ladies who dine

This month... aaah, this month we explored Italy, another absolute favorite of mine, a cuisine whose rich history & wonderful regional variations have always captured my imagination & my taste buds. I must admit I was a bit nervous attempting a new recipe, since one of our lovely dining compatriots is Italian, & a fantastic cook. Her family holds an annual meatball contest, evidence that they take their food seriously. How fantastic is it that her wife has won the top prize for her meatballs a few years in a row now? Obviously, she has found the right partner!

We had a heavenly dinner in their quintessential New England home, a gorgeous & stylish antique cape with many original details, set in what couldn't be called other than a magical piece of land surrounded by old stone walls. Perfectly tender ricotta gnocchi in a roasted tomato & corn sauce, insalata caprese, baked butternut squash & polenta with toasted pine nuts & parmesan, artichoke heart, caper, green olive & fresh garlic pesto, eggplant caponata, ricotta fritters with genoa salami, & award winning meatballs marinara were passed around the long wooden table & thoroughly enjoyed. I think none of us wanted to leave. Oh, & I do believe the cannolis came out alright...

cannolis

adapted from a few recipes, all reportedly passed down through generations by beloved Sicilian Grandmothers

3 Tbsp cold butter, cut into small cubes

2 cups unbleached white flour

4 Tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 Tbsp unprocessed cocoa powder (optional, though I highly recommend it)

3/4 cup marsala wine

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 egg white, beaten

cannoli molds

2 cups well drained sheep's milk ricotta

you can use cow's milk ricotta for a lighter tasting filling, but if you'd like a more authentic, rich flavor, & have trouble finding the sheep's milk variety, use a 1:1 ratio of cow's milk ricotta & goat cheese (chevre)

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup powdered sugar, sifted

Shaved bittersweet chocolate, or ground toasted pistachio nuts

canola or vegetable oil for frying

prepare the shells

Cut the butter into the flour with a pastry blender until the mixture resembles a coarse meal. Stir in the sugar, cinnamon & cocoa powder. Add the marsala a Tbsp at a time until well incorporated. Be careful not to over-blend the dough; gentle handling ensure a flaky, light texture. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap & let rest in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours.

Roll the dough out onto a lightly floured surface until it is 1/8" thick. Cut the dough into 4" circles with a cookie cutter, or the rim of a drinking glass. Roll the circle with one or two strokes in one direction to make an oval, & place the cannoli mold length-wise across the dough. Fold one side of the dough over the mold, then the other, sealing the edges together with a little bit of egg white.

Deep fry the cannolis in 2" of oil until golden brown. Drain on a paper towel, & gently twist the mold to remove it when they are slightly cooled.

A word of caution: when removing the cannoli shells from the oil, remember that they are hollow & you must carefully tip out the hot oil that is inside before removing them!

prepare the filling

Combine the ricotta (& chevre, if using) & vanilla. Add the powdered sugar gradually, tasting often & adjusting the sweetness to your taste. Refrigerate until ready to use.

assemble the cannolis

When the shells have drained & cooled & you are ready to serve them, pipe the filling into the center, & dip the ends in the chocolate or crushed nuts. Dust with powdered sugar. Serve immediately.

ladies who dine

Oh la la...

This month our taste buds were transported to France with a long stop-over in the Provençal region, via my very own dining room & the culinary skill of ces femmes fantastiques. I popped up some café curtains, we popped open a few bottles of rosé, & immersed ourselves in the fresh, rich, buttery, cheesy, delicious cuisine that is French. From roasted duck with a currant-pomegranate-port reduction, pisadalliere, tourbot en bourride, ratatouille, sautéed tomatoes & green beans Provençal, & phenomenal cheese course array with tapenade, we feasted comme des rois.

