Ham and Cheese in Puff Pastry

October 08, 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: “Cocktail Hour”

The Set-up: Ina is helping her friend Jack navigate the rocky shoals of the cocktail party.

The Menu: Blue Cheese and Walnut Crackers, Roasted Shrimp Cocktail, Ham and Cheese in Puff Pastry

0:29 – Ina’s cocktail party food Pro Tip #1: Make three, assemble three. Seriously, why do I think I need to make everything or it’s somehow cheating?

1:45 – First recipe on tap: Blue Cheese and Walnut Crackers – which Ina says can be made way in advance.

2:13 – Pro Tip #2: Always use the correct measuring cups for the ingredient – dry for dry, wet for wet.

3:20 – Ina mentions that she first tried this recipe with the walnuts mixed in to the dough, but that it didn’t work well so she rolled them into an exterior crust. I’d love to hear about more Barefoot Contessa misfires – not to gloat, but to learn!

4:34 – Ina’s right - thanks to the blue cheese this dough does look bizarre and vaguely grey? Hmmm.

5:07 – As Ina does her “slice and bake” technique with the crackers she gives us Pro Tip #3: using the blade of the knife like a saw, rather than pressing straight down, prevents squishing the dough.

6:16 – Now to the question on everyone’s mind – how much to serve? Ina says three to four pieces per person, assuming your serving six different items. I suppose that means if you have ten guests it’s 6 x 3 x 10? Whoa.

9:22 – Next up, Ham and Cheese in Puff Pastry and as far as I can tell Ina has concerns for humanity if they’re not interested in eating that.

10:31 – Now I see what she means – so far there is ham and mustard and puff pastry involved – yum!

11:49 – Watching Ina slice cheese (gruyere, natch) in the food processor I’ve just come to a startling realization – Ina loves efficiency! The gleam in her eye as that cheese came out perfectly sliced in about 7 seconds tells me I’m right. Kindred spirits.

12:25 – Seriously, how does Ina get her pastry to roll out just so? Mine starts in it’s nice rectangle and ends up all wonky – what am I doing wrong?

13:57 – The Ham and Cheese in Puff Pastry has just emerged from the oven and it looks like heaven. Guess what I’ll be making…

14:32 – Now we’re getting into the assemble/buy part which consists of putting olives and almonds in bowls and arranging slices of cucumber and salami on a platter.

18:11 – Last app to make and Ina has decided on Roasted Shrimp Cocktail a sure winner.

19:30 – First a little prep to take the shells off (tail on to use as a “handle” for guests) and de-vein. The whole concept of dealing with shrimp was such a mystery to me until just a few years ago – this process baffled me until I tried it a few times.

20:23 – Cocktail sauce time – with the volume turned up, of course.

21:09 – I’ve actually made Ina’s cocktail sauce before and it is outstanding – no more bottled sauce for me.

22:40 – Shrimp are out of the oven and they look so good arranged around the central sauce bowl. Simple and delicious.

26:21 – Jack has arrived for lessons on setting up the bar and if the major side-eye he’s giving is any indication there’s more than a little uncertainty that he’s up to the challenge.

27:03 – First the patented Ina buffet table cloth folding lesson and glass arrangement strategy. There is a reason this woman is famous for her entertaining – what a pro!

28:15 – I feel like Jack might be a ringer sent in to ask questions for us like “How many glasses per person?” Pro Tip #4: Order 3 glasses per person from the rental company to avoid running out.

28:42 – Ina also recommends scotch, vodka, bourbon and rum in addition to soft drinks and water for the bar.

29:56 – Fast forward to the night of Jack’s cocktail party – Ina has stopped in to check on her student. Wisecracks about how “straight” the line of glasses are flow like “good bourbon” and Jack apple-polishes a little with vodka on the rocks for his professor. Extra credit.

Final Thoughts:

I really would love to hear more about Ina’s kitchen disasters & also-rans – I’m pretty sure she’s mainly self-taught and I bet there were some good learning experiences.

