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Houston, TX 77401

Cooking

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Chef Recommends Babas au Rhum

Baba au rhum (also known as rum baba) is a lovely yeast-risen cake studded with dried fruit and soaked in hot rum syrup. Once the darling of French cuisine, it fell out of favor, but it is so good to see it back and as popular as ever. 

This recipe features the delicate flavor of citrus with just a hint of orange and lemon zest. Likewise, a small amount of warm vanilla has been added to the soaking syrup to cut down on the rum’s boldness. The result is a rum baba that’s full of complex layers of flavor while still holding to the traditional French recipe. — Spruce Eats

Ingredients

For the Cake

  • 1 tablespoon dry yeast
  • 3 tablespoons warm water
  • 3 large eggs, beaten
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon orange zest
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 4 ounces (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened, more for greasing the molds
  • 3/4 cup golden raisins, or dried currants
  • 3 tablespoons dark rum

For the Syrup

  • 3 cups water
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1/2 to 2/3 cup dark rum, to taste
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 2/3 cup apricot preserves, warmed
  • Vanilla Chantilly cream, for garnish

Method

  • Gather the ingredients.
  • Stir the yeast and the warm water together in a large bowl and allow the yeast to dissolve for 5 minutes. Lightly beat the eggs into the yeast and water.
  • In a small bowl, mix the flour, sugar, citrus zests, and salt together. Stir the mixture into the yeast and eggs.
  • Work the mixture in the bowl with a spatula until it holds together. On a very lightly floured surface, knead the dough with the softened butter until it becomes soft and elastic, about 5 minutes. The dough will be very sticky.
  • Transfer the dough to a large bowl, cover the dough, and allow it to rise until it doubles in size, about 1 hour.
  • Meanwhile, soak the raisins or currants in 3 tablespoons of rum.
  • Once the dough has doubled, fold the rum-soaked fruit into it.
  • Grease the baba molds and divide the dough evenly among them. Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 400 F. Cover the molds and allow the dough to rise until the dough has just started to rise above the molds’ edges, 30 to 45 minutes.
  • Uncover the babas and bake them until they turn golden brown and begin to pull away from the sides of the molds, 20 to 25 minutes
  • Immediately remove the babas from the molds and allow them to cool on a wire rack while you make the rum syrup.
  • FOR SYRUP
  • Gather the ingredients.
  • In a medium saucepan set over medium heat, bring the water and sugar to a boil until the syrup has thickened, 5 to 10 minutes.
  • Remove the syrup from the heat and stir the rum and vanilla extract into the mixture.
  • ASSEMBLE THE BABA
  • Place the babas into the hot rum syrup in batches, turning them several times, allowing them to soak up the syrup. They will swell and absorb most of the syrup. Continue to soak the babas until all the syrup is used.
  • Carefully transfer each baba onto a dessert plate and brush with a generous amount of warmed apricot preserves.
  • Garnish the rum babas with vanilla Chantilly cream to serve.

FROM: https://www.thespruceeats.com/classic-french-rum-baba-recipe-1375132

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Another Rum Inspired Treat – Boozy Banana Bread

Well, as you can tell I was on the Goslings Black Seal site again and I ran across this unusual Banana Bread recipe. It takes your common loaf to a new level! This is the perfect treat for the Scuba divers in your life!

Ingredients

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 1/2 cups mashed Bermuda banana (about 5 medium)
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter
  • 1/3 cup rum

Streusel Topping

  • ½ Cup Brown Sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon Flour
  • 1 Tablespoon butter
  • 1/8 Teaspoon cinnamon

Procedure

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare a 9 X 5-inch bread pan by spraying it on the bottom and less than halfway up on the sides with cooking spray or by greasing it with butter.
  • In a large bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg.
  • In a medium bowl, lightly beat the eggs. Mix in the mashed banana and sugar.
  • In a medium skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Once the butter is melted add the rum to the pan. Continue to cook while stirring constantly. Remove from heat when you see golden bits of butter in the bottom of the pan. Butter / rum will continue to cook slightly once removed, so you don’t want it to become too dark while on the stove, you could end up with burnt butter and burnt butter doesn’t taste good in anything! The alcohol in the rum will burn off and you will see the butter foam as it cooks. Just continue to gently stir and stay focused on making sure the butter becomes golden to slightly amber in color. This will probably take 5 – 7 minutes. Lower the heat if you feel it is cooking too fast.
  • Add butter / rum mixture to banana mixture and thoroughly incorporate.
  • Add banana mixture all at once to dry ingredients and stir until just mixed.
  • Combine streusel ingredients and sprinkle evenly over the loaf.
  • Bake for 55 – 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
  • Remove from oven and place pan on wire rack to cool for 15 minutes.
  • Remove the bread from pan and allow to cool completely on the rack.

