Hurricanes

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I had a nice healthy post scheduled to share with you today. But, it’s Friday, and I wanted to “throw caution into the wind” (heh, no pun intended) and post this Hurricane recipe. I made a batch of these to celebrate Mardi Gras this past Tuesday, and I loved them. So fruity and delicious, but with a strong punch of rum. It actually uses both light and dark rum, which is kind of dangerous in my opinion.

I went out and bought grenadine for this, but honestly, I think maraschino cherry juice would be better. I think I’ll definitely be tucking this recipe away for the warmer months ahead. I think it would make a great “big kids” punch for a backyard barbecue. It’s been absolutely gorgeous here the past few days, already has me itching to get to the beach. If you’ve been in the same mood as me the past couple of days, don’t wait for summer to make these! Treat yourself to a taste of it this weekend, and make this wonderful cocktail!

Hurricanes

1.5 oz (1 shot) light rum
1.5 oz (1 shot) dark rum
1.5 oz freshly squeezed orange juice
1 oz freshly squeezed lime juice
1 oz grenadine
agave nectar, optional
Maraschino cherries and orange slices to garnish
ice

Add ice cubes to two hurricane or tulip shaped glasses and set aside.

Add all of the ingredients to large glass and mix well. Taste and add additional grenadine or agave nectar if desired.

Pour drinks over ice. Garnish with maraschino cherries and orange slices.

Source: adapted from Our Life In Food

Banana Bread

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What’s more comforting than a loaf of banana bread baking in the oven? Few things my friends, few things. So, in honor of National Banana Bread Day, I wanted to share my favorite recipe with you guys. It’s from the Better Homes And Gardens Cookbook, you know, the one that EVERYONE has on their bookshelf. Great cookbook, by the way. So many tried and true recipes to be found inside!

I’ve tried several other recipes for banana bread, but I always end up coming back to this one. It comes together in minutes, and stays fresh for days. It also uses more mashed banana than most recipe I’ve seen call for, which I like. I’ll usually have 3 bananas left at the end of the week,  and that’s just about what this recipe calls for. It’s great to whip up on a Friday night to munch on all weekend long. Toasted, with a smear of butter or honey, along side a cup of tea. Heaven!

Banana Bread

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups mashed bananas (3-4 large)
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil or butter
1/4 cup walnuts, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bottom and 1/2 inch up the sides of one 9×5 inch loaf pan; set aside. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Make a well in center of flour mixture; set aside.

In a medium bowl combine eggs, bananas, sugar, and oil. Add egg mixture all at once to flour mixture. Stir just until moistened (batter should be lumpy). Fold in nuts. Spoon batter into prepared pan.

Bake in 350 degree oven for 55 to 60 minutes, until a wooden toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack. Wrap and store overnight before slicing.

Source: Better Homes & Gardens New Cookbook, Bridal Edition

Triple Chocolate Mousse Cake

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Chocolate mousse is one of my all time favorite desserts. It’s relatively quick and easy, and is always impressive. So, when I saw a recipe that takes that love, and multiplies it times three, and then puts it into the form of a cake – lets just say it took my breath away. I made this cake for Valentine’s Day, and I was kind of worried that I’d be pressed for time. It’s quite a lengthy recipe, but don’t let that intimidate you. As with most Cook’s Illustrated recipes, it looks a lot worse than it is. But, it’s their descriptiveness and attention to detail that always make their recipes sure fire winners. I worked on it here and there all morning, and by lunchtime the cake was done and chilling in the refrigerator.

It was all I could do to wait until after dinner to unmold and serve it. I’m pleased to report that it’s everything I thought it was going to be. Often chocolate desserts are so sweet they hurt your teeth. Not the case here. The use of bittersweet chocolate really creates a great balance. I’m not a big fan of white chocolate, but the extra boost of sweetness it lends to the top layer is welcome. This will definitely be a new addition to my repertoire of special occasion desserts. It was just perfect!

