Recipes

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Chocolate Cake with Orange Bitters

Chocolate Cake with Orange Bitters

Ingredients

  • Chocolate Cake

  • Nonstick cooking spray

  • 1½ cups all-purpose flour

  • ¾ cup cocoa powder

  • ¾ cup granulated sugar

  • ½ cup packed brown sugar

  • 1½ teaspoons baking powder

  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt

  • 1½ cups water

  • ¾ cup vegetable oil

  • 1½ teaspoons ANGOSTURA orange bitters

  • Zest from 1 orange (about 1 tablespoon)

  • Chocolate Glaze

  • ¾ cup semisweet chocolate chips

  • 1 tablespoon light corn syrup

  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

  • 1 teaspoon ANGOSTURA orange bitters

  • Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling

Directions

  • Chocolate Cake
  • Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Put a circle of parchment paper in the bottom of an 8-inch cake pan and coat with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
  • Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, both sugars, baking powder, and salt in a bowl, making sure to break up any clumps of brown sugar. Add the water, vegetable oil, and bitters and whisk until smooth; stir in the orange zest. Pour into greased cake pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Let cool in the pan for a few minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack; let cool completely. (Note: The dome that you see when you take it out of the oven will fall. That is okay.)
  • Chocolate Glaze
  • Add the chocolate, corn syrup, and oil to a small bowl and melt in the microwave for about 30 seconds. Stir until smooth. (If necessary, you can use additional 15-second increments to get the chocolate to melt completely.) Stir in the bitters.
  • Spread the chocolate glaze on top of the cake and sprinkle with some flakey sea salt. Enjoy!

Notes

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Rum and Carrot Cupcakes

Rum and Carrot Cupcakes

Ingredients

  • For the cupcakes

  • 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

  • 2 teaspoons baking powder

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

  • 1/2 cup raisins

  • 1 1/2 cups carrots, grated

  • 1/4 cup orange rum (not I don’t know what this is so I’ll use regular rum and orange zest)

  • zest of 1 orange

  • 1 tablespoon orange juice

  • 2 large eggs

  • 1 cups granulated sugar

  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil

  • 1/3 cup walnuts, chopped

  • For the icing

  • 3 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted

  • 12 ounces (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

  • 3 tablespoons rum

  • 1/4 cup chopped walnuts, for garnish

Directions

  • For the cupcakes
  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a cupcake pan with 12 cupcake liners. Set aside.
  • When the oven is preheated, toast all the walnuts for 5 minutes.
  • In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Set aside.
  • In a medium saucepan, mix together the raisins, carrots, rum, and orange juice over low heat. Stir as the mixture simmers for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.
  • In a large bowl, use an electric mixer on medium speed to beat the eggs and sugar until creamy. Add the vegetable oil and continue beating. Add the raisin mixture (including the rum they were cooked in) and the walnuts while beating. Turn the mixer to low and add the dry ingredients, mixing until combined.
  • Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake liners and bake for 18 to 22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcake comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes, or until cool enough to handle. Remove the cupcakes from the pan and cool completely.
  • For the icing
  • Use an electric mixer on medium-high speed to mix the sugar, butter and rum until smooth and fluffy. Pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes and decorate with chopped walnuts.

Notes

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Steak Sandwiches

Steak Sandwiches

Ingredients

  • Rump steak

  • Salt

  • Pepper

  • Butter

  • French bread

  • Rosemary butter or garlic butter

Directions

  • Cook a rump steak on your outdoor charcoal grill. Split a loaf of french bread the long way and toast each half. Butter the bread well. Arrange thin slices of the meat on the bottom half of the bread and cover with the top half. Slice through in pieces for hearty steak sandwiches. If you like, you may butter the bread with garlic butter or rosemary butter.
  • Serve with a bowl of radishes, onions and celery and a bowl of heated potato chips.

Notes

  • So Many Questions.
  • recipe from The James Beard Cookbook (1963)
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Old-Fashioned Vegetable Soup

Old-Fashioned Vegetable Soup

Ingredients

  • 6 cups of beef broth

  • 2 onions, thinly sliced

  • 2 carrots, thinly sliced

  • 4 celery stalks, cut in fine bits

  • 1 turnip, cut in small dice

  • 3 leeks, thinly sliced

  • 12 string beans, cut in small pieces

  • 1/4 head of cabbage, shredded

  • 2 potatoes, cut in small dice

  • 1 cup of green peas

  • 1 cup of broken macaroni bits

Directions

  • Wash the vegetables carefully and peel the onions, carrots, turnip and potatoes. Cut all ino slices or bits as suggested above. Put the beef broth in a large kettle, taste for seasoning and add salt if necessary. Bring to a boil and add the vegetables. Cover the pan, lower the flame and simmer gently until the vegetables are done and well blended with the broth. This will take about 1/2 to 3/4 hour. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese and crisp buttered toast.

