Banana Nut Cake

I am honored to be part of a really great group of ladies that have chosen to pay tribute to the Gourmet Live 50 Women Changers in Food.  Each member chooses a recipe to make by the icon of the week then they post about it including the recipe. The list began with Julia Child (naturally), they are now in week 16.

This week's honoree is Maida Heatter.  I have more cookbooks than I care to mention (at least in front of my husband), but not one of Maida's!!  Well, after much research and browsing through tons of her recipes I picked one from Maida Heatter's Book of Great Desserts.  Since I love all things BANANA, it was the obvious choice.

OMG!! I was running so late for today's posting that I actually baked it,  took the picture and bang "photo finish!"  I just had a piece of the cake and it is truly fabulous.  It is moist, very tasty, and her instructions were so easy to follow like most of her recipes.  This is definitely a keeper!

For more delicious recipes by Maida Heatter, please visit the other bloggers in the group:

Val - More Than Burnt Toast
Joanne - Eats Well With Others
Taryn - Have Kitchen Will Feed
Susan - The Spice Garden
Claudia - A Seasonal Cook in Turkey
Heather - girlichef
Miranda - Mangoes and Chutney
Jeanette - Healthy Living
April - Abby Sweets 
Katie - Making Michael Pollan Proud
Mary - One Perfect Bite
Kathleen -Bake Away with Me
Viola - The Life is Good Kitchen
Sue - The View from Great Island
Barbara - Movable Feasts
Kathleen - Gonna Want Seconds
Amy - Beloved Green
Jeanette - Healthy Living 
Linda - Ciao Chow Linda
Linda A - There and Back Again
Martha - Lines from Linderhof

Banana Nut Cake: 

7 ounces (2 cups) pecan halves or large pieces

2 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 large or 4 small bananas (to make 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 cups mashed)

1/4 pound (1 stick) butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 eggs

1/4 cup buttermilk

Adjust rack one-third up from the bottom of the oven. Preheat oven to 375˚ degrees/ Butter a 9 x 3 1/2 -inch tube pan and dust it all over lightly with fine, dry, bread crumbs.

In a small bowl, toss the nuts with about 1 tablespoon of the flour to coat them thoroughly. Set aside. Sift remainder of the flour with the baking soda and salt. Set aside.

In a small bowl of electric mixer, break up bananas. Beat them at low speed only enough to mash. You should get 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 cups. Set aside.

In a large bowl of mixer (with same beaters) beat the butter to soften it a bit. Add vanilla and sugar and beat for a few minutes, using a rubber spatula as necessary to hep mixture blended. Add the eggs and continue to beat for 1 to 2 minutes. On lowest speed add half of the dry ingredients, then the buttermilk, and then the remainder of the dry ingredients, continuing to scrape bowl with rubber spatula as necessary. Add mashed bananas, beating only enough to blend. Remove from mixer. Stir in nuts.

Turn batter into prepared pan. Level top by rotating pan briskly back and forth. Bake 1 to 1 1/4 hours on until cake tester comes out dry.

Cool in pan on rack for about 10 minutes. Cover with rack or a small cookie sheet. Invert and remove pan. Cover with rack and invert again to cool, right side up.


I sprinkled mine with powdered sugar (optional).

Thank You For Being A Friend!

My family is very fortunate, we are surrounded by a really wonderful group of friends. The best way I know how to demonstrate my appreciation is to make a great meal for them. Last night I decided to make short ribs for the very first time! Ina's or Anthony Bourdain's? Ina won this time. My victims were Bob, Ani, Mike, Mayra, Hilda, Ernest, Katina, and my family. The verdict "hearty and delicious".

The menu was Scott's Short Ribs from Barefoot Contessa Family Style , Crema de Malanga (a creamed root vegetable that resembles taro), and Cafe con Leche Custard from Southern Living (Sept 2008).

Crema de malanga is as common as mashed potatoes in many Latin cultures and served in many Cuban restaurants in Miami.  Definitely a comfort food for many of us!

