead briefly (only a couple times) just until the dough holds together. Pat into a 7 inch circle, or thereabouts. Brush the top with the drips and drabs of cream left in your measuring cup, then sprinkle with the raw sugar, if you'd like (I opted not to). Cut into 8 wedges. Separate the wedges and place on a parchment-coated baking sheet. Bake approximately 15-17 minutes until golden brown. Best eaten while still warm!

Winter Citrus Salad

Currently burdened by a nasty headcold in the midst of an unending winter, I yearned for a big bright hit of vit-C today. Luckily, my fruit bin just happened to be bursting with citrus. Halfway through absentmindedly peeling an orange, I was suddenly moved to cut and pare and arrange ALL my fruit into something pretty and sunny and worthy of a wee blog post. It's barely a recipe, but don't discount the mood-lifting power of a plate of glistening, jewel-like cuts of orange and vermillion and pink!

I whipped up a couple tablespoons of plain yogurt, minced mint, squeezes of citrus and a little honey and drizzled the dressing over the salad as you can see in the bottom picture, but feel free to use some mint infused simple syrup or a mere squeeze of lime to add a little extra zing to your salad.

Winter Citrus Salad
Makes 2 servings

*1 grapefruit
*1 blood orange
*1 orange (or clementine)
*Sea salt
*Palmful of shelled unsalted pistachios or pepitas
*Mint leaves

Cut the fruits into slices and then using a paring knife, remove the pith and rind from the rounds. Arrange the pieces on a platter and dust with a teensy pinch of your best sea salt and scatter some pepitas around on top. Tuck some mint leaves in for garnish.

Pro-tip: zest your oranges before cutting and paring and then either use the zest immediately or freeze for another use later.

Old Vermont Cocktail

After enjoying a lovely getaway in Vermont last weekend I decided to nurse my post-vacation malaise with a drink that reminded me of time spent in the state. A friend of mine, Marisa, had gifted me with some maple bitters over the holidays as well as some adorable recipe cards including a gin-based cocktail she named the "Old Vermont", a darkly sweet, woodsy and citrusy tipple. I shook a double order up for me and the husband, and it was a perfect treat to mingle with warm memories. I'm looking forward to making a non-alcoholic cordial recipe also given to me by Marisa as well as concocting other drinks with the maple bitters!

Old Vermont Cocktail
Makes 2 drinks

Recipe courtesy of Marisa

*3 1/2 oz gin
*1 oz grade B maple syrup
*1 oz fresh squeezed lemon juice
*1/2 oz fresh squeezed orange juice
*4 dashes maple bitters
*Ice cubes

Shake all ingredients vigorously and strain into a chilled glass.

My only addendum is to run a spent lemon or orange wedge around the rim of the glasses and dip in some maple sugar!

Stuffed Acorn Squash

A stuffed squash makes for a beautiful, and economical, dish. As with bread bowls and ice cream cones, it's just plain fun to nibble at the vessel AND its contents. I usually make my stuffed squashes an omnivore's delight, but feel free to saute shiitakes instead of sausage, should you desire a vegetarian main. Bonus is that depending on the size of your squash, you'll have a little extra stuffing to pop into tomorrow's omelet or over some bitter greens. 

Stuffed Acorn Squash
Makes 2 servings 

*1 acorn squash
*1 tablespoon EVOO
*2 teaspoons maple syrup
*1 cup cooked brown rice
*2 tablespoons toasted pepitas
*2 links Italian hot sausage, casings removed

*1 small shallot, sliced thinly

*3 cloves garlic, minced
*2 leaves kale, stemmed and torn into bite-sized pieces

*1/2 teaspoon thyme leaves
*Pinch of crumbled dried sage leaves
*S&P

Preheat the oven to 400. Whisk together the oil and syrup with pinches of salt and pepper. Cut the acorn squash in half and scoop out the guts. Cut a sliver of the rounded bottoms off too, so that they'll stay in place on the baking sheet. Place the halves facing up on a rimmed baking sheet, and brush the syrup-oil mixture all over the squash halves and into the hollows (pro-tip: I drizzle a little of the maple-y oil over the pepitas and toss before toasting them briefly in the oven). Bake the squash for 45-60 minutes, or until perfectly tender.

