Table for Four

Posted on February 25, 2013 by theaestheteandthedilettante under Baking, Cooking, Entertaining

This weekend, we enjoyed a casual dinner at home with two of our dearest friends. Feeling in need of a cozy late winter meal, I made succulent pan seared lamb chops with dried cherries and port (recipe here), oven roasted Brussels sprouts over toasted pecan and pearl onion studded wild rice, and a lemon tart with fresh whipped cream. While I do love to go out, nothing beats spending a leisurely evening by the fire with good friends and a great bottle of red.

The lamb could not have been simpler to prepare, and the dried cherry port wine sauce was divine. If lamb is not your favorite, the sauce would be wonderful with pan seared duck breasts or pork tenderloin.

I’ll post the lemon tart recipe later this week. It was my first entirely successful gluten-free crust (meaning it rolled out beautifully, held together like a dream, and had the taste and texture of a traditional crust) so I must share it with you.

Imagine Waking Up to This

Posted on December 14, 2012 by theaestheteandthedilettante under Cooking, Entertaining

I did. Two blissful mornings in a row while visiting my sister and her fiancé in Florida. She gave him the beautiful Alex Duetto II machine below as an engagement gift (have I mentioned how brilliant she is? I think I have). The above photo is of the actual cappuccino he made on morning two. Seriously.

I was totally fascinated with the process because this cappuccino was truly SO much better than any I had ever had. He graciously spent some time showing me how it’s done and below are the photos I took along the way.

Above, the espresso being extracted. The gorgeous caramel color of the top layer (above and below) is called the crema. No dairy has been added – what you are seeing are the emulsified oils that have been forced out of the grounds. And it is what makes the perfect shot.

The next step is steaming the milk. Sounds easy, but there is actually a science – and an art – to it. You have to “stretch” the milk by keeping the steaming wand just below the surface, then sink it deeper to create a whirlpool, AND not let it get too hot (i.e. not too hot to the touch – so basically Starbucks is doing everything wrong).

The artful pour, below:

Morning one cappuccino:

And my bunkmate while I was there, rescue pup Jovie:

She was the best inner spoon ever. Two bests in one weekend. When was the last time that happened to you?

A Rustic Thanksgiving

Posted on November 13, 2012 by theaestheteandthedilettante under Cooking, Entertaining, Nature, Shopping

Click on collage for recipes, shopping links, and photo credits

Meeting an Idol

Posted on October 23, 2012 by theaestheteandthedilettante under Cooking, Entertaining

The next few weeks are filled with events I am giddy about, and attending a talk and book signing with my culinary idol, Ina Garten, is at the top of my list. So much of what I know about cooking and entertaining (outside of what I learned growing up in the kitchens of my mother and grandmother) comes from working through her recipes and watching her cooking show religiously. Garten’s relaxed, non-fussy attitude and presentation are big parts of why I love her, but it’s her recipes that seal the deal. I have never had one fail me. Ever.

In honor of her new cookbook Barefoot Contessa Foolproof (coming out on my actual birthday – no better present than that!), I thought I’d share my favorite Ina recipes. It really is impossible to pick a favorite.

Coconut Cupcakes. Seriously one of the best things I have ever put in my mouth.

Chicken Stew with Biscuits, a family favorite.

Roasted Salmon with Green Herbs. Special enough for company, easy enough for a weeknight dinner.

Indonesian Ginger Chicken. Garlicky, Gingery, and honey laden. Amazing with a simple coconut basmati rice and stir-fried broccoli.

Lobster Pot Pie. The ultimate upscale comfort dish.

Maple Oatmeal Scones. Breakfast heaven.

Chipotle and Rosemary Roasted Nuts. Salty, sweet, and spicy – three of my favorite things.

Chunky Blue Cheese and Yogurt Dip. This actually may be my favorite. I make it almost every time I entertain. And the leftovers are DIVINE spread on a warm steak sandwich.

Can’t wait to get my hands on this book!!! Pre-order it here, and check here to see if she’s coming to your area on her book tour. And keep your fingers crossed for me that she is as lovely in person as she seems in her books. I’ll be devastated if she’s not!

First image is of a portion of my cookbook cabinet, where her books take up quite a bit of real estate (dying to know what color the above jacket spine is!). All other images are from the Barefoot Contessa cookbooks.

Sunday Brunch

Posted on July 9, 2012 by theaestheteandthedilettante under Cooking, Entertaining, Nature

There is no easier way to entertain than hosting a weekend brunch. On Sunday we had family visiting from Cleveland and because I wanted to enjoy our time together rather than spending it darting in and out of the kitchen, I kept everything incredibly simple. I made these scones (adding the zest of a lemon to the dough), filled my favorite Jill Rosenwald bowls with Greek yogurt, crunchy granola, clover honey and berries from the farmers market, brewed some Illy medium roast, and set out fresh squeezed juice with a champagne option. The scones were served with lemon curd, wild Maine blueberry jam, and English double devon cream (it was the final day of Wimbledon, after all) and everyone assembled their own yogurt parfaits.

