pictures and pancakes

happy new year

2012-01-11T08:54:00.003-05:00

happy new year! we had a long overdue vacation over the holidays and spent 3 weeks with family and friends in AZ and CA. back in NYC & we feel recharged for a wonderful 2012! we had some great meals at old favorites like gulfstream, amazing fish tacos at bear flag fish co. and a great dinner in phoenix at noca.

we're working on lots of fun projects we can't wait to share and are feeling inspired by the large stack of cookbooks from our xmas list - especially excited to start cooking and baking from momofuku milk bar, off the menu, & american flavor. before looking forward, it's always good to look back as big leo did for a year of photos - we were so happy to be a part of creating many of these beautiful images over the year!

for the healthy breakfast inspiration above, andrew shot the fit to eat feature from the january 2012 issue of martha stewart living. enjoy!

apple cake

2011-11-22T09:49:00.003-05:00

when it comes to dessert, i've always been more of a pumpkin pie (or pumpkin cheesecake) person - and eating a slice for breakfast the next morning with a cup of coffee is really the best part. lots of people have apple pie for the holidays though and it wasn't until last thanksgiving when a friend brought a delicious homemade apple pie that i finally started to understand the allure. so when we made this with apples from our apple picking adventure, i knew it would be a great thanksgiving dessert! and it tasted pretty wonderful for breakfast as well! the recipe is from this cookbook - everything we've made from it, including this, has been so delicious. happy thanksgiving!!

Apple Upside-Down Cake

serves 8 to 10

for the apple butter:

1 vanilla bean

6 apples, peeled, cored and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

juice of 1 lemon

1/4 cup apple juice

2 teaspoons freshly grated nutmeg

1/4 cup sugar

split the vanilla bean lengthwise with a pairing knife, scrape out the pulp with the back of the knife, and put the pulp and the pod in a medium saucepan. add the apples, a few drops of lemon juice, and the apple juice, nutmeg and sugar. cover and cook over medium heat until the apples are steamed and soft, 7 to 10 minutes. smash the apples with the back of a spoon until they form a sauce. cook over low heat, stirring frequently to allow the excess moisture to evaporate, for another 10 to 15 minutes. the apple butter is ready when it becomes thicker and smoother and is a rich tan color. let the apple butter cool to room temperature and remove vanilla pod.

for the caramel:

1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 1/4 cups sugar

5 apples, peeled, cored and each cut into 8 wedges

preheat oven to 350 degrees F. heat a 10-inch cast iron skillet over medium heat and add butter and sugar. stir to combine as the mixture melts. cook until mixture caramelizes to a deep brown color, about 7 to 10 minutes. carefully add the apple wedges and transfer the skillet to the oven. bake 15 minutes or until apples are tender but retain their shape. remove and let cool slightly.

for the cake:

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 cup light brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1 egg, beaten

1 cup all purpose flour

3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour

cream the butter, brown sugar, salt, baking powder and nutmeg in an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. add the egg and 1 cup reserved apple butter and mix to combine. add the flours and mix just until incorporated. spread the cake batter directly over the caramel apples in the skilled and bake for 35 to 40 minutes. the cake is done when a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. let cool slightly. place a rimmed plate that's larger than the skillet over the top and invert with towels or oven mitts. if any apples stick to the skillet, remove and put back on the cake. let cool 20 minutes before serving. enjoy!

sweet paul - finger food

2011-11-16T18:13:00.002-05:00

have you checked out the winter issue of sweet paul magazine that came out on tuesday?! it's the biggest issue yet and full of beautiful photography and styling by all our favorite people. we got to contribute a fun story of finger foods and cocktails with some delicious treats for any holiday party!

also excited that we just picked up a few items we bought from elephant ceramics in the most recent shop update - gorgeous stuff you'll be seeing in some shots soon! finally made it to dinner here with our friend dimity and had an amazing dinner!! we are getting very excited for thanksgiving (the best food holiday of the year) - what will you be making?!

raspberry jam tartlet

2011-11-10T18:47:00.000-05:00

seems like the fall colors are in full effect here in nyc and we've had some gorgeous warm days to wander around the city and enjoy! we've been busy working and playing so far this month - our friend ashleywas in town cooking on a yacht and we had a blast planning menus together and creating dishes in the galley. we'll be posting a few of the delicious dishes we came up with here soon - like sausage pretzel crostini and asian lobster buns! before she headed off to morocco we met for drinks at the breslin in a newly discovered cozy nook upstairs.

looking forward to the holiday issue of sweet paul magazine to come out next week! sporting these cute new toms to support movember and raise awareness for cancers affecting men. we've had 2 memorably great meals out recently - an indulgent comfort food filled dinner at the redhead and amazing pizza at Co.

hope you enjoy this cute little jam tartlet - perfect afternoon snack . . . or sweet treat for breakfast!

Jam Lattice Tartlets

makes 4

3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour

3/4 cup all purpose flour

2 tbs sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, diced

1 large egg yolk

1 tsp almond extract

2 tbs ice water

1 jar raspberry jam

confectioner's sugar, for serving

in a medium bowl, combine flours, sugar and salt and stir. add butter and using fingers or pastry cutter, work mixture until it resembles a coarse meal with some small pea-size lumps. in a small bowl, whisk together yolk, extract and water and add to flour mixture. stir just until dough comes together and forms a ball. divide dough into 2 balls, flatten into disks and cover in plastic wrap. chill 1 hour.

preheat oven to 375 degrees F and lightly grease four 3 1/2-inch tartlet pans with removable bottom. keep on disk in the fridge and cut one disk into 4 equal portions and roll each out between sheets of parchment into a thin round slightly larger than the tartlet pan. transfer each circle to the prepared pan and press lightly to fit into pan. prick the bottom of the tart dough with a fork and chill for 15 minutes in the freezer. bake 15 to 20 minutes or until shells are golden brown. let cool slightly.

distribute jam among 4 pre-baked shells, filling almost to the top. cut remaining disk into 2 parts and roll into circles about 1/8-inch thick. cut into long thin strips with a knife or pastry wheel. assemble a lattice top across each tartlet, trimming the edges of all strips so they are flush with the edge of the pan. bake 20 minutes or until jam is bubbly and top is golden brown. let cool, 15 minutes in pan and then remove from tartlet pan and cool completely on rack.

dust with confectioner's sugar before serving. enjoy!

halloween for adults

2011-10-31T13:12:00.002-04:00

happy halloween everyone! Just wanted to pass on a link and a couple images we did with dimity jones for her blog three to one. she wrote this fun little story about a couple cocktails for the holiday. we were more than happy to photograph them before we drank them. check out her blog often, as it has amazing writing and lots of talented photogs are featured all the time! check back here this week as we will be sharing more recipes and images. happy halloween

apple picking

2011-10-27T20:47:00.003-04:00

we came home with loads of fruit from apple picking at stuart's farm over the weekend and wanted to come up with some new recipes. they may not be the most beautiful northern spy, macoun, baldwin and mutsu apples due to some late season rain but they taste great - it was so much fun to walk through the orchards on a cool overcast day, tasting apples before we picked them to ensure the most tart flavor and crunchy texture before filling our bags. we'll post a sweet apple recipe soon but on this cold rainy almost wintry feeling evening in nyc a savory dish felt more appropriate. there are many classic combinations but few are better than pork, apples & sage - this dish is a simple roast dinner and the apples become unbelievably tender and creamy.

Roast Pork Loin with Apples & Sage

serves 6 to 8

4 tbs olive oil, divided

3 1/2 lbs boneless pork loin roast

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper

6 to 8 small tart apples, quartered or cut into wedges

6 large leaves fresh sage, chopped

6 cloves garlic, chopped

preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

grease a large baking dish with 1 tbs olive oil. place pork roast in fat side up and season all over with salt, pepper and 1 tbs oil. arrange apples around meat and drizzle with remaining oil. sprinkle pork and apples with sage and garlic. roast for about 1 hour or until temperature reaches 140 degrees F. let rest 10 to 15 minutes before slicing to serve with apples. enjoy!

thanksgiving tears

2011-10-25T22:16:00.002-04:00

a quick hello and some fun tears from a thanksgiving spread i styled. look for these delicious holiday dessert recipes in the november issue of everyday with rachel ray - shot by the talented jose picayo! it was so much fun to bake such a great variety of sweets and the whole crew enjoyed taste testing as well.

we had fun apple picking and can't wait to share some of the tasty recipes we came up with after the adventure. we also stopped here on the way back to the city and loved exploring such a beautiful old place full of history.

tacos

2011-10-22T15:47:00.003-04:00

it's getting to be that time of year when preparing slow roasted meats or dishes in the slow cooker sound wonderful. this recipe was inspired by a dish we saw on diners, drive-ins & dives from a fantastic looking mexican place in cleveland - slow cooked brisket, shredded and served as yummy tacos! and it's the perfect dish to smother with this roasted tomatillo salsa.

excited to go apple picking with a friend from out of town this week and to check out this farm stand. also had an amazing day wandering among sculptures and beautiful fall colors in the hudson valley here - definitely worth the drive out of the city!

happy weekend!

Braised Beef Tacos

serves 4 to 6

for beef:

3 1/2 lb beef brisket

3 tbs ground coffee

2 tbs kosher salt

1 tsp jalapeno powder

1 tsp ground chipolte chile

2 tbs olive oil

2 cups tomato juice

1 cup coffee

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1 large onion, cut into quarters

3 bay leaves

3 sticks mexican cinnamon

6 cloves garlic, smashed

1 lime, juiced

for tacos:

1 tbs olive oil

2 red bell peppers, thinly sliced

1 large onion, peeled & thinly sliced

3 cloves garlic, chopped

3 tbs heavy cream

1 tbs dried oregano

corn tortillas

tomatillo salsa

cotija cheese

avocado

preheat oven to 300 degrees F. in a small bowl, combine coffee, salt, jalapeno powder and chile powder and mix. rub all over brisket to coat well.

heat a large dutch oven over medium high heat and add olive oil. sear meat on each side until nicely browned. add remaining ingredients plus 2 cups water and bring to a simmer. cover and transfer pot to oven and cook for 3 hours or until tender. remove meat from broth and set aside until cool enough to shred. strain liquid and return to pot. simmer over medium heat until slightly reduced. stir shredded meat into broth and keep warm.

heat olive oil in a medium saute pan over medium high heat. add peppers, onion and garlic and saute 10 minutes or until softened. stir in heavy cream and oregano.

for each taco, top a warm corn tortilla with about 1/4 cup meat, a few tablespoons of stewed peppers and onions, salsa, cheese and avocado. enjoy!

green sauce

2011-10-17T22:16:00.003-04:00

a quick hello and a very simple recipe for a great roasted tomatillo salsa. stop by later this week for a great machaca taco recipe . . . a perfect place to use this not too spicy tangy green sauce! it's also great on huevos rancheros, yum. the green market this weekend was in full autumn mode and has inspired lots of cooking on our few and far between days off.

we've been working on loads of fun projects lately and can't wait to share some new tears. (like the thanksgiving desserts spread i styled in the new EDRR - pick it up!) remember when we made homemade worcestershire here? well, we were making bloody marys with our friend dimity recently and it inspired her to post this. we celebrated our 4th wedding anniversary last week but still haven't gone out to dinner to celebrate - any suggestions for a fun new spot in nyc? happy monday!

Roasted Tomatillo Salsa

makes 2 1/2 cups

1 large onion, peeled and coarsely chopped

4 jalapenos, seeded and coarsely chopped

10 medium tomatillos, husks removed, scrubbed and quartered

6 cloves garlic

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon kosher salt

fresh ground pepper

juice of 2 limes

1/3 cup coarsely chopped cilantro

preheat oven to 400 degrees F. toss onion, jalapenos, tomatillos, garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper together on a large baking sheet. roast for 15 to 20 minutes or until softened and lightly charred. transfer to a blender with lime juice and cilantro and blend until combined and smooth with a few chunks remaining. serve warm or room temperature & enjoy!

budino

2011-09-11T13:44:00.003-04:00

remember when we just told you about a great trip to philly and the delicious salted caramel budino at barbuzzo? well you can imagine how happy we were to see the recipe printed in the september issue of bon appetit! a great make ahead dessert and the perfect ending for our lovely evening with matt, adam & linda a few weeks ago - we all just about licked the jar clean. find the recipe here.

we both have lots of work out right now in mags like every day with rachel ray, food network and a cooking light special issue but the knotted dinner rolls and ragus i styled for the oct/nov issue of Fine Cooking were really delicious recipes that stick out in my mind- especially this one.

it was a beautiful new york day on governors island yesterday for pig island. a few favorites were maple bacon sticky buns from print & lechon nam khon from ducks eatery. hope you had a great weekend!

work

2011-09-04T14:13:00.003-04:00

hope you are having a wonderful holiday weekend! we're getting some much needed R&R, catching up on magazine & blog reading, drinking lots of coffee from here, watching lots of tennis and hanging out with friends. we had an amazing evening friday night finally getting to meet matt & adam, who came over for dinner with our good friend linda. it's always inspiring to hang out with people in our industry who are such wonderful people!

just back from styling on a week long cookbook shoot in Maine here - a beautiful part of the country, amazing farm, great crew (shot by matthew benson), all the lobster rolls and steamed clams we could eat and a truly inspiring week with barbara & eliot. can't wait to share some images!

above is some of andrew's latest work from the september martha stewart living. also check out his website which is newly updated & have a happy labor day tomorrow!

summer pie

2011-08-18T21:28:00.003-04:00

checking in with an easy summer pie that utilizes the ripest, sweetest ingredients! with all the fall & holiday shoots we've been doing lately (turkeys & pumpkin pies galore) we decided this combination of juicy yellow nectarines and plump blackberries would remind us that summer isn't quite over just yet.

we've been traveling a lot lately and have lots of fun projects to share soon. got to spend a week in our favorite city, san francisco! worked with great people and ate delicious food but a few highlights were flour + water & wayfare tavern! also just spent a few days in philadelphia and had a fantastic dinner at barbuzzo - the salted caramel budino is now on our all time favorite things list!!

the big leo den recently posted a few spreads that are on newsstands now that we styled and/or shot - check them out here and here!

have a great weekend!

Nectarine Blackberry Pie

serves 6-8

1 9-inch pie crust (frozen or grandma's time tested recipe)

4 medium nectarines, pited & cut into 1-inch thick sliced

1 pint blackberries

1/4 cup sugar

2 tbs cornstarch

1 tsp vanilla

1 egg, beaten with 1 tbs water

3 tbs turbinado or raw sugar

preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

roll dough out to 1/8-inch thick and transfer dough to a pie tin. fold under excess and crimp the borders using your fingers. prick the bottom of the pie with a fork and refrigerate for 30 minutes. blind bake by lining the pastry with parchment and fill with dried beans. bake 12 to 15 or until crust doesn't look raw anymore. carefully remove parchment and let cool while you make the filling. reduce oven to 400 degrees F.

in a medium bowl combine nectarines, blackberries, sugar, cornstarch and vanilla and toss lightly to coat. transfer to crust. brush edges of pastry with egg was and sprinkle the whole pie with sugar. bake 15 minutes or until crust is golden brown and fruit is softened and hot. let cool for 10 minutes before slices. enjoy!

new work

2011-07-26T18:18:00.003-04:00

just a quick hello and some pretty pics from the august issue of martha stewart living. andrew got to shoot these beautiful zucchini recipes styled by sarah carey and art directed by dimity jones - if you haven't already, check out dimity's blog three to one! also check out the july/aug issue of coastal living here for some tasty recipes i styled with a wonderful group of women.

can't believe how quickly the month of july has flown by! seems like it was just last week we were in california for the holiday and a fun cookbook project i styled with photographer jason varney. we had an awesome dinner at the bar of suzanne goin's newest project tavern - great wine list, corn fritters, steamed mussels with chorizo, and braised pork cheeks! also got to see our good friend jen and catch up.

white heat

2011-07-22T17:40:00.002-04:00

we thought this all white, no-cook, shaved veggie salad seemed the perfect way to keep cool on a record breaking hot temperature day in the city. we've been busy shooting fall root vegetables for FNM and got to come home with lots of goodies, but the last thing we wanted to do was turn on the oven to roast them. this post is adapted from an old bon appetit recipe inspired by a salad from al di la in brooklyn. we had never eaten many of these ingredients raw but think you'll love the crunchy texture & earthy flavor - a delicious and beautiful start or side to any meal!

check out andrew's new photography facebook page here and like it to keep up to date on recent work and other fun stuff - thanks for your support!