Triple Chocolate Mousse Cake

For the bottom layer:
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into six pieces
7 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine
3/4 teaspoon instant espresso powder
4 large eggs, separated
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Pinch salt
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar

For the middle layer:
5 tablespoons hot water
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
7 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine
1 1/2 cups heavy cream, chilled
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt

For the top layer:
3/4 teaspoon powdered gelatin
1 tablespoon water
6 ounces white chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups heavy cream, chilled
Shaved chocolate or cocoa powder for decorating, optional

To prepare the bottom layer, preheat oven to 325º. Grease a 9- or 9 1/2-inch springform pan. Combine butter, chocolate and espresso in a large heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water. Stir occasionally until melted and smooth. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly, about 5 minutes. Whisk in egg yolks and vanilla and set aside.

Using a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip egg whites and salt on medium-low speed until foamy, about 1 minute. Add half of sugar and continue whipping until combined, about 15 seconds. Add remaining sugar, increase speed to high, and whip until soft peaks form, 1 additional minute, scraping down bowl halfway through. Using a whisk, fold one-third of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten it. Fold in remaining egg whites using a rubber spatula. When no white streaks remain, carefully transfer batter to prepared pan. Smooth top with spatula. Bake cake until it has risen, is firm around the edges and just set in the center (cake center should spring back when gently pressed with finger), 13 to 18 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, about 1 hour. Do not remove cake from pan.

While cake is cooling, prepare middle layer. Combine the hot water and cocoa in a small bowl and set aside. Place chocolate in a large heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water. Stir occasionally until melted and smooth. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly, 2 to 5 minutes.

Using a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip cream, sugar and salt on medium-low speed until foamy, about 1 minute. Increase speed to high and whip until soft peaks form, 1-3 minutes. (It helps to chill the mixing bowl before whipping the cream.) Whisk cocoa mixture into chocolate. Using a whisk, fold one-third of the cream into the chocolate mixture to lighten it. Fold in remaining cream using a rubber spatula. When no white streaks remain, spoon mousse onto cooled cake. Smooth top with spatula and gently tap on counter to release any air bubbles. Wipe inside edge of pan with a damp cloth or paper towel to remove any drips. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes while preparing top layer.

To prepare the top layer, sprinkle gelatin over water and let sit for at least 5 minutes. Place white chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl. Bring 1/2 cup of cream to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Remove from heat and stir in gelatin mixture until completely dissolved. Pour cream mixture over white chocolate, cover and allow to sit for 5 minutes. Whisk gently until smooth. Let cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally (mixture will thicken slightly during this time).

Using a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip remaining cup of cream on medium-low speed until foamy, about 1 minute. Increase speed to high and whip until soft peaks form, 1 to 3 minutes. Using a whisk, fold one-third of cream into white chocolate to lighten it. Fold in remaining cream using a rubber spatula. When no white streaks remain, spoon white chocolate mousse into the pan over the middle layer. Smooth top with a rubber spatula. Return to refrigerator and chill until set, at least 2 1/2 hours. Cake can be refrigerated up to 1 day. Allow to sit at room temperature for about 45 minutes before slicing.

To serve, garnish cake with chocolate curls or dust with cocoa if desired. Run a thin knife between the cake and sides of pan. Remove sides and run the cleaned knife along the outside to smooth. Cut using cheese wire or a hot knife, cleaning and drying between each cut.

Source: The Cook’s Illustrated Cookbook; via Cook Like A Champion

Chicken, Sausage, and Shrimp Gumbo

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Gumbo. What’s not to love? I actually have a funny story involving gumbo, so spare me a minute.  The year was 2005, and we were flying down to see my husband’s (actually, we weren’t even engaged yet. He bought the ring on the trip!) mother in Texas. Since Norfolk’s airport has very  few direct flights, we had a layover in Charlotte, NC. There were horrible storms over Texas, so it was delaying our final leg of the stretch. We waited for hours, finally loaded onto the plain at 1 AM, only to discover that the plane was having mechanical problems and the flight was finally canceled and rescheduled for the morning.

