Honey Glazed Carrots...Don't Postpone the Inevitable!

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There was no way I would eat carrots when I was a little girl.  They would have to coax me into believing my hair would turn blonder if I ate them, and always being the ham,  I would reluctantly oblige.  As I grew older and the carrot scheme didn't seem to do the trick, I would sit stoically at the table and push them to one side of the plate or hide them in the napkin.  My Mother, being the old world kind of mother who wouldn't let you get up from the table until the vegetables were all gone, would have everyone march out of the dining room and would leave me there until I ate those horrid little things.  Well, it worked, for come 10 o'clock it would get awfully dark and scary in that old dining room and even though you could skate on those carrots they were so cold, eating them beat sitting there scared to death.  Little did she know she was teaching me a very valuable life lesson, having nothing to do with carrots.  When there's stuff on your plate that you don't like to deal with, do it first and get it over with.  Then you can enjoy the rest! OR, better yet,  Don't postpone the inevitable!

These won't make your hair blond, but they sure are awfully good!



Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

Salt

1 pound baby carrots

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons honey

1 tablespoon orange  juice

dash of nutmeg

Freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

Directions

In a medium saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add salt and then carrots and cook until tender, 5 to 6 minutes. Drain the carrots and add back to pan with butter, honey, nutmeg and orange juice. Cook until a glaze coats the carrots, 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and garnish with parsley.

April Food Day is Tomorrow!

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My fellow bloggers Meg from Pigtown Design and Chris from Easy And Elegant Life asked me to share this important message with you:

Do you know that:

•  Feeding America is annually providing food to 37 million Americans, including 14 million children.This is an increase of 46 percent over 2006, when we were feeding 25 million Americans, including 9 million children, each year.

• That means one in eight Americans now rely on Feeding America for food and groceries.

• Feeding America's nationwide network of food banks is feeding 1 million more Americans each week than we did in 2006.

• Thirty-six percent of the households served have at least one person working.

• More than one-third of client households report having to choose between food and other basic necessities, such as rent, utilities and medical care.

• The number of children the Feeding America network serves has increased by 50 percent since 2006.

• Feeding America food banks provide food and groceries to 33,500 food pantries, 4,500 soup kitchens and 3,600 emergency shelters.

• 68 percent of pantries, 42 percent of soup kitchens, and 15 percent of emergency shelters rely solely on volunteers and have no paid staff.

• 55 percent, are faith-based agencies affiliated with churches, mosques, synagogues and other religious organizations; 33 percent are other types of non-profit organizations.

 It is so critical that those of us who are not in this position help those who are. So many people who never thought they would need food assistance are now asking for help from their local food bank. They have lost their jobs through the massive down-sizings and layoffs. They have exhausted all of their resources. Elderly people on fixed incomes are finding that costs are out-pacing their incomes.

First-time requests at food banks are at an all-time high, but the shelves are bare. Corporations and foundations have decreased their donations and individuals are so uncertain about their own finances, that their giving has slowed.

We are asking that you make a donation, even if it's just a dollar or two. It will help someone who may be less fortunate than you are.

Here's the link to Feeding America, an affiliation of more than 200 food banks across the country. Chances are that your local food bank is a part of this network.

The link to their April Food Day donation page: http://help.feedingamerica.org/aprilfoodday

The April Food Day blog: http://aprilfoodday.blogspot.com/

We're all in this together, and that's the way we will come through it... together.

Please help today. The need is great and the time is now.

Thank you so very much.

Sweet Potato & Leek Gratin

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If you want to prepare the gratin a day ahead, reheat it covered in a 300°F oven until bubbling around the edges and warmed through.  It would be wonderful with a Smithfield or country ham but, in that case, I would definitely use pancetta instead of the ham.  On the other hand, if you are not making this for Easter, but are making a ham, save some of it and freeze it to make this casserole later on.  Always think leftovers!

