Mexican Rice with Black Beans

Happy Decimo de Mayo!  Ok, I'm five days late in posting this recipe for Cinco de Mayo.  It's the story of my life these days, especially when it comes to this poor neglected blog.  Would someone please stop time so I can get caught up?!  Thank you.

I was pleasantly surprised when my cilantro patch survived the mild winter we had this year.  I love cilantro, so I've been trying to cook as much as I can with it before it bolts in this Spring heat wave.

I made this Mexican rice to serve with enchiladas (recipe coming soon!).  I don't think I'll need to go out for Mexican food anymore - I can make it at home - quite easily it turns out. The most tedious part of the Enchiladas with Mexican Rice was washing all the dishes - it made quite the mess of my kitchen.    But it was worth it.  It's delicioso!

{This recipe makes a good amount, but the leftovers freeze well.}

Mexican Rice with Black Beans

adapted slightly from Best International Recipes by the editors of Cook’s Illustrated

2 ripe tomatoes (about 12 ounces), cored and quartered

1 medium onion, preferably white, peeled, trimmed of root end, and quartered

3 medium jalapeno chiles

2 cups long grain white rice

1/3 cup canola oil

4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed through garlic press

2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 ½ teaspoons table salt

1 15-oz can black beans, rinsed and drained

½ cup minced fresh cilantro leaves

1 lime, cut into wedges for serving

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Process tomatoes and onion in food processor until smooth and thoroughly pureed, about 15 seconds, scraping down bowl if necessary. Transfer mixture to liquid measuring cup; you should have 2 cups (if necessary, spoon off excess so that volume equals 2 cups).

 Remove ribs and seeds from 2 jalapeños and discard; mince flesh and set aside. Mince remaining jalapeño, including ribs and seeds; set aside.

Place rice in large fine-mesh strainer and rinse under cold running water until water runs clear, about 1 1/2 minutes. Shake rice vigorously in strainer to remove all excess water.

Heat oil in heavy-bottomed oven-safe 12-inch straight-sided sauté pan or Dutch oven with tight-fitting lid over medium-high heat, 1 to 2 minutes. Drop 3 or 4 grains rice in oil; if grains sizzle, oil is ready. Add rice and fry, stirring frequently, until rice is light golden and translucent, 6 to 8 minutes. Reduce heat to medium, add garlic and seeded minced jalapeños; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 1/2 minutes. Stir in pureed tomatoes and onions, chicken broth, tomato paste, and salt; increase heat to medium-high and bring to boil. 

Cover pan and transfer to oven; bake until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender, 30 to 35 minutes.  Stir in the black beans about halfway through the baking time.

Stir in cilantro and reserved minced jalapeño with seeds to taste. Serve immediately, passing lime wedges separately.

Miette and Marshmallows

Last summer, we took a family vacation out west to California and Oregon.  We spent a few days in San Francisco sightseeing.  Whenever I'm going to a new place, I always look for bakeries and farmer's markets to pop in and visit if there's an opportunity.  When I mention hitting up a local bakery, my kids roll their eyes and groan, but really, there are worse things I could ask them to do! 

The Ferry Building was on the top of my must-visit list.  There's the Farmer's Market outside and inside, a beautiful bakery called Miette Patisserie.  There were beautiful pastel cake stands and wonderful treats residing in every nook of the store.  The painted furniture, the wallpaper, the packaging... it just melded together perfectly.   We tried a cupcake and a hazelnut macaron and both were delicious.

When we came home from that vacation, I promptly put the Miette cookbook on my Christmas list.  And Mark surprised me with one of the cake stands for my birthday - a small 6-inch cake stand in the prettiest pink.  It's one my favorites.

The cookbook arrived in my stocking for Christmas and I was so excited to try some recipes. 

I tried the mini oatmeal chocolate chip cookies which proved to be addicting.  They were gone before I remembered to snap a photo!

 And I tried the Miette marshmallows.

