velvety homemade coffee ice cream [porter]

It's officially summer, but you don't need any kind of solstice to tell you that here in Texas!  100 degree temperatures have become a mainstay.  I always have ice cream in the freezer, and summer is the perfect excuse to take the effort to make my own.  I took a Central Market class on cheeses several months ago and was introduced to Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams recipe for goat cheese ice cream with roasted red cherries.  The magic things about the base for this ice cream is 1) it is egg-less so you don't have to worry about accidentally cooking the egg while tempering in the custard-style base and 2) it uses corn starch as a stabilizer and cream cheese as a thickener, which means this all natural ice cream has a lovely, rich creamy texture that doesn't get icy in the freezer.

Though this goat cheese ice cream recipe is definitely worth making (and I have many a time), I wanted to get creative and use this base to make another flavor.  Shying away from a possibly complicated mint chocolate chip for my first made-up recipe, I thought coffee ice cream would be a somewhat safe and delicious application.  This recipe turned out very well and I had a small scoop for breakfast the next morning because I couldn't wait any longer!  Who says you can't have ice cream for breakfast??

Ingredients:
Makes a generous 2 quarts
2 cups whole milk
4 tsp corn starch
1 1/4 cups heavy whipping cream
3/4 cups sugar
1/4 cup light corn syrup (Caro syrup)
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 cup espresso grounds (freshly ground is better but not required)
3 tbsp cream cheese (1.5 oz) - slightly softened (~10-20 sec in microwave)
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chunks optional (I used Nestle)
Large bowl of ice and a large baggie

The how to:
In a small bowl, mix 1/4 cup of the milk with the corn starch and set aside. In a 4 quart pot, combine remaining milk, cream, sugar, corn syrup and salt.  Bring mixture to a boil and then remove from heat.  Add espresso grounds to the pot and let it brew for 5 minutes.  If you haven't done so already, you can use this time to place the cream cheese in a medium bowl and soften it.  After 5 minutes, strain out the coffee grounds using a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth.  I don't have a fine strainer so I used a spatula and some patience to skim as much coffee grounds off the top as I could (the coffee grounds float for the most part).  Place the pot back on the burner over medium heat and add in the cornstarch/milk mixture (it might need a fresh stir to pour well).  Bring the pot to a ever so slight boil and stir for one minute.  Remove from heat and pour about a cup of the warm mixture into the cream cheese bowl and stir well, and then add the cream cheese mixture back into the large pot to fully incorporate.
     Chill the ice cream in the bowl of ice for 30 minutes by either pouring the mixture into a plastic baggie and submerging in ice or if you are lucky like I was, placing the pot in the ice bowl directly if the ice bowl is big enough (this may not be good for your pot if it has a lining -- mine is just plain metal).  Once chilled, pour into your ice cream maker and churn until it sticks thickly on a spatula.  I pause every 10 minutes or so and scrape down the sides, but this probably isn't necessary.  Also, add the chocolate chunks after about 10 minutes once the ice cream has set up a bit.  Spoon ice cream into a 2-quart freezer safe container.  Place wax paper flat to the top of the ice cream (this helps to prevent ice crystals) and place the lid on the container.  Freeze for 4 hours to set.  Remember to devour any remaining soft serve left in your ice cream maker.  Enjoy!!

Side notes:
For a lighter option, use sugar substitute (follow directions on package for replacing sugar) and agave nectar in place of corn syrup.  I strongly suggest fresh grounds to get a full coffee flavor because the natural oils diminish over time once ground.  I used the bulk aisle at my grocery store to freshly grind about a 1/4 cup of bold Nicaraguan coffee using the espresso setting for half and the Turkish coffee setting for the other half (the Turkish setting grinds it so small that you add it directly to hot water without straining - I did this so I could purposefully leave behind some grounds in my ice cream).  Warning: use decaf if you usually have ice cream after dinner!  In the future I will experiment mixing flavors with this coffee ice cream such as vanilla coffee, hazelnut coffee, coconut coffee, and almond coffee (maybe with toffee bits!).

If you are interested in the science behind ice cream, check out how stuff works.

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berry good salad dressing [porter]

Tonight I wanted my favorite salad as a side but did not have any fresh fruit which is a key ingredient.  I did have frozen blueberries though so I let my little brain wander, and I came up with this perfect dressing that I used to substitute for the sweetness in the quintessential spinach-walnut-fruit-and-cheese salad.  Many of these ingredients can be interchanged with similar ingredients making this dressing flexible to what you have on hand.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup frozen blueberries
2 tbsp Greek yogurt
1 tbsp agave nectar
2 tsp lime juice
pinch of salt

The how to:
Add all ingredients to a food processor and blend completely.  Feel free to adjust to taste.  The mixture will thin out as the blueberries melt.  If it is still too thick, add more agave nectar to get to the desired consistency.

