Recipe: Million Dollar Caramels

My friend Nancy Kajiyama is one of the most talented pastry chefs I've ever met.  You've probably sampled her wares over at Miette, where she runs a lot of the behind the scenes magic.  I get to work with her from time to time on special events, which is how I know she's one of the most incredible candy and chocolate makers around.

This is her FANTASTIC recipe for caramels, with a few little tweaks from me.  I'll never use another recipe for caramel candies again.  Add an obscene amount of gold leaf to the top like I did, and call them million dollar caramels.  

The caramels will cut much more easily if you let them cure overnight (or over two nights, even).  Make them today or tomorrow and ring in the New Year in millionaire style.

Million Dollar Caramels

• 6 cups organic sugar (Nancy said it HAS to be organic)
• 1 cup corn syrup
• 6 cups heavy cream
• 6 tablespoons (3 ounces) unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons sea salt, plus more for garnish
• GOLD LEAF

Line a 13" x 18" baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.  

Combine sugar and corn syrup in a large, deep, heavy-bottomed pot with 1/2 cup of water.  Set over high heat.  Use a brush dipped in water to dissolve any sugar crystals that may have stuck to the inside walls of the pot.  Refrain from stirring the caramel, and let it cook to your desired color.  I like to take it as far as I can to develop the complex flavors of dark caramel, about 395°F, but if you are uncomfortable going as far, feel free to stop things earlier.  

Anticipate the moment the caramel will reach your desired point and stand at the ready with the cream and butter.  As soon as it hits the right color, carefully add the cream and butter.  Be prepared for the caramel to bubble up furiously and make sure there are no children around.  Once it calms down, whisk in the vanilla and sea salt and let the caramel return to 245°F.   This will take a little while, so don't stress when the thermometer gets stuck around 220°F.  

When the caramel has reached 245°F, VERY CAREFULLY pour it out into your prepared baking sheet.  Let it cool for about 25 minutes, then sprinkle a generous amount of sel gris or other coarse sea salt all over the top.  

If it's humid or rainy, wrap the tray with plastic once it's completely cooled.  Otherwise, leave it out, uncovered, for one or two nights to set.

When you're ready to cut and wrap the caramels, slip the tray into the freezer for 15 minutes.  

Remove the caramel from the baking sheet, and carefully peel away the parchment.  Use a pizza cutter to slice the block into strips, and then use a sharp, heavy knife to cut the strips into one- or two-bite sized caramels.  Place the cut candies onto another baking sheet.

Gold leaf is super expensive, and it can be tricky to work with.  If you get a whole book, take just one leaf out at a time.  Try not to breathe on it, because your breath will cause it to rumple up and stick to itself.  Use a dry paintbrush (or lacking that, a wooden skewer) and an xacto knife to gently pick up a tiny bit of gold leaf at a time and dab it onto each candy.  

Wrap with clear cellophane wrappers to show off the gold!  Make sure, while you're wrapping, to twist both ends of each candy in the same direction (this was the hardest part of the whole operation for me to master!) so that they'll open up without strife.  

Depending on how you cut the caramels, this will yield about 150-200 pieces.  This recipe will halve easily, but make sure to pour caramel into a quarter sheet pan or 9" x 13" cake pan instead of a baking sheet to ensure proper depth.  

Supplies you may need:

• Gold Leaf
• Sel Gris
• Cellophane for wrapping
• My favorite Instaread Thermometer 
• Organic Sugar 
• Organic Corn Syrup
• Parchment Paper 
• Paint Brushes 
• Xacto Knife

Recipe: Chez Panisse Meyer Lemon Curd

I'm posting this recipe as much for myself as for all of you.  I need to record it somewhere public, so I have access to it wherever I am.  There are countless Meyer lemon curd recipes, and many dozens of them are Chez Panisse versions, but this is the version that they serve in the restaurant today, and it is perfect.  The key is balance--of sweeter Meyer and more acidic Eureka lemons, of sugar and acid, of heating the eggs enough so that they set, but not so much that they overcook.  

