Lavender Shortbread
Happy Valentine’s Day, everyone! In honor of the day, I have a cookie recipe that comes together in no time and is suitable for V-day gift giving.
One of my favorite recipescomes from Jerry Traunfeld’s The Herbfarm Cookbook. You may know Jerry as the chef/owner of Poppy on Capitol Hill but for many years he was the culinary genius behind The Herbfarm. Several years ago my cooking club selected The Herbfarm Cookbook as the theme for a dinner. All recipes for the dinner had to come from the cookbook. I was responsible for dessert so I chose these cookies and paired them with fresh fruit. Since that first time, I’ve used this recipe on several occasions, most recently for a Soup Swap dinner I had at my house on Saturday night.
The recipe calls for lavender but many herbs can be substituted. I’ve used thyme and sage in other versions. Or you could even just leave them plain. The basic recipe instructs you to cut the shortbread into rectangles as you can see here. That is the easiest, quickest, least-wasteful method but you can also cut them into shapes as I’ve done here. The one thing to be careful with when using a cutter is to minimize the rerolling of the scraps, as the dough could become tough if worked too much. So be smart about placing your cutter so that you minimize the amount of scrap.
Cutting into rectangles as the recipe suggests will yield 2 dozen cookies. With this heart cutter (2 1/2″) my yield was about 3 dozen. Since the cookies were smaller the bake time was shorter. I’ve provided both times below. The recipe is after the jump.
How Easy Is That?
In late summer last year I was contacted by Clarkson Potter and asked if I’d like to review any of several cookbooks that were due to be released in the fall. I chose just one, Barefoot Contessa How Easy Is That?: Fabulous Recipes & Easy Tips. I did not pay for this cookbook. To read my policy on gifts please see my Review Policy page.
My cookbook arrived in late fall, which turned out to be much busier than I had expected so it took me some time to really take a good look at the book. There was one recipe I made right away but I wanted to have a more complete overview before I wrote this post.
But let me take a step back. The name of this book made me pause just a little. While “how easy is that?” is a catch-phrase you’ll hear often if you watch Ina on her TV shows, the thought that she’d titled a cookbook with that phrase made me a little sad. It seemed she might be trying to compete with Rachel Ray and her 30-minute meals, which are meant to show people how easy cooking can be. While I’m glad to see that Rachel has brought many people to the kitchen, there is no comparison of her skills to Ina’s. I do not own one Rachel Ray cookbook (or any other item she hawks) and never watch her shows but I do have five other Ina Garten cookbooks and even enjoy watching her reruns.
Rachel’s methods are a little too quick and dirty for me. Often she does more “assembly” than cooking. Which is okay but not my style. On the other hand, Ina’s recipes are generally pretty direct, often with just a few steps and/or ingredients, yet are truly cooking or baking. That’s not to say that there are times she doesn’t “assemble” or times when following her recipes might take a little time. Her recipes are so well written however, that they are easy to follow. Whenever I use one of her recipes I get exactly what I expected and always get tons of compliments from guests. If I have one complaint about Ina’s recipes it’s that she often seems to be feeding a crowd! One of her scone recipes that I use on a regular basis yields so many large scones that I always cut it in half, unless I’m doing one of my ladies’ brunches for 15 to 20 people.
Smarty Pants!
South of downtown Seattle the Georgetown neighborhood is slowly evolving into a quirky and interesting place. Full of character, holding onto industrial roots, home to artists and pioneers there is a small, tight community at the heart of it all.
One of the neighborhood’s early adopters, Smarty Pants grabbed a lot of attention in 2004. It’s a restaurant/bar and it seems nearly everyone feels at home in this slightly retro, slightly grungy but totally laid-back spot. Restaurant might be a little misleading; it’s really more of a sandwich shop with extras including soups, salads and a weekend brunch menu. In past visits I’ve been with large groups and would grab a cocktail or beer and maybe snack on someone else’s nachos. A few days ago a friend and I met there for lunch and I had my first actual meal there.
I ordered the Club Pant, a big sandwich filled with layers of turkey, bacon and more. K had her regular, the BELT which adds slices of egg to a BLT. My sandwich was very good, although not remarkable. So was the coleslaw that came along with it – you have a choice of slaw, potato salad or chips and salsa. The layer of hard-boiled egg on K’s sandwich were very tempting. Everything was fresh and carefully prepared. I couldn’t finish my sandwich as portions are generous.
I’m not sure the food is so special as to justify a trip specifically to eat there but if you are in the area it’s definitely a great option. From past visits I can tell you that they handle big groups really well; that is often hard to find in this city. Service might be a tad slow when the place is packed, but it always comes with a smile.
Smarty Pants
6017 Airport Way S
Georgetown
Seattle
206.762.4777
Fill ‘er Up
I was out and about recently and needed a place with Wi-Fi to check Email and take a quick break. I noticed the Fuel sign near 45th and Wallingford and decided to drop in. Fuel Coffee is a locally owned coffee shop with three locations. They always have the nicest people working behind the counters. All of the shops are comfortable and clean. I was happy to find a parking place right in front – although I think they also have a lot behind the shop.
