Blueberry Muffins

September 10, 2014 by Laura Messersmith in Cooking with the Contessa

As inspiration for more adventurous culinary efforts I’m following along with Ina Garten, aka The Barefoot Contessa, in my tiny New York kitchen. Let’s see if I can keep up with the Contessa!

Episode: “School Today”

The Set-up: Ina is showing students at East Hampton High School how a bake sale is DONE.

The Menu: Old Fashioned Banana Cake, Blueberry Muffins

0:32 – Since this is school I guess First Period is Old Fashioned Banana Cake 101.

1:14 – I love smushing up bananas for banana bread, but I just now realized how disgusting they look. Seriously, bananas, you’re grossing me out, not cool.

2:59 – Normally I’m 100% onboard with Ina’s use of zest, but in this case I just can get behind orange zest in banana cake. Doesn’t compute for me.

3:27 – Ina is making these cakes for the Bake Sale but like the ultimate “cool aunt” she’s saving the icing step to do with the students. Way to get in their good graces.

5:06 – Ina has made three cakes and three separate batches of batter – I’ve never understood the prevailing wisdom that doubling or tripling a recipe runs the risk of not turning out right. The answer is probably Science, but why?

6:41 – Anyway, enough of my mutterings. Back to the kids! We get a few minutes with the East Hampton High Life Skills Class as they work through grocery shopping for the Blueberry Muffins.

10:15 – Ina is in the classroom when the students arrive and she brought aprons embroidered with their names on the placket! She is obviously The Best, but this is so, so sweet.

11:33 – Second Period: Blueberry Muffins and Ina is walking the students through the process, which is pretty much my dream Home Ec class come to life.

12:48 – This is making me wonder if high schools still teach Home Ec or do mainstream students have too much Government homework to do?

13:10 – The students are kicking butt with these muffins, but who wouldn’t with a fabulous teacher like Ina to teach you how to fold in blueberries?

14:29 – The muffins look really good and I’m betting that they’ll be gone by the time the bake sale is over.

19:52 – Time to frost the Old Fashioned Banana Cakes – whoop! Ina tries to get them to promise not to eat all the icing, but I’m afraid that’s not something I can agree to…

20:33 – One of the students has already picked up on the Ina Approved Lingo and call the frosting “Fantastic!” Extra points for you, young man.

21:47 – Am I the only one who has trouble spreading frosting? So. many. crumbs.

22:26 – Cakes are frosted, muffins are baked, and brownies that Ina brought are sliced. Let’s Bake Sale, y’all.

23:58 – Bake Sale is over and the hordes of students and teachers appear to have purchased (and presumably eaten) all but 3 muffins and 2 pieces of banana cake. Proceeds go toward the Life Skills Class trip to NYC.

26:12 – School’s out and Ina is back in the barn for A.P. Cooking (aka ‘Ina Asks’) where she puts some culinary questions to a chef instructor Toni Dickenson at the International Culinary Center.

27:25 – Question 1: What’s the right way to sharpen a knife? I’ll try to summarize the answer: Place the tip of the sharpening steel perpendicular to a non-skid, flat surface. Hold the knife at a 20 degree angle against the steel and draw the blade back from hilt to tip 2-3 times. Repeat on the other side of the blade and wipe clean with a soft cloth.

28:31 – Question 2: Are you supposed to wash soft fruit, like berries? No, if you know that they’re pesticide free, but if you’re not sure then swirl them gently in a bowl of water and dry on a paper towel just before using.

29:54 – Question 3: How do you make spun sugar? 2 1/2 cups sugar + 1/2 cup corn syrup + 1/2 cup water cook to 300 degrees, then cool in a water bath to 275. Drizzle across a greased bowl in thin strands.

Final Thoughts:

It’s awesome that Ina uses her skills as a volunteer in her local community – I’m definitely inspired to do more.

I actually think that Home Ec is an important part of a well-rounded education – more people should know how to cook for themselves!

