Yearly Archives: 2017

Pork Rillettes

December 24, 2017    |    Print Print
A Rillette is a rustic spread made from meat (generally pork, poultry, or fish) that’s been cooked in the method of confit; meaning cooked in some kind of fat. It could be its own, another animal fat, olive oil, or butter. I’ve made duck, salmon, and tuna rillettes, but not pork until now. In this […]
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Butter Cookies

November 28, 2017    |    Print Print
This is a recipe that I demonstrated at the Minnesota State Fair years ago. Use the best organic unsalted butter you can get your hands on because after all, it’s a butter cookie. Recipe from The French Cookie Book by Bruce Healy with Paul Bugat. 135 g or ½ cup, plus 1 ½ tablespoons, unsalted […]
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Chicken Liver Paté with Port Gelée

November 12, 2017    |    Print Print
I so enjoy paté. Any variation is just dandy with me; whether it’s duck liver (paté de foie de canard), mushroom (pâté de champignons), or this chicken liver with port jello (pâté de foie de poulet au porto gelée). It’s easy to make. However, I found that using a blender makes for a much smoother […]
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Black Walnut and Coconut Banana Bread

October 14, 2017    |    Print Print
This may be the best banana bread I’ve yet to bake. But that doesn’t mean I’m going to stop testing other variations. It’s not too dense and has a nice crumb but it’s not crumbly like some banana breads. I’m also a huge fan of coconut and nuts in general. I’d gladly add walnuts or […]
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Navette Cookies from Marseille

October 2, 2017    |    Print Print
When I turned the page of Jamie’s new book Orange Appeal and saw this recipe I was immediately transported back to Cannes (which is not far from Marseille). There’s a shop in the old city where these little “boats” are stacked on a table from my waist to my head (okay, maybe not as tall […]
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Tomato and Caramelized Onion Jam

October 1, 2017    |    Print Print
It’s amazing how six tomatoes plants can be so prolific. There’s only so many BLTs a person can eat and I had already made tomato paste and sauce. I still had plenty of romas to make two batches of this jam. It’s a little sweet, slightly tart and with just enough heat to give it […]
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Apple and Sour Cherry Pie

September 22, 2017    |    Print Print
I’m never one to settle for one dimensional tastes and pie filling is no exception. In this recipe I used a variety to apples. Seek out apples in your part of the country that are considered cooking or pie apples. Here in the Midwest, braeburns fill that bill. To those I added a couple of […]
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Easy Pie Dough – Double Crust

September 22, 2017    |    Print Print
I’ve read Rose Levy Beranhaum’s book the Pie and Pastry Bible, numerous other cookbooks, and perused the Cooks Illustrated website. All gave me pointers on the use of various fats, flours, and mixing techniques but the Cooks Illustrated recipe was the most intriguing in it’s technique. I’ve also never understood though why recipes for pie […]
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