Raleigh Tasty

Food and beer obsessed dad, designer & home chef in Raleigh. Credit to my co-chef & beautiful wife who helps with many of the photos.

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Salsas & How to Use Dried Chiles

Pictured: Salsa de Chile Puya. Recipe below.

When most Americans think of salsa, they probably think of the tomato-based salsa “Mexicana” served in a plastic molcajete at a cheap Americanized Mexican restaurant, or the jar of salsa on a grocery store shelf that was probably “made in New York City.” If there’s any spice to it, it probably came from a fresh jalapeño or serrano chile.

Reaching for other types of salsas, we might think of the ubiquitous and dependable salsa verde. And, Tabasco, Texas Pete, and Tapatío hot sauces may even get a nod too—they are salsas after all.

While there’s nothing really wrong with these type of salsas, they are merely a few over-cast characters among an abundance of more exciting, more flavorful all-star sauces from rich heritage of our neighbor to the south.

Upping Your Salsa Game

Stepping up your salsa game is easy, and it starts with learning to use dried chiles!

First, you’ll need a few basic kitchen tools:

Knife or kitchen scissors

Skillet, preferably cast iron

Blender or better yet, an immersion stick blender

Spice grinder or coffee grinder (dedicated to spices/chiles)

Now, while there are some nuances and future lessons to be learned, you really only need to know a few basic things to get started. Once you’re hooked, like I was, you will inevitably dive deeper into this complex world.

Dried Chiles Basics

Each chile, whether dried or fresh, brings its own heat level, flavor characteristics, and history to the game. The fresh version of a chile may differ in heat and flavor to its dried counterpart. And, there may even be more than one dried version of a chile, depending on chile color (e.g. red or green) and drying technique!

For instance, the famous jalapeño has several dried versions. But, the two main versions, both called chipotles, are smoked red jalapeños:

Chipotle Morita

Chipotle Meco (or also known as “típico“)

These two versions are sometimes confused or mislabelled in markets.

The word “chipotle” derives from the Nahuatl word “chilpoctli,” which means “smoked chile pepper.”

Chipotles are the impetus of my obsession. They are “the bacon of spices.” Yes, they are that good.

The Chipotle Morita (meaning “small mulberry”) is the most common, and the most used chipotle pepper. The Chipotle Morita is a slightly smaller, reddish-black, wrinkled chile, with a rich berry-like aroma and a warm, smoky flavor with hints of its fruitiness. They are surprisingly spicy too.

It’s cousin, the Chipotle Meco, is often larger with a brown, cigar-like exterior. The Chipotle Meco are left to ripen on the bush longer (until they almost dry out), and then smoked twice as long as the Morita, giving them an earthy, grass-like flavor complimenting its smokier quality, with less fruitiness. Sadly these are harder to find in the US.

There are many other varieties of chiles. Here’s a short list of my favorite, commonly found chiles:

Chile Guajillo — The second most common chile in Mexico, the Guajillo is a dried Mirasol chile. It has a very rich cherry-like flavor with a mild heat.

Chile Pasilla Negro — One of the “holy trinity” of chiles in Mexico, and is typically found in mole negro. The Pasilla is the dried version of the Chilaca chile. It is long, skinny and greenish-black, with a raisin/prune-like flavor. The heat is medium to medium-hot. This pepper is sometimes confused with the chile ancho in some areas, so the size and shape should help clarify any confusion.

Chile Ancho — Another of the “holy trinity” of chiles, and the most commonly used pepper in Mexico. It is used in mole, adobo, enchilada sauce, soups, etc. The Ancho is a dried red Poblano pepper, so its heat is relatively mild to medium. Its shape is wide and flat, and has a flavor that is rich and berry-like.

Chile Mulato — The last of the “holy trinity” of chiles, and like the Ancho, it is also a dried Poblano (the difference is in the harvesting of the chile). Similarly to the Chipotle Meco, the Mulato is left on the bush to ripen until it turns almost brown. This extra time gives the chile its amazing chocolatey flavor, making it my favorite of the lot.