White Salad

serves 2

1 medium parsnip, peeled & julienned

2 small sunchokes, peeled & thinly sliced

1 small bulb fennel, trimmed & thinly sliced

1 head white Belgian endive, thinly sliced

1/2 small celery root, peeled & julienned

1/2 small head cauliflower, trimmed & thinly sliced

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons champagne vinegar

salt & pepper

1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese

in a large bowl, combine parsnip, sunchoke, fennel, endive, celery root and cauliflower and toss lightly. drizzle with oil and vinegar and season to taste with salt and pepper - toss to coat. divide between two shallow bowls and garnish with crumbled blue cheese. enjoy!

martha grills

2011-06-24T16:35:00.002-04:00

i just wanted to share a few images from the behind the scenes shots i did for a martha stewart grilling special on the hallmark channel that premiers on june 24th at 8pm eastern. it was a lot of fun photographing martha and her slew of celebrity chefs. publics brad farmerie, hill countrys elizabeth karmel, bill taibe of le farm, east coast grills chris schlesinger, robert guerra of la caja china and emeril lagasse himself, grill with martha some of their favorite grilled foods. it was a blast to be around such talent, and eat all that great food. after taking almost 5000 images over the 2 days, i sure have my hands full editing!

so tune in to the hallmark channel to watch the show, and tune in to pictures and pancakes next week for great new recipes.

the frankies

2011-06-22T23:06:00.003-04:00

we've had a busy few weeks and weekends shooting and styling for great clients like food network magazine, fine cooking, gilt taste, and prevention and we can't wait to share everything with you. in the meantime, we have to share a great recipe we recently discovered. this not too sweet, delicious loaf is perfect on its own with coffee in the morning or tea in the afternoon but serving it with roasted rhubarb makes it a wonderful dessert that highlights the last of the rhubarb at the farmer's markets right now. the olive oil cake comes from the frankies sputino cookbook which is a wonderful manual from one of our favorite eateries. it can be baked as a 10-inch cake or six mini bundt cakes but for this recipe we decided to make it a loaf. be sure to use a high quality olive oil in the cake since it's the key ingredient and all the flavors of the oil you choose will definitely come through. the frankies have their own olive oils which are a great choice too!

Olive Oil Cake with Roasted Rhubarb

(adapted from The Frankies Sputino Kitchen Companion & Cooking Manual)

yields 1 loaf

5 eggs

zest of 1 1/2 oranges

1 1/4 cups sugar

2 cups extra virgin olive oil

2 cups cake flour, sifted

1 tsp salt

1 1/8 tsp baking powder

4 cups sliced rhubarb

4 tbs sugar

juice of 1 orange

1 tbs olive oil

preheat oven to 325 degrees F. in the bowl of a stand mixer, combine eggs, orange zest and sugar and beat on medium speed for a minute until mixed. reduce to low speed and slowly add the olive oil in a steady thin stream. in a medium bowl, stir together cake flour, salt and baking powder. add to egg mixture in three additions, whisking on low until the batter is smooth.

pour into a greased loaf pan and bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes or until browned and done in the center. the cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out dry. cool in pan for 20 minutes, remove and cool completely on a wire rack.

preheat oven to 400 degrees F. toss rhubarb, sugar, orange juice and olive oil together on a sheet pan until evenly coated. roast for 12 to 15 minutes or until rhubarb is tender but still holds its shape. spoon roasted rhubarb over slices of olive oil cake to serve. enjoy!

nor'easter

2011-06-15T12:36:00.005-04:00

the last few weeks, and months to be honest, have been a little nuts. we have been shooting and shooting, being exposed to all sorts of great food related items. but with these busy streaks, we really get on a roll with trying to seek out all the good eats we can find. last night we went to dinner at public. chef brad farmerie is truly amazing with his food. i had the pleasure of photographing him last week with martha stewart for a grilling special, and all he cooked was so tasty we decided to go eat his everyday food. we actually sat in their newer monday room, attached to public. it has the same menu as public, just with a few additions. we really enjoyed all he had to offer, all the way down to the great service. you need to check it out when in manhattan.

we also recently had dinner at char no 4 in brooklyn with some new friends on their weekly summer bbq night. every wednesday in the summer, for $22 you get 3 kinds of meat, 2 sides, a beer and a shot of whiskey! it was really good fun and great food. I believe that each month it changes food, and we had great slow roasted lamb shoulder, and an amazing cheddar sausage among other things. while we were waiting for a table, we were introduced to one of char no 4's signature cocktails, the nor'easter. it is adapted from a dark and stormy, but with bourbon instead of rum...it was truly delicious. you can also find the recipe in this great book of brooklyn's best food and drink.

nor'easter

from char no 4

makes 1 drink

1.5 oz bourbon (char no 4 uses old crow)

.5 oz fresh lime juice

.5 oz pure maple syrup

1.5 oz ginger beer

1 lime slice garnish

in a cocktail shaker, combine the bourbon, lime juice, and maple syrup with some ice cubes. shake well. strain into a glass filled with new ice. top with ginger beer and garnish with a lime wedge. enjoy!

mangoes & blackberries

2011-06-13T20:16:00.003-04:00

we love elaborate breakfasts as much as the next person - poached eggs, a good corned beef hash, stacks of pancakes dripping in buttery syrup, omelets with all the fixings. but few things come close to the simple satisfaction of great bread perfectly toasted, spread with a little butter and your favorite jam. we've made preserves before here and here, but this is our latest experiment in slow simmered fruit and sugar - mangoes, blackberries and vanilla bean. it's so wonderful on toast that you'll have a hard time only eating one or two slices and it's equally as delicious on pork chops or roasted chicken.

Mango Blackberry Preserves

makes about 3 cups

3 ripe mangoes, peeled & diced

1 pint blackberries, washed

1 vanilla bean, split and scraped

1 cup granulated sugar

place all ingredients in a medium pot and bring to a boil over medium high heat. reduce to a simmer and cook 1 hour or until fruit is broken down and slightly thickened. add a little water if mixture becomes too thick and/or a little more sugar to taste. if necessary, mash slightly with a potato masher or back of a wooden spoon. transfer to glass jars for canning or refrigerate for up to 2 weeks. enjoy!

summer seafood

2011-06-10T11:35:00.003-04:00

the summer 2011 issue of sweet paul magazine is out today! we developed, shot and styled a light summer seafood story with our friend sarah cave and are so pleased to be a part of this beautiful issue.

besides the renegade craft fair going on this weekend in brooklyn, the big apple bbq block party is happening sat & sun in madison square park and we're definitely looking forward to eating some great ribs and pulled pork! we also can't wait to check out the second section of the high line that opened this week as well as the lot! what are you up to this weekend?!

happy weekend!

uppercase

2011-06-07T17:05:00.002-04:00

just a quick hello and a little peek at an article in issue #9 of Uppercase magazine - we were featured in great company with Heidi Swanson of 101 Cookbooks and Aran Goyoaga of Cannelle et Vanille. Thanks to Tara and everyone at Uppercase for including us in such an inspiring piece!

looks like Uppercase will be attending this year's renegade craft fair in Brooklyn this weekend - are you going?! Sweet Paul will be there too - and we of course are anxiously awaiting the summer issue's release on friday!

rancho gordo

2011-05-31T10:14:00.004-04:00

hope everyone is feeling rested and relaxed after the holiday weekend. we enjoyed the sun and warm weather finally here in nyc with friends, a night at citi field and a few glasses of rose here.

check out this post on the den about our work with gilt taste. now that summer is here, so are all the great outdoor fleas and food markets like smorgasburg, which we checked out last saturday. also excited to check out the latest east coast outpost of blue bottle coffee - how's that view?!

we've shared our love of Rancho Gordo products on the blog before here but realized it's been way too long since we've cooked with any of their amazing beans! we recently picked up a bag of christmas lima beans which are big and beautiful with their maroon stripping and deep chestnut flavor. this salad is adapted from Heirloom Beans, a great reference for how to cook all things rancho gordo by the company's founder. this hearty healthy salad is great for summer gatherings as a whole meal or a perfect side dish.

Christmas Lima Bean Salad

(adapted from Heirloom Beans)

serves 4 to 6

5 small beets

1/2 cup quinoa

3 cups cooked christmas lima beans

4 green onions, chopped

1 avocado, diced

1/2 cup yellow pear tomatoes, halved

1/3 cup feta cheese, crumbled

juice of 1/2 lemon

1 tbs red wine vinegar

1 tsp honey

1/3 cup olive oil

kosher salt & fresh ground pepper

preheat oven to 400 degrees F. wash and scrub beets. wrap in foil and wrap until tender when poked with a fork, about 45 minutes to 1 hour. when cool, peel and cut into bite size wedges. in a medium saucepan bring quinoa and water to a boil. reduce heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until fluffy but still a little tender. drain well and rinse under cool water.

combine beets, quinoa, beans, green onion, avocado and tomatoes.

in a small bowl combine lemon juice, vinegar and honey. while stirring, slowly drizzle in olive oil and whisk to combine. pour over salad and toss to combine. season to taste with salt and pepper and sprinkle with crumbled feta before serving. serve at room temperature & enjoy!

matt's bites

2011-05-24T18:05:00.005-04:00

ok, we know we need to blog more, and learning to juggle work and play and the blog all together has been a great learning experience. we love the outlet of the blog, and are ready to roll and start posting as much as we can! what better way to start than cooking from a wonderful new book from a blog friend Matt Armendariz. carrie and i are suckers for food on a stick and lovers of matt's blog, matt bites, so what better way to get our creative juices flowing for our blog than to cook, shoot and more importantly eat something from matt's new book, on a stick!...we love the concept and for as approachable as it is, i'm sure we will be cooking from it all the time. pictured above are the wonderful corndogs. we made mini corndogs using the same recipe and they turned out great. we also made a twist on a dipping sauce by using 3 parts ketchup to 1 part sriracha, a nice and spicy way we like to zip up our ketchup. we also can't wait to try the deep fried mac and cheese or the chicken and waffles, just to name a few. so go out and get this book, and make some food on a stick!

its fun to let you know, finally, that we have been a part of the beginnings of gilts new website, gilt taste. so fun to be able to work with the talented paige hicks and adrienne anderson. we think this site has potential for big things.

some other little updates...I just spent 7 great days up at martha stewart's house in bedford shooting a project i cant wait to share with all of you. lots of shots with some amazingly talented people. also carrie and i just did a shoot for food network mag that will be out in september, can't wait to share as it is always fun for us to work together.

we have lots of great recipes and photos coming in the weeks ahead, so check in with us and see what we have been up to.

thanks

more msl

2011-04-20T19:32:00.004-04:00

a quick mid-week hello to update you on some fun projects we've been a part of recently. these tasty looking pasta dishes are just a few of the things andrew shot in the may issue of martha stewart living.

we had a great trip to birmingham, AL last week for a shoot. besides the wonderful people we met we also ate some good food - great ribs & pulled pork here, a kentucky hot brown here, and a wonderful dinner with a new friend here. birmingham was really beautiful and we can't wait for our next trip to the south!

we'll be hosting our annual urban family easter again this year but with brunch on saturday. hot cross buns & ham are on the menu so far - anyone have a great champagne cocktail recipe we should serve??

behind the bar

2011-04-08T11:46:00.002-04:00

just wanted to share a quick link to a guest post we were asked to do on design sponge for their behind the bar series. we came up with a blackberry smash and you can find the recipe over here. thanks to alissa & ryan and everyone at design sponge for letting us be a part of their amazing blog yet again!

if you love oysters and the new amsterdam market, hopefully you're going here on saturday. also, don't forget to go here and help nominate us for best food photography blog!

happy friday!

gorgonzola risotto

2011-04-07T18:15:00.000-04:00

we have a favor to ask of you! whether you read regularly or just found us, we'd love your help in nominating pictures & pancakes for saveur's best of 2011 awards for food photography! go here and vote to get us on the ballot. the previous year's lists are filled with amazing artists we'd love to share company with - thanks for your help everyone!

the sun came out for a bit today and we pretended it was warm by having our first kelvin slush of the season - ginger and white peach, yum! we are headed to Birmingham, AL next week to work on a project we're excited to share. any food destinations we can't miss while we're there? also can't wait to share a recent shoot we did with adam richman of man vs. food. some great new cookbooks are out - can't wait to pick up this book on all things goat, heidi's latest and matt's book as well!

here's an easy, indulgent risotto recipe perfect for lunch with a salad or as a side paired with a nice piece of beef and a good bottle of red wine. it's so good and incredibly rich - you'll want to eat the entire pot!

Gorgonzola Risotto

serves 4

2 tbs olive oil

1 large onion, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 cup arborio rice

4 cups chicken stock

1/2 to 1 cup water

1/2 cup heavy cream

8 oz gorgonzola dulce

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

salt & pepper

parmesan cheese for garnish

heat oil in a medium pot over medium high heat. add onion and saute 5 to 8 minutes or until translucent. add garlic and cook 2 minutes more. add rice and stir to coat with oil, cooking 1 minute. add 1 cup of stock and stir constantly until all of the liquid is absorbed by the rice. add remaining stock, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring until each portion is absorbed and rice is tender. add water 1/4 cup at a time if rice is not tender enough after 4 cups of stock have been added. reduce heat to low and stir in cream and gorgonzola. stir and cook until thickened. remove from heat, add walnuts and season to taste with salt and pepper. divide between bowls and garnish with parmesan cheese. enjoy!

behind the bar

2011-03-31T17:27:00.000-04:00

we wanted to give you a sneak peek to a guest post that will be up in april on behind the bar, a design sponge monthly cocktail feature. we were lucky enough to share our gin & ginger a while back, and were thrilled to be asked to do another. we're really on a whiskey kick right now, and created a drink that we hope everyone can enjoy...we'll share the link to the recipe for our blackberry smash as soon as it's up! in the meantime, these simple cocktail nuts are perfect to go with almost any cocktail - cheers.

spicy maple almonds

makes 2 cups

2 cup dry roasted unsalted almonds

2 tbs maple syrup

1 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp ground chipolte chili

toss all ingredients in a bowl and mix together. spread on a sheet pan and place in a 350 degree F oven for 10 to 12 minutes. let cool completely and enjoy!

new work

2011-03-28T17:55:00.000-04:00

just a quick hello and happy monday! wanted to share some fun new work in the april issue of martha stewart living - shot a delicious mad hungry with stuffed leg of lamb and steamed artichokes, a perfect menu from lucinda to get you in the mood for spring. the shoot was art directed by our friend dimity jones - check out her blog three to one.

think we're still stuffed from a good eating weekend in boston - tater tots near fennway here, creative cocktails with amazing ice cubes here, pizza and march madness here and maybe one of the best brunches of all time at highland kitchen!

stew & snow

2011-03-23T14:04:00.000-04:00

from warm and sunny friday to snow and sleet today, east coast weather is so confusing! it's a good day to stay inside, read a book with a cup of tea and make a pot of this hearty warming fish stew. it's light and healthy while still being satisfying. and it's versatile - throw in whatever combinations of vegetables, beans, grains and fish you have on hand.

check out this article i worked on for the nest with a few other members of the big leo family. did you see the beet detox spread our friend jen, shot for the new issue of rue - it's beautiful! ready for a fun weekend in boston to celebrate a great friend's birthday - including a wine tasting event here.

Cod & White Bean Stew

serves 2

1 tbs olive oil

3 leeks, white and light green parts, sliced and cleaned well

2 celery stalks, sliced

1 clove garlic, minced

3 tomatoes, chopped

1 can cannellini beans, rinsed

2 cups chicken stock

1 small bunch thyme

8 oz cod, cut into 1/2-inch chunks

2 tbs chopped parsley

salt & pepper

heat olive oil in a medium pot over medium high heat. add leeks saute for 5 minutes or until they begin to soften. add celery and garlic and saute a few minutes more. add tomatoes, beans, stock and thyme and bring to a boil. reduce to a simmer and cook for 10-15 minutes or until vegetables are tender and warmed. add cod and simmer 5 to 8 minutes or until white and flaky. remove from heat, stir in parsley and season to taste with salt and pepper. enjoy!

pb, chocolate & salt

2011-03-10T12:14:00.000-05:00

a cool rainy thursday in nyc is the perfect day to bake! actually, any day is perfect for this easy combination of amazing flavors of peanut butter, chocolate and salt. we adapted this from an over ten year old bon appetit recipe found on epicurious.

also, check out what we've been up to lately:

- the spring issue of sweet paul magazine is out. we were happy to be a part of the kids issue developing & shooting 'freeze it' and especially enjoyed eating the strawberry shortcake ice cream sandwiches!

