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Buvette’s Brandade De Morue

01.12.2015 by J. Doe // 1 Comment

At the beginning of The Child’s second year of middle school, she unfriended her best friends from the first year, and vice versa; at the beginning of her third year of middle school, she unfriended the group that had replaced the first girls, and was welcomed back to her original table in the lunch room.

I had thankfully been warned by other parents, of older girls, that all of this might happen, so even if none of the social drama made sense to me, I at least was able to roll with it, with a little help from the school’s guidance counselor.

So it was that I found myself sitting in a Starbucks over Christmas break, having coffee with a mom I had barely seen for a year, while our teen daughters giggled and checked their phones at a table next to us, warming themselves after some mitten-free ice skating.

More invitations arrive rapidly, and they are welcomed and accepted: An evening with the moms is infinitely preferable to an evening spent wondering why I’ve received not one reply to any messages I’ve sent on OKCupid. I’m a little surprised by that, but when I wonder out loud, one of the moms suggests I’m on the wrong site. A friend of mine told me all the sites have their own personalities, she says, and she’ll get dozens of messages on one and none on another.

Her comments make sense, but the context does not: I’ve never talked about online dating in a Mom gathering before, unless we are discussing How To Keep Our Daughters Safe From The Internet, which is a rather frequent topic among parents of teenage girls. But suddenly, I am being offered advice, from another mom, and I’m not getting any I Pity The Single Mom undercurrent with the remark, either.

Looking around the room, it makes more sense. There are seven moms, two of us fully divorced, two are separated and nearly divorced, and of the remaining three, one mentions the understanding she has come to that allows her marriage – of a sort – to continue, maybe. I spend a half hour discussing the ugly divorce of a mutual acquaintance with one of the two happily marrieds.

There is nothing happy or satisfying about it, but I am no longer on the sidelines of the moms; I am not only part of the majority, I’ve been divorced so long and, with two divorces under my belt, so frequently, that I’m actually an elder statesman in the group. I offer advice and empathy and maybe even a bit of hope that where they are now is a place they are just visiting.

I visited New York two summers ago, and the more infrequent my visits, the more I realize I am no longer at home there. I don’t know the places to go or remember how to get there anymore, and each trip finds me with fewer people I need to see. It feels sad, but at the same time, it leaves me with more time for the people with whom the ties remain strong, even though it’s been fifteen years since we saw each other on a regular basis. One such dinner – with a restauranteur friend – lingers for hours over small plates at Buvette.

I only remember one of those plates, partly because my friend did most of the ordering, but partly because I was so enthralled with it I kept wishing I could have it again. It was a strange sort of fish paste, with a sharp bite and smooth texture that went perfectly with some simple grilled bread and a glass of wine. It was the sort of thing I never would have ordered for myself; it was a revelation.

I was thrilled when the cookbook – Buvette: The Pleasure of Good Food – was published, and even more thrilled to discover it included the recipe for this miraculous fish paste.

As if that wasn’t enough, the dish had a name, and it wasn’t fish paste.

Brandade de Morue. Elegant, no?

This is one of those things that you have to plan ahead: Although salt cod was once a dietary staple, these days, it’s pretty hard to find, and comes at a price when you do. (I found it in the freezer section of our local organic supermarket.) The good news is that the recipe doesn’t actually use that much, and salt cod keeps for quite a long time in the freezer.

You will have to soak the fish for three days before you make the recipe, so you need to allow time for that, too.

After that, though, there is nothing hard or fussy about it: chop, simmer, and blend. The recipe instructions said to beat the fish and potato mixture until smooth with a wooden spoon, which sounds very authentic but didn’t actually work for me, but an immersion blender did the job.

It tasted exactly as I remembered, fishy and garlicky and smooth and sensual. The Child wanted no part of it, but the moms seemed to enjoy it very much, especially with a topping of capers – which gives a very different but also very delightful effect.

