To get over your Turkey hangover, here's a recipe from Japanese Soul Cooking(Ten Speed Press, November 2013) by Tadashi Ono who recently opened Maison O in New York and  Harris Salat of comfort food restaurant Ganso in Brooklyn and The Japanese Food Report...

KANI ANKAKE (CRAB FRIED RICE) 

With this dish, the fried rice is cooked very simply, with just eggs and scallions. The mojo here comes in the form of the ankake, which is a sauce thickened with potato starch, in this case, one made with ginger-infused crabmeat. Glorious. To eat, spoon up some ankake with the fried rice. 

Serves 4 

2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

4 eggs, beaten

2 scallions (about 2 ounces), trimmed and chopped

4 cups cooked rice, warm, clumps broken up

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 teaspoon salt

Pinch ground black pepper 

ANKAKE

8 ounces crabmeat (canned is fine, about 1 cup)

1 cup torigara stock (page 25)

4 ounces iceberg lettuce leaves, cut into bite-size pieces

1 (1⁄2-inch) piece ginger (about 0.3 ounce), peeled and julienned

1 teaspoon salt

1⁄4 teaspoon ground black pepper

2 teaspoons katakuriko (potato starch) dissolved in 2 tablespoons water 

Heat 1 teaspoon of the sesame oil in a wok over high heat. Add the eggs and gently scramble until set, about 10 seconds. Remove the eggs and set aside. 

Heat 1 tablespoon of the sesame oil in a wok over high heat. Add the scallions and cook, stirring constantly, for about 30 seconds, until they give off an oniony smell. Add the rice, and cook, stirring constantly, for 30 seconds more. Add the soy sauce, salt, pepper, and cooked eggs. Cook, stirring constantly, for 30 seconds. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon sesame oil, and cook, stirring constantly, for 10 more seconds. Turn off the heat. 

Arrange 4 plates on a work surface, and ready 4 small bowls to serve as molds (rice bowls are ideal). Spoon one-fourth of the cooked rice into a bowl, then quickly flip the bowl over, and rest it on top of the plate rice side down. Do not remove the bowl for now; it will keep the rice warm. Repeat with the remaining 3 bowls. Set aside. 

To prepare the ankake, add the crab, torigara stock, lettuce, ginger, salt, and pepper to a saucepan and bring to a boil over heat. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for about 2 minutes, mixing occasionally. Add the katakuriko mixture, and cook, stirring constantly, for about 15 seconds. Turn off the heat. 

Unmold the rice by removing the bowls covering it. Pour about one-fourth of the ankake either alongside each serving of rice or over it, as you desire. Serve immediately.

(*Reprinted with permission from Japanese Soul Cooking by Tadashi Ono &  Harris Salat, copyright © 2013. Published by Ten Speed Press, a division of Random House, Inc. Food Photography: Todd Coleman © 2013")

Seems like the folks at Art Macabre 'Drawing Salons' in London want to turn 'tis the season to be cheerful' into 'tis the season to be fearful'.

They give Londoners a taste of their 'Pagan' take on holidays with The Spirit of Christmas Spine Chillers at Barts Pathology Museum on December 6 and Cruel Yule at The Proud Archivist on December 19, 2013.

When your plates remind you of vacations in Basque region, Paris, Biarritz or short trips there, might be perfect gift for friends who lived there or more prosaically are a nice prop to add theater to your dessert, you have a winner.

These travel themed plates (14 Euros a piece) and others (Surf, Escarpins, etc) are Beatrice Pene creations at Assiettes et Compagnie in France.

Thanks to Pascale Weeks of C'est moi qui l'ai fait for bringing Assiette et Compagnie to my attention.

(* Assiettes et Compagnie and C'est moi qui l'ai fait are in French only)

When I say walk your Veneto Wine Passion around New York on December 3, 2013 with Move the Passion, I should say walk, ride a bike, hop on the bus, take the subway.

That will be necessary if you want make stops at 2 of the locations furthest apart, Urbani Truffles (10, West End Avenue at 60th Street) and Maslow 6 Wine Bar (211, West Broadway).

Other 5 locations on the map for this citywide wine event are Arclinea (21, West 26th Street) known for its kitchenware creativity, Giovanni Rana Pastificio & Cucina (Chelsea Market), Revel restaurant (10, Little West 12th Street), Risotteria Melotti (309, East 5th Street) and Astor Center (399, Lafayette Street).

Move the Passion in numbers:

On December 3rd, from 6 to 10 pm, 500 guests, 7 locations, 150 Italian wines, 7 DOC and DOCG, 100% passion.

Event is Free, Registration is Needed at Move the Passion 'Guests' Page...

Joyeux Happy Thanksgiving!

What will be on your table?