Chile de Arbol — These small, narrow peppers have a light grassy-like flavor, but you likely won’t notice it much as they pack some intense heat! While you can make them the centerpiece of a salsa, like Alex Stupak’s salsa de chile de arbol, they’re more commonly used as an accent.

Chile Puya — A slightly spicier chile than the Guajillo with a similar cherry-like aroma and flavor. It’s origination is a point of contention on whether it is a hybrid of the chile de Arbol or the Guajillo/Mirasol.

Working with Dried Chiles

There a only a handful of basic concepts when choosing and working with dried chiles.

Choose good dried chiles

Wear gloves when handling chiles. Seriously, wear gloves!

There are two basic ways to use a dried chile: grind or reconstitute.

Add more dimension to your salsa with common spices.

Salsa de Chile Puya Recipe

Makes about 8 oz

Ingredients

5-6 Chile Puya

1 Chile Morita

1 Half of a White Onion

2 Garlic Cloves

1/4 tsp Cumin

1 Clove

1 Allspice Berry

1/4 tsp Oregano

1 Tbsp Pumpkin Seeds

Salt to taste

Directions

Following the basic methods for using a dried chile, destem, deseed, toast and reconstituted the chiles. While they’re soaking, char the onion half and roast the garlic cloves. Set them aside. While they’re cooling, lightly toast the spices (except the oregano). Set the spices aside. Toast the pumpkin seeds and set aside too.

Next, grind the spices, oregano, and pumpkin seeds in a spice grinder.

Remove the chiles from the bowl and reserve the liquid. Add to a blender with the half of the blended spices, add about 1/2 cup of the reserved liquid, and blend until smooth. Add more of the reserved liquid if needed to achieve a good consistency.

Taste and season with salt and more blended spices until it tastes good to you. It’s ok if you didn’t use all of the spices—we’re winging it.

The salsa should store for about a week in an air-tight jar in the fridge.

Addendum

Mexican Salsas Reign Supreme

Threadbare salsas, like salsa Mexicana, may be part of the reason why real Mexican food and its plethora of more complex sauces is often seen as pedestrian or unsophisticated in the culinary world, especially when compared to French food and its celebrated “mother sauces.”

However, I’d argue that Mexican cuisine is more sophisticated even though it may seem rustic. Some Mexican sauces, like mole negro for instance, are even more laborious than any French sauce out there. Hands down. And, their importance to their respective cuisine is arguably as essential if not more so.

Thankfully, chefs like Enrique Olvera of Pujol are providing Mexican cuisine with the credit it deserves on the world stage.

[raleightasty]

A Brief History of My Chile Obsession

My fascination with dried chiles started with my quest for making real, taqueria-style tacos at home. So, I bought Alex Stupak’s book, “Tacos: Recipes and Provocations.” Flipping through his book, I was intrigued by his “salsa negra” recipe. I had never heard of chipotle chile “moritas” before, nor had I heard of a “black salsa.”

This inspired me to go to the Latino market in search of these so-called “moritas.” When I found the chiles, I could almost do nothing but stand there, nose pressed to the plastic bags of 60 or more chile moritas, inhaling as much of their smokey, spicy, berry-like fragrance as possible. Then, the final salsa had me hooked. Obsessed, really. My wife had the same reaction. There was no going back. I can’t even keep the salsa in the fridge long enough—she eats it on everything!

I had to learn more about this mysterious world of chiles; a world I had been missing my whole life. So I did a ton of research online about chiles. I wanted to know what fresh chiles corresponded to what dried chiles. The more I read, the more I learned that this was a rather complex topic. So complex that apparently some naïve produce clerks incorrectly label dried chiles, and some well-intentioned authors contribute to the misinformation about chiles in books and online.

I also realized, at this point, that salsas could be made almost entirely of chiles (or even dried chiles) without the addition of tomatoes or tomatillos. In fact, they usually were. Chiles should be the star of salsas, not just some way to add a touch of spiciness! Before this revelation, though, I thought salsa primarily meant “a tomato dipping sauce for tortilla chips.”

