Salty Oatmeal Cookies

Every summer my family vacations on Wellfleet, and all year I look forward to the oatmeal cookies you can pick up at the local market.  After picking up a box I would walk back along the beach that stretched from the pier all the way out to our one room Wellfleeter cottage.  As I walked I would take a cookie from the box and slowly eat it; the sea salt sprinkled on top perfectly complimenting the briny ocean air.  Well, these are not those cookies, but they are tasty!  They are wonderfully crisp on the outside and soft in the middle and in true Wellfleet fashion I sprinkle salt over the top before sticking them in the oven.  

Ingredients

9 oz unbleached all purpose flour

7g baking soda (see note for some chemistry talk)

4 g cinnamon

4 g salt

¾ lb butter (at room temperature)

¼ lb sugar

¾ lb light brown sugar

2 extra large eggs

½ T vanilla extract

¾ lb rolled oats (I like Bob’s Red Mill)

Fleur de Sel

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 375.

2. Line your baking sheets with parchment paper.

3. Sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.

4. Cream the butter, sugar, and light brown sugar on medium speed until light in color.  Scrape down the bowl as needed. 

5.  Blend the eggs with the vanilla.

6. Add the eggs and vanilla to the creamed butter-sugar mixture in three stages until incorporated.  

7.  On low speed add in the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, and oats in three stages, make sure to keep scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl so that everything is worked in. 

8. Scoop the batter onto baking sheet, make sure the little guys have room to breathe, and sprinkle the tops with fleur de sel. 

9. Bake for 10 minutes, or until brown around the edges, rotating half way through. 

10. Let the cookies rest on the sheet for a few minutes before moving them to a cooling rack.  (If you don't have a cooling rack... I just discovered that if you take apart the shelves of your dorm fridge you can make one of your own!) 

So pretty.

I also did a few dozen with chopped walnuts and chocolate chips.  While tasty, I still prefer the original! 

Makes 3 dozen

NOTE: Today one of my friends asked me why I used baking soda in my cookies and so I thought I would take a moment to explain.  Bakers have very strong opinions on what they like to use in their recipes: baking powder or baking soda, maybe a bit of both.  The truth is they both will result in a different product.  While both are chemical leavening agents (meaning they make batter rise when brought to high temperatures by the release of carbon dioxide), they react differently depending on the other ingredients present in the recipe.  It should be noted that baking power actually contains baking soda but should not be used in place of baking soda.  

Baking Soda: Baking soda is pure sodium bicarbonate (basic).  When combined with an acidic agent (such as chocolate) and moisture there is an immediate chemical reaction.  Because the reaction is immediate you must get your goods in the oven tout de suite or you will have some paper thin cookies.

Baking Powder: Baking powder contains both an alkaline ingredient (sodium bicarbonate) and an acidifying agent (cream of tartar) and a drying agent (starch) (so both an acid and a base).  When exposed to liquid it produces carbon dioxide gas, which leavens doughs and batters.  Double-acting backing powder contains ingredients that produce two leavening reactions: once upon exposure to liquid, the second when heated.    

Short Ribs Braised in Red Wine

I am dreadfully sorry for the weeklong silence on my end.  Break is over and I am back at Wellesley College for my final semester.  The first week is always chaos, but now with my classes sorted and my life back in order I find the need to make this dish.  I am throwing a small dinner party tonight to say thank you to my friends for four years of solidarity.  For four years of love and support, for sticking together through the heartache and for enriching and bringing purpose to one another and to myself.  Thank you ladies for being wildly intelligent, quirky, driven and sometimes-infuriating Wellesley Women who will.  I would not have made it this far without you, I would not be the person I am today without your influence. Now, enough gushing, back to food!   

Braised Short Ribs

(Here served with Truffle Polenta)

If I love you, and want to make you happy, this is what I will make you.  It is one of those perfect dishes.  The kind that fills the room with a beefy redolence perfumed with cinnamon and thyme.  It is the kind of bouquet I wish I could wear on my body (and I often do, as the smell tends to cling to my hair).  It is the kind of smell that makes you mad with yearning as you look at your watch: just an hour and a half longer…

Ingredients

1/3 c extra-virgin olive oil

2 stalks celery, chopped

2 carrots, peeled and chopped

1 large onion, chopped

1 leek (white part only) cleaned, thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic, finely diced

5 cups chicken stock (homemade if you have it, if not, try to find organic unsalted)

Fleur De Sel and freshly ground black pepper

3 lbs grass-fed beef short ribs (bone in) brought to room temperature

1/3 c unbleached all-purpose flour

1 ½ c red wine (I used a powerful, full bodied, syrah with just a hint of truffle)

1 ¼ c tomato purée

5 sprigs fresh thyme

2 cinnamon sticks

2 Turkish bay leaves (if large, just use one)

a pinch of fennel pollen (optional) 

Method

1. Heat oven to 300 degrees

2. I like to put parchment paper over my short ribs while they cook.  Doing this traps the moisture against the surface of the sauce, if the moisture can’t escape it seeps into the ribs.  The result: literally melt-in-your-mouth short ribs.  To do this take your Dutch oven (mine is 5-quarts, yours should be too) or braising pot  and place it upside-down on a sheet of parchment paper.

