This is not a pizza.

This is not a pizza. I know. I know. It sure looks like a pizza and we all know that old duck test: “If it looks like a duck…” Nevertheless, this is a crostata. A crostata is a rustic Italian baked tart, the…

Appetizer, Tomatoes

October 26, 2017

Pumpkin Season…and that’s no boloney (or is it?)

I’ll admit it. The pumpkin push is beginning to get to me. I like pumpkin, but… There are sixty pumpkin items on the shelves at Trader Joe’s! You read that right. Sixty! And Trader Joe’s is not alone in its bid to promote pumpkin…

Cakes, Vegetarian, Welcome to Blue Cayenne

October 17, 2017

Sicilian Cauliflower, Ph. D.

Mark Twain wrote that “A cauliflower is nothing but a cabbage with a college education.” Funny.

Think about it. Cauliflower: B.A., M.A., Ph.D.–and that is just one of those plain vanilla white cauliflowers.

Who even knows how many degrees one of those splendid romanesco cauliflowers has? Probably a well-earned Juris Doctor degree at the very least.

If you are not familiar with the neon-hued romanescos, you are in for a real treat. The romanesco cauliflower, which tastes a bit like broccoli, is a natural approximation of a fractal. Each bud in the spiral floret is composed of a series of smaller nearly-identical buds. These agricultural wonders didn’t occur naturally in nature, though. It is believed that they were the result of selective breeding in 16th Century Renaissance Italy. They are, by design, so spectacular that I wouldn’t be at all surprised to find them pictured among Leonardo’s doodles in his Notebooks.

Whatever its degree and pedigree, cauliflower is having its moment.

Sur La Table Cooking School has a whole class devoted to sublime cauliflower recipes including wok-fried cauliflower rice and an amazing cauliflower-crusted grilled cheese sandwich. “Cauliflower steaks” are making an appearance on the menus of fine restaurants (see Farmhouse Restaurant at Roger’s Gardens in Newport Beach.) Just Google “cauliflower recipes” and watch your screen explode with options.

Last night, as I struggled to find something interesting to cook for dinner, I came across this Martha Rose Shulman recipe for Sicilian Cauliflower wth Black Olive Gratin. Who wouldn’t find that recipe title appealing? I certainly did.

Sicilian Cauliflower and Black Olive Gratin, Ph D.

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Ingredients

1 generous head white cauliflower (2 1/2 pounds)
Salt
1 small onion (finely chopped)
3 T. extra virgin olive oil (or more)
4 cloves garlic (minced)
1/2 sweet red bell pepper (diced)
16 imported oil-curred black olives (pitted and chopped) Save a few whole olives for garnish.
3 T. minced fresh parsley
Freshly ground pepper
1 C. freshly-grated Parmesan

Instructions

Break cauliflower into medium-sized florets, toss florets in a generous amount of olive oil with salt and pepper, and bake in a 375 degree F. oven for 10-15 minutes.
Heat 1-2 T. olive oil in a large skillet.Sauté onion and red pepper over medium heat for approximately three minutes. Add a pinch of salt and the chopped garlic to the pan. Cook for about 30 seconds until the garlic is fragrant and translucent. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the chopped olives.
Using a large ceramic baking dish, place the cauliflower in the baking dish and add the onion and olive mixture. Stir in the remaining olive oil, the parsley and half the cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Spread the mixture out on the baking dish and sprinkle the remaining cheese on the top.
Bake in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes. Serve hot or warm.

Nutrition

Calories

1301 cal

Fat

75 g

Carbs

119 g

Protein

51 g

Click Here For Full Nutrition, Exchanges, and My Plate Info

https://bluecayenne.com/sicilian-cauliflower-ph-d

Here is the link to the original Martha Rose Shulman recipe from which this recipe was adapted: http://Martha Rose Shulman’s Sicilian Cauliflower and Black Oliver Gratin

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Cauliflower, Gratins, Vegetables, Vegetarian

October 11, 2017

Blue Cayenne is two! Woo-hoo! Join the party for a slice of lemon-spice visiting cake.

