I made Cooking Light's Ultimate Chocolate Cake recipe for my friend Megan's 30th recently (recommended by Mom).
As frosting, I used a very simple ratio for ganache also found in the Ratio, a book I mentioned in an earlier post. This is the ratio for ganache: 1:1 baking chocolate/cream. Now, good baking chocolate can be expensive but if you want to cut costs, chocolate chips are fine (or a mix of baking chocolate and chips). Heat up the cream and add the coarsely chopped chocolate to the pan. Remove pan from heat as soon as the chocolate has melted.
Result: Amazing cake. Great recipe. Highly recommended. You can't really go wrong with ganache. It would probably make rotten vegetables taste delicious.
Friday, June 12, 2009
Banana and Black Bean Empanadas and Go Mousavi!
The bananas undergo a transformation in this recipe and become the perfect partner to the heat of the jalapeno and the meat of the beans. I used fresh diced jalapeno instead of tabasco. The vegan recipe from the Vegetarian Times below is slightly dry (the crust), so I definitely recommend using a sauce like guacamole. I prepared a make-shift salsa with chopped tomatoes, onions and lime juice (this was not bad). Another reviewer suggested sour cream with lime zest and lime juice.
The non-vegan version here in epi is even easier to prepare.
Politics: All eyes on the election in Iran today. Let's hope Mousavi wins and the power transition is peaceful...
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Ingredient List
Serves 6 Crust
1 1/2 cups whole-wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. chili powder
4 Tbs. cold soy margarine, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 Tbs. white wine vinegar
Filling
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped (1 cup)
1 cup cooked black beans
1 clove garlic, minced (1 tsp.)
2 bananas, peeled and diced (1 cup)
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp. ground coriander
2 Tbs. chopped fresh cilantro
1 tsp. red pepper sauce, such as Tabasco
Ingredient List
Serves 6 Crust
1 1/2 cups whole-wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. chili powder
4 Tbs. cold soy margarine, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 Tbs. white wine vinegar
Filling
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped (1 cup)
1 cup cooked black beans
1 clove garlic, minced (1 tsp.)
2 bananas, peeled and diced (1 cup)
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp. ground coriander
2 Tbs. chopped fresh cilantro
1 tsp. red pepper sauce, such as Tabasco
Directions
1. To make Crust: Sift flours, salt, and chili powder in bowl. Mix in margarine with fingers until mixture resembles coarse meal. Whisk together applesauce, vinegar, and 1/3 cup cold water in separate bowl. Stir applesauce mixture into flour mixture until textured dough forms, adding up to 1/4 cup more water, if necessary. Knead on lightly floured surface until dough comes together. Form into ball, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill 1 hour, or overnight.
2. To make Filling, heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté onion 4 to 5 minutes, or until soft and translucent. Add beans and garlic, reduce heat to medium, and cook 3 minutes. Stir in bananas, cumin, cayenne, and coriander, and cook 2 minutes, or until bananas begin to break down and spices are fragrant. Remove from heat, and stir in cilantro and red pepper sauce.
3. Preheat oven to 400°F. Divide dough into 12 balls. Coat baking sheet with cooking spray. Roll out each ball to 6-inch round (1/4-inch thick) on lightly floured work surface. Fill with 2 Tbs. Filling, and brush edges of pastry with water. Fold dough circle in half, press to close, and crimp edges with fork to seal. Transfer to prepared baking sheet, and repeat with remaining dough balls and Filling. Chill 10 minutes. Bake empanadas 20 minutes, or until golden brown and crusty. Cool 5 minutes on baking sheet before serving.
2. To make Filling, heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté onion 4 to 5 minutes, or until soft and translucent. Add beans and garlic, reduce heat to medium, and cook 3 minutes. Stir in bananas, cumin, cayenne, and coriander, and cook 2 minutes, or until bananas begin to break down and spices are fragrant. Remove from heat, and stir in cilantro and red pepper sauce.
3. Preheat oven to 400°F. Divide dough into 12 balls. Coat baking sheet with cooking spray. Roll out each ball to 6-inch round (1/4-inch thick) on lightly floured work surface. Fill with 2 Tbs. Filling, and brush edges of pastry with water. Fold dough circle in half, press to close, and crimp edges with fork to seal. Transfer to prepared baking sheet, and repeat with remaining dough balls and Filling. Chill 10 minutes. Bake empanadas 20 minutes, or until golden brown and crusty. Cool 5 minutes on baking sheet before serving.
Nutritional Information
Per : Calories: 364, Protein: 10g, Total fat: 10g, Saturated fat: 4g, Carbs: 60g, Cholesterol: mg, Sodium: 748mg, Fiber: 8g, Sugars: 8g
Thursday, June 04, 2009
Cook with Math
Food
Cookbook foes, there is a new anti-cookbook cookbook for you! Ratio: The Simple Codes Behind the Craft of Everyday Cooking provides formulas that promise to set you free from the bondage of recipes. An example:
Pie dough = 3 parts flour: 2 parts fat : 1 part water. Roux = 3 parts flour : 2 parts fat. Sausage = 3 parts meat : 1 part fat.
I am a slave to recipes, I admit. I've been trying to figure out why for years. My mother and grandmother also cook with recipes. My friends from more traditional cultures (Asian, Middle Eastern) don't use recipes and while I envy them, I generally stick to the book.
I haven't read this book yet, but I will post again when I do. Wanted to get the buzz out of there on it.
Politics
A shout out to Obama for a great speech in Cairo today.
Cookbook foes, there is a new anti-cookbook cookbook for you! Ratio: The Simple Codes Behind the Craft of Everyday Cooking provides formulas that promise to set you free from the bondage of recipes. An example:
Pie dough = 3 parts flour: 2 parts fat : 1 part water. Roux = 3 parts flour : 2 parts fat. Sausage = 3 parts meat : 1 part fat.
I am a slave to recipes, I admit. I've been trying to figure out why for years. My mother and grandmother also cook with recipes. My friends from more traditional cultures (Asian, Middle Eastern) don't use recipes and while I envy them, I generally stick to the book.
I haven't read this book yet, but I will post again when I do. Wanted to get the buzz out of there on it.
Politics
A shout out to Obama for a great speech in Cairo today.
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