Notes

  • I have questions.
  • recipe from The James Beard Cookbook (1963)
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Homemade Churros

Homemade Churros

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup water

  • 1/2 cup 2% milk ( I used almond milk)

  • 1 tablespoon canola oil

  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour

  • 1 large egg, room temperature

  • 1/4 teaspoon grated lemon zest

  • Additional oil for frying

  • 1/2 cup sugar

  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

  • Chocolate sauce, optional

Directions

  • In a large saucepan, bring the water, milk, oil and salt to a boil. Add flour all at once and stir until a smooth ball forms. Transfer to a large bowl; let stand for 5 minutes.
  • Beat on medium-high speed for 1 minute or until the dough softens. Add egg and lemon zest; beat for 1-2 minutes. Set aside to cool.
  • In a deep cast-iron or heavy skillet, heat 1 in. oil to 375°. Insert a large star tip in a pastry bag; fill with dough. On a baking sheet, pipe dough into 4-in. strips.
  • Transfer strips to skillet and fry until golden brown on both sides. Drain on paper towels. Combine the sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over churros. Serve warm with chocolate sauce if desired.

Notes

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Grilled Lamb Chops

Grilled Lamb Chops

Ingredients

  • 5 dried guajillo chiles seeds removed

  • 2 dried ancho chile, seeds removed

  • 2 plum tomatoes

  • 1/2 white onion

  • 2 cloves garlic, in husk

  • 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano

  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

  • ⅓ cup apple cider vinegar

  • 2 teaspoons fine Kosher salt

  • 1 rack of lamb, frenched (about 2 pounds)

  • 1 tablespoon tequila reposado

  • 2 limes, sliced in half for grilling

Directions

  • Prepare the salsa marinade. Rinse the dried chiles and remove the stems and seeds. Pour very warm water over them in a non-reactive bowl and allow them to hydrate for about 10 minutes.
  • Preheat the grill to high heat. Roast the tomatoes, onion, and garlic over the heat until everything is charred and soft, for about 6 minutes. The onion might take longer than the rest. Remove the charred husks from the garlic, the charred skin from the onion, and the skin from the tomatoes. Add them into a blender with the oregano, thyme, cumin, apple cider vinegar, and salt. Blend until mostly smooth and set aside to cool.
  • Slice the lamb into individual chops. Season each of them lightly with some kosher salt. Place them into a resealable plastic bag and pour in just enough of the cool marinade to coat them. There will be at least half of it left over, we’ll use this to make the salsa borracha.
  • Allow the lamb to marinade in the fridge for at least 4 hours, up to overnight.
  • Prepare the salsa while the lamb is marinating. Add the rest of the fresh marinade to a small sauce pan with the tequila. Cook the salsa at a medium low heat, allowing the salsa to thicken for about 15-20 minutes. Taste and adjust the flavor with salt if needed.
  • Preheat the grill to medium high heat. Remove the lamb from the marinade and shake loose any excess sauce.
  • Clean the grill grates well. Sear the lamb directly over the heat and allow it to cook for about 2 minutes before flipping. Continue to cook in this method while flipping until the lamb has developed a nice crust. For medium rare, remove lamb when they are about 130°F. Grill the lime slices at the end for a couple of minutes.
  • Serve with the salsa borracha and a squeeze of lime. Cheers!

Notes

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Homemade Peanut Butter

Homemade Peanut Butter

Ingredients

  • 2 cups peanuts

  • 2 teaspoons salt

Directions

  • Toast peanuts in dry skillet for 5 to 8 minutes over medium heat, stirring regularly.
  • Put peanuts in a food processor and run for 5 minutes or until smooth. Add salt, about 1 teaspoon per cup of peanuts.
  • Store at room temperature in an air tight container for up to 6 months.

Notes

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Italian Fried Potatoes

Italian Fried Potatoes

Ingredients

  • 2 Medium Potatoes, peeled and cubed

  • 2 tbsp olive oil

  • 1 Medium Onion, chopped

  • 1 Medium Green Pepper, chopped

  • 1 Medium Red Pepper, chopped

  • 2 Garlic cloves, finely minced

  • To Taste Salt Pepper

  • 2 tbsp Fresh Parsley, finely chopped

Directions

  • Boil or microwave potatoes until fork tender. Drain and set aside.
  • Heat oil in a heavy bottom pan or a cast iron skillet. Add onions, peppers and cook on medium flame for 5~6 minutes.
  • Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
  • Next add the boiled potatoes and cook stirring, occasionally until the potatoes are slightly roasted, about 4~6 minutes.
  • Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle fresh parsley and serve.