I have made marshmallows before, but these are different.  The Peppermint Marshmallows I made before were super soft and had an airy melt-in-your mouth texture.  There was no way you could cook those marshmallows over a campfire without having a drippy mess on your hands.  But they were wonderful in a cup of hot cocoa, flavored with mint and melting into creamy hot chocolate.

These Miette marshmallows are more like the marshmallows you can buy at the store.  In fact, the texture was exactly the same - more substantial, more dense.  I think these could easily be roasted over a fire with no problem, although I haven't tried to yet.  I cut them into circles with a cookie cutter, placed them on a lollipop stick and dipped them in chocolate, sprinkles, crushed candy canes and unsweetened coconut (my favorite).

I liked both recipes for marshmallows, but I think I prefer the Miette marshmallows for eating out of hand or roasting on the fire.  For hot chocolate, I may prefer the Epicurious marshmallows.  So maybe I should call these "Summer Marshmallows", and the other ones "Winter Marshmallows".  Either way, try homemade marshmallows - they are delicious!

And if you find yourself in San Francisco, don't miss the Ferry Building and Miette Patisserie!

Miette Marshmallows
Makes about 48 1 1/2-inch square marshmallows
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup sifted powdered sugar
3 Tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin powder (4 packets or one ounce)
1/3 cup water, plus 1/2 cup
2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/2 vanilla bean (I omitted)
3 large egg whites
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
Pinch of cream of tartar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

 Have ready a 9×13 inch pan lightly coated with cooking spray. In a small bowl, stir together the corn starch and powdered sugar. Dust the bottom and sides of the pan with the mixture. Tap off the excess and reserve.

In a small bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over the surface of the 1/3 cup water. Set aside to soften.

In a small saucepan, combine the granulated sugar, corn syrup, and 1/2 cup water. Cut the vanilla bean in half lengthwise and scrape the seeds into the sugar. (Save the pod for another use.) Clip a candy thermometer to the side of the pan. Over medium-low heat, cook the mixture to 246 degrees F. 

Meanwhile, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the egg whites, vanilla, cream of tartar, and salt. When the syrup reaches 230 degrees F, start to whisk the egg whites on low speed. When it reaches 246 degrees F, immediately remove the syrup from the heat and whisk in the softened gelatin until no lumps remain. Pour the syrup through a fine mesh sieve into another pan or a heatproof bowl.

With the mixer still on low speed, pour in a small amount of the syrup, away from the whisk so the hot syrup doesn’t splash. Continue to add the syrup in a thin stream; when all the syrup has been added, raise the speed to medium-high. Continue to whisk until the meringue has cooled to room temperature and stiff peaks form.

Scrape it out into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Dust the top with some of the remaining cornstarch mixture. Cover the pan and allow the marshmallows to set for approximately 6 hours. To cut, slip an offset spatula between the marshmallow and the sides of the pan. Invert the slab onto a cutting board dusted with the cornstarch mixture. Using a lightly oiled knife, cut the marshmallows into 1 1/2 inch squares. Dust the cut edges with the cornstarch mixture and store in an airtight container or bag for up to 5 days.

Escarole with Cannellini Beans

Sometimes I just need warm and healthy and wholesome and filling and slow-cookin', but not heavy.  This dish fills the requirement perfectly.

Start the night before and soak your beans in cold water overnight.  Then drain and rinse the beans.  Add the beans to a stockpot with some chicken or vegetable stock, water, and olive oil.  Add some onions, carrots, garlic, and sage and simmer away until the beans are tender (1 1/2 - 2 hours).

When the beans are tender, remove from the heat and remove and discard any large pieces of onion, garlic, and sage.

In a large skillet, heat the remaining olive oil, then add the garlic, red pepper flakes and pancetta, then the escarole.  Cook 5 minutes until escarole is wilted.

Add the tomatoes and seasoning...

...then the beans.  Sprinkle with lemon and adjust seasonings.  Serve with a drizzle of olive oil and parmesan shavings and feel good!