Soon after the success of the salsa negra, I tried another one of Alex’s recipes—his chile de arbol salsa. This next salsa allowed me to understand the basic steps of making salsas; steps that lessened the intimidation factor for me.

My horizons broadened.

With every recipe, I craved more varieties of chiles—collecting an assortment in jars in my kitchen. While I use them mainly for cooking, of course, I find delite in just opening a jar to smell them. People think I’m crazy, but that’s ok.

[raleightasty]

Adding Dimension to Your Salsa

Combining chiles (especially the “holy trinity”) can, obviously, bring a lot of dimension to your salsa, but there are some other basic ingredients that add the necessary layers, each in its own way:

White Onion (yellow will work, but white is authentic)

Garlic

Cumin

Oregano

Allspice

Clove

Cinnamon (real Ceylon cinnamon, called “canela” at a Latino market)

Sesame Seeds

Pumpkin Seeds (Pepitas)

Cider Vinegar

Limes, Oranges and Other Citrus Fruits

Sugar, Panela or Honey

Salt

Onions and Garlic

You can add fresh onion or fresh garlic, of course, but I’ve found that most recipes call for charred onion and roasted garlic. Prepping these are super easy to incorporate into your workflow, especially if you have a good cast iron pan. Once you’re done toasting your chiles and have submerged them in a bowl of water, turn the heat up to high and place the onion (halved) face-down onto the searing hot skillet. While that’s going, go ahead and add the garlic cloves with their skin still on to the pan. Once a side of the garlic blackens a bit, rotate it. When the onion is charred well on its face, turn it to its back.

When they’re all done, set them aside to cool. You can easily peel the garlic once it’s cool enough to handle. The roasted clove will almost squeeze out.

Then, simply blend them with the chiles.

Note: You can also slice the onion into half inch slices to obtain more charred surface areas if you want more of that amazing grill-smoked flavor!

Spices

Most of the spices (if whole) will benefit from a light toasting in a dry skillet as well. I often turn off the skillet after charring my onion and let it cool slightly before tossing in my cumin, cinnamon, allspice, and clove. Toast them until just fragrant.

I don’t always toast my oregano, but it’s helpful. It burns the quickest, so add it to the skillet after you’ve toasted the others.

You don’t have to use all of the spices noted above, but they’re commonly paired in complex salsas, moles, and enchilada sauces. If you just want to use a few, I’d go with cumin, oregano and allspice. Cinnamon can often be a little overpowering, in my opinion.

If you have a spice grinder, it will help to grind them before blending them with your chiles.

Seeds

Once the spices have toasted, I turn the skillet back up to medium and toast the seeds separately. Sesame seeds toast really quick and brown suddenly, so lightly shake the skillet constantly, and keep an eye on them. Once they’re toasted, transfer them to a separate, small bowl.

When you toast pumpkin seeds, occasionally shake the pan. They’ll pop, almost like popcorn, when they’re ready. So, once you hear a few of them pop, transfer them to a separate bowl.

You can use both or either in almost any salsa or sauce. Typically, I’ve found them paired with chiles that don’t have a lot of “meat,” like the chile de arbol or in thicker sauces, like moles.

Cider Vinegar, Citrus Fruits and Sugar

Apple cider vinegar, as you could guess, adds a nice sharp touch of acidity to your salsa. This sharpness helps cut some of the heat from chiles like the Chile de Arbol.

Sugars, like white sugar or panela, and honey will also curb the intense heat of some chiles. Pairing these with cider vinegar will create a nice tang in the final product.

A special note on Panela: Panela is magical, especially as one of only 5 ingredients in salsa negra. It is an unrefined, brown cane sugar from Central and Latin America, that can typically be found in its classic 8 ounce cone shape.