One thing I love about cooking is that there’s always more to learn, new techniques to master, even icing or in Ina’s case spun sugar…

Lessons Learned:

I’d say that Blueberry Muffins are the Chocolate Chip cookie of the muffin world; which is to say that they’re a classic and in my experience usually the first to go leaving Bran and Oatmeal Raisin lonely. But, I’ve really never made them before – ridiculous right? So here was my chance.

This recipe doesn’t require a lot of special technique or cooking experience, which makes it a perfect gateway for the baking-averse. Truly, if you can measure with accuracy and wield a fork for mixing then Ina’s Blueberry Muffins are well within your grasp.

The only tricky part (and I brought this on myself) is fresh vs. frozen berries. I admit I was too lazy to make a special trip to the grocery store and since I had frozen ones on hand I decided to use them….

Great idea, except that they tended to sink a little in the batter which meant most of them were lurking in the bottom of the muffins when they came out of the oven. A tragedy? Not even close, but I would recommend dusting frozen berries with just a little flour (1-2 tablespoons should be plenty) before adding them to the mix.

Small Kitchen Friendly?

Yes, no fancy equipment needed! I used two medium mixing bowls, two small bowls, a sieve, measuring cups (dry and liquid), a rubber spatula, small ice cream scoop, and two muffin tins.

The Verdict:

Even cutting this recipe in half I ended up with a lot of Blueberry Muffins which was good news for several friends and for us because we had lots of opportunity to test them. Let’s just say that none of them went to waste… Lovely light crumb with just a hint of sweetness nicely balanced by the tang of the lemon and blueberries. Please make these for your next houseguest, potluck brunch, bakesale – you will be the most popular kid in school.

Lemon Chicken with Broccoli and Bowties

September 03, 2014 by Laura Messersmith in Cooking with the Contessa

As inspiration for more adventurous culinary efforts I’m following along with Ina Garten, aka The Barefoot Contessa, in my tiny New York kitchen. Let’s see if I can keep up with the Contessa!

Episode: “Potluck Party”

The Set-up: Ina is advising the owners of Amber Waves Farm on how to make their potluck classy. If anyone can save them from disaster it’s Ina.

The Menu: Lemon Chicken with Broccoli and Bowties, Wheatberry and Farro Salad, Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese Croutons

0:33 – Ina is working on Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese Croutons because this cooking lesson is going to be grueling and sustenance is required for both the teacher and students!

1:57 – Pro Tip #1: Add the garlic at the end of sautéing the onions so that it doesn’t burn.

2:15 – Ina recommends canned tomatoes in the winter (since they’ve been packed when really ripe), but it comes out sounding like a diss to all non-summer tomatoes. Harsh.

2:49 – We get a little overview of Amber Waves Farm (an Amagansett-based, CSA) but mainly I’m checking out the fashion of these two women who seem to have been lifted directly from a Barbour catalog. Oh, to be so perfectly wind-blown!

3:22 – Ina’s using orzo in place of the “classic” rice in tomato soup – I did not realize this was a thing.

4:38 – Amanda and Katie arrive at Ina’s and let themselves in through the garden. FYI, no Dobermans greet them, so either security is lax at the Barefoot compound, or they’ve been kenneled during the episode filming.

5:16 – Now for the Grilled Cheese Croutons, which are basically just mini-grilled cheese sandwiches and I ask you “How bad could that be?”

9:03 – The soup and grilled cheese have been served, now to get down to the cooking lessons. First up, Lemon Chicken with Broccoli and Bowties

10:31 – Pro Tip #2: Cook the broccoli first, then strain it out with a slotted spoon and re-use the boiling water for the pasta.

11:24 – As they hear Ina’s words of wisdom on measuring cup usage, Katie and Amanda reveal that one of their past potlucks resulted in everyone bringing beer, but no food. Now I understand why they have come to the master for lessons.

12:45 – Katie of the perpetual smile is assigned the grill work – rookie move, because Amanda gets to come back inside with Ina.

13:02 – Pro Tip #3: Adding the dressing to the broccoli and cooked pasta while it’s warm will help the sauce absorb.

15:18 – Has anything ever been made less delicious by the addition of pine nuts and parmesan? I didn’t think so.

