Chef John’s Taking Another Break!

The recent break I took over the Thanksgiving holiday was the first time in six years that I’d gone a whole week without posting a video. Well, since everyone was so understanding, and seemed genuinely happy that I was taking a vacation, I’ve decided to take another one.

That’s right, it seems as though I have a few more days of vacation time to use up, and it’s either take them before the end of the year, or risk a terse email from Human Resources. 

This actually works out perfectly, since I’m flying back east to spend the Christmas holiday with my family. My hope is that you’re all be so busy eating, drinking, and of course, shopping, that you’ll hardly notice I’m gone.

By the way, I know I’ve mentioned heading back to New York many times, but I’m not sure if I’ve ever specified exactly where. Here’s a map with good ol’ Machester, NY pinned for all to see. You’re welcome, stalkers. Anyway, I hope you all have a great week, and I promise this will be the last vacation I take this year.

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Raw Pecan Tart Truffles

If you love pecan tarts and pies, than this is the perfect little raw treat to fill that craving. Quick and easy to make, gluten free, only five simple ingredients, no baking, no added sugars, and can be stored in the refrigerator or freezer for a lengthy amount of time. These are great given as gifts, taken to parties or just to have around the house for a quick, healthy treat!

Roll your truffles in one of the optional ingredients for a finished look. Above truffle is rolled in shredded coconut and below in mineral salt. My favorites were the ones rolled in mineral salt. A salted raw pecan tart truffle...so good!

Raw Pecan Tart Truffles

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups pecans
• 1 cup dates, pitted and chopped
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• pinch of salt

for rolling, optional

• shredded coconut
• almond meal
• crushed grahm crackers
• freshly ground mineral salt

Place ingredients in food processer and process until combined. Ideally you want your dough to have visible peices of nuts. It should stick together when you pinch it. Roll dough into 1 inch balls. 12 truffles. Roll in any one or mix of the optional ingredients if desired for a finished look. Store in the refrigerator for up to a month (may even last longer) or freeze for a longer shelf life pulling them out as needed.

Notes:

To lower the fat content on these try subbing in 1/2 cup rolled or quick cooking oats for some of the pecans.

Enjoy!

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Gluten-Free Chocolate Gingerbread Recipe

Delicious chocolate gingerbread loaf. Gluten-free yum.

Holiday Gingerbread, Gluten-Free Goddess Style

As the song says, Let it snow / let it snow / let it snow. Icing sugar that is. In a soft, sifted whisper of white. A dusting of tongue-melting sweetness to accent the solstice dark moon taste of a classic ginger spiced chocolate tea bread.

In the deep midwinter, I cheer my fragile spirit by baking. I put on Yo Yo Ma and stir cocoa laced batter with a wooden spoon, imagining my fellow gluten-free bakers- all of you- out there- standing in your humble kitchens, beating strange flours and non-traditional ingredients with an odd blend of dread and hope. Crossing fingers and scooping tea bread, cake and muffin batter, rolling cookie dough between nervous palms, praying to the kitchen gods.

In a mere few days- perilously close to the Winter Solstice- I will celebrate my twelfth anniversary of living gluten-free. December 19, 2001 was the day I decided to shun gluten forever.

What timing. Right before Christmas. I could have waited until December 26th. Or even the New Year.

But I didn't.

I couldn't.

As soon as I connected the dots- from my plague of symptoms to their instigator gluten- I couldn't wait to begin my new life. If I had eaten my very last buttery croissant, so be it. If I had unknowingly crunched my last iced sugar cookie, so what. I was done.

Few of us have to make such choices.

Millions of Americans can eat pizza and bagels and Fruit Loops till the cows come home. Donuts and Ding Dongs and frozen pie crusts? No problem. Gluten isn't on their radar, never mind in their daily nomenclature. It's a punch line in a TV sit com. Something chefs and foodies either kvetch about or flirt with, eyeing the growing gluten-free awareness trend as a dietary bandwagon. Or maybe an opportunity to garner a little extra revenue. They're mildly interested, but non-committal. Privately? They're amused.

The fad aspect will fade. Eventually. And those of us with certain genes and blunted villi will still be here. Living gluten-free. Baking gluten-free. Day after day. Wrestling with creative ingredients and conjuring kitchen magic for our families, or ourselves, our newly diagnosed best friend.

Keeping the faith, one recipe at a time.