Maybe it was the sunny day but this Wallingford location seemed especially cheery – at least the front section near the big windows was. It was a great place to take a little break, regroup and then get back out into the world.
Fuel Coffee
1705 N 45th St
Wallingford
Seattle
206.634.2700
Braising is one of my favorite methods of preparation. It’s a very easy way to cook; yields deep, rich flavor; and fills the house with glorious smells! Braising recipes are great for entertaining since all the prep work and hands-on cooking is done early with very little, if any, last-minute work.
This dish was also part of the Super Tuscan tasting from a couple of weeks ago. It’s basically an Italian version of pot roast and uses Chianti as the primary braising liquid, although you could substitute stock if you prefer. The braising liquid and vegetables reduce to a rich, beef and tomato flavored sauce. The braised beef is often served with mashed potatoes which are delicious topped with the sauce.
As a bonus, the leftover sauce can also be used on its own with pasta – it makes a great simple dinner or quick lunch. Or the leftover beef could be shredded and added to the sauce and then used to top pasta or polenta.
The recipe is after the jump.
Read more…
Happy Hour at Lecosho
Matt’s in the Market (MITM) has been one of my favorite places from the time I discovered the tiny space on the 2nd floor of the Corner Market – one of the Pike Place Market buildings. For those of you thinking “but it’s not the same now as it was then!”, you are completely right. However… the secret to my long-term love is that with all the changes that MITM has gone through there remains a consistent feel to the place and quality to the food. When the restaurant doubled in size, it somehow maintained its quaint, hidden-gem charm. When Matt Janke, the original owner, brought on partners and sold his place he stayed on to ensure a smooth transition with lots of training. Much of his original concept and idea transitioned to the current owners of MITM.
This post is not about MITM but it is about Matt – Matt Janke and his new place, Lecosho. Matt’s concept at Lecosho seems slightly different from MITM. It might be that this new space feels different. The original MITM was small and crowded. When it expanded a couple of years ago, it kept that cozy character but with room to move around. Lecosho is roomier still, yet it feels homey. Perhaps that’s because there are already a number of regular customers, many who haunt other Pike Place Market locations, so there’s an instant feeling of friendliness when you walk in. With a true bar area Lecosho has a community meeting place, something MITM never had. Lecosho represents the evolution of Matt’s style and with his past success there’s a certain level of comfort in this new place. Lecosho feels like a place I know, yet presented some nice surprises.
Lecosho has been open a few months now and is still a relative newcomer, although the staff seems seasoned. You may recognize some of them from other tried-and-true locations from around town. I was happy to see a friend, formerly from a popular Capitol Hill location, behind the bar.
Brutti Ma Buoni Cookies
I made these cookies specifically to pair with Vin Santo wine, a semi-sweet to sweet Italian dessert wine. Biscotti is a more traditional pairing but I thought the nuttiness of Brutti ma Buoni would work well and it did.
Brutti Ma Buoni (sometimes just called Brutti Buoni) means Ugly but Good in Italian. I’m not sure why, because they really aren’t that ugly. There are a lot of variations of this cookie: different nuts are used; flavorings can be added. The basic recipe is always the same though.
The recipe I used was from the book, Adventures of an Italian Food Lover by Faith Heller Willinger. I received this book as a gift from the publisher a couple of years ago but this is the first time I’ve actually cooked from it.
Similar to Biba’s Italy, the cookbook I used for the last couple recipes I posted, the recipes in this book are from Italian restaurants. The author talks a bit about the chef and the restaurant and then presents their recipe, however the ratio of background to recipe is much higher. Where Biba’s Italy has a short introductory paragraph before each recipe, Adventures of an Italian Food Lover generally has a page or more introduction and then the recipe. It’s a little more of a travel journal instead of just regional education.
I’ve made several recipes from Biba’s Italy and the only changes I’ve made have been due to an ingredient I wanted to switch out or some other customization based on personal preference. I’ve been really pleased with everything I’ve tried. In this first recipe from Adventures of an Italian Food Lover, the instructions were not quite right, which I caught as I was making the cookies and was able to correct before I got too far into the recipe. Luckily this is a fairly popular cookie and so there are lots of recipes available for comparison. This will make me read the rest of the recipes with a more critical eye but I hope this was just a one-time slip.
The cookies are really good – a little crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside with a great nutty taste. They went perfectly with the Vin Santo and equally well with tea. They come together pretty fast, so this would be a good recipe when you are short on time. As soon as you have them on the cookie sheet get the sheet into the oven, as they will really spread out if you leave them on the sheet too long before baking.