Since I've got that Nomiku on my hands for another week or so, I thought I'd experiment using it to cook the curd.  Instead of plastic, which I just can't bring myself to use as a cooking vessel, I just poured the raw, tempered curd into sterilized mason jars and cooked them for 45 minutes.  The results: perfect.  The smoothest, creamiest curd I have ever made.  Though it took longer than the classic method, it wasn't active time.  I washed dishes, ate snacks, and took copious photos of my eggshells while the curd cooked. 

Make the curd, and then make meringue softies with the leftover whites.  

• 1 cup Meyer lemon juice
• ½ cup Eureka lemon juice
• Zest of 5 Meyer lemons
• 1 1/3 cups sugar
• Pinch of salt to taste
• 7 whole eggs
• 10 egg yolks
• 16 Tablespoons cold butter

Classic Method

Combine lemon juices, zest, sugar and salt in a small saucepan and heat just until the sugar dissolves.

Set up a double boiler on the stove: pour 2 inches of water into a large, wide pot and bring to a boil.  

Place the eggs and yolks in a large bowl.  Temper the eggs with the warm lemon juice mixture by adding it in slowly, in a thin stream, while continuously whisking.  

Place the bowl of tempered eggs over the pot of simmering water and whisk continuously until the curd just starts to thicken.  Remove immediately from the heat, add the chilled butter, and strain through a fine mesh sieve.

Cover immediately with plastic wrap pressed against the curd to prevent a skin from forming.  Keep refrigerated for up to five days, but it's doubtful the curd will last that long.

Sous Vide Method

Sterilize 4 pint-sized mason jars and their lids.

Set the immersion circulator in a large pot, fill to the minimum, and set the temperature to 180°F/82°C.  

Combine lemon juices, zest, sugar and salt in a small saucepan and heat just until the sugar dissolves.

Place the eggs and yolks in a large bowl.  Temper the eggs with the warm lemon juice mixture by adding it in slowly, in a thin stream, while continuously whisking.  

Divide the curd mixture evenly amongst the jars, cover, and set in the water bath.  Cook for 45 minutes, then remove the jars from the water bath and stir 4 tablespoons of cold butter into each jar.  Cover with plastic wrap or parchment pressed against the curd to prevent a skin from forming.  Keep refrigerated for up to five days, but it's doubtful the curd will last that long.

And, if eating the lemon curd straight out of the jar isn't exciting enough for you, then layer it between shortbread cookies, or sugar cookies.  Spoon it into thumbprint cookies.  Spoon it into a blind-baked shortcrust tart shell and gently bake at 325°F until just barely set, about 20 minutes.  Serve a dollop alongside ginger-molasses cake, lemon pound cake, or olive oil cake.  Spoon atop ice cream.  Eat with berries and whipped cream.  The Meyer lemon sunset sky is the limit.

Recipe: Meringue Softies

Before I had a proper meringue, I had no idea why people went crazy for them.  Chalky, crumbly, dry, overly sweet....just inexplicable, really, why anyone would want to eat one, let alone look forward to it.

But then, I tasted the real thing.  Soft, pillowy, marshmallowy, delicious.  Meringues have also become one of my very favorite things to make, partly because they are extraordinarily simple.  Be careful, though--they are totally addictive.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup egg whites, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons white vinegar or 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1 cup sugar
• Pinch of salt
• Optional: 1/2 cup chopped chocolate, toasted, chopped nuts, toasted coconut, or cocoa nibs

Preheat the oven to 200°F.   Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking liners.

To get the greatest volume, everything must be absolutely clean and free of fat.  So, even if your mixer bowl and whisk are clean, wash them again with soap and very hot water.  

Make sure that your egg whites are completely free of yolks, too.

Place the whites and vinegar or cream of tartar in the clean mixer bowl.  Set the bowl into the mixer, fit with the whisk attachment, and turn the mixer at a low speed.  While it can be tempting to crank up the speed, whipping the egg whites slowly creates smaller, more even-sized air bubbles, leading to a more stable meringue with greater volume.