Brandade de Morue

Buvette's Brandade De Morue
 
Print
Author: adapted from Jody Williams, Buvette: The Pleasure of Good Food
Ingredients
  • ¼ lb salt cod, skin removed
  • ½ cup milk
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 3 garlic cloves, peeled
  • 1 large Idaho potato, peeled and chopped
  • ½ cup olive oil
  • Salt
  • Toasted bread or crackers for serving
Instructions
  1. Soak the salt cod in a bowl of water in the refrigerator for three days, changing water several times. Drain and dry the fish and cut into small pieces.
  2. Combine the milk, cream, garlic and potato in a pot and simmer over medium heat until the potato is tender, about 15 minutes. Add the fish and continue cooking until it too is tender, about 15 minutes more.
  3. Remove and reserve liquid, up to a cup. (You may not have much liquid, so simply remove the excess with a spoon and set it aside). Stir the potato, garlic, and fish with a spoon, adding the olive oil in a thin stream, until the mixture is almost smooth. If mixture seems too thick, add back some of the cooking liquid as needed. (If you are having difficulty breaking up the pieces of fish, use an immersion blender to complete this step.)
  4. Serve warm with toasted bread or crackers; a dish of capers alongside are a wonderful twist.
Notes
The cookbook says the recipe serves four, which is probably true if you're serving it small-plate style. If you're putting it out with a table of party food, it serves a lot more.
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Categories // The Joy of Cooking Tags // salt cod, snack

Buttery Rye Crepes

08.07.2014 by J. Doe // 2 Comments

Last year, I added two raised garden beds to my back yard, loaded them up with compost and other organic enrichments, and planted a dazzling assortment from the local garden store. I would have zucchini galore, and carrots, and peas, and I could pickle my own beets, and come fall, I’d teach myself to can so that I could feast on my homegrown bounty all winter.

My grandfather used to tell me, never let a day go by that you don’t learn something, and I’m pleased to report that I learned things daily from my garden experiment, such as:

  • – plants, like second-graders, get lice, though they’re called aphids
  • – slugs will happily eat whatever parts of your plants the lice leave behind
  • – there are many organic remedies for every possible garden problem on the internet, and none of them work
  • – thin your plants. You won’t need to do this until you take care of the slugs and lice, but after that, it’s pretty important

Last year’s garden yield: some peas, a few tomatoes, and a couple of zucchini.

This year, having eliminated the slugs (in one mighty onslaught that The Child filmed and uploaded youtube with the title “Slugpocalypse!”), the garden seemed to do well at first, but then it did the same thing it did last year – just kind of stopped growing, and sat there, looking sad.

The Child didn’t see anything different, and told me I was obsessed again. I continued spraying with my internet-recommended mixture of household items that supposedly kill pests, but still nothing grew.

Then, I noticed my pepper plant leaves, which weren’t leaf-shaped at all. Something was sucking the life right out of them, and try as I might, it was nothing I could see anywhere on the plant. I googled again, and determined that the problem might be thrips, but then again, might not be, and either way, my internet-recommended household remedy was clearly no match for this invisible assailant. Moreover, given the steady stream of critters that have invaded my home and yard this summer, I clearly need to go on the offensive against every possible critter, not just whatever it is that’s currently bothering my pepper plants. I go to Amazon, and find some concentrate that promises to eliminate all sucking pests along with a few other things, mix it up in a big sprayer my father bought to help me clean my fence, and spray it all over my garden.

Every last drop of it.

I do the same thing the next week.

Three weeks later, my tomato plants are loaded with green tomatoes, my pepper plants boast little white buds, and my first cauliflower head has made an appearance. I may even get a zucchini or two this year.

Of course, I still have to wait a bit for the garden bounty to reach my kitchen, but I’m pleased that eventually there will be ratatouille and zucchini bread and a slim chance that I may yet need to learn to can so that I am able to manage all the tomato sauce I’m going to have to make. In the meantime, we’re winging it – trying to cook summery dishes without heating up the house, or using a grill, which has reverted to a nonfunctional state in spite of repeated efforts to fix it.

I ran across this recipe while searching for ways to use up the rye flour I bought to make Salted Chocolate Rye cookies a while back, since I enjoyed the rich flavor the rye flour imparted to the final product. I had sort of expected an odd-tasting cookie, mostly because I sort of expected the cookies to taste of caraway, like traditional rye bread does – but of course they didn’t, and neither do these crepes.

These crepes, dear reader, are buttery.

I struggled a bit with the recipe, because the batter did not “swirl and coat the pan” the way I expected it to, and my efforts to help it along tended to result in crepe deformities. I suspect the issue was too much rye flour: I failed to sift it – yes, I know better – and when I measured it out, tapped the measuring cup several times, and added more flour as it settled.