Side notes:
Feel free to slip some ground flax into this dressing for more hidden health benefits without compromising taste.  Fresh berries can replace frozen (and may actually be tastier if they are in season).  Try any berry in place of blueberries.  I used plain Greek yogurt because it's what I had on hand, but non-Greek yogurt and flavored yogurts will work too--try to stick to plain, vanilla, or complimentary fruit flavors.  The agave nectar adds sweetness and helps to thin the dressing out.  Honey or sugar will work, too.  If using sugar to sweeten, try some water or milk to thin it out.  Any citrus will work in place of lime (think lemon or orange juice).  I used bottled lime juice, and it turned out fine.  The salt can be left, but it helps to cut the sweetness.  Another twist would be to create a berry vinaigrette: use red wine vinegar in place of lime juice, salt, and half of the agave nectar.

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killer mac and cheese [porter]

All I can say is yummm!  This macaroni and cheese is creamy, flavorful, and ready to be morphed into what ever you want it to be.  This is not a substitute for the ease and childhood satisfaction of the blue box, but this down-home-cooking variation is sure to fill a craving for comfort food.

Ingredients:
Makes 3 entree servings or 4 side dish servings
3 cups medium pasta shells (size small works too)
3 3/4 cup skim milk
1 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese (freshly shredded is best)
1 tsp salt
3 strips of peppered bacon (if not hearty slices, go for 4 strips)
1 serrano pepper, seeded and finely sliced and diced

The how to:
In a medium size pot, add pasta and milk together and heat to just before boiling.  Reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring regularly to prevent the pasta from sticking to the bottom.  Try not the let the milk boil.  Meanwhile (and you'll have to multitask because you are still stirring the pot frequently), fry the bacon on medium in a separate pan.  Remove bacon and dry on a paper-towel lined plate.  Drain most, not all, of the bacon grease from the pan and add diced serrano to fry over medium-low heat for 2 minutes.  Once the pasta is cooked, remove from heat and stir in the shredded cheese and salt.  When fully incorporated, tear cooled bacon into dime sized pieces and stir into pasta along with the serrano. 

Side notes:
If not using pepper bacon, be sure to add some coarsely ground pepper for a similar taste.  The serrano pepper is not too spicy in this dish, especially when very thinly sliced and chopped it disperses well in the cheese.  However, if you do not like spicy foods, substitute with a less spicy jalapeno or skip altogether and try some yellow mustard for some flavor.  For a more true-to-the-name mac and cheese, hold the bacon and serrano and add a few grates of nutmeg and white pepper.  I'd love to hear any other versions that you come up with!

Editor's note: I had a layer of burned milk at the bottom of my pot that was not coming off with a normal scrubbing effort after soaking.  Letting the pot soak for 3 min with hot water, dish soap and 1/4 white vinegar helped it come off relatively easily with a light scrub.  If this isn't your thing, boil the pasta in water according to package directions, drain, then add 1-2 cups of milk and other ingredients.  Adjust milk amounts to preferred consistency of sauce.

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everything you ever wanted to know about eggs [paisley]

Eggs are a basic ingredient in the foods of several cultures (and a basic ingredient of life!).  Breakfast, lunch and dinner put this handy, accessible food into use in many different ways.  They can be scrambled, fried, boiled, and baked as a feature, or mixed, dipped, and beaten to serve as a binder.  The inspiration for this post came from explaining to my dad that olive oil shouldn't be used on the grill because of the high heat and low smoking point of the oil.  I suggested that he should apply the seasonings straight to the salmon or try an egg-white dip to get heavier coatings to stick.  He then asked, "well, isn't an egg dip less healthy?"  And here we are.

There are 3 main parts to an egg: the shell, the white, and the yolk.  The color of the shell varies based on the species of the animal that lays it.  Chicken eggs are by far the most widely used and typically come in white, brown or pink.  Nutritional value is the same regardless of the shell color.  The white acts as a barrier to the yolk and is mostly water with a bit of protein in the make up.  The amount of water and protein decreases over time creating an air pocket, but more on that later.  Finally, the yolk contains the majority of the nutrients, good and questionable, found in an egg.

So, to answer my dad's question, egg whites have no adverse dietary effects whether used as a binding dip or as the main feature in an egg white omelet.  However, the white offers very little nutritional value on its own.

Now for the yolk.  If you are conscious of your cholesterol levels, you probably don't eat the yolk (this is where all of the cholesterol in the egg exists).  However, consider the reasoning on World's Healthiest Foods that blood cholesterol levels are affected most by saturated fats, not raw cholesterol found in foods.  In addition, research shows that 1-2 eggs a day will not harm blood cholesterol levels or significantly increase heart attack risk; in fact, studies show that eggs can actually improve the LDL to HDL ratio.

Other benefits of eggs (all from WHFoods):
Protein - the type found in eggs may help to prevent blood clots
Choline - benefits brain health and it's anti-inflammatory characteristics help to prevent heart disease, osteoporosis, cognitive decline and Alzheimer's, and type-2 diabetes (other sources of choline include soybeans, cod, chicken and salmon - with eggs and soybeans being the highest concentrations).
Aids in weight-loss

USDA egg grades, AA, A, and B are based upon the quality of the shell, the size of the air pocket in the more pointy end of the shell, and the quality of the white and yolk.  From the Agricultural Marketing Service:

AA Quality
The shell must be clean, unbroken, and practically normal. The air cell must not exceed 1/8 inch in depth, may show unlimited movement, and may be free or bubbly. The white must be clear and firm so that the yolk is only slightly defined when the egg is twirled before the candling light. The yolk must be practically free from apparent defects.

