Recipe: Rustic Rhubarb Tartlets and a GIVEAWAY!

When you set out to make the kind of cute adorable tartlets that people "ooo" and "ahh" over as if they were a newborn child, but end up with...Quasimodo.  In pastry crust rhubarb compote form.

It's really a test of character as to whether or not you can hold your head up high, and with all the disdain and snootiness you can muster, say to anyone who dares criticize, "They're rustic."




Then follow it up with an eye-roll and a really good menacing glare.  Like, duh-these-are-what-tartlets-are-supposed-to-look-like-so-you-obviously-don't-know-anything-about-anything.  That kind of glare. 


Oh, yeah.  You showed them.



Actually, this technique can be applied to almost anything in life that is awkward and ugly and mildly deformed, but still kind of cute in it's own right.


For example.


My dance skills.  Rustic.


My bedroom floor.  Rustic.


Any and all "results" (I use that term loosely), I've gotten in the past year of my Ph/D.  Rustic.

Me in the two-piece bathing suit I tried on yesterday that had me wondering why I even made these tartlets in the first place when I should have been making a salad instead.  Rustic.


See what I mean?  It's pretty all-purpose. 




Luckily, at least in the case of these tartlets, "rustic" does not necessarily preclude "delicious".

They are from Good to the Grain, which is a gorgeous cookbook that I don't cook from often enough.  The pastry crust is not your traditional pie crust, but is cornmeal-infused with a base of a corn flour/all purpose flour mix.  This makes it a little more delicate but wonderfully tasty, with a slightly crunchy texture that is to-die for.  Kind of like a good shortbread cookie.   Mmmm.

And then there's the rhubarb vanilla compote, which is the ideal mix of sweet tart and tangy.  It's what turns these ugly duckling tartlets into swans once they hit your tastebuds.

The de-rustic-ifying factor.

Now if only I could find such a thing to make my experiments in lab look way more insightful than they actually are, or to make my bathing suit look like something I could actually wear out in public...that would be lovely.  But until then.  I'm just gonna embrace my new favorite adjective.

Rustic.  Let's go with it.

(Read on after the recipe for a fabulously delicious GIVEAWAY!)     



Rustic Rhubarb Tarts
Makes 10-16, adapted from Smitten Kitchen and Good to the Grain

Ingredients

• 1 cup corn flour
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup cornmeal
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp kosher or coarse salt
• 1 stick (4 oz) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp heavy cream
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 batch Rhubarb Vanilla Compote (recipe to follow)

Instructions

1. Combine the dry ingredients (corn flour, all purpose flour, cornmeal, sugar, and salt) in the bowl of a food processor.  Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal.  Add in the heavy cream and egg yolks and pulse to combine.
2. Divide dough into as few as ten or as many as sixteen equal pieces.  Using the palm of your hand, squish each piece into a rough circle, about 3-4 inches in diameter.
3. Spoon about 1 1/2-2 tsp of rhubarb compote into the center of each circle.  Fold the edges of the dough toward the compote and up to create a ruffled edge.  Complete around the whole perimeter.  Transfer the tart to a parchment lined baking sheet.  Repeat with remaining dough.  Place in the freezer to chill for 1 hour.  
4. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375.  Bake the still-frozen tarts for 25-30 minutes or until the edges of the tart are brown and the filling is bubbling and thick.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

Rhubarb Vanilla Compote

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lb rhubarb, cut in half lengthwise and sliced into thin slices on a diagonal
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Set aside 1 1/2 cups rhubarb.  Place the remaining rhubarb, brown sugar, and vanilla into a large heavy-bottomed pot.  Cook over medium-low heat, covered, for 15 minutes or until saucy.  Remove cover, raise heat to medium, and cook an additional 10-15 minutes or until rhubarb sauce is thick and leaves a trail when you drag a spoon through it.  Mix in the 1 1/2 cups rhubarb.  Remove from heat.  Place in a large bowl and let cool.

