THE OUTER BANKS
DECEMBER 20-27, 2008

LINDA BARTH and MARK BERENBAUM
BARBARA AND DONALD ERLICHMAN
ALISON AND NICK FIEKOWSKY
JANE AND ED FOSTER
SUZI AND PETER FREIMARK
ELANA AND LARRY STARR

As during our two earlier annual visits to the Outer Banks, we vegged.  Well, we mostly vegged.  We also spent a lot of time preparing and eating food, cleaning up, reading and playing on our laptops, doing crossword and jigsaw puzzles, watching DVDs, and looking at sunrises and sunsets.  (Mark was the only true non-slacker, as he rode his bike almost every day.)

Below are some highlights, many food related:

- Putting together and then demolishing our nightly cheese platter, boasting a variety of blue,  Cheddar and truffle infused cheeses, along with olives, duck prosciutto, assorted crackers, etc.  In additon to imbibing almost 50 bottles of wine during the week, one night we had margeritas, another sangria, and yet another, a pitcher of St. Germain cocktails. 

- Dolphins seemed to sense our presence and from time to time they came to frolic in the water close to the shoreline. 

- Christmas and Hanukkah were close together, so we lit candles every night.  Alison provided us with presents, including temporary tattoos, which we all sported. 

- Nick and I baked a birthday cake for Alison.  She'd picked out the recipe: a chocolate financier gateau.  Donald helped.

- Making ricotta cheese from scratch so that Jane could whipped up ricotta pancakes for us for breakfast one morning.

- Waking up to old movies on the tv in our bedroom, thanks to the Turner Classic Movie network.

- With an I-Pod going much of the time, Larry and I (along with Linda) would start dancing, a la The Big Chill.

- Using Alison's bread machine to make pizza dough.  We then cooked individual pizzas on the outdoor grill and garnished individually.  Larry dropped mine on the ground, but luckily it was before the toppings went on. 

Check out photos from this vacation here.

Below are some of the recipes we enjoyed:  

RICOTTA LEMON HOTCAKES – SERVES 5

8 large eggs, separated
1½ c fresh ricotta cheese (see recipe below)
½ c melted butter, cooled
½ c all-purpose flour
4 T sugar
½ tsp salt
6 T lemon zest
1 c fresh berries (optional)  

Directions: 
Make fresh ricotta cheese (recipe below).

Mix egg yolks, ricotta cheese and butter in a large bowl.  Set aside.

Combine flour, sugar, salt and 2 T lemon zest in a bowl.  Slowly add dry ingredients to the egg mixture and mix well.  Set aside.

Beat egg whites in a bowl with an electric mixer until firm peaks form.  Care fold whites into batter.

Lightly grease a griddle or nonstick pan; place over medium heat for one minute.  Ladle about ¼ c batter onto griddle or pan for each cake.  Cook cakes for several minutes on one side until golden.  Turn, flatten cooked sides with spatula and continue to cook until golden.  Stack cakes on an oven-proof dish and keep warm until all the batter is cooked.  Serve with a sprinkling of confectioner's sugar, remaining lemon zest, and berries or fruit jam. Makes 12 5” pancakes.

 

Fresh Ricotta Cheese – January, 2009 BON APPETIT

Surprisingly, it takes half a gallon of milk to get 1 1/2 cups of fresh ricotta. For the moistest, lightest consistency, let the curds drain only as long as specified.

Ingredients
8 cups whole milk
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Line colander with 4 layers of cheesecloth; set in sink. Bring milk and salt to simmer in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in lemon juice. Let simmer until curds form, 1 to 2 minutes.

Using finely slotted spoon or skimmer, scoop curds from pan and transfer to cheesecloth-lined colander. Let drain 1 minute (curds will still be a little wet). Transfer curds to medium bowl. Cover and chill until cold, about 3 hours. DO AHEAD Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled.  

 CRISPY STIR FRY

1 T sesame oil                                   1 c. low-sodium vegetable stock
2 c cold cooked spaghetti                1/3 c orange juice
2 tsp peanut oil                                   2 T. oyster sauce
2 garlic  cloves, minced                     2 T rice wine vinegar
1 sweet red pepper, cut in strips     1 tsp low sodium teriyaki sauce
4 oz green beans                              1 T cornstarch
2 T mushrooms, quartered               1 T water
1 ½ c chopped celery                        ½ c sliced water chestnuts


In a large, no-stick frying pan over medium heat, warm sesame oil.  Reduce heat to medium.  Add spaghetti.  Press down with a spatula to make noodles conform to shape of pan.  Cook 10-15 minutes, or until well browned on bottom.

Flip noodles over, trying to keep them in one piece.  (If they break, turn in sections and press firmly into pan.)  Cook for 10 minutes, or until browned.

Meanwhile, in a wok over medium-high heat, warm peanut oil.  Add scallions and garlic; stir fry one minute.  Add peppers, beans, mushrooms and celery; stir fry two minutes.

In small bowl, combine stock, juice, oyster sauce, vinegar, teriyaki sauce, cornstarch and water.  Add to wok.  Bring to boil.  Stir in water chestnuts.  Cook until sauce thickens.