3. Next, using scissors, cut around the pot, leaving a  ¼ to ½ inch boarder, like so:

Put the parchment paper aside.  

4.  Using your Dutch oven heat three tablespoons of the olive oil on medium low.  When aromatic tip the celery, carrots, onion, leek and garlic in and turn the heat up to medium high. 

5. When the vegetables are lightly browned transfer them to a bowl.  Using some of the chicken stock deglaze the Dutch oven, scrapping up the bits clinging to the bottom and sides.  Poor the mixture, browned bits and all, into the bowl with the cooked vegetables.  This should take about 10 minutes. 

In the beginning it should look like this:

Afterwards it should look like this:

Wipe out your Dutch oven with a paper towel.

6. Now, inspect your short ribs.  Remove any gristle or excess fat (but leave a good amount on as it tenderizes the meat). When buying your ribs make sure you see what you are getting.  You want big meaty ones with large layers of fat running through. Do not be afraid to tell your butcher one particular rib is not meaty enough, be picky about your ingredients. Again, please do not hack away at the fat, I  beseech you.  A little fat only serves to enrich the world, that is rule number one in fight club.  

   

7. Pat the ribs dry with a paper towel and salt and pepper those bad boys.

8. Put the Dutch oven back on the stove over medium low heat with about three tablespoons of olive oil (if you are uncomfortable you may use grapeseed oil.  It has a higher smoking point so it is less likely to burn)

9. Dredge the ribs.  To do this, put them in the flour and push it up over all the surfaces with your hands.  Once they are completely covered I like to smack them around a bit (it gets off all the excess).  You just want a light coating, let's not go crazy. 

10. Brown the meat on all sides.  Without crowding the pot, you might need to work in batches, arrange the meat so that the ribs are not touching.  If they are too close together they will steam rather than brown, no good.  When you lower the meat to the oil, listen.  You should hear a sizzle once it makes contact, if it sizzles that means the oil is hot enough.  Use your senses, let the meat tell you when it wants to be turned.  You can smell the fat melting, the meat crusting: it hangs rich and heavy in the air.  If the meat sticks to the bottom of the pot, it is not ready to be turned.  Be gentle, nudge it, if it lifts you have permission flip it to another side.  

(please excuse the pictures, our dorm stove has no light)

11. Once browned, place the ribs, one by one, into a bowl.  Deglaze with the red wine.  There will be steam; you might run around batting fire alarms with your Geoscience text book.  You will curse, you will bargain, you quite possibly might be the driving force behind mass exodus from the building.  This too shall pass.  Eventually, the steam dies down and you are free to scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pot.  Reduce by a third.

12. Add everything, sans fennel pollen, to the pot.  Bring to an energetic simmer.  Bringing it to a simmer means that it does not need to come up to temperature in the oven (which takes ages), decreasing cooking time without sacrificing tenderness or flavor.  

13. Place the parchment paper over the ribs.

14. Then the lid.

15. Braise for two hours; don’t bother it.  Trust me, you will want to, but resist the temptation to sneak a taste.  You are trying to make a seal, prevent moisture from escaping, and probing spoons break that seal. 

16. When the two hours are up remove the Dutch oven and check on the ribs.  They are done when they shrink away from the bone. 

For all you weight watchers, yes, there will be a thick layer of fat on the surface of the sauce.  Skim it off.  Personally, I like to let everything sit and marinate overnight in the fridge.  It makes for way more flavorful ribs and far easier fat removal the next day.

17. When you take your short ribs out of the fridge the next day, do not be alarmed.  The weird orangeish solid coating is normal.  Fat solidifies at much higher temperatures than water so it all turns into a solid coating at the surface of the stew.  Makes for easy removal.

just spoon it off! 

18. Once the fat is removed take the short ribs from the sauce and place them in a bowl.  Leave them there until they come to room temperature (about an hour).

19.  At this point return the sauce to the stove, over medium heat, and bring it up to temperature slowly.

20. Once the short ribs reach room temperature, and the sauce is at a low simmer, rip the short ribs apart.  You can use two forks, or, if you are like me, get elbow deep and use your bare hands.  It is way more satisfying.  

21.  Hands smelling of cinnamon, return the carnage to the Dutch oven and let it slowly come to temperature.  This gives you time to deal with the tricky business: vegetarians and polenta.  When hot, add a pinch of fennel pollen and serve over truffle polenta.  Garnish with chopped parsley and citrus zest.  Today I used orange.  

fin.