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Rum-Soaked Raisin Biscotti

This recipe comes from Goslings Rum Company….

It has been a while since we posted a recipe and I thought these sounded like just the thing for a relaxing weekend. By posting it now, you have time to go and get the ingredients You can even start soaking the raisins while you sample the marinade.

Ingredients

  • 3 c. all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
  • 1 c. sugar
  • 2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp. fine salt
  • 1 tbsp. pure vanilla extract
  • 1 c. raisins
  • 1 c. Goslings Black Seal Rum
  • 3 large eggs
  • 2 tsp. finely grated orange zest

Procedure

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
  • In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
  • Using an electric mixer, beat in eggs and vanilla until combined.
  • Combine raisins and rum. Microwave 2 minutes; let cool.
  • Add rum-raisin mixture and orange zest and beat until combined.
  • Divide dough in half and transfer to a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet.
  • Form each half into a 2 1/2-inch-wide, 3/4-inch-tall log.
  • Bake until dough is firm but gives slightly when pressed, 20 to 25 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through.
  • Let cool on sheet on a wire rack, 20 minutes.
  • With a serrated knife, cut logs into 1/4-inch slices on the diagonal and arrange, cut side down, on two parchment-lined rimmed baking sheets.
  • Bake until biscotti are crisp and golden, about 15 minutes, rotating sheets and flipping biscotti halfway through.
  • Let cool on sheets on wire racks

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Chef Recommended – Orzo Risotto with Shrimp

I was looking for something different to make this weekend while Ann is out of town visiting her Mother; and would you believe, a fun email arrived with a suggestions for me — Risotto with Shrimp. Ann doesn’t eat shrimp so it was perfect! This recipe comes from Jenn Segal a reformed Chef. Her website and her similarly named cookbook is “Once Upon a Chef.” I love risotto but I don’t make it very often. This recipe uses orzo which is easier to make than using true risotto. This one also ready in under an hour! Jenn provides step-by-step instructions on her website.

Let me know what you think. I will let you know how it turned out in the comments. Here is her recipe:

Orzo Risotto with Shrimp, Peas & Bacon

By Jennifer Segal

Adapted from The Ultimate Meal Prep Cookbook by America’s Test Kitchen

Rice-shaped orzo is cooked like risotto in this easy, one-pot pasta dish.

  • Servings: 4
  • Prep Time: 10 Minutes
  • Cook Time: 35 Minutes
  • Total Time: 45 Minutes

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
  • 5 slices (5 oz) bacon, diced
  • 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1-1/2 cups orzo
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • Heaping 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1-1/4 teaspoons Cajun or Creole seasoning, such as Emeril’s Essence
  • 2 pounds extra-large (21/25) shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 1 cup frozen green peas (no need to thaw)
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
  • 3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

Instructions

  • Melt one tablespoon of the butter in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook, stirring frequently, until crisp, 6 to 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside.
  • Reduce the heat to medium and add the onion. Cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more. Do not brown. Stir in the orzo and cook, stirring frequently, until lightly toasted, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the broth, salt, pepper, and Cajun/Creole seasoning and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer, stirring once midway through, until the orzo is nearly tender, about 10 minutes.
  • Stir the shrimp and peas into the orzo (it will be quite creamy/brothy at this point; that’s normal). Cover and cook over low heat until the shrimp are opaque throughout and the orzo is tender, about 5 minutes.
  • Off the heat, stir in the remaining tablespoon of butter, the lemon juice, and chives. Right before serving, stir in the crispy bacon. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary, then spoon into bowls and serve.

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Chef Recommended Charcuterie

https://tastesbetterfromscratch.com/charcuterie-board/

As we all begin to come out of hibernation and venture out into our backyards to rejoin small groups of friends, it is the ideal time to put together a Charcuterie board or a sampling of your favorite cheeses, meats and crackers. But, how do you put together the perfect spread?

What is a Charcuterie Board?