Serves 6

Ingredients

2 large leeks (1 lb. total), trimmed, halved lengthwise, sliced 1/4 inch thick crosswise, swished and soaked in enough cold water to cover

2 Tbs. unsalted butter; more for the pan

2 Tbs. olive oil

6 oz. pancetta or country ham, cut into 1/4-inch dice

1/4 cup minced garlic

2 cups heavy cream

3 Tbs. fresh thyme leaves

1 tsp. coarse salt

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

2 medium sweet potatoes (1 lb. total), peeled (see Sweet potatoes vs. yams)

3 medium Idaho potatoes (1-1/4 lb. total), peeled

Procedure

Lift the leeks gently from their soaking water so that any grit stays behind. Drain them in a colander. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter in the olive oil. Add the pancetta or ham and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 9 min. Remove with a slotted spoon to drain on paper towels. Add the leeks and garlic to the pan, cover, and reduce the heat to low. Sweat the leeks and garlic, cooking slowly and stirring occasionally, until the leeks are softened, about 5 min. (Don't let the leeks or garlic brown.) Add the cream, bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer uncovered for 5 min. Stir in the pancetta or ham, the thyme, and the salt; add pepper to taste. Set aside.

Heat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 2-qt. casserole dish. Slice the sweet potatoes between 1/4 and 1/8 inch thick. Repeat with the Idaho potatoes. Arrange one overlapping layer of Idaho slices on the bottom of the casserole. Season lightly with salt and pepper; spoon 2 Tbs. of the leek cream evenly over the potatoes. Add a layer of sweet potato slices, season lightly with salt and pepper, and spoon on another 2 Tbs. of the leek cream. Repeat with the remaining potatoes until all are used. With your hands or a rubber spatula, press down firmly on the potatoes and drizzle the remaining leek cream over them. Bake until the gratin is golden on top, 50 to 60 min. Let rest in a warm place for 15 min. Cut into squares and serve.

by Karen Barker, Ben Barker

Fine Dining

Easter Lunch Menu...The Best Virginia Ham!

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If you happen to be in Virginia, don't miss buying a Virginia Ham, or at least order one from your butcher. This is a beloved American tradition that has spread across both state and international borders. Smithfield Ham is unquestionably one of the best names. Considered by many to be the premier country-cured ham, the Smithfield is said to have been so loved by Queen Victoria, that she had six sent to her household every week. Although these special hams were once produced from hogs raised on a privileged diet of acorns, hickory nuts and peanuts, today's Smithfield hams come from grain-fed hogs.

To be accorded the appellation of "Smithfield," the hams must be cured and processed in the area of Smithfield, Virginia. They are first dry salt cured, spiced, and slowly smoked to perfection using oak, hickory and apple wood and then aged for 6 to 12 months, sometimes up to 2 years. The result is a lean, dark-colored ham with a flavor that's rich, salty and dry. It may be served raw like prosciutto, but it's usually baked or boiled. Before being cooked, Smithfields must be soaked for 12 to 24 hours to remove excess saltiness.

Country Hams


Aged, smoked and dry salt-cured the same as the Genuine Smithfield Ham, but for a shorter time. The result is a more subtle, slightly milder flavor that still retains that distinctive country-cure taste. The shorter shanked Country Ham is often referred to as a second cousin to a Genuine Smithfield Ham.

You don't need to guild the lily when you have a Smithfield ham.  I usually bake mine like this:

Mrs. Adam's Baked Ham

For the complete Easter Lunch Menu, including wines, go here

From Worldwide Gourmet

New Orleans Bread Pudding With A Whiskey Sauce

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I know, all of us got sucked in with the nice weather we got last weekend.  I for one went shopping for t-shirts and flip flops for the lake and started thinking asparagus and spring pea soup.  We spent the weekend starting tomato plants from seeds and I even swept the deck  and put out some cushions so we could sit out and enjoy the weather.  And then...snow on Monday! It happens every year, and every year we get fooled into thinking Spring is in the air.. Wrong. We all know there's usually one more cold spell towards the end of March before we see Spring, the real Spring. If I were you, I would hurry up and make this... I had forgotten all about it!