GIVEAWAY
My friend Lauren, who blogs over at Keep It Sweet is living her foodie dream.  She left her job in December to open up her own ONLINE BAKERY!!!  We correspond in some way at least twelve times a week (either by email, text, twitter) and if we go more than two weeks without seeing each other, I start to stress eat nutella at the sheer awfulness of it all.  This is the girl who introduced me to 50 Shades of Grey.  So you know I love her.

Anyways, we had plans to see each other last week after not hanging out for at least a MONTH, and so when she asked if she could bring me some of her online bakery products to sample, I jumped at the chance to take a little bit of Lauren home with me to eat at all hours of the night and to share with The.Boy.  Yes, I know that sounds wrong.  But it's how I roll.

And everything we ate was amazing.  Below are the peanut butter chocolate chip cookie sandwiches with chocolate buttercream and fudgy caramel pecan brownies (which are really the fudgiest brownies I've EVER had).  She also sent over a peanut butter cup stuffed triple chocolate cookie.  Which I hid from The.Boy. and ate the night after my hospital stay. It made my day.

Lauren was sweet enough to also offer to send one of YOU GUYS a dozen of any product of your choice.  To enter, just leave a comment about which of her products you would want and remember to leave an email address so I can contact you if you win!  You can also use the coupon code EATSWELL10 from now until August 31st to get 10% off on any purchases. The winner will be announced one week from today.

Recipe: Spanish White Bean Tortilla with Piri Piri Sauce {eat.live.be}

Should I ever find myself walking down the street at the same exact moment as Will Smith, I shall casually but firmly pull him aside and ask, "How do you do it?!?"

And then when he starts to blather about the ins and outs of balancing a music/movie/tv career all while being a loving father and a faithful husband blah blah blah.

I shall shush him.  Roll my eyes.  And say, "No, not your career, silly. Your SKIN!"

Because seriously people, I saw Men in Black 3 this weekend and that man has not aged a day in the twenty two years that I've known him.  That epidermis of his is as baby-fresh and wrinkle-free as it was back in his Fresh Prince days.   



He obviously has skin care regime secrets.

And should the opportunity arise, I most certainly will not let his security detail get in the way of me eliciting them.


What can I say...I'm a girl who knows what she wants.  And I'll go to any lengths to get it.


I bet him and Jada have exfoliation date nights.  I know what The.Boy. and I will be doing this Friday night. We are wild and crazy like that.





Anyways, now that I've given you a good dose of the ramblings of my innermost thoughts...tortillas!  Of the Spanish variety.  Meaning a frittata-like entity stuffed with some kind of starch, most often potatoes, but in this case white beans.

Because I love adding fiber and iron to my life whenever possible.  And regular old potatoes...just don't do it for me.

This tortilla is seasoned with piri piri, which is a spicy smoky spice mix that I pinky swear you already have all the ingredients for in your spice closet cabinet.  It will make your taste buds dance.

And who knows, maybe it will even keep those wrinkles at bay!  I'll consult with Will. And get back to you.



Spanish White Bean Tortilla with Piri-Piri Sauce
Serves 4, adapted from Vegetarian Times June 2012

Ingredient

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp + 2-3 tsp piri-piri, divided (recipe to follow)
• 6 large eggs
• 1 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large onion, quartered and thinly sliced
• 1 1/2 cups cooked white beans (or 1 15 oz can)
• 2 jarred roasted red bell peppers, quartered lengthwise

Instructions

1. To make the piri-piri sauce, stir together the 1/4 cup olive oil, lemon juice, and 2 tbsp piri piri in a saucepan.  Bring to a boil over medium heat and then cook for 1 minute.  Then remove from heat and let cool.
2. To make the tortilla, preheat the oven to 350.  Coat a 10-inch tart pan with cooking spray.  Whisk together the eggs and parsley in a bowl.  Season with salt and pepper.
3. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a skillet over medium heat.  Add the onion and saute 6-8 minutes or until starting to caramelize.  Add beans and 2-3 tsp piri piri.  Cook 1-2 minutes or until the spices darken and start to stick to the beans.  Remove from heat and stir bean mixture into egg mixture.
4. Pour the egg mixture into the tart pan.  Put in the oven and bake for 20-30 minutes or until set.  Garnish with roasted red peppers and piri piri sauce.