Whip the egg whites until they are creamy and white, rather than transparent and yellow, and then increase the speed to medium and begin to add the sugar in a thin stream.  It should take a couple of minutes for you to add all of the sugar.  Add the salt.  Continue whisking until the whites hold stiff peaks.  

Remove the bowl from the mixer and carefully fold in any additions you're choosing to include.

Spoon 1-2 tablespoon amounts onto the lined baking sheet, leaving about 1/2-inch of space between each meringue, and bake for about 45-55 minutes, rotating the pans and changing their racks after 15 minutes.  Once the timer hits 35 minutes, check on the meringues every 5 minutes.  You'll know when they're done, but not overcooked, when you can easily peel one off the liner and pick it up without breaking (though sometimes if you use chocolate, it can cause a fully baked meringue to stick to the pan, so be aware).  

Let the meringues cool and gobble them up with friends.

If somehow, some are left, make sure to seal them up in an airtight container so they don't get soggalicious overnight.

Recipe: Niloufer's Everydal Dal

In my opinion, Niloufer Ichaporia King is one of our terribly undervalued culinary greats.  And her book, My Bombay Kitchen, is my subcontinental reference manual.  Part memoir, part cookbook, part history lesson, it's just one of those books that never goes out of style.

This is my go-to dal, or Indian red lentil, recipe, and it couldn't be easier to make.  Plus, it's DELICIOUS.  Served with plain rice, yogurt, and mango chutney, it makes a totally respectable and comforting dinner.  Add vegetables, chicken, lamb or seafood and call it a feast.

The beauty of lentils is that they require no soaking, and they cook up so quickly.  Keep red lentils on hand for legume emergencies--I do.

photo by Emily Nathan

Everyday Dal from My Bombay Kitchen

1 cup red lentils (masur dal), husked split pigeon peas (tuvar dal), or mung beans (mung dal)

1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

1/2 teaspoon (or more) salt

1 onion, quartered (optional)

1 green chile (optional)

4 cups (or more) water

1 to 2 tablespoons ghee or butter

1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds

2 to 4 cloves garlic, minced

1 to 2 tablespoons finely chopped onion or shallot (optional)

Pick over the dal to remove stones and chaff. Rinse the dal and transfer to a pot; add the turmeric, 1/2 teaspoon salt, quartered onion, and chile, if using, along with at least 4 cups water. Bring to boil; reduce the heat and simmer, partly covered, until the dal is tender. (

Masur and mung dals soften in about half the time it takes to cook tuvar dal, which needs a good 45 minutes to 1 hour.) Watch out for overboiling, even with the heat down.

When the dal is soft and mushy, pass through a sieve or a food mill or liquefy in a food processor or with an immersion blender, which saves you the trouble of pouring and transferring. The texture of the dal should be thick, smooth, and pourable. Taste for salt.

To finish, heat the ghee in a small skillet over medium heat. Sizzle the seeds, garlic, and onion, if using, until the garlic begins to brown around the edges and the seeds start to crackle. These sizzling seeds and garlic are known as vaghar in Gujarati,tarka in Hindi. Tip the vaghar into the dal and stir.

Dal Soup:

Dal without vaghar makes an excellent cold soup. I've served it with a blob of yogurt and chive blossoms, or snipped chives or green onion tops.

Note: In my mother's house, it was considered good practice to send dal to the table in a tureen with the vaghar floating on top, a last-minute affair, although the flavors have a better chance to combine if you stir in the toasted spices ahead of time. If you're having dal as a first-course soup, you can serve individual portions with a little vaghar poured over each one.

Serves 6

Recipe: Alice Medrich's Dried Fruit & Nut Cake

Christmas.  It's a tough time for me.  My family doesn't celebrate a winter holiday, which in and of itself isn't a problem.  But there is something really poignant about waking up on Christmas morning feeling like the entire rest of the country (or world!) is celebrating together.  Definitely amplifies a sense of loneliness that's already stronger in the winter.  (Plus, I have always wanted a Christmas stocking.)

