219 posts tagged “salt”

Banana Nut Delight Cake
Recipe courtesy of Paula Deen
Yields 1 8-inch three layer or 1 9-inch two layer cake

2 1/2 cups sifted cake flour
1 2/3 cups sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2/3 cup vegetable shortening
2/3 cup buttermilk
1 1/4 cups mashed ripe banana
2 large eggs

For the cream cheese and nut frosting:
One 8-ounce package cream cheese, room temperature
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
One 1-pound box confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chopped pecans

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour three 8-inch or two 9-inch cake pans.

2. Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon into a large mixing bowl; add the shortening, buttermilk, and banana. Mix until all the dry ingredients are dampened, then beat at low speed for 2 minutes. Add the eggs and beat for 1 minute.

3. Divide the batter among the prepared pans and bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes in the pans, then turn out the cakes on a rack to cool completely before frosting.

Make the frosting:
1. Combine the cream cheese, butter, confectioners' sugar, and vanilla extract and beat until fluffy. Fold in the pecans, and frost the cake. If you love lots of icing, you can make 1 1/2 times this recipe. Remember, this is not banana bread but a stacked cake, so be sure to frost between the layers as well as the outside.

Apple-Blueberry Crisp
Serves 8 to 10

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cold, cut into small pieces, plus more for baking dish
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup packed dark-brown sugar
1/3 cup plus 1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon mace
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
2 cups blueberries
3 pounds apples (about 8), peeled, cored, and cut into thin wedges
Juice of 1/2 lemon (about 1 tablespoon)
2 tablespoons flour
Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, for serving (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees, with a rack in the lower third. Butter a 3-quart baking dish, and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet; set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, brown sugar, 1/3 cup granulated sugar, cinnamon, mace, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Using a pastry blender, cut in butter until large clumps form. Using a rubber spatula, mix in oats. Set aside.

In a large bowl, toss together blueberries, apples, lemon juice, remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar, flour, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt to combine. Pour the blueberry and apple mixture into the prepared baking dish; sprinkle with reserved oat mixture, covering fruit evenly. Bake until juices are bubbling and the topping is evenly browned, about 50 minutes. Cool slightly on a wire rack. Serve crisp warm, topped with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, if desired.

Flaked Salmon Tartare
Serves 6

1 large egg
1 pound salmon fillet, skinned
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/4 teaspoons coarse salt
Freshly ground pepper
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, plus wedges for garnish
Dash of hot sauce
1 small shallot, finely chopped
1 tablespoon chopped drained capers
3 cornichons, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons finely chopped chives
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Place egg in a small saucepan, and cover with cold water by 1 inch. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Cover, and let stand 13 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove egg, and rinse under cold water until cool. Gently press against a hard surface to crack shell; peel. Cut egg in half lengthwise. Grate each half on the small holes of a grater into a small bowl. Cover with plastic wrap; set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place salmon in a 13-by-9-inch nonreactive baking dish. Brush with 1 teaspoon oil; season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cover with foil; bake until salmon is cooked through and flakes easily, about 15 minutes. Uncover partially, and let cool slightly in dish on a wire rack. Using a fork, gently flake salmon into large pieces. Transfer to a large bowl.

Whisk together lemon juice, hot sauce, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt in a bowl. Add remaining 2 teaspoons oil, whisking until emulsified. Drizzle dressing over salmon, and toss gently. Divide among plates. Scatter shallot, capers, cornichons, chives, parsley, and egg over each, dividing evenly; season with pepper. Serve with lemon wedges.

Steamers with Asian Broth and Cilantro Butter
Serves 6 to 8

1 cup unsalted clam juice
1 cup loosely packed Thai or regular fresh basil leaves
1 2-inch piece lemongrass, coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon Asian fish sauce, (nam pla)
1 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
8 pounds steamers, (littlenecks or cherrystones can be used instead), scrubbed
3 limes, cut in wedges, for garnish

Combine 2 cups water, clam juice, basil, lemongrass, lime juice, fish sauce, and salt in a stockpot; bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until well flavored, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, combine cilantro and butter in food processor; mix until cilantro is in tiny flecks. Set aside in a small saucepan.

Pass liquid in stockpot through cheesecloth-lined strainer. Return to stockpot over medium-high heat. Add clams (use a bamboo steamer if desired); cover pan. Cook until clams open, 10 to 12 minutes; discard unopened ones. Melt the cilantro butter. Transfer the clams to a serving bowl, and strain the broth through a cheesecloth-lined strainer. Serve clams with lime wedges, broth for rinsing off sand, and butter for dipping.