- hopefully you didn't miss andrew's latest work in the march issue of martha stewart living like these tasty cocktails, zucchini nut bread cookie sandwiches (and a fun stop motion video on the ipad), and lucinda's uncorned beef which we will definitely be making next week!

- i styled a great lamb article in the april/may issue of fine cooking and really enjoyed the roasted loins with mustard herb crust for dinner after the shoot!

- check out the blog at kosher.com, a great client we've been developing recipes for each month.

have a great weekend!

Salted Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies

makes 2 dozen

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/3 cup old- fashioned oats

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup smooth peanut butter

1 cup brown sugar

1 stick unsalted butter, room temp

1/4 cup honey

1 large egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

5 ounces milk chocolate chips

2 tbs maldon salt

in a medium bowl, mix flour oats, baking soda and salt together. in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together peanut butter, sugar and butter until fluffy. add honey, egg and vanilla extract and mix until smooth. add dry ingredients in two additions and stir in chocolate. refrigerate dough 30 minutes or until no longer sticky.

preheat oven to 350 degrees F. roll a heaping tablespoonful of dough with your hands to make a ball and place on greased baking sheet, placing 12 on each sheet. using hands or the bottom of a glass, press balls down slightly so cookie is about 1/4-inch thick. sprinkle with maldon salt and bake 11 to 13 minutes or until beginning to brown but still slightly soft to the touch. cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. enjoy!

apple brandy

2011-02-08T13:52:00.000-05:00

here's a quick and refreshing cocktail inspired by a drink from jg domestic that i tasted on a recent trip to philly. it went perfectly with the hickory smoked georgia pecans with maple & bacon! we used apple brandy from harvest spirits for this libation - they are located in the hudson valley and apparently give tours and tastings at their distillery. sounds like we need to take a road trip soon!

The Philadelphia

makes 1

1 oz high quality gin

1 oz apple brandy

1 tbs meyer lemon juice

2 tsp maple syrup

3 1/2 oz club soda

1 sprig thyme

1 slice of apple

in a cocktail shaker, combine gin, brandy, lemon juice and maple syrup with ice and shake well. pour into a high ball glass, top with club soda and stir. garnish with thyme and apple. enjoy!

asparagus

2011-02-03T12:08:00.000-05:00

a quick hello and a beautiful bowl of spring green asparagus soup to warm up from the grey days we've had recently (even though the sun is shining this afternoon). it's super simple and a great way to use up extra vegetables.

we're excited about a project we're working on with uppercase magazine - can't wait to share! have you seen jen's new project, the makers? all the creative people in brooklyn and what they're making are so inspiring! also, have you seen this behind the scenes video from ban.do? fun, sparkly and pretty as always.

Roasted Asparagus Soup

serves 2

4 cups coarsely chopped asparagus

3 cloves garlic, smashed

1 onion, coarsely chopped

1 tbs olive oil

1 1/2 cups chicken stock

1/2 cup heavy cream or milk

salt & pepper

preheat oven to 400 degrees F. toss asparagus, garlic, onion and olive oil on a sheet pan and season with salt and pepper. roast 20 minutes or until tender. transfer to a food processor or blender and add stock and cream. puree until smooth and season to taste. serve warm or chilled.

snow day

2011-01-26T12:46:00.000-05:00

today is a great day to stay inside and play in the kitchen as the view outside turns into a winter wonderland. we know everyone in nyc is sick of the snow but the beauty and stillness of the white powdery stuff is still exciting to these west coast kids! cookbook santa was very good to us this holiday and we have loads of inspiration to share. a few books at the top of our list that we received are noma, tartine bread, my sweet mexico, and baked explorations. the oatmeal sandwich bread recipe for today's post comes from another wonderful cookbook, good to the grain, filled with recipes that bake with whole grain flours. it's a perfect loaf to toast, smear with butter and jam & nibble with a cup of tea on this snowy day. enjoy!

Oatmeal Sandwich Bread

(from Good to the Grain)

makes 1 large loaf

1 pkg active dry yeast

3 tbs unsulphered molasses

2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

2 cups bread flour

1 cup rolled oats

1/2 stick unsalted butter, melted & cooled

1 tbs kosher salt

add 2 cups warm water, yeast and molasses to the bowl of a standing mixer. stir, allowing yeast to bloom for about 5 minutes, until it begins to bubble. add flours, oats and butter to the yeast mixture. stir together with a wooden spoon, cover with a towel and let sit for 30 minutes. attach the bowl and the bread hook to the mixer. add salt and mix on medium for about 6 minutes or until the dough slaps around the sides of the bowl without sticking. if the dough is sticking at any time, add one or two tablespoons of bread flour. the dough will be soft, supple and slightly tacky.

scrap the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead a few times. put the dough into a greased bowl and cover with a towel. let it rise for about one hour or until it's doubled in size.

to shape the dough, scrape onto a lightly floured work surface. press down, working into a square shape and depressing any air bubbles. fold the dough down from the top to the middle, then up from the bottom to the middle. next, bring the newly formed top and bottom edges together and pinch the seam in the middle, sealing the seam with your fingers. pinch the sides together and roll the shaped dough back and forth, plumping it so that it's evenly formed and about the size of your loaf pan. place the dough in a greased 9x5x3-inch loaf pan and press it gently into the corners of the pan. cover and let it rest for about 1 hour or until dough rises to half it's size or puffs up over the edge of the pan.

preheat oven to 400 degrees F. bake for 40 minutes, rotating halfway through. the loaf is ready when the top crust is dark as molasses and the bottom crust is dark brown. give the top of the loaf a thump to see if it sounds hollow. remove the loaf from the pan and cool for at least 2 hours on a baking rack.

martha

2011-01-21T10:10:00.000-05:00

a quick hello and some fun updates on what we've been up to in the new year! the images above are from work andrew shot in the february issue of martha stewart living - delicious in season tangelos and a curry dish from the lovely lucinda scala quinn. also check out our chocolate pretzel tart featured today on the martha blog taste of the test kitchen.

excited to share a beautiful chocolate project i styled this week with photographer jason varney. had a fun time in philadelphia, including a wonderful dinner here and of course a few cheesesteaks here and here.

we're excited to watch football this weekend but even more excited to eat pork at cochon 555! happy friday!

fine cooking

2010-12-10T11:29:00.000-05:00

just stopping in to say hello! almost forgot to share the december/january issue of fine cooking that i styled! the fabulous croquembouche on the cover was shot by the talented miki duisterhof and the sweets & sparklers feature was so much fun to shoot at the gorgeous home of photographer pernille pedersen. it's a great story and gave me loads of fun ideas for a champagne and dessert party - the apple, fennel and cheddar cheese straws were SO delicious!

have you seen the redesign of jen's blog, nectar & light? love it!

the new amsterdam market this sunday is all about our favorite things - coffee & chocolate!

looking for some holiday gift ideas? check out a few of our favorite blog gift guides - a cup of jo, design sponge, simply photo & sassy radish, plus these beautifully put together gift baskets from one of our favorite stores in brooklyn!

have a happy weekend!

chocolate & pretzels

2010-11-22T11:51:00.000-05:00

as you're busy planning your thanksgiving menu, here's a little treat to make you drool! after thursday, when you need a break from all things pumpkin and turkey, try making this rich, salty, sweet dessert. this recipe is adapted from an old issue of Food & Wine magazine and we decided peanut butter was a perfect addition to the pretzel and chocolate combination.

check out the latest post in our mad props series here - a warm german scene with gold crackle plates, weisswurst and sauerkraut.

finally got to the new amsterdam market for the smorrebrod table 2010 and the rye bread project which was great! also got to meet fellow big leo food stylist Heidi Johannsen and taste some of her delicious and beautiful tea from Bellocq.

Chocolate Pretzel Tart

serves 8

1 stick unsalted butter, softened

1 1/4 cups coarsely crushed pretzels

3/4 cup confectioner's sugar

1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1 egg

1/4 cup creamy peanut butter

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

3/4 lb bittersweet chocolate, chopped

2 tbs maldon sea salt for garnish

in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter with 3/4 cup pretzels and confectioner's sugar on low speed until creamy. beat in flour and eggs. add remaining 1/2 cup pretzels and mix, leaving some pieces intact. flatten the dough between two sheets of plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, at least 30 minutes.

preheat oven to 350 degrees F. roll out the dough between the sheets of plastic wrap to a 12-inch round. peel off the top sheet and invert dough over a 10-inch fluted tart pan with removable bottom. press the dough into the corners and patch any tears. trim the overhanging dough and refrigerate for 30 minutes. line the shell with parchment and pie weights or dried beans and bake 30 minutes. remove the parchment and bake 8-12 minutes more or until firm and set. let the shell cool completely. using a small offset spatula, spread the peanut butter into a thin even layer and refrigerate while making the chocolate filling.

in a medium saucepan, bring the cream to a simmer. turn off heat and add chocolate, let stand 5 minutes. whisk until completely smooth. let filling cool slightly before pouring into the shell and smoothing with spatula. sprinkle with sea salt and refrigerate until set, at least 4 hours.

pickled

2010-11-17T17:46:00.000-05:00

we've pickled stuff before here and have been working for months on our own classic dill pickle recipe to share but here are two new pickled things we recently came across. lately we can't get enough vinegar, lemon juice or anything acidic - don't know exactly what this means but the honeycrisp apple kimchi with jowl bacon at momofuku ssam bar we had at dinner a few nights ago was a great way to satisfy our craving! the recipe for spiced pickled beets is adapted from this book and reminds me so much of the pickled beets that found their way onto our dinner plate many nights growing up. the pickled fennel is adapted from an old Food & Wine magazine recipe and we're still trying to figure out how to work it into an ice cold martini recipe!

Spiced Pickled Beets

makes 1 pint

1 1/2 pounds raw beets, unpeeled

2 cups red wine vinegar

1 cup cider vinegar

1/2 cup sugar

1 bay leaf

1 cinnamon stick

2 whole cloves

6 whole black peppercorns

1 teaspoon salt

wash the beets and trim the tops, being careful not to cut into the beets. leave roots intact. add the remaining ingredients to a large heavy bottomed stainless steel pan and bring to a boil. reduce to a simmer, cover and simmer 1-2 hours or until beets are tender when pierced with a skewer. left the beets out of the liquid and cool. peel and slice into 1/4-inch slices. pack into a pint jar and top with strained cooking liquid. keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Pickled Fennel

makes 1 pint

3/4 cup water

1/2 cup rice vinegar

2 teaspoons kosher salt

2 teaspoons sugar

pinch ground cloves

pinch ground cinnamon

1 fennel bulb, trimmed, cored & cut into matchsticks

in a shallow dish, combine water, vinegar, salt, sugar, cloves and cinnamon and stir. fill a jar with fennel and cover with liquid. refrigerate overnight and serve lightly chilled.

sweet paul

2010-11-15T20:15:00.000-05:00

we have been holding our breath with excitement for the last few months since we were asked to be contributors to the wonderful magazine sweet paul!! for those of you who are not familiar with him, paul is an amazing talented prop and food stylist who we are happy to share a agency with. he started this fantastic magazine and this holiday issue is issue 3 of many to come. and well, today is the day, we can share and see our fun little holiday brunch spread, complete with a great layout and surrounded by a great cast of photographers, stylists and writers. please click to visit the new issue and check back soon for updates full of recipes and photos.

white ale

2010-10-28T21:52:00.000-04:00

we've mentioned our love of belgian-style white ale before here, and especially the adorable owl on the hitachino label. while reading grub street a few weeks ago, we saw that alton brown shares our love for this great japanese beer! so when we came across this recipe from an old issue of Food & Wine magazine using white ale, we knew it would be right up our alley. the recipe is from Sang Yoon, owner of the awesome gastro pub Father's Office - an institution with two locations in southern CA. thinking of the amazing beers on tap paired with their famous burger makes us miss the sunshine state a little! make sure to serve these mussels with a big spoon and lots of bread to mop up the delicious sauce.

Curried Mussels in White Ale

serves 4

2 tbs vegetable oil

1 tbs thai red curry paste

6 garlic cloves, chopped

1 tbs grated fresh ginger

1 large fresh lemongrass stalk, bulb only, smashed & chopped

2/3 cup mirin

15 oz coconut milk

1/4 cup soy sauce

3 tbs asian fish sauce

1/2 cup basil leaves

2 12 oz bottles white ale

2 lbs mussels, scrubbed & debearded

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

in a saucepan, heat the oil. add red curry paste, garlic, ginger and lemongrass and cook over medium heat for 2 minutes. add mirin, coconut milk, soy sauce, fish sauce and basil leaves and simmer for 15 minutes. strain the red curry sauce into a bowl.

in a large saucepan, bring ale to a boil. add mussels, cover and cook over night heat, about 5 minutes. discard any mussels that do not open. divide mussels between four bowls. add the red curry sauce to the ale and boil about 1 minutes. pour sauce over mussels and sprinkle with chopped cilantro. enjoy!

simple supper

2010-10-25T21:56:00.000-04:00

here's a quick recipe for a very simple meal to whip up for lunch or dinner that's loaded with amazing middle eastern flavors. it's based on the herbs and spices in traditional lamb kofte, which are basically kebabs, and is served with a few easy accompaniments, like store bought hummus and pita, that make for a super quick meal for those busy weekday evenings.

also, we've been busy working on lots of great projects like shooting for martha stewart living & styling for the nest over the past week - can't wait to share these with you! we're excited to watch this starting on wednesday and maybe we'll have to eat one of these during the game.

Lamb Meatballs

makes 20

1 lb ground lamb

1 small onion, chopped

1/4 cup crumbled feta

1/4 cup chopped fresh mint

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 tbs paprika

1 tbs ground cumin

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp olive oil

4 persian cucumbers, thinly slices on a mandolin

1/4 cup greek yogurt

juice of 1 lemon plus wedges for garnish

1 small red onion, thinly sliced

salt & pepper

preheat oven to 350 degrees F. in a medium bowl, combine lamb, onion, feta, mint, parsley, garlic, paprika, cumin, cayenne with a big pinch of salt and fresh ground pepper. mix well with your hands until everything is incorporated. form into about 20 small meatballs by rolling between the palms of your hands. heat olive oil over medium high heat and sear meatballs on all sides, about 5 minutes. transfer to the oven and cook 10-12 minutes or until done.

while meatballs are in the oven, in a small bowl combine cucumbers with yogurt, lemon juice and season to taste with salt and pepper. serve with meatballs with cucumber salad, sliced red onions, lemon wedges, warm pita & your favorite hummus. enjoy!

layers

2010-10-19T22:45:00.000-04:00

as you can tell from the last several posts, we've been digging into the recipe tear outs. doesn't everyone have a huge three ring binder filled with recipes for great sounding desserts, salads, thanksgiving sides, cocktails, etc. from articles published six years ago?! well, we do, but it often gets overlooked on a day to day basis when thinking about what to quickly throw together for dinner. we are trying to make an effort to pick out just a few recipes each week to finally try, see if they're keepers and even better, to see if they're worth sharing with our readers. these amazing little treats are definitely worth sharing! each layer adds another texture and level of richness that you'll find irresistible.

Chocolate Caramel Slice

(from Bon Appetit)

makes 16-20

crust:

1 cup all purpose flour

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 tsp cornstarch

1/4 tsp salt

1 stick unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1 tbs ice water

1 egg yolk

toppings:

14 oz can sweetened condensed milk

1/2 cup brown sugar

6 tbs unsalted butter, diced

2 tbs dark corn syrup

1 tsp vanilla extract

6 oz bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

2 tbs Maldon sea salt

preheat oven to 350 degrees F. grease a 8 1/2-inch square metal baking pan. blend flour, brown sugar, cornstarch and salt in a food processor. add butter and pulse until a coarse meal forms. add ice water and egg yolk and blend just until moist clumps form. press dough onto bottom of prepared pan evenly. pierce all over with a fork. bake 20 minutes or until golden brown. cool completely.

whisk together condensed milk, brown sugar, butter, corn syrup and vanilla in a medium saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves, butter melts and mixture comes to a boil. insert a candy thermometer and boil gently until caramel is thick and temperature reaches 225 degrees F. whisk constantly to prevent from burning. pour caramel evenly over cooled crust and let set 15 minutes. melt chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave at 15 second intervals, stirring occasionally. spread melted chocolate evenly over caramel layer. sprinkle with sea salt and refrigerate until set, at least one hour. can be made three days ahead if covered and refrigerated. cut into bars and enjoy!

chocolate ginger cookies

2010-10-14T18:47:00.000-04:00

these cookies are adapted from an old martha stewart living recipe i ripped out a few years ago. something about a simple sugar cookie combined with the flavors of chocolate and ginger seemed very appropriate for fall. perfect for a midnight snack with a glass of milk or cup of tea on a cool rainy october evening! or as you start to think about holiday cookies, this is a tasty one to keep close.

we celebrated our third wedding anniversary yesterday with a perfect new york afternoon. we had a great lunch at gramercy tavern (one of our favorites), a walk through central park, and a stop here for some cheeses and charcuterie for dinner - have you tried barely buzzed from beehive cheese co? the rind is rubbed in ground coffee & it's delicious!

hoping to finally get to the new amsterdam market this sunday - has anyone been? any vendors we shouldn't miss? also excited to get a copy of this new cookbook featuring recipes from many of our brooklyn faves. happy weekend!