To serve, slide spaghetti onto platter.  Spoon vegetables on top.


Three-Cheese Potato Gratin  Serves six to eight.

2 tsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1-1/2 cups whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
2 large cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
2 to 3 sprigs rosemary, 3 inches long
Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
4 oz. grated Swiss cheese (about 1 cup)
2 oz. freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (about 1/2 cup)
2 lb. russet potatoes (3 to 4 medium)
Kosher salt and freshly ground white pepper
4 oz. fresh goat cheese, crumbled (about 2/3 cup)

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Grease a 9x13" baking dish with the butter.

Pour milk and cream into a small saucepan. Add garlic, rosemary, and nutmeg. Bring just to a simmer, cover, and remove from the heat. Set aside to infuse for at least 20 minutes.

Combine Swiss cheese and Parmigiano in a bowl.

Peel potatoes and, using a mandoline or your sharpest knife, slice into 1/8”- thick rounds. Arrange about 1/3 of potatoes in a single overlapping layer in baking dish, season with kosher salt and white pepper, and top with 1/3 of the Swiss-Parmigiano mix. Scatter over this half the goat cheese. Add second overlapping layer of potatoes, more salt and white pepper, another 1/3 of Swiss-Parmigiano mix, and the remaining goat cheese. Make a third layer with remaining potatoes and season with salt and white pepper. Press down lightly to compact the layer

Remove garlic and rosemary from infused cream, and discard them. Set cream over medium-high heat and watch carefully until it just begins to simmer; don’t let it boil. Pour cream over potatoes and sprinkle remaining cheese on top.

Set baking dish on foil-lined baking sheet, and bake until top is deeply brown and the potatoes are completely tender when poked with skewer, 1¼  to 1½  hours. Let sit 10-15 minutes before serving.

From Fine Cooking 81, pp. 63, November 1, 2006


Ben & Jerry's Coffee Heath Bar Crunch Ice Cream

    4  Heath bars
    2 large eggs
    3/4 c  sugar
    2 c  heavy or whipping cream
   1 c  whole milk
    2 tsp vanilla

Using a sharp knife, cut candy bars into ½“ chunks. You should have about 1 cup. Place the chucks in a bowl, cover and freeze.  

Whisk egg in mixing bowl until light and fluffy, 1-2 minutes.  Whisk in sugar, a little at a time, then continue to whisk until completely blended, about 1 minute more. Pour in the cream, milk, vanilla, and whisk to blend. Transfer the mixture to ice cream maker and freeze following manufacturer's instructions.

 After ice cream stiffens (about 2 minutes before it is done) add the candy, then continue freezing until ice cream is ready. Makes generous 1 quart.

Variation: COFFEE HEATH BAR CRUNCH: Omit vanilla and substitute 3 T good quality freeze-dried coffee. Add 2 tb coffee with the cream and milk, and add the remaining 1 tbls coffee with the candy (after ice cream stiffens).

 

Double-Chocolate Financier CakeDouble-Chocolate Financier Cake
BON APPETIT, November 2006,  makes 8 to 10 servings

The original financier was an almond pastry created by a 19th-century Parisian pastry chef for his wealthy banker clients.

Cake:

Chocolate ganache:

Cake:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 2 8” round cake pans with 1½”-high sides. Line bottoms with parchment or waxed paper round. Melt 3/4 cup butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook until light brown, swirling pan occasionally, about 5 minutes. Cool.

Sift flour, cocoa, and salt into medium bowl. Whisk egg whites in large bowl to blend. Add sugar; whisk to blend. Whisk in corn syrup and vanilla. Add flour mixture; whisk just to blend. Add ground almonds; whisk just to blend. Using whisk, fold in browned butter, then chopped chocolate. Divide batter between prepared pans, smoothing tops.

Bake cakes until firm to touch and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 23 minutes. Cool cakes on rack 5 minutes. Invert cakes onto rack; peel off paper. Cool completely.

For chocolate ganache:
Place chocolate in small metal bowl. Bring cream to boil in small saucepan. Pour cream over chocolate; whisk until smooth. Add butter, 1 piece at a time, gently whisking to blend between additions, adding as little air as possible. Transfer 2/3 cup ganache to heatproof 1-cup measure with spout. Place bowl with remaining ganache over bowl of ice water. Stir until semi-firm and thick enough to spread. Set aside for filling.

Line rimmed baking sheet with foil. Place rack on sheet. Place 1 cake, flat side down, on rack. Strain apricot jam into small skillet; bring to boil. Spoon warm jam over cake, spreading evenly almost to edge. Let cool 5 minutes. Drop filling by teaspoonfuls all over cake, then spread in even layer. Place second cake atop filling, bottom side up. If glaze is too firm to pour, rewarm in microwave at low power in 15-second increments until pourable. Pour over cake, allowing glaze to drip down sides and using offset spatula to spread glaze evenly over sides of cake. Chill cake 2 hours.

Do ahead Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover with cake dome; keep chilled. Arrange sliced almonds atop cake.