Cherry Pistachio Crisp (for two)

I'm a bit behind on my posts, partly because the photos for this dish were on Brent's iphone but mainly because of sheer laziness on my part.  Last weekend Brent and I went to a whopping 5 grocery stores (Trader Joes, Safeway, Ballard Market, Ranch 99, Grocery Outlet) searching for certain ingredients.  After all that running around we had finally purchased everything to make shui mai, our favorite dim sum dish.  In the process, we managed to stock our fridge and freezer full of miscellaneous goodies that were either on sale or just difficult to find, including frozen SOFT-SHELL CRABS and LIVE LOUISIANA BLUE CRABS!  A blog on soft-shell crab po-boys will definitely be coming soon.  We also came home with pistachios and sweet Rainier cherries.  While out and about, we stopped by Ross, because it happens to be next door to Grocery Outlet where I found a set of 6 creme brulee dishes for $4.  What's great about this trip is that I now had all the ingredients for a Cherry Pistachio Crisp and a reason to use my new dishes.

Cherry crisps are much better using sour cherries, but because that's not what I had in the fridge I didn't use them.  Also, while this recipe makes servings for 8, you can definitely reduce it by a factor of 4, making it a serving for two. 

SOUR CHERRY-PISTACHIO CRISP

- adapted from Martha Stewart's The New Classics Cookbook

- serves 8

Ingredients:

* 2 3/4 pounds pitted fresh or frozen sour cherries (I used sweet Rainier cherries)

* 1/4 cup chopped unsalted shelled pistachios  (If using salted ones, rinse with water and dry them before chopping) 

* 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

* 1/3 cup old-fashioned rolled oats

* 1/4 teaspoon baking powder

* 1/4 teaspoon plus a pinch salt

* 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

* 3 tablespoons packed light-brown sugar (dark brown sugar can be used, it will just be a bit difficult to tell when the crisp is ready to be removed from the oven)

* 3/4 cup granulated sugar (or Splenda)

* 2 teaspoons cornstarch

* Pinch of ground cinnamon

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  
2. If using frozen cherries, spread them in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet.  Let stand at room temperature until cherries have thawed almost completely but still hold their shape, about 30 minutes.  Drain off any accumulated liquid.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the pistachios, flour, oats, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
4. In a large mixing bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed mix the butter, brown sugar, and 1/4 cup of granulated sugar until creamy.
5. Stir (with a spoon) the pistachio mixture into the butter mixture until just combined.  (Careful not to over-stir).  Work the mixture through your fingers until it forms coarse crumbs ranging in size from small peas to gumballs, set topping aside.
6. In a medium bowl, stir together the cherries, remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt.
7. Transfer the cherry mixture to an 8-in. square baking dish, or into 8 individual oven-safe dishes (creme brulee dishes).
8. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the cherry mixture.
9. Bake until the topping turns golden and the juices are bubbling, 50 minutes to 1 hour.
10. Let cool on a wire rack 1 hour before serving.
11. Serve with a side of ice cream.
    

Italian Strawberry Rum Cake

So Brent and I started our long holiday weekend off with a trip to Bellevue to try the dim sum at Top Gun.  While the food was tasty, my favorite dim sum restaurant remains to be Harbor City in the International District. Am I another online restaurant critic? No, but I thought for this blog I should tell you about what led to my making this particular cake.  So after brunch, we headed to Factoria Mall, which is really not a mall by any standards, but it was nearby and I'm always up for hunting for a deal.  Anyhow, so we end up at T.J. Maxx, where I purchase my first sifter ever!!! among other baking pans and supplies.  We arrived home, new sifter-in-hand, and I remembered that I had purchased strawberries last week at Trader Joe's.  What is better way to get rid of some strawberries than to make strawberry cake?  

If you read my first post about Chocolate Florentine Cookies you would know that the strawberry cake at Angelo Brocato's is a mouthful of perfection.  What you wouldn't know is that it is soaked in rum (and I believe amaretto).  I just happened to have some rum in our liquor cabinet but no amaretto.  Even without the amaretto, still a delicious cake overall.  I almost always bake/cook with a half splenda / half natural sugar; however, next time for this cake I would stick with straight sugar.