Chocolate Ginger Cookies

makes 24 2 1/2-inch cookies

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1/4 cup all purpose flour

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

1/8 tsp ground cloves

1/4 tsp kosher salt

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

6 tbs unsalted butter, softened

1/4 cup plus 2 tbs brown sugar

1 egg

1/4 cup molasses

1 tbs grated fresh ginger

vanilla sugar for sprinkling

preheat oven to 325 degrees F. whisk together flours, cocoa, spices, salt, baking powder and baking soda. cream butter and brown sugar on medium speed in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until pale and fluffy. add egg, molasses and grated ginger and mix until combined. add flour mixture and mix on low speed until just combined.

wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate one hour. roll out on a lightly floured surface to 1/4-inch thick. use 2 1/2 cookie cutters to make shapes and place 1-inch apart on parchment lined baking sheets. refrigerate 20 minutes or until firm.

sprinkle with vanilla sugar. bake until cookies are firm, 11-13 minutes. let cool on wire rack and enjoy!

crab wontons

2010-10-12T18:19:00.000-04:00

what to do with leftovers from a few recent shoots and a pot of oil for frying? goat cheese crab wontons, yum! we try not to fry things very often but this is one recipe that baking just doesn't do justice. everything in moderation, right? wonton wrappers are a great item to have in your freezer for a quick appetizer, garnish or even as a fresh pasta substitute. try baking or frying them with just a little olive oil and sea salt and breaking into pieces for a crunchy salad garnish. or fill them with fresh herbs and cheese, boil and toss with a little marinara for a quick pasta dish. or of course, fried wontons - our take on a traditional chinese take out favorite!

Goat Cheese Crab Wontons

makes 10

1/2 cup cooked crab meat

4 oz goat cheese, crumbled

2 green onions, sliced

1/2 tsp old bay seasoning

10 square wonton wrappers

olive or grape seed oil for frying

in a small bowl, combine crab meat, goat cheese, green onion and old bay. stir with a fork to break up crab and evenly combine. lay out wonton wrappers and fill each with a heaping teaspoon full of filling. brush two of the four edges with water and bring unbrushed edges over filling to seal tightly. repeat with remaining wontons. heat about 1/4-inch deep amount of oil in a skillet over medium high heat. carefully fry wontons for about 4 minutes per side or until golden brown and crispy. drain on a paper towel. serve immediately with a little soy sauce for dipping. enjoy!

gooped

2010-10-08T15:09:00.001-04:00

yesterday was a great day for pictures and pancakes...to say the least. we were "gooped" as they say, by being mentioned in the blog and newsletter from goop, by gwyneth paltrow. we were included in her favorite food blogs along with some company that we are flattered to be with. blogs like orangette, matt bites, what katie ate and some great others, were chosen by goop for being some of gwyneth's favorite reads to sit down and have a glass of wine with after the kids are in bed and her feet are up. having a new auidence is always amazing, and this is a great opportunity to write and take pictures for a whole new group. thanks to eliza and gwyneth for loving the blog, we are humbled, and to all the new readers who we will try hard to please. we hope you all enjoy!

now for some more fun, and our favorite part, the food!! now that we have tried to suck you in to the tart world on our last two posts, its time for a little change...but i do mean little, sticking in the dessert department. simplicity is always something we like to stick with whenever we can, and this is a dish that will take just a little time for a tasty result. try this with seasonal fruit or really any fruit you have around the house!

Roasted Fall Fruit

serves 4

2 cups seedless red grapes

4 plums, pitted and quartered

2 bartlett pears, quartered and cored

1 pint vanilla ice cream

2 tbs honey

preheat oven to 450 degrees F. place grapes, plums and pears in a single layer in a shallow sheet pan and roast, tossing the fruit occasionally, until the fruit is soft, about 24 minutes. serve in a bowl with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of honey. enjoy!

fall tart

2010-10-05T19:29:00.000-04:00

can you believe that your calendar says it's october already? even though time has flown by, we're so excited for the fall season, our favorite time of year. october is one of our favorite months for the cooler weather, changing leaves and all the wonderful fruits and veggies in season - by far the best season for eating! this tart celebrates the last bit of summer with strawberries and the beginning of fall with figs, all brought together in a wonderful nutty filling.

Fig & Strawberry Tart

(adapted from Martha Stewart Living)

crust:

3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 stick unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

1/3 to 1/2 cup ice water

filling:

3/4 cup toasted hazelnuts

3/4 cup brown sugar

zest of 1 lemon

1 stick unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

2 eggs

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

8 figs, halved

8 strawberries, trimmed & halved

in a food processor, pulse the flours, sugar and salt to combine. add butter and pulse until mixture resembles a coarse meal. slowly add ice water and pulse until mixture just begins to hold together. press dough into a disk and wrap in plastic. refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour. roll dough out to 1/8-inch thick on a floured surface to fit the tart pan you are using. fit dough into bottom and up sides of tart pan with a removable bottom and trim excess flush with edges using a knife. refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour. preheat oven to 350 degrees F. prick bottom of tart all over with a fork and fill with pie weights or dried beans in foil. bake for 30 minutes. remove weights and bake 5 minutes more. let cool.

to make the filling, pulse hazelnuts in a food processor until finely chopped. add sugar, zest, butter, eggs and vanilla and pulse until mixture is almost smooth. spread filling evenly into tart shell. top with figs and strawberries and bake for 30 minutes. reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees F and bake until set and dark brown, about 30-45 minutes more. enjoy!

apple tart

2010-09-29T15:06:00.000-04:00

even though the weather really doesn't feel like fall quite yet, the apples and pumpkins at the market sure make it seem autumnal already! here's a super quick and easy bite to make that takes minimal time and ingredients but is big on flavor and simple beauty. puff pastry is a great thing to have in your freezer at all times (like to make this or this) and is perfect in this recipe for a lovely dessert with ice cream, breakfast treat or a little snack with your afternoon coffee.

Apple Tarts

makes 6-8

2 tart apples, cored

1 lemon, juiced

1 pkg frozen puff pastry, defrosted

4 tbs honey

preheat oven to 400 degrees F. thinly slice apples and toss in lemon juice and a little water to keep from browning. set aside.

roll out puff pastry to about 1/4-inch thick on a board lightly dusted with flour. use round cookie cutters to cut out six to eight 2-inch circles and remove excess dough. transfer to an ungreased baking sheet. drain apples well. arrange slices on each of the circles and drizzle with honey. bake tarts for 12-18 minutes or until golden brown. serve immediately & enjoy!

mad props two

2010-09-25T22:55:00.000-04:00

almost forgot to share the second installment of our mad props project! check out the details here and be sure to see the first edition here in case you missed it. this one is all about beautiful seafood.

had some great meals for andrew's birthday this week - happy birthday! lunch at gramercy tavern and dinner at craft were amazing ways to celebrate.

if you're a food blogger or just happen to have a great recipe you'd like to share for a good cause, be sure to check out the readymade community cookbook - we're excited to be a part!

these are two newish cookbooks we've got our eye on purchasing - 'good to the grain' and 'my sweet mexico' - any other recommendations?

catalina

2010-09-16T18:49:00.001-04:00

just a quick hello with some lovely images from a small part of our recent CA and AZ vacation - we spent labor day weekend relaxing on a boat just off Catalina island. it was so beautiful and a perfect end to our trip - swimming in the cool ocean, drinking cocktails on the flybridge, paddle boarding between boats and cooking simple meals in the galley.

it's good to be back and we've been busy working hard and playing a little too. we can't wait to share a project with you that we just shot for the winter issue of sweet paul magazine - it's going to be beautiful! also excited to share that the baking cookbook i styled, Fast Breads, is finally out. it was a great project that i had so much fun working on with photographer susie cushner and prop stylist randi brookman harris. we finally got to explore the new mario batali & bastianich collaboration, eataly, an amazing marketplace, wine shop, cafe, and space with seven different restaurants. it's huge and so much fun to wander around for everything italian - and we're sure it'll inspire some beautiful new blog posts in the very near future! we had a quick trip to newport, rhode island and can't say enough about this amazing hotel - what an adorable little town and by far the cutest license plate in the country!

have a happy weekend & we'll be back soon with some edible posts, promise!

mad props one

2010-08-31T14:36:00.000-04:00

remember this project we mentioned a few weeks ago? well, here's another shot from our collaboration with prop stylist Sarah Cave - antique strainers. you can read a detailed explanation of the concept here and a description of the first instalment of what we're calling mad props here in the Big Leo den. such a unique and inspiring project to work on together and we're really in love with the results. enjoy & check back soon for the next image in our series!

bitter

2010-08-26T12:05:00.000-04:00

here's a quick summer cocktail for you to try this weekend and for the rest of those warm evenings we have left as summer fades to fall. it's a guest recipe from our good jenae in boston - she said the inspiration was the need for a refreshing summer libation after discovering chinotto at a little italian market around the corner. chinotto adds a bitter citrus flavor similar to campari (which is delicious like this!) and is popular in certain regions of italy. this cocktail would definitely be nice on a beach under a colorful umbrella somewhere on the coast of italy! we found a few other cocktail inspirations wandering around the isles here - always one of our favorite places to get lost when we're in town. enjoy!

A Bitter End

makes one

1 1/2 oz vodka

3 oz san pellegrino limonata or sparkling lemonade

1/2 oz chinotto

orange wedge

mix all ingredients in a highball glass filled with ice and garnish with a squeeze of orange.

zucchini muffins

2010-08-24T19:00:00.000-04:00

isn't the squash lovely at the greenmarket lately? we recently had lots of leftover zucchini from a shoot and i realized that it's been ages since i baked with zucchini. both of our moms used to make great zucchini bread and we grew up loving it but for this recipe i reached for a book off our much neglected cookbook shelf. this recipes is adapted from apples for jam, a beautiful book full of simple comforting recipes and chapters that are organized by color. we've made a few things that are delicious so far but just love flipping through the pages for inspiring stories and images.

we are taking a little vacation - happy to be in sunny CA & hot AZ with lots of morning walks on the beach, breakfasts here and fish tacos here. we'll try to post some of our eating adventures and travel pics from the road so stay tuned.

Zucchini Muffins

makes 12

1 cup sugar

3/4 cup olive oil

1 tsp vanilla

zest of 1 small lemon

3 eggs

1 1/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour

1 cup all purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

pinch of salt

3 zucchini, coarsely grated

2/3 cup hazelnuts, toasted, skinned & coarsely chopped

preheat oven to 350 degrees F. in a small bowl, beat sugar, olive oil and vanilla until smooth. add lemon zest and stir to combine. add eggs, one at a time and whisk until pale yellow and thick. in a large bowl, combine flours, baking powder, baking soda, spices and salt. gradually fold together wet ingredients into the dry just until combined. mix in zucchini and hazelnuts and stir. fill a greased muffin tin with batter and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. if making a loaf, bake for 55-60 minutes. enjoy!

project

2010-08-19T21:41:00.000-04:00

so every once in a while you need to do something different, something out of the box. in this business, there can be a lot of the same, the same colors, layouts, thoughts and props. don't get us wrong, we love each and every job, and they are all totally different, but sometimes, as in all of life, things start to feel a little the same. that all said, something needed to happen, and quick. we put a team together and started to brainstorm. what came out was a eye opening, adrenaline pounding, fun project that made us rethink what we do in a whole new way. with a little thought from the amazing prop stylist sarah cave, we were off and running. we shot an eight pic series of prop first photos. what we mean by that is sarah, carrie and i went to prop houses all over nyc and searched for the props first and thought of the food and layout second. we searched for the props that get no love, the ones that sit on the back of the shelf, the ugly duckling that needed to see the light of day. we then worked the food with the props and let the layout and the light work its way around that. what we got was an organic feel from a premeditated idea. we will soon have a promo that we will share with a few of the images, but first here is a taste of a shot inspired by coffee and a few props that grabbed our attention on our search. we hope you enjoy, and we will keep you posted on the rest.

cuban black beans

2010-08-17T19:09:00.000-04:00

we had a fun weekend celebrating with fellow photographers & stylists at the big leo bbq on saturday - got to chat with some amazing artists like jim bastardo and bjorn wallander while eating great food, enjoying delicious cocktails and a even whole pig roasted by photographer hector sanchez. we contributed our gin & ginger cocktail as well as these amazing cuban black beans. julia diaz is a family friend who graciously passed on this recipe and has convinced me that dried beans really are better than the ones we get from a can. don't get me wrong, i still use canned beans in recipes, but for this one it is absolutely worth the effort to soak dried beans over night. these perfect with some fresh tortillas and a little queso fresco or scrambled eggs and sliced avocado - a delicious addition to any meal!

Julia's Black Beans

1 lb dried black beans

1 green bell pepper, seeded and cut into quarters

1/3 cup olive oil

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 onion, finely chopped

1 green bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped

1/4 tsp dried oregano

1/4 tsp ground cumin

2 bay leaves

4 tbs red wine vinegar

salt & pepper

in a large pot, soak beans overnight with quartered green bell pepper. transfer beans to the stove in the soaking water and simmer for 45 minutes. heat olive oil in a saute pan and cook garlic, onion and bell pepper until softened, about 8 minutes. add 1 cup drained beans and mash together. add to pot with oregano, cumin and bay leaves and simmer about 1 hour or until beans are tender. add vinegar and season with salt and pepper to taste.

link love

2010-08-08T12:11:00.000-04:00

happy weekend! we are excited to sleep, shop at the green market, catch up on blogs, drink lots of coffee and get outside to enjoy the sun. we've had a few busy but wonderfully creative weeks working with some amazing people. can't wait to share a beautiful project we shot with our friend prop stylist sarah cave. shooting all week with the talented photographer frances janisch and prop stylist paul lowe - having way too much fun to call it work! check out this yummy cocktail recipe paul posted on his blog sweet paul. you can also see some of the styling i did in the recent issue of Fine Cooking on the big leo den here.

went to an amazing show featuring ben sollee, daniel martin moore and yim yames to raise awareness for appalacian voices - check out the website to learn more about the cause.

have you seen this beautiful collaboration between jenifer altman & martha mcquade? don't wait too long to order a set.

have a wonderful week everyone and we'll try to post something edible soon!

bloody mary

2010-07-29T17:41:00.000-04:00

just a beautiful image and no bulky recipes to give you some inspiration for your weekend libation. i know we've already discussed bloody mary recipes here but if you don't feel like whipping up a batch from scratch, these guys make a delicious spicy mix that we just discovered and adore! like we said before, don't forget the mean beans from rick's picks and a dash of our homemade worcestershire. can't wait to start cooking out of this cookbook that we just picked up - maybe we'll be sharing some of our favorites very soon. just bought one of these today and we're so excited to make our first cup of siphon brew with some blue bottle retrofit beans!

crostini

2010-07-27T15:18:00.000-04:00

the artisanal and local cheeses out there are endless and we love trying everything we can. we were inspired by this ricotta made in brooklyn and this recipe in bon appetit from andrew carmellini to try making fresh ricotta from scratch. it's so easy to make with only three ingredients and so incredible to watch come together! why have we never done this before?! so now we have this beautiful homemade cheese - what to do with it? how about a little crostini - ricotta is a great base for showcasing lots of different flavors but we chose to make an onion jam. make both of these ahead of time and assemble the crostini for a delicious & simple appetizer.

just read about an urban winery opening in brooklyn this fall - looks like fun and you can take hard hat tours while the building is under construction! excited to check out this surf art exhibit at three different galleries in chelsea - but hurry cause the show ends august 6.