Escarole with Cannellini Beans

Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Essentials of Slow Cooking

• 1 lb. dried cannellini beans or Great Northern beans
• 2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 1/2 cup olive oil, plus more for serving
• 2 yellow onions, quartered
• 2 carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 8 garlic cloves, 4 left whole, 4 minced
• 2 fresh sage sprigs
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (I used a scant 1/4 tsp)
• 2 oz. pancetta or unsmoked bacon, chopped (optional)
• 2 heads escarole, about 2 lb. total, cut crosswise into strips 2 inches wide
• 1 can (14 1/2 oz.) diced plum tomatoes, preferably San Marzano, drained
• 1 tsp. salt, plus more, to taste
• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper, plus more, to taste
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Extra-virgin Olive oil for drizzling and shaved parmesan for garnish

Pick over the beans, removing any misshapen beans or grit. Rinse under cold running water. Put the beans in a large bowl, add cold water to cover by at least 2 inches and let stand at room temperature overnight. Alternatively, for a quick soak, put the beans in a large pot, add water to cover by at least 2 inches and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat, cover and let soak for 1 hour. Drain and rinse the beans.

Stovetop method: In a large Dutch oven, combine the beans, the broth and 1/4 cup of the olive oil. Add cold water to cover the beans by about 1 1/2 inches. Add the onions, carrots, whole garlic cloves and sage. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce the heat to low, partially cover and simmer gently until the beans are very tender, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Remove the onions, garlic cloves and sage and discard.

Slow-cooker method: In a slow cooker, combine the beans, the broth and 1/4 cup of the olive oil. Add cold water to cover the beans by about 1 1/2 inches. Add the onions, carrots, whole garlic cloves and sage. Cover and cook according to the manufacturer's instructions until the beans are very tender, about 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low. Remove the onions, garlic cloves and sage and discard.

About 30 minutes before the beans are done, in a large fry pan over medium-high heat, warm the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil. Add the minced garlic, red pepper flakes and pancetta and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the escarole and sauté until the leaves begin to wilt, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, the 1 tsp. salt and the 1/2 tsp. pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the leaves have softened and the mixture is reduced to about one-third, 5 to 7 minutes.

When the beans are done, add the escarole mixture and stir, breaking up some of the beans with the back of the spoon to thicken the mixture slightly. Stir in the lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately, passing the remaining olive oil and shaved parmesan at the table. Serves 6 to 8.

Angry Bird Cookies

Note to Mom:  "Angry Birds" is a popular game that many kids are playing on their electronic devices these days.

Note to everyone else:  I make these notes to my mom because she is retired and vacationing in Florida and has no clue nor does she have any desire to get a clue about any new electronic gadgets.  She is, however, with the help of my dad who enjoys his electronic gadgets, one of the few who reads this blog faithfully.  (Hi Mom!)

For detailed instruction on how to decorate these cookies, check out Sweet Sugarbelle's blog here.
For helpful tips on rolling out dough, check out my blog post here.

Vanilla-Almond Sugar Cookie Cut-outs
Adapted from Baked: New Frontiers in Baking by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito

4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3 sticks butter, softened to cool room temperature
4 tablespoons vegetable shortening
1 1/3 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder and set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter, shortening, and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until combined, scraping the bowl as needed. Add the flour mixture and mix until incorporated. Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheet with Silpat mats or parchment paper.

Dust a work surface liberally with flour. Unwrap the chilled dough, sprinkle with more flour and roll with a rolling pin to 1/4 inch thick (or a little thinner). Lift the dough and add a bit more flour underneath and on top if the dough gets sticky. If the dough is too hard to work with and wants to crack, break the dough into tennis ball sized pieces and knead each piece briefly to make the dough pliable, then knead all the pieces together one or two times, then you can roll out to an even thickness with a rolling pin.