Piri-Piri
Makes about 1/4 cup

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp smoked Spanish paprika
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp lemon zest
• 1/2 tsp ground oregano

Instructions
Combine all ingredients in a small bowl.  Store in an airtight container.

Recipe: Spinach, Fava Bean and Quinoa Cakes

In case you weren't convinced yesterday that fava beans are well worth your time, check out my recipe for spinach, fava bean and quinoa cakes over at Marcus Samuelsson's blog!

Recipe: Warm Fava Shallot Barley Salad

When you spend the better part of four days not moving as per your doctor's instructions to LET YOUR KIDNEYS HEAL, for christ's sake.
 
(This may or may not have been after you suggested to him that you go to running practice on Saturday morning. Aching nephrons and all. You're a runner, after all. And as such...you feel no pain.)

The time eventually comes when you have to dig your spoon out of that jar of nutella you've been self pity-eating. Pull yourself up by your bootstraps. And start shelling.



Because really and truly, there is no better time to teach yourself how to shuck Fava beans than when you are supposed to be laying in bed, twiddling your thumbs, and watching the season finale of Glee. Especially once you realize that those green pods they're encased in are actually all bark and no bite. They are soft and squishy and literally fall apart in your hands.

And they'll also give you something to (harmlessly) fling at the computer screen when Finn breaks up with Rachel for her own good on THEIR WEDDING DAY.  Sheesh.  This show is not for the faint of heart. Or, given how many tears I may or may not have shed, the kidney-impaired.



Best to stick with the favas, and this salad, which will make up for that nutella consumption and may even allow you to wake up on Sunday morning to fully functional kidneys and a strong and undeniable desire to run seven miles. Or not. But it will certainly make your taste buds happy.



Warm Fava Shallot Barley Salad

Serves 4, adapted from Ripe

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lb fresh Fava beans (in pod weight)
• 1 cup barley
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 large or 2 medium shallots, thinly sliced
• 1 summer squash, cut into half moons 
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 2 tbsp thinly sliced fresh mint leaves
• 1/4 lb feta cheese, crumbled
• Spinach

Instructions

1. Combine 1 cup barley and 3 cups water in a large pan. Add a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil and then simmer, covered, until barley is tender, about 45 minutes. Set aside.
2. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Crack the Fava pods and squeeze the beans into a bowl. Boil them for 2 minutes and then draina. Rinse them with cold water until they are cool to the touch. Squeeze the dark green inner beans into a small bowl and discard the pale green skins.
3. In a large skillet, warm the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the shallots, 1/4 tsp salt and a grinding of black pepper. Sauté until the shallots are caramelized and golden brown, 4-5 minutes. Add in the summer squash and sauté until tender, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to very low and add the favas, stirring until warmed through, about 3 minutes.
4. In a large bowl, toss together the barley, favas, shallots, summer squash, olives, feta cheese, lemon juice and mint. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Serve over a bed of spinach.

I am submitting this to Souper Sunday, which is hosted by Deb at Kahakai Kitchen.

Recipe: Chocolate Mousse Tart with Hazelnuts

If you've never woken up to your significant other clutching their right upper flank, curled up in fetal position and moaning about kidney pain.

Well then you're obviously not dating a medical student.

And you obviously are not my boyfriend.  Because that is exactly, verbatim, what he had to deal with at 3AM on Thursday morning.



At the risk of oversharing (and really, when don't I risk that), I went to bed at 1AM on Wednesday night with what I thought was a pretty standard UTI and woke up two and a half hours later with pyelonephritis. 

(It seems that even the bacteria my body harbors are getting ready for the NYC marathon.  And they apparently get their kicks by doing laps between my bladder and my kidneys. Ascending urinary tract repeats, if you will.  In my opinion, they need to get a new hobby.)  



I don't know whether it was fate or a happy coincidence that I had decided to stay at The.Boy.'s that night.  Because as I flopped around on his bed, gripping my side in searing squeezing pain and saying, "I don't know what we should do."

He got up, put clothes on and said, "I'm taking you to the emergency room." 