On my twelfth gluten-free anniversary I salute YOU- dear reader. The home cook. The intrepid baker. The mother of a celiac child. The loving parent of an ASD angel. The undiagnosed but obviously sensitive to gluten cake maker. The wheat intolerant cupcake lover. The brother, the sister, the Dad, the grandmother looking for a way to include your celiac loved one in on the festivities, welcoming everyone to your table.

This anniversary recipe is for you.

A rich dark gingerbread infused with cocoa.

~GFG

Read more + get the recipe >>

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Edible Holiday Gift Special: Vegan Miracle Fudge!

I’m calling this “miracle fudge” for several reasons. First of all, the odds of me seeing a vegan fudge link on Twitter, and actually clicking on it, are roughly zero. That alone makes this video miraculous, but that cocoa, maple syrup, and coconut oil can combine to create something so pleasurable and fudge-like, also makes it worthy of the title.

Michele actually discovered the link on Twitter, and called my attention to it since she recognized the Tweeter as my friend, Stephanie Stiavetti aka @sstiavetti. Nothing against Ms. Stiavetti, but this still usually wouldn’t have been enough to tempt me, except that I heard mention of coconut oil.

This was significant because another friend, Ariyele Ressler, posted something called a "The Triple Luxe" on her YouTube channel(pictured here), which featured this fascinating fat. I was captivated by her delicious looking creation, and the coconut oil's butter-like properties, and told myself that I needed pick some up for experimentation.

Anyway, as a result of this perfect storm of social media synchronicity, I decided to check out her recipe, and it rocked. I did a bunch of tests, and even though you’re forfeiting some health benefits, I found the refined coconut oil worked better than the raw, extra-virgin style, if you want something closer to real chocolate fudge. The other key is to keep these in the freezer. They work at room temp, but the texture is much better cold.

The extra-virgin oil has a very pronounced coconut flavor, and seemed to not provide quite as firm a bite. Of course, I expect you to experiment and report back. As advertised, I think this would make a fun, and unique edible gift for the foodies on your holiday gift list. I hope you give this fudge recipe a try soon. Enjoy!

Bonus Holiday Gift Idea: 

Not only does Stephanie have great taste in vegan fudge recipes, she also writes cookbooks! I just received a copy of Melt: The Art of Macaroni and Cheese, which she co-authored with Garrett McCord, and it’s very well done. It’s getting rave reviews on Amazon, so if you’re still in shopping mode, go check it out.

Ingredients for about 2 dozen squares of Miracle Fudge:

1/2 cup really good unsweetened cocoa (I used this one)

1/2 cup real maple syrup

1/2 cup melted coconut oil

1/2 cup walnuts, chopped and lightly toasted

few drops of vanilla

pinch of salt

Notes:

- You can make this without the nuts, but make sure your oil is nice and warm, so the mixture is liquid enough to pour.

-  If the mixture gets too firm to work with, just place over a bowl of hot water until it melts.

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Next Up: Miracle Fudge

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Roasted Beef Tri Tip with Four-Peppercorn Crust – A Holiday Roast with an Angle

Tri tip of beef is a common summer grill option, but I don’t think I’d ever seen it done as a holiday roast. I tried to think of a reason why it wouldn’t work, but I couldn’t come up with anything. In fact, I decided that not only would this make a great, and more affordable alternative to prime rib, but it would also remind guests of mid-July, which is a proven treatment for winter blues. Side effects may include seconds and thirds.

This is not as tender as a prime rib, but if cooked to the right doneness, you’ll be enjoying juicy, flavorful, and plenty tender enough meat. To that end, I’d avoid the temptation to cook this rare, which can make it too chewy. I like to pull it at 130 F. internal temp, which after resting will give you something closer to medium. For me, this provides the best texture, and an even beefier flavor.

Having said that, there should be something for everyone. Plenty of nice pink meat to go around, and the narrower end will provide just enough well-done for your Aunt. You know, the one who's afraid to get a brain parasite after watching that show on Discovery Channel.

As I mentioned in the video, any veal, beef, or chicken stock/broth will work for the sauce, but I used a super sticky oxtail broth that I will show at future date. If you can’t wait, simply do our beef stock recipe with oxtails. Anyway, if you’re looking to do a beef roast for the holiday table, I hope you give this peppery tri tip a try. Enjoy!

Ingredients for about 6 portions:

2 1/2 to 3 pound beef tri tip roast, trimmed

3-4 garlic cloves crushed with a pinch of salt and a tablespoon of olive oil

salt to taste

enough very coarsely ground black, white, green, and pink peppercorns to cover the surface,
about 4-5 tbsp

Start at 450 F. for 15 minutes, removed and turn roast, reduce heat to 200 F. and roast to an internal temperature of 125-130 F. Let rest 15 minutes!