Meanwhile, cook the rice, if not already on hand. Near the end of the baking time, saute the sausage in a wide skillet, breaking it up into small pieces with a wooden spoon. Once it has browned and cooked, remove from the skillet and throw the shallots in for a couple minutes with a little extra oil if needed before adding the garlic. Then, add the kale and continue to saute for a few minutes more until the kale is wilted. Turn off the heat and add the pepitas, sausage, sage, thyme and rice. Mix well and season to taste with S&P. Remove squash from oven. Fill both halves with the stuffing and serve.

Dapper Owl Plate, Rachel Kozlowski for West Elm

Wild Mushroom, Caramelized Shallot & Brie Panini

This is a perfect winter vegetarian sandwich, earthy, warming, flavorful but mellow, and incredibly filling. Out of all the paninis I've pressed in the maker I got for Christmas, I think this is my favorite. Perhaps not the most appealing to take a picture of, but I swear there is one delicious bite after another in that green and brown tangle!

Wild Mushroom, Brie & Caramelized Shallot Panini
Makes 1 sandwich

*2 tablespoons butter, divided
*EVOO (I used a garlic-infused variety)

*2-3 shallots, sliced thinly

*2 cups mixed wild mushrooms, stemmed, wiped & sliced 

*Scant 1/2 teaspoon minced thyme leaves

*S&P
*Balsamic vinegar

*2 slices hearty bakery bread

*3-4 slices of Brie

*Palmful of baby arugula
*Your favorite fancy mustard (chablis Dijon, for me)

In a wide cast-iron skillet, melt a tablespoon of butter with a drizzle of garlic infused oil and add the shallots. Sprinkle with a healthy pinch of salt (and a little pinch of sugar too, to speed things along) and caramelize for a good 30 minutes. If you don't have garlic infused oil and want a hint of the beautiful stinking rose, feel free to mince a clove up and throw it in with the shallots for the last few minutes of caramelizing. Remove the shallots from the pan and add the mushrooms and another drizzle of oil (regular evoo used this time), then saute for 4 minutes before adding the thyme and seasoning with salt & pepper. Cook another minute, splash with a touch of balsamic, and toss well.

Brush one side of each of the bread slices with a bit of the other tablespoon of butter (melted or room temp), then assemble the sandwich by smoothing a thin layer of mustard on one slice, then top with the shallots, mushrooms, arugula and finally, the Brie. Press the sandwich in a preheated panini maker for 4 minutes or so, until the sandwich is toasty. Cut 'n eat!

Classic Mac & Cheese

This is more than comfort food - it's nap food.  It is indeed, as its nickname implies, so rich and filling that more often than not it puts me and my husband into a food coma after we lick the last bits of delicious velvety cheese sauce from our forks.

Since it's a very basic recipe, its success depends on the quality of ingredients you choose to use. I make this when I have knobs of pretty great cheeses hanging around in the fridge that need a nice vehicle to take them out entirely... a good slab of intense Quebec cheddar, a piece of sharp Gruyere, a salty wedge of Parm, some creamy Fontina, say. Just try to not make it with pre-shredded, bagged stuff. And don't make plans the night you eat it, just in case you happen to fall into unintended slumber.

Classic Mac & Cheese
Makes 5-7 servings

*1/2 lb shells

*3 tablespoons butter

*3 tablespoons flour

*2 cups milk, warmed

*About 3 cups grated cheeses + 1/4 cup grated Parm-Reg

*Couple generous dashes of Tabasco

*1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

*1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs
*S&P

Preheat the oven to 375. Butter a baking dish, or as I did for this recipe, two small cast iron pans. Boil the pasta no further than al dente and drain. Meanwhile, in another pot, melt the butter over medium heat. When the butter has melted and foamed, gradually add in the flour, whisking all the while. Cook the roux for a few minutes, and then gradually pour in the milk, whisking to stamp out all the lumps. Cook the sauce until it comes to a low boil, then cook a few minutes more, stirring all the while. Remove the pot from heat and toss in the cheeses, Tabasco, and pinches of S&P. Once the cheese has melted, add the pasta and stir to combine well. Pour the pasta in an even layer in your baking vessel, then combine the thyme and bread crumbs with some S&P and extra grated Parm-Reg and sprinkle the crumb mixture evenly on top. Bake for 15-17 minutes, flicking on the broiler for the last 2 if you like a nicely crisped top.

