from the chicago tribune
Vanilla-braised turnips
Preparation time: 25 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
On a cold day in early February, three cooks from Osteria di Tramonto came Downstate to participate in an old-fashioned hog butchering. That evening, they prepared a meal for the farmers, which featured sausages and many side dishes, including a roasted root vegetable medley. Everyone asked about the extra dimension to the roasted vegetables -- it was vanilla. This recipe is similar to what they served, but uses young turnips.
Ingredients
1 can (14 ounces) chicken broth
2 Tbsps. white wine
1/2 tsp. fresh thyme leaves
1/2 bay leaf
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter
12 small turnips, peeled, quartered
1 vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped, reserved
1/2 tsp. salt
Freshly ground pepper
1. Heat chicken broth, wine, thyme and bay leaf to a boil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat; lower heat to low. Cook until reduced by half, about 8 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add turnips, vanilla bean pod and seeds, salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring occasionally, until just beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Add broth mixture to skillet; cook until liquid has almost evaporated and turnips are tender, about 20 minutes. Discard vanilla bean pod.
Nutrition information per serving: 179 calories, 77% of calories from fat, 16 g fat, 10 g saturated fat, 40 mg cholesterol, 8 g carbohydrates, 3 g protein, 488 mg sodium, 2 g fiber.
Goat cheesecake with vanilla-Meyer lemon marmalade
Preparation time: 50 minutes
Chilling time: 2 hours, 20 minutes
Cooking time: 2 hours, 20 minutes
Yield: 12 servings
Blackbird restaurant pastry chef Tim Dahl likes to use organic Bourbon vanilla from Singing Dog Vanilla, an Oregon firm, for this crustless cheesecake. The marmalade makes 2 1/2 cups; refrigerate for up to a week to use on toast, pancakes or waffles.
Marmalade ingredients
6 Meyer lemons or 3 regular lemons
1 cup each: water, sugar
3/4 cup light corn syrup
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise, seeds scraped, reserved
1/2 tsp. salt
Cheesecake ingredients
2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
1 pound fresh goat cheese
2 1/4 cups sugar
2 containers (16 ounces each) sour cream
1 1/4 tsps. orange blossom water or 1 tsp. orange zest
2 vanilla beans, split lengthwise, seeds scraped, reserved
6 eggs
1. For the marmalade, heat a medium saucepan of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, remove the zest from the lemons in strips; cut away any white pith from the lemons. Cut the lemons into segments. Add the lemon zest to the boiling water; cook 1 minute. Drain; set aside to cool. Cut into small pieces; set aside.
2. Combine the lemon segments, 1 cup water, sugar, corn syrup, vanilla bean pod, vanilla seeds and salt in the saucepan; add the reserved lemon zest. Heat to a simmer over medium-high heat. Cook at a simmer until thickened, about 40 minutes. Remove vanilla bean pod; discard. Set aside to cool, about 20 minutes. Refrigerate 2 hours.
3. For the cheesecake, heat the oven to 325 degrees. Combine the cream cheese, goat cheese and sugar in a large bowl; beat with a mixer on low speed until smooth. Add the sour cream, orange water and vanilla seeds, mixing until fully combined. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.
2. Spoon mixture into a 9 1/2- to 10-inch springform pan. Place pan inside a larger deep-rimmed pan. Fill the larger pan halfway with hot water. Bake until the cheesecake tests clean with an inserted knife, about 1 1/2 hours. Cool; slice in wedges. Top each with about 1 Tbsp. of the marmalade.
Nutrition information per serving: 673 calories, 60% of calories from fat, 45 g fat, 28 g saturated fat, 220 mg cholesterol, 52 g carbohydrates, 20 g protein, 351 mg sodium, 0 g fiber.
from the los angeles times
Blueberry and caramelized orange marmalade focaccia
Total time: 1 hour, 50 minutes plus 1 hour, 15 minutes rising time
Servings: 20
Note: From pastry chef Elizabeth Belkind of Grace restaurant in Los Angeles. You may substitute a good-quality vanilla extract for the vanilla beans; use 1/2 tsp. in the marmalade and 1 1/2 tsps. in the browned butter.
Caramelized orange marmalade ingredients
6 medium oranges
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup water
1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
3 Tbsps. bourbon (optional)
1. With a sharp paring knife, slice the top and bottom off each orange. Then, cut off the peel and pith in swift downward curves, exposing the pulp. Hold the peeled orange over a bowl to catch any juices and cut out the segments by wedging the knife next to the connective membranes on both sides of each segment. You will need 2 cups of fruit with no pith or membrane attached.
2. Strain out half a cup of the orange segments and set aside. Leave the remaining 1 1/2 cups of the segments with the juice.
3. Combine the sugar with the water in a heavy-bottomed nonreactive saucepan, stirring until the mixture resembles wet sand. Add the vanilla bean and seeds. Using a pastry brush or clean fingers, brush down any stray sugar granules on the sides of the pan to prevent the mixture from crystallizing as it caramelizes.
4. Set the pan over high heat and cook the mixture, undisturbed. When it begins to brown, gently swirl and continue cooking until the sugar turns a deep golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Add 1 1/2 cups of the orange segments and all of the reserved juice (be careful; the hot caramel will spatter as you do this). Once the spattering subsides, stir the mixture quickly and continuously with a wooden spoon until the marmalade begins to thicken and the bubbles are thick and glossy, about 8 minutes.