Fresh Ricotta & Onion Jam Crostini

for onion jam:

2 tbs olive oil

2 cups finely chopped red onion

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 tbs grainy mustard

1 tsp worcestershire (preferably homemade)

1 tbs brown sugar

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

in a small saucepan, heat oil and saute onion until translucent, about 8 minutes. add garlic and cook 1 minute more. stir in mustard, worcestershire, sugar and vinegar and cook until slightly reduced. cool completely.

for crostini:

1 whole wheat baguette

1 cup fresh ricotta (see recipe)

salt & pepper

olive oil

1 cup onion jam

slice baguette and toast in the broiler or grill until golden brown. place a tbs of ricotta on each slice of bread, season with salt and pepper, drizzle with olive oil and finish with a spoonful of onion jam. enjoy!

chocolate & ginger

2010-07-22T19:17:00.000-04:00

as you've probably figured out by now, we love ginger - in our cocktails, in our scones, in our parfaits, and on and on. candied ginger is a wonderful sweet & spicy addition to almost any baked good. recently, we were looking for a healthier option for late night chocolate cravings (or mid afternoon or first thing in the morning!) and stumbled upon this simple recipe from whole living magazine, formerly body & soul. it's a perfect combination of chocolate, spicy ginger and crunchy biscotti to satisfy any craving and great to keep in the cupboard in case of emergency!

on a new york side note, we're excited to check out the New Amsterdam Market this weekend and can't seem to resist the coconut cookies from here every time we walk by!

Double Chocolate & Ginger Biscotti

(adapted from Whole Living)

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 egg, plus 1 yolk

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped

3 oz dark chocolate, coarsely chopped

1/4 cup finely chopped crystallized ginger

preheat oven to 350 degrees F. line a baking sheet with parchment paper. in a medium bowl, whisk together flours, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. in the bowl of an electric mixer, beat egg, yolk and sugar until fluffy. beat in vanilla and oil until combined. with the mixer on low, beat in dry ingredients until combined. fold in walnuts, chocolate and ginger with a spatula. with moistened hands, shape the dough into 2 logs, each about 9x2 1/2-inches. bake until set on top, about 20 minutes. cool 10 minutes and reduce oven to 325 degrees F. transfer logs to a cutting board and slice into 1/2-inch thick slices. bake 10 minutes per side until, crisp and cool completely on a wire rack. store in an airtight container for up to a week. enjoy!

adventures

2010-07-19T19:53:00.000-04:00

where have we been?! it's been a busy several weeks of working, traveling, long train rides, catching up with friends, more working, eating bbq, laying on the beach and having amazing adventures. had a wonderful time food styling a cookbook with two amazing women - photographer ann stratton and prop stylist pamela duncan silver - beautiful images and a fun project i can't wait to share. we also took a long train/road trip to the beaches of north carolina for the fourth of july and then enjoyed some wonderful authentic bbq in durham & chapel hill. illegal fireworks on the beach, lots of icy beer from a can, flaky biscuits with salty country ham, vinegary pulled pork and lots sweet tea were just a few of the amazing things north carolina had to offer. but now we're finally home for a bit, happy to be back in this amazing city and back in our kitchen, inspired by our recent adventures. hope everyone is staying cool and eating lots of ice cream!

turnovers

2010-06-07T15:07:00.000-04:00

we saw this pear at the market and just couldn't resist his perfect shape and adorable dried leaves - isn't he cute? we bought a few extra and headed home with only a pear portrait in mind. so now what? this recipe from molly inspired me to make an incredibly easy & dangerously delicious little pastry. it's amazing what a little puff pastry can do! this is a great recipe to use with any extra fruit you have on hand (like apples & cinnamon), although watch out for very "wet" fruits making a soggy pastry. a pear turnover & a cup of stumptown coffee is a wonderful way to being your day. (we're currently working out way through latin america!)

Pear Turnovers

makes 9

1 1/2 lbs. firm pears, peeled, cored & cut into 1-inch pieces

1/8 cup water

2-3 tbs sugar

juice of 1/2 lemon

1/2 tsp cardamom

1 package frozen puff pastry (this is our favorite), thawed

1 egg, beaten with 1 tsp water

2 tbs demerara or turbinado sugar

place pears, water, sugar and lemon juice in a small saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally until sugar dissolves. cook for about 5 minutes or until pears are very tender but not too mushy. you can add a few tablespoons of water if the mixture is much too dry. remove from heat and stir in cardamom. cool completely.

preheat oven to 400 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. roll out puff pastry into a 15-inch square. cut pastry into nine 5-inch squares. place a generous tablespoon of filling in center of each square and lightly brush the edges of pastry with beaten egg. fold half of pastry square over the filling to form a triangle and press the edges firmly with fingertips to seal tightly. brush the top of pastry with beaten egg and sprinkle with coarse sugar. using a sharp knife, make 3 small slits on the top of each triangle to allow steam to escape. place triangles on baking sheets and refrigerate 15 minutes. bake turnovers until beginning to color, 15 minutes. reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F and continue baking until golden brown, 10-15 minutes longer. serve slightly warm or at room temperature. enjoy!

carrot soup

2010-06-04T12:31:00.000-04:00

as the temperatures rise and it feels more and more like summer outside, the last thing on our minds was a warm bowl of soup! but with several bunches of carrots leftover from a recent shoot, i couldn't think of anything i'd rather make. it's actually quite perfect to eat near the blasting air conditioner with a cold crisp salad for lunch or dinner. quick to prepare and with minimal time spent by a warm stove, this soup could even be served chilled.

might have to try this salad over the weekend from smitten kitchen via the wednesday chef.

it's now the perfect time of year to start drinking rose and this bottle was always one of our favorites! wonder if we can find it in nyc?

great recipes for icy treats here from design sponge. remember when we made boozy pops here? also, if you happen to be around brooklyn flea or chelsea market, definitely check out people's pops - they're great.

have a wonderful weekend!

Spiced Carrot Soup

serves 4

2 tbs olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, smashed

1 tbs grated fresh ginger

1 lb carrots, peeled & roughly chopped

2 1/2 cup chicken or vegetable stock stock

1 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp fresh lemon juice

1/2 cup plain greek yogurt

cilantro sprigs, optional garnish

in a large saucepan, heat oil and saute onions until translucent, about 5 minutes. add garlic and ginger and cook 1 minute more. add carrots and broth and bring to a boil. reduce to a simmer, cover and cook until tender, about 20 minutes. carefully puree soup in batches in a blender or in the saucepan using an immersion blender until smooth. stir in cumin, coriander and lemon. divide between four bowls and garnish with yogurt and cilantro.

spring risotto

2010-06-01T17:50:00.000-04:00

how was your holiday weekend? ours was wonderful & relaxing - filled with beautiful weather, a rooftop bbq, a corn dog from the shake shack and a few long walks in the sun. according to the calendar it's still officially spring, so you've got a few weeks left to make this delicious spring risotto. or use the concept as a base to add your favorite seasonal vegetables all year long. we found a great stand at the green market with amazing sprouted and leafy goodness and decided to pick up some pea shoots (which scream spring!) and lamb's quarters (new to us, but so tasty). too many people think risotto is a labor intensive dish - but it really just requires a little prep and about 20-25 minutes of stirring - and the result is definitely worth it! in our opinion, there are two key elements to good risotto - the freshest ingredients, which should go without saying, and a rich homemade stock. whether you prefer veggie or chicken, make it at home and you'll love the depth it adds to your cooking. hmmm, i feel another blog post coming soon . . on stocks!

Spring Risotto

serves 4

4 cups chicken stock

3 tbs olive oil

1 medium onion, peeled & diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

6 small carrots, peeled & diced

1 cup carnaroli or arborio rice

1 cup fava beans, shelled, blanched & second skins removed

1 cup lamb's quarters, roughly chopped

1 cup grated parmesan cheese

salt & pepper to taste

1 cup pea greens

in a small saucepan, bring stock to a simmer and keep warm over low heat. in a large pot or dutch oven, heat olive oil. saute onion, garlic and carrots until just tender, about 5 minutes. add rice and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. add 1 cup of warm stock and stir constantly until all or nearly all the liquid is absorbed by the rice. add remaining stock, 1/2 cup at a time and stirring constantly until each portion is absorbed. stir in fava beans and lamb's quarters and cook for 1 minute. remove from heat and stir in cheese and season with salt and pepper to taste. garnish each portion with 1/4 cup pea greens and serve immediately. enjoy!

pimm's

2010-05-28T16:35:00.000-04:00

here's a quick cocktail to get your holiday weekend started off just right! pimm's no. 1 cup is a gin based liqueur and the drink of choice if you're headed to any polo matches this summer. we love the pimm's cup so much it was one of the signature drinks at our wedding! there are several different versions - some with lemonade, some with sliced apple, some with mint or basil, and they're all equally delicious but this is our favorite right now. have a wonderful & safe memorial day weekend!

Pimm's Cup

serves 1

fill a highball glass with ice. add 2oz pimm's no. 1. top with ginger ale and stir. garnish with 2 slices of lime, 2 slices of tangerine, a slice of english cucumber and a small sprig of lemon thyme. enjoy!

focaccia

2010-05-26T12:47:00.000-04:00

i went through a serious bread baking phase in culinary school. if bakers didn't hold such odd hours, i definitely would've loved to be one. the simplicity of fresh baked bread still amazes me - yeast, flour, water and salt - so simple! and such a wonder to watch the dough grow, filling with tiny air bubbles and rising tall within the bowl. and then that yeasty smell - aromas just as delicious from the raw dough as when it's baking in a hot oven. we've had a few bad experiences with unsuccessfully baking focaccia but can now say it no longer turns out heavy and dense. after 2 1/2 years of marriage, i can also finally say that i've found my husband's weakness - warm rosemary garlic focaccia! the recipe is adapted from this book which is one of our favorites and a fantastic reference for any bread recipe you can think of. baking is a time consuming process but most of that time if taken up by simply waiting for the dough to do its thing - so make a cup of tea, grab a good book and get baking!

Rosemary Garlic Focaccia

makes one 12x17-inch loaf

2 3/4-3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

3/8 teaspoon instant yeast

2 cups minus 2 tbs water (70-90 degrees F)

3/4 tsp sugar

3/4 tsp salt

3 tbs extra virgin olive oil

2 tbs fresh rosemary

8-10 cloves garlic, roasted in olive oil until soft and lightly brown

1 tsp maldon or large flake sea salt

in the mixer bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine 2 3/4 cups flour and yeast. with the mixer running on low, gradually add the water and mix until the dough comes together, about 3 minutes. increase the speed to medium and beat until dough thickens a bit and is very smooth. add extra flour a few tablespoons at a time if needed until a bit stiffer but still a very runny dough resembling melted mozzarella. add sugar and salt and beat until just incorporated.

spray or oil a large stainless steel bowl and scrape the dough into bowl. lightly spray the top of the dough and cover with plastic wrap. allow the dough to rise in a warm place until at least doubled, about 2-3 hours. coat a 12x17-inch sheet pan with a heaping tablespoon of olive oil. pour the dough out onto the sheet pan and coat your hands with some of the remaining olive oil. spread the dough as thin as possible without tearing it. let it relax for 10 minutes and continue until the dough fills up most of the pan. cover with greased plastic and let rise about 1 hour or until doubled.

preheat oven to 475 degrees F. once dough has risen, use your fingertips to gently dimple the dough. place the whole cloves of roasted garlic in some of the dimples, sprinkle with fresh rosemary leaves, drizzle with remaining olive oil and salt. place the pan on the lowest shelf in the oven preferably directly on top of a hot pizza stone. bake 13-16 minutes or until the top is golden brown. remove from the oven and serve immediately - enjoy!

blue

2010-05-24T19:15:00.000-04:00

hi all, we wanted to tell you how blue we are that we haven't posted in a while, but it's all for good reason!! we recently decided that after a year and a half, we needed a blog change, an update. new york can make you rethink everything... it just happens to coincide with changes in our professional life as well. we are excited to report that we are both now represented by big leo productions, happy to be part of mary, mason and willie's amazing team!! we are currently working on updating portfolios, websites, new promos, our blog and everything in between. we are looking forward to sharing new work, new ideas, new loves, new recipes and new blog posts with you. we recently worked on a job for a cheese company overseas and we still have enough cheese in our fridge to open a cheese shop. check out this new promo we put together featuring just a taste of the masses of cheese! we have had our fill with all the different things you can do with blue, but this english stilton makes a wonderful blue cheese dressing that is so simple and we can't get enough of. it's great on an iceberg wedge with crumbled bacon and slices of heirloom tomatoes or as a dip for celery and carrot sticks!

Blue Cheese Dressing

makes 1 1/2 cups

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/4 cup greek yogurt

1 cup blue cheese, crumbled plus 2 tbs

fresh cracked black pepper

in a blender, combine buttermilk, yogurt, 1 cup blue cheese crumbles and black pepper. blend until smooth. stir in remaining 2 tablespoons crumbled cheese and serve. can be refrigerated for up to 4 days.

tart & tangy

2010-04-23T17:28:00.000-04:00

like i mentioned earlier, a friend gave me the big sur bakery cookbook for my birthday and i couldn't wait to make something out of it! it's a wonderful cookbook about a quaint eatery in one of the most beautiful places on earth and is filled with great stories of local farmers, fishers & butchers, including the story of a woman named Clovis and her bearss limes. i didn't use that variety of lime for the tart this time but it was still amazing - perfectly balanced between the salty homemade graham crust, tart lime custard and fluffy white meringue topping. reminded me a little of the super tart lemon meringue pie my grandma always made that had everyone around the table puckering. the graham crackers that you make for the crust are a real treat to nibble on while you're making the rest of the pie - or stash them away for later.

have a great weekend!

Clovis's Lime Tart

makes one 10-inch tart

for the graham cracker crumbs:

3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened

1/4 cup sugar

1/3 cup plus 1 tbs brown sugar

1 tbs honey

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup plus 1 tbs whole wheat flour

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

cream the butter, sugars and honey with the paddle attachment of an electric mixture until light and fluffy. add the remaining ingredients and mix until dough comes together. roll the dough between two pieces of parchment until you have a rough 1/4-inch thick rectangle. chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or up to 3 days. preheat oven to 375 degrees F. peel back the top layer of parchment and place dough on a cookie sheet. bake for 20-25 minutes or until brown. let cool to room temperature. break the graham cracker into pieces and pulse in a food processor until fine.

for the shell:

2 cups graham cracker crumbs (see above)

2 tbs sugar

2 tbs unsalted butter, melted

preheat oven to 350 degrees F. in a medium bowl, combine crumbs, sugar and melted butter. lightly grease a 10-inch tart pan with removable bottom. sprinkle the crumbs into the pan and use the bottom of a measuring cup to press the crumbs evenly over the entire pan and up the sides. refrigerate for 20 minutes. bake 7-10 minutes, remove and cool completely on a rack.

for the filling:

1 1/2 cups fresh lime juice

1 cup sugar

6 eggs

1 cup heavy cream

reduce oven to 325 degrees F. whisk together all the filling ingredients in a medium saucepan. cook over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the liquid is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon. pour into cooled crust and back 10-15 minutes or until the filling is set. let the tart cool to room temperature and then place it in the freezer until the filling is firm to the touch, about 25 minutes.

for the meringue:

6 egg whites

1 cup sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

increase oven to 400 degrees F. place the egg whites, sugar and salt in a heatproof bowl and place over a saucepan of barely simmering water. whisk the mixture constantly until the sugar dissolves. remove bowl from heat and whisk the whites with an electric mixer on high speed until medium peaks form. add vanilla and whisk to combine. remove tart from the freezer. spread the meringue over the top of the tart, leaving the edges of the shell uncovered. bake 2-4 minutes until the meringue is browned. refrigerate until ready to serve & enjoy!

raspberry bars, etc.

2010-04-20T17:51:00.000-04:00

we've been so busy these past few weeks - eating, working, eating some more, entertaining & enjoying spring in this amazing city. we had a good friend & fellow foodie here for a long visit and hit up many great places for food, drinks, coffee, etc. it's tough to pick any favorites from the past few weeks but several food related highlights include a great cheese & beer dinner here, small tasty plates and wonderful atmosphere here, an icy treat before brooklyn flea, best deviled eggs ever here, and awesome sangria here!

got a few great cookbooks recently that i'm sure we'll posting recipes from soon - Molto Gusto and The Big Sur Bakery Cookbook. both are filled with beautiful images of amazing food! also excited for new music from one of our favorite voices and these guys too.

not much time for cooking or baking lately but we're excited to get to the green market this week to see what's in season and inspiring. in the meantime, these raspberry crumb breakfast bars from Baked are a perfect treat with a cup of coffee any time of day as we anxiously await the release of their next cookbook. enjoy!