Mixed Nut & Dried Cherry Chocolate Bark

Chocolate bark is infinitely versatile, infinitely delicious. This is probably my favorite rendition of chocolate bark, because there's just so much of everything on it! If you can temper the chocolate correctly it makes for a great gift too, especially as it can be stored longer than your usual homemade baked goods. Even if you don't get the chocolate to temper perfectly, it still delights: I've given it out to many people who are happy to store it in the fridge. At some point I should probably get a candy thermometer to take the guesswork out of melting the chocolate to just the right point. In the meantime, I'll eat my fridge-cold chocolate bark and love it all the same!

Mixed Nut and Dried Cherry Chocolate Bark
Makes 4ish servings?

*1 bag (10 oz) high quality dark chocolate semi-sweet morsels

*1 small pinch ground allspice
*1/4 teaspoon sea salt

*1/2 cup hulled pistachios, lightly toasted and chopped
*1/4 cup almonds, lightly toasted and chopped
*1 tablespoon pepitas, lightly toasted and chopped
*1 tablespoon coffee beans, roughly chopped

*1/2 cup dried cherries, some chopped & some left whole

Melt the morsels in a heatproof bowl for 30 seconds at a time in the microwave, stirring after each round. When the chocolate is almost entirely melted, stir to melt the rest of the morsels and add the spice and salt. Combine the cherries, nuts, pepitas and coffee beans, remove about a third of the mix and chop it a little finer, then throw that into the chocolate, stirring to combine. Spread the mixture with a spatula onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet until it's evenly about a quarter-inch thick. Rain down the remaining nuts, seeds, coffee beans and cherries until there's a nice layer over the chocolate. I usually take another small pinch of sea salt and scatter some crystals over the chocolate at this point too. Pop the baking sheet in the fridge to chill the bark for a couple hours. Break into shards when hardened. Do store in the fridge if tempering chocolate ain't really your finest skill.

Cauliflower Soup with Scallops

Last year around this time I had an absolutely delectable soup at a Talula's Table dinner, and have had savory memories of it from time to time since. When designing my Christmas eve dinner my mind wandered back to it, and I decided to finally take a stab at recapturing that cauliflowery deliciousness. I was inspired by this recipe on Epicurious and after adapting it to suit my tastes (and budget!), am extremely pleased with the end result. This is one voluptuous soup. 

Cauliflower Soup with Scallops

Makes 4-6 servings

*1 scant tablespoon butter

*EVOO

*1 small shallot, minced

*1 garlic clove, minced

*1 medium head cauliflower

*Equal parts chicken stock and water, about 3ish cups of each

*1/4 cup cream

*1 thumbnail size piece of Parmesan rind (or just a piece cut from a wedge)

*S&P (white pepper, if you don't want to blemish the ivory surface of the soup!)

*3-4 bay scallops or 1 sea scallop per serving

Carve the core out of the cauliflower and break the head into small florets. In a pot melt butter over medium heat and drizzle with a dribble of evoo. Sweat the shallot for a few minutes, add the garlic and continue to saute for a few minutes more. Add the cauliflower, then just barely cover with water & chicken stock (around 3-3 1/2 cups of each). Throw in the piece of Parmesan. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 30 minutes with the pot partially covered. When the cauliflower is totally tender, puree everything with an immersion blender and add the cream. Season with salt & white pepper to taste. Pass the soup through a fine mesh sieve to achieve that smooth silky consistency.

