Cooking Light
Fine Cooking
Bon Apetit
Every day with Rachel Ray
Gourmet
You can borrow all but the current issue of these titles. Loan period is 3 weeks.
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Summer Scallops Recipe
Summer Scallops
From the kitchen of David Bryant
1 LB Bay Scallops
2 large shallots chopped
¼ cup dry white wine (pinot grigio recommended)
¼ cup low sodium, natural chicken or vegetable broth
Juice of ½ lemon
2 TBS canola oil
1 cup rice, (uncooked) brown or white
Curry powder to taste
1 lb. fresh string beans
Rinse and pat dry the scallops
Drizzle ½ of the lemon juice on scallops, set aside
Prepare rice according to instructions on packaging. (suggestion: substitute 2/3 chicken/vegetable broth, 1/3 orange juice for water, enhancing the flavor of the rice).
Steam string beans for 3-4 minutes, rinse, set aside
In skillet, saute shallots for 2-3 minutes in canola oil
Turn down flame, add the white wine, 2 minutes later, add the broth and curry powder, cook on low flame for 2 more minutes, add scallops, cook for 2 minutes. (bay scallops cook quickly!)
Make a bird’s nest of rice in center of each plate, top with scallops and broth mix, then top with parsley and/or scallion greens as garnish
Make a ring of string beans around the bird’s nest of rice and scallops.
Pinot grigio a good choice to serve here.
From the kitchen of David Bryant
1 LB Bay Scallops
2 large shallots chopped
¼ cup dry white wine (pinot grigio recommended)
¼ cup low sodium, natural chicken or vegetable broth
Juice of ½ lemon
2 TBS canola oil
1 cup rice, (uncooked) brown or white
Curry powder to taste
1 lb. fresh string beans
Rinse and pat dry the scallops
Drizzle ½ of the lemon juice on scallops, set aside
Prepare rice according to instructions on packaging. (suggestion: substitute 2/3 chicken/vegetable broth, 1/3 orange juice for water, enhancing the flavor of the rice).
Steam string beans for 3-4 minutes, rinse, set aside
In skillet, saute shallots for 2-3 minutes in canola oil
Turn down flame, add the white wine, 2 minutes later, add the broth and curry powder, cook on low flame for 2 more minutes, add scallops, cook for 2 minutes. (bay scallops cook quickly!)
Make a bird’s nest of rice in center of each plate, top with scallops and broth mix, then top with parsley and/or scallion greens as garnish
Make a ring of string beans around the bird’s nest of rice and scallops.
Pinot grigio a good choice to serve here.
Monday, August 13, 2007
Newest cookbooks
The Summer Shack cookbook : the complete guide to shore food / Jasper White ; illustrations by Ann Wood
The flexitarian table : inspired, flexible meals for vegetarians, meat lovers, and everyone in between / Peter Berley, with Zoe Singer ; photographs by Quentin Bacon.
How to pick a peach : the search for flavor from farm to table / Russ Parsons.
The flexitarian table : inspired, flexible meals for vegetarians, meat lovers, and everyone in between / Peter Berley, with Zoe Singer ; photographs by Quentin Bacon.
How to pick a peach : the search for flavor from farm to table / Russ Parsons.
Peach Blueberry Cake
Peach Blueberry Cake
From : Gourmet, August 2005
"This cake bakes for a long time at a moderate temperature, which helps keep the ripe fruit from bursting and releasing its juices. The easy-to-make pastry bakes up moist and crumbly, with a texture that's like a cross between a biscuit and a cake.
A note from our cooks: We've received some letters from readers complaining about a burned crust when making the peach blueberry cake (August 2005 cover), so we ran through the recipe two more times. Baked in a standard light-colored metal pan, the cake was perfect; baked in a dark metal pan, however, it burned — be aware that the cake's high sugar content makes it more susceptible to burning at high heat. We recommend always using light-colored metal pans for baking. Dark metal pans, including nonstick, will cause your baked goods to brown more quickly. Manufacturers suggest reducing the oven temperature by 25 degrees when using dark pans."
