Category Archives: Eating

Chomp it up.

Cheesy, breezy, beautiful

05/10/2006 Nichole

I discovered Amy’s frozen meals a while back, after a long search for frozen dinners that didn’t include suspicious meat-like substances. One of my favorites is their Mattar Paneer, an Indian dish featuring peas and cheese in a slightly spicy sauce. I thought it would be a nice dish to add to our at-home repertoire, but I couldn’t find a place to buy paneer (the cheese).

A few weeks ago, I borrowed a vegetarian cookbook from a friend, and there it was! Muttar Paneer! I didn’t use a deep enough pot in the paneer-making process. I had no idea how quickly boiling milk would turn into a all-over-the-stove cloud of froth. In case you don’t know, either: very, very quickly. I recommend a very large pot. I had to improvise on the cheesecloth; I used two of Poppy’s burp clothes (clean, thank you very much), and they worked beautifully. I tied the cheese up in a nice little bundle and suspended it from the faucet to drain.

Muttar Paneer
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 onion, minced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1-inch piece of fresh ginger, minced
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon chili powder
4 cups frozen peas
8-ounce can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup vegetable stock
salt and pepper
Paneer, cut into small cubes (recipe follows)
Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the paneer and fry until golden on all sides. Remove from the pan and drain on paper towels.

Pour off some of the oil, leaving about 4 tablespoons in the pan. Add the onion, garlic and ginger and fry gently, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes.

Add the peas, tomatoes and stock and season with salt and pepper. Cover and simmer, stirring occassionally, for 10 minutes, until the onion is tender.

Add the fried paneer cubes and cook for another 5 minutes.

Taste and adust the seasoning, if necessary. Serve immediately.

Paneer
10 cups pasteurized whole milk
5 tablespoons lemon juice
1 clove garlic, crushed
Bring the milk to a rolling boil in a large soup pot. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice. Return to the heat for about a minute until the curds and whey separate. Remove from the heat and add the garlic. Line a strainer with a double thickness of cheesecloth, and pour the mixture through. Squeeze all the liquid from the curds and leave to drain.

Transfer to a dish, cover with a plate and a heavy weight, and refrigerate overnight.

Recipes adapted from “Ultimate Vegetarian.” This makes a ton of food.

baking, recipes

The Cake

04/26/2006 Nichole

I found the Strawberry Cream Cake recipe on the Cook’s Illustrated Web site a few weeks ago. I had to wait to make it because I’d just started the South Beach Diet. And what’s the point of making a cake if you can’t eat it, too? So since we gathered strawberries and I fell off the SBD wagon, I decided it was high time I try the recipe.

Last night, I didn’t think the result was worth the labor involved. It was basically a glorified strawberry shortcake. It’s better today, though. The strawberry goo and the icing have permeated the cake layers. And that’s always a good thing. So, if you decide to try the recipe, I recommend making it a day ahead and refrigerating it until you’re ready to serve it.

Strawberry Cream Cake

If using a cake pan, you will need one with straight sides that are at least 2 inches high; otherwise, use a springform pan. The cake portion can be made ahead of time, wrapped in a double layer of plastic wrap, and frozen; thaw the frozen cake, unwrapped, at room temperature for about two hours before proceeding with the recipe.

Serves 8 to 10
Cake

1 1/4 cups cake flour (5 ounces)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon table salt
1 cup sugar (7 ounces)
5 large eggs (2 whole and 3 separated), room temperature
6 tablespoons unsalted butter , melted and cooled slightly
2 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Strawberry Filling

2 pounds fresh strawberries (medium or large, about 2 quarts), washed, dried, and stemmed
4 – 6 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons Kirsch
Pinch table salt

Whipped Cream

8 ounces cream cheese , room temperature
1/2 cup sugar (3 1/2 ounces)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon table salt
2 cups heavy cream

1. FOR THE CAKE: Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour round 9 by 2-inch cake pan or 9-inch springform pan and line with parchment paper. Whisk flour, baking powder, salt, and all but 3 tablespoons sugar in mixing bowl. Whisk in 2 whole eggs and 3 yolks (reserving whites), butter, water, and vanilla; whisk until smooth.

2. In clean bowl of standing mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat remaining 3 egg whites at medium-low speed until frothy, 1 to 2 minutes. With machine running, gradually add remaining 3 tablespoons sugar, increase speed to medium-high, and beat until soft peaks form, 60 to 90 seconds. Stir one-third of whites into batter to lighten; add remaining whites and gently fold into batter until no white streaks remain. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake until toothpick or wooden skewer inserted into center of cake comes out clean, 30 to 40 minutes. Cool in pan 10 minutes, then invert cake onto greased wire rack; peel off and discard parchment. Invert cake again; cool completely, about 2 hours.

3. FOR THE STRAWBERRY FILLING: Halve 24 of best-looking berries and reserve. Quarter remaining berries; toss with 4 to 6 tablespoons sugar (depending on sweetness of berries) in medium bowl and let sit 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Strain juices from berries and reserve (you should have about 1/2 cup). In workbowl of food processor fitted with metal blade, give macerated berries five 1-second pulses (you should have about 1 1/2 cups). In small saucepan over medium-high heat, simmer reserved juices and Kirsch until syrupy and reduced to about 3 tablespoons, 3 to 5 minutes. Pour reduced syrup over macerated berries, add pinch of salt, and toss to combine. Set aside until cake is cooled.