But, there are so many things I do love about the season, too.  Mostly, coziness.  And baking for other people.  I try really hard not to make anything just to have around the house, because I have little (if any) self control and can eat an entire batch of cookies without even noticing.  But I love baking for others.

This fruit and nut loaf has been one of my favorites for years.  It's insanely simple to make, lasts for a long time, freezes well, and makes for a really elegant gift.  This year I even made a batch with Cup4Cup for a gluten-free friend and it turned out GREAT.

You probably have everything you need to make this in your pantry, so if you're hankering for a last minute gift, get it in the oven tonight.

Happy holidays, friends.

Alice Medrich's Dried Fruit and Nut Cake

adapted from the incredible book, Pure Dessert

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour (75 grams) (or Cup4Cup flour for a gluten-free loaf) 
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt (or 2 teaspoons kosher salt)
• 3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar (165 grams) 
• 1 cup dried apricots, nectarines, prunes, peaches, or cherries (halve large fruits such as figs or peaches) (200 grams) 
• 1 cups dried dates or figs (330 grams)
• 3 cups nuts (I like to use walnuts and pecans) (300 grams) 
• 3 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Position a rack on the lowest rung in the oven and preheat to 300°F.

Prepare either one large (9 x 5 inch) or two small (8 x 4 inch) loaf pan by greasing it and lining with parchment.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, soda, powder, and salt to combine.  Add sugar, fruit and nuts and mix thoroughly with your fingers.

In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs and vanilla.  Pour egg mixture into fruit and nut mixture and combine with your hands until everything is coated with batter.  Scrape into prepared pan(s).

Bake on lower rack of oven until an inserted toothpick comes out crumb-free.  This can take anywhere from 90-120 minutes in my experience, depending on the size of the loaf.  If the cake gets too dark, loosely cover with a piece of foil.

Cool completely on a wire rack.  Keep the cake wrapped airtight.  I leave mine out on the counter for about a week and eat a slice here and there, but you can extend the shelf life by keeping it in the fridge.  The loaf also freezes beautifully.

To serve, slice with a sharp, heavy knife.

I love serving it with cheese, or just eating it on its own.

Enjoy!

Home Ec: Thanksgiving Basics--Pie!

photo:

peden + munk

Dorie Greenspan's Pecan Pie

1 9-inch pie crust, blind baked and cooled

3/4 cup light corn syrup

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled

3 large eggs at room temperature

2 teaspoons instant espresso powder (I sometimes just use a shot of espresso)

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups (about 7 ounces) pecan halves or pieces

3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 425°F.  Put the pie plate on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone mat.

In a large bowl, whisk the corn syrup and brown sugar together until smooth.  Whisk in the melted butter, then add the eggs one at a time, beating until you have a smooth, foamy mixture  Add the espresso powder, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt and give the batter a good mix.  Rap the bowl against the counter a couple of times to pop any bubbles that might have formed, then stir in the pecans and chocolate.  Turn the filling into the curst.

Bake the pie for 15 minutes.  Meanwhile, make a foil shield for the crust by cutting a 9-inch circle out of the center of an 11- or 12-inch square of aluminum foil.

Lower the oven temperature to 350°F.  Place the foil shield on top of the pie crust--the filling will be exposed, the crust covered by the foil.  Bake the pie for another 15 to 20 minutes (total baking time is 30 to 35 minutes), or until it has puffed (the middle and the edges should be fairly evenly puffed), is beautifully browned and no longer jiggles when tapped.  Transfer the pie plate to a rack, remove the shield and cool to room temperature.