Raspberry Crumb Breakfast Bars

for the crust & crumb:

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 cup dark brown sugar

1 1/4 cups rolled oats

3/4 tsp salt

3/4 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, cut into pieces

for the filling:

1/4 cup dark brown sugar

1 tbs lemon zest

1/2 tsp cinnamon

2 tbs all purpose flour

1 lb fresh or frozen raspberries

1/4 cup lemon juice

2 tbs unsalted butter, melted & cooled

preheat oven to 350 degrees F. grease the bottom and sides of a 9x13-inch baking pan and set aside. combine flour brown sugar, oats, salt, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon in a food processor and pulse until just combined. add butter and pulse until loose crumbs form. reserve 1 cup of the mixture and set aside. pour the rest of the mixture into the prepared pan and use your hands to push the crust into an even layer in the bottom of the pan. bake until golden, 12-15 minutes. transfer pan to a wire rack and cool.

in a medium bowl, whisk sugar, lemon zest, cinnamon and flour together. add the raspberries, lemon juice and butter and toss gently until the raspberries are evenly coated. spread the raspberry filling evenly on top of the cooled crust. top with reserved cup of crumble mixture and bake 35-40 minutes or until top is golden brown. let cool completely before cutting into squares.

scalloped

2010-04-06T13:30:00.000-04:00

we're still recovering from this year's urban family easter and definitely still enjoying all the leftovers! doctor pepper & mustard glazed ham, horseradish deviled eggs, homemade pickles, burrata with melted leeks and italian style cheesecake with blood orange marmalade were just a few of the favorites. lots of leftover ham so we had to make some scalloped potatoes with ham, fennel and irish cheddar. this dish makes a nice meal for two with a simple side salad.

we've also got a a few other things we're excited about right now. thrilled to get this book in the mail yesterday - we love the art of jason munn, and so do our walls which are covered in his fabulous concert posters. check out jen's newest etsy shop, feather & bone, filled with beautiful prints from a trip to the university of colorado museum of natural history. and finally, we're very excited to see molly speak at her book signing here tonight! oh, and yesterday was opening day in ballparks around the country, so make some purcell dogs and start watching baseball!

Scalloped Potatoes & Ham

serves 2

2 tbs olive oil

1 red onion, peeled and thinly sliced

1 bulb fennel, thinly sliced

2-3 small russet potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced

1 cup thinly sliced ham

2 cups shredded cheese, such as sharp irish cheddar or gruyere

fresh ground black pepper

preheat oven to 400 degrees F. grease a 1.5 quart baking dish and set aside. in a medium saute pan, heat olive oil and add red onion and fennel. cook over medium high heat until wilted, about 6 minutes. layer 1/3 of the potatoes on bottom of baking dish, overlapping slightly. layer with 1/2 of the ham, then half of the onion and fennel, and top with 1/3 of the shredded cheese. continue with another layer and finish with remaining potatoes, a few grinds of pepper and remaining cheese. loosely cover with foil, tented so as not to stick to the cheese, and bake 35 minutes. remove foil and bake 15 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and brown. let cool 10 minutes before serving. enjoy!

northern spy

2010-03-30T13:39:00.000-04:00

we've probably mentioned Northern Spy Food Co. a few times since moving to new york - it's a cozy spot in the east village focusing on sustainable, local, snout-to-tail cuisine, putting out creative dishes in a beautiful space and we love it! this kale salad is a favorite of ours and has gotten a lot of attention from food websites such as tasting table, who published the recipe a few months ago. just in case you haven't tasted it or seen it yet, we wanted to share this simple tasty recipe. getting ready for urban family Easter this weekend - the menu planning has begun and we'll be sure to take lots of pictures and share recipes. what will you be cooking?

Kale Salad

serves 2

2 1/2 cups shredded kale, preferably Tuscan

1/4 cup toasted almonds, coarsely chopped

1/4 cup crumbled aged cheddar

1/2 cup cubed roasted kabocha or butternut squash

juice of 1 lemon

extra virgin olive oil

pecorino, optional garnish

in a large mixing bowl, toss the kale with almonds, cheddar and squash. season to taste with lemon juice, olive oil, salt and freshly ground pepper. divide salad between two serving plates and garnish with shaved pecorino cheese if desired. enjoy!

corned beef

2010-03-19T15:20:00.000-04:00

if you still have any corned beef leftover from saint patrick's day on wednesday, here's a great thing to do with it. and if not, it's a great reason to get out the slow cooker and make some more! we have a special place in our stomachs for deli sandwiches, especially from Katz's or Brent's, but sometimes it's fun to make it at home just the way you like it. this is the way we like it, but you could always add sauerkraut, sliced tomato, swiss cheese, spicy mustard . . . how do you like it? have a great weekend.

Corned Beef Sandwich

makes 2

1 cup shredded cabbage

1/2 carrot, peeled & shredded

1/4 small jalapeno, seeded and diced

1/4 cup plus 1 tbs mayonnaise

1 tbs cider vinegar

1 tsp sugar

1/4 tsp celery salt

1 tbs ketchup

1/2 tsp sweet pickle relish

1/4 tsp worcestershire

4 slices rye bread

8-10 thick slices corned beef

in a medium bowl, combine cabbage, carrot, jalapeno, 1 tablespoon mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar and celery salt. set aside. in a small bowl, combine remaining mayonnaise, ketchup, relish and worcestershire. spread 1-2 tablespoons of dressing on two slices of bread. top each with corned beef and divide coleslaw between two sandwiches. top with remaining bread and enjoy!

irish soda bread

2010-03-17T12:36:00.000-04:00

a quick and easy recipe for irish soda bread packed with whiskey soaked raisins to help you celebrate today! it would be perfect with a cup of irish breakfast tea tomorrow morning, after a night of a few too many pints of guinness. the recipe is from this cookbook, a fabulous guide to baking all things bread which i'm sure we'll be posting many more recipes from soon. happy saint patrick's day!

Irish Soda Bread

makes 1 loaf

1 cup raisins

1/2 cup irish whiskey

1 cup all purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

3 tbs sugar

1 tsp baking soda

3/4 tsp salt

4 tbs unsalted butter, cut into small chunks

3/4 cup plus 1 tbs buttermilk

soak the raisins in whiskey overnight or for at least 30 minutes. drain and set aside. preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. in a large bowl, combine flours, sugar, baking soda and salt. using your fingers, rub in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. stir in the raisins. with a rubber spatula, stir in the buttermilk until just combined. knead lightly until the dough is smooth and fully incorporated. shape the dough into a 6-inch round and place it on a parchment lined baking sheet. make 1/2-inch deep slits to across the top of the round, forming a cross. bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown and a wooden skewer comes out clean. cool on a rack completely. this bread can be frozen for up to one month and reheated in the oven at 300 degrees F for 20-30 minutes. enjoy!

chocolate Guinness cake

2010-03-15T15:29:00.000-04:00

this wednesday is one of our favorite food holidays - after thanksgiving, easter, christmas . . . ok, i guess most holidays are a great excuse to make something special and we really don't have a favorite! last year we celebrated st. patrick's day with colcannon and it will definitely be on our plates again this year with some corned beef, cabbage and a few pints of Guinness. this lovely chocolate cake combines stout and prunes for an extra moist and rich result. it's perfect with a little vanilla ice cream while sipping some irish whiskey after dinner! check back this week for a few more st. paddy's day recipes, including something to do with all that leftover corned beef.

Chocolate Stout Cake

serves 6

(adapted from gourmet.com)

1/2 cup stout such as Guinness

1/2 cup pitted prunes, chopped

1 stick unsalted butter, chopped

3 1/2 oz bittersweet chocolate

1 1/4 cups flour

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

2 eggs

1 cup brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla

preheat oven to 350 degrees F. bring beer to a boil in a small saucepan and add prunes. remove from heat and let stand. melt chocolate and butter a little at a time in the microwave, stirring often, or in a heavy saucepan over low heat. sift together flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt.

in the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together eggs, sugar and vanilla until thick. add chocolate and beat until combined. reduce speed to low and add flour mixture. stir in prune mixture until well combined. divide batter between 6 greased 10-cm spring form pans, an 8x3-inch ringmold or a 6 cup capacity bundt pan. bake until a wooden skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean, about 40-45 minutes. cool cake 15 minutes on a wire rack, remove from pan and cool completely. enjoy!

gingersnaps & jam

2010-03-11T20:39:00.000-05:00

if you happen to be looking for a very easy, nice & light dessert to whip up using ingredients that you probably have on hand any given day, then look no further. this is a recipe my mom made several years ago from an old issue of martha stewart and i immediately fell in love. there are endless flavor options from substituting different kinds of cookies and jam but some reason i can't get past gingersnaps and raspberry jam.

we also have a few random tidbits to mention today. be sure to check out the apr/may issue of Fine Cooking to see a great noodle article i styled along with the cover! we just picked up a bag of these amazing caramels at Marlow & Daughters and they sure didn't last long. also, if you twitter, look for us @picturenpancake - we don't tweet often but are trying to more & more. lastly, check out this fabulous article in the ny times about the coffee scene in new york - a perfect read as we sipped new orleans iced coffees from the newly opened blue bottle in brooklyn. have a great weekend!

Gingersnap & Jam Parfait

makes 4

3/4 cup raspberry jam

3 tbs lemon juice

1/2 cup sour cream

3/4 cup heavy whipping cream

1/4 cup sugar

3/4 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp ground cardamom

1/4 tsp ground ginger

8 gingersnaps, crushed

whisk together jam and lemon juice and set aside. beat sour cream, cream, sugar, vanilla, cardamom and ginger until stiff peaks form. layer about 1 tablespoon whipped cream mixture, 1 tablespoons crushed gingersnaps and 1 tablespoon of jam. repeat and top with a dollop of whipped cream. enjoy!

spring fever

2010-03-09T20:01:00.000-05:00

it was too nice out today and for the past several days to cook much at home. we had a fun afternoon & evening today wandering around the city on foot - enjoying the bright sun, warm breeze and fifty degree weather! had a fantastic lunch here and can't wait to go back very very soon, nice ginger cookie & iced coffee break here and another sweet treat here. we are trying to spend a few moments every tuesday to go out and try something new in the city - we'll keep you posted on what's new & exciting to us as we explore. any suggestions for spots we just shouldn't miss?

celery root

2010-03-04T17:12:00.000-05:00

celery root is a very strange and scary looking vegetable! but with a little love it can be turned into so many beautiful dishes. i was first introduced to the root as this classic french dish when recipe testing for this cookbook. this luscious rich soup makes a perfect lunch or dinner and pairs nicely with a lovely green salad. it couldn't be easier to make, especially with the help of this fantastic tool! immersion blenders make silky smooth soups in seconds and the whisk attachment means you don't have to lug out the kitchen aid stand mixer for a small bit of whipped cream. next time i grab some celery root at the greenmarket, i'm going to try this beautiful salad!

Celery Root Soup

serves 4

3 leeks, white & yellow only, cleaned & sliced

1 tbs olive oil, plus more for garnish

1 1/2 lbs celery root, peeled & cubed

1 3/4 cups chicken broth

1/2 cup heavy cream

2 slices crispy bacon, crumbled

1/2 tart apple, cut into thin matchsticks

in a medium sized pot, saute leeks in oil until softened, about 8-10 minutes. add celery root, chicken broth and 3 cups of water. bring to a boil, reduce to simmer and cook 30-40 minutes or until celery root is soft. puree with an immersion blender or in batches in a blender. return to pot, off heat and stir in heavy cream and season with salt and pepper to taste. thin soup with a little water until desired consistency is reached. ladle into bowls and garnish with crumbled bacon, sliced apple and a drizzle of olive oil. enjoy!

side salad

2010-03-02T15:25:00.000-05:00

we had a fun week/weekend entertaining the in-laws and are still recovering from all the food and wine we managed to consume in a short amount of time. despite the snowy weather we had some great dinners here and here. we decided to cook at home one cozy night and this side dish was the perfect addition to grilled lamb chops, garlic bread, spinach salad and roasted asparagus. it's a very easy bean salad from this awesome cookbook. hope you enjoy it as much as we did! off to see if this has opened yet and very excited for this show tonight!

White Bean Salad

serves 6-8

1 tbs minced shallot

1 tsp dijon mustard

3/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground pepper

1/4 tsp worcestershire sauce

2 1/2 tbs red wine vinegar

2 tbs fresh lemon juice

3/4 cup olive oil

3 15-oz cans cannellini beans, drained

1/2 cup chopped red onion

1/2 cup chopped parsley

1/4 cup chopped dill, mint or basil

3 green onions, chopped

combine shallot, mustard, salt, pepper, worcestershire, vinegar, lemon juice and oil in a small bowl and whisk to combine. in a large bowl, toss beans, onion, herbs and green onion with vinaigrette and season with salt and pepper to taste. serve immediately or refrigerate.

lemon cornmeal cookies

2010-02-23T11:50:00.000-05:00

cookies and milk are the ultimate comforting afternoon snack. these simple lemon shortbread style cookies have cornmeal in the dough for a lovely texture. my mom gave me this cookie cookbook for christmas and a recipe in it gave me the idea to add cornmeal. if you don't want to make 4 dozen cookies at once, the dough will keep for several days in the fridge or a few months in the freezer. we used a 1 1/2-inch round cookie cutter but if you use a bigger circle the recipe will yield fewer cookies. enjoy!

Lemon Cornmeal Cookies

makes 4 dozen

2 cups all purpose flour

1 cup medium or fine ground cornmeal

2 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

2/3 cup sugar

zest of 2 lemons

1 tsp vanilla

2 eggs

1 cup confectioner's sugar

preheat oven to 400 degrees F. combine flour, cornmeal, ginger and cinnamon in a bowl and set aside. using the paddle attachment in a stand mixer, cream butter and sugar until pale and yellow. add lemon zest and vanilla and mix. add eggs, one at a time, and mix until fully incorporated. add dry ingredients and mix until combined. roll dough into a ball, cut in two and wrap each ball in plastic wrap. chill for 30 minutes. roll out one ball at a time on a lightly floured surface until 1/4-inch thick. cut out circles with a 1 1/2-inch cookie cutter and transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet. bake for 12-14 minutes or until light golden brown. cool completely on a wire rack and dust with confectioner's sugar before serving.

it's five o'clock somewhere

2010-02-19T15:22:00.000-05:00

as i'm sure you've heard, old school handcrafted cocktails with traditional ingredients are back in style. there's something so classy about the art of drink, respecting the cocktail and bringing it back to what it was. we're reminded of this tradition at places like this while sipping a dark & stormy and listing to jazz as the subway gently shakes your booth. the cooper's union cocktail has an old fashioned taste and is an elegant drink we discovered in an old issue of bon appetit - it comes from this restaurant in minneapolis. serve it in a beautiful champagne flute like this marc jacobs for waterford crystal coupe we got for our anniversary in october. happy friday and have a wonderful weekend!

Cooper's Union Cocktail

serves 1

1 oz pink grapefruit juice

1/2 oz fresh lemon juice

1/2 oz simple syrup

1 oz st-germain elderflower liqueur

3 drops orange flower water

1 oz vodka

champagne or sparkling wine to top, chilled

in a mixing glass, stir all ingredients, except bubbly, together. pour into a champagne flute and top off with champagne.

around town

2010-02-16T13:40:00.000-05:00

well, its been a busy week in our household, shooting, shooting, shooting and styling, styling, styling. but as we have learned to do very well, with all work will come play. living in nyc has been nothing short of amazing, and it gets better and better each day. there seems to be this never ending pulse of the art and food world that makes it exciting to get up each day and explore more. even these californians have fallen in love with the snow! today, instead of our food, here is a little of our recent fav's around the city.

- our obsession with mast brothers chocolate, above, might get us in pocketbook trouble, but it is worth ever penny. they were also wonderfully featured in the selby, check it out.

-we ate at northern spy the other day and had a great meal at a great price. from their drive to help local farmers and food purveyors to the fun decor, this is a must eat.

-recently our friends at big leo productions pointed us in the direction of new wonderful work produced by mason adams of blp, called voracity. an awesome ongoing essay exploring hunger, consumption, and beauty. the great team that put this together did a fantastic job, make sure to take a peek.

-also check out blp's blog, the den.

-we are looking forward to eating here soon. ohhhhhh meatballs...

-april bloomfield's the breslin really has lived up to all the hype for us. and i have to say the lamb burger might just be the best burger on the planet. i did say might.

-looking for a cheap drinking night in the city? hop under the brooklyn bridge to cowgirl seahorse for a $2 canned genessee cream or carling black label.