Serving size: Makes 8 servings.
Ingredients:
For pastry:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 stick (1/2 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
For filling:
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon quick-cooking tapioca
2 lb firm-ripe large peaches (about 4), halved lengthwise, pitted, and each half cut lengthwise into fourths1 cup blueberries (1/2 pint)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Special equipment: A 9- to 91/2-inch (24-cm) springform pan
Preparation:
Make pastry:
Pulse together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a food processor until combined. Add butter and pulse just until mixture resembles coarse meal with some small (roughly pea-size) butter lumps. Add egg and vanilla and pulse just until dough clumps and begins to form a ball, about 15 pulses.
Press dough onto bottom and evenly (about 1/4 inch thick) all the way up side of springform pan with floured fingertips. Chill pastry in pan until firm, about 10 minutes.
Make filling while pastry chills:
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 375°F.
Process 2 tablespoons sugar with flour and tapioca in a food processor until tapioca is powdery, then transfer to a large bowl and stir in remaining 6 tablespoons sugar. Add peaches, blueberries, and lemon juice and gently toss to coat. Spoon filling into pastry and bake, loosely covered with a sheet of foil, until filling is bubbling in center and crust is golden, about 1 3/4 hours.
Transfer cake in pan to a rack and cool, uncovered, 20 minutes, then carefully remove side of pan.
Cool cake to barely warm or room temperature, then cut into thick wedges with a sharp knife before serving.
Cooks' note:Pastry can be made and pressed into pan 1 day ahead and chilled, wrapped well in plastic wrap. Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before filling.
Maria's Notes:
Yes, it really does take almost this long to bake. In my oven, at the total time of 1hr 45 minutes, the crust is a little dry, so I bake it for about 1 hour and 30 minutes. Be sure to bake covered. I've made a variation of this using black and red plums (not the Italian prune plums) which is really delicious.
From : Gourmet, August 2005
"This cake bakes for a long time at a moderate temperature, which helps keep the ripe fruit from bursting and releasing its juices. The easy-to-make pastry bakes up moist and crumbly, with a texture that's like a cross between a biscuit and a cake.
A note from our cooks: We've received some letters from readers complaining about a burned crust when making the peach blueberry cake (August 2005 cover), so we ran through the recipe two more times. Baked in a standard light-colored metal pan, the cake was perfect; baked in a dark metal pan, however, it burned — be aware that the cake's high sugar content makes it more susceptible to burning at high heat. We recommend always using light-colored metal pans for baking. Dark metal pans, including nonstick, will cause your baked goods to brown more quickly. Manufacturers suggest reducing the oven temperature by 25 degrees when using dark pans."
Serving size: Makes 8 servings.
Ingredients:
For pastry:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 stick (1/2 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
For filling:
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon quick-cooking tapioca
2 lb firm-ripe large peaches (about 4), halved lengthwise, pitted, and each half cut lengthwise into fourths1 cup blueberries (1/2 pint)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Special equipment: A 9- to 91/2-inch (24-cm) springform pan
Preparation:
Make pastry:
Pulse together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a food processor until combined. Add butter and pulse just until mixture resembles coarse meal with some small (roughly pea-size) butter lumps. Add egg and vanilla and pulse just until dough clumps and begins to form a ball, about 15 pulses.
Press dough onto bottom and evenly (about 1/4 inch thick) all the way up side of springform pan with floured fingertips. Chill pastry in pan until firm, about 10 minutes.
Make filling while pastry chills:
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 375°F.
Process 2 tablespoons sugar with flour and tapioca in a food processor until tapioca is powdery, then transfer to a large bowl and stir in remaining 6 tablespoons sugar. Add peaches, blueberries, and lemon juice and gently toss to coat. Spoon filling into pastry and bake, loosely covered with a sheet of foil, until filling is bubbling in center and crust is golden, about 1 3/4 hours.
Transfer cake in pan to a rack and cool, uncovered, 20 minutes, then carefully remove side of pan.