If your Thanksgiving dinner does not start until late today (or you live on the West Coast), you might still have enough time to bake this recipe from Annie Bell's Baking Bible (Kyle Books USA, Fall 2013)

Brooklyn Blackout Cake

Make s 1 x 8 - inch  cake 

For the frosting

½ cup cornstarch

2½ cups whole milk

1½ cups superfine sugar

1 tablespoon light corn syrup

1 heaping cup cocoa powder, sifted

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

7 tablespoons unsalted butter, diced

For the cake

13 tablespoons unsalted butter, diced

1½ cups superfine sugar

3 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ cup cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

2¼ cups all-purpose flour

1 cup whole milk

Equipment

Plastic wrap

2 x 8-inch nonstick cake

pans with removable bases,

2 inches deep

Food processor

Bread knife

LITTLE EXTRAS

Unsalted butter for greasing 

This is a wow of a chocolate cake and, quite unlike any other. You sandwich and smother it with lashings of thick chocolate frosting, into which you then press a curtain of cake crumbs—the blackout.

While the frosting is traditionally made with water in the US, I prefer to use milk.

First make the frosting as this requires several hours to cool. Blend the cornstarch with about one-third of the milk until smooth. Bring the remaining milk to a boil in a small nonstick saucepan with the sugar, corn syrup, and cocoa, whisking until smooth. Add the cornstarch solution and bring to a boil, stirring constantly until you have a rich, thick custard. Remove from the heat and add the vanilla and butter, stirring until it melts. In a perfect world it should be silky smooth; if it seems lumpy, simply process it briefly in a food processor. Pour into a large bowl, cover the surface with plastic wrap, and set aside to cool. Give it a stir before using.

Preheat the oven to 325°F convection oven/375°F conventional oven, and butter two 8-inch nonstick cake pans with removable bases, at least 2 inches deep. Cream the butter and sugar together in a food processor, then incorporate the eggs one at a time. Add the vanilla, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Sift together the dry ingredients, and add them half at a time to the creamed mixture. Finally add the milk with the motor running. Divide the mixture between the cake pans, and smooth the surface of each. Bake for 30–40 minutes until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Run a knife around the sides of each cake and leave to cool.

When the cakes are cold, remove the sides and slit each one in half using a bread knife. To make the blackout, process one of the top halves to crumbs in a food processor—if possible, choose the one that has risen unevenly. To assemble the cake, spread one of the bases on the pan base with one quarter of the frosting, taking it almost to the rim. Sandwich with the second cake base and spread another quarter of the remaining frosting over the surface. Top with the remaining layer of cake and use the remaining frosting to coat the top and sides. To finish, liberally coat the whole thing with the cake crumbs. Chill the cake for a couple of hours and then cover with plastic wrap. Remove from the fridge 15–30 minutes before eating.

TIP

When coating the sides, imagine you are making a sandcastle. Take handfuls of the crumbs and gently press them against the side, leaving any loose ones to fall down. 

(* Recipe from Annie Bell's Baking Bible -Kyle Books USA, Fall 2013- reproduced with permission, Photography by Con Poulos)

On holiday, one tends to think there are never too many side dishes or desserts.

Need one more cake, here's one from  Seriously Bitter Sweet The Ultimate Dessert Maker's Guide to Chocolate (Artisan Books, October 2013) by Alice Medrich whole Triple Mousse i shared previously.

Cocoa Bean Almond Roulade

Serves 10 to 12

A simple filling of blackberry or black raspberry preserves and fresh whipped cream in a soft meringue studded with toasted nuts and lots of toasted cocoa beans makes a light and sophisticated dessert with intriguing flavors and textures. Or dress it up with a cloak of chocolate ganache glaze.

Ingredients:

For the Roulade
1½ cups (7½ ounces/215 grams) unblanched whole almonds
1½ tablespoons (12 grams) all-purpose flour
¾ cup (150 grams) sugar
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons (45 grams) roasted cocoa nibs
6 large egg whites (about ¾ cup), at room temperature
½ teaspoon cream of tartar
Powdered sugar for dusting

For the Filling
Scant ½ cup blackberry or black raspberry fruit spread or jam
1 cup heavy cream
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Ganache Glaze (below; optional)

Directions

1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 325°F. Line the baking pan with parchment paper.

2. Spread the almonds on a cookie sheet. Toast them in the oven for 7 to 8 minutes, or until fragrant and lightly colored. Let cool completely.

3. Combine the toasted almonds, flour, and ½ cup (100 grams) of the sugar in a food processor and pulse to a medium-fine texture. Add the nibs and pulse to a fine meal. Set aside.

4. In a clean, dry mixer bowl or other large bowl, combine the egg whites with the cream of tartar and beat with an electric mixer at medium speed until soft peaks form when the beaters are lifted. Increase the speed and gradually add the remaining ¼ cup (100 grams) sugar, then beat until the meringue forms stiff but not dry peaks. Pour the nut mixture over the meringue, and fold it in with a large rubber spatula just until evenly dispersed. Spread the batter evenly in the lined pan.

5. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the cake is golden brown and springy to the touch. Let cool completely in the pan on a rack. (The cake can be prepared up to 2 days ahead; cover the pan tightly with foil or plastic wrap and store at room temperature.)

6. To assemble the cake: Using a fine-mesh strainer, shake a very light dusting of powdered sugar over the cake. Run a small knife around the edges of the cake to release it from the pan. Cover with a sheet of foil. Holding the foil and pan edges together at both ends, invert the pan onto the counter. Remove the pan and peel off the parchment liner.

7. Spread a very thin layer of fruit spread evenly over the cake. In a large bowl, whip the cream with the vanilla until it holds a good shape without being stiff (it will stiffen further when you spread it). Spread the cream over the jam. Starting at one short edge, roll the cake up like a jelly roll. Wrap the roll in the foil and refrigerate until ready to serve. (The roulade can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours.)

8. To serve, unwrap the roulade and transfer to a serving platter. Sift additional powdered sugar over the top, if desired, or frost with the ganache glaze, pouring it or spreading it over the roll.

Ganache Glaze or Frosting
Makes 11⁄2 to 13⁄4 cups

Pour it warm for a beautiful glaze, cool it and slather it like a frosting. Of the two amounts given for the cream, use the smaller quantity if making the glaze or filling and the larger if making frosting. This may seem counterintuitive, but spreading cool ganache makes it harder after it sets.
 
Ingredients
8 ounces (225 grams) 54% to 60% chocolate, chopped into small pieces (see Chocolate Notes)
¾ to 1 cup heavy cream, plus extra as necessary
Pinch of salt (optional)

Directions

1. Place the chopped chocolate in a medium bowl. Bring the cream to a simmer and immediately pour it over the chocolate. Stir briskly until the chocolate is melted and smooth. If the glaze is too thick or looks curdled, stir in a little extra cream. Taste and consider adding the salt.

2. To use as frosting—or for crumb coating a cake before glazing it—let cool, without stirring, to a soft frosting consistency. To use as glaze, reheat gently in a pan of hot water (or let cool if just made) to 90°F to 100°F (for optimal shine) before pouring. The consistency of the glaze or frosting can be adjusted at any time with more cream as necessary.
(The glaze can be kept, covered and refrigerated, for up to a week; or freeze it in a sealed container for up to 6 months. Soften or defrost in a pan of hot water or in the microwave.)

Chocolate Notes
To use a higher-percentage chocolate, adjust the recipe as follows.

To use 61% to 66% chocolate: Increase the cream to 1¼ to 1½ cups. Pour only half of the cream over the chocolate and stir well before adding the rest.

To use 70% to 72% chocolate: Reduce the chocolate to 7 ounces (200 grams) and increase the cream to 1 to 1¼ cups. Add about 1 tablespoon (13 grams) sugar to the cream before heating it. Pour only half of the cream over the chocolate and stir well before adding the rest.

You can adjust the sweetness of the ganache by adding more sugar after you make and taste it.

"Excerpted from Seriously Bitter Sweet by Alice Medrich (Artisan Books). Copyright © 2013. Photographs by Deborah Jones."

Since Thanksgiving and Hanukkah converge in 2013, here's a recipe from Joy of Kosher (William Morrow, October 2013) by Joy of Kosher Jamie Geller that will please all.

Latkes with Caviar and Cream

Kosher Status: Dairy • Prep: 15 minutes • Cook: 40 minutes • Total: 55 minutes • Yield: 20 latkes

You see all kinds of ubercreative latke recipes around Chanukah time: apple-parsnip
latkes, sweet potato–leek latkes, sweet cheesy latkes, savory cheese and chive latkes (all
of which you can find on www.JoyofKosher.com). Truth is, you can’t go anywhere in the
world of latkes until you’ve mastered the classic. So first I’ll teach you this special recipe
from Ma and Uputzi. They always made incredible pureed potato latkes.
I go back and forth between the puree and the shoestring version. You can do whatever
you like. No adjustments necessary; just change the food processor blade or the side
of the box grater. Of course, Ma and Uputzi grated theirs by hand on the box grater. But
when I want to fry up a hundred latkes, I hug my food processor, give it a big kiss, and
whisper, “Thank God I have you.”
When I have guests, I stick to a classic—then I go wild with toppings, creating a
latke topping bar, so your Chanukah party guests can mix and match or try all. Try guac
and an over-easy or poached egg, or slices of mozz, tomato, plus a few fresh basil leaves.
Oooo, and I love a shmear of brie topped with a dollop of jam, or blue cheese, pear, and
arugula piled high. Are you pickin’ up what I’m puttin’ down here? Endless, endless,
endless possibilities.

