Fabulous Fudgy Chocolate Cake

I am not a cake person, UNLESS it is gooey, or dense and super moist. My daughter (the incredible baker) found this ultra dewy chocolate cake, and honestly, I think I ate half of it myself. This is a fabulously fudgy delight. The recipe itself is so interesting which is why she decided to try it in the first place. 

It is the best chocolate cake I have ever tasted from "a very intriguing recipe".

Pre-heat oven to 350F.

Combine dry ingredients:
2 c. flour
2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

In a medium pot, combine and bring to a boil:

2 c. sugar and 2 c. water

Stir until the sugar is dissolved, then pour this into a large bowl.

Yes, lots of sugar but if you are going to make the best chocolate cake, this is what it is. Do not lament!

To this, add and stir until slightly cooled:

4 oz of semi or unsweetened dark chocolate ( semi-sweet Baker's was terrific)

6 tbsp. butter ( we like salted) 

1 tsp. vanilla

Have 2 slightly beaten eggs ready for the next step

Then, either by hand with a whisk or with an electric beater, add 2 beaten eggs into the chocolate mixture until smooth. Add the dry ingredients and beat all together until smooth. 

Prepare 2 -9" cake pans and divide the batter evenly. Cook for about 25 min, do not overcook!!

While the cake cools...

Make Chocolate Espresso Icing from scratch...oh boy! This is the killer.

Beat 1.5 sticks of soft butter with 2 c. of icing sugar

In a double boiler, melt 2 oz. melted chocolate ( same as you used for cake) with 2 tbsp. 15% cream and a little vanilla extract.

To this add a mix of 1 tbsp. instant espresso coffee with 2 tbsp. warm water.

Pour the chocolate espresso mixture into the butter and sugar and combine until smooth

This icing is optional...but really takes this cake to another level.

I am salivating as I write this post...gotta make it again, NOW!

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Sumptuous Salty Buckwheat Choco Chip Cookies

We are so crazy about the fabulous taste of buckwheat flour! That nutty, yummy flavour, great in both sweet and savory dishes...these cookies do not disappoint. Add the salty factor, and they are off the hook! 

Semi-sweet chocolate chips are awesome with the saltiness, but really any "chip" you like would work well.  Try gluten- free flour for a flatter, chewier cookie. My favorite. 

Pre-heat oven to 375F.

Melt 1.5 sticks of salted butter until slightly browned.  This KEY element makes for ooey- gooey cookies.

To this, add and whisk until creamy:
2/3 c. brown sugar

1.4 c. white sugar

1 large egg

2 egg yolks

1 tsp vanilla

In a separate bowl, combine:

3/4 c. all purpose flour or gluten-free flour

3/4 c. buckwheat flour

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 1/4 tsp salt

Add about a cup of your preferred chocolate chips to the flour mixture, or peanut butter chips, or...any kind you like!

Add the wet into the dry and mix until combined. If you have time, put this into the fridge for a min. of 30 min to an hour. Makes a really great cookie if the dough is cold.

Cook these for no more than 8 or 9 min. Sprinkle some flaky salt on the hot cookies.

I am telling you...they won't last long on the plate. 

Make a double batch!!!

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Captivating Carrot Cake

Credit must be shared on this one, Rita and Tassie, the unequivocal Cake Queens! 

Imagine...with glee, I sent this incredible Tassie Cake Queen recipe to the other Cake Queen, my mother-in law Rita only to be reminded by Rita that she made this exact cake for our glorious pre-wedding party (all those years ago!)

Wow, how embarrassing. The only redeeming point to this story is that it a really is a most fabulous cake, hence a perpetual family fave. 

For a 3 layer cake, use 3-8" cake pans, fun for height and all that icing...but I usually use 2 regular 9" pans or 1large pyrex with tons of icing.

Pre-heat oven to 350F.

Combine these dry ingredients in a medium size bowl:

2 cups of flour, I like to use 1/2 cup whole wheat flour and the rest regular

3/4 to 1 cup sugar

1.5 tsp baking soda

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp clove

Add a few other ground spices like: cardamom, ginger, nutmeg, maybe 1/2 tsp of any added. 

