Tarte Tatin

Recipe: Tarte Tatin
Page: 265
Date Cooked: October 26, 2011

Recently, I went apple picking at a local farm in Central PA. Of course I went a little crazy and picked more apples than a single person would ever need. Accordingly, apple recipes ensued. So when I came across the apple recipe in "A Great American Cook," I knew it was the perfect time to make it.

Ingredients: Jonagold apples, sugar, unsalted butter, Quick Puff Pastry (not shown), and vanilla ice cream

I peeled and cored the apples, and then cut them in half (from the stem to the bottom end). Jonathan Waxman also suggests trimming the apple bottoms so that they stand up - but I found that it wasn't necessary to do this and that the apples stood up regardless (see picture later). I also combined the sugar and butter in the skillet and cooked it until the mixture became a light caramel color.

Left: Peeled, cored, and halved apples
Right: The beginning of the caramel

Once the caramel-butter sauce was ready, I began adding the apples by lining them up around the perimeter of the pan. I continued making concentric circle until all the apples were used up. I then allowed the apples to cook for a few minutes.

Concentric circles of apples cooking

In the meantime, I rolled out the puff pastry. Earlier, I traced the circumference of the cast-iron skillet onto a piece of parchment paper. Accordingly, I used this as a guide to cut out a round of the puff pastry; keeping a little extra for some overlap. Finally, I picked the pastry all over with a fork and placed it in the fridge for a few minutes.

1. Tracing circumference of skillet
2. Cutting out round of puff pastry
3. Puff pastry with fork pricks

I then set the pastry over the apple-filled skillet and placed it in the oven to bake. I knew the tart was ready once the pastry turned a deep golden brown.

Baking the tart

Now to the hardest part...inverting the skillet. As you might know, a cast iron skillet is incredibly heavy, almost 8 pounds. So the idea of flipping the tart over onto a plate was incredibly daunting. Luckily, I had some help. But even figuring out the logistics of how best to accomplish the flip was quite humorous. Anywho...the tart was flipped onto a large platter and the skillet sat on the platter for a few minutes before lifting it off. And though the apples slid to one side a little bit, the pattern was still evident.

Left: Inverted skillet
Right: Finished product

Finally, it was ready to eat. I cut slices of the tart and served it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream (JW also suggests serving it with créme fraîche).

Tarte Tatin

I think the Tarte Tatin was delicious. Jonathan Waxman mentions that he "[struggled] to make a tart that wasn't too sweet or too heavy." And I think he accomplished it beautifully. And the recipe itself required little work. Like I mentioned earlier, the hardest part was inverting an eight pound cast iron skillet. 


However, I have to make mention of the Quick Puff Pastry. The last time I reviewed the quick puff pastry was for the Chocolate Espresso Tart recipe and I didn't have very nice words to say about it. I mentioned it being too thick and difficult to eat. This time around, I didn't have that problem at all! And the funny part is I was aware that the puff pastry would be different this time around as I was making it. I was more in tune with getting the initial soft dough texture. Furthermore, I worked quickly with butter and easily got that brick shape. I guess I owe the puff pastry recipe an apology.


Overall, I think the Tarte Tatin was quite delicious and I definitely think I would make it again. However, I may experiment with a lighter skillet the next time around.

Enjoy!

Brick Chicken with Rosé Wine, Peas, and Bacon

Recipe: Brick Chicken with Rosé Wine, Peas, and Bacon
Page: 146
Date Cooked: October 23, 2011

I was incredibly intrigued by this recipe. I mean not only did I have to go to the grocery store for ingredients, I had to stop at Home Depot as well. So the idea behind brick chicken is to butterfly the chicken and use the brick to weigh it down while cooking in order to achieve incredibly crispy skin while retaining the moisture of the product.