I need to practice that table cloth folding technique but I don’t have one quite that big – maybe a large flat sheet would work?

I’ve never thought to bribe a teacher with booze, but I bet it’s effective…

Lessons Learned:

Ham and Cheese in Puff Pastry is a recipe almost entirely about assembly of ingredients rather than a great deal of cooking, which makes it incredibly simple and frankly the results are pretty impressive for the amount of effort it takes.

The trickiest part is dealing with the puff pastry – after defrosting a box of two sheets over night in the refrigerator I rolled out one of the sheets an inch or so in each direction. I’d highly recommend doing the rolling on a piece of parchment paper that can then just be lifted onto a sheet pan – even straight from the refrigerator the puff pastry gets sticky fairly quickly and this step saves on flouring your countertop and therefore extra clean up.

I used the (now) slightly larger sheet as the bottom layer – spread the mustard (I mixed two teaspoons each Maille whole grain and Gulden’s spicy brown), ham, and gruyere leaving a border – and placed the un-rolled second sheet of pastry on top. Having the bottom crust a little larger allows it to fold up around the filling really easily.

I came across another blogger (Joy the Baker) who made this recipe and suggested assembling ahead of time, refrigerating, and doing the egg wash and baking steps the next morning for an easy brunch dish. BRILLIANT. Pastry needs to be cold anyway, and putting the main course for brunch in the oven while still in your proverbial bunny slippers only to have it emerge golden a mere 20 – 25 minutes later makes you appear to be a domestic goddess on par with Nigella. Again, this all happens with minimal effort.

Small Kitchen Friendly?

Yes, a surprise considering that it involves a rolling pin. I also used a sheet pan, small cutting board, chef’s knife, measuring spoons, a pastry brush, fork and a small bowl. I also can’t recommend parchment paper (not waxed paper or foil) enough for this – a great help.

The Verdict:

I made Ham and Cheese in Puff Pastry for Mike and my parents during their visit and served it for brunch on Sunday morning. This is essentially the flavors of croque monsieur (pastry + mustard + ham + cheese = how bad could that be?) in alternate form and turned out buttery, flaky and delicious. Also, surprisingly filling despite it’s low-key appearance. We all loved it and really wanted seconds, but were unexpectedly full after relatively modest servings. I went with sweet red grapes and blueberry muffins as sides, but you could easily take this in a more “lunch-y” direction with a side salad or soup. This one is multi-tasking winner!

Mexican Chicken Soup

October 01, 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: “The Cat’s Away”

The Set-up: Jeffrey is leaving for a work trip and Ina has big plans for a card party with her friends.

The Menu: Roasted Asparagus with Scrambled Eggs, Pineapple Margaritas, Mexican Chicken Soup, Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread, Chocolate Orange Fondue

0:35 – “While the cat’s away the mice do like to have fun…” Truer words.

1:04 – Pro Tip #1: asparagus will naturally snap where the woody part of the stalk ends.

2:28 – Pro Tip #2: scrambled eggs will turn out lighter and fluffier if there is less liquid, so Ina is using six eggs and only 3 tablespoons of half and half. I never knew that, and I think I’m pretty decent at cooking eggs.

3:46 – Pro Tip #3: the protein in eggs gets tough if they’re not cooked over low heat. This one I have down.

4:17 - I can’t tell if making Roasted Asparagus with Scrambled Eggs is meant to be a smoke screen for later shenanigans or a treat since Jeffrey is missing the fun?

5:03 – Jeffrey is definitely suspicious but seems mollified by a delicious breakfast into condoning the nonsense, mission accomplished! In any event he’s been packed off to some conference hotel and is safely out of the way…

5:55 – So that Ina can immediately make a giant pitcher of Pineapple Margaritas with her friend Jose. Ha.

6:41 – I know I was teasing about making such a big batch, but it’s actually really smart to make them in advance – the proportions are the same and it saves having to make them one by one. All good in my book.

10:30 – I don’t think she said this explicitly earlier, but the theme for tonight’s dinner is Mexican, so now we’re making Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread.