I believe we all declared ourselves absolutely stuffed before we proceeded to forge ahead with a dollop of the richest mousse chocolat that I have ever laid a spoon on, an absolutely splendid Beaumes-de-Venise cake with grapes, & a glass of muscat. Bon appetit!

ratatouille
from Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child

1/2 pound eggplant
1/2 pound zucchini
A 3-quart, porcelain or stainless-steel mixing bowl
1 teaspoon salt
A 10- to 12-inch enameled skillet
4 tablespoons olive oil, more if needed
1/2 pound (about 1 1/2 cups) thinly sliced yellow onions
2 (about 1 cup) sliced green bell peppers
2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil, if necessary
2 cloves mashed garlic
Salt and pepper to taste
1 pound firm, ripe, red tomatoes, peeled, seeded and juiced (makes 1 1/2 cups pulp)
Salt and pepper
A 2 1/2 quart fireproof casserole about 2 1/2 inches deep
3 tablespoons minced parsley
Salt and pepper

Peel the eggplant and cut into lengthwise slices 3/8 inch thick, about 3 inches long and 1 inch wide. Scrub the zucchini, slice off the two ends and cut the zucchini into slices about the same size as the eggplant slices. Place the vegetables in a bowl and toss with the salt. Let stand for 30 minutes. Drain. Dry each slice in a towel.

One layer at a time, saute the eggplant and then the zucchini in hot olive oil in the skillet for about a minute on each side to brown very lightly. Remove to a side dish.

In the same skillet, cook the onions and peppers slowly in olive oil for about 10 minutes, or until tender but not browned. Stir in the garlic and season to taste.

Slice the tomato pulp into 3/8-inch strips. Lay them over the onions and peppers. Season with salt and pepper. Cover the skillet and cook over low heat for 5 minutes, or until tomatoes have begun to render their juice. Uncover, baste the tomatoes with the juices, raise heat and boil for several minutes, until juice has almost entirely evaporated.

Place a third of the tomato mixture in the bottom of the casserole and sprinkle over it 1 tablespoon of the parsley. Arrange half of the eggplant and zucchini on top, then half the remaining tomatoes and parsley. Put in the rest of the eggplant and zucchini and finish with the remaining tomatoes and parsley.

Cover the casserole and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes. Uncover, tip casserole and baste with the rendered juices. Correct seasoning, if necessary. Raise heat slightly and cook uncovered for about 15 minutes more, basting several times, until juices have evaporated leaving a spoonful or two of flavored olive oil. Be careful of your heat; do not let the vegetables scorch in the bottom of the casserole.

Set aside uncovered. Reheat slowly at serving time or serve cold.




chocolate honey mousse perfumed with orange blossoms
adapted from Epicurious

2 1/2 cups chilled whipping cream
12 ounces bittersweet chocolate
5 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon orange flower water

Stir 3/4 cup cream, chocolate and honey in heavy medium saucepan over low heat until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat & stir in orange flower water, then let cool, stirring occasionally.

In large bowl, beat 1 1/4 cups cream until soft peaks form. Fold cream into chocolate mixture in 2 additions. Pour mousse into eight 3/4-cup ramekins, or large serving bowl.

Refrigerate until set, about 2 hours.
Whip remaining 1/2 cup cream to firm peaks. Spoon a dollop of cream in center of each serving of mousse.

ladies who dine

Last night's gathering again did not disappoint, & may actually have been my favorite yet; a tough call owing to how consistently excellent each meal has been. Someone aptly noted that every month is like Thanksgiving, in that we look forward to getting together & eating incredible food to the point of bursting, all minus any potential family drama.

Japanese cuisine is a favorite of mine, & we have the incredibly good fortune of having someone in our midst who lived in Japan & worked in a sushi restaurant in San Francisco, as well as someone who has insider knowledge of Letamaya Chef Hiroshi Hayashi's recipes, a fantastic restaurant our little town was lucky to be home to for a short but sweet time. Add to that the culinary imagination & expertise of all present, & it was in a word, amazing. I'm salivating just recalling everything.

We also got to help our lovely friend warm her charming gem of a new home, so some healthy house-envy also factored in.

Oh, a month seems a long wait until next time...

fruit tempura

a sweet dessert variation on the traditional dish

1 cup flour

3/4 cup cornstarch

3/4 tsp. baking powder

1 egg

1 cup ice water or cold beer

prepare the fruit

cut a variety of fruit into bite-size pieces: I used mangos, plums, peaches & bananas;

pineapple, strawberries & nectarines would be excellent as well.

for the batter

Combine the dry ingredients. Beat the egg, add the chilled water & combine well. Add the liquid mixture to the dry, mixing until just moistened & lumpy.

to deep fry

Dip the fruit into the batter & deep fry in hot oil until golden brown. Drain on paper towels & serve immediately while warm.