If I had been at my apartment, alone, I surely would have convinced myself that it was nothing more than a little acid reflux and would have laid in bed on the verge of screaming for at least four more hours.  Even though the hospital is literally across the street.  I'm stubborn that way.

So we got in a cab, sped from Brooklyn Heights to the Upper East Side (because there was no way I was not going to my hospital) and stepped into a nearly empty ER.  We were seen in 20 minutes, and then left in a partitioned off "room" for two and a half hours while they repeatedly asked about my pain level (8/10), offered me IV fluids (which I refused), and argued with me about taking Percoset (I was brutally against it but eventually caved in).  Basically, I questioned medical intervention at every step.  They say that doctors make the worst patients and really...now I see why.

My mother showed up about two hours into this whole ordeal (note - she only lives 20 minutes away.  Her favorite child was in the hospital and she had to shower first), with my sister in tow.  And they proceeded to try to annoy me to their maximum potential just so I would stop focusing on the pain.  It worked.

Eventually I was released, my mom went to work and left my sister and The.Boy. to take care of me. 

He stayed all day.  Even though he had a bar exam prep class to go to.  Even though it meant losing an entire day of studying.

He. Stayed.    



And I wish I had had this tart sitting in my fridge.  Because he deserved a large piece of it. 

Really, a whole tart pan-full.

So while I made this for Father's day, the luscious rich dark chocolate filling encased in a hazelnut graham cracker shell would also make for the ultimate thank you present.  (Lots of kisses help, too.)

PS - I woke up this morning feeling much better, thanks for asking. :)

PPS - If you're looking for a fabulous summery dessert to make this weekend, check out my guest post on the MarxFoods blog.  The Balsamic Caramel Peach Upside-Down Cake I posted there is not one you want to miss.



Chocolate Mousse Tart with Hazelnuts
Makes one 9-inch tart, adapted from Martha Stewart's Pies & Tarts

Ingredients
For the crust

• 6 graham cracker sheets
• 1/2 cup skinned hazelnuts
• 1/4 tsp coarse salt
• 2 tbsp granulated sugar
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled

For the Topping

• 1/3 cup skinned hazelnuts
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 tsp coarse salt
• 1/4 cup water

For the filling

• 1 3/4 cups heavy cream
• 5 oz bittersweet chocolate
• 2 tbsp confectioners' sugar

Instructions

1. For the crust - preheat the oven to 350.  In the bowl of a food processor, combine the graham crackers, hazelnuts, salt and sugar,  Pulse until fine.  With machine running, slowly pour in the butter and process until combined.  Press the crumbs into the bottom of a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom.  Place in the oven and bake until crust is golden brown and fragrant, about 12-14 minutes.  Let cool completely on a wire rack.
2. For the topping - in a small saucepan, combine the hazelnuts, sugar, salt and water. Bring to a boil and then cook for 1 minute.  Drain the hazelnuts.  Place on a parchment lined baking sheet and then bake for 15 minutes, or until nuts are toasted and shiny.  Let cool.
3. For the filling - bring 3/4 cup cream to a simmer in a medium saucepan.  Remove from the heat and add the chocolate.  Whisk to combine and then let cool to room temperature.  In a large chilled bowl, whip remaining 1 cup cream with the confectioners' sugar until stiff peaks form.  Gently fold in the chocolate mixture until combined.  Pour into the cooled crust and refrigerate until completely set, at least two hours, but up to 2 days if covered with plastic wrap.  Top with candied hazelnuts before serving. 

Recipe: Avocado Mac and Cheese {eat.live.be}

As a card carrying XX chromosome'd individual (aka - a female), I like to think I'm pretty attuned to my emotional status at all times. 

24/7. 365 (unless it's a leap year, in which case - 366).

So it came as a shock even to me when I ran into my old roommate this past weekend and, when she asked how running was going for me, I replied that I had taken three weeks off because I was burnt out.

Uhhh, what?



Personally, I had been under the impression this whole time that it was all because of a hamstring injury/weirdness thing.  Apparently that was only part of the story.

(Really, subconscious?  I thought we promised to never keep secrets from each other.  I feel betrayed.)