Transfer the cookies to the cookie sheets with a thin metal spatula. Place the cookie sheets in the freezer for at least 15 minutes (this keeps the cookies from spreading during baking), then bake the cookies for about 10-12 minutes. I peek into the oven and give the cookies a quick touch with my finger. The cookies are done if they provide resistance to your fingertip and are starting to brown around the edges. They are not quite done if your finger sinks into the cookie and leaves an impression. I set the timer for 10 minutes and check every minute after that until the cookies are done. Let the cookies cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Royal Icing
from Joyofbaking.com

2 large (60 grams) egg whites

2 teaspoons fresh strained lemon juice

3 cups (330 grams) confectioners (powdered or icing) sugar, sifted

Place egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.  Beat eggs on medium-high speed until frothy.  Add lemon juice, reduce mixer speed to medium-low and slowly add the confectioners sugar.  Once all the sugar is added, increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for 6-7 minutes or until the mixture reaches medium-stiff to stiff peaks.  Transfer to an airtight container at room temperature until ready to use if you will be using the icing the same day (recommended).  Refrigerate unused portions for up to one week.

Sweet and Salty Caramel Brownies

Would you just look that these brownies! They were delicious - maybe the best ever.  Fudgy chocolatey goodness with caramel oozing out the center and drizzled on top, sprinkled with sea salt and coarse sugar.  A glass of milk with these is not optional.

I had given some away...

...but there were plenty for us too.

The ones hanging around were devoured, and then the kids, realizing that they were all gone, had that surprised, shocked, sad, disappointed look on their faces when they asked, "Who ate the last brownie?".

No one confessed.  I suppose I'll just have to make more.

Sweet & Salty Brownie
from Baked Explorations by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito
Makes one 9x13 pan of brownies - how many you decide to cut from that is a personal decision!

For the caramel filling:
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon fleur de sel, or other mild sea salt
1/4 cup sour cream

For the Brownie:
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons dark unsweetened cocoa powder
11 ounces quality dark chocolate (60 to 72 %), coarsely chopped
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
5 large eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For Assembly:
1 1/2 teaspoons fleur de sel
1 teaspoon coarse sugar

Make the Caramel:
In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar and corn syrup with 1/4 cup water, stirring them together carefully so you don't splash the sides of the pan.  Cook over high heat until and instant read thermometer reads 350 degrees F, or until the mixture is dark amber in color (keep a close eye on the caramel at all times, as it goes from golden brown to black and burnt very quickly), 6 to 8 minutes.  Remove from the heat, and slowly add the cream (careful, it will bubble up ) and then the fleur de sel.  Whisk in the sour cream. Set aside to cool.

Make the Brownie:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Butter the sides and bottom of a glass or light colored metal 9 by 13 inch pan.  Line the bottom with a sheet of parchment paper, and butter the parchment.

In a medium bowl,whisk together the flour,salt and cocoa powder.

Place the chocolate and butter in the bowl of the double boiler set over a pan of simmering water, and stir occasionally until the chocolate and butter are completely melted and combined.  Turn off the heat, but keep the bowl over the water of the double boiler, and add both sugars.   Whisk until completely combined and remove the bowl from the pan.  The mixture should be at room temperature.

Add three eggs to the chocolate mixture and whisk until just combined.  Add the remaining eggs and whisk until just combined.  Add the vanilla and stir until combined.  Do not over beat the batter at this stage, or your brownies will be cakey.

Sprinkle the flour mixture over the chocolate.  Using a spatula, fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until there is just a trace amount of the flour mixture visible.

Assemble the Sweet & Salty Brownie:

Pour half of the brownie mixture into the pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Drizzle about 3/4 cup of the caramel sauce over the brownie layer in a zigzag pattern, taking care to make sure the caramel does not come in contact with the edges of the pan or it will burn.  Use your offset spatula to spread the caramel evenly across the brownie layer.  In heaping spoonfuls, scoop the rest of the brownie batter over the caramel layer.  Smooth the brownie batter gently to cover the caramel layer.

Bake the brownies for 30 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time, and check to make sure the brownies are completely done by sticking a toothpick into the center of the pan.  The brownies are done when the toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.