11:13 – I love cornbread, but Ina’s right most of the time it’s really dry. Who hasn’t needed a sip of water to help unstick a bite from your throat?

12:22 – Interesting, Ina’s recipe has an unusual step – it calls for letting the mixed batter sit for 20 minutes before baking to let the milk, eggs, butter, etc. absorb into the cornmeal and flour.

13:05 – Onward! Mexican Chicken Soup is next and step number one is roasting the chicken breasts. Bone in, skin on chicken really is kinda tricky to find in grocery stores – I feel like I’ve stumbled on a gold mine when I spot some.

14:54 – The cornbread has finished thinking about what it’s done and is now ready to go into the oven. Ina notes it’s super thick and sticky texture – “you can stand a spoon up in it!”

19:37 – Ina says usually she can only manage chips and microwave popcorn for card parties but that sometimes she goes all out for her friends. Which seemed a little sad until I realized that it’s really good popcorn though.

20:55 – Back to the soup which starts the way all good soups do – sautéing onions, carrots and celery.

21:40 – More delicious Tex-Mex type seasonings – cumin, coriander, jalapenos. Yum.

22:39 – Oh dear, here’s a step I just can’t get behind: strips of flour tortillas to thicken the soup. I can’t stand soggy bread in any form so this will not be happening in my soup.

23:12 – The roasted chicken is out of the oven and now Ina is shredding the cooked meat into the soup to absorb the flavors from the broth.

24:46 – The card sharks have arrived and everyone has a bowl of soup with delicious toppings (cheese, sour cream, crispy tortilla chips). Someone remarks that the Pineapple Margaritas are so good “you can’t taste the alcohol!” I would love to see this group after pitchers #2 and #3.

27:04 – Now Ina’s making Chocolate Orange Fondue for dessert and I can still hear the cackles from the others in the living room

28:27 – The orange comes from zest and Grand Marnier. Just keeping the party going I guess?

29:51 – Ina is giving them “elegant things, like doughnuts!” and strawberries, bananas, pretzels and pound cake to dip into the fondue. Apparently this is “just like the 60s without ‘you-know-what’….”

Final Thoughts:

No one does a theme party quite as elegantly as Ina – not a sombrero or cactus to be found.

Buffet style with everything ready in advance is definitely the way to go for a group. Well played.

I stand by my earlier statement of wishing the cameras would keep rolling – no wonder Jeffrey was concerned about them having too much fun!

Lessons Learned:

I love chili but sometimes I’m in the mood for something a little lighter. Mexican Chicken Soup seemed like a great alternative – still spicy and warming but with more vegetables and lean chicken instead.

I cut the recipe in half since I was only planning for two of us (easy to do) and made one tiny change by adding a can of drained, rinsed cannelloni beans instead of the tortilla strips. You know my feelings on mushy bread-related items and I think the white beans are a solid compliment to the other ingredients and also help thicken the broth a little. Crisis averted.

Since beans seem to absorb a lot of seasoning I increased some of the spices a little to balance them out. Two minced jalapenos - seeds and ribs removed - were enough to make this mildly spicy (Mike added more red pepper flakes to his) if you like it very spicy then I’d add one or two more.

The steps aren’t overly difficult – roasting the chicken first (worth it – don’t skip this step!) then chopping vegetables and measuring spices and components for the broth.

Small Kitchen Friendly?

Yes, indeed. I used a sheet pan, my trusty 5-quart Le Creuset french oven, a large cutting board, chef’s knife, a sieve, both dry and liquid measuring cups, and a wooden spoon. That’s all!

The Verdict:

As I suspected, Mexican Chicken Soup was a hit. Mike and I both really liked the flavors – tender chicken, warm cumin and coriander – and the leftovers disappeared quickly. Compared with chili this really is a lighter dish that feels more elegant and company appropriate. Perfect for early fall suppers and pairs super well with my Cheddar Chive Cornbread. Give this one a try soon!

Roasted Sausages and Grapes

September 24, 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: “Buon Appetito”

The Set-up: Ina is making Italian dishes that take almost no time or effort.