But the more I ruminated on it and rolled it over and over (and over) in my mind (because even if I failed at being in touch with my emotions, I certainly intended to exercise my feminine rights to overthink things!)...

...the more I realized how true it was.

After training for three half marathons for three months straight.  I was burnt out.  It was quite the revelation.

By the end of that third week, though, I started to crave it again.  Felt the ache and need in every (muscle) fiber of my being.

I longed for the feel of the wind at my back.  The pavement against my feet.  The humidity occluding my sweat pores.  (Okay, maybe not that last one so much, but it's part of the northeastern seaboard package.)

Perfect timing considering that as of this week I am officially marathon training.  And thanks to that time off, I couldn't be more excited about it.

Sure, my legs are a little rustier than they were three weeks ago.  I'm a tad bit slower.  But I'm gonna get that second wind.  Get my groove back.  And prove to myself that that a few weeks without running are not the end of the world.

I'm sure my subconscious realizes that already, though.  She's a pretty smart gal, after all.



So since I'm back to running absurd distances (or will be soon), there will be lots more pasta around these parts!

First up, we have this avocado mac and cheese.  Yeah, it's really green.  Until the avocado starts to oxidize and then it becomes really brown.  But it's also really delicious and a way healthier-than-normal take on everyone's favorite comfort food.  So much so, you don't even have to run even a mildly absurd distance to eat it.  Win.  Definite win.

Avocado Mac and Cheese
Serves 6, adapted from Two Peas and Their Pod

Ingredients

• 10 oz elbow macaroni
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 avocados, peeled and pitted
• 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
• 1/3 cup chopped cilantro
• salt and black pepper, to taste
• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1 cup almond milk (or regular milk)
• 2 cups shredded lowfat cheddar cheese

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Cook the elbows in it until al dente, then drain and set aside.
2. Combine the garlic, avocados, lime juice, and cilantro in the food processor and pulse to combine until smooth and creamy.  Season to taste with salt and black pepper.  Set aside.
3. In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.  Add in the flour and stir into the butter until it forms a paste.  Whisk in the milk until smooth.  Stir it with a wooden spoon until it starts to thicken.  Add the cheese and stir until melted and creamy.
4. Place the macaroni in a large bowl.  Add in the avocado sauce and stir to combine.  Stir in the cheese sauce.  Season to taste with salt and black pepper.  Serve warm.

*The mac and cheese is best eaten the first or second day but won't keep for much longer than that.

I am submitting this to Presto Pasta Nights which is being hosted this week by Simona of Briciole.

Recipe: Summer Lemon-Vegetable Risotto

The.Boy. is still getting used to this whole "dating a vegetarian" thing.

The other day he informed me that if he were a vegetarian, he would eat fish every day.

Really.  It happened.



Granted, he's referring to the fact that I will eat fish on increasingly rare occasions.  (Like.... .01 percent of the time. Mostly sushi.  Mostly doused in soy sauce and wasabi and pickled ginger.)

But still.

I gave him a "did you really just say that?!?" look of shock.



Then there was Saturday when he plucked a package of tempeh bacon out of his fridge and said, "Do you want this disgusting thing back?"

Never mind that he had eaten a bowl of pasta that was chock full of it just a week before.  And.Liked.It.  (A fact that I very persistently reminded him of, don't you worry.)



All that being said, he really is very good about not questioning what I put in front of him (that's how I tricked got him to eat the tempeh bacon in the first place).  And just diving in fork-first.

Hence why, the second time I cooked for him EVER.  I made risotto.

We had stayed at his place and it was a spur-of-the-moment lunch decision.  Risotto, at least to me, is easy.  It doesn't really require a recipe and uses minimal cooking equipment (I think he had a pot and a few butter knives.  I've since equipped him with a few of my extra cooking implements.)

Not a big deal, right?

Except...he doesn't like rice.

Somewhere in the back of mind, I think I knew this about him, but I just didn't put the two together.  And he didn't remind me either.

Not when I told him what I was making.

Not when we went to the grocery store and I put a big box of arborio rice into the shopping cart.