In a larger bowl, hand mix:

1 c. canola oil

4 beaten eggs

2 cups grated carrots

1 c. crushed pineapple with juice

Zest of 1 orange

some vanilla

I believe Rita puts an entire orange in the blender and adds it to this cake recipe. Such amazing flavour!

I love this cake with pecans and yellow raisins and use a lot of each!

Pour dry into wet, and don't over mix. 

Bake this for about 40-45 min. on a timer and then check if the cake needs more time. Do not overcook. Check it at 35 min...

While the cake cools, make the decadent cream cheese icing:

2 packages of cheese

1 stick of butter (half cup)

1 cup icing sugar

Tsp vanilla and a tiny bit of almond extract, maybe 1/2 tsp.

This is not a super sweet icing. Lemon or orange zest if a nice addition for flavour. Add more sugar if you like a sweeter icing. 

If you know how to make candied carrot strips to decorate like Rita does...go for it!! Just beautiful! 

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Eggplant Parma Extraordinaire!

Eggplant...Salted? Breaded? Floured? Naked? We've tried many renditions, such a family fave. 

Now we've discovered that none are as fabulous as this one. 

It has that specific NYC salty flavour with sweet eggplant layers. The earlier recipe in this blog is also great, but this one beats it.

For a 9" by 13", medium size Pyrex or baking dish: Peel off the bitter skin and thinly slice 1 or 2 fat eggplants. As a guideline, each layer needs about 5 slices and you will need 3 layers. 

Place the cut eggplant rounds in a colander, and heavily salt each layer. Let this sit and sweat for about 1 hour. Don't worry, it won't be salty when cooked. Rince each slice and pat dry with paper towel. 

YES, the salting makes a difference, especially as this recipe has no breading or flour. It will be pure, sweet eggplant once cooked. 

While salting, make the sauce. 

Passata- a jar of pureed tomatoes. A dream for this recipe. In olive oil, add a few chili flakes, and crush a few big cloves of garlic, saute until golden. Then take the garlic out. This way you have flavored the sauce with enough punch but it's not overpowering. Add the Passata to this and let cook for a little while only. Add salt and pepper. Voila!

For this eggplant parma version, the eggplant is NAKED. In a large pan, place about a 1/2 inch of light oil, I like canola, and make sure it is quite hot. I dip the edge of the eggplant into it and if it sizzles, it is ready. Brown each side of the eggplant, about 2-3 minutes per side and let it rest on paper towel once cooked to drain any excess oil. 

To assemble the parma, you will need lots of fresh basil and shredded mozz for each layer. Fresh mozz is also great in this dish, and a combo of the two works well. 

First place sauce on the bottom of the pan and drizzle a little olive oil on top of it. place a few slices of eggplant to cover, and it doesn't have to be perfect. Now add lots of torn up basil, lots of shredded cheese and spoon over some sauce. Repeat this until the last layer. you will need at leaswt 3 layers. If the pan is deep, do 4, what the heck! Top with sauce, mozz and cheese.

This will bake in the oven at 350F for about 45 -50 min, until the cheese is melt and bubbly. Once cooked, let it rest for a few minutes before serving.

This is a winner. The house will smell great! Keep some for leftovers to sop up with a crusty baguette. It is always better the next day!!!

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Gorgeous Homemade Gravlax

WOW, talk about easy! I had a craving for Gravlax. I just love it and prefer it over smoked salmon. For my palate, Gravlax is a clean, more pure flavour of this supreme fish. I have tasted a few versions and find that the challenge is determining the right salt/sugar ratio. Well, we found it!! Timing also has a lot to do with the texture. If you are like me, less cured is the way to go...and with a dark rye bread and a wonderful Mustard sauce (a riff of Ina Garten, the Barefoot Contessa), this dish is really hard to beat and great for entertaining!!

The measurements are important to get the right everything going. This recipe will serve about 8 people as an appetizer. 

