Sarah & Matthew’s 2011 XMAS
COOK book 7 food recipes 4 cocktail recipes
& INcluding a section on brunch
Hello 2012. Can we make you a drink?
This year was about cocktails
Cocktails Daiquiri
Summer
2 oz light rum (Mount Gay if you can get it) ¾ oz simple syrup ¾ oz lime Shake all the ingredients with ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
The Sidecar
Fall
2 oz. cognac (anything with VSOP written on it) ¾ oz. fresh lemon juice ¾ oz. cointreau ¼ oz. simple syrup Sugar the rim of a cocktail glass by wetting the rim with a lemon wedge and then tap the rim of the glass onto a plate of sugar. Shake all the ingredients with ice and strain into aforementioned cocktail glass.
Cocktails, continued The Martinez
Winter
The Airmail
2 oz gin 1 oz sweet vermouth ¼ oz maraschino liqueur (look for the Luxardo brand) 2 dashes orange bitters 1 lemon twist Stir with ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with the lemon twist.
Alligator Toast Serves 2
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Segment a grapefruit or two (peel and then cut each segment out from the membrane). Put aside.
Spring
1 1/2 oz. light rum (go for Mount Gay if you can get it) 3/4 oz. fresh lime juice 1 oz. honey syrup (1 part honey to 1 part water) 1 oz. prosecco eyedropper of Angostura bitters, mint leaf Combine rum, lime juice, syrup and ice in shaker. Shake vigorously. Strain into glass and top with prosecco. Garnish by dragging mint leaf through bitters to create an attractive design, then laying mint leaf on top.
We had this at the wonderful Comstock Saloon in the fancy city of San Francisco. It’s one of those magical dishes that everyone loves.
Cut an avocado or two into thin large pieces. Sprinkle with the grapefruit juice from your grapefruit to keep from browning. Heat the butter in a small pan over medium high heat. Fry shallots until translucent and soft (you can also try to make them crispy if you feel adventurous. Somehow we fail at this every time). While frying the shallots toast your bread until nicely crisped.
YOU WILL NEED • • • • • •
2 - 3 slices pumpernickel bread 1 grapefruit 1 avocado butter 1-2 thinly sliced shallots salt (fleur de sel if you are feeling fancy)
Butter your toast, layer some shallots, 2-3 pieces of avocado, and 2-3 grapefruit segments on top. Sprinkle with salt (we use fleur de sel as it’s less salty. It’s expensive, but a great investment - once you have it you’ll find all kinds of good uses for it). The salt is a key ingredient here; it brings everything together. Table salt will do just fine too.
How to have brunch Melon Salad Scones Lemon Curd
Melon and Mint Salad Cut melons and mangoes into small cubes, smaller than your average fruit salad (½ inch by ½ inch). Sprinkle mint and toss gently.
YOU WILL NEED
Pour raspberries on top and toss once or twice to distribute raspberries, being careful not to smoosh them.
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This salad gets better with a little bit of time, so refrigerate it while you make other things and serve within an hour or two.
• • •
One cantaloupe de-seeded and skin removed One honeydew melon de-seeded and skin removed 2-3 mangoes 1 pint raspberries 2-3 T fresh mint, chiffonade (long thin strips)
Ginger Scones Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
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These things are so easy to make and stay delicious for hours (unlike some scones that turn to lead after one). This recipe is adapted from one by Ina Garten.
In a mixer mix 4 cups of flour, 1/4 cup sugar, the baking powder, salt, and ground ginger. Add the cold butter and mix at the lowest speed until the butter is the size of peas. Combine the eggs and heavy cream and, with the mixer on low speed, slowly pour into the flour and butter mixture. Mix until just blended. The dough will look lumpy! Combine the chopped crystallized ginger and 1/4 cup of flour, add to the dough, and mix on low speed until blended. Dump the dough onto a well-floured surface and knead it into a ball. Flour your hands and a rolling pin and roll the dough 3/4-inch thick. You should see small bits of butter in the dough. Flour a 3-inch round dough cutter or and cut circles of dough (you can cut by hand even squares too). Place the scones on a baking pan lined with parchment paper. Collect the scraps neatly, roll them out, and cut more circles.
YOU WILL NEED • • •
4 cups plus 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 1/4 cup sugar, plus additional for sprinkling 2 tablespoons baking powder
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2 teaspoons kosher salt 1 teaspoon ground ginger 3/4 pound cold unsalted butter, diced 4 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten 1 cup cold heavy cream
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1 cup finely chopped crystallized ginger 1 egg beaten with 2 tablespoons water or milk, for egg wash parchment paper
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Brush the tops of the scones with egg wash, sprinkle with sugar, and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the tops are golden brown.