4. FOR THE WHIPPED CREAM: When cake has cooled, place cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and salt in bowl of standing mixer fitted with whisk attachment. Whisk at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes, scraping down bowl with rubber spatula as needed. Reduce speed to low and add heavy cream in slow, steady stream; when almost fully combined, increase speed to medium-high and beat until mixture holds stiff peaks, 2 to 2 1/2 minutes more, scraping bowl as needed (you should have about 4 1/2 cups).

5. TO ASSEMBLE THE CAKE: Using large serrated knife, slice cake into three even layers. Place bottom layer on cardboard round or cake plate and arrange ring of 20 strawberry halves, cut sides down and stem ends facing out, around perimeter of cake layer. Pour one half of pureed berry mixture (about 3/4 cup) in center, then spread to cover any exposed cake. Gently spread about one-third of whipped cream (about 1 1/2 cups) over berry layer, leaving 1/2-inch border from edge. Place middle cake layer on top and press down gently (whipped cream layer should become flush with cake edge). Repeat with 20 additional strawberry halves, remaining berry mixture, and half of remaining whipped cream; gently press last cake layer on top. Spread remaining whipped cream over top; decorate with remaining cut strawberries. Serve, or chill for up to 4 hours.
from Cook’s Illustrated

baking, recipes

The Cake

04/26/2006 Nichole

Strawberry Cream Cake

If using a cake pan, you will need one with straight sides that are at least 2 inches high; otherwise, use a springform pan. The cake portion can be made ahead of time, wrapped in a double layer of plastic wrap, and frozen; thaw the frozen cake, unwrapped, at room temperature for about two hours before proceeding with the recipe.

Serves 8 to 10
Cake

1 1/4 cups cake flour (5 ounces)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon table salt
1 cup sugar (7 ounces)
5 large eggs (2 whole and 3 separated), room temperature
6 tablespoons unsalted butter , melted and cooled slightly
2 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Strawberry Filling

2 pounds fresh strawberries (medium or large, about 2 quarts), washed, dried, and stemmed
4 – 6 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons Kirsch
Pinch table salt

Whipped Cream

8 ounces cream cheese , room temperature
1/2 cup sugar (3 1/2 ounces)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon table salt
2 cups heavy cream

1. FOR THE CAKE: Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour round 9 by 2-inch cake pan or 9-inch springform pan and line with parchment paper. Whisk flour, baking powder, salt, and all but 3 tablespoons sugar in mixing bowl. Whisk in 2 whole eggs and 3 yolks (reserving whites), butter, water, and vanilla; whisk until smooth.

2. In clean bowl of standing mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat remaining 3 egg whites at medium-low speed until frothy, 1 to 2 minutes. With machine running, gradually add remaining 3 tablespoons sugar, increase speed to medium-high, and beat until soft peaks form, 60 to 90 seconds. Stir one-third of whites into batter to lighten; add remaining whites and gently fold into batter until no white streaks remain. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake until toothpick or wooden skewer inserted into center of cake comes out clean, 30 to 40 minutes. Cool in pan 10 minutes, then invert cake onto greased wire rack; peel off and discard parchment. Invert cake again; cool completely, about 2 hours.

3. FOR THE STRAWBERRY FILLING: Halve 24 of best-looking berries and reserve. Quarter remaining berries; toss with 4 to 6 tablespoons sugar (depending on sweetness of berries) in medium bowl and let sit 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Strain juices from berries and reserve (you should have about 1/2 cup). In workbowl of food processor fitted with metal blade, give macerated berries five 1-second pulses (you should have about 1 1/2 cups). In small saucepan over medium-high heat, simmer reserved juices and Kirsch until syrupy and reduced to about 3 tablespoons, 3 to 5 minutes. Pour reduced syrup over macerated berries, add pinch of salt, and toss to combine. Set aside until cake is cooled.

4. FOR THE WHIPPED CREAM: When cake has cooled, place cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and salt in bowl of standing mixer fitted with whisk attachment. Whisk at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes, scraping down bowl with rubber spatula as needed. Reduce speed to low and add heavy cream in slow, steady stream; when almost fully combined, increase speed to medium-high and beat until mixture holds stiff peaks, 2 to 2 1/2 minutes more, scraping bowl as needed (you should have about 4 1/2 cups).

5. TO ASSEMBLE THE CAKE: Using large serrated knife, slice cake into three even layers. Place bottom layer on cardboard round or cake plate and arrange ring of 20 strawberry halves, cut sides down and stem ends facing out, around perimeter of cake layer. Pour one half of pureed berry mixture (about 3/4 cup) in center, then spread to cover any exposed cake. Gently spread about one-third of whipped cream (about 1 1/2 cups) over berry layer, leaving 1/2-inch border from edge. Place middle cake layer on top and press down gently (whipped cream layer should become flush with cake edge). Repeat with 20 additional strawberry halves, remaining berry mixture, and half of remaining whipped cream; gently press last cake layer on top. Spread remaining whipped cream over top; decorate with remaining cut strawberries. Serve, or chill for up to 4 hours.
from Cook’s Illustrated