Ingredients: Free-range chicken, olive oil, salt, pepper, bacon, rosé wine, peas, sage, and butter

The last time I worked with chicken for this project, I mentioned being somewhat intimidated by using a whole chicken. This time around I actually do more than just roast it, I had to butterfly the chicken. This step was so much simpler than I had anticipated. All I had to do was use a pair of sharp kitchen shears and remove the backbone. With the backbone removed, I opened the bird out and flattened it as much as possible using my hands...voilà...butterflied chicken. I patted the bird dry, rubbed it down with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and set it aside.

Butterflied chicken with removed backbone

I cooked the diced bacon with some olive oil in a Dutch oven until the bacon was golden. I then removed it with a slotted spoon and placed it on a paper-towel lined plate to drain.

Cooking bacon

I then put the butterflied chicken into the Dutch oven, skin side down. I also placed the foil-wrapped brick on the chicken to achieve that crispy skin.

Left: Brick
Right: Foil-wrapped brick on top of butterflied chicken

After some time, I took the brick off the chicken, added the rosé, brought the liquid to boil, and let the chicken cook all the way through. I then removed the fully cooked chicken from the pan, used kitchen shears to cut it into about six pieces, and then placed the chicken back into the pan.

Left: Chicken in rosé
Right: Fully cooked chicken in pieces 

I stirred in the bacon, peas, sage, and butter for a few minutes till all the ingredients blended. Finally, the dish was ready to eat.

Brick Chicken with Rosé Wine, Peas, and Bacon

This dish delivered everything it promised and more. I could not get over how amazing the chicken was. You got that perfect crisp skin along with beautifully succulent chicken. Pairing it with peas and bacon was brilliant. The bacon provided additional fat that the chicken didn't have. On the other hand, the peas provided a well-needed lightness and truly balanced the dish. I even want to go as far and say, the rosé added some sweetness while also cutting the fat of the bacon. I also enjoyed the addition of the sage. I believe sage is that perfect winter herb and on that cold night, it was just right. This recipe allowed each ingredient the opportunity to shine.

I truly enjoyed this meal. I am seriously wondering if there is a better way to cook chicken. All I know is, I'm glad I have a brick on hand from here on out.

Enjoy!

Mixed Peppers and Onions

Recipe: Mixed Peppers and Onions
Page: 248
Date Cooked: October 17, 2011

I had some leftover bell peppers and wasn't sure what to do with them and this seemed to be a great, easy, and simple recipe to try out.

Ingredients: Assorted bell peppers, olive oil, salt, pepper, sweet onion, garlic, and jalapeno chile

This recipe encompassed roasting the peppers. So I stemmed, seeded, and quartered the bell peppers. I placed the peppers on a baking sheet along with some olive oil, water, salt, and pepper. The bell peppers roasted until tender.

Roasting bell peppers

In the meantime, I diced the onion, minced the jalapeno (after seeding it), and minced the garlic. I heated olive oil in a skillet and cooked the onion, jalapeno, and garlic for a few minutes.

Cooking the onion, jalapeno, and garlic

Finally, I placed the roasted bell peppers in a bowl, added the onion mixture, and tossed well. I seasoned it to taste and it was ready to eat.

Mixed Peppers and Onions

When I read the title of this recipe, I immediately assumed it would just be bell pepper and onions sliced lengthwise and sauteed. But this was quite different. I liked that the peppers were kept in quarters. And it looked quite beautiful in the bowl. Overall, the dish was fine. Nothing to write home about but good.

Enjoy!

Fettuccine with Cremini Mushrooms and Onion Marmalade

Recipe: Fettuccine with Cremini Mushrooms and Onion Marmalade
Page: 126
Date Cooked: October 14, 2011

Mushroom production is actually centered here in Pennsylvania. So after a few major rains, I knew the grocery stores would be fully stocked of mushrooms and it would be a perfect time for a mushroom based recipe.