20:30 – Now on to making the Wheatberry and Farro Salad and I have a confession to make: I have no earthly idea what a wheatberry is, or farro either for that matter. It turns out that they’re grains.

21:41 – I may have misjudged Katie of the perpetual smile. While Amanda has been chopping away on vegetable prep she’s doing easy things like draining the wheatberries. Quite a maneuver.

22:27 – Hmm, but now Amanda has been complimented on her perfectly chopped carrots. This is like the most understated Top Chef challenge ever.

23:59 – Taste-test time and I issue a triple-dog-dare for one of those girls to be all, “Eh, it could use a little salt.” No one accepts my challenge and Katie of the perpetual smile double dips her spoon. Two demerits.

26:05 – Fast forward to the day of the party. I can’t tell what season it is, but I’m assuming early spring. Ina is super bundled up against what looks like a really cold wind. Her hair is going 1,000 different directions. Yikes.

27:23 – Ina sent Katie and Amanda a rental list and they’ve gone very simple, but farm-y – white serving bowls, galvanized tubs, jam jar glasses. I approve.

28:14 – This is one of my favorite Pro Tips of all time, classic Ina, but also so easy to do! #4: provide matching bowls and unpack the potluck dishes into them for a pretty, uniform look to the buffet.

29:46 – Ina gives them a few more hints and then leaves Katie and Amanda to their own devices. We get a montage of people arriving and the buffet in the end looks like a perfectly rustic, Pinterest-worthy set up. I hope someone took pictures!

Final Thoughts:

These ladies are pretty lucky to have Ina Garten on speed dial for their party advice needs.

Ina is obviously a master party planner for fancy shin-digs, but I love her ideas for making even the humble potluck stylish.

I think Amanda won the cooking part of the competition, but Katie was definitely Miss Congeniality.

Lessons Learned:

I’m a sucker for any recipe that prominently features lemon and with my new grill pan I’m now able to take on more recipes that involve grilling, hence the Lemon Chicken with Broccoli and Bowties, was right in my wheelhouse. This recipe isn’t necessarily difficult, but it is one that rewards the organized cook, especially because it takes marinating time, multiple stages, etc.

No snafus in the preparation, but a few recommendations:

1. I marinated the chicken overnight, which I think was a good move.

2. The giant-ness (totally a word) of the chicken breasts I had meant that 10 minutes per side wasn’t quite enough to cook the chicken all the way through. I used a meat thermometer - always a good idea when preparing poultry - to help me make sure they were done.

3. My major recommendation is around the proportions. I only needed one large chicken breast and two broccoli heads to balance against 1/2 pound of bowtie pasta. Depending on your preferences this might be something to keep an eye on as you’re assembling the final dish.

Small Kitchen Friendly?

Kinda. I used a large pot (broccoli & pasta), a cast iron grill pan, and a small sauté pan. I also needed a medium cutting board, strainer, medium food storage container (for marinating the chicken), slotted spoon, microplane grater, measuring cups/spoons, meat thermometer, and a chef’s knife.

The Verdict:

Mike and I both loved the Lemon Chicken with Broccoli and Bowties and when the entire recipe disappeared in only a day or two I wished I had made a bigger batch. The flavors are delicious and improve with an overnight in the refrigerator, so don’t be afraid to make this ahead of time or extra for leftovers. Definitely a great dish for an easy lunch with friends or as a contribution to a potluck picnic. It does take a few steps, but the results are worth it.

Warm Goat Cheese Salad

August 27, 2014 by Laura Messersmith in Cooking with the Contessa

As inspiration for more adventurous culinary efforts I’m following along with Ina Garten, aka The Barefoot Contessa, in my tiny New York kitchen. Let’s see if I can keep up with the Contessa!

Episode: “Girls Day Out”

The Set-up: Ina decides that she and her friends Donna and Antonia need a day off for some lady activities like eating lunch, chatting, and shopping.

The Menu: Sour Cream Coffee Cake, Sunrise Smoothie, Warm Goat Cheese Salad, Grilled Peaches with Amaretti

0:42 – The ladies (ahem, Girls) are arriving for breakfast so Ina’s making Sour Cream Coffee Cake. I like how this day off is shaping up already.