Scott's Short Ribs

Ingredients

• 6 beef short ribs, trimmed of fat
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup good olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups chopped onion (2 onions)
• 4 cups large-diced celery (6 large stalks)
• 2 carrots, peeled and large-diced
• 1 small fennel, fronds, stems, and core removed, large-diced
• 1 leek, cleaned and large-diced, white part only
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 (750-ml) bottle burgundy or other dry red wine
• Fresh rosemary sprigs
• Fresh thyme sprigs
• 6 cups beef stock
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place the short ribs on a sheet pan, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and roast for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven. Reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees F.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven and add the onion, celery, carrots, fennel, and leek and cook over medium-low heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and cook for another 2 minutes. Pour the wine over the vegetables, bring to a boil, and cook over high heat until the liquid is reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Tie therosemary and thyme together with kitchen twine and add to the pot.

Place the roasted ribs on top of the vegetables in the Dutch oven and add the beef stock and brown sugar. Bring to a simmer over high heat. Cover the Dutch oven and bake for 2 hours or until the meat is very tender.

Carefully remove the short ribs from the pot and set aside. Discard the herbs and skim the excess fat. Cook the vegetables and sauce over medium heat for 20 minutes, until reduced. Put the ribs back into the pot and heat through. Serve with the vegetables and sauce

Crema de Malanga

4-6 large malangas (peeled and cut in 2" chunks)

2-3 cups 2% milk

1 stick of butter (cut in 8 equal parts)

chicken bouillon (optional)

salt 

Boil the malanga in lightly salted water until chunks are tender.  Drain 2/3 of the water, add the butter and mash the chunks as you add enough milk to get a creamy consistency (I use an immersion blender, or make in batches in a blender) between a thick bisque and mashed potatoes.  Add salt to taste. 

Café Con Leche Custard Cups

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 2 1/2 cups 2% reduced-fat milk
• 1 (14-oz.) can fat-free sweetened condensed milk
• 2 egg yolks
• 2 tablespoons instant coffee granules
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup thawed reduced-fat whipped topping
• Garnishes: chopped and whole chocolate-covered espresso beans, 100-calorie shortbread cookies

Preparation

• 1. Combine flour and salt in a 2-qt. heavy nonaluminum saucepan. Whisk in reduced-fat milk and next 3 ingredients, whisking until smooth. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, 10 to 12 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla.
• 2. Fill a large bowl with ice; place pan in ice, and whisk custard occasionally until completely cool (about 30 minutes).
• 3. Spoon 1/2 cup custard into each of 8 (5-oz.) cups or glasses. Top each with 1 to 2 Tbsp. whipped topping, filling completely. Scrape top with a knife to level whipped topping. Garnish, if desired.
• Note: To make ahead, pour cooled custard into a gallon-size zip-top plastic bag, gently pressing out excess air (to prevent a film from forming). Seal bag, and chill up to 24 hours. To serve, snip off 1 corner of bag, and pipe custard into serving cups.

Ajiaco Criollo

Peta, of the blog Peta Eats, was our lovely hostess for the Daring Cooks' September 2011 challenge, "Stock to Soup to Consomme". We were taught the meaning between the three dishes, how to make a crystal clear Consomme if we so chose to do so, and encouraged to share our own delicious soup recipes!


Peta mentioned that it would be great to see soups from around the world; I dug into my roots (literally)! I pulled out the old faithful Cocina Criolla by Nitza Villapol, and my favorite Cuban cookbook from recent years, Havana Salsa by Viviana Carballo.  Nitza Villapol was my mom's Home Economics' teacher in Cuba and I actually took a cooking class with Viviana in Miami, she was a riot!


I used the best from both and the results were outrageous. This soup is so hearty I had to lower the a/c and we were still sweating!  This is definitely a great recipe for winter nights, not that we have many in Miami.  However, my family and friends thoroughly enjoyed it and we had enough for leftovers the following night.  And I quote Bob, "It tastes even better today!"


This very traditional Cuban soup named Ajiaco consists of several types of meat and loads of root vegetables. Don't let the long list of ingredients overwhelm you, the results are well worth it.  As accompaniments I made jasmine rice and Yuca Buns from Ingrid Hoffman's Simply Delicioso.

