crepes a la Julia Child

My parents gave me Julia Child's cookbook for Christmas, but I haven't done much with it yet, save for drooling over some recipes. I did, however, have some success with the one thing I have successfully cooked, and I have been feeling as though I needed more JC in my life--et voila! I had a hankering for crepes this weekend, and although I have recently made them successfully and felt pleased with the results, I figured it could always be done better! Plus, I had some rhubarb compote (with balsamic vinegar) to use up, so I figured it would be a perfect way to start my Saturday.

Her recipe was much too large for me on my lonesome, so I cut it in half, and it made the perfect amount of batter. 1/2 batch:

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup milk

3/4 cup flour

2 eggs

1/4 tsp salt

2 tbsp melted butter

I can't stress how easy this is. Basically, you put everything in a blender or food processor, blend the shit out of it for about a minute, and let it chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours. (I was too impatient to wait that long, I rationalized that for 1/2 batch, I could let it sit for an hour and it would be ok.)

Don't beat yourself up if the first crepe doesn't turn out perfectly--as Julia says in her cookbook, this first attempt is more of a dry run to be sure you are using the correct amount of oil and also to check the temperature you are cooking at.

rhubarb, rhubarb, and more rhubarb

I bought a ridiculous amount of rhubarb at the farmer's market this week. I can't help it--I love the stuff. I intended to make a pie, but also to make rhubarb compote with various added herbs or spices to test some combinations. I ended up needing more of it for the pie than I thought, so I didn't experiment with it as much as I had wanted to, but I have a whole summer of rhubarb ahead of me to look forward to!One thing I am pretty confident about when it comes to my kitchen prowess, is baking pies. My dad taught me to make great pie crusts, and the rest is really a no-brainer if you have any kitchen experience at all. I know some people like to mix in other fruits with their rhubarb pies, but I am a purist--I like it on its own. Don't get me started on strawberry/rhubarb. I do not like the texture of strawberries that have been cooked like that.

To make a good pie crust from scratch, it is important to be aware that the temperature of your ingredients is key. You will need:

approximately 1 cup of ice water

2/3 cup butter, chilled, but not hard

1/2 tsp salt

2 cups flour

Use a pastry cutter to cut the butter and salt into the flour. It should be pretty well mixed--no large, visible chunks of butter or tons of flour that hasn't met with at least a bit of butter.

Next, add ice water a few tablespoonfulls at a time, continuing to "cut" the mixture with the pastry cutter.

Using this tool helps the pastry dough to remain flaky. When the dough reaches the proper consistency, mold it into a ball, and either divide it in two to roll out and bake your pie with, or refrigerate for later.

Rhubarb compote

I bought some rhubarb over the weekend (I LOVE rhubarb) originally intending to make some tarts that I saw a recipe for recently to thank a friend for doing a favor for me. However, plans didn't work out for this weekend and I found myself delightedly considering the possibilities for the rhubarb. I decided to try something simple and also new to me--compote.

To make rhubarb compote, you will need about 6 stalks of rhubarb (approx 2 lbs), a little bit of water (1/3 cup), and sugar. I used about 3/4 cup, but will try with 1/2 cup next time as I enjoy the tartness of rhubarb. You may additionally enjoy the addition of a little bit of orange peel, triple sec (I used this), or a spice like whole star anise or vanilla bean, to add flavor.

Chop the rhubarb into 1 or 1/2 inch slices, throw the ingredients in a pot, and bring to a boil. Simmer for about 20 minutes or until it reaches the consistency you like--most or all of the rhubarb should be broken up. You can make this a couple of days in advance (say, for a weekend brunch or other project) and it is delicious! I used mine to make crepes, but I must admit to having eaten several spoonfulls plain. It is also good if you add a couple of drops of balsamic vinegar to the finished project. Enjoy!

Olé!

I was so, so lazy last night. Cooking dinner wasn't really what I wanted to do--I had worked all day and was preparing to work my 6th day in a row, so I generally was being pretty petulant and wishing food would just appear without me having to lift a finger to get it. That kind of attitude doesn't take you very far in life, but, sometimes you just don't feel like making dinner. It's a good thing I don't have children.