Servings: 8

For the Bread Pudding:

Ingredients

1 cup sugar

1 stk butter, softened

5  eggs, beaten

1 pint heavy whipping cream

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

2 tbl vanilla extract

1/4 cup raisins

12 slc French bread, 1 inch thick


Directions :

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream together sugar and butter in a large bowl.

Add eggs, cream, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla and raisins.

Mix well. Pour into a glass 9 x 13 inch baking dish.

Arrange bread slices flat in the egg mixture.

Let stand 5 minutes.

Turn bread over. Let stand 10 minutes more.

Set pan in larger pan.

Fill larger, outside pan with water to within 1 inch from the top.

Cover with aluminum foil.

Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, uncovering the last 10 minutes.

Top with Whiskey Sauce (recipe follows).

Serve hot.


Whiskey Sauce Recipe

Ingredients

1 1/2 Cups Heavy Cream

2 tsp Cornstarch

2 Tbsp Water

a few drop of Vanilla extract

1/3 Cup Bourbon

1/3 Cup Sugar


Directions

Mix together the water and cornstarch. Bring the cream to a boil in a small saucepan. While boiling slowly whisk in the cornstarch slurry, when the sauce is thickened remove from the heat and add the vanilla, bourbon and sugar. Set aside to cool to room temperature.

Edna Lewis Meets Thomas Keller in the Best Southern Fried Chicken!

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What do you get when you cross Edna Lewis' southern fried chicken with Thomas Keller's? Last night's best fried chicken EVER.  Now, I know you can buy it ready made at your grocery store, or at KFC, but they are not even close to the fried chicken you make at home. 

Ever since I moved to Georgia I have had a yen for southern fried chicken, the real stuff.  There's nothing like home made fried chicken just out of the frying pan.  Most recipes recommend  buying a whole chicken and cutting it up. This way, the pieces are smaller and this makes for an optimal ratio of meat to crust.  But I was too lazy to do that so I went ahead and bought some individual packages of thighs, wings, legs and small breasts (bone in with skin!) used half and froze the other half. 

Edna Lewis and Thomas Keller brine their chickens first overnight in water and a salt solution and then pass it through buttermilk just before dredging in flour. I skipped the brining and instead soaked the chicken overnight in the buttermilk.  Ms. Lewis does a combination of lard and butter for frying and adds smoked ham strips to the fat while Keller uses peanut or canola.  I used 3 strips of bacon fat to flavor the vegetable oil.  As to dredging, Lewis adds cornstarch to the flour and does not add any spices.  Keller only uses flour but spices it.  I took the best of both worlds by adding cornstarch and spices to the flour. The result, the crispiest juiciest, tastiest chicken you could ever have!

For dinner last night I accompanied it with Bobby Flay's Cole Slaw and served Thomas Keller's Lemon Tart for dessert...I was almost canonized!


Ingredients

One 3-pound chicken, cut into 8 pieces

1 quart buttermilk

3 strips of bacon

 vegetable oil for frying

3 cup all-purpose flour

6 tablespoons cornstarch

2 tablespoons garlic powder

2 tablespoons onion powder

1 tablespoons sweet paprika

2 teaspoons cayenne

3 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

250 degree oven for keeping fried pieces warm

Method

Place the chicken  in a large bowl and add the buttermilk so that it covers all the pieces.  Place in the refrigerator covered, overnight

1. To prepare the chicken for frying:  Place the chicken on a wire rack so it discards some of the buttermilk .

2.  Prepare the dredge by blending together the flour, cornstarch, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, paprika salt, and pepper in a shallow bowl or on wax paper.

3. Meanwhile, prepare the fat for frying by putting the bacon slices into a heavy skillet or frying pan. Cook over low heat for 5 to 10 minutes to render the fat and cool until pieces brown..  Add a little oil if needed.Remove the bacon to a paper towel but keep the fat in the pan. Add enough vegetable oil to the pan to measure 3 inches. and just before frying, increase the temperature to medium-high and heat the fat to 335°F (170°C).

Dredge the drained chicken pieces thoroughly in the flour mixture, then pat well to remove all excess flour.

