Chocolate Cream Puff Swans – Oh, Mama!

Mother’s Day is coming up soon, and these chocolate ganache-filled cream puff swans would be a great way to say thanks to her for that whole giving you life thing. I think once she tastes them, she’ll agree that it was all worth it after all.

This is mostly a technique video, as these beautiful birds would work with any number of fillings. Pastry cream, lemon curd, mousse, and fresh fruit are all perfect with this pâte à choux delivery system. This classic French dough has a thousand uses, and must be mastered by any serious cook. 

By the way, these are much better chilled, so make them an hour or two ahead. The one I eat in the video wasn’t well chilled, and you can see was pretty soft. Once cold, the chocolate ganache becomes very truffle-like, the whipped cream firms up, and you get something much more toothsome. So whether you do these for Mother's Day or not, I really hope you give these a try soon. Enjoy!

Pâte à Choux (Cream Puff Dough)

*enough for about 8-10 “swans”

1/2 cup water

1 tsp sugar

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

pinch salt

1/2 cup flour

2 eggs
*Bake "bodies" at 425 F. for 20-25 minutes, necks for about 12 minutes

For the ganache (makes extra):

4 oz dark chocolate, chopped

4 oz boiling heavy cream

For the whipped cream:

1 cup very cold heavy cream

1 tsp vanilla

1 tbsp sugar or to taste

*whip cream to soft peaks, add sugar, and whip to firm peaks

Next Up: Something for Mom

Spicy Coconut & Calamari Salad, Formerly Know As Failed Squid Ceviche

There’s nothing quite as satisfying in the kitchen as snatching victory from the jaws of defeat. I was playing around with some squid ceviche preparations, and while it did “cook” in the acidic marinade, I really didn’t enjoy the texture. I actually hated it. 

I’m not sure if it needed more time, or more acid, but it wasn’t good. Not wanting to toss it, I decided to fry it up, and maybe hide it in some pasta, or something. I went with “or something,” and this cold, coconut-spiked salad was the result. I haven’t been this happy about a failed recipe in a long time.

Not only did it make a fantastic, sort of Thai-like salad, I can see this being quite versatile as well. It was very tasty hot, and would be great over rice with some of the cooked-down marinade. It would also be amazing over a big bowl of crunchy greens. Just don’t skip the toasted coconut, as it really does make the dish. I hope you give this delicious accident a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4 Portions Spicy Coconut & Calamari Salad:

1 pound calamari, cleaned, cut into thin rings

1 small green Serrano pepper, minced

1 red Fresno pepper, sliced thin

2 tablespoons green onion

1 teaspoon palm sugar (aka coconut)

1 generous tablespoon fish sauce

1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

1/4 cup lime juice

2 tablespoons Coconut milk

2 tbsp vegetable oil to cook calamari

- After calamari is marinated and cooked:

1 tsp Lime juice, or to taste

1 tbsp chopped green onions

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

2/3 cup toasted coconut flakes (unsweeted)

How to Make French Toast like Noah Greene

It’s been far too long since I shared a video from some of the new blood on YouTube. And by “new blood” I mean the young punks who will eventually put me out of work. Oh well, we had a good run. Anyway, Noah does a great job here, and I hope he keeps adding to his channel. By the way, I really like the music. Enjoy!

You can subscribe to NoahGreeneCooking here.

Joe’s Special – A True Original

After the ominous, but delicious, “Hangtown Fry,” Original Joe’s “Joe’s Special” is probably San Francisco’s most famous breakfast. Unless you’re counting the Buena Vista Café’s Irish coffee as breakfast, and now that I think about it, you probably should.

This mammoth plate of food features three eggs, a half-pound of meat, and more than enough spinach. Apparently a late-night patron requested his spinach omelet include a hamburger patty, and this is what happened. In respect to good ol’ made-up “Joe,” I’ve kept the original portions, so feel free to share with a friend or three.