5. Add the bourbon, if using, and continue stirring vigorously until the alcohol dissipates, 2 minutes. Add the remainder of the orange segments and stir gently, just until the last of the fruit reaches the same temperature as the marmalade, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat. Discard the vanilla bean. Transfer the marmalade to a flat container with low sides and spread it out as thinly as possible. Cool the mixture and cover the container with plastic wrap and set aside. (Makes 1 1/3 cups marmalade.)
Focaccia ingredients
1 1/2 sticks plus 7 Tbsps. of butter, divided
1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
2 3/4 tsps. active dry yeast (will need two packets)
1 3/4 cups warm water (100 to 110 degrees)
1 Tbsp. granulated sugar
1 1/4 cups pastry flour
2 1/2 cups plus 7 Tbsps. bread flour
2 Tbsps. nonfat dry milk
1 tsp. kosher salt
4 Tbsps. raw (turbinado) sugar, divided
1 1/4 cups fresh blueberries
2 ttsps. fresh chopped rosemary
1. Cut the 7 Tbsps. of butter into half-inch cubes and set aside, letting them soften. In a small saute pan, combine the 1 1/2 sticks of butter with the vanilla bean and seeds. Over medium-low heat, melt the butter and cook until it begins to bubble and brown. Gently stir, scraping the bottom of the pan. When you see rust-colored specks in the bubbles, the browned butter is done, about 7 minutes. Immediately transfer it to a small bowl and set aside.
2. Place the yeast into the bowl of an electric mixer. Add the water and whisk to dissolve the yeast. Stir in the granulated sugar. Add the pastry flour, bread flour, nonfat dry milk and salt. Using the dough-hook attachment, mix on low about 2 minutes, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl if needed. Turn the speed up to medium and knead the dough for 6 minutes. Add the cubed, softened butter and continue kneading until the butter is completely incorporated. (The dough will be soft.)
3. Brush a clean, large bowl with a generous amount of the browned butter. Scrape the dough out of the mixing bowl and into the buttered bowl. Gently brush the top of the dough with more of the brown butter. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap. Set it in a warm place and allow the dough to rise until it doubles, about 45 minutes.
4. Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper; grease with browned butter. Brush a cutting board with a small amount of browned butter. Turn the dough out onto the board. Using a pastry scraper, halve the dough and scoop each half onto a baking sheet. Using the palms of your hands and your fingertips, flatten the dough, starting at the center, and coax it into a 10-inch circle with edges slightly higher than the center. Gently brush the dough with browned butter again. Lightly cover the dough with a clean, damp kitchen towel and set in a warm place for 30 minutes. When the dough has risen, gently press your fingertips to form dimples all over the surface. Brush with the rest of the brown butter.
5. Sprinkle half of the raw sugar over each of the focaccia rounds. Gently and generously brush about half of the caramelized orange marmalade over each round (you may have a tablespoon or two left over), then sprinkle with half of the blueberries and half of the rosemary. Bake 15 to 20 minutes, rotating the baking sheets 180 degrees halfway through to allow for even browning. When done, the top of the focaccia will be soft to the touch.
6. Cool for about 10 minutes. Cut each focaccia into 10 wedges. Serve warm.
Each serving: 260 calories; 4 grams protein; 37 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams fiber; 11 grams fat; 7 grams saturated fat; 29 mg. cholesterol; 60 mg. sodium.
Watermelon blueberry soup
Total time: 30 minutes plus
1 hour steeping time and chilling time
Servings: 8
Notes: From chef Alan Ashkinaze of Aqua at the St. Regis Monarch Beach Resort. He serves this as an amuse, but it also makes a terrific cocktail or even dessert.
Ingredients
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup water
2 Tbsps. white wine
1 stalk lemongrass
1 1/2 cups cubed red seedless watermelon
3/4 cup cubed ripe peach (about 1)
1/2 cup cubed cantaloupe
1/4 cup blueberries, divided
1/4 cup fresh-squeezed orange juice
1 1/2 tsps. mint chiffonade
Pinch of cayenne pepper
1 1/2 tsps. Cointreau, divided 6 Tbsps. Champagne or sparkling white wine
3 Tbsps. club soda
1. Combine the sugar, water, white wine and lemongrass in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Lower the heat and gently simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the mixture steep for at least 1 hour. Strain and set aside.
2. In a blender, combine the watermelon, peach, cantaloupe and half of the blueberries. Puree until smooth. Strain the mixture through a chinois or fine sieve (if you have a juicer, you can use it instead of a blender and skip this step because a juicer will strain the fruit.) Add the orange juice and some of the lemongrass simple syrup to taste, about 1 to 2 Tbsps. Chill the mixture.
3. Just before serving, cut the remaining blueberries in half and place in a small bowl. Add the mint, ground cayenne pepper, a pinch of salt and 1/4 tsp. of Cointreau. Stir gently and divide among 8 demitasse cups.
4. To the watermelon mixture, stir in 1 1/4 tsps. Cointreau, the Champagne and club soda. Divide the mixture among the cups, pouring over the blueberries. Serve immediately.
Each serving: 62 calories; 0 protein; 13 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram fiber; 0 fat; 0 saturated fat; 0 cholesterol; 2 mg. sodium.