The Menu: Weeknight Bolognese, Roasted Sausage and Grapes, Parmesan Crisps

0:55 – We’re beginning with Weeknight Bolognese, which according to Ina takes “foreeever to make” and if this recipe from another TV cooking show is anything go on I agree!

1:22 – In a turn of events that surprises no one this recipe calls for garlic, oregano, and San Marzano tomatoes.

3:03 – Ina is also adding a few tablespoons of tomato paste and I have to give a shout out to one of my favorite ingredients – such an awesome way to add more flavor without adding more liquid.

4:35 – Now that Ina has finished hating on “boring” spaghetti and has started boiling the more interesting orecchiette it’s time to wrap up the Bolognese sauce.

5:41 – Parmesan has been ground, pasta is cooked, sauce is sauced and now I’m hungry.

6:50 – I have to give Ina credit, that looks really good and didn’t take all that long either. Buon appetito indeed.

10:07 – Now we’re cooking Roasted Sausages and Grapes with Joanne Killeen, owner of Al Forno restaurant in Providence, RI.

11:23 – First step, par-boil the hot and sweet Italian sausages to remove some of the fat.

12:36 – Interesting, Joanne recommends using both red and green grapes because “We start beautiful,” even though the final result will be that both look kinda brown.

13:18 – According to Joanne this is a peasant dish from Tuscany that would have been made around harvest time. File that one away for the next trivia night!

14:09 – Ina is in charge of finishing the sauce, which seems to consist of de-glazing the pan with balsamic vinegar while Joanne does the heavy lifting by slicing focaccia.

15:54 – Serving suggestion is mashed potatoes, but I think a creamy polenta might be better or potatoes roasted with herbs… yum.

16:26 – I love dishes that combine savory or spicy with something sweet – this looks like a great fall dinner.

19:35 – We’re back and taking a field trip to Cavaniola’s to learn about parmesan cheese. Ina is showing us whole wheels of Parmigiano Reggiano and what shavings look like.

20:11 – FYI, for cheese lovers on a budget (aren’t we all?) Grana Padano is a good, less expensive option.

21:20 – I feel like this a lesson for 12-year old me who tried to make fettuccine alfredo with the pre-ground kind in the canister, aka “shaker cheese.” Spoiler alert: it did not turn out well.

22:03 – We’re learning a little about Ina’s cheese handling preferences – mainly that she buys the world’s largest wedges of Parmigiano Reggiano and two that she wouldn’t touch the pre-shredded kind with a 39.5 foot pole (who knows where it’s been?!)

23:45 – Ina offers us two parmesan-related appetizers Parmesan Shards and Parmesan Crisps. The snarky side of me has thoughts that I’m trying to restrain…

26:17 – Time for Ask Ina! Question 1: How to fix meatballs that are too squishy. (Eww.) Ina recommends a combination of fresh and dry seasoned breadcrumbs.

27:32 – Question 2: How long should it take to cook risotto? Ina says risotto should cook at a gentle simmer and take 30 – 35 minutes to reach an al dente texture.

28:12 – Question 3: How do I pick the right balsamic vinegar? Ina says that like parmesan the more aged the balsamic is, the more expensive it is. She suggests selecting a few in your budget range, tasting them all and then choosing the one you like best.

29:28 – Question 4: Why is my pasta all clumped together in a solid mass? Ina explains that the starch released from the pasta as it cooks will make it stick unless you add a little oil to the water or put the pasta directly into the sauce after it drains.

Final Thoughts:

All of the recipes Ina made were really fast – perfect for weeknight cooking!

I learned my lesson about parmesan at a young age. The raw ingredients make such a difference in the outcome.

I dare some one to serve pieces of parmesan with toothpicks in them at their next party.

Lessons Learned:

I love recipes that balance savory with sweet, so the Roasted Sausages and Grapes was really intriguing to me. It also looked fairly uncomplicated to make so I decided to give it a shot. The steps are very simple and requires minimal prep, so this is a great recipe if energy and/or time are short.

