COOK book2011 XMAS

Hello 2012. Can we make you a drink?

Sarah & Matthew’s

7 food recipes 4 cocktail recipes

& INcluding a section on brunch

This year was about cocktails

2 oz light rum (Mount Gay if you can get it)¾ oz simple syrup¾ oz lime

Shake all the ingredients with ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

Cocktails

Daiquiri

2 oz. cognac (anything with VSOP written on it)¾ oz. fresh lemon juice¾ oz. cointreau¼ oz. simple syrup

Sugar the rim of a cocktail glass by wetting the rim with a lemon wedge and then tap the rim of the glass onto a plate of sugar.

Shake all the ingredients with ice and strain into aforementioned cocktail glass.

The SidecarSummer Fall

Segment a grapefruit or two (peel and then cut each segment out from the membrane). Put aside.

Cut an avocado or two into thin large pieces. Sprinkle with the grapefruit juice from your grapefruit to keep from browning.

Heat the butter in a small pan over medium high heat. Fry shallots until translucent and soft (you can also try to make them crispy if you feel adventurous. Somehow we fail at this every time).

While frying the shallots toast your bread until nicely crisped.

Butter your toast, layer some shallots, 2-3 pieces of avocado, and 2-3 grapefruit segments on top.

Sprinkle with salt (we use !eur de sel as it’s less salty. It’s expensive, but a great investment - once you have it you’ll "nd all kinds of good uses for it). The salt is a key ingredient here; it brings everything together. Table salt will do just "ne too.

Alligator Toast We had this at the wonderful Comstock Saloon in the fancy city of San Francisco. It’s one of those magical dishes that everyone loves.

YOU WILL NEED

• 2 - 3 slices pumpernickel bread

• 1 grapefruit

• 1 avocado

• butter

• 1-2 thinly sliced shallots

• salt (fleur de sel if you are feeling

fancy)

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2 oz gin1 oz sweet vermouth¼ oz maraschino liqueur (look for the Luxardo brand)2 dashes orange bitters1 lemon twist

Stir with ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with the lemon twist.

The Martinez

1 1/2 oz. light rum (go for Mount Gay if you can get it)3/4 oz. fresh lime juice1 oz. honey syrup (1 part honey to 1 part water)1 oz. proseccoeyedropper of Angostura bitters, mint leaf

Combine rum, lime juice, syrup and ice in shaker. Shake vigorously. Strain into glass and top with prosecco. Garnish by dragging mint leaf through bitters to create an attractive design, then laying mint leaf on top.

The AirmailWinter Spring

Cocktails, continued

Serves 2

Cut melons and mangoes into small cubes, smaller than your average fruit salad (½ inch by ½ inch).

Sprinkle mint and toss gently.

Pour raspberries on top and toss once or twice to distribute raspberries, being careful not to smoosh them.

This salad gets better with a little bit of time, so refrigerate it while you make other things and serve within an hour or two.

YOU WILL NEED

• One cantaloupe de-seeded and

skin removed

• One honeydew melon de-seeded

and skin removed

• 2-3 mangoes

• 1 pint raspberries

• 2-3 T fresh mint, chiffonade (long

thin strips)

Melon and Mint Salad

Melon SaladSconesLemon Curd

How to have brunch

Set a "ne-mesh strainer over a medium heatproof bowl next to the stove. In a heavy, medium saucepan, whisk together the sugar, lemon juice, eggs, egg yolks and lemon peel. Add the butter and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes.

Lower the heat and simmer, stirring, until the mixture thickens and registers 160° on an instant-read thermometer, about 5 minutes. Strain the mixture into the prepared bowl, then press a sheet of plastic wrap directly onto the surface. Let cool to room temperature. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 1 month.

Suggested uses: Put 2 tablespoons on the bottom of a glass cup, add a scoop of vanilla ice cream and top

with soda water or lemon soda. Bake squares of pu# pastry, let cool slightly, spread with curd and top with whipped cream. Top store-bought vanilla wafers with curd and sprinkle with powdered sugar (or make sandwiches). Put in 4 oz. canning jars and give away as gifts. Or just eat it with a spoon.