Ingredients: Red onions, butter, salt, pepper, Pinot Noir, rosemary, parsley, cremini mushrooms, garlic, dry sherry, and dried fettuccine

The first step was the onion marmalade. I sliced the onions into thin slices and melted butter in a pan. I added the onions along with salt and pepper and allowed it to carmelize. I then added the wine to the pan and let it reduce for a bit. Finally, I stirred in the herbs and covered the pan to keep the mixture warm.

Making Onion Marmalade

Next it was on to the fettuccine with cremini mushrooms. I submerged the mushrooms into a bowl of cold water and let it sit for a bit. I found it funny that JW made a note about how people seem to be vehemently opposed to washing mushrooms. So much so, he states the following: "In truth, what happens in the forest? Doesn't it rain?" And I agree with him. It is a simple way of getting rid of most of the dirt and much faster than wiping them individually.

Submerged mushrooms

After the mushrooms soaked, I drained them on paper towels, and patted them dry. I then halved the mushrooms and minced the garlic.

Left: Halved mushrooms Right: Minced garlic

I melted some butter into a deep pan, added the garlic, and cooked till it was a light brown. I then added in the mushrooms along with salt and pepper; and let it simmer until a little liquid from the mushrooms were released. I included the sherry and allowed the mushrooms to cook for a few minutes longer.

Cooking the cremini mushrooms

Finally, I cooked the fettuccine until al dente and reserved some of the cooking water. I added the pasta along with the cooking water to the reheated marmalade and tossed well. I plated the fettuccine and topped it with the mushrooms and some black pepper.

Fettuccine with Cremini Mushrooms and Onion Marmalade

So I have mixed feelings about this recipe. The flavors were all solid. I enjoyed the marmalade and the cremini mushrooms. Everything worked well together but it was a little on the dry side. However, I had some leftovers the following day and the dish was amazing. Not dry at all. The flavors were much more intense and overall delicious.

Since I had two experiences that were quite different, I'm not sure how to rate this recipe. I wouldn't completely rule it out but I suppose I would have to think of a few changes.

Enjoy!

Sesame-Crusted Goat Cheese Cakes on Greens

Recipe: Sesame-Crusted Goat Cheese Cakes on Greens
Page: 75
Date Cooked: October 12, 2011

When I first purchased this cookbook and began flipping through it. The picture associated with this recipe completely stood out to me. The contrast between with the black and white sesame seeds is really striking and I was excited to see how it would turn out for myself.

Ingredients: White sesame seeds, black sesame seeds, salt, pepper, unsalted butter, shallots, olive oil, sherry vinegar, sesame oil, olive oil, soft goat cheese, basil, and mesclun

The first item of business was to get items toasted and roasted. I placed the white and black sesame seeds on a baking sheet and toasted them in the oven for a few minutes. Afterward I sprinkled them with some salt and pepper. Furthermore, I placed unpeeled shallots, melted butter, olive oil, and salt onto some parchment paper - which was then folded into a double folded packet. The packet was put into the oven and shallots roasted until tender. Once the shallots roasted and cooled, I peeled them and left them whole.

Left: Toasted sesame seeds Right: Packet of shallots

Then it was on to the vinaigrette. I put some sherry vinegar into a bowl and whisked in the sesame oil, olive oil, and shallot oil (from the parchment packet). I also stirred in the shallots and seasoned with salt and pepper.

Vinaigrette

I brushed a baking sheet with olive oil and then began preparing the got cheese cakes. I placed the white sesame seeds in one bowl and the black sesame seeds in another. I cut the goat cheese into small rounds and rolled half of the round in the white sesame seeds and the other half in the black sesame seeds. I put the goat cheese cakes on the baking sheet and allowed them to warm in the oven for a few minutes.

Left: Goat cheese cake assembly Right: Two-toned goat cheese cake

I shred the basil and combined it with the mesclun. I then tossed the greens with the vinaigrette to coat it lightly. Finally, I laid the greens on a plate and placed the goat cheese cakes on top.