Remember with roasting that allowing space between the grapes and sausages will allow them to caramelize – too little space results in steam and not much texture will develop.

One Important Note: I think the sausage I bought must have been fairly lean because after par-boiling and roasting they turned out almost dry – something that has probably never been said about a sausage before.

Unless you’re sure the sausages your using are high in fat content I’d err on the side of skipping the par-boiling step since any excess fat that renders out of the sausages during the roasting process can be skimmed off or left in the pan to help flavor the grapes and create the sauce.

Small Kitchen Friendly?

Yes, surprisingly. I used metal roasting pan, a medium pot, tongs, a wooden spatula, and measuring cups/spoons. That’s it!

The Verdict:

I had high hopes for Roasted Sausages and Grapes after all it’s been on Al Forno’s menu for 30 years(!), but I’m sorry to say that both Mike and I were a little underwhelmed. The flavors melded well together and delivered on the salty/sweet/vinegar combination, but the dryness of the sausage was a disappointment. I think with a few adjustments - mainly skipping the par-boiling step - this could be a great dish. I could even see making it for brunch alongside grits or herbed potatoes. A lukewarm endorsement, I know but I think there’s potential!

Lobster & Shells

September 17, 2014 by Laura Messersmith in Cooking with the Contessa

Lobster and Shells | Image: Laura Messersmith — **Lobster and Shells** | Image: *Laura Messersmith*

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: “Sweet Charity”

The Set-up: Ina donated a lunch to charity and now it’s time to make that $$$ raised worth it.

The Menu: Chilled Cucumber Soup with Shrimp, Lobster and Shells, Eton Mess

0:39 – This is one of my all-time favorite episodes thanks to the awesomeness of ‘guest stars’ Mariska Hargitay and Alec Baldwin. Trust me, this is way better than the Mel Brooks dinner and my photography has improved too, so there’s that…

1:01 – Ina admits that she’s under pressure due to the six-figure pile of cash the auction winners paid, but she’s refusing to be fancy (i.e. fois gras and caviar) and is instead making a simple lunch with a luxurious touch.

2:13 – To start she’s serving Chilled Cucumber Soup with Shrimp which seems to involve all the English cucumbers known to man and a few tubs of Greek yogurt. So far so good.

2:52 – We cut away for a minute to see footage of the bidding on Ina’s dinner complete with shocked reactions from Mr. Baldwin as the figure hits $100K. I’m having flashbacks to my non-profit days….

4:07 – Pureeing in batches is my number one, least favorite part of making smooth soups, but I’m glad to see that Ina has to deal with it too just like the rest of us.

4:55 – Now we go to Quail Hill Farm with Alec Baldwin to get vegetables for Ina. Even the guy at the farm stand knows this is a tricky task…

5:14 – I’m glad to see Mr. Baldwin is taking this very seriously – he is out in the field harvesting dill and scallions in his penny loafers. Fresh!

9:22 – Main course time. Ina is making Lobster and Shells and Alec arrives right on cue with the box of vegetables from the farm stand. They agree how much they “love Quail Hill.”

10:56 – Onward with the cooking, which involves cutting the kernels off corn on the cob. Two observations that make me feel better – Ina doesn’t seem overly concerned with getting every last piece of silk off (I get kinda obsessed) and she also has corn kernels flying everywhere.

11:18 – Alec somehow managed to find the most adorable cherry tomatoes on the vine, those little guys are seriously cute and of course the perfect size to stay whole. Nice.

12:34 – Lobster time and once again Ina and I are 100% aligned on not wanting to cook our own lobsters. She also notes that this is the high part in her “high/low” take on entertaining.

13:09 – We go outside for a moment with Mariska who is looking impossibly lovely in a gorgeous sheath dress as she lays out striped napkins for the table setting. These people are getting their money’s worth!

14:37 – Back inside with Ina who is whipping up a dressing for the lobster and shells. Perhaps I should make clear: this is essentially a macaroni salad, but with diced lobster and Alec-harvested produce.