Cool cake to barely warm or room temperature, then cut into thick wedges with a sharp knife before serving.
Cooks' note:Pastry can be made and pressed into pan 1 day ahead and chilled, wrapped well in plastic wrap. Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before filling.
Maria's Notes:
Yes, it really does take almost this long to bake. In my oven, at the total time of 1hr 45 minutes, the crust is a little dry, so I bake it for about 1 hour and 30 minutes. Be sure to bake covered. I've made a variation of this using black and red plums (not the Italian prune plums) which is really delicious.
My favorite Gazpacho recipe
Gazpacho
(adapted from The Vegetarian Epicure, Book Two, by Anna Thomas)
Ingredients:
7-8 medium sized ripe tomatoes
2 medium sized (unwaxed) cucumbers
1 green bell pepper
1 small onion
2 cloves of garlic
1 slice of white bread
1 cup of cold water
4 T olive oil
4 T wine vinegar (more to taste)
1 ½ t salt
3 t paprika
¼ t ground cumin
fresh ground black pepper to taste
Preparation:
Cut the tomatoes, cucumbers, bell pepper, bread and onion into chunks. In a food processor, process the garlic and onion until finely minced. Now put the prepared ingredients, 2-3 cups at a time, into the food processor, adding a little of the water each time. Process mixture to a coarse puree. You may need to process several batches. Pour into a large bowl, add oil, vinegar, remaining water, and the seasonings. Whisk vigorously until all is very well blended. Taste for seasoning, adding a little more cold water if the soup seems too thick. Chill the soup in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Serves 6-8.
Maria’s Notes:
Most Gazpachos are served with additional chopped onions, cucumbers, peppers and tomatoes. I feel processing the soup to a coarse puree leaves plenty of texture making the addition of a garnish unnecessary. It’s best if the tomatoes are home garden grown or from the farmer’s market. This yields the best flavor. If the tomatoes are pale, add a bit more paprika to enhance the color of the soup. Soup keeps well for several days in the refrigerator.
(adapted from The Vegetarian Epicure, Book Two, by Anna Thomas)
Ingredients:
7-8 medium sized ripe tomatoes
2 medium sized (unwaxed) cucumbers
1 green bell pepper
1 small onion
2 cloves of garlic
1 slice of white bread
1 cup of cold water
4 T olive oil
4 T wine vinegar (more to taste)
1 ½ t salt
3 t paprika
¼ t ground cumin
fresh ground black pepper to taste
Preparation:
Cut the tomatoes, cucumbers, bell pepper, bread and onion into chunks. In a food processor, process the garlic and onion until finely minced. Now put the prepared ingredients, 2-3 cups at a time, into the food processor, adding a little of the water each time. Process mixture to a coarse puree. You may need to process several batches. Pour into a large bowl, add oil, vinegar, remaining water, and the seasonings. Whisk vigorously until all is very well blended. Taste for seasoning, adding a little more cold water if the soup seems too thick. Chill the soup in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Serves 6-8.
Maria’s Notes:
Most Gazpachos are served with additional chopped onions, cucumbers, peppers and tomatoes. I feel processing the soup to a coarse puree leaves plenty of texture making the addition of a garnish unnecessary. It’s best if the tomatoes are home garden grown or from the farmer’s market. This yields the best flavor. If the tomatoes are pale, add a bit more paprika to enhance the color of the soup. Soup keeps well for several days in the refrigerator.
Friday, August 10, 2007
Bobby Flay is coming to NCL!
Authors on Stage 2007
Please call 594.5003 to register.Admission is free.
Seats are not guaranteed and early arrival is recommended.
Reception and book signing will follow the program.
Bobby Flay
Tuesday, October 16 at 7:30 PM in the Adrian Lamb Room
Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill Cookbook
Co-sponsored by Elm Street Books
Welcome
This is the new cooking blog for New Canaan Library. Look here for library events featuring cookbook authors, newly published cookbooks, recipe favorites from the NCL staff, and more. Feel free to post any comments or suggestions.
--Maria
--Maria
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