YOU WILL NEED

• 2 cups sugar

• 1 cup fresh lemon juice (about 6 lemons)

• 4 large eggs plus 4 large yolks, beaten

• 1/4 cup lemon zest

• 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, cut into pieces

• a fine mesh strainer

• a food thermometer

Make this a day or two before you need it. And you’ll need it. Oh boy will you need it.Lemon Curd “

YOU WILL NEED

• 4 cups plus 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

• 1/4 cup sugar, plus additional for

sprinkling

• 2 tablespoons baking powder

• 2 teaspoons kosher salt

• 1 teaspoon ground ginger

• 3/4 pound cold unsalted butter, diced

• 4 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten

• 1 cup cold heavy cream

• 1 cup finely chopped crystallized ginger

• 1 egg beaten with 2 tablespoons water

or milk, for egg wash

• parchment paper

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

In a mixer mix 4 cups of !our, 1/4 cup sugar, the baking powder, salt, and ground ginger. Add the cold butter and mix at the lowest speed until the butter is the size of peas. Combine the eggs and heavy cream and, with the mixer on low speed, slowly pour into the !our and butter mixture. Mix until just blended. The dough will look lumpy! Combine the chopped crystallized ginger and 1/4 cup of !our, add to the dough, and mix on low speed until blended.

Dump the dough onto a well-!oured surface and knead it into a ball. Flour your hands and a rolling pin and roll the dough 3/4-inch thick. You should see small bits of butter in the dough. Flour a 3-inch round dough cutter or and cut circles of dough (you can cut by hand even squares too). Place the scones on a baking pan lined with parchment paper. Collect the scraps neatly, roll them out, and cut more circles.

Brush the tops of the scones with egg wash, sprinkle with sugar, and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the tops are golden brown.

Ginger Scones These things are so easy to make and stay delicious for hours (unlike some scones that turn to lead after one). This recipe is adapted from one by Ina Garten.

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Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter the bottom of one standard bread loaf pan (or feel free to double this recipe).

Mix all the ingredients until blended and doughy (should be really thick and sticky, not runny but not a solid ball of dough either). Put in loaf pan and smooth out the top. Bake for 60 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean (I start checking around 50 minutes).

Here’s the hard part: wait until it’s cool to eat it. When it is, slather butter all over it and eat half the loaf in one sitting. You’re welcome.

Betty Crocker 1950’s Banana Bread

YOU WILL NEED

2-3 super ripe bananas, mashed to mush

2 1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

3 1/2 t baking powder

1 t salt

3 T vegetable oil

1 egg

2/3 cup milk (once I didn't have milk so I

subbed yogurt and it was great)

In a deep skillet or dutch oven heat the oil over medium-high heat.

Add the onion and cook until soft.

Add the garlic, ginger, cumin, turmeric, and cinnamon. Stir for 2 minutes. Add the raisins, tomato, stock, chickpeas, carrots, cauli!ower, zucchini. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer, cover, and cook until the vegetables are tender.

Add the couscous and cook covered for 10 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.

Pearl Couscous Tagine We use the word “tagine” loosely here.

YOU WILL NEED

• 1 T olive oil

• 1 chopped onion

• 2 cloves minced garlic

• 1 1-inch piece of fresh, peeled, and minced ginger

• 1 ½ t cumin

• 2 t tumeric

• 2 3-inch cinnamon sticks

• ⅓ cup raisins

• 1 ½ cups diced tomato (fresh or canned)

• 2 cups vegetable stock

• 1 cup chickpeas

“

So you know it’s good for you.“

• 2 carrots, ½ head of cauliflower, and 2

zucchini cut into bite sized chunks

• 1 cup pearl couscous

Make the eggs and greens: Heat a large, heavy skillet over

high heat. Swirl in oil. Cook mushrooms with 1/2 teaspoon salt until golden and tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium. Stir in garlic, then greens and water. Cook, stirring, until greens wilt. Add unsalted butter, and stir until melted.

Push greens to make 4 wells. Crack 1 egg into each. Season with salt. Cook for 4 minutes. Let stand until whites are set but yolks are still runny, about 4 minutes.

While eggs are cooking make the sage butter: Melt butter in

a saucepan over medium heat. Add sage and red-pepper !akes. Simmer until sage is crisp, about 3 minutes.

Drizzle dish with sage-chile butter. Garnish with cheese. Serve over rice if you’d like. Write Martha a thank you letter.

Fried Eggs with Greens and Mushrooms and Sage Butter

Dear Martha, thank you. Dear Reader, do not skimp on any of this butter. Trust Martha. She knows what she is doing.

YOU WILL NEED

For the Sage-Chile Butter • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 1 tablespoon small sage leaves

• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red-pepper flakes

For the Eggs and Greens• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• 10 ounces white button or cremini mushrooms,

sliced

• Coarse salt

• 2 garlic thinly sliced cloves

• 6 cups cooking greens (cut into 3/4-inch-wide

ribbons), we use kale because kale is the best!

• 2 tablespoons water

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 4 large eggs

• finely grated Parmesan cheese

For 2 hungry people

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