Here we have a vegetarian (on the left) working right alongside me, (a definite carnivore).  Love appears in the most unlikely of places.  

When organizing this event I received several emails: "What should I bring!?" I responded with: "We are low on wine and desert".  The result?  Five bottles of wine, no dessert.  I would expect nothing less from a Wellesley Woman.

Might I mention, I forgot silverware? 

But we made it work.

Thank you, my loves, for a perfect evening!

(Thank you Claire Ayoub for some magnificent photos of our event)

Spiced Leek Soup

This morning when I woke up it was -2˚F. Now don’t get me wrong, I love cold weather, mostly because it gives me an excuse to eat huge amounts of comfort food.  But, -2˚F?  This is ridiculous, time to pull out the big guns. As I mentioned before, my kitchen is a sad, appliance-less, wall-less, heat-less wasteland so I am off to commandeer my aunt’s kitchen (thanks Aunt Libby!).  Pulling on my boots I struggle out the door, food processor under one arm, knife roll strapped to my back, purse filled with ingredients I picked up from the farmers market on Saturday.  The result? This soup: super rich and as smooth as velvet with a touch of spice.  One spoonful is enough to warm you, body and soul.  Don’t believe me?  Give it a try.

Base: Chicken Veloueté

 

2 qt chicken stock (preferably homemade)

3 fl oz clarified butter or vegetable oil (see note)

White Mirepoix

1 oz diced onion (about ½ onion)

1 oz diced leek (about the white portion of one large leek)

1 oz diced celery (about one stalk)

1 oz diced parsnips (about one small parsnip)

4 oz all-purpose flour

Sachet d’epices ( Containing: 2 parsley stems, 1/8 t thyme, 1/8 t cracked black peppercorns, 1 bay leaf, and one garlic clove)

Salt and ground white pepper to taste

1. Heat the clarified butter on medium heat in a stock pot, add the white mirepoix and cook until the onions are limp (12-15 minutes).  Don’t let them brown; a tinge of gold is OK.  

2. Turn the heat to medium low and add the flour.  Stir well.  Make sure to keep it from clumping around the edge of the pot. This will form a roux.  Cook until the roux turns a blonde color (about 10-12 minutes).  Make sure to keep the roux moving so that it doesn’t scorch!

3. Add the chicken stock to the pan in a slow stream, whisking all the while to work out the clumps.  Clumps will form.  Don’t freak out, stick to your whisk they will work themselves out.

 4. Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce to a simmer.  At the point add your sachet d’espices.  I did not have any cheesecloth on me so I made a sachet by rolling everything tightly in leek leaves tied with cooking twine.  I substituted a few whole peppercorns for crushed: It worked just fine.

5. Continue to cook for about an hour, skimming when necessary (trust me, it is necessary)

6. Strain the sauce through a fine sieve (or cheesecloth).  At this point you can store your Chicken Velouté in the fridge overnight, if not, keep warm on the stove and skip the first step of the soup instructions.

MAKES ABOUT 2 QT

Note: Clarified butter is whole butter that has been heated until the butterfat and milk solids separate.  Clarified butter can be cooked at a higher temperature than whole butter.  To make: heat butter over low heat until foam rises to the surface and the milk solids drop to the bottom, the remaining butterfat becomes clear.  Skim the surface of foam and spoon the clarified butter into another container, be careful not to disrupt the milk solids on the bottom of the pan (they will look like a cloudy film). 

Spiced Leek Soup

2 qt Chicken Velouté

2 T Clarified butter or vegetable oil

3 Parsnips, peeled and diced

½ Onion, finely chopped

½ c Dry White Wine

¾ c Chicken Stock

Sachet d’epices (Containing: 5 black peppercorns, 1 clove garlic, 2 sprigs thyme, 1 inch sprig of rosemary, 1t whole cloves)

1. If you chilled your Chicken Velouté overnight poor enough chicken stock or water to just film the bottom of a stock pot, heat on medium.  Return the Chicken Velouté to the pot (it will be a jelly-like consistency) and whisk until it returns to a silky texture. Bring to a boil and then return to Medium Low, keep an eye on it).  Bringing to a boil is for sanitation reasons.

2. In a skillet heat the clarified butter on medium heat, add the parsnips and onion, cook until the onion begins to soften.

3. Increase the heat to medium high and add the white wine, cook until almost all the liquid is gone.

4. Add the chicken stock and the Sachet d’epices, reduce the head to medium low and simmer, covered, until the parsnips are tender and aromatic (about 10-12 minutes).

