Tasked to write a recipe for a dear friend (Shirley Bovshow), I wanted to make sure I was accurate in referencing her heritage. We spoke about the foods she grew up eating, and I incorporated those into a new take on classic baked beans.
Cooking oils vary not only in flavor, but also in practicality. There isn't one oil that's best for every job in the kitchen, so you may as well familiarize yourself with the options! From frying to baking and everything in between, here are the best choices.
Want the secret to a killer party trick? Buy a pound of dry ice and make your guests instant soft serve ice cream after dinner, then toss your hair over your shoulder and say, "Oh, this? It's nothing." Dry ice is frozen carbon dioxide and reaches dangerously low temperatures (-109 degrees!), which is perfect for making icy desserts.
Sucrose is sucrose, but what that powerful chemical compound is wrapped in makes a huge difference. Check out this explanation of the various sugars that are available to you for baking and cooking!
Sugar has withstood much slander of late, and I am tempted to defend it in some sense. Yes, sugar is problematic in the human diet, but not solely because of its chemical structure. You see, we are abusing it. We are junkies. We are addicts. And so I present, not a defense, but an exploration of sugar. Knowledge is power, information is delicious. Eat. Think. Be Merry.
A cake I've long pined for, now solidly in my arsenal of treats. It took me a while to attempt this cake (for no good reason), I hesitated to tackle its structure and chemistry. Suffice it to say, there are few things as delightful as a cake soaked in milk.
My pursuits of the perfect Saag have taken me far and wide. I’ve tried many a recipe in my kitchen, some my own, some belonging to those far more well-versed in Indian cooking. My pursuits have brought forth this dish, reminiscent of the saag at my favorite Indian restaurant, but tweaked for my Brooklyn kitchen. Instead of spinach I used rainbow chard because it was local, fresh and calling to me with jewel-toned legs amidst the shrubbery of the produce aisle. Two bunches may look like a lot when you stick it in your cart, but chard (like every leafy green) cooks down to nothing. Ergo, buy more than you think you need.
PARTY
2 bunches Rainbow Chard
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
1 inch Ginger, peeled and minced
1 tablespoon Mustard Seed
½ tablespoon Amchur (or the pit of one mango)
3-5 Cardomom Pods (depending on your affinity for the scent)
1 teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon Black Pepper
½ cup Coconut Milk
BUSINESS
Strip the leaves of chard from their jewel-toned stems. Reserve the stems for making veggie stock, we will not be using them in this recipe. Stack the leaves of chard and roll them into a fat, tight cigar. Slicing across the roll, cut the chard into strips. Set the ribbons aside.
In a large stock pot or wok heat the oil over medium-high heat until rippling.
Add the ginger and saute for 3-5 minutes, or until it is golden brown.
Add the mustard seeds and amchur (or the mango pit) and immediately put a lid on the pot. The seeds will start to pop and without a lid your kitchen will be covered in tiny little black spots. I repeat, put a lid on it.
When the popping dies down (after about a minute or two), open the lid and stuff the chard into the pot.
Add the cardomom pods, salt and pepper and stir everything to combine.
Continue to stir as the chard wilts and pour in the coconut milk.
Put the lid back on the pot, drop the heat to low and simmer for 15-20 minutes.
Remove the lid and continue to simmer for another 5 minutes, or until the leaves are tender and the milk has thickened slightly.