A Quality
The shell must be clean, unbroken, and practically normal. The air cell must not exceed 3/16 inch in depth, may show unlimited movement, and may be free or bubbly. The white must be clear and at least reasonably firm so that the yolk outline is only fairly well defined when the egg is twirled before the candling light. The yolk must be practically free from apparent defects.

B Quality
The shell must be unbroken, may be abnormal, and may have slightly stained areas. Moderately stained areas are permitted if they do not cover more than 1/32 of the shell surface if localized, or 1/16 of the shell surface if scattered. Eggs having shells with prominent stains or adhering dirt are not permitted. The air cell may be over 3/16 inch in depth, may show unlimited movement, and may be free or bubbly. The white may be weak and watery so that the yolk outline is plainly visible when the egg is twirled before the candling light. The yolk may appear dark, enlarged, and flattened, and may show clearly visible germ development but no blood due to such development. It may show other serious defects that do not render the egg inedible. Small blood spots or meat spots (aggregating not more than 1/8 inch in diameter) may be present.

Store eggs pointy end down in the refrigerator in a closed container so they will dry out slower and be less likely to take on the smells of nearby foods.  Eggs should last 2-4 weeks in the fridge.  To test the freshness, place in a bowl of water, if they float, then they are bad.

Tips for cooking: Use fresh, new eggs for frying, baking, or any case where you need to whip to peaks (meringue, souffle, etc.).  The white will be more firm and will lend to easier flipping when frying and a stronger structure when baking or whipping.  Older eggs are still good for boiling and scrambling as the more liquid structure will not have a negative effect on the outcome (but still make sure they are fresh eggs).

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salmon with mustard and ginger soy sauce [porter]

Alaskan sockeye salmon with soy-mustard-ginger sauce

I am on a major health kick this week.  Fiance and I took a Memorial day trip to New York City and dined our little hearts out on bagels, egg sandwiches, pastrami sandwiches, matzo ball soup, Patsy's pizza, Italian tasting menus, and exquisite Japanese food from Morimoto.  Now it's time to recover and put healthy food back in the system.  Having decided on fish as the main course for dinner last night, I could not pass up the wild caught Alaskan sockeye salmon that was being freshly laid out behind the seafood counter.  It was just so red.  I did what I typically do for weeknight meals: threw a bunch of stuff together that sounded good.  Here is the end result...it takes less than 20 min and it's not too shabby if I do say so my self.

Ingredients (serves 2):
12 oz salmon, with or without skin (wild caught Alaskan is best and here is why)
1 tsp garlic salt
2 tsp lemon pepper
3 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp dijon mustard
1 tbsp grated or minced ginger
optional:
2 tsp ground flaxseed
1 lemon

The how to:
Place the top rack of your oven about 10 inches from the top.  Set the oven to broil and place pan on the top rack to preheat.  A cast iron pan or other oven safe pan is recommended, but I don't have these so I used my thickest baking sheet (foil lined for easy clean up) that would retain heat the best.  While the pan is heating, sprinkle the garlic salt and then the lemon pepper on the top of the salmon (the non-skin side if applicable).  These amounts should be to your taste, but I like an even thin layer of this 2:1 ratio.  Remove the pan from the oven (use a hot pad!) and place the salmon skin side down on the pan and replace on the top shelf of the oven.  Broil the salmon for 7 min.  The salmon will cook on both sides from the pan and the broiler so you do not need to turn.  I checked mine at 7 min, but the thickness of this filet took 1-3 min longer.  The fish should flake easily and still be pink (not red) in the middle when done.  While broiling, combine the remaining  ingredients (including flax seed if applicable) in a small bowl.  Remove the fish from the oven and top with a thin layer of this soy-mustard-ginger mixture.  Let rest for 5 min to let mixture sink in.  Serve with optional half lemon on each plate and see additional serving suggestions below.

Side notes:
I served this on a bed of mixed greens with very thinly sliced (more like shaved) white onion and green bell pepper.  I kept it pretty basic to feature the salmon instead of feeling like it was a salad with salmon on top.  I used the left over topping I had and mixed in ponzu, honey and a little splash of yellow mustard and used to lightly dress the greens.  I also served a small portion of roasted broccoli - it was hard to resist when I already had the oven on high heat and broccoli in my fridge.

Now that's all out of the way, I want to share why this dish is so healthy.  You can click on any of the links in the ingredient list to see more in depth information from World's Healthiest Foods (a non-profit organization dedicated to making the world a healthier place).  The salmon in this dish (6 oz per serving) provides roughly 75% of the daily recommended need of omega-3's while the flax seed and mustard help to supplement this dish to provide roughly 100% of this important requirement.  Eating a meal of this nature as little as once per week can have significant heart-health benefits.  Also, ginger, flaxseed, and mustard (and possibly soy sauce - more research needed) all offer anti-inflammatory benefits.  Lastly, lemon and ginger offer immune-system-boosting effects, which is excellent for Fiance who caught a cold near the end of our trip.

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