TWD: Lemon Curd Custard

Inspiration:
Bridget, one of my favorite food bloggers, chose this week's recipe. She will post the recipe on her blog today.

I halved the recipe and filled three ramekins. I added one clove to the milk along with the lemon zest, which gave it a nice flavor.

The texture of this custard is like flan. I am not a huge fan of flan. If you are, I highly suggest you try this recipe!

Tim's Rating: 6/10 ("It has nothing to do with you. I didn't like the consistency.")
Liz's Rating: 6.5/10 (due to flan-like texture)

Lavash

Inspiration:
When I saw these on Lindsay's blog, I knew I had to try them. Then Tim and I went to her home, and he had some. "You made these?" He was shocked and impressed, which made Lindsay and I laugh a little. Lindsay gave him a bag to take home, and he ate all of them by the time we got home. So, I made him some more today.
Recipe adapted from Bread Baker's Apprentice


Ingredients:

• 1.5 cups bread flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon instant yeast
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1/3 to 1/2 cup room temperature water
• one egg white, lightly beaten with 1t water
  
• coarse salt
  
• spices (I used dill, cumin, caraway, and rosemary)
  

Instructions:

1. Stir the flour, salt yeast, honey and oil together.
2. While continuing to stir, slowly add the water into the dry ingredients. Stir until the dough gathers into a ball.
   
3. Lightly flour the counter top and knead the dough for 10 minutes. You will know the dough is ready when it stretches thin without breaking. (Do the windowpane test.)
   
4. Spray a bowl with oil and swirl the dough to coat with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rise for 90 minutes -- the dough should double in size.
5. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
6. Lightly oil the counter top. Place dough on the oiled surface and sprinkle with flour. Roll the dough out until its paper thin. It should be at least 12" x 15".
7. Place dough on a parchment lined baking sheet.
   
8. Using a pastry brush, thinly coat the dough with the egg wash. Sprinkle coarse salt and any spices you would like onto the dough.
9. If you would like pre-cut crackers, use a pizza cutter and cut the desired shapes - the crackers will break even once removed from the oven.
10. Bake the crackers for 15-20 minutes, when the crackers are evenly browned.

Notes: I didn't roll the dough as thinly as I should have. I still like the result, but Tim prefers Lindsay's crunchy crackers. She used whole wheat flour, which I will try next time. (I am currently out.)

Tim's Rating: 9/10
Liz's Rating: 9/10

Russian Ground Chicken Cutlets (Kotlety Pozharskie)

Inspiration:
The Amazing Race's pit stop in Russia
and
russianfoods.com


Ingredients:

• 1/4 c milk
• 2 lb chicken breasts, boned & skinned
  
• 5 ea white bread slices
• 1/4 lb unsalted butter
• 3/4 ts salt
• 1/2 ts white pepper
• 2 c dried bread crumbs
• 10 tb unsalted butter
  
  

Instructions:

1. Put 5 bread slices in a bowl and pour in the milk. Soak the bread for 15 minutes. Squeeze the bread dry being careful not to tear it up.
   
2. Grind the chicken fine then combine with the bread slices. Gradually beat in the 1/4 lb of butter that you have softened, along with the salt & pepper, until the mixture is smooth.
   
3. Make 6 patties from this mixture. Roll them in the bread crumbs coating them completely.
   
4. Take the 10 tablespoons of butter and clarify them in large skillet over a low heat. Remove from heat and allow to sit for 3 minutes so the whey will settle out. Spoon off the clear butter, dump the whey, and return 6 tablespoons of the butter to the skillet. Place over a medium- high heat and when hot fry the patties
   for approx. 5-6 minutes per side or until done to suit your taste.
   
5. Serve at once, pour remaining butter over the patties. Very good with a dollop of plain yogurt or sour cream on each patty.