Sesame-Crusted Goat Cheese Cakes on Greens

Everything about this dish just worked. The textural contrast between the goat cheese and the sesame seeds was great. The sherry vinegar based vinaigrette played off nicely with the goat cheese. And the greens lent a sense of lightness to the heavy taste of goat cheese.

Rolling the cakes in the two colored sesame seeds was a little harder than I expected. You have to work quickly because the warmth of your fingers makes the goat cheese even softer. However, I felt that even if I had mixed the two colors together, the dish would remain visually pleasing.

I do want to make a note here that JW's vinaigrette recipes have been spot on! I could not get enough of that vinaigrette, it was sooo good. It makes eating greens and salads more interesting and somewhat new again. And I really appreciate that.

Overall, I think it was a beautiful salad. I know some people aren't the biggest fan of goat cheese but I think this recipe helps cut that richness and may change some minds.

Enjoy!

Potato Skins with Potato Salad

Recipe: Potato Skins with Potato Salad
Page: 26
Date Cooked: October 8, 2011

Given this project, I try to make a recipe whenever I can. So when I hosted a college football viewing party (GO GATORS!) I made sure to look through JW's A Great American Cook to find a good game day recipe and I think this was it. According to Waxman this is a take on "modern American food," so why not place it in the context of a modern American college football party.

Ingredients: Russet potatoes, corn oil, salt, pepper, scallions, garlic, sherry vinegar, olive oil, red wine vinegar, and red cabbage

The first item of business was to roast the potatoes. I pricked them all over with a fork and placed them in the oven until tender. After the potatoes roasted and I let them cool for a bit, I cut them in half and scooped out the pulp.

Left: Roasted potatoes Right: Potato skins with pulp

I then tossed the potato skins in some corn oil, salt, and pepper. I placed them on a baking sheet and put them back in the oven until golden brown. While the potato skins baked, I minced the scallions and garlic and stirred them into the bowl of potatoes along with the sherry vinegar and olive oil.

1. Minced scallions 2. Minced garlic 3. Potato salad

Furthermore, I whisked the red wine and some olive oil together in a bowl and tossed in the shredded cabbage and seasoned with salt and pepper. I placed the cabbage on a platter and then stuffed the potato salad into the warm skins and put it on the plate.

Potato Skins with Potato Salad

I think when many people (including myself) think of potato skins, you assume cheese and bacon. Or an overall sense of heaviness. These potato skins were the complete opposite of that very idea. It was a light side dish that worked well. The potato salad was tart - probably from the sherry vinegar - but it yummy. It was light and had a lot of flavor. On to the potato skin itself.... I personally love the skin of a potato and always eat it. I think they were totally fine, nothing out of the ordinary. But JW's cooking times were spot on! The surprise component of the dish was the red cabbage coleslaw on the bottom. I thought it was soo flavorful. I ended up eating the extra just on its own.

Overall it was an OK dish. I wasn't disappointed nor was I overly enthusiastic. But it was good and tasty.

Enjoy!

Roast Chicken and Scallion Sandwich with Warm Mayonnaise

Recipe: Roast Chicken and Scallion Sandwich with Warm Mayonnaise
Page: 108
Date Cooked: October 2, 2011

You know the feeling one gets after you cook a great meal and are incredibly satisfied? You begin to clean up,  realize you have an exorbitant amount of leftovers, and try to think of ways to use whatever is left. Well, one big reason why I like this recipe so much is that it gave me the opportunity to use my leftovers from the previous post.