Linguine with Clams
Makes 4 to 6 servings

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, 2 smashed and 2 thinly sliced
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
3 dozen littleneck clams or 4 dozen cockles, rinsed
1 tablespoon cornmeal or all-purpose flour
1 pound linguine pasta
Coarse salt
3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Spicy Olive Oil, optional (recipe follows)

Place olive oil, garlic, and pepper flakes in a large serving bowl. Let stand at least 1 hour and up to 8 hours. Place clams in a large bowl; fill with enough cold water to cover. Sprinkle over cornmeal or flour. Clams should open to ingest cornmeal or flour, releasing any sand that may be trapped inside. Let soak 10 minutes. Drain clams and scrub under running water to remove any dirt from shells. Repeat soaking and scrubbing process until clams are completely clean and soaking water is free of sand. Chill cleaned clams until ready to cook.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Generously salt water, return to a boil and add linguine. Cook until al dente, about 2 minutes less than package instructions; drain.

Meanwhile, in another large pot with a tight-fitting lid, bring 1/4 cup water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add clams, cover immediately, and steam until clams have opened, 3 to 5 minutes. Discard any clams that have not opened. Transfer cooked clams, in their shells, to serving bowl with olive oil mixture. Strain clam cooking liquid through a fine mesh sieve over clams. Add linguine and fresh parsley; toss to combine. Serve immediately, drizzled with spicy olive oil, if desired.

Spicy Olive Oil
Makes 1/4 cup

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

In a small bowl, mix together olive oil and red pepper flakes. Let stand at least 3 hours before using.

Shrimp Potstickers
Makes about 30

2 tablespoons cilantro leaves
1/2 pound large shrimp, shelled and deveined
1 large egg white
1 1/2 teaspoons chile oil, or 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil mixed with a pinch of cayenne
1 1/2 teaspoons sesame oil
2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 medium carrot, grated
3/4 cup finely chopped (about 2 ounces) Napa cabbage
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
2 small scallions, finely chopped
1 tablespoon minced (about 1 small) shallot
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 package 3-inch round Chinese dumpling wrappers, available at large supermarkets
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon rice-wine vinegar
1 scallion, sliced

Finely chop 1 tablespoon cilantro leaves. Set aside. Coarsely chop half of the shrimp by hand, and set aside. In the bowl of a food processor, combine remaining shrimp, egg white, chile oil, sesame oil, and soy sauce. Puree into a smooth paste. Transfer to a medium bowl, add chopped cilantro, reserved chopped shrimp, carrot, cabbage, ginger, scallions, shallots, salt, and pepper, and mix well.

Place 1 teaspoon of filling toward the front of a dumpling wrapper. There are two methods of sealing dumplings. Pleating one edge of the wrapper gives the dumpling its distinctive curved shape and allows it to stand upright in the pan. Do this by moistening edges with water using your finger. Bring two edges together, forming a taco shape, and pinch edges together only in the top center to seal. Pinch six small pleats (three on either side of the sealed center point) along one thickness only of the wrapper. Seal dumpling by pressing pleated and unpleated edges tightly together, enclosing filling. Alternatively, moisten wrapper edges with water, fold in half into a crescent shape around the filling, and pinch edges tightly closed. While forming dumplings, keep remaining wrappers covered with plastic wrap. Place filled dumplings on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and cover with plastic wrap.

In a small serving bowl, whisk together ingredients for dipping sauce.

Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons oil in a well-seasoned 11-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat for 1 to 2 minutes. Arrange half of the dumplings tightly together in heated skillet, and cook until deep golden brown, shaking the pan one or two times, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add 1 cup hot water, partially cover, and cook for 4 to 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium, and cook until the bottoms of the dumplings are very crisp and all the water has evaporated, about 4 to 5 more minutes. Slide a spatula under dumplings to loosen them from the pan. Serve this batch of dumplings immediately or place them on a baking sheet, cover loosely with aluminum foil, and keep warm in a low oven. Wash skillet, and repeat process with remaining dumplings. Transfer to a plate, garnish with remaining cilantro leaves, and serve with dipping sauce.