-and as usual, you should be checking out these amazing girls...jen, jen, molly and jen.

hope everyone had a great valentines day!

pudding

2010-02-12T17:03:00.000-05:00

when you look at these images you don't think pudding, do you? well, maybe you do if you're british or have a friend from across the pond or are for some reason familiar with steamed puddings. sticky toffee pudding, spotted dick and even bread pudding are molded desserts different in texture than regular old chocolate or tapioca pudding. i grew up with a family tradition of eating cranberry steamed pudding for dessert every christmas eve and have always loved it! we recently saw a recipe for marmalade pudding in jamie oliver's gorgeous magazine and decided to adapt it so you don't have to measure everything in grams. the slightly bitter orange flavor would be delicious with a cup of coffee in the morning, a cup of tea around 3pm or in a puddle of creme anglaise for dessert. you can find molds at garage sales, thrift stores and even brand new here. definitely worth having one in the cupboard but if you don't have one yet, you can always steam it in a coffee can.

Marmalade Pudding

serves 8-10

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 stick unsalted butter

1/2 cup marmalade

3 eggs

in a large bowl, combine flours, sugar, baking powder and salt. in a small saucepan, heat butter and marmalade until butter is melted. pour over dry ingredients and whisk to mix well. whisk in the eggs and stir until combined. pour into a greased pudding mold and cover tightly with a piece of greased foil. place in a large pot, slightly raised from the bottom if possible, and fill pot with boiling water about halfway up the side of the mold, being careful not to spill into the mold. bring to a boil over medium heat, cover and steam for about 2 hours. the water will need to be refilled a bit as the pudding cooks. test the pudding with a cake tester and turn out onto a dish. slice and serve warm or at room temperature. enjoy!

zeppole

2010-02-10T17:32:00.000-05:00

we were just watching a repeat of everyday italian on the food network and it happened to be an episode from the season i worked on. giada was making zeppole, which is essentially an italian doughnut hole, and it reminded me of how delicious little fried balls of dough tossed in cinnamon sugar and dipped in chocolate taste. so while it was snowing outside all day today, we stayed inside and made these! the recipe is adapted from this cookbook which has lots of great recipes. yes it's a little indulgent and no we don't fry things every day but today it was a special treat!

Zeppole

serves 4-6

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1/4 cup sugar plus 1/2 cup for coating

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup all purpose flour

4 eggs

1 tbs orange zest

vegetable oil for frying

1 tsp cinnamon

in a medium saucepan, combine butter, sugar, salt and 1/2 cup water. bring to a boil over medium heat. take the pan off the heat and stir in the flour. return to low heat and cook, stirring vigorously until the mixture forms a ball. transfer the dough to a medium bowl and using an electric mixer, beat in eggs one at a time. add orange zest and set aside. in a small bowl, combine cinnamon with remaining 1/2 cup sugar and set aside.

pour enough oil into a frying pan to reach a depth of 2-inches. heat the oil over medium heat until it reaches 350 degrees F on a candy thermometer.

using a small ice cream scoop, carefully drop small tablespoons of dough into the hot oil. fry several at a time but be careful not to crowd the pan. turn zeppole with a wooden skewer to evenly brown both sides and cook until golden and puffed, about 5 minutes. roll cooked zeppole in cinnamon sugar and serve immediately plain or with melted chocolate for dipping. enjoy!

morning muffins

2010-02-04T16:11:00.000-05:00

well, it looks like baking has been a bit of an obsession lately in our house. i guess the warmth of the oven and the smell of fresh baked goods in the morning can be a little addictive. we love berries, and blueberries seemed a fit for these light tasty little treats. these muffins are filled with streusel for a melt in your mouth fluffiness. recently we have been taking the gourmet coffee tour of the city at home, trying to find a favorite, although i think they all taste so good i don't think we will ever pick just one. we have gone through bags of stumptown, counter culture, and now ninth street espresso. between the aromas coming from the oven and the coffee pot, our house smells like morning all through the day.

Blueberry Muffins

makes 1 dozen

for streusel:

1/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1/8 cup oats

1/8 cup brown sugar

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1 tbs unsalted butter, melted

for muffins:

1 cup all purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup milk

4 tbs butter, melted

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

zest of 1 small lemon

1 1/2 cups frozen blueberries

preheat oven to 350 degrees F and grease a 12 cup muffin tin. in a small bowl, combine streusel ingredients and set aside. in a large bowl, whisk together flours, baking powder salt and sugar. in a medium bowl, combine eggs, sour cream, milk, cooled butter, vanilla and lemon zest. pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and stir until just combined. fold in blueberries until evenly distributed. fill each cup halfway full, then top with 1/2 tbs of streusel and cover with remaining batter filling each cup to the top. bake for 30-35 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. enjoy!

my first cookbook

2010-02-02T12:50:00.000-05:00

i was lucky enough to grow up in a home that loved food and had a mom and grandmas who were wonderful cooks and shared that love with me. apparently they were shaping my future, although i don't think any of them knew what food styling was at the time. one of the first recipes i remember making was from a kid's cookbook called My First Cookbook for cinnamon raisin bread. it was fun to see how yeast made the dough rise, i loved kneading with my little hands and then eating the beautifully swirled bread warm out of the oven with a little butter was a perfect end to the lesson. i'm sure there are much more interesting cinnamon swirl bread recipes out there but this one is such a wonderful memory and when i made it again recently, i realized that it's actually really good - the loaf didn't last long in our house!

Cinnamon Swirl Bread

makes 2 loaves

2 cups milk

1 pkg active dry yeast

5-6 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup sugar

2 tsp salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temp

2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 cup raisins (optional)

heat milk over medium heat until it steams and tiny bubbles come to the edge. cool 10 minutes. place yeast, 5 cups flour, 1/2 cup sugar and salt in a mixing bowl and combine. add 2 tbs of butter and milk and stir until a stiff dough is formed. knead for 5 minutes or until smooth. place in an oiled bowl, cover and let rise 1 hour. punch air out of dough, cover and let rise 30 minutes. grease 2 loaf tins and 1 tbs of butter. combine remaining 1/4 cup sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl and set aside. roll out dough into a thin rectangle. spread 4 tbs butter over dough and then sprinkle with cinnamon sugar and raisins, if using. tightly roll the dough, starting from one long edge and cut the dough in half. place each half in a loaf tin, seam side down. cover and let rise for 30 minutes. preheat oven to 350 degrees F. spread remaining butter on the tops of the loaves and bake 35 minutes or until lightly golden and hollow sounding when tapped with your knuckle. cool on a wire rack & enjoy!

steak

2010-01-28T13:09:00.000-05:00

sometimes there's nothing better than a simply marinated & grilled piece of beef - you can put it in a composed salad, make it into a sandwich or just serve it with a drizzle of good olive and some crisp vegetables. we're not grilling outdoors since we moved - maybe cause it's snowing and we don't have a patio anymore - but if you can stand the smoke for a bit, a cast iron grill pan is a great investment. pancakes for breakfast and steak for dinner! this is an easy marinade made special by the addition of two homemade condiments: worcestershire sauce and spicy mustard. by the way, it's our first restaurant week in nyc and although we waited too long to score a coveted reservation anywhere fancy, we did have a wonderful three course lunch here yesterday - we love mario.

Grilled Skirt Steak

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1 tbs worcestershire sauce

1 tbs chili garlic sauce

3 green onions, sliced

5 cloves garlic, smashed

2 tbs brown sugar

2 tbs spicy mustard

1 tbs chili flakes

1 lb skirt or flank steak

in a small bowl, combine all ingredients and stir well. place steak in a large ziploc bag and cover with marinade. refrigerate for at least 6 hours or preferably overnight. grill over medium high heat for 8-12 minutes per side, depending on preferred doneness and let rest 5 minutes before slicing. enjoy!

noodles

2010-01-26T14:00:00.000-05:00

noodles, noodles & more noodles - that's what our pantry looks like after styling a noodle story for Fine Cooking magazine a few weeks ago. can't wait to show you the spread that i had so much fun shooting with this very talented and sweet photographer. rice noodles immediately make me think pad thai and while this dish is peanuty with chunks of tender chicken and the crunchy coolness of bean sprouts, i wouldn't exactly call it pad thai in the traditional sense. let's say it's more like a noodles in peanut sauce dish that you can adapt to whatever kind of noodles (rice, soba, fresh), protein and vegetables you have in the refrigerator. plus it was the perfect meal to eat out of a new gorgeous grey dish we bought from this amazing designer.

Peanut Noodles

1/4 cup rice wine vinegar

1 clove garlic

1 tbs grated ginger

3 tbs creamy peanut butter

1 tbs honey

1 tsp soy sauce

1/2 tsp chili garlic sauce

1/4 tsp sesame oil

8 oz rice noodles

1 tbs olive oil

1 onion, sliced

1 red bell pepper, julienned

2 carrots, peeled & julienned

1/2 cup bean sprouts

2 poached chicken breasts, shredded

garnish with green onion, cilantro & lime wedges

in a food processor, combine vinegar, garlic, ginger, peanut butter, honey, soy sauce, chili garlic sauce and sesame oil and puree until smooth. set aside. cook noodles according to directions on package, drain and set aside. heat olive oil in a medium saute pan and cook onion, bell pepper and carrots for 4 minutes, or until translucent. add bean sprouts, chicken and peanut sauce and stir to coat. toss with cooked noodles and serve immediately with optional garnish.

winter white

2010-01-21T15:01:00.000-05:00

how about a goat cheese & honey tart in beautiful shades of white to make up for the lack of winter white weather? this elegant dessert couldn't be easier to make and the simple flavors of tart goat cheese and yogurt are perfectly complimented by a drizzle of local honey. the recipe is inspired by a tart from an old issue of food & wine but i used the crust from this fall tart and think it turned out wonderfully - enjoy!

Goat Cheese & Honey Tart

serves 8

1/4 cup each almonds, walnuts and hazelnuts (toasted & cooled)

3/4 cup whole wheat flour

1 tbs flax seeds

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 tsp salt

6 tbs chilled unsalted butter, diced

1 egg yolk

11 oz goat cheese

2 cups greek yogurt

2 tbs lime juice

2 tsp lime zest

1/3 cup confectioner's sugar

1/3 cup honey

grease a 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom. in a food processor, grind nuts, flour, flax, sugar and salt into a fine meal. add butter and pulse until a coarse meal forms. add egg yolk and pulse until moist clumps form. press dough into bottom and sides of pan, about 1/4-inch thick, and pierce bottom with a fork several times. chill for 30 minutes. preheat oven to 400 degrees F. bake crust 12-14 minutes or until golden brown. cool completely.

in the bowl of an electric mixer, beat goat cheese, yogurt, lime juice and zest until combined. add sugar and beat until smooth. spread the filling evenly into the crust and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. just before serving, heat the honey in a small saucepan until it's a thinner consistency and drizzle over tart.

pretzel rolls

2010-01-19T14:15:00.000-05:00

wow, does anyone else feel like 2010 is already flying by? can't believe it's this far into january and we've only posted once, oops. also can't believe how gorgeous the weather has been in nyc so far - we walked all over the city yesterday with our light coats on and stopped here for some excellent fish & chips! we've been busy, but not too busy to make homemade pretzel rolls. this recipe is dangerous because when the rolls are warm out of the oven and slathered with a little salted butter or some spicy mustard, you won't stop at just one or two! the dough is from a fall issue of martha stewart and would also be great adapted into sweet pretzels with cinnamon & sugar or dusted with fresh parmesan. experiment and enjoy!

soft pretzel rolls

makes 12

2 1/4 tsp dry active yeast

1/4 tsp kosher salt

2 tsp sugar

1 cup warm water

3 cups all-purpose flour

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

2 tbs unsalted butter, softened

1/3 cup baking soda

1 egg yolk plus 1 tbs water

1-2 tbs pretzel salt or Maldon salt

in a small bowl, mix yeast, salt, sugar and warm water and stir to dissolve sugar. let sit 5 minutes until foamy. in a large bowl, mix flour and cayenne. use your fingers to cut butter into flour until mixture resembles coarse meal. slowly pour yeast mixture into flour and stir with a fork to combine. use your hands to gather dough together and turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until no longer sticky and fairly smooth. return to bowl, cover with plastic and let rise 30 minutes. cut dough into 12 equal pieces and roll each into a ball between the palms of your hands. then roll ball on surface forming into a roll with slightly tapered ends. transfer to an oiled baking sheet and repeat with remaining dough. let rise 20 minutes.

preheat oven to 475 degrees F. in a large pot, combine 10 cups of water with baking soda and bring to a boil. boil rolls in batches until puffy about 45 seconds per side. transfer to wire rack to drain. return to baking sheet, brush with egg yolk wash, sprinkle with salt and lightly score with a sharp knife about 1/8-inch deep. bake until golden to dark brown, 13-15 minutes. pretzels will keep uncovered, at room temperature for about 12 hours. rewarm in a 250 degree F oven and serve with salted butter and assorted mustard.

behind the bar

2010-01-08T13:16:00.000-05:00

happy new year everyone!! We are happy to let you know that we are being featured by our friends over at design sponge today with a feature in their section behind the bar. we feel very lucky to be part of this great blog for our second time and love being part of a section close to our heart, the bar!! thank you to ryan and alissa, cheers!

we were sorry to be away for so long, but being back in the california sun for a few weeks was just a bit distracting. we did have a great time seeing old friends and familiar places, but we are overjoyed to be back in the big city. and a little snow this morning made it all the better. we also received some amazing gifts this year. we got some amazing work in the form of note cards and a calendar from the amazing photographer jen altman, we literally cant get over her whole package. another gift was from the multi talented jen gotch for a ban.do aristocrat collar that is truly beautiful. thanks to the jens, for capping off a truly great year!

"life is short, break the rules, forgive quickly, kiss slowly, love truly, laugh uncontrollably, and never regret anything that made you smile." -unknown

again, happy new year!!

christmas stollen

2009-12-22T15:45:00.000-05:00

as you finish your holiday shopping and last minute running around before Christmas this friday, maybe you'll have some time to bake this yummy holiday bread. we did our baking before we headed west for warmer weather and to see family, but this recipe was a hit. it takes some time with the rising and resting but is definitely worth it for two beautiful braided loaves filled with dried fruit. the recipe is adapted from martha stewart's traditional xmas bread in the december issue. happy holidays to all our readers and hopefully we'll have some time to post from our CA and AZ adventures before the new year.

Christmas Stollen

makes 2 loaves

5 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour

1/4 cup plus 2 tbs sugar

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1 cup milk, warmed

5 oz unsalted butter, melted

1 tbs plus 1/2 tsp active dry yeast (dissolved in 1/4 cup warm water)

3 eggs, lightly beaten

3 oz raisins

6 oz dried cranberries

1 cup applejack or brandy

1/3 cup crystallized ginger

zest of 1 orange

confectioner's sugar for dusting (optional)

whisk together flour, sugar, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon. stir in milk and melted butter. add dissolved yeast and eggs. turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth. combine raisins, cranberries and applejack in a small bowl and soak until plump, about 15 minutes. drain well and add to bread, with ginger and orange zest. continue kneading for about 10 minutes, adding more flour if dough is too sticky. transfer dough to a lightly oiled bowl. cover with plastic and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, 1-2 hours. punch down and divide into 6 equal pieces. roll each piece into a 15-inch long log. braid 3 logs together and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. repeat with remaining 3 logs. cover and let rise until doubled, about 2 more hours. preheat oven to 350 degrees F. bake stollen until golden brown, 36-40 minutes. let cool completely on a wire rack and dust with confectioner's sugar before serving. enjoy!

chocolate bark

2009-12-16T19:43:00.000-05:00

it's homemade holiday treat time! this is such an easy candy to make - no boiling sugar, no candy thermometers, no complicated ingredients - just good quality chocolate and mixed nuts. for this recipe we used what we like and what we happened to have in the pantry - but use a combination of whatever you please. break it into pieces and wrap it up in a pretty little tin or glass jar to give to friends and family this year for a simple handmade treat. enjoy!