Speaking of mammoth, this should make all you paleo-diet people who keep emailing me happy. Skip the toast and you’re in high-protein/low-carb heaven. As far as the method goes; even a caveman could do it. Just be sure to season generously at each stage, and taste at the end, and you’ll be enjoying a truly delicious, San Francisco original. Enjoy!

Ingredients for one huge portion:
NOTE: This version is mostly meat and spinach, but if you want something closer to a classic scramble, then cup the beef and spinach amounts in half. This is how most restaurants that copy the recipe do it!) 

1 tbsp olive oil

1/3 cup diced onion

1/2 cup sliced mushrooms

8 oz lean ground chuck

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 to 3/4 cup chopped, cooked spinach, squeezed very dry

3 large eggs

1 tsp chopped fresh basil

1 tsp chopped fresh oregano

Parmigiano-Reggiano to finish the top

Next Up: Joe's Special

Award-Winning Pecan Pie...Allegedly

I wish I had a better story for how I developed this great pecan pie recipe, besides that I adapted it from one I saw in a Food & Wine article, which according to some guy I don’t remember, may have won a prize in the Texas State Fair. Like I said, the story needs some embellishing.

Nevertheless, this is my idea of the perfect pecan pie. It has the perfect ratio of crunchy nuts to the sweet, sticky goodness underneath. And thanks to the blind-baking, the crust is wonderfully crisp.

I used less sugar/corn syrup than most popular recipes, but I highly doubt you’ll notice, especially with that little, but not too little, scoop of ice cream on top. Some people swear by whipped cream, but I'll take the denser, colder option every time.

As I mentioned in the video, April is National Pecan Month, and what better way to celebrate than with America’s favorite pecan recipe? I really hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for one pie:
Enough pie dough for a 9 1/2 inch glass pie dish (get recipe here)

*Pie shell should be pre-baked as shown.

2 cups pecan halves

1/2 cup butter (4 oz)

1 cup light brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup light corn syrup

1/2 tsp fine salt

1 tsp vanilla

1 tbsp bourbon

2 tbsp milk

3 tbsp flour
3 large eggs

*Bake at 350 F. for about 45 minutes, or until browned and set.

My Colcannon Colcraving

I’m too busy working on tomorrow’s video to make it, but I’m really craving a bowl of colcannon. This kale, leek, and potato mash is the perfect spring side dish. In addition to being great next to anything, you can heat up the leftovers with a splash of chicken broth, and turn it into an easy and memorable potato soup. Follow this link to get the ingredients, and read the original post. Enjoy!

Happy Easter!

We just got back from a relaxing spring break with the family in beautiful Dunsmuir, California, and I wanted to say Happy Easter, and that I hope you had as nice a weekend as we did. 

We stayed in a fishing cabin right on the upper Sacramento river, and there's nothing as therapeutic as the sound of a rushing river beneath your bedroom window. I forget the name, but this is a waterfall we hiked to, which had a cave behind it, so you could actually stand under the water. It was a great escape. 

Anyway, time for me to catch up on email and comments, and for you to stay tuned for a new video! 

How to Debone & Butterfly a Leg of Lamb for Fun and Profit

As promised, here’s the video for how to debone and butterfly your own leg of lamb. Since I am going to save you a few dollars, when the butcher asks you if you want it deboned, I'd appreciate it if you said something like, “I watch Food Wishes, so I’ve got it covered.” By the way, I was only half kidding about using a fat, dull knife. 

Bored cooks have been known to do this with butter knives, steak knives, pairing knives, or any other knife they think would win them an after shift beer (I've heard from a friend). The point is, cooks drink a lot, and you don’t need a razor-sharp blade to do this at home. So, if you’re doing a whole leg of lamb this Easter, I hope you give this simple technique a try. Have a great holiday, and as always, enjoy!

Roasted Leg of Lamb with Pomegranate, Garlic & Herbs – Happy Easter Indeed

I’ve done more than a few lamb dishes dedicated to Easter, but inexplicably have never posted one for a whole leg of lamb. It’s such a classic Easter menu option, and when prepared using this method, makes for a very user-friendly hunk of meat. 

