Pomegranate and Cranberry Bellinis

I bought the new Giada's Kitchen cookbook for myself recently. They were having a book sale at work and the staff got 50% off the books! I used that opportunity to purchase some cookbooks that I wouldn't ordinarily buy at full price. Anyway - last night we tried the pomegranate and cranberry bellinis. Here is the link for the recipe. I did change it - for the better I think. First of all, we didn't have a pitcher big enough for all the juices and prosecco at the same time. So I used the pitcher to mix the simple syrup and juices. I filled each champagne flute halfway with the juice mixture and topped it off with the prosecco. I also only garnished with a slice of lime. They were pretty! And darn easy to drink. Next time I think I would cut the simple syrup down to a cup (or even less). If you like sweet cocktails, leave it as prescribed.

Rustic Dinner Rolls

I made these super crusty rolls last Saturday. We couldn't wait, and had them warm out of the oven. They were not quite so awesome at room temperature, but reheating is easy.

The biggest caution is that there are a LOT of proof/rise cycles. I think I started these around noon, and had them out of the oven around five-thirty. Nothing bad in terms of hands-on time, but this is in no way a mix-it-and-forget it dough.

Next time I would totally double the recipe. The four of us ate three each while they were still warm. (oink!)

Makes 16 rolls. Published November 1, 2008. From Cook's Illustrated.

Because this dough is sticky, keep your hands well floured when handling it. Use a spray bottle to mist the rolls with water. The rolls will keep for up to 2 days at room temperature stored in a zipper-lock bag. To re-crisp the crust, place the rolls in a 450-degree oven 6 to 8 minutes. The rolls will keep frozen for several months wrapped in foil and placed in a large zipper-lock bag. Thaw the rolls at room temperature and re-crisp using the instructions above.

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon water (12 1/2 ounces), room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons instant or rapid-rise yeast
2 teaspoons honey
3 cups plus 1 tablespoon bread flour (16 1/2 ounces), plus extra for forming rolls
3 tablespoons whole wheat flour (about 1 ounce)
1 1/2 teaspoons table salt

Instructions
1. Whisk water, yeast, and honey in bowl of stand mixer until well combined, making sure no honey sticks to bottom of bowl. Add flours and mix on low speed with dough hook until cohesive dough is formed, about 3 minutes. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature 30 minutes.

2. Remove plastic wrap and evenly sprinkle salt over dough. Knead on low speed (speed 2 on KitchenAid) 5 minutes. (If dough creeps up attachment, stop mixer and scrape down using well-floured hands or greased spatula.) Increase speed to medium and continue to knead until dough is smooth and slightly tacky, about 1 minute. If dough is very sticky, add 1 to 2 tablespoons flour and continue mixing 1 minute. Lightly spray 2-quart bowl with nonstick cooking spray; transfer dough to bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let dough rise in warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

3. Fold dough over itself; rotate bowl quarter turn and fold again. Rotate bowl again and fold once more. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise 30 minutes. Repeat folding, replace plastic wrap, and let dough rise until doubled in volume, about 30 minutes. Spray two 9-inch round cake pans with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.

4. Transfer dough to floured work surface, sprinkle top with more flour. Using bench scraper, cut dough in half and gently stretch each half into 16-inch cylinders. Divide each cylinder into quarters, then each quarter into 2 pieces (you should have 16 pieces total), and dust top of each piece with more flour. With floured hands, gently pick up each piece and roll in palms to coat with flour, shaking off excess, and place in prepared cake pan. Arrange 8 dough pieces in each cake pan, placing one piece in middle and others around it, with long side of each piece running from center of pan to edge and making sure cut-side faces up. Loosely cover cake pans with plastic wrap and let rolls rise until doubled in size, about 30 minutes (dough is ready when it springs back slowly when pressed lightly with finger). Thirty minutes before baking, adjust rack to middle position and heat oven to 500 degrees.

5. Remove plastic wrap from cake pans, spray rolls lightly with water, and place in oven. Bake 10 minutes until tops of rolls are brown; remove from oven. Reduce oven temperature to 400 degrees; using kitchen towels or oven mitts, invert rolls from both cake pans onto rimmed baking sheet. When rolls are cool enough to handle, turn right-side up, pull apart, and space evenly on baking sheet. Continue to bake until rolls develop deep golden brown crust and sound hollow when tapped on bottom, 10 to 15 minutes; rotating baking sheet halfway through baking time. Transfer rolls to wire rack and cool to room temperature, about 1 hour.

Chocolate-Espresso Lava Cake

Click here for Chocolate-Espresso Lava Cakes. Super yum.

Pomegranate-Marinated Lamb with Spices and Couscous

We made this tonight (Bon Appetit) and it was soooo good that I had to run to the computer to post it so I could share the love. 

Changes made: used mint instead of basil, had Greek yogurt on the side (it really brought the flavors together) and made my own pom molasses since I couldn't find the good stuff here in our remote location. 

• INGREDIENTS:
• 1/2 cup pomegranate molasses

• 4 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon ground ginger
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin, divided
• 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 2 pounds lamb shoulder blade chops, cut into 3/4-inch square pieces, bones reserved
• 1 1/4 cups water, divided
• 2 cups low-salt chicken broth
• 1 10-ounce box plain couscous
• 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup pomegranate seeds
• 3 tablespoons torn basil leaves

PREPARATION

Whisk pomegranate molasses, coarsely chopped garlic, olive oil, ground ginger, cinnamon, 1 3/4 teaspoons cumin, paprika, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in large bowl. Add lamb and toss to coat. Cover and marinate 2 hours at room temperature, or up to 2 days in the refrigerator. Drain, reserving marinade. Pat lamb dry.

