Amaretto Tricolor Cookies

These Amaretto tricolor cookies are also known as Neapolitan cookies, as well as Italian rainbow cookies. The layers are held together with Amaretto spiked apricot jam. 

Typically, they are made in the colors of the flag of Italy; red, white, and green; and they are an Italian American tradition.

Pamplemousse Ginger Martini

This pamplemousse martini so refreshing! 

"What the heck is pamplemousse?" you ask. It's French for grapefruit! 

There is actually a Crème de Pamplemousse liqueur, and as you can tell by the bottle on the right, I've taste tested it... a few times. It's quite wonderful. It's not as strong or syrupy as limoncello, and has an aromatic and citrusy flavor. It definitely tastes like grapefruit. 

This martini combines the flavors of herbal gin, ginger, grapefruit, and lime. Seriously tasty. 

Pamplemousse Ginger Martini

Ingredients

1 1/2 ounces gin

1/2 ounce ginger liqueur

1 ounce pamplemousse rose liqueur

1/2 ounce lime juice

lime wedge

Instructions

1. Add the gin, ginger, pamplemousse, and lime juice to an ice filled cocktail shaker.
2. Shake for about 30 to 60 seconds, and strain into a chilled martini glass.
3. Garnish with a lime wedge.

Enjoy!

Malaysian Style Stir-Fried Turmeric Shrimp | Wok Wednesdays

Have you ever experienced preparing a dish, tasting it, and then experiencing that "I can't believe I actually made this myself!" moment?  This Malaysian Style Stir-Fried Turmeric Shrimp had this impact on me. I had to pinch myself. It is so delicious.

We are in the midst of the two week period leading up to the Chinese New Year, and shrimp is, according to stir-fry guru Grace Young, considered a dish symbolizing happiness, and traditional for the holiday.

This shrimp recipe was developed by Mei Chau, who is owner/chef of the New York City restaurant Aux Epices.  She is of Hakka descent and grew up in Malaysia, the youngest of eleven children. This shrimp combines the traditions of Chinese stir-fry and the spiciness of Malaysian food.

The recipe is simply shrimp marinated in red chiles, dill or fresh curry leaves (I used fresh dill), turmeric, ground pepper, and then sprinkled with sugar prior to stir-frying.

The only other ingredients, besides peanut oil, are garlic, shallots, and salt. That's it. It's pretty magical.

The shrimp are cooked in their shells, which add so much flavor. The shells are cut across the back and the shrimp are deveined before being washed and dried.

This recipe is stunning, and can be found in Stir-Frying to the Sky's Edge: The Ultimate Guide to Mastery, with Authentic Recipes and Stories by Grace Young.

Check out my friend Cathy's mis en place for this dish >here<.
The recipe can be found >here<

Classic New York Water Bagels

Classic New York Water Bagels topped with "Everything" Topping. 

Bagels. Can we tawk? First, let me just say that these Classic New York Water Bagels are simply wonderful. In fact, the two recipients (outside of my family) of these bagels told me that they were the best bagels they have ever had. I am not making this up.

Stir-Fry Sichuan Beef

This Stir-Fry Sichuan Beef recipe is super flavorful. The sauce combines the flavors of soy, ginger, ketchup, hoisin sauce, and chili bean sauce. The vegetables include onions, green bell peppers, and a garnish of scallions, all ingredients that are readily available. The sauce is amazing.

The dish is simply wonderful over sticky rice. Can you see the steam rising?

I used some flank steak I had in the freezer to make this Sichuan Beef recipe and discovered how easy it is to slice semi-frozen meat into bite sized pieces. Doh! Why did I not know this?

I've been on a stir-fry obsession, second only to my bread obsession, and recently purchased The Breath of a Wok by Grace Young. I have been cooking from her book, Stir Frying to the Sky's Edge every other week for two years now, and decided to dip into one of her earlier books. Why should I have to wait for Wok Wednesdays to stir fry, right?

I will definitely making this again and again. Trust me, it's good.

Stir-Fry Sichuan Beef

Serves three as the main course, four to five as part of a multi-course meal

Ingredients

8 ounces flank steak 

2 T Shao Hsing rice wine or dry sherry

1 1/2 tsp plus 1 T soy sauce

5 slices ginger, smashed
2 1/2 tsp cornstarch
2 T ketchup
2 T hoisin sauce
2 tsp chili bean sauce
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1 T water
1 T peanut or vegetable oil
1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
1/2 onion, thinly sliced
1 C chicken broth
2 scallions, cut into 1 inch slices

Instructions

1. Cut the flank steak with the grain into two inch wide strips, and then cut each strip into 1/4 inch wide pieces against the grain. 
2. Marinade the beef with the rice wine, 1 1/2 tsp soy sauce, and 2 slices of the ginger for 30 minutes. 
3. Drain the beef and toss it with 1 tsp of the cornstarch. 
4. Mix the ketchup, hoisin, chili bean sauce, sesame oil, and 1 T of soy sauce in a small bowl.
5. Mix 1 1/2 tsp of cornstarch and 1 T water in another small bowl and set aside.
6. Heat your wok over high heat.
7. Add 1 T of peanut or vegetable oil to the wok. Add three slices of the ginger and stir for 30 seconds.
8. Add the marinated beef and spread it into a single layer over the surface of the wok. 
9. Let it cook for one minute. 
10. Stir fry the beef for 30 seconds. 
11. Transfer the beef to a colander and let it drain over a plate.
12. Add the bell peppers and onions to the wok and stir fry for one minute. 
13. Add the broth and bring it to a boil over high heat. 
14. Add the ketchup mixture and bring it to a boil. 
15. Add the cornstarch/water mixture and boil until the sauce has thickened. 
16. Add the beef back into the wok and stir for 30 seconds. 
17. Garnish with the scallions. 