Notes: Wow. I was not expecting to love this recipe as much as I did. I used one pound of local ground chicken breast from my co-op, made my own breadcrumbs from white bread, and otherwise followed the (halved) recipe. I will definitely be making this again! I think it would be wonderful in a Chicken Parmigiana-type meal.


Liz's Rating: 9.5/10
Tim's Rating: 9.5/10

TWD: Mini Chocolate Armagnac Cakes

Inspiration:
Lyb of And Then I Do The Dishes chose the Chocolate Armagnac Cake and will be posting the recipe.


After discussing this recipe with Bridget, I decided to only prepare one third of the recipe and fill as many ramekins as necessary... which ended up being two. I decided not to glaze them, but I would do so if I were making the cake for a group. I enjoyed making this recipe-- it was definitely different than any chocolate cakes I have made before! I loved the moist texture.

The recipe had a few different options; I went with the ground walnuts, prunes, and brandy.


Tim's Rating: 8.5/10
Liz's Rating : 8.5/10


Next week on TWD: Lemon Cup Custard

Blood Orange Sorbet

Inspiration:
A suggestion from my friend Lindsay
and
A recipe from David Lebovitz


Ingredients:

• 2 cups blood orange juice (8 oranges for me)
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  

Instructions:

1. Put the sugar in a small, non-reactive saucepan. Add just enough juice to saturate it very well. Heat, stirring frequently, until the sugar is completely dissolved.
2. Stir the sugar back into the reserved blood orange juice.
   
3. Chill thoroughly, then freeze in your ice cream maker.
   

Notes: Awesome. Fresh. Gorgeous. Tasty.


Tim's Rating: 9.5/10
Liz's Rating: 10/10

Romanian Bean Soup with Bacon and Chard (Ciorba de Fasole)

Inspiration:
The Amazing Race's third pit stop: Romania
and this recipe for Ciorba de Fasole.


Ingredients:

• 1/2 pound dry haricot, pinto or butter beans
  
• 6 pieces of bacon, sliced into 1-inch widths
  
• 2 litres water
  
• 1 bunch Swiss chard
  
• 2 egg yolks
  
• 1/2 cup sour cream
  
• 1 T vinegar
  
• salt and pepper
  
• small bunch dill
• crusty bread, for serving
  

Instructions:

1. Soak the beans in cold water for 3-4 hours.

2. At the end of the soaking time, cube the bacon. Drain the beans and put them in the saucepan with the bacon. (Make sure there will be plenty of room for the beans to expand.) Pour the water over. Bring to the boil, skim, and turn the heat down. Simmer the beans for 1 1/2 - 2 hours, until soft. More time may be needed...keep checking the beans.

3. Shred the lettuce or other greenery and stir into the soup when the beans are soft. Cook for another 10-15 minutes.

4. Mash the beans a little to thicken the soup. Mix egg yolks, cream and vinegar together, and stir into the hot soup. Season. Chop the dill finely and scatter it over the soup.

5. Serve with bread.
   

Notes: When I started to make this, I thought, oh it's just another bean and bacon soup. But I knew I was wrong as soon as I stirred in the sour cream, egg yolk, and vinegar. I really enjoyed the chard with the other flavors. It's an interesting recipe, and I am glad I tried it.


Vegetarian Option: Omit the bacon.


Liz's Rating: 8/10
Tim's Rating: TBD

Italian Dinner Party

A successful gathering last night! Here's what we served:

Apéritif:
Venetian Spritz (made by Tim)


Appetizers:
Antipasti Platter:

• Salami
• Prosciutto
  
• Roasted Red Pepper
  
• Chunks of Ricotta Salata
• Fresh Mozzarella
  
• No-Knead Bread
  
  

Dinner:
Chicken Saltimbocca
Lemon Spaghetti
Roasted Asparagus
Red Wine
Sparkling Water


Dessert:
Tiramisu Ice Cream
Dorie's Chocolate Almond Biscotti (pictured)
Blood Orange Sorbet
Candied Orange Peels
Espresso
Limoncello