I served the results with vanilla ice cream & a chocolate wasabi sauce (bittersweet chocolate with butter, & wasabi to taste).

ladies who dine

How lucky am I?

Once again, I was completely bowled over by the culinary prowess of these women. We feasted on delicious Vietnamese en plein air, then went inside my charming friend's stylish pad for dessert & Vietnamese coffee, & a suite of parlour games that had us laughing so hard I don't think there was a dry eye at the table.

A host of fireflies saw us to our cars when the festivities were over. Thanks again, ladies, for a wonderful evening!

Banh Dua Ca Ra Men

Coconut Créme Caramel

for the caramel

1/4 cup sugar (I used turbinado with good results)

1/4 cup hot water

for the custard

1 cup fresh or canned coconut milk

1 cup milk

1/4 cup sugar

4 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325°

to make the caramel

Cook the sugar in a small heavy saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly until browned & melted. Stir the hot water into the caramel slowly, being careful to guard against splattering (the mixture will bubble vigorously). Boil the mixture, stirring constantly, until the sugar is completely dissolved (about 2 minutes).

Pour the caramel into a 1 Quart soufflé dish or 5 4-oz. ramekins. Swirl the caramel around in the dish(es) to coat all of the surfaces with caramel.

to make the custard

Combine the coconut milk, milk & sugar in a medium saucepan over low heat. Scald until the sugar dissolves completely. Remove from heat.

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs & vanilla together. Gradually whisk the hot coconut milk mixture into the eggs, blending thoroughly until creamy & uniform.

Strain the custard through a fine sieve into a bowl, or a pitcher for easier pouring. Pour the custard into the caramel coated dish(es).

to bake

Line a large roasting pan with 2 layers of paper towels. Put the souffle dish or ramekins in the pan, & add hot water to reach half way up the side of the pan. Bake in the center of the oven for 50 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Do not disturb the custard while it is baking, the "secret" to producing a smooth & velvety custard.

Remove the dish(es) immediately from the hot water & let cool for 1/2 hour. Chill thoroughly, preferably overnight.

to serve

Run a cool knife around the edge of the custard & turn out onto dessert plates. Garnish with lime zest. We ate ours directly out of the ramekins for a more casual approach.

from "The Foods of Vietnam" by Nicole Rauthier

ladies who dine

I am lucky to know a group of women who are as obsessed with food as I am, & not only as connoisseurs, but as incredible cooks as well.

A few months ago they decided to start a monthly get-together which revolves around cooking a meal from a different culture, & I am thrilled to be included! I missed the first, which was Ethiopian cuisine, but have since swooned over Korean, & last month Mexican fare. I plan on documenting our feasts henceforth.

Here are some images from last month, hosted by my fabulous friend who lives in a gorgeous little one-room schoolhouse in the Vermont countryside.

fried ice cream


for the cookie crust

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup cornmeal
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 Tsp kosher salt
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 8 Tbsp butter, melted
• 2 eggs
• 1 Tbsp lime zest

Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Lightly beat together the butter & eggs. Make a well in the dry ingredients, add the egg mixture & mix well. Add the lime zest. Line an 8x8" pan with the mixture & bake at 350ºF for about 10 minutes. Let cool, & crumble into fine crumbs.

prepare the ice cream
Scoop the ice cream into ~1/4 cup-size balls, & refreeze.


prepare the sauce
Melt together 6 oz. bittersweet chocolate with 2 Tbsp sweet butter in a double boiler. Beat in 1/2 tsp cayenne or more to taste.


to cook
Remove the ice cream balls from the freezer just before you are ready to start frying them. Beat a couple of eggs lightly, & have them ready in a bowl right next to the bowl of cookie crumbs. Coat the balls in the beaten egg, then the cookie crumb mixture, then the egg mixture again, followed by a second coating of the cookie mixture.


Deep fry the coated ice cream balls in for about a minute until they just turn golden brown. Spoon some warmed chili-chocolate sauce over the top & serve immediately.