Ingredients: lemon, scallions, olive oil, egg yolks, capers, salt, pepper, ciabatta, shredded meat from perfect roast chicken with mashed potatoes, and spinach, and chives

Since one major component (the roast chicken) of the sandwich is already taken care, the other component is the warm mayonnaise. Now I've made mayonnaise a number of times as I've cooked through this cookbook. However, the technique was very different this time around. It was the first time, JW called for the use of a double boiler. Accordingly, I put a few inches of water in a pan to simmer for a bit. I then whisked the lemon juice, egg yolks, and some olive oil together into another pan. I set the smaller pan on top of the larger pan and continued to whisk as I slowly added olive oil. I continued doing this just until I got a soft, fluffy mayonnaise. Afterward, I removed the pan from the heat, stirred in the capers and chopped scallions, and seasoned with salt and pepper.

Process of making warm mayonnaise

I then split the ciabatta horizontally and placed it under the broiler to toast. In the meantime, I combined the chicken with the mayonnaise.

Left: Sliced ciabatta Right: Chicken mixed with scallion mayonnaise

Once the ciabatta was toasted, I spread the chicken mixture over the bread and sprinkled it with chives. Furthermore, I followed Jonathan Waxman's suggestion to serve it open faced.

Roast Chicken and Scallion Sandwich with Warm Mayonnaise

This sandwich was a perfect way to use up some leftover roasted chicken. But the difficult part is that I can't decide what component made the sandwich so good. First off, I loved the roast chicken from the previous recipe. Secondly, this mayonnaise recipe was really great. It had the perfect amount of acidity. Also, the scallions and capers really gave it a great texture. Since I can't decide between the two, I have to conclude it was the combination.

All in all, I highly recommend the sandwich. It wasn't chicken salad. It wasn't just mayonnaise with chicken. It was a "Roast Chicken and Scallion Sandwich with Warm Mayonnaise."

Enjoy!

Perfect Roast Chicken with Mashed Potatoes and Spinach

Recipe: Perfect Roast Chicken with Mashed Potatoes and Spinach
Page: 148
Date Cooked: September 30, 2011

"Roast chicken is the cornerstone of the basic recipes, but it holds its own against any complicated, expensive dish. It's a universal standard." - Jonathan Waxman. That quote really says it all. The recipe is basic, yet holds its own. I had never roasted a whole chicken prior to this recipe. I've been somewhat intimidated by the idea of buying a whole bird (other than during Thanksgiving) and roasting it for myself. However, I was quite happy with the results.

Free-range/corn-fed/naturally raised chicken, salt, pepper, olive oil, yellow Finn potatoes, garlic, butter, and spinach

Well the recipe is called "Perfect Roast Chicken," so I started with the chicken. I removed the gizzards and any extra fat, rinsed the chicken, patted it dry, and then salted, peppered, and rubbed the chicken (inside and out) with olive oil. I placed the bird into a pan and put it in a hot oven to roast. Making sure to baste it ever 5 minutes.

The basting part was a bit tedious, and the oven was really hot! I didn't realize it till now but the intro to the recipe warns of this. JW advises you to wear long oven mitts and to use a large soup spoon rather than a plastic baster. I didn't have a plastic baster and did indeed use a large soup spoon and it worked just fine.

Left: Chicken salted, peppered, and rubbed down with olive oil Right: Roasted chicken

While the chicken roasted I worked on the side dishes - the potatoes and the spinach. First, I scrubbed the potatoes and cut them into pieces. I put the potatoes along with water, garlic cloves, and salt into a large saucepan. The contents were brought to a boil and then remained on simmer until the potatoes were tender. Second, I drained the water from the saucepan but reserved the starchy potato cooking water. Third, I returned the potatoes and garlic to the pan and added butter, olive oil, and some of the potato water. Finally, I mashed the potatoes and salt and peppered to taste.

1. Potatoes, garlic, and salt 2. Potatoes and garlic with reserved potato cooking water 3. Mashed potatoes

After its stint in the oven, I removed the chicken and allowed it to rest for a few minutes. It was during these last few minutes that I focused on the spinach. I melted butter in a pan, added garlic cloves, and cooked until brown. I discarded the garlic, added the spinach, and cooked until wilted (really just a few minutes).

