[I nearly forgot about this article, so with winter is coming to a close here in California...] Gratins are an excellent merging of comfort food and decadence. I mean, what do you do with leftover winter squash or root vegetables? Add cheese! Add cream! Bake until bubbly!
Members of the onion family, such as leeks and [...]
Tag Archives: cheese
Two winter gratins: squash and leek, cauliflower and fennel
Sunday, 15 March 2009
Pizza with chicken, cheese & chutney
Monday, 21 April 2008
Here’s an example of my being a food mutant: I don’t like pizza. To clarify: I don’t like deep dish pizzas, which are far too soggy. Thin crusts tend to change my mind. I don’t like tomato sauces —oh, I love tomatoes, sauces and tomato sauces, but on pizzas the gloppiness issue crops up again. [...]
I made more cheese.
Wednesday, 30 January 2008
Chemistry makes everything better!
Adding a bit of acid, i.e., vinegar, made a lot more curds form. Really, dramatically more. More than twice as many curds as last time. This cheese was somewhat firmer and more squeaky. I was relieved that it didn’t taste or smell vinegary at all; its flavor was only slightly tarter (less [...]
Macaroni and cheese: simplified (somewhat)
Monday, 28 January 2008
The search for the ultimate macaroni and cheese never ends. That’s a good thing, too, because it’s fun to try out and taste more dishes made of pasta and cheese.
Tonight’s version was based on the creamy baked mac-and-cheese by Deb of Smitten Kitchen. The main draw was the avoidance of both pre-cooked pasta and cheese [...]
I made cheese.
Monday, 28 January 2008
I always thought cheesemaking was out of reach for a plebe(*) such as myself. Then I saw recipes by Mercedes of Desert Candy and Heidi of 101 Cookbooks, and thought, “Hey, that looks easy.”
(*)Here defined as someone who has only purchased cheese, never made it. Not meant as derogatory, just as an observation.
Well, things didn’t [...]
Baked macaroni and cheese
Sunday, 21 January 2007
I have this fond memory of the cheesy, creamy goodness of the baked macaroni and cheese from the Netscape cafeteria. That memory cropped up recently, along with the thought, “Hm, it’s been a while since I’ve made or eaten mac-n-cheese.”
This recipe is influenced, of course, by others: The one from The Joy of Cooking (1997 [...]
Chocolate Chestnut Torte
Sunday, 15 October 2006
This is my variation of Sunset’s Italian Chocolate-Chestnut Torte. I’ve used chestnut vanilla spread instead of marrons glacées: the Clément Faugier’s brand can be found in European specialty shops, as well as at Whole Foods Market. Moreover, I prefer a graham cracker crust over the cookie crust here, as it’s less sweet.
By the way, it’s [...]
Vegetarian Carbonara Pasta
Thursday, 24 August 2006
The combination of a strong flavored cheese and egg is mighty delish. Smoked gouda, or a mix of sharp cheddar with Parmesan Reggiano, works quite well. But one the most memorable variations was using the alder-smoked goat cheese from Elk Creamery.
This recipe would serve two people. Boiled peas, or sautéed zucchini, nicely complements this dish.
Variations on risotto
Wednesday, 23 August 2006
This basic risotto recipe can be modified in many tasty ways. You can also reheat leftovers in a microwave oven.
Here are some ingredient ideas:
While heating the stock, throw in about an ounce of dried porcini mushrooms. After the mushrooms have reconstituted, remove and squeeze excess liquid back into the stock. Then treat the same way [...]
My Mother’s Pancakes
Monday, 16 February 1998
Serve these pancakes with butter, pure maple syrup (my favorite!) or fruit preserves. You can store leftover pancakes in the refrigerator for a day or two, and reheat them in a microwave oven.
I ought to try substituting crème fraîche and lowfat plain yogurt for the sour cream.