To get started, perhaps we should look at what a Chacuterie Board is. Food and Wine magazine said, “…more than a bunch of meat on a plate, charcuterie is a culinary choose-your-own-adventure story. Imagine the savory goodness that is a charcuterie board: an array of cured meats, tangy pickles, sweet jams, cheese, fresh fruit, and your own personal culinary wild cards, paired with beer or wine to complement the flavors and textures.” To put it simply, it is a collection of cheese, cured meats, crackers, bread and a few fruits. For my part, I like to add some nice dark chocolates to the mix.

How do I put it together?

Let’s look at this a little closer…

  • Select your favorite “board” to build on. This can be a large cutting board, a large tray (remember those trays you have tucked in a closet?), a plate or even a bit of butcher paper on your table.
  • Add your bowls and large cheese wedges. This is where you put bowls to contain your pickles, spreads, olives and cheeses you want people to cut for themselves. If you are using a tray or your table, you may want to put a small cutting board under the cheese to protect the surface.These items take up space so you want to place them first rather thna trying to “squeeze them in.”
  • Now add in the bread or crackers. These take up a lot of room so putting them down now lets you build around them.
  • Lay in your cured meats and pre-sliced cheeses. By outting in pre-sliced cheeses your add some different colors and keep people from taking large slices of your block cheeses. It also keeps things moving faster. For the cured meats, put in several types at different locations of the board to give it a more colorful appearance.
  • Time for fruits and chocolate. Fill in the gaps with the fruit and chocolate. Everyone loves fruit and chocolate so tuck them around to fill in the gaps. I especially love bright red and green grapes.

Some other ideas…

Make some special bread to add to your presentation. But remember, to keep it simple. You want to enjoy the gathering not work as the caterer for people gathering in your backyard. You don’t have to use exotic or expensive cheeses, you can use simple good quality cheese and meats.

If you are feeling adventurous, try making a Fougasse and building around it. And while I would love to make this in my own brick, wood fired oven, I have yet to convince Dive Mom to let me have one at home or at the office. So, you can make it in your oven on a pizza stone.

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Chef Eric Recommends – Chocolate Guinness Cake

Photo by James Merrell, from nigella.com

According to Nigella Lawson This cake is magnificent in its damp blackness. I can’t say that you can absolutely taste the stout in it, but there is certainly a resonant, ferrous tang which I happen to love. The best way of describing it is to say that it’s like gingerbread without the spices.

There is enough sugar – a certain understatement here – to counter any potential bitterness of the Guinness, and although I’ve eaten versions of this made up like a chocolate sandwich cake, stuffed and slathered in a rich chocolate icing, I think that can take away from its dark majesty. Besides, I wanted to make a cream cheese frosting to echo the pale head that sits on top of a glass of stout. It’s unconventional to add cream but it makes it frothier and lighter which I regard as aesthetically and gastronomically desirable. But it is perfectly acceptable to leave the cake un-iced: in fact, it tastes gorgeous plain.

Ingredients – For the Cake

  • 250 millilitres guinness
  • 250 grams unsalted butter
  • 75 grams cocoa powder
  • 400 grams caster sugar
  • 150 millilitres sour cream
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 275 grams plain flour
  • 2½ teaspoons bicarbonate of soda

Ingredients – For the Topping

  • 300 grams cream cheese
  • 150 grams icing sugar
  • 2 teaspoons cornflour
  • 125 millilitres double cream (or whipping cream)

Method

  • Preheat the oven to gas mark 4/180°C/160°C Fan/350ºF, and butter and line a 23cm / 9 inch springform tin.
  • Pour the Guinness into a large wide saucepan, add the butter – in spoons or slices – and heat until the butter’s melted, at which time you should whisk in the cocoa and sugar. Beat the sour cream with the eggs and vanilla and then pour into the brown, buttery, beery pan and finally whisk in the flour and bicarb.
  • Pour the cake batter into the greased and lined tin and bake for 45 minutes to an hour. Leave to cool completely in the tin on a cooling rack, as it is quite a damp cake.
  • When the cake’s cold, sit it on a flat platter or cake stand and get on with the icing. Lightly whip the cream cheese until smooth, sieve over the icing sugar and cornflour and then beat to combine.
  • If using double cream, add it and beat until you have a spreadable consistency. If using whipping cream, whisk first to soft peaks, add a couple of spoonfuls into the cream cheese mixture and once this is combined, fold in the rest.
  • Ice the top of the black cake so that it resembles the frothy top of the famous pint.