For the pan sauce;

Reserved pan drippings, about 2 tbsp

1 rounded tablespoon flour

3 cups rich *veal, beef, or chicken broth or stock (or oxtail…coming soon!)

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

salt and cayenne to taste

*Most fancy grocery stores will sell frozen veal stock or demi-glace (already reduced-by-half veal stock), which is great for special occasion sauces like this.

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Next Up: Four Peppercorn Roast Beef

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Roasted Vegetables + Chickpeas with Lemon-Cannellini Sauce

This recipe is adapted from one of the very first vegan meals I used to make on a regular basis when starting my new lifestyle. This was before I started blogging and then was off trying everything else I could. Nice to come back to this recipe once again. I have only slightly changed it from the original by adding chickpeas for boost of protein and texture, as well as mixing up the veggies a bit. The original recipe can be found here on One Green Planet by its author Robin Robertson. I love this recipe because of the versatility and ease. The vegetables can be pretty much anything you like. Use red or Yukon gold potatoes in place the sweet potato, just be sure to use about 2 cups worth. You can add, or sub in, butternut squash, pumpkin or any other winter squash you might like. You may like to add earthiness by using cubed beets. Try cauliflower florets in place of broccoli. Really anything goes here. As for the sauce, I find it's not something to write home about on its own but that changes once added like gravy to the top of your vegetables and grain, all the flavors come together and you'll be in comfort food heaven! This recipe is easy to pull together and makes for a great hearty meal in these cooler months. It's full of protein and fiber, is low in fat and has plenty of essential nutrients needed to maintain a healthy plant based diet! 

Clean, vibrant, healthy and satisfying!

By all means load your plate with two to three times the vegetables you see here. Enjoy freely!

Roasted Vegetables + Chickpeas with Lemon-Cannellini Sauce

Ingredients (serves 4-6)

• 1 large sweet potato, cut into 1 inch cubes
• 2 cups broccoli florets
• 2 large carrots, sliced
• 2 cups brussels sprouts, halved lengthwise
• 1 onion, sliced (use your favorite onion or what you have on hand)
• 1 can (15 oz.) garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained  and rinsed
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• mineral salt & fresh cracked pepper or lemon-pepper, to taste
• 2 -3 cups cooked quinoa or grain of choice (about 1/2 cup per person)

Sauce

• 2 cans (15 oz.) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 3/4 - 1 cup vegetable broth (start low and add as needed)
• juice of 1 good size lemon
• generous pinch of red pepper flakes
• mineral salt, to taste
• 1 tablespoon fresh chopped basil, thyme, parsley, chives, sage, tarragon 

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Line roasting pan/baking dish with silpat, parchment paper or grease lightly with neutral oil. Add vegetables to roasting pan and toss to coat with olive oil. Arrange vegetables in a single layer (as much as possible), sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Roast vegetables until tender and lightly browned, about 45 minutes, mixing once halfway through.

Start your grain of choice while vegetables are cooking. Quinoa will take about 30 minutes.

Prepare your sauce by placing all the ingredients into your food processor/blender, except for the herbs, and process until smooth. Add extra broth as needed to thin. Add in herbs and pulse once or twice. Place sauce in a small saucepan and heat over low heat, uncovered, until warm, stirring occasionally.

Serve vegetables over grain of choice with a nice helping of sauce over top. Serve warm.

Serves 4 generously.

Store leftovers in refrigerator for up to a week. Leftovers are just as delicious!

Enjoy!

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Focaccia di Recco – Treating Myself

When I treat myself to a personal “food wish,” it’s usually something I’ve eaten out and become obsessed over, and this episode is a classic case. There’s a Ligurian restaurant called Farina near us, and I’ve become a full-blown focaccia di Recco stalker. 

After watching them make it in front of me so many times, I had to give it a try. It doesn’t look like the focaccia most of us are used to, but come to find out, “focaccia” simply means any flatbread cooked in a hearth, and varies region to region.

This particular example hails from Recco, and is nothing more than some Stracchino cheese trapped in between two, super-thin layers of dough. The dough is nothing more than flour, water, olive oil, and salt; but thanks to a very hot oven, and this probably ancient technique, some serious flatbread magic happens.

As I confess in the video, I was scared to use too much cheese, but I’ll use more next time. At Farina, you can see a thin layer of the molten Stracchino oozing out between the layers. My Crescenza cheesewas basically absorbed, but while you couldn’t see it, you could certainly taste it, and it was amazing.