1:51 – Ina is sifting cake flour and honestly I have no idea what the difference is between flours – all purpose, self rising, say what?

2:13 – She says that cake flour can be replicated by combining all purpose flour with cornstarch. This will require some nerding out, aka research.

3:35 – As the mixer whirs away Ina mentions that the key differences between cooking - “throw everything in a pan” - and baking - “use just the right ingredient and measure exactly.” I feel like there’s a whole philosophy on people here…

3:59 – Research topic number two: sour cream. It’s the magic ingredient in this cake and in our traditional birthday cake, but I have no idea why?

5:07 – I’m glad to see that Ina is also sort of a messy cook. Honestly, that’s the hardest part about cooking in a small space – I run out of clean countertop real estate really fast!

6:16 – Since I’m in the mood for scientific discovery I had to Google the reason for the little prongs/feet on tube pans and learned that they’re for Angel Food cakes which need to cool upside down to keep their fluffy volume. File that one away for your next trivia night.

10:22 – The Sour Cream Coffee Cake is out of the oven and the “Things Are Afoot” music is playing – with good reason, that cake looks so good.

11:15 – I was right; things are afoot in the form of a Maple Drizzle addition to the cake. Yum. Points for realism as Ina adjusts the consistency of her glaze – it takes me about 4 rounds of adding powdered sugar, then more liquid, etc., etc.

11:58 – Time to make Grilled Peaches with Amaretti and I think know what’s going on my new cast iron grill pan next!

12:23 – So here’s my question: how did Ina get the pits out of the peaches without a ridiculous tussle? I always have the worst time with that step, but hers look perfect.

13:04 – This dessert looks amazing – peaches + rum + amaretto + vanilla sugar.

14:46 – Now for the Sunrise Smoothies and Ina is sneaking in raspberry sorbet among the strawberries and mango as the thickener. I know my smoothie in-take would increase if they contained more sorbet.

15:17 – These smoothies are the most gorgeous shade of orange – even without the sorbet I want one.

15:43 – We get a brief interlude in the garden over breakfast and then it’s time for shopping! PS: What time did Ina get up that she has three recipes done before noon?

19:50 – Ina and her friends shop and then she heads home to make lunch, apparently without buying anything, although she does try on a fetching hat.

20:11 – Warm Goat Cheese Salad is next and Ina’s MacGyver-ing the slices of goat cheese with a piece of dental floss. Tricky.

21:25 – After the goat cheese slices have been dipped in egg whites and breaded she recommends chilling them, I assume to help the coating to set?

22:19 – Apparently the inspiration for this salad is one Ina and Jeffrey had at a café in Paris. I’m 100% on board with trying to recreate great restaurant meals.

23:48 – Goat cheese is sautéing and the breading looks lovely and golden in the pan.

27:52 – The “Getting Things Done” music is on as Ina assembles lunch. Mesclun mix meets vinaigrette, goat cheese rounds nestle into the salad leaves.

28:10 – We retire to the garden to have lunch and Ina makes a shocking remark about “not being crazy about goat cheese” except when it’s warm – this is one place where we differ. Bring on the goat cheese!

29:34 – Back inside to put the finishing touches on the Grilled Peaches with Amaretti and I had a moment of clarity: this is basically a really stripped down crumble. Think about that for a minute – cooked fruit, crumbled cookie topping, a dollop of cream? Brilliant work.

Final Thoughts:

I’m pretty sure I’ve said this before, but I’m serious this time - I really want to make vanilla sugar!

The idea of lightly breading and frying cheese has me considering what other cheeses should be treated this way. Cheddar? Mozzarella? Smoked gouda?

The only way Ina’s girls day could get better is with a splash of champagne with lunch instead of Pellegrino.

Lessons Learned:

Since I’m still trying to master pan-frying breaded things and since I have literally never separated an egg (shocking I know) I decided that the Warm Goat Cheese Salad would be my assignment for the week since it involves both. I’m happy to say that I think I’m starting to get the hang of it! I managed to resist crowding the pan – always a tough one - and instead cooked the rounds in batches, which did result in a nice, crispy golden crust.