4 large russet potatoes (about 2 and 1⁄2 pounds)
3 large eggs, beaten
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Canola oil, for frying
1 medium onion, quartered
1⁄4 cup fine cornmeal or matzoh meal
11⁄4 cups crème frâiche or sour cream
Caviar, for garnish

1. Fill a large bowl with cold water. Peel the potatoes, cut them into quarters lengthwise, and place them in the bowl of cold water to prevent browning.

2. Combine the eggs, salt, and pepper in a large bowl; set aside.

3. Heat about 1 inch of the canola oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat.

4. Put the onion and potatoes in a food processor and pulse until pureed. Transfer the mixture to the large bowl with the eggs. Add the cornmeal and mix to combine.

5. Line a baking sheet with paper towels.

6. Using a ¼-cup measuring cup, scoop up the potato mixture and carefully drop it into the hot oil. Use the back of the measuring cup to flatten the latke. Fill the pan with as many latkes as you can, but do not let them touch. Do not overcrowd your pan, or the latkes will be soggy instead of crispy. Fry until golden brown and crispy, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Drain on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining batter.

7. To keep the latkes warm and crispy once fried, spread them in a single layer on a baking sheet and place in a 200°F oven until ready to serve.

8. To serve, place the latkes on a large serving tray and garnish each with a generous tablespoon of crème fraîche and caviar.

QUICK TIP
I can’t say it enough times: Remember, don’t overcrowd your pan when frying. Make sure the latkes
aren’t touching and there is room around each for the edges to crisp. That’s the perfect latke: soft,
fluffy, and creamy on the inside with crispy edges.

DRESS IT DOWN
• Sweet Cinnamon Latkes •
My friend Anita’s grandmother used to make her latkes with a pinch of cinnamon. Full disclosure: When she mentioned her grandma’s sweet secret, I snagged it for this book.

For a sweeter version, omit the onion and the pepper, reduce the salt to a pinch, and add 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon and 3 tablespoons sugar. Mix 1 cup sour cream with ¼ cup maple syrup and serve it on the side.

PAIR IT Drappier Brut Champagne (Carte Blanche or Carte d ’Or)

This dish deserves bubbly . . . splurge here and go for the champagne.


(* Recipe from Joy of Kosher by Jamie Geller- Published by William Morrow, October 2013- all rights reserved)

I am pretty sure that some museum goers will find video treatment chosen as one of the introductions to La Renaissance et le Reve (Renaissance and the Dream) exhibit at Musee du Luxembourg in Paris sacrilegeous.

On the menu, Bosch, Veronese, Greco.

La Renaissance et le Reve opened on October 9 and runs until January 26, 2014.

(* Exhibit page i linked to is in French only)

Having not yet shined a light on good things from Vermont that Tracey Medeiros delivers to our door with The Vermont Farm Table Cookbook (The Countryman Press, May 2013), here's one of the book's recipes that will allow you to celebrate Thanksgiving Vermont style.

Maple Roast Pumpkin Pie

SERVES 8

From The Vermont Farm Table Cookbook by author Tracey Medeiros (The Countryman Press, May 2013).

It had never occurred to Claire Fitts, the owner of Butterfly Bakery, to use fresh pumpkin in baked goods when canned was so widely used, but a few years ago a friend of hers received a pumpkin from her CSA. They stared at the gourd-like squash for a while and then decided to give pie a try before the pumpkin went bad (with little hope for success). The results were amazing. Fitts has never gone back to using canned pumpkin for anything since.

This recipe produces more puree than you will need for the pie. You can store the remaining pumpkin puree in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days or in the freezer for several months. In a pinch, you can substitute 1 ½ cups of organic canned puree (just be sure not to use pie filling, which is spiced and sweetened). Serve the pie with vanilla or maple ice cream, or a dollop of whipped cream.

1 pie pumpkin (3 to 4 pounds)
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
2/3 cup pure Vermont maple syrup
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
1 (9-inch) unbaked pie shell

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Lightly grease a baking sheet and set aside.
Cut the pumpkin in half lengthwise; scoop out the seeds and strings and discard them. Place the pumpkin, open side down, on the prepared baking sheet. Roast until fork-tender, about 40 minutes. Set aside to cool. When the pumpkin is cool enough to handle, scoop out the flesh, transfer to a food processor, and process until smooth.

Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, whisk together 1 ½ cups of the pumpkin puree, the eggs, maple syrup, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger and cloves until smooth. Pour the mixture into the pie shell and bake for 30 minutes. Rotate the pie and bake, until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Let cool slightly; serve warm or at room temperature.

Via Claire Fitts of Butterfly Bakery for the Capital City Farmers’ Market

(* Recipe from The Vermont Farm Table Cookbook by Tracey Medeiros -The Countryman Press, May 2013- Photo by Oliver Parini Reproduced with permission)