Left: Browning the garlic Right: Cooking the spinach

The only thing left to do was to carve the chicken and plate....

Perfect Roast Chicken with Mashed Potatoes and Spinach

I say this from time to time and find it necessary to say it once again. I didn't grow up with the all-around typical American meal, a good reason for why I chose this particular cookbook. Having said that, this felt like an "American" meal. Perhaps it was the simplicity of the ingredients or the typical sides - mashed potatoes and spinach.

I made this on a really cold and rainy night here in Central PA and it worked perfectly for that occasion. I was really happy with the meal. Nothing was out there or really all that new and different. It was comforting. Yet, I was super excited about the chicken. First off, no longer will a whole chicken scare me ever again! Secondly, it was cooked perfectly. I really appreciate the simplicity of cooking an item in just salt, pepper, and olive oil/butter. You get to taste the ingredient at hand. The chicken was the main event of the plate and it tasted like it too.

Overall, it was a great recipe. I can see myself making this again. It required little effort but had a pretty big payoff.

Enjoy!

Tuna Carpaccio

Recipe: Tuna Carpaccio
Page: 34
Date Cooked: September 28, 2011

So I've made one other carpaccio (Beef Carpaccio with Warm Potato Salad) from Jonathan Waxman's cookbook and was very much pleased. However, in no way would I compare this carpaccio to the other. While JW makes the claim that tuna has an "intrinsic beefy texture and almost meaty flavor" (a statement I agree with), at the end of the day the two products are very different.

Ingredients: Tuna, lime, olive oil, egg yolks, rice wine vinegar, whole-grain mustard, salt, pepper, cucumber, red bell pepper, yellow bell pepper, green bell pepper, and chives

As with any carpaccio, you want the freshest and most color appropriate piece of meat (or in this case, fish). In order to make slicing the tuna a bit easier, I placed the package in the freezer. After its stint in the freezer, I sliced the tuna into equal pieces and placed a single piece on lightly oiled parchment paper, and pounded it lightly. I followed suit with the remained pieces. I then placed the tuna, still in the parchment paper, in the fridge while I continued prepping the rest of the ingredients.

Left: Sliced tuna Right: Carpaccio-ed tuna in oiled parchment paper

Then it was on to making the mayonnaise. I juiced the lime and whisked it together with the rice wine vinegar, mustard, and egg yolks. I then slowly added the olive oil, while continuing to blend, until the mayonnaise emulsified. I continued to add the olive oil until the mixture was light and fluffy. Finally, I seasoned the mayo with some salt and pepper. The best part of course was that my mayonnaise accomplishment from last time was not a fluke! Yes...I did it again!

Left: Egg yolk mixture and olive oil Right: Mayonnaise

With the mayonnaise out of the way, I began slicing and dicing. I peeled the cucumber and cut it into a fine julienne and also diced the red, green, and yellow bell peppers.

Left: Julienned cucumber Right: Diced green, red, and yellow bell peppers

Finally, I was ready to plate. I tossed the cucumber strips in some of the mayonnaise and put it in the plate. I then took the tuna out of the fridge and placed it on top of the cucumber, placing a bit of the mayo on top of each slice of tuna. Lastly, I sprinkled the assortment of bell peppers along with some chopped chives on top.

Tuna Carpaccio

I couldn't get over how visually stimulating this dish was on the plate. When you look at it you realize nothing is the same color and it really is quite beautiful. Heck, I think my picture here rivals the one in the book itself. The best part....it tasted just as good as it looked. It was exquisitely light yet very filling. The freshness of the tuna rang throughout every bite. But the crunch from the bell peppers gave a perfect textural contrast. And the lime in the mayonnaise provided the perfect amount of acidity. Furthermore, the plate looks quite intricate, but is actually very simple.

I loved this dish and enjoyed every bite. JW makes note of replacing the cucumber for jicama in the winter time, and it looks like I may have to try that.

Enjoy!