I do think that chilling the goat cheese rounds after they’ve been breaded makes a difference – something about the contrast of temperatures and letting the coating set up a little is a formula for success.

One little note on the ‘fresh breadcrumbs’ since the recipe doesn’t specify: I’d estimate 1 slice of plain white sandwich bread for every 2-3 goat cheese rounds planned. And, I’d definitely cut off the crusts before putting the pieces in the food processor to help with consistency of the texture, and finally they should be quite finely ground. Mine were a little on the large side, but if you’re skipping that step I bet panko crumbs (not regular breadcrumbs) would work pretty well too.

Small Kitchen Friendly?

Yes, assuming a medium or large food processor is available. I used one medium sauté pan, a small cutting board, a small paring knife, a 4 cup food processor (washed in between the breadcrumbs and dressing steps), a small bowl, and two dinner plates. I also used a liquid measuring cup and measuring spoons.

For some reason we only have mint dental floss and since I didn’t want the goat cheese to taste like toothpaste I had to come up with another way of slicing the goat cheese neatly. My solution: chill the log of cheese in the freezer for 10-15 minutes until it’s firm, but not frozen solid, and then use a sharp knife to cut into pieces. Works like a charm.

The Verdict:

I made Warm Goat Cheese Salad for myself on a night when Mike was on a work trip since a salad with just a few pieces of goat cheese - warm or not - isn’t likely to count as dinner in his book. For me this recipe is perfect for that kind of night – it’s special enough that I felt a little pampered, (I guess fancy salad with homemade dressing does that for me? Oh dear.) but simple enough that I didn’t wonder why I was bothering and just order pizza. I would definitely make this again either just for me, or as an appetizer before a main course.

Mustard Marinated Flank Steak

August 21, 2014 by Laura Messersmith in Cooking with the Contessa

As inspiration for more adventurous culinary efforts I’m following along with Ina Garten, aka The Barefoot Contessa, in my tiny New York kitchen. Let’s see if I can keep up with the Contessa!

Episode: “Barbeques and Bouquets”

The Set-up: Ina and her friend Antonia are swapping expertise – I’ll let you guess which one is doing barbeques and which one is doing bouquets.

The Menu: Easy Gazpacho with Goat Cheese Croutons, Mustard Marinated Flank Steak, Sicilian Grilled Swordfish

0:51 – First, up: Easy Gazpacho with Goat Cheese Croutons and Ina is dicing vegetables.

1:39 – This recipe does seem very easy. So far the process consists of Step 1. Make vegetables small with a knife. Step 2. Make vegetables really small with a food processor.

2:18 – Next, Step 3. Whisk the very small vegetables with seasonings.

3:03 – Finally, Step 4. Let the tiny, seasoned vegetables think about what they’ve done and grow in power.

4:22 – We take a break from our vegetable processing to see what Antonia is up to in the flower world. (Spoiler alert: she’ll be teaching Ina about making bouquets.)

4:46 – If Ina’s love of orange tulips and blue muscari has infiltrated even the most obscure Hamptons florist shops how has Antonia, alleged dear friend, escaped knowing this key piece of trivia? Time for a new BFF I think… (Call me!)

5:34 – Back with Ina to make crouton toppers for the gazpacho. Here the ‘crouton’ does not refer to a seasoned cube of bread a la Caesar salad, but a slice of baguette broiled to crisp perfection and schmeared with goat cheese. Yum.

6:51 – Ina puts the finishing touches on the soup as Antonia arrives with half the flower shop in her arms. They toast (pun not originally intended) with their soup and croutons.

11:09 – Time for the Barbecue part of the episode as kicked off by Antonia opening a bottle of white wine in prep for the Mustard Marinated Flank Steak. You have my full attention.

11:38 – Ina has two Pro Tips for us. #1: Scoring the top of the flank steak in a criss-cross pattern allows the marinade to absorb better. #2: mix the marinade right in the measuring cup.