The obvious question is, can you add other fillings to this? Yes, but don’t. It’s perfect…as long as you find the cheese. Please, find the cheese (no substitutions will be offered #toughlove). 

 By the way, I’m officially recommending the quarter sheet pan seen herein, which is what they use in the restaurant, but I think a round tart pan would work as well. In fact, from what I see online, the round pan seems to be the standard. I can’t wait to try this again, and sincerely hope you give it go as well. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 2 small or 1 large Focaccia di Recco (Tip for first timers: Make a double batch of dough so you have plenty to work with!)

*2 cups all-purpose flour (9.5 by weight)

1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp water           

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

3/4 tsp fine salt

*use enough flour to form a soft, but not too sticky dough. Knead for about 5-6 minutes to from a smooth, elastic dough. Let rest 1 hour at room temp.

12 oz Crescenza or Stracchino cheese (6 oz for each focaccia) 
extra virgin olive oil and sea salt, to taste for the top

Bake at 500 degrees F.for about 6-7 minutes, or until well-browned

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Next Up: Focaccia di Recco

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Snowy Lemon Cookies

Light and lemony cookies for the holidays.

It is a vaguely unnerving thing to look back and see the past curving away behind you, blurring into a soft and distant memory. So often we food bloggers write about the future, imagining holidays- like Christmas (and lemon cookies)- perched in a hot, noisy apartment on a bright September afternoon, conjuring the stillness of snow and December candlelight. Such is the blogging life- often a life lived forward, imagining the new.

Today I sit in a Cape Cod winter rental, while morning fog wets the rusty color of the almost bare oaks outside my office window. We are searching for a more permanent home. Widening our scope to include Connecticut. Dreaming of a proper art studio (missing the barn we rented last winter). Ready to put down roots at last.

And wishing I had some of these Snowy Lemon Cookies.


Read more + get the recipe >>

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The Shooter’s Sandwich – Tally Ho Indeed

Even though this trendy shooter’s sandwich has been requested many times, I’ve resisted making one because I’ve always felt there were better handheld delivery systems for steak and mushroom ingestion. Like a panini for example, or maybe even a cheesy quesadilla; but pressed into a cold, hard wedge?

Then, I had an incredibly small epiphany. I ran across the origins of the shooter’s sandwich online, and realized I might have been missing the point. This wasn’t something you make for just any lunch; it was something you make to take on a foxhunt (or what you Americans call a “tailgate party”).

I can’t remember the last time I was on a foxhunt, but after giving this a try, I can see the advantages of this very filling, very flavorful, and very sturdy sandwich. But, as I stressed in the video, you really need a couple huge steaks to make this work. Even cooked slightly pass medium, this was okay, but another half-inch of tender, pink meat would have made the whole affair significantly better.

So, I guess if I were going on a long hike, or out for a relaxing day of shooting innocent foxes, I would consider making this again, but while I tucked in, I have to admit, I’d probably be dreaming about a steaming hot, steak and mushroom hoagie. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 8 Portions:

(Note: I didn’t measure anything, ‘cause it’s a sandwich, but these should be close enough.)

For the mustard sauce:

3 tbsp Dijon mustard

1 tbsp extra hot horseradish

1 tbsp mayo

For the mushrooms:

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp butter, divided

1 1/2 pound button mushrooms

salt and pepper to taste

cayenne to taste

1/2 cup minced shallots

2 tbsp brandy or sherry

The rest:

2 at least 16 to18-oz well-trimmed beef steaks (rib eye, NY strip, or top-sirloin are best choices, in that order). Seared in some vegetable oil.

salt and pepper to taste

3-4 oz fine pate, optional

1 round loaf of crusty bread

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Chocolate Snowcaps – There’s Snow on Them There Cookies

I don’t think I’ve ever been involved in a holiday cookies swap (apparently you need to have like-minded friends), but if I were, I’d bring these chocolate snowcap cookies. They just look so wintry, with their powdery-white tops, contrasted against those deep, dark cracks.

They’re so captivating, that I find myself daydreaming about tiny Christmas elves skiing down them when no one is looking. I really should see someone about that. Anyway, the point is, if you’re looking for a holiday cookie so seasonally appropriate it hurts, this is the one for you.

As I stated in the video, the only way to mess these up is to not use enough powdered sugar. The first batch I made looked like they had plenty, but that little bit I shook off before placing them on the pan made all the difference. You want to coat them, roll them, coat them again, and then, coat them again. You can’t put too much on.