On a side note, I spent several hours on Saturday planting flowers in front of the hydrangeas (better late than never) in anticipation of our company so of course they came to our mud room door rather than the front door and didn’t see them!

Fourth Favorites

Posted on July 2, 2012 by theaestheteandthedilettante under Cooking, Entertaining

How can it possibly almost be the Fourth of July? Wasn’t I just writing about what to bring and what to wear to a Memorial Day picnic?

The Fourth to me is the essence of summer – abundant sunshine, strappy sundresses and sandals, cold drinks, simple barbecue fare, sparklers, bonfires, family, and friends. And nothing to do but relax and soak it all in.

Cabbage and Corn Slaw via Bon Appetit

Hot Dogs via Bon Appetit

Love this serving idea from Better Homes and Gardens

Strawberry Rhubarb Shortcake via the Food Network

Red velvet cupcakes. My 10 year old daughter baked, frosted, and decorated these ALL BY HERSELF today for her summer camp’s picnic. It was her first time baking alone. I forced myself to sit in the next room to avoid micromanaging. SO PROUD!

Click each image for links and credits

Cast Iron Cooking

Posted on June 7, 2012 by theaestheteandthedilettante under Cooking, Entertaining, Food

I love cooking in cast iron and have used my Le Creuset dutch oven to make everything from slow-braised osso buco to thick, rich bolognese. The problem is that my trusty little pot, while still in great shape, is too small to hold dinner for a crowd. So I was thrilled to find this beauty on sale at Williams-Sonoma yesterday:

Cast iron heats evenly, allows you to create a perfect sear, and it lasts forever. This enamel coated 7-quart Staub Oval Cocotte is big enough to roast a large chicken or braise a ton of short ribs. I know what you are thinking. It’s JUNE! Who wants all of that heavy cooking in the summer?! But I have a plan. This weekend I will make either the Mussels with White Wine and Butter (see first image) or Clams with Jalapeno, Lemon, and Basil (below). Summery, right?

I know I will not last it until fall without testing this Red-Wine Braised Short Ribs recipe at least once, though:

And these Rosemary Lamb Chops with Swiss Chard and Balsamic Syrup look pretty fabulous too…

Decisions, Decisions!!!

Click each image for sources, links and recipes.

What to Bring: Mini Carrot Cakes

Posted on May 24, 2012 by theaestheteandthedilettante under Baking, Entertaining

Memorial Day is almost here, so I’ve been working on what I will bake and take to a barbecue this weekend. My mother makes the best carrot cake on the planet. A cake so mouthwateringly perfect that you cannot resist cutting a thin slice and popping it into your mouth sans plate each time you pass through her kitchen because, frankly, grabbing a plate and fork means it will take that much longer for it to reach your mouth. The crumbs fall, the frosting oozes down your fingers, but you don’t care because you are blissed out on cake.

But back to my point. What was my point? Oh yes, this weekend’s barbecue. The spice of the cinnamon and the divine creaminess of the frosting seem to be the perfect accompaniment to the bold flavors of barbecue fare, so I experimented this week and adjusted the recipe for miniature sized cakes.

What makes this carrot cake so fabulous is threefold:

1) The secret ingredient of baby carrots. Not the kind you snack on out of the bag, but baby food carrots. That’s right. It makes the cake incredibly moist and allows you to skip the step of cooking and food processing fresh carrots.

2) The cream cheese frosting. Most cream cheese frostings include butter, but this one sings with just powdered sugar, cream cheese, and vanilla.

3) There are no bells and whistles. No coconut, pineapple, ginger, or other fanciness – it is the simplest of comfort foods.

Mom’s Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

2 cups sugar
14 oz baby food carrots
4 eggs, room temperature
1 1/2 cups canola oil
1/2 cup chopped pecans
3 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Prepare a tube pan or mini cake pans (this recipe makes enough batter for 12 mini cakes) by lightly oiling and dusting with flour or using baking spray with flour incorporated.
Sift dry ingredients together in a medium bowl.
Beat sugar and oil together in a large bowl.
Add eggs one at a time to oil/sugar mixture, then add your dry ingredients, nuts, and carrots. Mix until combined completely.
Bake at 350 degrees for 55 minutes to one hour if in tube pan, OR for 25 minutes if using mini cake pans. My mini cake pans hold approximately 2/3 cup of batter (see below). Check the size of your mini pans ahead of time with water to see how much liquid they hold and adjust your time accordingly.
Let cool for 15 minutes in pan on a wire rack, then remove cake from pan by placing wire rack on top and flipping over. Let cool entirely before frosting (frosting recipe below).

Simple Cream Cheese Frosting

8 ounces ROOM TEMPERATURE cream cheese
4 cups powdered sugar
2 1/2 t vanilla extract

Beat together until incorporated. Frost cake/s with an offset spatula or pastry bag. If you want to pipe and don’t have a bag, fill a ziploc bag with frosting, snip a small piece of the corner off, and there you have it.

From the photo below you can clearly see I am not a piping expert, but please note that I am using two hands. You must grip the top of the bag and hold it closed with one hand while guiding the tip with the other hand, or frosting will ooze out of the top, making a huge mess. Trust me. I am speaking from experience.