Not when I dumped the whole box into his (only) pot and started stirring away.

Now, if this were my brother or father, they would have spent the entire time informing me that I was trying to murder them by feeding them their less-than-favorite ingredients.  Not The.Boy.

I think it finally dawned on me just as he was about to take his first bite and when I asked him (in horror) why he hadn't said anything, he just replied, "I knew if you were making it that it would taste good."

Yup, he's a keeper.

This recipe isn't exactly the one I served him that day...but it's close.  At the least, the gist of it is the same.  Tons of veggies with a hint of lemon and lots of creamy melt-in-your-mouth rice.

Even the rice-haters in your life will go back for seconds. Pinky swear.



Summer Lemon-Vegetable Risotto
Serves 4, adapted from Cooking Light

Ingredients

• 1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 8 oz sugar snap peas, halved
• 5 tsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 zucchini, cut into half moons
• 1 summer squash, cut into half moons
• 4 3/4 cup vegetable broth
• 1/2 cup finely chopped shallots
• 1 cup arborio rice
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
• 1 tsp grated lemon zest
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter
• salt and black pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil.  Add asparagus and sugar snap peas and cook for 3 minutes.  Drain and then rinse with cold water.  Set aside.
2. Heat 2 tsp olive oil in a large nonstick skillet.  Saute the zucchini and summer squash until just starting to brown, about 7 minutes.  Set aside.
3. In a medium pot, bring the vegetable broth to a simmer.
4. Add the remaining tbsp of olive oil to the pan.  Over medium heat, saute the shallots until tender, about 3 minutes.  Add the rice and saute for 1 minute, constantly stirring.  Add 1 cup of the simmering vegetable broth, stirring continuously until almost all of it evaporates.  Add another 1/2 cup of the broth and stir until it evaporates.  Repeat with remaining broth until rice is tender and cooked through, reserving 1/4 cup of broth.
5. Add the veggies to the pan and cook for one minute or until heated through.  Remove from the heat and stir in the reserved 1/4 cup broth, parmesan cheese, chives, lemon zest, lemon juice, and better.  Season with salt and black pepper to taste.

Recipe: Vanilla Buttermilk Cupcakes with Mango Ginger Curd Filling

Occasionally I break out some telepathic kung fu karate chop skillz.  At the most inappropriate times, of course.

Like...when I'm in the kitchen and I go to flip a cake out of its pan onto a plate.  And it cracks into no fewer than five pieces, half of it inevitably remaining attached to the pan even though gravity would have it otherwise.

And while, to the unassuming eye, it might look like I merely didn't grease my pan properly.  (Who, ME?!?!? Never.)  I think we all know that the secret ninja that lives inside my left bicep mistook that cake for a block of wood.  And, through her finely tuned mental prowess, chopped it into oblivion without me even having to move a muscle!  Really, we're just lucky she doesn't have a vendetta against my carotids.  Let's keep it that way.



I think what I'm really trying to say is that kitchen disasters happen in my life all too frequently.  I drop things.  I don't read directions.  I cross the street without looking both ways.

I forget to dilute the 10X buffer that I've dissolved my DNA in.  Oh wait, sorry.  That's a lab disaster.  Also, an all-too frequent occurrence.   (Really, bicep ninja!? Can't you just let a girl be?)



Sometimes there's no real explanation for a why a recipe flops, however. Or why half of it decided to stick to your pan while the other half didn't.

And the only thing you can do is try it again.  Once more, with feeling.

The broken cake that I keep referring to is one that I made for my ex-roommate (but still friend!) Sophie's birthday last year.  I somehow salvaged it by turning all three layers into cake pops.  (Okay, cake rubix cubes if we're being specific.)  But I thought it deserved a do-over nonetheless.  So here we are.



Part of growing as a chef is learning your limitations - where you tend to falter and where you more often than not excel.

I bake cupcakes better than I bake cakes. It's just a fact.  Cupcakes are cuter, easier to decorate, are less susceptible to bicep ninja attacks, and you can eat three in a row without feeling even a speckle of guilt.  You can't say the same thing about cakes.