Brutti Ma Buoni
Adapted from Adventures of an Italian Food Lover by Faith Heller Willinger
- 2 cups whole almonds with skins
- 1/4 cup pine nuts, lightly toasted if desired
- 1 1/4 cups sugar
- 3 egg whites
- 2 Tbsp flour
Prepare cookie sheets by buttering and lightly flouring. Alternatively, use silicone baking sheets in your pans. Preheat oven to 350°F.
Place almonds, pine nuts and 1/4 cup sugar in food processor. Process until the mixture looks like very coarse cornmeal with many small pieces of nut still visible.
Beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Slowly beat in 1 cup of the sugar.
Add the nut mixture to the egg whites to combine. Then mix in the flour.
Using two spoons, place 2-inch “blobs” of batter on the prepared sheets leaving 1 inch between them. Bake for 12 – 15 minutes, until the cookies are just barely colored. (Bottoms will be more golden.) Cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet and then transfer to wire racks.
This recipe makes about 3 dozen cookies.
Allegra’s Vegetable Tart
This is another recipe I made for our recent wine club gathering focusing on the wines of Tuscany. It was great with the super-Tuscans we were drinking.
This tart was pretty easy to pull together, although you do need to plan a little time to let the dough chill before baking it. However, the shell can be made early in the day or even the previous day; and the finished tart can be made early in the day and then served at room temperature. The leftovers made a nice lunch, too. I’d actually make this again and serve it with a green salad as a lunch or part of a brunch. Keep this one filed for later in the summer when zucchini is abundant – it’s a great way to use some of it up!
Allegra’s Vegetable Tart
adapted from Biba’s Italy, by Biba Caggiano
Make the tart
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 ounces cold butter, cut into small pieces
- Salt
- 1 large egg
- 3 – 4 Tbsp. chilled white wine or water
- Butter for greasing the pan
Using a food processor or a pastry blender, mix the flour and butter until crumbly. Add the salt, egg and the wine or water. Pulse or mix until you have a soft dough.
Shape the dough into a flat round disk, wrap in plastic and chill for a few hours or until ready to use.
Staple & Fancy Mercantile
The south end of Ballard Avenue has become one of my favorite places in Seattle. Still very industrial and gritty it captures the feel of the city’s working class beginnings. At this far end of the avenue change is coming slowly (which I quite like) but tucked in between some of those industrial shops and warehouse style businesses we are seeing glimpses of the new Seattle.
The most visible newcomer is the Dutch Bike Company. In nice weather several of the graceful and, often, colorful bikes will be parked in front of the shop on the sidewalk. If you take a closer look at the building you may notice that the front of the bike store houses a cozy little coffee shop. To the right of the shop is a small sign above a door leading to a long hallway. The sign is for The Walrus and The Carpenter which lives in a small space on the back side of the building. To the left of the bike shop is Staple and Fancy Mercantile, Ethan Stowell’s latest culinary jewel.
I’ve been to Staple and Fancy three times now, and have had excellent meals and service each time. I guess this isn’t surprising since I also enjoy Tavolata, How to Cook a Wolf and Anchovies and Olives, Ethan Stowell’s other Seattle restaurants.
Inside the restaurant the brick walls and open kitchen help keep the industrial feel of the neighborhood. But the food that comes out of that kitchen is another thing altogether.
I’d like to talk about the food but getting too specific seems pointless since the menu has been different each time I’ve been in. Even the cocktails change regularly. This is sticking with Ethan and his chef’s principles of creating cuisine featuring ingredients currently at their peak. Not every single thing is locally produced – I’m pretty sure the avocado on Saturday night’s menu wasn’t from around here! – but much of it is.
I’ve had meat, shellfish, fish, and pasta with all of their various ingredients and garnishes and have enjoyed every bite so far. The Mussel Brodo from my first visit was one of my favorite items, as was the Spaghetti Nero I had on Saturday night. The one item I’m dying to try, and which is always offered, is the chef’s choice dinner.
Mini-Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
Every year after my annual holiday party I have leftovers. The leftovers are sometimes complete dishes like pate or crab-artichoke dip. Sometimes I have ingredients that didn’t get used for some reason. Generally there’s a little of both. In the days after the party I challenge myself to find ways to use the remaining dishes and ingredients and this exercise can lead to new recipes.
One of my favorite things from this year was a riff on an Eggs Benedict recipe. I split and toasted the little sandwich buns that had been used for pulled-porked sandwiches, topped this with some of the leftover crab and artichoke dip, topped that with more fresh Dungeness crab and finished it off with a perfectly poached egg. I’m sorry there are no photos but I was too busy devouring it every time I made it!
Another simple thing I made and loved were these mini-cheese sandwiches. I had a full loaf of cocktail-sized rye bread leftover from the party so this was my lunch for several days. I used a little medium cheddar and a little extra-sharp cheddar between the slices, buttered the outsides and grilled them. I thought about using some of the other cheeses I had around but I loved the cheddar combination so much that I never did. I think these mini-sandwiches may make an appearance at a future party.
You’ve heard the expression that necessity is the mother of invention? Well, needing to use leftovers can certainly prove that true!
Culinary Fool 