The end result, though, was some delicious, rich, buttery crepes, that were a bit thicker and a bit smaller in diameter than crepes usually are. The Child adored them, and sliced up some strawberries to eat with hers. I opted to squeeze a bit of lemon juice over mine, as the recipe suggests, and loved the way the acid complemented all that butter. I love the deep flavor that the rye adds, which holds its own against all that butter, but doesn’t overwhelm it either.

I’ve included the step for a caramelized sugar coating on the crepes, which I didn’t really feel added anything to the recipe – the crepes end up picking up even more butter (I love butter, but even I have my limits) for not that much sweetness and very little crispness, though that may have been my fault with the batter. Either way, next time I make these, I will try just a dusting of powdered sugar, or maybe a bit of sugar in whatever filling goes in.

They didn’t really meet the criteria of not heating up the house, but they were worth it.

 

Rye Crepes

 

 

Buttery Rye Crepes
 
Print
Author: Allison Roman, Bon Appetit
Ingredients
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • ¾ cup buttermilk
  • ¼ cup milk
  • ½ cup rye flour
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoons plus 4 tsp. sugar
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted, plus 8 tsp., room temperature
  • Lemon wedges (for serving)
Instructions
  1. Blend eggs, egg yolk, buttermilk, and milk in a blender until smooth. Add rye flour, all-purpose flour, salt, and 2 Tbsp. sugar and blend well. With blender on low, gradually stream in melted butter. Strain batter through a fine-mesh sieve into a large measuring cup or medium bowl.
  2. Heat ½ tsp. butter in a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat until foamy. Pour ¼ cup batter into skillet and swirl to coat bottom of pan. Cook crepe until lacy and golden brown on one side, about 2 minutes. Carefully flip crepe and cook on other side until just cooked through, about 1 minute longer; transfer to a plate. Repeat 7 times with remaining batter and stack crepes, placing a piece of parchment paper between each as you go to prevent sticking (you should have 8 crepes).
  3. Just before serving, heat 1 tsp. butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Fold 2 crepes in half and place side by side in skillet; sprinkle with 1 tsp. sugar total, then flip. Cook until sugar is beginning to caramelize, about 1 minute. Repeat with remaining crepes. Serve with lemons for squeezing over.
  4. Crepes can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and chill.
Notes
I suggest omitting the caramelized-sugar step, and simply using a sweetened filling if you're looking for a sweet treat. The last step adds a bit too much butter and not enough sweet or crunch to warrant it.
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Categories // The Joy of Cooking Tags // rye, snack

Karen DeMasco’s Spicy Caramel Corn

07.02.2014 by J. Doe // 2 Comments

It takes a surprisingly long while for Feisty Girl to find a home, but then again, maybe not so long, considering the requirements: cat-free, other-dog-free, child-free. My house is none of these things, and so for two months, the cats hide in my bedroom, looking glum, while the Red Dog moves from his usual spot next to my desk and into the hallway, looking glum as the Feisty Girl nestles against my feet.

She is so untamed that I cannot walk them together, so I don’t walk them at all. I separate the dogs at night – Red Dog with me, Feisty Girl with The Child – and each morning wake up to the sound of loud crashing, as Feisty Girl hurls herself against The Child’s bedroom doorknob in an attempt to liberate herself as the sun comes up.

I’m tired and cranky and more than a little glum myself. The house spins out of control quickly: with two dogs and no cleaning lady, and army of dust bunnies begins to form, and, I must assume, plan a military coup to depose me.

I begin to call and gently nudge the Rescue Rep, who starts to send potential adopters: a woman who wants to keep Feisty Girl in the garage all day, and then have her hang out on the sofa with two cats each night; a farmer with lots of children and another dog roaming his large, unfenced property. She doesn’t seem to grasp what I am telling her about the Feisty Girl, and gets testy and defensive when I question the screening, tactfully at first, but then less so as time passes and I realize how much it matters not just to Feisty Girl but to me, that she finds not just any home, but the right home.

I spend my free time reaching out to other rescuers, creating promotional flyers that we post on Facebook and the Rescue’s website. I nudge and cajole, and hope and pray that the right person will come along, as my kitchen devolves into something resembling a college fraternity after a party.

In the midst of it all, The Child falls in love with this Feisty Girl, and tries to come up with ways that maybe, somehow, we can keep this sweet dog that shares her pillow at night. The only dog that ever liked me more than you, she says.