You will need a 2 lbs filet of salmon, skin on. Get the fatter side if your fishmonger is cutting from a large filet. Adjust the following ratios for smaller piece of fish. 

1 cup of Rock salt. No other salt will do. The large "gros sel" ensures that the curing happens without soaking the fish in salt. This is what will indeed ruin your effort.

1 cup of white sugar

1 tbsp of crushed white or black peppercorns 

Add ins:

1 cup of freshly chopped dill.

1 raw beet for a fabulous red tint. 

Orange and/or lemon zest.

That's it! 

Mix the salt, sugar and flavouring in a bowl. Use food processor to crumble the raw beet, then add to mixture.  Have a large Pyrex or deep dish handy. 

Place 2 large pieces of cling wrap on your work surface, overlapping. 

Spread half of the salt mixture onto the Saran in the size and shape of the filet. Place the salmon, skin side down on top of this. Top the fish with the remaining mixture.

Wrap the fish with the cling wrap and place in the dish. You need something flat-ish to lay on top of the fish. And, on top of this, place a few cans as weights so that the fish will be pressed down.

Refrigerate this for 3 consecutive 12- hour intervals. 36 hours makes for a Medium cure. It can be less.

There will be liquid in the dish and it will be goopy. No need to turn the salmon over.  

After at least 24 hours or so, unwrap the salmon and rinse well. Pat dry, and place it back in the fridge for at 3 hours or longer.  This lets the salt "settle" and drys out the surface of the salmon.

A 24-hour cure is enough for a more "sushi-esque" texture.  But the above is really the right way to prepare this dish. And, it is perfect.

To serve, thinly slice the fish on an angle, down to the skin. The texture will be gorgeous and glossy. 

Have some dense dark rye bread, and serve with a dollop of this luxurious Mustard sauce, and fresh dill garnish.

Mustard Sauce:

Mix plain Greek yogourt, Dijon mustard and grainy mustard (to taste) a bit of lemon juice or white wine vinegar and something sweet, I like a dash of Maple syrup, but white sugar works well too. Horseradish is also a good addition to the sauce.

This is a special dish. Too easy for words and so refined to serve. 

Enjoy!!!!

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Japanese Cod Soup Creation

No real recipe... humbly, just some noodles, broth, cod and other stuff. I know there is a secret complex homemade Chinese chili sauce in there too!

Beautiful...

My son's curious creation. 

Y'ia sta xeria sou!!

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Vibrant Vodka Pasta

What a fabulous little cook! My daughter has an idea, and it comes to life on the plate and the palate.

Along with baking, her pasta dishes are becoming a specialty around here. This deeply delicious vodka sauce has the perfect balance of salty, spicy and tomato creaminess. What a satisfying treat!

Before making the sauce, put a big pot of water to boil for the pasta. Don't forget to heavily salt the water. It makes or breaks the dish! Use a nice big, thick type of pasta, rigatoni, fusilli etc...

The trick to this sauce is to let the layers cook down in between steps.

Saute: in olive oil
1 small white onion, diced
at least 1 tbsp chili pepper flakes, more if you want to spice it up
1 tsp oregano
salt and pepper

Once golden, add in half a tube or half a small can of tomato paste and allow it to cook down
Add a half small can of crushed tomatoes
Throw in 2 crushed garlic cloves, these will be removed later

Now the sauce needs to simmer for a while. Once simmered add in 1/3 cup vodka and stir, allow to cook down.

Then add about 1 cup of 15% cream and this rose sauce should now have a very silky consistency. At this point taste for salt and pepper.

Now it is time to add the pasta to the sauce. Loosely strain with pasta water if you using a spider spoon to transfer the pasta to the sauce. If not, reserve a cup of the pasta water to add in the sauce. It really smooths everything out and gives a glossy finish. For an extra richness, add a nob of butter.

Serve right away, nice and hot, adding parma and basil to every plate. This is a great birthday dinner for Dad!!  And goes so well with a big glass of delicious red wine for Mom.

Bravo sou!!!

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