Dauntless

This is a recipe blog without all the extra story fluff

[youcifer]

Hollandaise?

Well not quite, but close enough for your purposes. And just far enough away to piss off the French.

Ingredients

Five egg yolks

1/2 cup butter (preferably unsalted, but if you use salted butter just use less salt)

Salt and pepper (the French use white pepper but we can use normal pepper)

One tablespoon lemon juice

Cayenne pepper

Directions

When you separate your eggs, let the yolks sit at room temperature in a steel bowl while you're doing everything else.

On low heat, melt your butter until all the solids are separated (toss these out) and you can see through it, aka clarified butter. (Honestly, you can leave a bit of the solids in, it will still be a perfectly fine "hollandaise" for at home cooking). I've posted a picture for guidance.

Whisk egg yolks with lemon juice until it is a thick mixture and roughly about doubled in volume.

When the butter is all melted and clarified, take it off the heat, let it sit for one minute, then slowly drizzle it all in to your egg yolk mixture while whisking.

Whisk in two pinches of salt, one pinch of pepper and one pinch of cayenne pepper.

Enjoy!

[youcifer]

Butternut Squash soup

Ingredients

One butternut squash

Two heads of garlic

One onion

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground cloves

1 teaspoon ground cardamom

1/2 cup 35% cream (for a vegan option, or a slightly different flavour, use coconut cream)

Salt and pepper to taste

Sage, optional. The leaves from one stem if fresh, 1 teaspoon if dried.

Directions

Preheat the oven to 300.

Smash all your garlic cloves with the flat of your knife, and peel.

Rough chop your onion.

Cut your squash in half lengthwise, and then in half again widthwise, scoop out all the seeds

Put one whole head of garlic in to the bowl of the squash where the seeds were. Cover it with olive oil, or whatever oil you've got.

Throw some salt and pepper on the squash, drizzle it all with oil, put it in the oven to bake. (On a lined sheet so it doesn't stick). About 40 minutes, or until it's soft enough that you can stick a fork in to it without having to push hard.

When the squash is soft, let it rest for a couple minutes (so it's not super hot) then peel it while it's still warm. It's easier to peel this way, it will be somewhat messy so go ahead and get your hands dirty. Don't worry if you don't get all the skin off. Set the peeled squash aside

In a large sauce pot, on medium low heat brown your garlic and onion in just enough oil to cover it. Once the garlic is browned, throw in your Sage if you're using it.

If you're using coconut cream, add about half of it to the garlic and onion oil.

Add all the squash.

Toss in your cinnamon, cloves, and cardamom.

Add about a cup of water, or stock if you've got it.

Simmer for ten minutes.

Blend the lot, add your cream, or the rest of your coconut cream.

Check for taste, add more salt and pepper as needed.

Simmer ten more minutes, stirring semi-occasionally, make sure it doesn't get too thick.

Enjoy!

[youcifer]

Let's do something sweet. A weekend breakfast item. We'll call this a knock-your-socks-off

Cannoli French Toast

Ingredients

Four slices of challah bread, about an inch to an inch and a half thick. The thickness is key for soaking.

One 16 oz container of ricotta cheese.

As many semi-sweet chocolate chips as will fit in your ricotta container. Half of these are for eating as you work. Again, key step.

1/4 cup icing sugar. If you have a corn allergy, or no icing sugar, just throw a quarter cup of white sugar in a blender. There, icing sugar.

The zest from one orange

1/4 cup pistachios, partially crushed

12 egg yolks. This ingredient is actually crucial.

One teaspoon vanilla

One tablespoon brown sugar

1/2 cup butter (that's about a quarter of the brick of butter that you get from the grocery store) cubed

Maple syrup. As much as you want

Directions

Preheat your oven to 375

In a deep bowl that is just big enough to fit your slices of challah, whisk together the egg yolks with brown sugar and vanilla until the sugar is almost all melted.

In another mixing bowl, mix the ricotta, orange zest, icing sugar, half the chocolate chips (remember, the other half is for eating) and about half the pistachios.