Finally, an email arrives, from a man who just lost his own dog in a divorce – he has no other pets, just a teenage daughter who runs track and needs a running companion, while Dad is hoping for a dog he can train to do agility, who will keep him company in his office during the day. They come to meet her, and fall as much in love with the Feisty Girl and she does with them, and even The Child concedes: I don’t mind her being adopted if she can go live with nice people like that.

We’re a little surprised to discover they live – temporarily, while a new home is being renovated – on a boat, but pleased when they invite us to visit the Feisty Girl and take a boat ride one day during the summer.

It is all perfect, until the moment comes to say goodbye, and hand the leash over, and The Child weeps quietly, hiding behind her long hair, as she does what she knows she must.

You will not be surprised to hear that I didn’t cook much while this all was going on – I guess, technically, pouring hot water over Cup-O-Noodles is cooking, but let’s not kid ourselves about what is and isn’t real food. One evening, though, when the kitchen was briefly clean enough to use, I made us a quick and easy treat: caramel corn. I found this recipe when I googled Karen DeMasco, who also created the recipe for Granola Jam Bars, which I’ve made several times now and still adore. It has all the winning qualities of the jam bars, too: The ingredients are all things that are sitting in the average pantry, and there is nothing overly complex about the process.

The resulting caramel corn is delightfully sweet, but with a fiery kick that sneaks up on you as you munch away. The combination is strangely addictive, and certainly unique – but if it isn’t your thing, just omit the cayenne and have some delicious caramel corn. Or toss in some nuts. Or whatever makes you happy, on one of those days that you need something special.

 

Spicy Caramel Corn

 

Karen DeMasco's Spicy Caramel Corn
 
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Author: Karen DeMasco, via Fine Cooking
Ingredients
  • Nonstick cooking spray or vegetable oil
  • 3 Tbs. vegetable oil
  • ½ cup popcorn kernels
  • 1-1/2 tsp. baking soda
  • ¾ tsp. cayenne
  • 3 cups sugar
  • 1-1/2 Tbsp. kosher salt
  • 3 Tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
Instructions
Make the popcorn:
  1. Spray two large heatproof rubber spatulas and a very large bowl (at least twice the volume of the popped popcorn) with nonstick cooking spray, or lightly wipe with vegetable oil. Heat the oil in an 8-quart or larger heavy-based stockpot over high heat. After a minute, put a popcorn kernel in the pot and cover. When the kernel pops, the oil is hot enough. Add the rest of the popcorn kernels. Cover the pot and shake it back and forth over the heat to agitate the kernels. Keep moving the pot as the popcorn pops. Remove the pot from the heat when the popping slows almost to a stop (it’s better to have a few unpopped kernels than burnt popcorn) and immediately pour the popped corn into the large metal bowl. Removing any unpopped kernels or burnt pieces.
Make the caramel:
  1. Measure the baking soda and cayenne into a small dish and whisk together so it’s ready to go. Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment, foil, or nonstick silicone mats. In a 4-quart or larger saucepan, combine the sugar, salt, butter, and 1 cup water. Gently stir just enough to immerse the sugar. Brush down the sides of the pot with water and a clean pastry brush. Cook the sugar mixture over high heat without stirring until it melts and bubbles and turns a very light golden caramel color on top; this will take 10 to 20 minutes, depending on your stove. The caramel will be darker than it appears on the surface, so don’t overcook. At this point, remove the pot from the heat.
  2. Working quickly off the heat, thoroughly whisk the baking soda into the caramel. Do this in or near the sink in case it spills over. The baking soda aerates the caramel, which makes it easier to eat when it’s cool, but causes it to bubble vigorously now, so be careful. Immediately pour the bubbling caramel over the popcorn in the bowl. Only use the caramel that pours out easily; don’t scrape the sides of the pot (the sugar on the sides of the pot crystallizes easily and can cause the caramel to do the same).
  3. Using the spatulas, toss the caramel with the popcorn. When the popcorn is thoroughly coated, pour it onto the lined baking sheets and use the spatulas to pat it into one flat layer. As soon as it’s cool enough to touch, use your hands to break the layer into smaller clusters. Let them cool completely and then store in an airtight container for up to a week.
Notes
If you don't want spicy caramel, omit the cayenne. If you like nuts, toss in 2 cups of your favorite before adding the caramel.
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Categories // The Joy of Cooking Tags // popcorn, snack

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