Notes

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Jelly Donuts

Jelly Donuts

Ingredients

  • 1 cup warm water, heated to about 110°F (see note)

  • 1 tablespoon instant/rapid-rise or active dry yeast (note that this is more than 1 packet)

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off

  • ¼ cup confectioners’ sugar, plus more for coating

  • ¾ teaspoon salt

  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

  • 2 large egg yolks

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus about 2 quarts more for frying

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • About 1 cup jam or jelly (or custard, Nutella, pudding, pumpkin butter, apple butter, dulce de leche, etc.), optional

Directions

  • Combine the water and yeast in a small bowl and let sit until foamy, about 5 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the flour, confectioners’ sugar, salt, and nutmeg. Whisk to combine and set aside.
  • Add the egg yolks, 2 tablespoons of oil, and vanilla to the water/yeast mixture and whisk with a fork until combined.
  • Add the liquid mixture to the flour mixture and stir with rubber spatula until the dough comes together. It should be a bit sticky. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap (no need to clean it first) and let the dough rise on the countertop until doubled in size, 1 to 2 hours.
  • Line a baking sheet with a few layers of paper towels. Line another baking sheet with ­parchment paper and dust heavily with flour. Generously dust a clean countertop and your hands with flour. Scrape the dough out of the bowl onto the counter and dust the dough with flour. Pat the dough into ¼-in-thick rectangle (it should be about 10 x 12-inches in size), making sure the bottom doesn’t stick and adding more flour to the counter and your hands as needed. Using a pizza wheel or very sharp knife, cut the dough into 24 two-inch squares and transfer to the floured baking sheet, leaving a little space between the squares. Sprinkle the squares lightly with flour.
  • Add enough of oil to a large Dutch oven or heavy pot to measure about 2 inches deep and heat over medium heat to 350°F. (If you don’t have a candy/deep-fry thermometer, drop a 1-in cube of bread in the oil; if it takes about 1 minute to get golden brown, the oil is at the right temperature.) Place 6 dough pieces in the oil and fry until golden brown, about 3 minutes, flipping halfway through frying. Adjust the heat, if necessary, to maintain the oil temperature between 325°F and 350°F. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the donuts to the paper towel-lined baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining donuts.
  • When the donuts are cool enough to handle, use a paring knife to puncture the side of each to form a pocket in the center. Place the tip of a squeeze bottle or piping bag into the pocket and squeeze 1 to 2 teaspoons of jam or jelly inside. (Alternatively, if you don’t have the right tools or just don’t want to bother, serve the filling on the side.)
  • Using a fine sieve, dust the donuts generously with confectioners’ sugar. Serve warm.

Notes

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Bananas Foster Waffles

Bananas Foster Waffles

Ingredients

  • Waffles

  • 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour

  • 1 tablespoon baking powder

  • 1 tablespoon sugar

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • 3 large eggs

  • 4 to 16 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (the more butter, the crisper the waffle)

  • 1 1/2 cups almond milk

  • Bananas Foster Topping

  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter

  • 1/2 cup brown sugar

  • 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

  • 2 tablespoons water

  • 2 under ripe bananas, sliced in half lengthwise

  • 1/4 cup dark rum

Directions

  • Waffles
  • Whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt in a large bowl.
  • In a smaller bowl, whisk together the eggs, butter and milk.
  • Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients for the wet ingredients and whisk together until just combined.
  • Brush the waffle maker with a bit of extra melted butter and fill according to waffle maker’s instructions. Bake until golden.
  • Bananas Foster Topping
  • Melt butter in a heavy skillet over low heat. Add brown sugar, allspice, nutmeg and water and stir until sugar dissolves. Bring sauce to simmer.
  • Add bananas and cook for 1 minute on each side. Remove bananas from pan to a serving dish.
  • Bring sauce to a simmer and carefully add the rum. If the sauce is very hot, the alcohol will flame on its own. If not, using stick flame, carefully ignite and continue cooking until flame dies out, approximately 1 to 2 minutes. If sauce is too thin, cook for 1 to 2 minutes until it is syrupy in consistency.
  • Immediately spoon the sauce over bananas and serve. Serve with waffles.