Citrus fruits also help cut the heat, but they bring their fruitiness with them. Fruits, especially a bitter orange or navel orange, pair will with chiles like the Habanero—adding an ever so subtle respite from their scorching heat!

Not all salsas or sauces needs acidity or sweetness, but feel free to experiment. That’s part of the fun. My recommendation for winging it with these would be to hold them off until the end, and add them to taste.

Salt

I always, always salt my salsas at the end. I never really know how much I add. I just add a 1/4 teaspoon or so at a time, stirring and tasting in between until it’s just right.

Note: this post is part of a larger post on Salsas & How to Use Dried Chiles.

[raleightasty]

How to Use a Dried Chile

There are two basic ways to use a dried chile:

Ground

Reconstituted

Regardless of which one you choose, it is best to dry toast them in a skillet before using them. This will bring out the aromatics of the chile that have been lying dormant for some time. While you can burn them a little in the skillet, getting them just to the point of becoming fragrant and lightly blistered is preferred.

There are some salsa recipes that will call for frying your chiles in lard (or a neutral oil—though real, fresh lard is healthier, more flavorful and more authentic). Frying chiles typically happens in dark salsas and moles, like salsa negra or mole negro, but it can be substituted in place of the toasting step on other reconstituted chile salsas if you feel adventurous.

Ground

Ground chiles work particularly well in dishes like Tex-Mex chili or in cases where you’re needing chile flakes to spice up a dish. This method is the easiest to use and requires least amount of prep time.

Before grinding, I recommend wiping the dried chiles with a slightly damp paper towel and allow them to dry (it’ll dry quickly). Then you need to de-stem the chile by cutting the stem off (with a knife or kitchen scissors).

After that, you have two choices:

Deseed

Leave the seeds

I prefer to deseed the chile first, so that I can add the seeds back in later for better control of the final heat.

To deseed, all you need to do is make a slice up the side of the chile, and shake out all the seeds into a small bowl. You can also pull some of the membrane out while you’re at it.

Then, put the chiles into a spice grinder (in batches if necessary).

Reconstituted

Reconstituted chiles are for salsas, enchilada sauces, moles and dishes where the chile itself is central or at least a key player.

There are a few variations on reconstituting. In some cases, recipes my call for you to deseed before reconstituting and some will say to do it after. I find doing it beforehand to be better because deseeding after almost always result in a loss of some of the pepper’s flesh (which is the flavor).

It’s worth noting, too, that the chipotle is rather difficult (or nearly impossible to deseed dry), so I usually include the seeds in salsa made with this pepper. Also, if you’re passing your final sauce through a sieve, like you would with an enchilada sauce or a mole, you can skip deseeding and just allow the sieve to catch the seeds for you.

Either way, once you toast (or fry) the chiles, you will transfer them to a separate bowl that is just large enough for the chiles. Next, pour hot tap water over them just until it covers them, and place another smaller bowl or plate inside the bowl to keep the chiles fully submerged. Wait 10-20 minutes until they’re softened. But, it’s important not to wait any longer than 20 minutes—the longer you wait, the more bitter they’ll become!

Once they’re hydrated, remove them from the soaking water promptly and reserve the soaking water. If you haven’t deseeded or destemed them, now is the time. When they’re ready, toss them in a blender (or use a stick blender), and add a little bit of the soaking water at a time until you’ve achieve your desired consistency.

Next, spice to your preferred taste!

Note: this post is part of a larger post on Salsas & How to Use Dried Chiles.

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Choosing Good Dried Chiles

When you’re selecting chiles, you want to make sure they’re clean, somewhat pliable, and as untorn as possible. They should smell nice too, of course.

With smaller chiles that have thin walls, like the chile de arbol, it’s ok for them to not be pliable.

It is also important, in the case of unpacked chiles or where the grocer has packed their own chiles, to look for signs of the Indian Mealmoth. This would typically be small tannish moths, their white larvae or their silk webs. It will be rather obvious if the chile or the bag of chiles is infested—so don’t freak out. I usually shake the bag a little and turn it around, looking at all sides for signs of them.