                                        Ajiaco Criollo

Meats:

1/2 lb. tasajo (salt-dried beef)                                      

1 lb pork chunks

1 whole chicken (cut in quarters)                      

1 lb. flank steak (cut in med. chunks) 

5 -6 quarts of water    

Vegetables:

The following should be cut into 2" chunks:            

1 lb. yuca (cassava)                                                                                    

1/2 lb. of malanga  

1 lb. boniato (white sweet potato)

1/2 lb. pumpkin or butternut squash                      

The following should be cut into 1 1/2" chunks:

1 green plantain

1 ripened plantain                                                

3 corns on the cob (cut in 1" thick little cobs)     

Sofrito:

2 T of lard or 1/4 c olive oil                             

1 large green pepper (seeded and diced)

1 large onion (chopped)                                   

2 T of salt

black pepper to taste

1 can of tomato sauce

3 garlic cloves (minced)                                           

1 beef or chicken bouillon cube (crumbled)     

2 lemons or limes

        

Directions:

Cut the salt-dried beef into 3-4 large pieces and soak overnight.  The following morning get rid of the water and place the beef in a large pot with the chicken pieces.  Add the water, bring to a boil, then simmer for 1 hour.  

In the meantime to prepare the sofrito, the flavor base of the dish, heat the oil or lard in a large Dutch oven. First add the onions and green peppers and sauté until soft. Then add the garlic, tomato sauce, and mix in the crumbled bouillon cube.  Add the meats, season with salt and pepper, and stir to coat with the sofrito.  Once meat starts to get a little color add to the stock with all of the sofrito and let simmer for another hour. There should always be enough liquid to cover all the meats and vegetables once you add them.

While the meats are cooking you can cut up your vegetables.  Raise to medium heat then add the vegetables in the following order to the soup at approximately 5 minute intervals: malanga, yuca, green plantains, boniato, ripe plantains, and the pumpkin. When adding the plantains squeeze a little lemon juice into the soup to prevent it from changing the color of the broth. Once you add the pumpkin lower the heat and let simmer for 45 minutes.  Last but not least you will add the corn and cook for an additional 20 minutes.  Once all meats and vegetables are fork tender, turn off the heat, and add the juice of the remaining lemon.

Serve in soup bowls with bread or rice, whichever you prefer.  Serves 12-16

Yuca Buns

Ingredients

• Cooking spray
• 1 cup tapioca flour, plus extra for kneading
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 cups Oaxaca cheese or other fresh white cheese, such as mozzarella, finely grated
• 2 large egg yolks
• 2 to 3 tablespoons heavy cream, if necessary
• 
  

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking pan with aluminum foil, and coat with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.

Combine the tapioca flour and baking powder together in a large bowl. Stir in the cheese and egg yolks. Mix until the dough forms a ball. Lightly flour a work surface and turn the dough out. Knead the dough with your hands until the dough is smooth, even-textured, and not sticky. If the dough doesn't come together or seems too stiff, then add cream, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it comes together and feels supple.

Divide the dough into 10 even pieces and with your hands, roll each into a ball. Shape the balls into ovals and place them 1-inch apart on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until the rolls are pale gold (not browned), about 15 to 20 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 5 to 10 minutes and serve while still warm. 

My First Daring Cooks Challenge

I was anxiously awaiting for the announcement of my first challenge as a new member of the Daring Cooks.  "What could it be?" I wondered but never in my wildest dreams did I imagine it would be Indian food, and to my surprise I loved it!

Mary, who writes the delicious blog, Mary Mary Culinary was our August Daring Cooks' host.  Mary chose to show us how delicious South Indian cuisine is! She challenged us to make Appam and another South Indian/Sri Lankan dish to go with the warm flat bread.

I used the recipe provided for us for the Appam which is somewhere in between a grainy thin pancake and an airy crepe. For the accompaniment I made Chicken Tikka Masala from Saveur's website and basmati rice.  It wasn't difficult to make and the results were delicious!

I invited my daughter, her hubby, and our best friends Bob and Ann to be my guinea pigs. Either they love me very much and did not want to hurt my feelings or they really did love it.  They used the appams to wrap the chicken and/or soak the creamy sauce. No leftovers and they all had seconds, including my boys!  Even my husband who does not like anything with coconut milk said "You can make this again anytime!"  What great sports!



APPAM
Servings: Makes about 15. I find 3-4 are enough for a serving

Ingredients:
1 ½ cups (360 ml/300 gm/10½ oz) raw rice
1 ½ teaspoons (7½ ml/5 gm) active dry yeast
2 teaspoons (10 ml/9 gm) sugar
½ cup (120 ml) of coconut water or water, room temperature
1 ½ tablespoons (22½ ml/18 gm) cooked rice
½ teaspoon (2½ ml/3 gm) salt
about ½ cup (120 ml) thick coconut milk (from the top of an unshaken can)

Directions:

1. Soak the raw rice in 4 to 5 cups of water for 3 hours. You can soak it overnight, although I did not try that.

2. Dissolve the sugar in the coconut water or plain water and add the yeast. Set aside in a warm area for 10-15 minutes, until very frothy.