In all the waiting and delays, we struck up conversation with a very nice gentleman whom had been to visit his mother, and was heading home. He carried with him a plastic bag, filled with 2 containers of gumbo that had been frozen in order to transport back to Texas. By 1 in the morning, it had been thawed out for hours, and the poor guy reluctantly threw it in the trash. I remember feeling bad for him, but not really understanding what all the fuss was about in the first place.

“Gumbo Guy”, I can now say that I feel your pain. A couple of months ago, I finally broke down and made this Cajun staple. I thought it would be something I’d make for the boys, but that I wouldn’t really enjoy. So wrong. The roux  is the backbone of gumbo, and adds so much depth of flavor. I’ve made this a couple of time now, once with fresh okra, and once with frozen and didn’t notice much of a difference. Some folks use okra as a thickening agent, and others use filé (ground sassafrass ro0t). But, apparently it’s a cardinal sin to use both! So, I stuck with the okra. I have some filé in my spice cabinet though, so I think I might try that next time around to see if it lends different flavor. If you’re looking for a dish to celebrate Mardi Gras, look no further. This makes enough to feed an army, and it virtually takes care of itself on the stove. Can’t beat it with a stick!

Chicken, Sausage, and Shrimp Gumbo

2 lbs. chicken legs or thighs, bone-in and skin-on
Salt
1 lb. andouille sausage, sliced (or spicy Italian sausage, crumbled)
½ cup + 2 tbsp peanut or other vegetable oil
1 cup flour
2 green bell peppers, seeded and diced
4 stalks celery, diced
1 large onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp. tomato paste
2 tbsp. Cajun spice mix
4 cups chicken stock
4 cups water
½-1 lb. okra, sliced into discs
1/2 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
3 green onions, chopped
Chopped fresh parsley, for serving

In a large stockpot or Dutch oven set over medium-high heat, add 2 tbsp oil and heat until shimmering.Set the chicken pieces skin side down to brown.  Season the side facing up with salt.  Cook 4-5 minutes without moving.  Flip the chicken pieces over and brown on the opposite side.  Remove the browned chicken pieces to a plate and set aside.  Add the sausage to the pan and cook until well browned.  Remove to the plate with the chicken.

The amount of fat remaining in the pot should be about ½ cup.  Add the additional peanut or vegetable oil to the pot.  After the oil has heated for a minute or two, stir in the flour.  Stir this mixture together almost constantly for the first few minutes, then every couple of minutes or so thereafter.  Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook the roux until it becomes fairly dark, about the color of coffee with a bit of cream mixed in.

While the roux is cooking, combine the chicken stock and water in a separate pot and bring to a boil.  Lower the heat and maintain at a simmer.

When the roux has reached the appropriate color, stir in the diced green pepper, celery and onion.  Mix well.  Let cook, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes.  Stir in the garlic and cook for about 2 more minutes.  Mix in the tomato paste.

Using a large ladle, gradually add the hot chicken stock mixture to the pot.  It will sizzle and seize as the roux absorbs the liquid.  Continue adding the stock, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom of the pot.  You may not need the full amount of liquid but add enough so that it is slightly more watery than you want the final product to be since the mixture will cook down over several hours.  Stir in the Cajun spice mix and add more to taste.

Reduce the heat to medium-low and return the chicken pieces to the pot.  Let simmer gently until the chicken meat falls easily away from the bones, about 90 minutes.  Remove the chicken pieces and let cool slightly.  Return the sausage to the pot with the gumbo, and stir in the sliced okra.  Shred the cooked chicken meat, discarding the skin and bones (or saving for a later use).  Add the shredded chicken pieces back to the gumbo.  Cook the gumbo for an additional hour or more, until the gumbo has reached your desired final consistency. During the last five minutes of cooking, stir in the uncooked shrimp. Season to taste with salt.

Before serving, stir in the green onions and sprinkle with the parsley.  Serve over rice or with crusty bread.

Source: adapted from Hank Shaw of Simply Recipes; via Annie’s Eats