I also keep my chiles in an air-tight jar at home, so there’s no possible chance of the infestation spreading.

If do I find a chile or a jar at home that has become infested, I take them right outside and throw them into my compost.

Next, How to Use a Dried Chile

Note: this post is part of a larger post on Salsas & How to Use Dried Chiles.

[raleightasty]

Green Bean, Tomato & Brie Frittata

One of my all-time favorite meals to make for dinner is a frittata. Not just because they’re relatively quick to whip up with a few ingredients, but because you can wing the recipe so easily with almost any leftovers or random ingredients you have on hand.

Got eggs? Check. Got milk, half-and-half or cream? Check. Got cheese? Bonus!

Then you just get crafty. In fact, that last minute scramble to make something to eat is part of the etymology of the name frittata!

In this recipe, we had leftover green beans and a handful of grape tomatoes waiting to be used. And, we always have Brie in the fridge (because my daughters are weird and they like fancy cheese—even the veiniest of blue cheese).

If you’re curious about the variances of frittatas and their differences from Spanish tortillas or even the French quiche, see the Frittata vs. Spanish Tortilla section below.

Prep time: 10 min. Cook time: 30 min. Serves: ~6 people

Ingredients

8 eggs

1/4 cup milk or cream

1 tsp of salt

1/4 cup shredded mozzarella or Monterrey Jack cheese

2 Tbsp butter or olive oil

1 medium-sized Vidalia onion (chopped)

1 clove garlic (chopped)

2 medium-sized red potatoes (sliced into 1/4″ thick slices)

8-10 grape tomatoes (sliced in half lengthwise)

8-10 leftover green beans (or simply steam/sauté them ahead of time)

6 slices of Brie cheese

Chopped parsley to garnish (optional)

Equipment

9-10″ oven-proof skillet**, cast-iron is best.

** Note: Do not use a non-stick pan for this recipe. See the A Note on Non-stick Pans section below for more info.

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F.

In a large enough bowl, scramble the eggs, milk and salt with a whisk. Add in the shredded cheese (not the Brie). Set aside.

On the stove top, preheat skillet to medium heat before adding in 1 tablespoon of butter/oil. Once the butter is melted, add in the onions and sauté until soft and slightly caramelized. Toss in the garlic and stir a few times before transferring the onions and garlic to a heat-safe bowl. Set aside. 

Add in the remaining tablespoon of butter/oil. Get the butter hot again—this time to medium-high heat. Line the bottom of the skillet with the potato slices—covering as much of the bottom of the skillet as possible. Fry the potatoes for a few minutes or until golden brown, and then flip each potato so the other side will brown. Toss in the onion and garlic, spreading the goodness as much as you can around the pan.

Next, pour in the egg mixture over top, and then gently arrange the Brie slices around the circle, followed by the green beans and grape tomatoes. Cook on medium-high heat for a couple minutes before transferring the skillet to the oven to finish.

Once the egg has almost “set” on the top of the frittata (about 15-20 minutes), turn on the broiler for a couple minutes to get the top nice and golden brown.

Remove frittata from the oven (don’t forget the oven mitt!), top with chopped parsley and serve.

Frittata vs. Spanish Tortilla

You may have already heard or read that frittatas are basically crustless quiches, which is sort of true. Some even call it an Italian open-faced omelette. This is a more accurate comparison.

But, the frittata has many other close cousins besides the quiche and the omelette. It even has a cousin in Iran called kuku. In my opinion, though, it more closely resembles the Spanish tortilla or an omelette than it does a quiche.

The word “frittata” comes from the Italian word “friggere” which means to “fry.” A quiche, however, is not fried. Instead they are baked in the oven in a pie pan with a crust. In fact, the only similarity between a quiche and a frittata is this idea of an egg custard with fillings. That’s it.