3. Drain the rice and grind it in a blender with the yeast mixture to make a smooth batter. You can add a bit of extra water if needed, but I did not. Add the cooked rice, and grind/blend to combine well. You can see that it is not completely smooth, but very thick—that’s about right.

4. Pour into a large bowl, cover and leave in a warm place for 8-12 hours. You not only want the mixture to rise and collapse, but to ferment. When it is ready, it will have a slightly sour and distinctly yeasty smell. Don’t worry--they are mild tasting when cooked!

5. Add the coconut milk and salt, and a bit of water if necessary, so that you have a batter that is just a bit thicker than milk. Notice how it bubbles after you add the coconut milk. I recommend test-cooking one before thinning the batter.

6. Heat your pan over medium heat. Wipe a few drops of oil over it using a paper towel. Stir the batter and pour in 3-4 tablespoons, depending on the size of the pan. Working quickly, hold the handle(s) and give the pan a quick swirl so that the batter comes to the top edge. Swirl once only, as you want the edges to be thin and lacy.

7. Cover the pan and cook for about 2 minutes. Uncover and check. The center should have puffed up a bit, and will be shiny, but dry to the touch. When ready, loosen the edges with a small spatula and serve immediately. These need to be served hot out of the pan.

8. Make another, and another... Here you can see some that were made in regular skillets.

9. I have found that the leftover batter can be refrigerated for a day or 2.




CHICKEN TIKKA MASALA
1 tbsp. ground turmeric

4 tsp. garam masala
1 tsp. red food coloring (optional)
6 cloves garlic, crushed
1  2 1⁄2" piece ginger, peeled and chopped, 
   plus julienned strips for garnish
1 jalapeño, stemmed and chopped
1  28-oz. can whole peeled tomatoes, undrained
2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts, 
   cut into 1 1⁄2" cubes
1⁄4 cup Greek yogurt, such as Fage
Kosher salt, to taste
6 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 tsp. coriander seeds
1⁄2 tsp. cumin seeds
1 tbsp. paprika
2 small yellow onions, finely chopped
1 cup heavy cream
Cilantro leaves, for garnish
Cooked basmati rice, for serving

1. In a blender, purée turmeric, 2 tsp. garam masala, coloring, garlic, ginger, jalapeños, and 1⁄2 cup water. Put paste into a bowl. In the same blender, purée tomatoes and strain through a sieve. In a bowl, mix 2 tbsp. paste, chicken, yogurt, and salt; marinate for 30 minutes. Place oven rack 4" from heating element; heat to broil. Transfer chicken to a foil-lined sheet tray; broil until cooked, 5–6 minutes; set aside.

2. Heat butter in 6-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat. Add coriander and cumin; toast 4–6 minutes. Add paprika and onions; cook until soft, 6–8 minutes. Add remaining paste; brown for 5–6 minutes. Add tomatoes; cook for 2 minutes. Stir in cream and 1 cup water; boil. Reduce heat; simmer until thickened, 6–8 minutes. Stir in remaining masala and chicken; season with salt. Serve with garnishes and rice.

SERVES 6

Updates! Updates! Updates!

Wow, there is so much to tell.  My daughter just got married last month to a wonderful guy she has been dating for years. We (my friends and I) are restarting in September our not too successful book club, dearly and officially known as "The Crappy Book Club".  My daughter has started her own cooking blog very appropriately named A Newlywed Chef.  My hubby is surviving not having his little girl at home and as far as my boys go, one will be a freshman and the other a senior in high school, help me God!!   Oh! and I've become a member of The Daring Cooks & Bakers, for which I am very excited, I have my first challenge this month!!

Lemon Pudding Cake

Ok, I'll start by saying it's been a little crazy around here, actually very crazy.  My daughter is getting married in July, the boys are driving me crazy with school, and work is a madhouse.  But life is good.

While doing the dishes last night I caught an old episode of Tyler's Ultimate. One of the recipes featured was a Lemon Pudding Cake,  he stated it was easy and delicious.  It truly was!  My husband who normally does not eat dessert had called earlier asking if we had cookies or ice cream at home.  Of course we don't: everyone is on a diet for the wedding but I had all the ingredients for this recipe. So......it was a hit! He  raved about it and that made it all worthwhile (including the calories)!