Soak your slices of challah in the egg yolk mixture.

If you have an oven safe pan that is big enough to fit all four of your challah slices melt all of your butter on low heat and then kick it to medium.

If you don't have an oven safe pan big enough, line a baking sheet or tray with parchment paper and work with about a quarter of your butter at a time.

Sear your egg yolk soaked challah slices on both sides in the pan. This means golden brown and crispy on the outsides.

Once all the slices are seared off, toss em in the oven for about 15 minutes. Keep an eye on them, don't overcook.

Pull your French toast out of the oven, slap one slice on a plate, slather with about half your ricotta cannoli filling, slap another slice down on top of that, top with some crushed pistachios. For some extra flair dust the lot with some cocoa powder.

Top everything with maple syrup!

So. We've used egg yolks only because they soak in to the bread much better. They'll also lend themselves to a better sear which is important because when you bake the slices, the sear will keep all the moisture inside the bread. So on the inside it will come nice and fluffy, with a beautiful crunchy crust on the outside. This recipe makes enough for two. Go impress the hell out of someone with this French toast.

Or, if you're like me and have a massive sweet tooth, eat it all to yourself. Impress the hell out of yourself with how easy it is.

Enjoy!

Photo courtesy of Steph Paisley. She's an amazing reviewer on Google Maps, covering everything from Southwestern Ontario to the Eastern Seaboard of the U.S.A

[youcifer]

Shrimp fettuccine in a Hail Mary sauce

Quick note before we get started. The recipe uses shrimp, but if you don't like or don't want shrimp, use lobster, or mussels, or crab, or scallops, or whatever shellfish you DO like. Just don't use nonshelled fish, it won't work the same way.

I call it a Hail Mary sauce because seafood pasta is traditionally served in a tomato sauce, this one uses a cream based sauce.

This recipe is slightly more involved than everything we've covered so far. But don't let that deter you. If you make this dish for someone, I guarantee it will wow and dazzle them. You are dauntless, and I make the recipes easy.

Ingredients

Fettuccine; enough to fit inside the circle of your thumb and forefinger (That's a pasta portion for you alone, but the recipe is built for two so double it).

Seven to ten shrimps, headless, peeled, slightly butterflied. I use 4-6, or 6-8 size. (That's the number of shrimp that fit in a pound, 6-8 will be smaller than 4-6, use whatever size you like, also use as much as you want to eat in one sitting, this is a suggested serving only. More shrimp means more shrimp flavour). If you live near the coast, go find your local fishmonger. If you don't live near the coast, get them frozen but thaw them out before using.

1 cup 35% cream

A splash of brandy

One tablespoon of bruschetta

Two tablespoons butter

Salt, pepper, cayenne

Directions

Boil your pasta in lots of water. Too much water. Don't add salt or oil or any of that dumb stuff to your pasta water, just stir semi-regularly to prevent the noodles from sticking.

In a medium sauce pan on medium heat, melt your butter with a splash of olive oil.

Once the butter is all melted, throw in your shrimp, add salt and pepper to taste, and just the tiniest pinch of cayenne pepper for flavour.

I don't use garlic with seafood because I think it's weird, but if you want to, go ahead and throw some sliced garlic in to make your beautiful soul happy.

Don't scrape the pan if the shrimp sticks, it will let go of the pan on its own when it's cooked enough. When the shrimp is just starting to get pink on both sides, turn the heat to high, toss in your brandy.

If the brandy doesn't light on fire, use a barbecue lighter or blow torch. Be careful, but this step is crucial. Toss, toss, toss.

When the flames are all out, turn heat to medium-low, throw in your bruschetta and cream and simmer to let it reduce by about a third.

If your noodles are ready, add them HOT to the sauce. If they're not ready yet, take your sauce off the heat until just before they are ready so as not to overcook the shrimp.

Use a set of tongs to wrap your noodles around the sauce and shrimp. For an extra silky sauce, splash in just a bit, like a thimbles' worth of pasta water to your sauce.