While the omelette may be the frittata’s closest cousin, there are only two main differences between a frittata and a Spanish tortilla. Spanish tortillas are made with potatoes and eggs, and they’re flipped in the skillet instead of being finished in the oven. They also don’t usually have the addition of milk or cream, so they’re not as fluffy. When I make frittatas, I often use sliced potatoes as my “crust” which makes mine more like a Spanish tortilla—in a way (tortillas typically have potatoes layered throughout).

But, the beautiful thing about frittatas—just like omelettes—is that the combinations are endless:

Ham, potatoes and gruyère

Bacon, cheddar and tomatoes

Spinach and feta

Sausage, red onion and fresh oregano

Asparagus, mushroom and Parmesan

And more!

If you’re lining the pan with potatoes, determine which ingredients need to be cooked ahead of time, sauté them, and then set them aside before assembling the frittata.

A simple leftover Christmas Ham & Brie Frittata from this past Christmas.

A Note on Non-stick Pans

Since a frittata requires finishing in the oven in addition to cooking on medium-high heat it is recommended that you do not use a non-stick pan.

It may be worth noting, as well, that I never use non-stick pans. In my opinion, a well seasoned cast iron pan is all the “non-stick” you need. And, if you preheat your skillet (cast iron or even stainless steel) before adding oil, your food will rarely (if ever) make the sticky mess those infomercials like to illustrate. Plus, they will even clean easily.

I have only one non-stick surface in my kitchen and that’s my pancake griddle (which was a gift). It makes nice and easy pancakes on medium-low, and that’s about all it’s good for. Eggs, however, I always cook in my cast iron.

[raleightasty]

Banana Chocolate Chip Scones

Sunday mornings can be hectic—trying to feed the kiddos some breakfast and then get the family out the door to church. This is where scones come in. They’re super quick to make, and the kids can eat them on the road.

But by all means, if you have time feel free to relax with a cup of coffee on the back deck or in your favorite comfy chair. Scones are perfect for these types of mornings too.

Prep time: ~15 min. Cooking time: ~15 min. Makes ~16 scones.

Ingredients

2 cups AP flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1 Tbsp baking powder

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup chocolate chips

1 banana (very ripe and mashed)

6 Tbsp butter (cold)

1/4 cup heavy cream

Equipment

Food processor fitted with the sabatier blade (s-shaped blade)

Baking sheet

Parchment paper

If you don’t have a food processor, that’s ok. See the closing notes at the end of the directions.

Directions

Preheat oven to 425°F.

In the food processor, combine the flour, salt, cinnamon, baking powder and brown sugar and pulse a few times to mix.

Add chocolate chips to the food processor and pulse a few more times (it’s ok if the chips break up a little bit). Then add the mashed banana and pulse a few more times.

Cut the butter into small 1/2 cubes while being careful not to warm up the butter too much by over-touching it. If you think it’s too soft, put the cubes back into the fridge or freezer for a few minutes before continuing.

Next add the butter cubes and pulse a few more times or until the mixture just begins to looks like crumbs. Finally add the heavy cream and pulse to combine. The dough should be partially crumbly and somewhat moister than typical scones (thanks to the banana).

Turn out dough onto a floured surface and lightly shape into a ball. Be sure not to over-touch the dough so it doesn’t melt the butter. Divide the ball in half. Flatten each half into 1/2 thick "pizza-like” shapes. Cut each half into 8 triangles (like a pizza).

Place scones onto parchment-lined baking sheet with about 1-2″ between them. Bake for 15-17 minutes or until golden brown.

Note: As mentioned above, you don’t need a food processor (although it’s easier with one). Simply sift together (or mix with a fork) the dry ingredients. Then use a pastry blender or fork to crumb the butter into the dry ingredients. The same fork can also be used to combine the dough with the heavy cream.

Variations & Ruminations

My favorite part about cooking/baking is finding the perfect base recipe. It takes a little bit of research—looking through several recipes online or in books to see common ingredients, amounts, and techniques. Once I have an idea of what makes a base recipe I run with it. Occasionally it requires a little trial and error, but that’s part of the fun—because, science!

