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.

SMALL HONEY CAKE

 Miniaturized from Food Wishes

To make one 6" cake with 10 layers

Ingredients:

170g honey (1/2c), caramelized to one shade darker, with 2T cold water added to stop caramelization

Cake batter:

66g butter (4T + 2t)

67g granulated sugar (1/3c)

113g caramelized honey (1/3c)

2 eggs, cold

scant t baking soda (5/6t)

1/4t salt

1/3t cinnamon

160g flour (1 1/4c)

Frosting:

1 1/3c heavy cream

1/4 c sour cream

57g caramelized honey (1/6c)

Methodology

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Melt the butter, sugar and honey in a saucepan slowly over a very low flame.  When the mixture is very warm, crack in the eggs and whisk well to combine.  Continue heating the mixture until it gets very warm again.

Whisk in the baking soda, salt and cinnamon.

Sift in the flour in 3 additions, stirring well until batter is smooth. 

Spread ~1/4 c batter into 6" rounds, 3 per parchment paper covered baking sheet.  Bake 6-7 minutes, or until golden brown.  Remove from the baking sheet, and cool on a wire rack, still on the parchment paper. 

Any remaining batter, spread out in small empty spots on the parchment paper, as it will be used for the crumb topping. 

Trim the cake rounds using a template and a sharp knife. Chop the extra cake pieces and trimmings, and put them back in the oven to get very golden brown (watch carefully, as they burn quickly), checking after 4 minutes.

Crush the toasted trimmings to a fine crumby powder and reserve.

Beat the cream to soft peaks.  Add the sour cream and remaining honey, and continue beating to stiff peaks. 

Anchor a square of parchment paper on a plate with frosting.  Top with a round of cake and generously spread with cream.  Repeat until all layers of cake have been used.  Cover the sides of the cake with frosting, and top with crumbs, allowing the crumbs to bounce off your hand to cover the sides of the cake.

Cover well and refrigerate at least 8 hours, or overnight.

BASIC SOURDOUGH LOAF

 Adapted from The Perfect Loaf

9:00 LEVAIN:
19g mature starter
19g whole wheat flour (or spelt)
19g bread flour (or rye)
38g water

13:00 AUTOLYSE:
386g bread flour
57g whole wheat flour
26g rye flour (or spelt)
326g water


14:00 MIX:
9g sea salt

levain

autolyse

14:10-18:10+ BULK FERMENTATION

rice flour

cloth lined bowl or brotform

Perform 4 sets of stretch and folds, or other folds, each separated by 30 minutes.  Shape, cover, and allow to ferment in a rice flour dusted, cloth lined bowl or brotform until the dough jiggles.  Place in the fridge to continue fermenting overnight.

 

The next morning:

large dutch oven

cornmeal

parchment paper

lame or razor blade

spray bottle

baking sheet

Arrange your oven racks so that they are on the two lowest settings.  Preheat the oven with the dutch oven inside, to 425°F for at least an hour.  

Remove the dough from the fridge, turn it out onto a parchment lined plate, and score it.

Remove the dutch oven from the oven - carefully! - and remove the lid.  Sprinkle a layer of cornmeal on the bottom, place the parchment with the dough on top, spray around the edge with water, and close the lid.  Replace in the oven and bake for 25 minutes.

Remove the dutch oven lid - carefully, avoiding hot steam! - and place a baking sheet on the lower rack.  Turn the oven down to 400°F, and bake for an additional 20 minutes, or until the bread is well browned.

Allow the bread to cool completely (this takes a number of hours!) before cutting into it, otherwise the steam will escape, causing the bread to dry out and become gummy. 

Slice and freeze, then toast and enjoy!

SOBA NOODLES WITH SESAME SEEDS

 Adapted from Nigella Lawson

Serves 2

Ingredients:

30g sesame seeds

2T soy sauce

2t rice vinegar

2t honey

2t sesame oil

2 scallions, sliced thinly on the diagonal

100g soba noodles (cooked and blanched according to package instructions)

Methodology:

Toast the sesame seeds in a dry pan over high heat, tossing frequently, until they turn golden brown, and start making popping sounds.

Mix the vinegar, soy sauce, honey and sesame oil, until the honey is dissolved.  Add the scallions, sesame seeds, and the cool, drained noodles.  Mix thoroughly, and let stand for half an hour, to allow the noodles to absorb some of the dressing.  

OVEN ROASTED FISH WITH BOK CHOY

 From Bon Appetit

Ingredients:

2 T olive oil

1 lb baby bok choy (2 or 3 bunches), cut in half lengthwise

1/2 c sake or dry white wine

4 4-oz fillets flounder (or tai snapper, etc, up to 1/2" thick)

2 scallions, thinly sliced

1/4 c coarsely chopped cilantro

1/4 c fresh lime juice

3 T soy sauce

2 T rice vinegar

2 t finely minced ginger

Methodology:

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Heat oil in large pot or skillet over high heat until shimmering.  Add bok choy, cut side down, and sear until golden brown, 2-4 minutes.  Remove pan from heat and flip bok choy cut side up.  Add sake.  Arrange fillets in single layer over the bok choy (skin side down).  Roast in oven until fish is just cooked through, 8-10 minutes. 

Meanwhile, mix remaining ingredients together to form cilantro lime sauce.

Spoon sake broth from pan into the bottom of 4 shallow bowls.  Top with bok choy and fish.  Spoon some cilantro lime sauce over the fish, and serve more alongside for drizzling.

Serve with steamed rice.

SEARED DUCK BREAST WITH PAN SAUCE

 Recipe adapted from the Field Company instagram page

Ingredients:

1 full duck breast (comprising 2 halves), skin scored with a sharp blade

3 garlic cloves, crushed

Sauce:

1 T balsamic vinegar

1 t dijon mustard

1 t honey

1/2 c dry rosé or white wine 

salt + pepper

2 T butter

Methodology:

Pat the duck breasts dry, season, and place them skin side down in a cool skillet.  Weigh them down with another skilled, if possible.  Place the skillet over low heat and cook the breasts for ~7 minutes, or until they're beautifully golden brown (takes a few more minutes, sometimes, but check often).  Flip and sear for another 2 or 3 minutes, then remove to a plate to rest.

Spoon out all but 1 T of duck fat (reserve for cooking potatoes, etc), and add in the garlic.  Stir for 20 seconds, just until it smells fragrant, and deglaze the pan with the sauce ingredients, as well as any accumulated juices from the resting duck.  Simmer until the sauce has reduced and is glossy.  Remove from heat and swirl in the butter. 

___

Note: the original recipe used the sauce ingredients to marinate the duck, and then cooked them into a sauce as well.  I never have time to marinate, so I skip this step.

PLAY-DOUGH

 Recipe adapted from I Heart Naptime

Makes a small amount of dough (follow amounts at end of line for full recipe)

Ingredients:

1/2 C  flour                   (2 C)
3 T      salt                     (3/4 C)
1 t       cream of tartar   (4 t)

1/2 C  water                  (2 C)

1/2 T  coconut oil         (2 T)

Methodology:

Mix dry ingredients in a pan, whisk in wet ingredients (and 5+ drops of color, if making only one color) and heat gently over medium low heat, stirring with a rubber spatula until the dough thickens and forms a ball.  Remove from heat and cool.  Separate and knead in colors now, if making multiple colors.