This lemon-spice cake is my recipe gift to you today. It’s a visiting cake. The occasion? This week marks Blue Cayenne’s second birthday. Woo-hoo! Let’s party! But, what in the world is a visiting cake? Cooking diva Dorie Greenspan (Dorie’s Cookies, Baking Chez Moi, Around…

Cakes, Desserts, Lemon, Vegetarian

September 30, 2017

Greek Baked Beans (Fassolia Yiachni)

Oxi! (or is it Nai! ?) I could never keep yes and no straight in Greek. (Could be a dangerous confusion in any language. I know.) These Greek Baked Beans are delicious. I just made another big (for me) Rancho Gordo bean buy and…

Beans, Main Dishes, Side Dishes, Uncategorized, Vegetables, Vegetarian

September 29, 2017

One More Time! Parker House Rolls

There are a lot of paths to the same destination.

(Sound pretty Zen? I’m having one of those mornings.)

I previously posted an excellent recipe for Parker House Rolls on Blue Cayenne (Here), but learned this new recipe in a Sur La Table class this week.

These rolls are pillowey (is that a word?). Eat them warm just out of the oven spread with some quality jam. Dieting be damned! Warm and fragrant, these rolls are clearly mental health food.

Since I began this post with a moment of personal Zen, here is a beautiful bit of Haiku to close.

Consider me
As one who loved poetry
And persimmons.

– Masaoaka Shiki

Persimmon recipes to follow. Here is a painting of persimmons by Polish artist P. Brodka to get you in the mood.

My adaptation of the Parker House rolls recipe appears below.

Parker House Rolls

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Ingredients

3 1/2 C. unbleached all-purpose flour (divided)
1/4 C. sugar
1 t. sea salt
2 1/4 t. instant dry yeast
2 oz. softened, unsalted butter (cut into 1-inch pieces)
1 C. hot water (90 to 100 degrees F.)
1 large egg (slightly beaten)
3 oz. unsalted butter (melted)
Maldon sea salt

Instructions

Put 1 1/2 C. flour into the bowl of a large standing mixer that is fitted with a dough hook. Add sugar, salt and yeast to the flour and mix at a slow speed to combine. Add the 2 ounces of softened butter to the flour mixture and mix at a low speed for about 30 seconds. (You want some visible pieces of butter in the flour mixture if possible.) With the mixer running at a slow speed, gradually add the water and continue mixing until the water and flour mixture is well combined. Increasing the speed to medium-low, add the egg and beat for about 1 minute. (You will want to use a spatula to scrape down the sides of the mixer bowl.) Add the remaining flour (slowly) to the mixture with your mixer on a medium-low speed. Again, use a spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Once the flour is incorporated, keep running the mixer (remember--you have your dough hook attached) to knead the dough for between 8 and 10 minutes. When your dough has pulled away from the sides of the bowl and is elastic, it is ready.
Remove the dough from the mixer bowl, and set it on a lightly floured surface. Shape the dough into a ball and put it into a lightly greased bowl. Turn the dough over once to ensure that it has oil (or butter) on both sides of the dough. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it sit in a warm place for 1 1/2 hours. (You will see a lot of rise with this dough.)
Gently remove the dough from the bowl and set it on a lightly floured surface. Push down on the center of the dough to release some of the gas bubbles. Very briefly knead the dough into a smooth ball. Then, using a rolling pin, roll out the dough into a round that is between 1/4 and 1/2 inch thick. Brush the top of the dough with butter.
Once you've rolled out your dough, cut it into 12-18 equal pieces.
Fold each dough piece in half. (This is the signature fold that makes a Parker House roll authentic.) Place the folded rolls into a baking pan with sides. The rolls should be close together but they should not overlap. Once you have placed all the rolls into your pan, cover the pan with plastic wrap and set it aside in a warm place to rise. The rolls should double in size during the rise. This will take approximately 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.
Place the tray of rolls into the oven and bake for 16-18 minutes. When the rolls are done they should be a pretty light to medium brown color on top and their interiors should measure about 190 degrees F. on an instant thermometer.
Remove from oven. Brush with melted butter. Sprinkle the tops of the rolls with Maldon salt. Enjoy!