For scones (which are a lot like biscuits) the crumbing cold butter method is pretty well established. You combine dry ingredients and crumb in the butter before adding liquids. I took a risk in this recipe adding the mashed banana ahead of the butter, but it worked out. Adding it after the butter will likely produce similar (maybe better) results.

Anyway, the base recipe here is the 2 cups of flour, salt, sugar (use any granulated variety), baking powder, and butter. Normally, there is 3/4 cup of heavy cream in this base recipe too. But, given that the banana would add moisture, I decided to reduce the amount to 1/4 cup and add a little bit at a time until the consistency was perfect. I also swapped the regular sugar with brown sugar and added cinnamon to give it that caramelized, banana bread-like flavor.

Try lemon zest, orange zest, cinnamon and raisins, apples, cheddar, or whatever you’ve got in the cupboard or fruit bowl.

[raleightasty]

Orange Madeleine Cookies (Butter Cakes)

Madeleines are little shell shaped French butter cakes that most Americans might consider a “cookie.” I like to describe them as a cross between a sponge cake and a cookie. They’re light, buttery, citrusy, spongy and crispy. They’re amazing.

Enjoy them with coffee in the morning or tea in the afternoon.

Marcel Proust, a famous French author, once described them as “a little shell of cake, so generously sensual beneath the piety of its stern pleating…”

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

1 tsp of baking powder

1 pinch of salt

4 eggs

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

Zest from 2 oranges

1 stick of butter (melted and cooled to room temperature), plus 3 tbsp for greasing the pan

Powdered sugar for final dusting (optional) or melted dark chocolate for dipping (optional)

Equipment

Stand mixer or hand mixer + bowl

Madeleine pan*

* If you don’t have a madeleine pan, you can use a mini muffin pan, but they won’t be as pretty.

Directions

Makes ~24 madeleines.

Preheat oven to 350°F.

In a stand mixer with whisk attachment, beat (or “cream”) the eggs with the sugar and vanilla on high until they are light and fluffy (about 3-4 minutes). They should have turned a very pale yellow.

Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, sift together the flour, salt and baking powder and set aside.

Add the zest and half of the flour mixture, and mix on medium (starting slow) to incorporate. Then add the rest of the flour and mix again. Once the flour is well incorporated, turn the mixer on low and slowly drizzle in the melted butter just until everything is blended well. Let it rest for 15 minutes.

Butter the madeleine pan, making sure to get all the ridges buttered well. Then lightly dust with flour. Tap off excess flour. Then scoop in about 1-2 tbsp of batter into each of the molds in the pan, making sure not to over-fill (only about 2/3 full). Do not spread the batter.

Bake for 16-18 minutes until the edges are golden and the middle has puffed up and is slightly spongy. Tap the pan gently to release the madeleines. If any are still stuck, you can gently release the edges with a table knife or fork (be careful not to scratch the pan).

Eat as they are or finish with a dusting of powdered sugar or dip the top in melted dark chocolate.

Try other variations like substituting lemon zest (also very yummy) for the orange zest, or you can add 3 oz. of melted dark chocolate to the batter!

[raleightasty]

Vietnamese Pickled Carrots

Makes 1 pint of pickled carrots

Ingredients

4-5 carrots (medium-sized)

1 tsp salt

3/4 cup water

1/2 cup distilled white vinegar

3 Tbsp. sugar

1 tsp coriander seeds

1 tsp black peppercorns

3 allspice berries

Directions

Cut the into matchsticks. Place the carrots into a colander over a bowl or a really clean sink, then salt them with the teaspoon of salt. Allow them to drain their excess liquid for about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a separate (non-reactive) bowl, combine pickling solution of 3/4 cup of water, 1/2 cup distilled white vinegar and 3 tbsp of sugar. Stir well.

Add coriander seeds, allspice and peppercorns to a pint-sized mason jar.

Once the carrots are ready, pack the carrot sticks on top of the spices. Then pour in the pickling solution, topping it off as close to the top as possible. Seal the jar and refrigerate for at least 5-6 hours. Your pickled carrots will keep for about a month in the refrigerator.