Chocolate Nut Bark

makes 2-3 gifts

12 oz dark or semisweet chocolate, chopped

2 1/2 cups mixed nuts such as pistachios, almonds & hazelnuts

melt chocolate in a double boiler, stirring often, until smooth. once melted, remove from heat and stir in 1/3 of the mixed nuts. spread evenly on a parchment lined 9x13-inch baking sheet and sprinkle with the remaining nuts. refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes. break into pieces and keep at room temperature for about a week.

worcestershire

2009-12-12T14:30:00.000-05:00

the holidays are here! we had a fabulous thanksgiving with friends filled with way too much good food & wine, julian plenti live & late night bowling here, this exhibit at moma and a cozy winter meal with everyone here. this recipe from last year was a big hit again but we added a third cheese and a little bacon to make it even more decadent! another hit were the homemade bloody marys we sipped while playing dominoes to work up an appetite in the afternoon. after reading this article in the ny times and finding an old recipe in saveur, i decided about a month ago to try making worcestershire sauce from scratch. it turned out delicious and was the perfect addition to the best bloody mary mix from bon appetit. this drink would be a great addition to your new year's day football watching - just don't forget the mean beans.

Worcestershire Sauce

makes 2 cups

2 cups white vinegar

1/2 cup molasses

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup tamarind concentrate

3 tbs salt

1 tsp whole black peppercorns

1/2 tsp curry powder

5 cardamom pods, smashed

3 chiles de arbol, chopped

2 cloves garlic, smashed

1 stick cinnamon

2 anchovies

1 onion, chopped

1 1/2-inch piece ginger, peeled & chopped

1/2 cup sugar

1 tbs water

combine all ingredients except sugar and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. meanwhile, cook sugar with water in a skillet over medium-high heat until it becomes dark and syrupy. add caramelized sugar to vinegar and whisk to combine. cook sauce for 5 minutes more and transfer to a glass jar. let cool, cover and refrigerate for 3 weeks. after 3 weeks, strain to remove solids and return to jar. refrigerate for up to 8 months.

vegetarian dinner

2009-11-24T14:27:00.000-05:00

we try to have a vegetarian dinner once a week in our house, which doesn't always happen or isn't always very exciting, but last night it was! needed something quick and easy to go with broccoli & cheese soup and realized that i had a few zucchini and some spinach that needed to be used. so that turned into a delicious zucchini and gorgonzola tart! for dessert i made these cookies - great recipe but trouble because we can't stop eating them!! also anxiously waiting for a cute grey slouch hat to arrive from here discovered via mrs. french. excited to have visitors for the holiday arriving soon and can't wait to get cooking - went here this morning for smoked trout for a dip. also on the menu - cornbread, sausage & apple stuffing, susy's spinach souffle, two kinds cranberry sauce, andy's mashed potatoes, both pumpkin and pecan pie . . . and of course herb roasted turkey with applejack gravy. happy holidays & see you next week!

Zucchini Gorgonzola Tart

serves 6-8

1 cornmeal crust, recipe here

1 tbs olive oil

2 zucchini, cut lengthwise & then into 1/4-inch thick slices

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 onion, sliced

1 cup spinach, roughly chopped

2 tbs chopped parsley

2 tbs chopped basil

1/3 cup crumbled gorgonzola cheese

1 egg, beaten

6 oz mascarpone cheese

blind bake cornmeal crust according to instructions and let cool slightly while making filling. heat olive oil in a medium skillet and saute zucchini and garlic until softened, about 8-10 minutes. set aside in a large bowl. in same pan, adding more olive oil if needed, saute onion until translucent, about 5 minutes. add spinach and saute 1 minute more or until wilted. add to bowl with zucchini and combine with herbs, cheese, egg and mascarpone. pour into prepared crust and bake at 375 degrees F 25-30 minutes or until set. let cool for 10-15 minutes before slicing and eat warm or at room temperature.

preserved lemons

2009-11-20T12:50:00.000-05:00

preserved lemons were a typical moroccan ingredient i'd heard about but wasn't familiar with the taste until now. seeing them while wandering through the isles of this amazing market sparked my interest and then i found a recipe to easily preserve them at home in an old issue of gourmet. ok, now i've got a beautiful jar of opaque sliced lemons, what do i do with them? roast a chicken and make a relish sounded like a good plan to me! this salty tangy herb salad would be great on grilled fish or roast lamb as well - an easy way to dress up any protein. they also add great flavor to soups and salads and will be good in your refrigerator, covered in their juices and a little oil, for about a year.

Preserved Lemons & Relish

6 lemons

2/3 cup kosher salt

1 to 1 1/2 cups lemon juice

olive oil

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1/4 cup chopped parsley

1/4 cup chopped mint

1 shallot, finely chopped

5 slices of preserved lemons, rinsed & rind only, pulp discarded

bring a large pot of water to a boil and blanch whole lemons for about 5 minutes, then drain. when cool enough to handle, cut each lemon into 1/4-inch thick slices, discarding the seeds. toss lemons with salt in a bowl and then pack lemons and salt into a glass jar. add enough lemon juice to cover sliced lemons completely. cover with a tight fitting lid and let stand at room temperature for 5 days, shaking gently once a day. after 5 days, cover with a little olive oil and refrigerate.

to make preserved lemon relish, combine cilantro, parsley, mint, shallot and diced rind in a small bowl. add a few tbs of olive oil to moisten the mixture and a little black pepper. stir to combine and serve at room temperature. enjoy!

fall starter

2009-11-17T14:56:00.000-05:00

here's a quick salad that you can throw together to impress dinner guests that is much more sophisticated tasting than it is difficult to make. the combination of sweet pears and maple syrup is offset by salty gorgonzola cheese and smokey bacon - yum! try it with different combinations of cheese, nuts and firm fruit for an ever changing fall starter. is anyone else getting excited for Thanksgiving next week? we have friends coming from santa barbara and boston and can't wait to start cooking - it's definitely the best food holiday of the year.

Fall Pear Salad

serves 2

2 ripe firm pears, such as bosc or anjou

1 green onion, sliced

3 slices cooked bacon, crumbled

1/4 cup gorgonzola cheese, crumbled

1/4 cup hazelnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped

1/2 lemon, juiced

1 tbs maple syrup

3 tbs hazelnut oil

approx. 1/4 cup olive oil

fresh cracked black pepper

core pear with an apple corer, trying to keep pear whole. slice into 1/8-inch thick rounds and combine in a bowl with green onion, bacon, cheese and hazelnuts. in a small bowl, combine lemon juice, maple syrup and hazelnut oil. slowly whisk in olive oil, taste and adjust seasoning to your liking. toss salad with dressing, plate and garnish with pepper. enjoy!

coffee & chocolate

2009-11-11T19:01:00.000-05:00

chocolate & coffee is one of those perfect combinations. so when i came home from a recent job with some really nice chocolate and saw this recipe while going through old magazines, i knew exactly what to do - run out and buy some haagen-dazs coffee ice cream immediately! this mocha caramel sauce is from a 2006 issue of gourmet and is definitely worth the few extra minutes it takes to make caramel and melt chocolate for an amazing homemade dessert. i'm sure it would be great poured over any flavor ice cream but coffee was just the thing for us. enjoy!

Mocha Caramel Sauce

1 cup heavy cream

3 1/2 tsp instant espresso powder

1/2 cup sugar

4 oz bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

1/8 tsp salt

in a small bowl, stir together cream and espresso powder. cook sugar in a heavy saucepan over medium heat, undisturbed, until it begins to melt. continue to cook, swirling the pan gently, until a deep golden caramel color. remove from heat and let sit 1 minute. very carefully pour in espresso cream - mixture will steam and bubble. then cook over low heat, stirring, until caramel is dissolved. add chocolate and salt and cook until sauce it smooth. serve warm or at room temperature.

short ribs & polenta

2009-11-04T13:25:00.000-05:00

as the weather gets cooler and the days get shorter, our bodies start to crave warm satisfying comfort food. for us, it doesn't get any more comforting than braised short ribs with creamy polenta. we were tempted to do another short rib ragu over pasta but decided this was just as easy and satisfying. the recipe calls for the braise to be done in a dutch oven on the stove top and then in the oven for 3 hours but you could probably make it work in your slow cooker as well - either way, this dish will fill your home with a wonderful aroma! make your polenta according to the directions on the bag but be sure to stir in some extra butter, parmesan cheese, mascarpone and salt for a real treat.

Braised Short Ribs

serves 4

3 lbs. beef short ribs

smoked sea salt & fresh ground pepper

2 tbs olive oil

1 granny smith apple, diced

1 onion, diced

2 celery ribs, diced

3 garlic cloves, smashed

5 sprigs thyme

1/2 cup tomato paste

1 cup dry white wine

2 cups chicken stock

1/3 cup apple cider vinegar

3 tbs honey

preheat oven to 300 degrees F. season short ribs generously with smoked salt & ground pepper and heat oil in a medium sized dutch oven. add short ribs, brown on all sides and remove. add apple, onion, celery, garlic and thyme and cook 6 minutes. add tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes until it deepens in color. add wine, chicken stock, vinegar and honey and bring to a boil. add short ribs, bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. cover and transfer to the oven, braising for 3 hours and turning halfway through cooking.

remove short ribs from the pot and set aside to cool slightly, meat should fall off the bone. strain the sauce into a large bowl and refrigerate to solidify the fat. when the meat is cool enough to handle, shred and discard the bones. skim fat off top of sauce and use just enough of the sauce to moisten the shredded meat - serve shredded meat warmed over creamy polenta. enjoy!

grape crush

2009-10-30T14:25:00.000-04:00

concord grapes are still in season and covered in bees at the local greenmarket. we've seen lots of great inspirations of how to use them around town - jellies, sorbet and a wonderful cocktail at Gramercy Tavern. we used these delicious seasonal grapes last year in an amazing grape tart. this year we decided to try a cocktail, The Grape Crush. make the grape concentrate and simple syrup ahead of time and keep it in the fridge so you can whip up a cocktail whenever you feel the urge! hope everyone has a great weekend and a happy halloween!

The Grape Crush

serves 1

2 oz Hendricks gin

1 oz fresh lime juice (about 1/2 lime)

1 oz grape concentrate, see recipe below

2 tbs lemon simple syrup, see recipe below

4 oz soda water

in a cocktail shaker, combine gin, lime juice, grape concentrate, simple syrup and ice. shake well and strain into a highball glass filled with crushed ice. top with soda water, stir and enjoy.

Concord Grape Concentrate

1 lb concord grapes, stems removed

2 tbs lemon juice

combine grapes and lemon juice in a medium saucepan over high heat. cook, stirring frequently, until grapes release their juices, about 7 minutes. strain through a fine mesh sieve and cool completely.

Lemon Simple Syrup

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup water

1-inch zest of lemon

combine sugar, water and lemon in a small saucepan over high heat. bring to a boil and cook just until sugar is dissolved. remove from heat and let sit 5 minutes. discard lemon zest and let syrup cool completely.

brittle

2009-10-15T12:11:00.000-04:00

this recipe is an adaption of a brittle i discovered in an old issue of gourmet that i found when we were going through stacks of magazines before we moved. we are so disappointed in conde nast's decision to shut the doors of gourmet magazine and will definitely be missing our monthly inspiration, the stunning images and beautiful recipes. this brittle is a play on granola and gathers a lovely rich flavor from the combination of butter, oats and nuts - play with the combination to add your own favorite granola elements.

Maple Granola Brittle

1 cup old fashioned rolled oats

1 cup whole almonds

1/2 cup shelled sunflower seeds

1 cup dried cranberries

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup maple syrup

1/2 cup orange juice

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened

preheat oven to 350 degrees F. on a baking sheet, spread out oats, almonds and sunflower seeds. toast for 15 minutes or until oats are pale golden, stirring often. transfer to a bowl and toss with dried cranberries.

line a baking sheet with a nonstick liner such as a silpat. in a heavy 5 quart saucepan, cook brown sugar, maple syrup, juice and salt, stirring with a wooden spoon, until mixture reaches 290 degrees F on a candy thermometer. stir in butter until melted and quickly add oat and nut mixture. immediately pour onto sheet pan and cover with a sheet of parchment. roll out brittle as thin as possible with a rolling pin. carefully peel off parchment and discard. cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes. break into large pieces and enjoy! can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

two years

2009-10-13T13:32:00.000-04:00

just a quick hello today as we are out & about celebrating our second wedding anniversary. my how two years has flown by since that amazing fall day in santa ynez. so many beautiful images to browse through from our fabulous photographer, jose villa. so many great memories and a big thank you to all our family & friends for sharing in such a special day!

spicy mustard

2009-10-09T14:22:00.000-04:00

as promised, here is that spicy stout mustard that goes perfectly with all your fall comfort food - sausages & sauerkraut, homemade pretzels, warm toasty sandwiches, etc. who knew mustard was so easy to make? when we moved, we got to start fresh with a fridge empty of all condiments and thought it would be fun to try making most of the typical sauces from scratch. this is a nice grainy mustard with some kick but the flavor will mellow out the longer it sits in your fridge. enjoy!

Spicy Stout Mustard

makes 3 1/2 cups

1 12 oz bottle Guinness Extra Stout

10 oz brown mustard seeds

3 cloves garlic, smashed

1 cup apple cider vinegar

1 tbs honey

1 tbs salt

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground cloves

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp ground allspice

1/2 tsp turmeric

combine all ingredients in a nonreactive mixing bowl. cover with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 1-2 days. transfer the mixture to the bowl of a food processor and puree, occasionally scraping down the sides of the bowl. process until most of the seeds are coarsely ground and mixture thickens. transfer to jars and refrigerate for up to six months.

pork & more pork

2009-10-07T18:30:00.000-04:00

fall is here! our favorite time of year for so many reasons but especially for the food. we've been dreaming of warming soups and stews. choucroute garni is an amazing Alsatian dish revolving around sauerkraut and pork, mmm. there are many specific ingredients that are supposed to be in the dish to make it authentic but we decided to put in what we had and what we like. it also involves making a bouquet garni, which sounds fancy, but is really just a combination of herbs and spices tied up in a cute bundle. make sure to serve this feast with a lovely spread of various mustards, pickles or picked vegetables, boiled potatoes with melted butter and your favorite imported beer or a glass of white wine. check back soon for a spicy homemade mustard recipe that would be a fun addition as well. enjoy!

Choucroute Garni

serves 8

3 bay leaves

5 garlic cloves, smashed

1 tsp whole black peppercorns

1 tsp whole fennel seeds

1/2 lb thick cut smoked bacon, cut in half

2 onions, cut into wedges

1 lb smoked pork butt, sliced 1-inch thick

4 cups sauerkraut, rinsed and drained

375ml dry white wine

4 smoked pork sausages such as kielbasa

4 veal and pork sausages such as bratwurst

place bay leaves, garlic, peppercorns and fennel seeds in a small square of cheesecloth and tie into a bundle with kitchen twine. heat a large dutch oven over medium high heat. add bacon and cook until crisp and most of the fat is rendered. remove and set aside. add onions and cook 5 minutes until translucent. add pork butt and sauerkraut and fill with white wine. bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook 45 minutes. using the tip of a pairing knife poke a few holes in each sausage to prevent them from bursting. add to the dutch oven with the reserved bacon, cover and cook until heated through, about 20 minutes. heat a large skillet over medium high heat and transfer sausages to skillet. cook about 5 minutes per side or until nicely browned. drain sauerkraut and arrange on a serving platter. add sausages, pork butt and bacon and serve.

french toast

2009-10-05T18:06:00.000-04:00

things have been so busy! we missed posting on our year blog anniversary - can't believe how quickly a year of posting went by and we really love all the new friends we've made. also want to wish the "pictures" of pictures & pancakes a happy belated birthday - we had a wonderful new york day wandering the city, enjoying a cup of Stumptown coffee at the new Ace Hotel, a lovely dinner here and cocktails here.

other than that, we've been on a little french toast kick . . . does two sunday mornings in a row qualify as a kick? i think so. there are some amazing bakeries in this city and i actually just worked on a bread cookbook (details to come) with two amazing women - photographer susie cushner and stylist randi brookman harris. baked my buns off (hee hee) for 5 days straight but fell in love with carbs again. french toast is such a quick easy treat - change the recipe to make it your own with different breads, spices and sauces and let me know what your new favorite combination is! we used this blueberry sauce which is also great on pancakes. enjoy!

Brioche French Toast

serves 2

3 eggs, beaten

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp orange zest

1/4 tsp cinnamon

pinch of salt

4 slices brioche loaf, 3/4-inch thick

confectioner's sugar & butter for garnish

in a baking dish, combine eggs, milk, cream, vanilla, orange zest, cinnamon and salt. place 2 slices of brioche in mixture and let sit for 2 minutes or until bread soaks up some of the liquid but is not soggy. turn over and heat a griddle over medium high heat. cook each slice for 2-3 minutes per side or until golden brown and crispy. repeat with remaining slices. serve with a light dusting of confectioner's sugar, softened butter and blueberry sauce.