Enjoy!

[youcifer]

Bruschetta

People often ask me, "cifer, how come your bruschetta tastes so good?"

It's very simple really.

Make sure your tomatoes are in season. And use really good balsamic vinegar and fresh basil. And a sharp knife for that perfect dice. (A diced cube is about the size from the tip of your index finger to the first knuckle).

Dice your 🍅 and red onion to the same size. Salt, pepper, balsamic, olive oil, basil.

Done.

[youcifer]

Penne a la Vodka:

Ingredients:

1/2 cup of the pomodoro sauce from the last post

1/2 cup of 35% cream

1/2 cup penne

1/2 cup sliced mushrooms. Button or cremini are good. Shiitake or portabello if you can afford it and want a stronger mushroom flavour. Or choose whatever mushroom you like, I don't care.

1 splash of vodka. If you can't have alcohol, I don't know what to tell you, pick a different recipe.

Three cloves of garlic.

Salt and pepper to taste

Three tablespoons of unsalted butter

Directions

Slice your garlic as thin as you can

Cook your penne in too much water. Don't add salt, or olive oil, or any of that dumb stuff to your pasta water. Just stir it semi often so that the noodles don't stick. Make sure the water is at a rolling boil before adding your noodles.

In a medium sauce pan, on medium-high heat, melt your butter with a little bit of olive oil.

Once the butter is all melted, wait thirty seconds by the clock, then throw in your mushrooms and garlic.

Add salt and pepper to taste. Add less than half of what you think you need. It will concentrate in taste.

Simmer for one full minute, then add your splash of vodka. If you're cooking on open flame, tilt the pan just enough to let the alcohol catch on fire. Don't spill any. If you're not cooking on open flame, use a barbecue lighter or blow torch. BE CAREFUL. Toss, toss, toss.

Once the flames are all out, add your pomodoro sauce and cream. Simmer for three minutes, stirring semi-occasionally.

If your pasta is cooked (remember, chewy, not crunchy, not fall-apart-soft) strain it, save the water, add the noodles HOT to your sauce. If you're waiting for your pasta to be ready, simmer the sauce on the lowest heat, adding little bits of pasta water to loosen it if it gets too thick.

If your sauce is too thick add a little bit of pasta water to loosen it. Think two thimbles' worth. Toss. Toss. Toss.

Salt and pepper to taste. Top it with some parmesan cheese for extra flair.

This recipe makes enough for two people. Enjoy!

[youcifer]

Pomodoro Sauce

Ingredients:

One standard size can of whole tomatoes. Look for cans that only list tomatoes and tomato juice as the ingredients. Salt ok, citric acid not ok. (It's 28 oz, 796 ml. I checked). If you don't have whole tomatoes, crushed or diced will do in a pinch.

One head of garlic.

One onion.

Three stems of fresh basil (just the leaves).

One teaspoon sugar.

One teaspoon salt.

Directions:

Smash the garlic with the flat of your knife.

Slice or chop the onion, doesn't really matter.

In a medium sauce pot, on low heat, brown the garlic and onion.

Add the entire can of tomatoes. Careful, it will spatter.

Rinse the inside of the can with just enough water to get all the last bits of tomato goodness. Add this to your pot. It keeps the sauce from burning.

Add the salt and sugar. The sugar will help balance the acid from the tomatoes.

Simmer on medium to medium-low heat for 10 minutes.

Add basil leaves, blend the lot.

Simmer again until it reaches the thickness of a pasta sauce, somewhere between soup and ketchup.

This is your standard tomato sauce. Any other tomato based pasta sauce can be made from this. A rosé, a vodka, an arrabbiata, whatever your heart desires.

But don't limit yourself to pasta! Pour it over your rice! Toss your eggs in it! Let your imagination guide you and do whatever your soul wishes for!