Layered Spring Omelet
Serves 6

1 tablespoon olive oil
8 ripe tomatoes, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch dice
3/4 teaspoon coarse salt, plus more to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, plus more to taste
21 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cup grated Vermont cheddar cheese
3/4 cup grated Gruyere cheese
2/3 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves, torn in half
8 ounces spinach, leaves picked and torn in half
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 small leek, julienned, for garnish
2 tablespoons snipped fresh chives, for garnish

In a medium saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add tomatoes, and simmer until almost all the liquid has evaporated, about 25 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper. Transfer tomatoes to a stainless-steel colander, and drain any excess liquid. Set aside.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine eggs, salt, black pepper, nutmeg, and cayenne pepper. Lightly beat mixture with a fork. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a 10-inch heat-proof, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Pour one-third of the egg mixture, about 1 1/2 cups, into skillet. Using a rubber spatula, stir eggs until they just begin to set, about 1 minute. Sprinkle both cheeses on top. Using spatula, gently pull sides of omelet toward center so any uncooked liquid runs underneath. Cook until eggs have almost completely set, 3 to 4 minutes.

Transfer the skillet to oven, and bake until fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove skillet from oven. Place a baking sheet on top of skillet, and invert skillet onto baking sheet, releasing the omelet layer; hold both baking sheet and skillet firmly so omelet doesn’t slide. Set aside in a warm place.

Carefully wipe out the hot skillet with a paper towel. Add 1 tablespoon butter, and melt over medium-high heat. Pour another third of the egg mixture into the skillet, and stir with the rubber spatula until the eggs just begin to set, about 1 minute. Add half of the reserved cooked tomatoes to the eggs. Using the spatula, gently pull sides of the omelet toward the center so any uncooked liquid runs underneath. When the eggs have almost completely set, spread the remaining tomatoes on top.

Transfer skillet to oven, and bake until fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from oven, and place another baking sheet on top of skillet; carefully invert skillet to release second layer. Carefully slide on top of the first one, and set the two aside in a warm place.
Wipe out the hot skillet with a paper towel. Add remaining 1 tablespoon butter, and melt over medium-high heat. Pour the remaining third of the egg mixture into the skillet, and stir with the rubber spatula until the eggs just begin to set, about 1 minute. Add half of the spinach and thyme; incorporate into the eggs. Using the spatula, gently pull sides of the omelet toward the center so any uncooked liquid runs underneath. When the eggs have almost completely set, spread remaining spinach and thyme on top. Transfer skillet to the oven, and bake until fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Invert the third layer onto a baking sheet, and slide on top of the other two layers. Transfer the three-layer omelet to a serving platter, and garnish with leeks and chives. Serve warm.

Morel and Scallions Omelet
Serves 2

1/2 ounce dried morel mushrooms
2 teaspoons unsalted butter
4 scallions, thinly sliced on the diagonal
3/4 teaspoon coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 large eggs
4 large egg whites
Freshly ground pepper

Cover mushrooms with 1 1/4 cups hot water in a medium bowl. Set a small bowl on top of mushrooms to keep them submerged. Let stand until soft, about 20 minutes. Remove mushrooms with a slotted spoon. Cut large mushrooms lengthwise into 1/4-inch strips; keep small mushrooms whole. Set aside. Strain soaking liquid; set aside.

Melt 1 teaspoon butter in a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add scallions and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring, until scallions are wilted, about 2 minutes. Stir in mustard, mushrooms, and 1/4 cup soaking liquid. Cover; cook, stirring, until mushrooms are tender and liquid has evaporated, about 3 minutes more. Set aside. Whisk eggs, egg whites, remaining salt, and 2 pinches of pepper in a medium bowl. Melt 1/2 teaspoon butter in a small nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add half of the egg mixture. Stir gently with a rubber spatula to create curds. Use spatula to pull cooked egg awayfrom sides, allowing raw egg to flow underneath; cook until almost set, 3 to 4 minutes. Top with half of the mushroom filling. Cook until set, 1 to 2 minutes more. Gently fold one half over the other. Slide omelet onto a plate. Repeat with remaining butter, eggs, and filling. Season with pepper.

Shiitake Nori Rolls
Serves 6. Makes 1 dozen.

12 medium dried shiitake mushrooms, 1 1/2 ounces
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lime juice
2 tablespoons low-sodium tamari soy sauce
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh cilantro
1 pinch coarse salt
3 scallions, thinly sliced crosswise on the diagonal, plus julienned for sauce
3 1/2 ounces soba noodles
1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 large shallots, 3/4 cup, thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced, 2 tablespoons
2 tablespoons minced, peeled fresh ginger
5 cups finely shredded savoy cabbage, about half of a medium head
6 sheets nori

Cover mushrooms with 1 1/2 cups hot water in a medium bowl. Set a small bowl on top of mushrooms to keep them submerged. Let stand until mushrooms are soft, about 20 minutes. Remove mushrooms with a slotted spoon, and transfer to a work surface. Cut mushrooms crosswise into 1/4-inch strips; set aside. Strain soaking liquid; set aside.