So rather than try to redo the triple layer cake as it was originally intended (and try to force myself to be something I'm not), I thought I would work with my skill set.  Make cupcakes instead.  And judging by the looks on my coworkers faces as they bit into these babies...I made the right decision.  The cupcakes themselves are light, fluffy and very vanilla, while the mango curd is just tart enough to offset their sweetness and a tad bit spicy from the hint of ginger.  They really do make for the perfect midday or after-dinner snack.  Just don't invite your bicep ninja to the festivities.  There's no telling what havoc she might wreak.

This post was sponsored by Frigidaire. When you share your own do-over moment at Facebook.com/Frigidaire, Frigidaire will donate $1 to Save the Children's U.S. programs. Plus, Frigidaire will help cover the costs for one lucky visitor to win the ultimate do-over.



Vanilla Buttermilk Cupcakes
Makes 16-24 (I got 18), adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 sticks butter, softened to room temperature
• 1 cup granulated white sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup buttermilk

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350.  Line muffin cups with liners.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.)
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy on medium-high speed, about 3 minutes.  Add in the eggs and egg yolks, one at a time, scraping down the bowl after each addition.  Add in the vanilla extract.
4. Add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the buttermilk.  Mix until combined and the batter is smooth.
5. Fill the cupcake liners with the batter about halfway or just barely over halfway.
6. Bake for about 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs.  Allow to cool completely before frosting/curd-ing.

Mango Ginger Curd
Makes about 3-4 cups, an Eats Well With Others Original

Ingredients

• 2 cups sugar
• 8 tbsp corn starch
• 4 tbsp flour
• 1 tsp dried ginger
• 1 cup cold water
• 1 1/2 cups worth pureed mango flesh
• 4 tbsp fresh lime juice 
• 6 egg yolks
• 4 tbsp butter, softened
• 2 cups boiling water

Instructions

1. In a saucepan, combine the sugar, cornstarch, flour, and ginger.   Gradually blend in cold water, mango puree, and lime juice.
2. Add the egg yolks and butter, blending until smooth.
3. Gradually add in the boiling water, stirring constantly.
4. Place the saucepan over medium high heat and bring to a boil, stirring gently with a spatula and scraping the bottom to prevent burning. Once the mixture begins to thicken, reduce the heat and simmer for one minute.
5. Remove from heat and let cool completely (I usually refrigerate it overnight.)
6. Fill cupcakes with curd either by cutting them in half and piping some in the middle or by plunging a piping bag fitted with a star or 1M tip into the center of the cupcakes and piping it inside them.

Recipe: Coriander and Nori Pesto Soba with Wok Seared Greens {eat.live.be.}

The panic started to set in on day two.

Because twenty four hours without exercise is reasonable.  Recommended, even, at least once a week for those of us who have a tendency to hit the gym as if our lives (and certainly our waist circumference) depend on it.

But forty eight?  That's just a bad week. 

Seventy two is uncalled for. 

Ninety six is. well.  Strange and unusual and thoroughly unprecedented.  Would my muscle cells revolt from lack of use?  Would my adipocytes start doing keg stands in a fit of sheer exuberance?  And most importantly, would my brain shut down from all the lack-of-exercise-induced anxiety that was sure to be thrust upon it?

It was anyone's guess.



Truly, though I had a fabulous time at BlogHer Food and got to know some fabulous bloggers in a real life kinda way, it was also all of my worst fears combined. 

No exercise.  An overabundance of food, none of which I had any control over.  And while I like to think I've got this eating-disorder-recovered thing under control 99.9% of the time...this was for real my worst nightmare.  And I'd be lying if I didn't say that it gave me pause to fly 3,000 miles across the country to submit myself to such anguish.

But it's true what they say.  What doesn't kill you makes you stronger.  So I went.

And while there were moments of "ohmygod I'm going to come back to new york at least thirty pounds heavier" ridiculousness.  I just tried to tell myself not to sweat it.  To make the best possible food choices (which obviously meant eating the most glorious buttery grilled cheese at Etta's) and move on. 

To let go and have fun and just. Live.

So I did.  It was liberating. 