12:22 – We learn that Antonia lives on Cape Cod now and has a tendency to follow her nose Yogi Bear-style to the backyard of anyone grilling which does sound like a good strategy for garnering invitations.

13:43 – Off to the grill! Pro Tip #3: Brush the grill with a little olive oil to keep the meat from sticking. Also, according to Antonia “It’s not a party unless something catches on fire.” Keep that in mind if you’ve invited her to dinner…

14:19 – Pro Tip #4: Always allow the meat to rest (10-15 minutes) before slicing to allow the juices to come back in. We don’t see the results, but I’ve decided to trust her that it will be “perfectly medium rare.”

19:34 – Last grilling recipe: Sicilian Grilled Swordfish in honor of Antonia’s Italian ancestry. This one is a little different – the marinade goes on after the fish is cooked. Again, extending trust here.

20:06 – Antonia is supposed to be making the marinade, but the swordfish filets are fairly thin (1/2” or so) and I can hear the panic Ina’s voice that they’ll be cooked before she finishes. There’s no time for explanations!

20:41 – “She wields a mean whisk.” One of my favorite Ina quotes.

21:25 – The swordfish is off the grill and the marinade is finished (whew!) Ina uses a fork to poke small holes in the filets, then pours the marinade over the top and wraps the plate in foil. I’ve never seen that technique before, but it’s similar to the flank steak trick we learned earlier.

26:17 – Onward with Act 2: Bouquets. Antonia will be guiding us through how to create an old-fashioned ‘nosegay’ aka: a small portable bouquet.

27:38 – Step 1: make a layer of flat green leaves to give the flowers a background and to cover the stems. Cut long stemmed flowers quite short so that the blooms are closer together.

28:22 – Step 2: put in a base of Flower #1 (Ina and Antonia started with the larger orange tulips) then fill in with small groupings of the contrasting Flower #2 (smaller blue muscari), and finally add a different texture with Flower #3 (orange star of jerusalem) choose something in the same color palette as Flower #1.

29:53 – Step 3: wrap that bouquet up with florist wire and/or tape and cut the ends to the right length. Step 4: pretend you’re bridesmaids and hum the “Wedding March.” Step 5: realize you’re wearing the same outfit too….

Final Thoughts:

I never thought of putting a marinade on after the meat is already cooked – I want to try that some time.

Antonia’s bouquet lesson was really helpful; great tips!

I would happily buy a French blue shirt and join Ina and Antonia’s ‘bridal party.’

Lessons Learned:

In May or June all my cooking magazines start talking about all these great recipes to make on the grill, but with a 12th story apartment, no terrace and definitely no backyard I’ve been left to live vicariously through photos. I decided to make a first attempt at what I’ll call “urban grilling” with the Mustard Marinated Flank Steak and the purchase of a Lodge cast iron grill pan.

The recipe itself is very easy to follow; if you can chop garlic and shallots and measure wine, olive oil and mustard you’re already half done. The tricky part is the grilling, but Ina was right on with her timing. I pre-heated the grill pan for a few minutes until it was hot, cooked each side for exactly 5 minutes, rested for 10 minutes under foil and the meat was hot and red in the center (medium-rare.) If you like beef cooked a little more then add a minute or so to the cooking time and check with a meat thermometer.

One final point: with the exception of the marinating time (I left mine overnight in the refrigerator) – the prep and cooking take no more than 30 minutes of hands on time. FAST.

Small Kitchen Friendly?

Yes, without question. I used one glass casserole dish (to marinate the steak in), one liquid measuring cup, a small cutting board, a cast iron grill pan, tongs, whisk, and chef’s knife.

The Verdict:

Let’s be honest, short of burning the meat to a crisp or waaay over seasoning it steak will always be a hit in the Messersmith household, so it’s no surprise that we both really liked Mustard Marinated Flank Steak. The flavor of the mustard in the marinade comes through, but not so strongly that it masks the beef, and the grill pan did a great job of imparting caramelized sear – don’t forget to pre-heat! It probably would be a bit better with a little charcoal smoke from a real grill, but if your outdoor space is exactly zero this works pretty darn well.