[youcifer]

Cacio e Pepe

(or Adult Mac'n Cheese)

Ingredients

Pasta. Choose a shape you like. If it's a long noodle like spaghetti, make a circle with your thumb and forefinger, the amount of noodles that fit in that circle will be enough for you. If it's a short noodle like macaroni, roughly half a cup is plenty.

1/4 cup parmesan cheese. If you don't like parmesan, pick something else, I don't care.

Two tablespoons of black pepper.

Seven slices of bacon as a non-kosher, non-vegetarian option

Five cloves of garlic.

One shallot.

That's it, that's all you need

Directions

If using bacon, slice it 1/2 inch pieces. About the length from the tip of your finger to the first knuckle.

Slice the garlic as thin as you can.

Rough chop the shallot, but do it as small as you can.

Bring the water to a hard rolling boil. Throw your pasta in

Make sure to boil your pasta in lots of water. A lot of water. Too much water. Also, also, DON'T, DO NOT put salt, or oil, or any of that dumb stuff in your pasta water. Just water. Stir semi-regularly to prevent the noodles from sticking.

While your pasta is boiling; In a medium sauce pan, on medium heat, start cooking your bacon. No oil or butter needed, just render the fat

If you're not using bacon, on medium heat, start the pan with garlic and shallot. (What this means is that you let your pan get hot first before putting the oil/butter in. You know your pan is hot enough when the oil starts roiling around as soon as you add it. If you're not used to this, use a high heat oil like safflower, sunflower, or canola. Add the garlic and shallot right away).

Once the bacon is half cooked, add the garlic and shallot.

When the garlic starts getting golden, toss in the pepper, add salt to taste, stir your pan around to mix everything.

If things are starting to stick to the bottom of your pan, that's a wonderful thing, that's where all the flavour is. Ladle in a little bit of the pasta water for deglazing. It'll make everything sizzle so be careful; use a spatula to scrape everything off the bottom of the pan back in to your sauce.

You'll know your pasta is cooked when there's no crunch left but it's still chewy. Most packaged pasta tells you to cook it for too long. Five to seven minutes should be enough.

If your pasta is cooked by the time your sauce is done, strain it out, save the water, and add the pasta while it's still hot to your sauce. If the sauce is ready first, turn it down to the lowest heat setting while waiting for your pasta. Make sure to keep stirring the pan occasionally, and deglazing as needed.

Once the pasta is added, ladle in some more pasta water -- the starch in the water will lend itself to a beautiful, creamy sauce -- turn the heat all the way up. Toss, toss, toss.

Add all your cheese, make sure it hits the hot noodles, NOT the bottom of the pan, otherwise all hope is lost. TOSS TOSS TOSS.

Keep tossing or stirring semi regularly until the liquid is reduced enough that there's just enough to coat the noodles and a little bit left over in the bottom of the pan.

If you've done everything right, the pasta will be coated in a peppery, cheesy, creamy-smooth sauce.

Enjoy!

[youcifer]

Tomato Basil soup:

Ingredients

One (1) 28 oz can of whole tomatoes. Look for cans that have only tomatoes, tomato juice listed as ingredients; salt ok, citric acid acceptable, not preferred. (Or is it a 32 oz can... Whatever the standard size is, I can't remember).

One head of garlic. Yes the whole thing.

One whole onion. Red or white, you choose.

Four stems of fresh basil (leaves only)

(18% cream for non-vegan option)

Directions

Smash all the garlic cloves with the flat of a knife. Makes it easier to peel.

Rough chop the onion.

In a medium sauce pot, on medium-low heat, brown the peeled garlic cloves and onion in enough olive oil to just about cover it.

Once garlic and onion are golden brown add the entire can of tomatoes. Careful, it will splash.

After five minutes add water, or stock if you've got it, simmer on medium heat for about 20 to 30 minutes.

Blend the lot. It'll turn a slight orange colour. That's because of the garlic. It's a good thing.

Add basil

Blend again

Add cream if you want.

Salt and pepper to taste though I would do that between steps four and five.

There you're done. A beautiful tomato soup. Makes enough for two servings.