Heirloom Squash and Sage Pie

1 blind baked 9-inch pie crust

1 medium or 2 small pumpkins and/or sweet winter heirloom squashes, such as Triamble, red kabocha, or butternut (about 1 1/2 pounds total), cut into halves and seeds removed

Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling

3 large eggs plus 2 large egg yolks

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup packed dark-brown sugar

2 tablespoons brandy

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Sage leaves for garnish

Lightly sweetened freshly whipped cream, for serving

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Drizzle pumpkin and squash wedges with olive oil, and roast cut-side down on a rimmed baking sheet until tender (times will vary).  Remove from oven, peel when cool, and allow to drain in a cheesecloth-lined sieve, weighted, for at least 2 hours or preferably overnight.  Once drained, puree in a food processor until smooth.  You should have 2 cups puree for the pie.  Any leftover is perfect for ravioli or soup!

Reduce oven temperature to 325°F. Whisk pumpkin and squash puree, eggs, egg yolks, heavy cream, sugar, brandy, sage, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, cloves, nutmeg, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper in a bowl.

Pour filling into pie shell, and smooth top using an offset spatula. Garnish with a few sage leaves, if you like.  Bake until just set but still slightly wobbly in the center, about 1 hour (filling will continue to set as it cools). Let cool on a wire rack. Serve slightly warm, at room temperature, or chilled, with whipped cream.

Note: I wrote this recipe for the November 2011 issue of Martha Stewart Living.  If it looks familiar that's why.

And of course:

Aaron's pie crust

Home Ec: Thanksgiving Basics--Spatchcocked Turkey with Herbs and Butter

photo source:

Martha Stewart Living

Spatchcocked Turkey with Herbs and Butter

1 14-16 pound turkey

8 ounces (2 sticks) of butter, sliced lengthwise into 4 slices each

¼ cup sage leaves, picked

¼ cup parsley leaves, picked

8 sprigs thyme

Salt

Pepper

Two days before you plan to cook, spatchcock and season the bird. 

First, remove the neck, giblets and liver from the bird.  Reserve the neck for stock, and if you like, the giblets and liver for gravy or another use. 

With heavy duty kitchen shears, snip down along both sides of the spine (the underside of the bird) to remove it.  You can start from the tail or neck end, whichever you prefer.

Once you’ve removed the spine, reserve it for stock as well. 

Lay the turkey flat on the cutting board and push down on the breastbone until you hear a pop. 

Place a few whole sage leaves, parsley leaves and thyme sprigs on each slice of butter. 

Season the bird on both sides generously with salt, and if you like, pepper. 

Flip the bird over so it’s right side up and from the bottom of the breast, gently wedge your fingers in under the skin to separate the skin from the membrane which holds it to the meat.  Work gently so as not to tear the skin. 

Carefully slide 3 or 4 slices of butter, herb-side-up under the skin over the breast.  Replace the skin. 

Place the turkey in a plastic bag and return to the fridge. 

On the day you plan to cook the bird, remove it from the fridge 4 hours in advance to come up to room temperature.

Preheat the oven to 400°F.  Place the bird, breast side up, in a large roasting pan on the bottom rack.  After 30 minutes reduce the heat to 375°F for another 45 minutes, turning the pan 180°.  Once the bird is golden brown, reduce the heat to 350°F and continue cooking until the juices at the thigh joint run clear (or the temperature registers at 160°F on a meat thermometer), about another 30-45 minutes. 

Let rest, covered with foil, for 10 minutes before carving. 

Serves 14-16

Home Ec: Thanksgiving Basics--Fried Sage Salsa Verde

The Thanksgiving table is always shy of acid and herbs, if you ask me, so salsa verde is a great way to reintroduce a bit of that into the meal.  Delicious on roast vegetables and turkey alike, this version works in that crucial fall flavor: sage.

photo souce: sarah at

the delicious life

Fried Sage Salsa Verde

Serves 8 

2 bunches sage, leaves picked

1 bunch parsley, leaves picked and chopped finely

1 shallot, diced finely

Salt

Peanut or grapeseed oil for frying

Red wine vinegar

Extra virgin olive oil

First, macerate the shallot.  Cover with red wine vinegar and set aside.

Next, fry the sage.  In a deep saucepot, bring 2 cups of frying oil to 360°F.  Drop in a scant handful of the sage and fry for about 20 seconds, or until the bubbles slow down.  Remove from the oil and drain on a pan lined with paper towels.  Repeat with remaining sage leaves.