5. Remove from heat and poor into a food processor (remember to remove the Sachet d’epices!  In fact, just toss it into the Chicken Velouté pot).  Pulse until a pulpy mess, add water if it dries out too much.  Whisk this mixture back into the Chicken Velouté until incorporated.

6. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer, this melds all the flavors together.  Taste.  At this point you might wish to add more white pepper, salt, or ground cloves.

7. Strain once more through a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth and serve hot (or chilled) in bows.  Garnish with chives, celery leaves, or a sprinkling of ground cloves.

Chicken Stuffed with Tarragon (and How to Truss a Bird)

Chicken Stuffed with Tarragon

poulet farci a l'estragon

I love roast chicken, there is something incredibly natural about it.  Growing up in a vegetarian household the only time I ever saw a whole bird roasted was on Thanksgiving - so the whole concept seemed rather scary to me.  It wasn't until I was much older and decide I was just going to go for it on my own that I realized, there really isn't anything to be scared of.  Cooking birds is easy.  Cooking birds is rewarding.  And no matter what they always look and taste impressive.  

This dish is incredibly simple but deep, rich and flavorful.  I guarantee people will be asking you your secret.  The bird takes all the credit.  I find that hands off is the best approach when you are working with a truly natural animal, everything should be meant to enhance, not to overpower or disguise.  

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter

1 free range organic chicken (3-4 pounds)

4 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon 

1 garlic clove, minced

Salt to taste

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 teaspoon dried thyme 

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 400˚F (this might very, check to see if your chicken has cooking instructions on it.  When purchased directly from the farm it is more likely that it will not)

2. Cut the butter into small cubes

3. Rinse the chicken under cold water, pat dry (remove giblets) 

4. Combine butter, tarragon and garlic in a small mixing bowl.  Season the inside of the cavity with salt and pepper, then stuff with butter and herb mixture.  Truss.  

5. Place chicken breast side up in a roasting pan and brush with olive oil (don't be shy).  Sprinkle the bird with salt and dried thyme and place in the oven.  Roast until done (this is when the juices run clear when the thigh is pierced).  Baste chicken with pan juice occasionally as it roasts.  

6. Let the chicken rest, under a loose tent of foil, for about 20 minutes.  It will allow the juices to reabsorb and the skin really crisps up! 

Notes: 

You might have noticed that I didn't use a brine.  I find that when it comes to truly pastured chickens the brine does not make a huge difference, instead I salt well.  Pastured chickens are more tender and retain moisture in ways their poor industrial or semi pastured cousins do not.  If you cannot find a truly pastured bird, I recommend a good brine for at least a couple hours.  

The definition of "free-range" or "organic" is incredibly complex.  Just because a bird is labeled free range or organic does not mean it lived the lifestyle of a forging nomad as one might hope.  Many of these birds were allowed partial access to a small plot, usually in the last week of life.  At this point many of the chickens will never make it out of doors.  While these birds are better in flavor and texture then the industrial option they still fall far short of the pastured birds.  If you get a chance, in grocery stores you might not, feel free to ask questions.

      -Did the bird get prolonged exposure to sun, greenery, and bugs on a regular basis?

      -Were the birds diets supplemented?

      -If so, what did they eat?  Was it local?  Organic?

      -Where and how were the birds processed?

I think this last question is an important one.  The lower the stress when it comes to the slaughtering process the more untainted the meat, the more flavorful, and the more tender.  In some states farmers are allowed to pass over USDA regulations and process their own birds, this usually means that it is done in a less stressful environment.  The farmers get a chance to see their birds through from hatchling to gloriously deep flavorful roaster.  

How to Truss a Bird   

I by no means claim that my way is the only way, or even the right way.  It is just my way, and it works for me.  I am sure you will develop a way that works for you.  Anything goes as long as the little ladies legs stay closed.  

1. Cut away the first two wing joints (these can be used later in a lovely, lovely, stock)

2. Pass  the middle of a long piece of string underneath the joints at the end of the drumstick (I recommend using twine... I used a shoelace once, I was desperate.  It ended badly, just take my word for it).

3. Cross  the ends of the string to make an ‘X’

4. Pull  the ends of the string down toward the tail hooking them back under the opposite drumstick.

5. Begin  to pull the string back along the body.

6. Pull  both the ends of the string along the back, pinning the wing against the body of the bird.  Pull both ends of the string tight, come on now, pull! Think muffin top.  Anchor one string under the spine where the neck sticks out.

7. Tie  a nice little knot under the spine, use it to keep your knot in place (make sure everything is still nice and tight, if it isn’t undo the knot, PULL, and re-tie. Cut the extra string from the ends. 

8. And now you have a chicken, wrapped up like a present!

Yes, I use a Red Sox cap to hold my oil, NBD.

Ready to be placed, with love, in the oven!

De finition

Om Nom Nom Nom...
Sorry for the hack job.  I mean rustic presentation...right?