Heat heavy large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add meat and bones, if using, and cook until browned, turning occasionally, about 2 minutes total per batch. Return all lamb and bones to skillet. Add reserved marinade and 1/4 cup water. Cover with lid slightly ajar and simmer over medium-low heat until meat is tender, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

Meanwhile, bring remaining 1 cup water and chicken broth to boil in medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add couscous and remaining 1/4 teaspoon cumin. Remove saucepan from heat and let stand covered 5 minutes. Fluff couscous with fork, then stir in butter until melted. Divide couscous among plates and top with lamb, pomegranate seeds, and basil leaves, spooning remaining sauce over lamb.

Sangria

I helped make vats of this sangria for a party at Ward and Allison's years (10???) ago. I don't remember where we got the recipe from. I have it scrawled down on some scraps of paper. It was a super-yummy memory and it did not fail when I made it on Saturday night. I wasn't sorry that Jesse, Bob and I had to finish the whole pitcher by ourselves.

• 2 oranges - 1 sliced, 1 juiced
• 1 lemon, sliced
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup Triple Sec (I used Cointreau)
• 1 bottle of inexpensive, but good, red wine

Add sliced orange and lemon and the sugar to a large pitcher. Stir for about a minute with a wooden spoon until the sugar dissolves. Stir in the orange juice, Triple Sec and wine. Refrigerate and for at least two hours (up to eight hours). Stir before serving. Pour into glasses with ice cubes.

Caramelized Tomato Tarte Tatin

Ward found this recipe in the Times...it sounds amazing.

Caramelized Tomato Tarte Tatin
Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

1 14-ounce package all-butter puff pastry
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 red onions, halved and thinly sliced
1/4 cup plus a pinch of sugar
1/2 teaspoon sherry vinegar
1/4 cup chopped pitted Kalamata olives
1 1/2 pints (about 1 pound) cherry or grape tomatoes; a mix of colors is nice
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
Kosher salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste.

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Unfold puff pastry sheet and cut into a 10-inch round; chill, covered, until ready to use.

2. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and a pinch of sugar and cook, stirring, until onions are golden and caramelized, 15 to 20 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons water and let cook off, scraping brown bits from bottom of pan. Transfer onions to a bowl.

3. In a clean, ovenproof 9-inch skillet, combine 1/4 cup sugar and 3 tablespoons water. Cook over medium heat, swirling pan gently (do not stir) until sugar melts and turns amber, 5 to 10 minutes. Add vinegar and swirl gently.

4. Sprinkle olives over caramel. Scatter tomatoes over olives, then sprinkle onions on. Season with thyme leaves, salt and pepper. Top with puff pastry round, tucking edges into pan. Cut several long vents in top of pastry.

5. Bake tart until crust is puffed and golden, about 30 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes, then run a knife around pastry to loosen it from pan, and flip tart out onto a serving platter. Cut into wedges and serve immediately.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings.

Here's the link to the article.

Classic Red Tomato Rice

I made this out of Rick Bayless's Mexican Kitchen cookbook (a great gift from Jesse). The salsa that goes into the rice is so delicious. It is especially good this time of year because nearly every ingredient came from the farm. Move over Bobbie Salsa, Lisa Salsa is in town! (Doesn't have quite the same ring to it, does it.) Warning: this recipe is a little fussy, but totally worth it.

• 1 lb ripe tomatoes
• 2 jalapeños
• 3 garlic cloves, unpeeled
• salt
• 1/2 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 cup chopped cilantro
• 2 TBS vegetable oil
• 2 cups white rice
• 1.5 cups water

1. Roast the tomatoes on a baking sheet under the broiler until blackened on one side, about 6 minutes. Flip and roast the other side. Cool and peel, collecting all the juices with the tomatoes. While the tomatoes are roasting, roast the chiles and unpeeled garlic directly on an ungreased griddle or heavy skillet over medium heat, turning occasionally, until soft and blackened in spots. (The chiles will take 5 - 10 minutes, the garlic 15 minutes.) Cool, then pull the stems from the chiles and peel the garlic.
2. In a food processor, whir the chiles, garlic and 1/2 tsp of salt into a coarse pursee. Add the tomatoes and whir again. Rinse the onion in a strainer under cold water, shake off the excess and add to the tomato mixture along with 1/2 cup of the cilantro. (At this point, make sure you have at least 2 cups of salsa.)
3. Turn on the oven to 350 degrees. In a 3-qt ovenproof saucepan heat the oil over medium. Add the rice and cook, stirring regularly, until the rice turns chalky looking, about 5 minutes. If some kernels brown, it's fine. Add 2 cups of the salsa and stir for a minute as the salsa sears and reduces a little. Add the water and 1 tsp of salt. Bring to a boil and stir. Cover the pan tightly and bake for 25 minutes. (Test and make sure the rice is nearly done.) Let the rice stand out of the oven for a few minutes. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of the cilantro over the rice, then use a fork to fluff the mixture and fold in the cilantro.