When the sage has cooled, it will be crisp.  You can either chop it with a knife or crumble it with your fingers.  In a large bowl, combine the parsley and sage and cover with olive oil.  Season with salt. 

When you are ready to serve the salsa, combine the shallots, but not the vinegar, with the herbs.  Taste the salsa and adjust for salt, and if needed, add some of the leftover vinegar to taste. 

Home Ec: Thanksgiving Basics--Roasted Vegetables in Agrodolce

Though this recipe is for brussels sprouts and butternut squash, it'll work with any dense root or vegetable, such as sweet potatoes, parsnips, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, onions or even green beans!

photo source

Roasted Butternut Squash and Brussels Sprouts in Agrodolce

Serves 8-10

1 pound Brussels sprouts, outer leaves removed

1 large butternut squash, cut into 1-inch slices, skin on , seeds discarded

¼ cup red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon sugar

½ medium red onion, sliced thinly

½ teaspoon red chili flakes

1 clove garlic, pounded

¼ cup fresh mint leaves

Salt

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Preheat oven to 400°F. 

Season the squash lightly with salt, drizzle with olive oil and place in a single layer on 1 or 2 cookie sheets. 

Halve the Brussels sprouts and season lightly with salt.  Drizzle with olive oil and place in a single layer on 1 or 2 cookie sheets, cut side down. 

Place vegetables into the preheated oven and cook 20-24 minutes, until tender and caramelized. 

Meanwhile, stir together another ½ cup extra virgin olive oil, vinegar, sugar, onion, chili flakes, and garlic and season with salt. 

Check on the vegetables to make sure that they are browning evenly, rotating pans to control the heat.  When you are satisfied that they are cooked, remove from the oven and mix in a big bowl.  Pour marinade over and allow to sit for 20 minutes.  Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

Garnish with torn mint leaves before serving.  

Home Ec: Thanksgiving Basics--Cranberry Sauce Two Ways

Cranberry sauce, with its color and its acid, is one of the most important dishes on the Thanksgiving table. It's also pretty much the simplest dish to make.

Here are two versions--one basic, and one a bit more complicated. Both are perfect on that leftover turkey sandwich.

photo source: 

cranberry squircle

, by 

Muffet

Super Simple Cranberry-Orange Sauce

Serves 12

12 ounces (1 bag) fresh cranberries

1 cup water

6 tablespoons sugar

3 bay leaves

1 orange, juiced and zested finely

Pinch of salt

In a medium, non-reactive saucepan, combine all ingredients, bring to a boil, lower to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Stir and taste as it cooks, adding water, sugar and salt as needed. 

Once it cools, it will set up a lot.  Add water or fresh orange juice, if desired, to thin it out.  Serve warm, at room temperature, or cold.

Cranberry Sauce with Quince and Bay 

Serves 12

5 quinces (2 to 2 1/4 pounds), peeled, cored, cut into 1-inch chunks

3 cups water

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 teaspoons finely grated lemon peel

3 bay leaves

8 ounces cranberries

3 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Salt

Bring first 5 ingredients to a boil in heavy large saucepan over medium–high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat to medium–low. Cover and simmer until quinces are soft, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Pour mixture into large strainer set over bowl; reserve juices.

Return quince mixture to same saucepan; mash with the back of a wooden spoon. Add cranberries; cook over medium heat until most of berries burst, stirring frequently, about 8 minutes. Season with salt and lemon juice to taste. Transfer sauce to bowl. Before serving, stir enough reserved juices into sauce to thin to desired consistency. Serve sauce cold or at room temperature.

something out of nothing: fresh little picklese

photo by kimberley hasselbrink of

the year in food

because i am insanely lazy and have serious acid-mouth, this is one of my favorite ways to make quick pickles.  i first learned this method a few years ago from

sam greenwood

, the queen of exquisite-yet-challenging catering projects, and have adapted it to my needs.  if you've ever been to

tartine afterhours

, you've probably experienced the fresh carrot pickles we make, leaving the greens on when possible.  it's a sort of

trompe l'œil

 situation, with carrots that look raw but are pleasantly pickley.  kind of awesome.