Also, the batch I made after letting the dough sit overnight didn’t spread out as much, which I thought looked better, and much more mini mountain-like. As far as baking time goes, mine took about 12 minutes, but that depends on exactly how large you roll your dough balls.

To be safe, you should probably do five or six practice batches to get this time dialed in [wink]. Once you do, you’ll be rewarded with a classic Christmas cookie that tastes as good as it looks. I think I speak for tiny, imaginary elves everywhere, when I say we hope you give these a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for about 2 dozen Chocolate Snowcap Cookies:

Recipe found here on Foodess.com

6 ounces dark chocolate, broken in small pieces, melted over hot water

3/4 cup AP flour

1/3 cup cocoa (I used Guittard’s Cocoa Rouge)

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp fine salt

1/2 cup room temp butter

1 cup packed brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 cup powdered sugar, or as needed

*Bake at 350 degrees F.  for about 12 minutes, depending on size

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Roasted Butternut Squash Salad + Shallot Vinaigrette

Fall and winter is the time of year when I tend to eat lots of heavy, hearty meals. I don't get nearly enough fresh leafy greens in and this salad was a nice departure from the usual foods I've been eating lately. Still hearty yet mostly fresh, this salad will leave you feeling satisfied and like you've done something wonderful for yourself. I love the color of butternut squash, it radiates warmth on these cooler days. And its sweetness and tender flesh once cooked is a welcome addition to this salad! There is a little bit of cooking but once done you can throw this simple salad together in a cinch. And it's so very worth the wait as your home will smell delicious as the butternut squash cooks!

I paired this salad with a shallot vinaigrette which I just love. I'm looking forward to pairing this vinaigrette over some steamed asparagus too. It would be wonderful drizzled over a roasted vegetable quinoa salad as well! This salad would also be great with a sweeter dressing like this Maple Dijon Dressing (just double the recipe). I've also included an oil free option that I think you'll really enjoy as well using apple juice, adapted from Ina Garten (see notes). I also threw in a few optional ideas from her recipe as well. I have a few variations of shallot vinaigrette's to test out and will be sharing as they come along. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy this wonderful autumn salad! 

Roasted Butternut Squash Salad + Shallot Vinaigrette

Ingredients

• 1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeds removed and cubed 1/2 inch
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
• handful dried cranberries 
• handful pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
• 8 oz. salad mix of choice (baby greens, gem, arugula, spring mix, etc.)

Shallot Vinaigrette

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons water 
• 2 tablespoons minced shallots
• 1 tablespoon apple cider, champagne or white wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
• mineral salt & cracked pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a roasting pan with parchment paper or lightly grease your pan.

In a small bowl mix together the olive oil, vinegar and mustard. Blend until mustard has emulsified. Add in water shallots, salt & pepper and whisk again until combined. Set aside.

Combine squash with 1 tablespoon olive oil and maple syrup (either do this in a medium sized bowl or right on the baking sheet for one less dish to wash). Spread butternut squash on baking sheet in a single layer, sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 20 minutes, until fork tender, turning once. Remove from oven and let cool a bit.

Fill your serving dishes with salad of choice, add butternut squash, top with cranberries and pepitas. Drizzle your dressing over top and serve.

Serves 2.

Notes: 

Feel free to use raisins or pomegranates seeds in place of cranberries.

Use pecans, walnuts or almomds in place of the pumpkin seeds if you prefer.

Try adding the cranberries with the butternut squash for the last 5 minutes of cooking to warm them up a bit.

Feel free to warm your dressing just before serving, or keep near a warm spot by the stove until ready to serve.

To make an oil free vinaigrette for this salad, use 1/4 - 1/3 cup apple juice or apple cider in place of the oil and water. When cooking the butternut squash, simply omit the oil.

Enjoy!

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I’m (almost) Back!

Today is the last day of my vacation, and I'm sorry, but I just couldn’t not post any longer. So, I wanted to say a quick hello, and thank everyone who sent along their well-wishes during the break. By the way, I loved seeing the pictures many of you posted on Twitter and Instagram of our Thanksgiving recipes!

Unfortunately, I didn’t get a chance to golf as I'd planned, but I did keep myself busy with a few fun projects around the house. One of those projects was definitely not an awesome and illegal pizza oven built from a pile of bricks found in the garden (not pictured here). Nope, that didn’t happen.

Anyway, I’ll have a brand new video recipe tomorrow, so be sure to stay tuned for that, and as always…I missed you!

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