Meanwhile, prep the scallops – trim the muscle if necessary and dry the scallops thoroughly. Season with S&P. Heat a skillet over high heat, add a small slick of evoo and sear scallops briefly on both sides, about a minute total for bay scallops and a minute and a half per side for sea scallops. Serve soup in shallow bowls and garnish with the scallops.

Eggs in Purgatory

Sometimes weekend cooking involves elaborate, time-consuming productions, but sometimes it involves ransacking the fridge in a bleary haze for leftovers to repurpose. However, subsisting on leftovers is fine by me when the leftovers in question include a largesse of Sunday Gravy. Eggs in Purgatory, a dish of jiggly eggs poached in a smimmering tomato sauce, is a ridiculously simple and satisfying brunch, lunch or dinner that'll serve the dual purpose of hearty nourishment, as well as a use for any leftover red stuff, either from the aforementioned Sunday Gravy, or even a half-empty jar of store-bought marinara. Served up over toast points, it can't be beat for a quick mid-Saturday meal, or for that matter, a meal for any other time during the week when you can't bring yourself to expend any more effort than cracking eggs.

Eggs in Purgatory
Makes 2 servings

*3-4 cups tasty, rich tomato sauce
*4 organic eggs
*Freshly grated Parm-Reg
*Toast points

Add the sauce to a modestly sized saucepan. Bring to a burble over medium and make little depressions in the sauce for each egg you're using, then crack the eggs one by one in a small cup and slip into each of the depressions. Spoon some sauce around to cover the majority of the eggs. Cover, leaving the lid cracked just a touch, and cook for about 7 minutes until the whites are set but the yolk is still a little runny. Scoop the eggs out and serve with extra sauce over toast points, dusting liberally with freshly grated Parm. Alternately, you can bake the eggs in sauce at 350 for about 16-18 minutes, results of which pictured above. Between you and me, I prefer the eggs simmered but the tasty end result doesn't make for the most pleasant of pictures!

Steak Au (Sichuan) Poivre

Everyone has their favorite steak prep method, and mine happens to be au poivre. That addictive peppery crust just cannot be beat. I tend to overload my peppercorn mix with Sichuan peppercorns, which add a fun tingle and exotic flicker to the classic dish. I also tend to deglaze the pan with whatever stout I'm swigging, which is not a particularly Sichuanese tradition (or even a French one) so if you'd prefer to stick with the usual bourbon, cognac or brandy etc, that's fine. This latest occasion I happened to be drinking Bell's Cherry Stout, which made for an exceptionally tasty deglazer!

Sichuan Steak Au Poivre
Makes 2 servings

*1 well-marbled strip steak cut about an inch thick, around 10 oz
*2 tablespoons Sichuan peppercorns + 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
*Kosher salt
*1 teaspoon chili oil or EVOO
*2 tablespoons butter at room temperature, divided

*1 tablespoon finely minced shallot
*3 tablespoons stout beer (or bourbon)
*1/2 cup beef stock - I boil down a cup of beef stock until it is reduced by half
*1 scant teaspoon light soy sauce

About 30 minutes before you are ready to cook the steak, take it out of the fridge to temper the meat. Trim the steak if necessary and cut into two pieces. Coarsely crack the peppercorns. Sprinkle each side of the steaks with salt, then press each side into the cracked peppercorns, encrusting the steaks lightly or heavily as you prefer.

Heat the butter in a cast iron skillet over high heat and drizzle with the oil. When the surface is hot, lay the peppered steaks in. Sear for about 2 minutes per side; press with your finger to test for the springiness that indicates rare and then cook to your desired doneness and transfer to a warm platter, tenting loosely with foil.

Lower heat to the other side of the dial, take the skillet off the heat and add the shallots to the pan. Saute briefly, scraping at the drippings with a wooden spoon, and put the skillet back over the burner. Add the stout to deglaze, then add the stock and soy sauce. Adjusting the heat, bring the liquid back to a boil and cook to thicken the sauce, stirring occasionally. Taste and adjust seasoning. Finally, add the last tablespoon of butter, swirling it around in the pan until it melts and incorporates, then spoon the sauce over the steaks.