Revised Eclairs

 

Ingredients:

For 9 eclairs+:

Crème diplomat:
1 whole egg
1 large egg yolk, reserving egg white for the below pate a choux
1/4 t kosher salt
2 T granulated white sugar
2 T corn starch
1 c whole milk
Seeds scraped from 1 vanilla bean
2 T cold, unsalted butter, cubed
1/2 c heavy cream

Pâte à choux:
1/2 c water
1 t sugar
4 T unsalted butter
pinch salt
1/2 c flour
2 eggs, potentially + some egg white reserved from the above pastry cream
Powdered sugar for dusting (optional)

Chocolate ganache:
2 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
3 - 4 T heavy cream


Methodology:

Make the crème diplomat first:

Mix the eggs, salt, sugar and corn starch in a bowl.
Heat the milk and scraped vanilla bean seeds to scalding in a pot.
Pour about 1/2 of the milk mixture into the egg mixture, whisking vigorously.
Pour the egg mixture back into the pot with the rest of the milk and heat on low, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens.
Remove from heat and add the butter cubes, mixing constantly until the butter disappears.
Pour the pastry cream into a bowl, press plastic wrap onto the surface, and chill for at least 2 hours.

In the meantime, make the pâte à choux eclair shells:

Pre-heat the oven to 350°F.

Heat the water, butter, sugar and salt in a pot until the butter melts.
Add the flour and cook, stirring, until the mixture comes together to form a ball and pulls away from the sides of the pot.
Place the dough in a bowl and beat with a hand mixer for a minute to cool.
Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing until thoroughly blended into the dough.  The dough should form a "v" shape off the end of the hand mixer, so drops of the egg white left over from making the pastry cream, if necessary, to achieve the "v".
Scoop the dough into a piping bag fitted with large tip, and pipe 4-5 inch wands of dough onto a parchment paper covered baking sheet.
Dust lightly with powdered sugar.
Bake in an oven preheated to 350°F for 40 minutes, or until the shells are baked through.  Do not open the oven until 40 minutes have elapsed.
Once the 40 minutes have elapsed, turn off the oven.
Pierce each end of the eclairs with a skewer to allow steam to escape, and let the eclairs cool inside the propped-open oven.

Fill the eclairs:

Beat the cream to stiff peaks, beat in the pastry cream and mix thoroughly.  Place it in a pastry bag fitted with a bismark tip.

Make 2 holes in the underside of each eclair with a chopstick, each about 1/4 of the eclair's length from the ends, and enlarge the holes slightly.

Pipe the pastry cream into the eclairs, until the eclairs feel full, and pastry cream threatens to protrude from the ends.
Clean up any cream with a butter knife.

Make the ganache:

Heat the cream to steaming in a pot, and pour over the chocolate.  
Let it sit for 5 minutes, then whisk vigorously to combine.
Spoon, pour or pipe the ganache over the eclairs.

Chill for an hour, and enjoy!

Sources:
Recipe for the pastry cream: Food Wishes

Recipe for the pâte à choux: Food Wishes

Recipe for the ganache: Laura in the Kitchen

Methodology for baking and filling the shells: Home Cooking Adventure

*****Edited 4/27/2022: Changed the pastry cream to crème diplomat, and halved the recipe. Also halved the sugar, as it was terribly sweet.  Removed the instruction to open the oven after 10 minutes baking the shells. 

BORSCHT

Adapted from the SFC and Food Wishes

Ingredients:

Leftover brisket, cut into 1/4" x 3/4" pieces
Leftover onion-apple gravy
4 T leftover beef tallow, or butter, divided

Group 1:
3 large beets, peeled and cut into 3/8" cubes
3 bay leaves
3 sprigs thyme
3 yukon gold potatoes, cut into 1/4" cubes

Group 2:
4 carrots, diced
1 leek, dark and light parts cut in 1/4" slices, separated
4 stalks celery, cut in 1/4" slices

1/4 head red cabbage, cut into 1/4" x 1/2" pieces

Toppings:
Dill
Sour cream
Dark bread


Methodology:

Add 4 c water to the onion-apple gravy in a large soup-pot.  Add the bay leaves, thyme and beets and bring to simmer, cooking until the beets are firm-tender.  Add the potato and continue simmering until the vegetables are tender.

Meanwhile, saute the dark leek slices in 2 T tallow in a large lidded skillet until softened (cover with a lid for the first few minutes), then add 2 more T tallow and the carrots, leek and celery.  Saute uncovered, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are tender.

Add the group 2 veg, sliced brisket, and red cabbage to the group 1 pot.  Simmer for a few minutes, and serve topped with sour cream and dill.

This soup is also delicious served atop the leftover mashed potatoes from the previous night's brisket meal.

MICHELADAS

Ingredients:

1/4c lime juice
2 t worcestershire sauce
2 t hot sauce
1 t Maggi or soy sauce
3 t tomato paste

1 1/2 c beer (Negro Modelo)
Black pepper


Methodology:

Mix the first 5 ingredients well.  Pour the mixture into two chilled glasses, top with the beer and a few grinds of fresh pepper, stir to blend.

STICKY TOFU

 Adapted from Good Housekeeping

Ingredients:

14 oz extra firm tofu

1 T oil

1/4 t kosher salt

2 T soy sauce

2 T oyster sauce

2 t sambal oelek

1 t smoked paprika, optional 

Methodology:

Heat oven to 450° F.

Gently squeeze the block of tofu, and break it apart into small pieces onto an oiled sheet pan, and toss with the oil and salt.  Roast in the oven for 15 minutes. 

Mix the soy sauce, oyster sauce, and sambal oelek together, and pour over the tofu.  Toss, and roast for another 2-5 minutes, or until the sauce has evaporated, and the tofu is lightly browned. 

Toss with the smoked paprika, and serve. 

FRESH TOMATO HERB SALAD DRESSING

Ingredients:

1/2 garlic clove, mashed
1 small tomato, diced
1/4 t herbamare seasoning
1 1/2 t chopped fresh herbs, such as tarragon, thyme, oregano, parsley
1/2 t dijon mustard
1/2 t sugar
splash of white wine
white wine vinegar
olive oil

This is lovely over a green salad, but also excellent spooned over broiled belgian endives or steamed green beans.