Lemon Curd
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Make this a day or two before you need it. And you’ll need it. Oh boy will you need it.
Set a fine-mesh strainer over a medium heatproof bowl next to the stove. In a heavy, medium saucepan, whisk together the sugar, lemon juice, eggs, egg yolks and lemon peel. Add the butter and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes. Lower the heat and simmer, stirring, until the mixture thickens and registers 160° on an instant-read thermometer, about 5 minutes. Strain the mixture into the prepared bowl, then press a sheet of plastic wrap directly onto the surface. Let cool to room temperature. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 1 month.
YOU WILL NEED • • • •
2 cups sugar 1 cup fresh lemon juice (about 6 lemons) 4 large eggs plus 4 large yolks, beaten 1/4 cup lemon zest
• • •
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, cut into pieces a fine mesh strainer a food thermometer
Suggested uses: Put 2 tablespoons on the bottom of a glass cup, add a scoop of vanilla ice cream and top with soda water or lemon soda. Bake squares of puff pastry, let cool slightly, spread with curd and top with whipped cream. Top store-bought vanilla wafers with curd and sprinkle with powdered sugar (or make sandwiches). Put in 4 oz. canning jars and give away as gifts. Or just eat it with a spoon.
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Betty Crocker 1950’s Banana Bread
So you know it’s good for you.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter the bottom of one standard bread loaf pan (or feel free to double this recipe). Mix all the ingredients until blended and doughy (should be really thick and sticky, not runny but not a solid ball of dough either). Put in loaf pan and smooth out the top. Bake for 60 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean (I start checking around 50 minutes). Here’s the hard part: wait until it’s cool to eat it. When it is, slather butter all over it and eat half the loaf in one sitting. You’re welcome.
YOU WILL NEED 2-3 super ripe bananas, mashed to mush 2 1/2 cup flour 1/2 cup white sugar 1/2 cup brown sugar 3 1/2 t baking powder 1 t salt 3 T vegetable oil 1 egg 2/3 cup milk (once I didn't have milk so I subbed yogurt and it was great)
Pearl Couscous Tagine In a deep skillet or dutch oven heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until soft. Add the garlic, ginger, cumin, turmeric, and cinnamon. Stir for 2 minutes. Add the raisins, tomato, stock, chickpeas, carrots, cauliflower, zucchini. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer, cover, and cook until the vegetables are tender. Add the couscous and cook covered for 10 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.
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We use the word “tagine” loosely here.
YOU WILL NEED •
1 T olive oil
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1 chopped onion
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2 cloves minced garlic 1 1-inch piece of fresh, peeled, and minced ginger
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1 ½ t cumin 2 t tumeric
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2 3-inch cinnamon sticks
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⅓ cup raisins 1 ½ cups diced tomato (fresh or canned)
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2 cups vegetable stock
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1 cup chickpeas
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2 carrots, ½ head of cauliflower, and 2 zucchini cut into bite sized chunks
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1 cup pearl couscous
Fried Eggs with Greens and Mushrooms and Sage Butter
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For 2 hungry people
Make the eggs and greens: Heat a large, heavy skillet over high heat. Swirl in oil. Cook mushrooms with 1/2 teaspoon salt until golden and tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium. Stir in garlic, then greens and water. Cook, stirring, until greens wilt. Add unsalted butter, and stir until melted. Push greens to make 4 wells. Crack 1 egg into each. Season with salt. Cook for 4 minutes. Let stand until whites are set but yolks are still runny, about 4 minutes. While eggs are cooking make the sage butter: Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add sage and red-pepper flakes. Simmer until sage is crisp, about 3 minutes. Drizzle dish with sage-chile butter. Garnish with cheese. Serve over rice if you’d like. Write Martha a thank you letter.
Dear Martha, thank you. Dear Reader, do not skimp on any of this butter. Trust Martha. She knows what she is doing.
YOU WILL NEED For the Sage-Chile Butter • • •
4 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 tablespoon small sage leaves 1/4 teaspoon crushed red-pepper flakes
For the Eggs and Greens • • • • •
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 10 ounces white button or cremini mushrooms, sliced Coarse salt
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2 garlic thinly sliced cloves 6 cups cooking greens (cut into 3/4-inch-wide ribbons), we use kale because kale is the best! 2 tablespoons water 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
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4 large eggs finely grated Parmesan cheese