And the fallout, when with bated breath I stepped on the scale yesterday?  Zilch.  Exactly the same as when I'd left.

It's amazing the tricks your mind can play.  But even more, it's amazing how unfounded they can be.

So while I learned a lot at BlogHer Food about SEO and social media and cookbook photography.  I also learned a lot about myself.  My strength. My ability to overcome my own wayward thoughts.  And for that alone it was worth going.

When I left I was under the impression I was going to have to come home and immediately start detoxing.  But all I really wanted was pasta.  And green. Lots of green.  This dish most certainly did the trick.  It pairs pesto with Asian flavors - cilantro, nori, tofu, and soy sauce - and lots of veggies (asparagus! sugar snaps!) so that you get that comfort food feel while still feeling good about eating a whole bowl of it.  Seriously. Love.



Coriander and Nori Pesto Soba with Wok Seared Greens
Serves 4, adapted from Veggie Num Num

Ingredients

• 3 grams nori
• 1 bunch cilantro
• 20 g pickled ginger
• 7 oz firm tofu, broken into small-ish pieces
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 1/2 tsp wasabi
• 10 oz soba noodles
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 shallots, sliced
• 1 bunch asparagus, woody ends removed and cut in half lengthwise
• 1/2 lb sugar snap peas
• 1 tbsp sesame seeds

Instructions

1. For the pesto, soak the nori in a little bit of water until soft.  Roughly chop the cilantro and add it to a food processor along with the pickled ginger and tofu.  In a small bowl, whisk together the vegetable oil, soy sauce, sesame oil, maple syrup and wasabi.  Process the tofu mixture and gradually add in the oil mixture so that it forms a smooth sauce.  Season to taste with wasabi and soy sauce.
2. Cook the soba noodles in salted, boiling water until al dente.  Strain and set aside.
3. Heat a nonstick skillet or wok over medium-high heat.  Spray with cooking spray.  Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute over medium-high heat.  Add the shallots, asparagus, sugar snaps and sesame seeds.  Toss until veggies are cooked to desired consistency.
4. In a large bowl, toss the soba noodles with the veggies and pesto.  Season to taste with soy sauce and wasabi.

I am submitting this to Presto Pasta Nights which is being hosted this week by Elizabeth of The Law Students Cookbook.

Recipe: Red Rice and Edamame Salad with Lemon-Miso Dressing

Bathing suit season is looming ever nearer but rather than give ourselves goosebumps about it, we should all just eat this salad! Head on over to Marcus Samuelsson's blog for my post and the recipe!

Recipe: Braised Chickpea Dumplings with Vegetables

Eating green balls gives me nightmares.

Oh yes! You nod in agreement even though it is surely not what you think.

All prepubescent innuendo aside and given the fact that my father's chlorophyll-a-phobia most certainly skipped a generation, I am referring to the fact that when you soak dried chickpeas for 24 hours and then throw them still raw into a food processor along with an array of middle eastern herbs and spices and then pulse pulse pulse as if your life depends on it...

...what you will end up with is not something cohesive or smooth or whole.

At the least, it will not give you any faith at all that it can be plopped into a bowl of simmering curry-spiced tomato sauce and not melt into a bowl of now sorta-green mush upon contact.

Chickpea dumplings? Psssshhh. Those are surely pipe dreams that require some sort of binding agent or sorcery. No doubt about it.



But if reading 50 Shades of Grey has taught you anything, it is that sometimes even pipe dreams can come true.

And while Christian Grey may still only be a figment of my (and every other woman in America's) very vivid imagination (sigh). Last week, with the help of a little bit of luck and a lotta bit of steam. I turned mush into dumplings. And it was delicious. Go figure.



Rife with fresh falafel-y flavors and paired with all the heartwarming spice you'd expect from a good Indian meal, this dish is worth the risk (and maybe even a few bad dream ridden nights).

Just plop those mounds of mush into your pan of simmering tomato curry gravy, cover, and rest assured that so long as you give them enough time, dumplings will eventually emerge.  Unapologetically green though they may be.

This recipe was The Food Matters Project pick for this week. For the full recipe, check out Lena's blog.