****DIFFICULTY LEVEL:  This cake is fairly difficult to make so follow the instructions carefully.  Also, this cake takes about 3 hours to prepare with an additional 4 hours of chilling time needed in between.  If you attempt to make this, consider preparing the pasticciera cream the night before.****

ITALIAN STRAWBERRY RUM CAKE
- adapted from Recipezaar No. 65363
- makes one 9" double-layer cake
- takes about 6-7 hours to make

Ingredients:
Italian Sponge Cake Pan di Spagna
* 5 egg yolks
* 5 egg whites
* 1 1/2 cups sugar
* 1 1/4 cups cake flour, sifted
* 1 tablespoon vanilla

Italian Pastry Cream Pasticciera Cream  (Filling)
* 3 tablespoons sugar
* 3 egg yolks
* 3 tablespoons flour
* 1 tablespoon vanilla
* 2 cups milk (I used fat-free, but whole is preferred)
* Sliced strawberries for filling

Rum Syrup
* 1/4 cup dark rum (or light rum)
* 1/3 cup water
* 1/2 cup sugar
* A pastry brush will come in handy, but is not necessary.

Stabilized Whipped Cream
* 2 cups heavy cream
* 1 teaspoon vanilla
* 2 teaspoons light corn syrup

DIRECTIONS:
Pastry (Pasticciera) Cream

1. Place sugar, egg yolks, flour, and vanilla in a sauce pan and mix well together. (Do not place over heat yet)
   
2. In a separate sauce pan, scald milk.
3. Very slowly pour milk in a thin stream over egg yolk mixture while beating the egg yolk mixture constantly.
4. Cook mixture on low heat for 4 minutes while stirring CONSTANTLY.
5. Remove pan from heat.  Add butter and mix well. (Burner can be turned off now).
   
6. Pour into a bowl (preferably a metal or glass bowl) and let cool, stir occasionally to prevent skin from forming over the top.
7. Chill in refridgerator until mixture is very thick with plastic wrap pressed onto the surface of mixture to prevent a skin from forming.  This takes about 3-4 hours.

Italian Sponge Cake (Pan di Spagna)

1. Place egg yolks and sugar in a large mixing bowl and beat with a mixer for about 15-25 minutes until very thick and lemon colored.  (The mixture should be at least double in volume and thick like frosting).
2. Add sifted flour in a little at a time by gently folding it in until well blended.  (Do not use a power mixer). 
3. Fold in vanilla. ***Mixture should stay a thick mixture, but not doughy. If mixture becomes doughy, add a splash of rum.  Mix with a power mixture.  Continue until mixture is the desired consistency.***
4. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
   
5. In a separate mixing bowl, beat egg whites until stiff but not dry (this will take about 15-20 minutes) and fold into the cake mixture.  ***Fold the egg whites into the egg yolk mixture and not the other way around.***
6. Grease the bottom and sides of two 9 inch pans and line bottoms with parchment paper.  Pour prepared cake batter evenly into the two pans.  
7. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  (about 15 minutes)
8. Remove cake from oven and let cool.  (Oven can be turned off now).

Rum Syrup

1. Mix together the rum, water and sugar in small pot.
2. Bring to a boil and stir until the sugar is dissolved.
3. Remove from heat and cool before using.

Stabilized Whipped Cream

1.  In a large chilled bowl, beat cold cream until it just starts to thicken.
2. Add corn syrup and vanilla from the side of the bowl, and beat until soft peaks form.

Assembly

1. On one side (the inner side) of each cake layer, brush rum syrup (about 1/8 of mixture) into the cake.   Wait 5 minutes for rum to soak before brushing another coating of rum syrup.  ***Do not brush too much at once; otherwise, the cake will become too soggy.***
2. Repeat until there is no remaining rum syrup.
   