Finally, I was hungry enough that I started rummaging through my refrigerator looking for something to eat, when I saw the beautiful purple potatoes that came in my CSA box, the half-used onion, and two eggs that conveniently were all together on the shelf.

I remembered how much I have enjoyed spanish tortilla in the past, and figured this would be a perfect way to use up these ingredients. A tortilla is a Spanish omelette, most often made with potatoes and onions, and served cold as tapas. It was so simple to make, I look forward to cooking these more often--perhaps with some serrano ham and roasted bell pepper next time!

Basically, I knew how to make this but looked at a recipe to be sure to get the steps down. In a large frying pan, I cooked the chopped potatoes and onion until they were tender, then removed them to a plate to cool a bit.

I added them to a scrambled egg mix (I had two eggs, three would have probably been perfect) and poured into a lightly oiled pan. Cook on med-low heat slowly for several minutes until the tortilla is mostly cooked through--the egg on top can still be runny but it should be browned slightly around the edges.

Next, carefully slide the tortilla out of the pan and onto a plate and use it to flip the tortilla back into the pan so you can cook the other side. It shouldn't need to cook for more than a couple of minutes before it is done. You can eat your tortilla while it is still hot, or be more traditional and chill it in the refrigerator for 10 minutes or so first.

chicken livers and cabbage

I think liver is a seriously misunderstood food in North America. I have always liked it, even as a picky little kid who didn't want to eat any number of seemingly innocuous things. When I was younger, I would beg my parents to make this for me for dinner--a blessing to them at the time, I'm sure, as it is fairly cheap and easy to make in addition to being good for you. I know very few other people who ever begged their parents to make liver for dinner. I was weird. If you don't know if you like it or can't remember trying it, you really should. I know it looks kind of gross and the word liver isn't that appealing, but it is delicious!

To make this, you will need:

one medium sized head of green cabbage

approximately 1lb of chicken livers (I prefer fresh)

1 small to medium sized onion--I like walla walla sweets or yellow onion

2 tbsp olive oil

salt & pepper to taste

The cabbage should be lightly steamed until tender in a separate pot. This should be done first, as it takes some time. Cut the cabbage in half, then in about 1 inch "strips" lengthwise, removing the tougher inner core when applicable. Arrange on a vegetable steamer and cook until the cabbage is done--I don't like mine overcooked but it is to your taste. It will get cooked a bit more later as well, so keep that in mind.

In a pan with olive oil, saute the chopped onion until translucent and/or slightly browned. Add to that your chicken liver (I will generally cut some of the larger liver into pieces to facilitate serving later) and cook until the liver is just slightly pink inside.

Drain the cooked cabbage, then add to the pan with the liver and onions and give it a good stir so the cabbage can benefit from the onion/liver/olive oil that has been sizzling in your pan. Cover and allow to cook on medium, stirring occasionally for about 10 minutes--less if you are concerned about overcooking the liver.

Mimosa

A staple of brunch worldwide, the mimosa! I had a tradition, during my undergrad years, of finishing off a day of final exams with a mimosa--if there is a more pleasant way to celebrate the end of studies, I can't imagine one.

1 1/2 - 2 oz fresh squeezed, strained orange juice
4 oz champagne [Montelliana Extra Dry Prosecco]

My friend is a cocktail enthusiast/aspiring mixologist/talented liqueur & syrup maker. If you're into booze, you should check out her blog. http://twosheetsinthewind.wordpress.com/

broiled grapefruit

I am on a major grapefruit kick right now. I have to have them. I need them. I think about them when I am not eating them. Even at the bar, I am drawn to ordering greyhounds, just for the tart deliciousness of grapefruit juice therein.

A friend of mine mentioned broiling grapefruits and how tasty it is. I thought it was crazy-sounding, but decided to try it--after all, what if there was some delicious secret to unlock? As it turns out, there is. It's weird to think of eating hot grapefruit, but I promise you it is well worth putting aside your initial doubts and just doing it. Make sure to cut around each individual little slice of your halved grapefruit first to facilitate eating it later. Rub sugar across the entire top of the grapefruit, pressing it into the flesh. Broil for approximately 8-10 minutes. During its time in the oven, the sugar will caramelize a bit and the flavor is delicious. I have tried it with honey as well, and I think the sugar is really the best way to go. This will be a staple at my brunch table from now on!