15:08 – Ina finishes up by stirring in the dill and even her most giant bowl is barely up to the task – it is a MASSIVE salad.

20:25 – Last stop: Eton Mess and Ina has a scheme in mind; she’s making the guests assemble their own dessert and then she reveals that the meringues are from a bakery (“There’s absolutely no reason to make them yourself!) If Ina had an evil laugh now would be the time to unveil it…

22:14 – Eton Mess seems to involve a healthy quantity of fresh raspberries and raspberry sauce, so I’m going to look the other way on the meringue incident.

23:53 – The auction winners have arrived and I’m 98% positive that the wife of the guy doing the bidding left him at home and brought all her girlfriends.

27:06 – Cucumber soup garnished with shrimp is finished; time for the Lobster and Shells which Alec points out, ahem, could not have been made without his help. Props are duly given and accepted with humility.

28:19 – Ina is already my hero, but even more so now – she has the guests crushing up their own meringues. Brilliant.

28:52 – Back outside to the dessert table and Ina demonstrates how to assemble Eton Mess by making one for Mariska. When you’re an Emmy-winning actress some special treatment is to be expected.

29:07 – I can’t tell if the ladies are impressed or not, but except for one woman who looks a little peeved they all seem to roll with it. Alec hams it up by making the messiest Mess.

29:46 – Then everyone receives a copy of How Easy Is That?, which coincidently (?) features that exact recipe on the cover and the ladies go back to their normal, non-celebrity lives. Sigh.

Final Thoughts:

I love Ina’s take on high/low entertaining – centering a dinner party on home style classics, or taking something simple and adding a dash of something really special.

I’m fairly sure that if Mike won this lunch for six people I’d ask if just the two of us could have three lunches instead. Maybe one with Jeffrey and one with T.R.? #envelopepusher

Raise your hand if you also want a show where Alec Baldwin runs errands for other famous people. Sarah Jessica Parker’s dry cleaning, library book returns for Bob DeNiro - think about it…

Lessons Learned:

Full disclosure: I spotted the recipe for Lobster and Shells in my copy of How Easy Is That? earlier this summer and but then promptly forgot I wanted to make it until this episode came along and the light bulb went back on. Since I knew my access to sweet corn and good cherry tomatoes was dwindling I finally got my act together and actually tested this dish out.

One Important Note: I cut the recipe detailed here in half since I was only making it for two people and definitely did not need 16 servings. This is an easy one to do that with though since the ingredient amounts can be easily divided in half – one pepper instead of two, etc.

I also made one substitution and used Chobani Greek yogurt (lemon) in the dressing. It’s quickly become one of my favorite tricks when a recipe calls for sour cream and for lemon juice because it lightens up the calories a little and compliment the flavors. Definitely worth trying.

The main skills for this recipe are prepping the vegetables and coordinating the timing of everything. I’m a little slow when it comes to cutting up produce, mainly because I’m really focused on keeping the sizes consistent and also because it’s a little therapeutic (weird I know) so I tend to get in the zone, which doesn’t really lend itself to quickness. That was a long way of saying, do your veggie prep as the water is coming to a boil and try to finish before you add the pasta so that you can work on the sauce while the shells are cooking.

Small Kitchen Friendly?

Mmmm, kinda. For a half-recipe I used a large pot, large cutting board, a medium sized mixing bowl, one small bowl, a chef’s knife, measuring spoons, a liquid measuring cup, a whisk and a large spoon. If you’re making the full recipe then a very large bowl is necessary and everything else is pretty much the same.

The Verdict:

I made Lobster and Shells on a warm for mid-September Friday and it was so good. All the flavors of a summer meal on the beach whirled together in a dish that manages to combine all four food groups. We tried it again later in the weekend and the flavors do meld together even better with a little more time in the refrigerator. I’m a little sorry that the season for corn and tomatoes is coming to a close since this is a recipe that makes the most of them, but definitely pin this one for next summer’s picnic ideas – it will be something to look forward to!