Remove the brownies from the oven, drizzle on desired amount of extra caramel and sprinkle with fleur de sel and coarse sugar.

Cool the brownies completely before cutting and serving.

The brownies can be stored, tightly wrapped at room temperature, for up to 4 days.

Baby Block Mini-Cakes

It's been a week long celebration of babies - from baby brownie pops, to bootie cakes for a girl or a boy.   Now on to Baby block mini-cakes!

If you make these, you'll want to leave yourself plenty of time for freezing, crumb-coating, chilling, and decorating.  Start at least 2 days in advance.

Baby Block Mini-Cakes
(makes about 15)

1.  Make a 1 and 1/2 quantity (requires a little math!) of my favorite buttermilk cake batter (I added the zest of one lemon) and divide the batter evenly among two parchment-lined rimmed half-sheet pans (like the one in the photo).  Bake at 325 degrees F convection (350 non-convection) for 16 minutes, or until done when tested with a toothpick.  Cool completely, remove from the pan and transfer the cake to another plastic wrap-lined half sheet pan.  Wrap in plastic wrap and freeze until firm.

2.  Cut out the animal shapes from marshmallow fondant and keep them in an airtight container until ready to use.

3.  Once the cakes are frozen, make the vanilla swiss meringue buttercream (recipe follows).  Unwrap one cake layer and place in a plastic wrap-lined sheet pan, apply the desired amount of icing, then place the other cake layer on top.  Chill until icing is firm.  Cut the edges from the cake (where the cake is not level) and then cut the cake into squares approximately 3 inches on all sides.  Apply a thin layer of icing to all sides of the block except the bottom (this is called the crumb coat).  I held each block on the top and bottom and coated the sides first, then set the block down and applied icing to the top.  A small offset spatula works well for this.   Chill or freeze again until icing is firm.

3.  Apply a second coat of icing to the blocks, place the fondant shapes onto the blocks where you want them.  It helps if you place a fondant shape on at least two opposing sides of the block, because you can then pickup the blocks, touching where the fondant is, and it will be easier to work on them without messing up the icing.   Carefully place the blocks onto slightly flattened cupcake papers or other liners.  Chill again until firm.

5.  Pipe the border and letters/numbers on the remaining sides using a #2 or 3 piping tip.  Chill until set.  Allow the cakes to come to room temperature before serving.


Vanilla Swiss Meringue Buttercream

9 ounces egg whites
15 3/4 ounces granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
24 ounces (6 sticks) unsalted butter, at cool room temperature, cut into tablespoon-sized pieces
2 teaspoons vanilla
 
Place 2 inches of water in a medium saucepan and bring the water to a simmer. Choose a saucepan that your mixer bowl will fit on top of without touching the water. In your mixer bowl, place the egg whites, sugar, and salt and whisk to combine. Place the bowl over the simmering water and continue to whisk until the sugar is fully dissolved and the mixture is very hot to the touch, about 130-140 degrees F.

Remove the bowl from the double boiler and place on your stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Whisk at medium-high speed until the outside of the mixer bowl is room temperature. It is very important that the meringue be completely cool before adding the butter.

Add the butter, a tablespoon at a time, letting each tablespoon disappear before adding the next. After all the butter has been added, switch to the paddle attachment and beat until the mixture becomes fluffy and thick. This could take up to an additional 5 minutes or so. The mixture will go through a stage where it looks curdled before it reaches the proper consistency.

Add the vanilla and beat until completely combined, about a minute.

Baby Converse Cake

We're in the middle of baby shower week!  Who can resist tiny little shoes - they're simply adorable!  Yesterday I showed you a baby bootie cake that was all pink and girly - but it doesn't work so well for a boy.  These converse shoes, on the other hand, are perfect for a little boy baby shower.  

The shoes are made of gumpaste and the other decorations are homemade marshmallow fondant on buttercream icing.  The template for the shoes is shown below.   You can find the video tutorial to make the shoes here.  (The plastic wrap inside the shoe is there for support during drying - it was removed before the party.)