[raleightasty]

Maple Vanilla Cheesecake

Crust

2 cups Almond meal

4 Tbsp Butter (melted)

1/4 tsp Baking Soda

2 pinches Sea salt

1 pinch Nutmeg

1/8 tsp Cinnamon

Batter

4x 8oz Cream Cheese

4 Eggs

2 Tbsp Sour Cream

1/4 cup Heavy Whipping Cream

3/4 cup Maple Syrup (Grade B)

3/4 Vanilla Bean Pod (scraped) or 1 tsp Vanilla Extract

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Combine almond meal, salt, baking soda, nutmeg and cinnamon and mix well. Pour in melted butter and mix until it appears to be a moist crumb-like dough. If it's too dry, add a little bit more melted butter (1/4 tsp at a time). If it's too wet, add more almond meal (a Tbsp at a time). Butter an 8 inch spring form pan or spray with non-stick spray. Press the 3/4 of the crust mixture around the bottom of the pan evenly. Use the remaining 1/4 of the crust mixture to evenly coat the side of the spring form (about an inch up the sides). Bake for 12 minutes. Let cool on the counter.

Reduce the oven temperature to 300*F. Position the top rack in the middle of the oven and the bottom rack at the very bottom.

In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, whip cream cheese until light and fluffy. Scrape the sides and fold into the middle. Add in maple syrup and incorporate on medium speed (start slow at first). Scrape the sides again. Add in sour cream, whipping cream, and vanilla and incorporate on medium speed. Once smooth allow to mix for another 3 minutes on medium. Make sure to scrap the sides and get everything smooth! Then add the eggs one at a time and incorporate slowly. Once the egg is incorporate, shut it off. No more mixing.

Pour 2 cups of fresh water into an empty casserole dish or oven-safe pan. Place on the bottom rack. This is to give the oven enough moisture to prevent the cheesecake from cracking.

Pour cheesecake batter onto the cooled crust. Lightly smooth the top out. Bake on the middle rack above the pan of water for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Fight the urge to check on it for at least 1 hour (keep the moisture and heat in). When time is up, shut off the oven and keep the door shut for at least another 30-45 more minutes. This will allow the cheesecake to set properly. The middle should not jiggle when lightly shaken. Remove from the oven, and with a sharp knife gently glide around the edges to release  any batter touching the sides. Let cool on the counter for another 30 minutes before removing the spring form sides. Then refrigerate for at least 3-4 hours before serving.

Top with fresh berries and reduced maple syrup or fresh whipped cream.

[raleightasty]

Classic Chocolate Truffles

Makes ~16 truffles

Ingredients

1/2 cup Heavy Cream

8 oz Dark Chocolate Chips (60% cocoa or better)

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

1/2 Unsweetened Dutch-processed Cocoa Powder

Directions

Pour heavy cream into a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. Stir frequently so it won’t burn on the bottom. Once the cream begins to simmer, remove it from the heat.

Add the chocolate chips to a separate bowl and pour the heated cream over top of the chocolate. Stir well until smooth to make a ganache.

Let the chocolate cool completely on the counter for about 30 minutes before covering and transferring to the refrigerator. Chill for at least 2 hours.

Remove the chocolate ganache from the fridge. Scoop out some ganache and roll it very quickly in your hands to form a ball about 1″ in diameter, then place it on a parchment-lined baking sheet. The chocolate will melt and stick to your hands, so work quickly. When you’ve rolled all of the truffles, cover the baking sheet and refrigerate for another 2 hours.

Add the cocoa powder to a plate or bowl. Then, roll the truffles one-at-a-time in the cocoa powder until well coated.

Store your truffles in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Ruminations

Get creative by rolling truffles in crushed pistachios, almonds, or unsweetened coconut instead of cocoa powder. Add some citrus zest. Or even substitute espresso or Grand Marnier for the vanilla!