3. Spread a layer of pasticciera cream on the first sponge layer, directly on the rum-coated side.
4. Spread a layer of stabilized whipped cream over the pasticciera cream layer.
5. Spread a layer of sliced strawberries.
6. Spread a layer of pasticciera cream over the strawberry layer.
7. Spread a layer of stabilized whipped cream over the strawberry layer.
8. Place the top cake layer on top, rum-coated side down.
9. Frost the cake with remaining stabilized whipped cream.
10. Cover and refridgerate for 1 hour before serving.
11. Refridgerate any leftovers.

Thit Kho ("teet caw")

 

This takes me back to my childhood.  When I'm home I usually request this dish (among many) be prepared.  Since Brent couldn't resist the sale on pork tenderloin, I now had a pound of pork in my fridge likely to go to waste.  And then I found this recipe.

THIT KHO

-3 to 4 servings

-adapted from Gastronomer (gastronomyblog.com)

Ingredients:

* 1 lb of pork legs with skin (I used pork tenderloin)

* 4 hard-boiled eggs, shelled

* 1 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar

* 2 tablespoons fish sauce

* Ground black pepper to taste

* 12 oz coconut juice (not milk) or water

* Cooked white rice

Directions:

1. Cut pork into 1" x 2" pieces and set aside.
2. In a thick-walled 1.5 to 2 qt pan on medium-high heat, add sugar and stir until it melts, browns, and caramelizes.  (This step will take a few minutes).
3. Quickly add pork and briskly stir for 3 to 5 minutes until pork is golden but not cooked through.
4. Add pepper and fish sauce.  Turn heat to low and stir for 5 minutes. 
5. Add coconut juice or water and eggs. Bring to a boil.
6. Cover and cook on medium-heat for 35 to 45 minutes.  Extend cooking time for softer meat.
7. Serve over warm white rice.
   

Red Beans and Rice

 

Somewhere it must be Monday because I'm having red beans and rice. (Red beans and rice is a dish traditionally prepared on Mondays because the beans can stew for hours unattended while the preparer tended to household chores.)  This is my quintessential dish: southern with rice.

RED BEANS AND RICE

- Adapted from recipe by Emeril Lagasse

- 8 to 10 servings

Ingredients:

* 1 lb dried small red beans (soaked overnight, drained, sorted)

* 1 lb cooked bacon (with bacon grease set aside)

* 1 large yellow onion

* Tony's seasoning to taste

* Cayenne pepper to taste

* 3 bay leaves

* 2 tablespoons parsley (dried or fresh)

* 2 teaspoons thyme (dried or fresh)

* 1 lb of smoked sausage (half-lengthwise and cut into 1-in. pieces)

* 3 tablespoons chopped garlic

* 10 cups chicken stock or water (or 1/2 stock and 1/2 water)

* 8 oz. tomato sauce

* Worcestershire sauce to taste

* 1/4 cup chopped ham (optional)

* 1 lb smoked ham hocks (optional)

* 1/4 cup chopped green onions, garnish (optional)

* 3/4 cup chopped celery (optional)

* 3/4 cup chopped green bell peppers (optional)

* 4 cups cooked long grain white rice.

* A side of cornbread is a must for me.

Directions:

1. In a large pot, heat the bacon grease over medium-high heat.
2. Add the ham bits and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.  
3. Add the onions, celery and bell peppers.  Season with Tony's seasoning and cayenne pepper.  Cook, stirring until vegetables are soft (about 4 minutes). 
4. Add the bay leaves, parsley, thyme, sausage, and ham hocks.  Cook, stirring to brown the sausage and ham hocks (about 4 minutes).
5. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
6. Add the beans, bacon, stock/water, tomato sauce, and Worcestershire sauce.  Stir well and bring to a boil.  
7. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the beans are tender and starting to thicken (about 2 hours).  ***Should the beans become too thick and dry, add more water, about 1/4 cup at a time.***
8. Remove from the heat.  Remove the bay leaves and bacon from pot. (This step may require separating the liquid from solids temporarily.)
9. With the back of a heavy spoon mash about 1/4 of the beans against the side of the pot.  Return the liquids back into the pot.  Add less liquid parts per solid for a creamier consistency.
10. Continue to cook until the beans are tender and creamy (approx. 15 to 20 minutes). 
11. Remove from heat and serve over rice.
12. Garnish with green onions.