Enjoy!

Olive Campagne Boule

This Olive Campagne Boule is one of my favorite breads for serving as an appetizer. The crust is super crunchy, and the interior is so incredibly moist. I love setting out small slices of the bread along with  a carafe of roasted garlic infused olive oil for dipping.

Pain de Campagne Batard

The first time I made this Pain de Campagne, I stuffed it with roasted garlic. It was so good, I had to try it plain.

The dough is so supple and easy to work with, the crust is crunchy and flavorful, and the interior is airy and soft.

While I love baking all kinds of bread, I am particular to lean bread. "Lean?" you ask. By that, I mean bread that is not enriched with eggs, sugar, milk, or a lot of fat. All of the moisture comes from water.

The array of breads that you can produce with only flour, water, salt, and leaven is amazing. Baguettes, epis, boules, and ciabatta all come to mind.

Even when the bread is shaped the same, the techniques used to mix and proof the dough produce breads that affect the outcome. So does the ratio of water to flour. So does the weather!

This bread combines machine or hand kneading along with the stretch-and-fold method. The resulting dough, while high in hydration, does not really stick to your hands as you work with it. It is also very soft and smooth. I love the shiny and moist crumb (interior).

Pain de Campagne Batard

 Starter

The dough begins with a firm starter, which has a hydration level of about 50% (ratio of water to flour). My mother starter has a hydration level of 100%, but I was able to use it to create this firm starter for this bread with just one feeding.  Leftover starter can be refrigerated or frozen. It actually stays active longer than higher hydration starter.

To convert any starter:

69 g active starter
153 g room temperature water
270 g unbleached all purpose flour
30 g whole wheat flour

Mix the ingredients in a stand mixer until smooth. Place the dough into an oiled container and cover with plastic wrap. Let ferment at room temperature overnight.

If you don't have a starter, you can create a biga with 153 g of water, 270 g of all purpose flour, 30 g of whole wheat flour, and a pinch of instant yeast. Cover and let sit overnight, until it is quite puffy. Also, add about 1/4 tsp of yeast to the final dough.

Final Dough Ingredients

126 g firm starter
506 g water at 80 degrees F
704 g unbleached all purpose flour
19 g fine sea salt or non-iodized table salt

Instructions

1. Put the starter and water in the bowl of a stand mixer, and mix it with the paddle attachment on low for about 30 seconds. 
2. Add the flour and stir a few times to moisten the flour. Mix on low with the paddle attachment for two minutes.
3. Scrape down the bowl and let the dough sit for 20 minutes.
4. Sprinkle the salt over the dough, and mix with the dough hook on low for 6 minutes. 
5. Scrape the dough into a large oiled bowl or dough rising bucket, cover with plastic wrap, and let sit for 30 minutes in a warm spot.
6. Do three stretch-and-folds every thirty minutes, covering the bowl/bucket each time. 
7. After the final stretch and fold, place the dough container in a spot in your house that is warm, and let rise for 2 to 3 hours. The dough will have bubbles on top. 
8. Pre-shape the dough into a ball and place it seam side down on the counter. Cover with oiled plastic wrap and let it rest for 10 minutes. 
9. Turn the dough over, and shape it into a large batard (an oblong loaf).
10. Flip the dough over, seam sided down, and drag the dough toward you on the counter to tighten the outside. Rotate the dough 180 degrees, and drag it again. Rotate a couple more times. The purpose of this is to encourage the loaf to rise up, not out like a pancake. 
11. Place the batard, seam side up, into a floured oblong basket or in a floured couche (cloth) to support the sides. 
12. Cover the dough, and let rise until quite puffy, two to three hours. 
13. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. I baked my loaf on a preheated stone with an upside down foil lasagna pan, but you can use a parchment lined baking sheet. 
14. When the dough is ready, place a parchment sheet on a peel, and turn the dough out onto the peel. Slash the top of the dough in a pattern that you like, and place the dough, parchment and all, on top of the stone, cover with the pan, and close the oven door. Reduce the oven to 400 degrees F. 
15. Bake for 25 minutes, remove the pan/lid, and bake for another 25 to 30 minutes, until the bread is golden and has reached an internal temperature of about 205 degrees F. 
16. Cool completely on a wire rack. 

This recipe was adapted from Della Fattoria Bread: 63 Foolproof Recipes for Yeasted, Enriched & Naturally Leavened Breads. I am completely smitten with the book.

Submitted to Yeastspotting