my favorite veggies to prepare in this way are various colors of riverdog farm carrots, zucchini slices, cauliflower florets, jalapeños, radishes and green beans, but honestly, any vegetable that can be served raw would work great.  let me warn you that green things tend to turn grey or brown in acid, which is why when we make the carrot pickles with their greens left on, we tie them in bunches and suspend the carrots into the brine without submerging the tops.

fresh little pickles

• some veggies to pickle, cut into one or two bite-sized pieces, trimmed, and/or peeled when applicable
• vinegar--i typically use red or white wine vinegar, but rice wine vinegar could work, too
• ice, or cold water
• salt
• sugar
• aromatics--i like peperoncini, cumin and bay leaf, but black peppercorns, coriander seed, garlic cloves, turmeric, dill seed or anything else you like in your pickles would be good, too.

prepare your vegetables, then submerge them in a brine consisting of roughly two parts vinegar and one part ice.  if you don't have ice, use cold water.

add bountiful salt and a little bit of sugar, then stir to dissolve.

add aromatics.

stir.  taste.  adjust.

it should be saltier and vinegary-er than you think it should be, since the vegetables aren't getting cooked, and frankly won't be in the brine for very long.  the more intense the flavor of the brine, the better it'll penetrate the vegetables.  your lips should pucker with acid-mouth when you taste the brine, and you should be pleasantly aware of the salt and the sugar, too.

stir, make sure the vegetables are submerged, and place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.  two hours is ideal.

when you're ready to serve, remove veggies from brine and plate them up.  save the brine for another round, or keep leftover pickles in the brine.  both pickles and brine will stay good (and in fact improve) in the fridge for up to a month, though if you sense a funk or mold, then by all means, discard!

serve these pickles along side sandwiches, cured meats, bites of fried things, or on their own.  they are so refreshing and really, really lovely when served cold on a hot summer evening.

April's Roquefort Dressing

image source

((I'm not sure why that cheese is in a copper frying pan, but I liked the photo, so I used it.  Ok?))

If you haven't heard, April's book,

A Girl and Her Pig

, is incredible.  Perhaps my favorite new cookbook this year (excluding

Nigel Slater's offering

, of course).  It's beautiful, illustrated with both line drawings and exquisite photos.  April's stories, captured by the ever-capable 

J.J. Goode

, are personal and compelling.  

And, as an added bonus, the recipes all seem to work.  Like

word for word

.  

I've made a few of them, and have been inspired by dozens of others.  The cover certainly belies that this book isn't only for carnivores.  Flip through it and you'll see that April is, like so many of us who've passed through the doors of CP, thoroughly in love with the bounty of possibilities produce offers.  Many of the loveliest recipes have little or no fish or meat, and exemplify her skilled hand and balanced palate.  

We made this roquefort dressing for staff meal a few weeks ago, and I haven't been able to stop thinking about it.  Especially since I normally abhor blue cheese.  It's.just.so.good.

April serves it with an escarole salad with pears and walnuts, but it'll be perfect for any hearty lettuce, like romaine or little gems, or even a wedge of iceberg (Riverdog's iceberg is back!).  

April Bloomfield's Roquefort Dressing

makes 1 1/2 cups

5 ounces Roquefort

1/4 cup crème fraîche

1/4 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 1/2 teaspoons Maldon or another flaky sea salt

5 tablespoons champagne vinegar

1/4 teaspoon finely grated garlic (about 1 medium clove)

Crumble the Roquefort into a medium bowl, and add the crème fraîche, cream, olive oil, salt, vinegar and garlic.  Give it all a good stir so the dressing goes creamy and everything's well mixed but there are still chunks of Roquefort to provide bursts of saltiness.  Use right away, or cover the bowl with plastic wrap and pop it into the fridge to chill.