4. Slip some of the chicken pieces, skin side down, into the heated fat. (Do not overcrowd the pan, and fry in batches if necessary.) Cook for 8 to 10 minutes on each side, until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through. Drain thoroughly on a wire rack or on crumpled paper towels, and place in a 250 degree oven to keep warm while you fry the rest of the chicken.  Make sure you do not keep pieces in the oven for more than 10-15 minutes or chicken will dry out.  Serve hot or at room temperature
 


Photo: Thomas Keller Ad Hoc

Joe's Stone Crabs... Key Lime Pie

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Joe's Stone Crabs is a Miami Beach institution and the biggest tourist trap I have ever eaten at.  Don't get me wrong, the stone crabs are delicious and so are the hash browns, cole slaw and their key lime pie.  Their rolls are to die for, particularly the black ones with onions, and their wine list pretty extensive.  What is terrible, is the service, the 2 hour wait if you are not willing to "grease" the maitre'd  so you can get ahead of those in line, the rush to get you out, and the loudness of the place.  By the time you are finished, not only are you boiling at the outrageous cost of the meal, you can't wait to get the hell out of the place, always swearing you'll never come back, not even on a bet.  What most tourists don't know is that Joe's has a takeout next door, where you can get the same crabs and everything else, including the rolls. Same price, but at least you avoid the wait and the frustration.

When I lived in Miami, this is what I did initially when I craved stone crabs: Have someone pick them up at Joe's takeout, come back to my place where the view was outstanding, open one of my bottles of Puligny Montrachet and enjoy them on my terrace without the hustle and bustle.  Believe me, there were a lot of takers for this proposition! As time passed, I discovered other places where you could buy the stone crabs much cheaper and sometimes even fresher.  The recipe for their pie I had and my hash browns would give Joe's a run for his money.  The black rolls with onions was something I could never duplicate and driving down to Joe's was not an option, definitely not for rolls!

As with everything in life, you never know what you have until you loose it and now I'm sitting here with a tremendous craving for stone crabs and key lime pie;.but I refuse to fork out the exorbitant price I will have to pay to have Joe's send them FedEx.  What I can do, though, is bake their key lime pie which, I'm sure, will only enhance my craving for stone crabs even more, but I'm looking for other suppliers and who knows, maybe an excuse to have them shipped and celebrate.  What, I have yet to determine...maybe the first day of Spring!

Don't worry if you can't find key limes, this pie is just as good with regular limes.  When you do find them later on in the year, at least try to mix some in. 

Key Lime Pie

Makes 1 9-inch pie

Ingredients

Graham Cracker Crust

1 wax paper-wrapped package graham crackers (1/3 of a pound box)
or
1 cup plus 2 1/2 tbsp graham cracker crumbs
5 tbsp melted unsalted butter
1/3 cup sugar

Filling

3 Egg yolks
1 1/2 tsp Grated zest of 2 limes
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
2/3 cup freshly squeezed lime juice

Topping

1 cup heavy or whipped cream, chilled
1 tbsp confectioners sugar


Directions

For the graham cracker crust:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9-inch pie pan. Break up the graham crackers; place in a food processor and process to crumbs. (If you don't have a food processor, place the crackers in a large plastic bag; seal and then crush the crackers with a rolling pin.) Add the melted butter and sugar and pulse or stir until combined. Press the mixture into the bottom and sides of the pie pan, forming a neat border around the edge. Bake the crust until set and golden, 8 minutes. Set aside on a wire rack; leave the oven on.

For the filing:

Meanwhile, in an electric mixer with the wire whisk attachment, beat the egg yolks and lime zest at high speed until very fluffy, about 5 minutes. Gradually add the condensed milk and continue to beat until thick, 3 or 4 minutes longer. Lower the mixer speed and slowly add the lime juice, mixing just until combined, no longer. Pour the mixture into the crust. Bake for 10 minutes or until the filling has just set. Cool on a wire rack, then refrigerate. Freeze for 15 to 20 minutes before serving.

For the topping:

Whip the cream and the confectioners' sugar until nearly stiff. Cut the pie in wedges and serve very cold, topping each wedge with a large dollop of whipped cream.