Make the dipping sauce: Stir together 1/3 cup soaking liquid, the lime juice, 1 teaspoon tamari, 1 teaspoon cilantro, and the salt in a small bowl; top with some julienned scallions. Set aside.

Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add noodles; cook according to package instructions. Drain. Rinse with cold water; drain again. Transfer to a medium bowl; toss with sesame oil and remaining 2 tablespoons cilantro. Set aside.

Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Stir in shallots, garlic, and ginger. Cook, stirring occasionally, until shallots begin to brown, about 2 minutes (if the shallots begin to stick, stir in 1 tablespoon reserved soaking liquid). Add cabbage, and toss to combine. Reduce heat to medium. Cook, stirring occasionally, until cabbage wilts slightly, 2 minutes. Stir in mushrooms, 1/4 cup reserved soaking liquid, and remaining 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons tamari. Cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until cabbage is tender, about 7 minutes. Stir in sliced scallions; set aside.

Toast the nori sheets: Using tongs, pass each sheet just over a medium gas flame, turning, until fragrant and crisp, about 3 passes on each side. (If only an electric burner is available, heat to medium; toast sheet directly on the burner, flipping for 30 seconds to 1 minute.)

Working with 1 toasted sheet at a time, put 1/6 of the noodles along 1 edge of the nori, leaving a 1-inch border. Top with 1/6 of the cabbage mixture. Starting at the side with the filling, roll up sheet, enclosing filling. Repeat process with remaining sheets, noodles, and cabbage mixture. Cut each roll on the diagonal into 2 pieces. Serve with dipping sauce.

Chicken Siu Mai
Makes 24

10 ounces skinless boneless chicken, trimmed, patted dry, and coarsely ground
1/3 cup finely diced, peeled, and washed water chestnuts
1/3 cup finely diced bamboo shoots
1/3 cup thinly sliced scallions
2 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons White Peppercorn Oil (recipe follows)
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 tablespoon peeled and minced fresh ginger
1 tablespoon Shao Hsing wine or dry sherry
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
Pinch of freshly ground white pepper
1 large egg white, beaten
24 dumpling wrappers, cut into 2 1/2-inch rounds
Vegetable oil, for steamer basket
Mustard Dipping Sauce (recipe follows)

Make the filling: In a large bowl, combine chicken, water chestnuts, bamboo shoots, scallions, cornstarch, white peppercorn oil, oyster sauce, ginger, Shao Hsing, sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, salt, pepper, and egg white. Stir to mix thoroughly. Transfer to a shallow dish, and refrigerate, uncovered, for 4 hours, or covered, overnight.

Make the dumplings: Lightly oil a bamboo steamer basket, or line the bottom with a round metal steamer insert; set aside. Work with one wrapper at a time, and cover unused wrappers with a damp cloth. Place 1 1/2 tablespoons filling in center of each wrapper. Hold filling in place with the blade of a butter knife. Holding the dumpling in the other hand, gradually turn the knife and dumpling slowly in a clockwise direction so that the dumpling forms a basket shape.

Remove knife, and pat filling with point of knife to smooth. Squeeze the dumpling slightly to adhere dough to filling, this will ensure that the dumpling and filling will remain intact during the steaming process. Tap the dumpling bottom lightly on work surface to flatten. Place into prepared steamer basket. Repeat with remaining filling and wrappers.

Bring 3 inches of water to a boil in a wok. Place steamer basket over water. Cover, and steam until dumplings are cooked through, about 6 minutes. Turn off heat. Remove the steamer from the wok, and transfer to a platter. Serve dumplings directly from steamer with mustard dipping sauce on the side.

White Peppercorn Oil
Makes 1 scant cup

1 cup peanut oil
1/2 cup white peppercorns

In a wok over medium heat, combine oil and peppercorns. Bring to a boil. Reduce to low heat, and cook for 2 minutes. Turn off heat, and allow oil to cool in wok. Do not strain; pour oil and peppercorns into a glass jar and seal. Will keep, refrigerated, for up to 2 months.

Mustard Dipping Sauce
Makes 1/4 cup

1/4 cup dry mustard
Tabasco sauce, to taste

In a small bowl, stir together mustard, 1/4 cup water, and Tabasco.