The key here is removing the bone, and replacing it an extremely flavorful wet rub. You have two options here; the easy way, or the fun way. You can go to a butcher and buy a ready-to-roast, boned and butterflied leg of lamb. They’re not cheap, but they’ll happily butterfly, trim, and tie it to your specifications. Or, you could watch the next video I’ll post on Friday, and see how easy it is to remove yourself.

Either way, once the bone is out, you’re free to season in any one of a thousand different ways. I highly recommend this particular combination, as the pomegranate molasses does magical things. If you can't find it near you, go online and get some, or follow this link and make your own using pomegranate juice. You’ll be so glad you did.

If you plan on doing a leg of lamb for Easter, I hope you give this fabulous recipe a try, and also check out the next video, so you can butcher the leg yourself. You’ll save a few bucks, and that means more chocolate bunnies. Stay tuned, and as always, enjoy!

Ingredients for 1 leg of lamb (about 8 portions)

1 leg of lamb (without the shank), boned, and butterflied

For the wet rub:

1/4 cup pomegranate molasses

4 cloves coarsely minced garlic

1 tbsp fresh chopped rosemary

1 tsp Aleppo pepper, or other red pepper flakes to taste

2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 tbsp kosher salt

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp dried mint

*Marinate lamb overnight, and roast at 350F. for about 1 3/4 hours, or until the internal temperature of 135-140F. is reached, for medium-rare to medium.

“Quick Cured” Salmon – 3 Minutes? But I Want it Now!

Whenever I hear people criticizing millennials for being self-absorbed, having short attentions spans, and for expecting to get what they want, exactly when they want it, I think to myself, “Hey, that sounds like my generation!” Well, if that’s the case, then they’re (and we’re) going to love this quick-cured salmon technique.

While the process is incredibly simple, the potential variations are endless. Whenever I show a new technique, I usually keep things simple, as to not distract people, but whether you’re talking about the brine, or post-cure seasonings, this is something that begs for adaptation.

Smoked salt, chipotle, or smoked paprika could be used before or after the cure to make things a little loxier, and don’t even get me started on the herbs. After the 3-minute cure, you can sprinkle your slices with dill, tarragon, chervil, and/or thyme, before the refrigeration stage. Speaking of impatient millennials; this is technically ready to eat after the three minute dunk, but you’ll enjoy this much more if you thoroughly chill it first.

Besides the flavorings, you can also play around with how thin/thick you slice the salmon, as well as how long you brine it. For me, if I slice the fish about 1/4-inch thick, three minutes is just about the perfect cure time for my desired texture and saltiness. However, you should experiment. Longer curing times, or thinner slices will result in a firmer, saltier product.

Of course, all that experimenting is going to make you hungry, and you’ll still need to decide how you’re going to serve it. I’ve suggested three delicious directions herein, but I’m fully confident you’ll come up with some stellar spin-offs as well. I hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!

FOOD SAFETY NOTE: Much like rare meat, oysters, and raw eggs, if you’re concerned about the safety of eating homemade, cured salmon, you should do some research, and decide for yourself if it’s worth the risk. This technique works great with frozen salmon, which apparently kills potential parasites, so that’s one option. Anecdotally, I can tell you I’ve done this, and similar procedures, countless dozens of times with fresh salmon ("sushi grade" from a reputable, local purveyor), and have lived to tell the tale. Good luck.

Brine for to cure about 1 pound of salmon:

2 1/2 cups cold water

1/2 cup Kosher salt – I used Diamond Crystal brand

1/3 cup sugar

Easter Eggshell Cupcakes!

My lovely and talented friends at Allrecipes.com have come up with a way to combine two of my all-time favorite things; colored Easter eggs and cupcakes! Okay, so the first part of that wasn't true, but neither was the second part. However, if you're into this kind of seasonal foodcraft, and apparently many of you are, then I think this would make a brilliant addition to your Easter baskets. Enjoy!