Baking Adventures with Natalie

Kamut Cookies

Kamut-a new flour to our pantry. This is a simple cookie, butter, flour, sugar, salt. Super simple, and playing on butter as a flavor from both the flour and the butter itself. This is a perfect example of when you're butter really matters.  I think Pulgra butter is a perfect multi-use butter, you're only as good as your butter (no less than 84% butterfat!)

Creme de Violette Macaroons

French Caramel Lollopops

"Oreos"-Dark Chocolate-Cinnamon Wafer with Vanilla Bean Butter Cream

I love having my sister Natalie here, a perfect excuse to bake even more (not that I really need an excuse)

More Pasta, and a Scone

 Lasagna

Because we love street tacos, and because we live in LA, Tuesday's are often reserved for our version of Taco Night. Last night however, we went a different route. Since I'm on a bit of a pasta kick I thought I would make a lasagna with my new, and amazing, no stick pasta recipe. I went with a simple sauce (tomatoes, garlic, red pepper, olive oil, thyme, oregano, salt, pepper) and fresh mozzarella for the layering.  Generally, homemaking lasagna is an epic affair, with pasta sheets strewn about the kitchen. And while it did take a while to mix, knead, rest, roll, cut, pre-cook and prep the pasta, it was easily manageable on the 4 sq. ft of counter space I had. The result? Nearly perfect. great flavor, but more sauce next time. Did I tell you how much I love this pasta? We paired this with a cabbage and parsley salad with a warm pancetta and balsamic dressing and, of course, wine.

Lemon-Thyme Scones

I have to start by saying, generally, I hate scones. They are dense and dry, "alright" at best.  Considering how low cost and minimally involved they are, its pretty obvious why they are mass-produced in many commercial kitchens. But, done correctly they are light and moist, and a great vehicle for nearly endless possibilities of flavor combinations, from sweet to savory. And hey, I'm a pastry chef, I should be able to make a decent scone don't you think?  I made these in about half an hour from start to finish. And they were, super simple, and fantastic! They are so light, not even a bit dry! The only problem is, you could easily consume far too many in a mater of a few minutes. The trick is in the technique.
It's so simple, I don't understand how all scones aren't this way. This is easily one of the best scones I've ever had.
To make:
2 cups all purpose (I ran out of AP and had to use a bit of cake flour, which shouldn't hurt it, since cake flour is low in gluten, and you do not want gluten development for your extra light scones)
1 Tbsp baking powder
3 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
whatever flavoring you want. I did thyme (maybe 1/4 cup chopped) with lemon zest-from two lemons, and a bunch (a tablespoon or two) of fresh black pepper.
All above Mixed. *
Then, and here's the key. Place cubed butter (70 grams, or 5Tbsp) that you've pre-cubed and place in the fridge, COLD into the flour and mix (in stand mixer or food processor) until chunks of butter are about the size of peas (a few can be bigger, just don't over mix to take so long the butter melts).
Then, add 1 cup heavy cream, mixing until just combined, finish by hand. Mix absolutely as little as possible to avoid gluten/dense scones. *if you decide to use fruit, add it here instead of with the dry ingredients.
Shape, and bake at 425 for 15 minutes or until lightly golden brown on the edges/top. cool for 10 minutes on a rack.

Spring Kitchen Adventures

Fresh Pasta

 After a particularly obnoxious winter for most (except here!), it's beginning to finally look like spring, which means my favorite season for fruits! In particular Strawberries and Rhubarb (more on that below).
After sampling some of the best pasta destinations in the US, I finally found a recipe that I think matches every single Michelin star  establishment I've attended. It has a perfect bite, it doesn't clump. And it tastes...amazing. The dough, is admittedly a bit obnoxious to work with, but oh so worth it!

Using my kitchen aid attachment, the pasta falls cut into a pile, which normally is panic inducing as fear of each strand sticking to its neighbor is realized. But not in this case, it just sits there in a neat pile. I rarely feel this way, but I think I love this pasta. It will continue to be a staple in my home and professional ventures. Which also means I can't let you know the secret of this ideal pasta, that is, not on the internet anyway.

Strawberry Rhubarb

On another note, spring means strawberries and rhubarb!! I spent this rainy sunday preserving the season in compote form, and as per request of my resident taste-tester I also made an accompanying crumble. Simple, classic, and still a favorite. 

Cooking from French Laundry

I love cooking, clearly, but I actually rarely cook. I bake often, and throw together basic dinners nightly, but I rarely have to opportunity to try new techniques or attempt a bit more challenging applications. The French Laundry cookbook is very accesible, minus a few recipes, and one of my favorites to cook from. Luckily, I had veal and chicken stock, truffle oil, and grey salt in the kitchen, so cooking a six course meal wasn't actually that hard.

Quail Eggs

Making Fennel Oil

White Truffel English Pea Soup

Red Pepper and it's aborted fetus...

While chopping up a pepper, I found this mini pepper inside the other pepper, and it looks...exactly what the caption suggests. It was a bit upsetting.

Soft poached quail eggs with bacon

 My first time working with quail eggs, they proved a lot easier to poach than regular eggs, but essentially taste the same. This dish was pretty simple, and absolutely incredible (mentally filing for later use)

Parmesan Crisps with Goat Cheese Mousse

Fennel, Fig, and Pepper Salad

Dry Aged Rib Eye

With Chantrelles and pommes anna

Dark Chocolate Mousse Filled Meringues with Chocolate "Salad" and Vanilla Creme Anglaise 

Ridge