Syrniki (cheese balls)

I will try to acquaint you with the Russian cuisine. Let's start with simple recipes.

Ingredients

• 250 gr. or 1/2 lb. or 1 cup (I'm confused with dimensions!) cottage cheese
• oil to fry
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 1/2 cup wheat floor
• 1 egg 

Directions

Combine all the ingredients. Shape small balls (About 1 tablespoon for each ball) and roll in flour. 

Fry in oil for 3-4 minutes every side until bright golden.

Serve worm with sour cream and jam.

Braised Fresh Bacon

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp peanut oil
• to taste kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
• 2 lbs pork belly, skin on
• 2 carrots, peeled and coarsley chopped
• 2 celery stalks, peeled and coarsley chopped
• 1 leeks, white part only, trimmed and chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled
• about 3 cups brown chicken stock

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Heat oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium heat until the oil slides easily across the pan. Salt and pepper the port and add it, fat-side down, to the skillet. Cook until the skin is browned [about 15 mins], then transfer the pork to a plate.
2. Pour off all but about 2 tbsp of fat and add the onion, carrots, celery, leek, and garlic to the skillet. Cook the veggies, stirring occasionally, until they are tender and beginning to brown [about 20 mins]. Return the pork belly to the skillet, fat-side up, and add about 2 cups of stock [it should surround but not cover the meat]. Bring the stock to a simmer, then transfer the skillet to the oven. Gently simmer the pork, uncovered, for 1 hour, then add another cup of stock. Continue cooking until the pork is tender enough to cut with a fork [about 1 hour longer].
3. Allow the pork to cool in the braising liquid. Remove the pork from the liquid, then gently lift off and discard the skin [use a small knife to separate any pieces that don't come away from the fat easily]. Score the fat, making crosshatch incisions, then cut the pork into 4 equal pieces.
4. Increase the oven to 400°F. Strain the braising liquid, discarding all the solids. Return the liquid to the skillet, bring to a simmer and skim off the fat. Return pork, fat-side up to the skillet. Transfer the skillet to the oven and cook [without basting] until the pork is heated through and the fat nicely browned [about 20 mins]. Serve the pork in a shallow bowl moistened with a bit of braising liquid.

an awesome book by Chef Tom Colicchio---a must read!!

I've just gotten finished reading "Think Like A Chef" by Chef Tom Colicchio. It's a very informative book. It has some personal tidbits, recipes, notes, and resources for the reader to use. Here's an excerpt from the book.

Introduction, page 25 "A word about techniques"

Cooking is a craft that begins with technique. Learning these techniques is a bit like learning a new language. If you'ver ever learned a foreign language, you know there's a point when you stop translating each word in your head, and can understand--first phrases, then sentences, and finally, the entire gist of the thing. Part of the process is learning the shorthand that is common to speakers of the same language and practically meaningless to everyone else.

Introduction, page 23 "So which comes first--the chef or the recipe?

Probably the number one question I'm asked on any given day is "How do you come up with your recipes?" The truth is, I don't. I don't sit down and "create" food combinations. In fact, the majority of food combinations "create" themselves. And I sure don't start sitting down. I start in the marketplace, walking. One any given day, I'll walk through the Union Square Greenmarket [although any well-stocked supermarket will do] and see what looks good. What's abundant? Above all, what are the seasons saying? For me, and I would guess most chefs, creating begins in the marketplace. What I see starts me thinking about flavors and textures, combinations and balance. Then I bring my purchase home and set to work applying the techniques I've learned over the years. Voilá! A recipe. Which leads me to: the best meal ever.





Been soooo busy lately...

Sorry there hasn't been any new recipes posted. I've recently gotten a job, so yea, I've been busy with working, schooling, mothering, and taking care of my family. However, I do have some new recipes that I want to share, so be on the look out for it. I can't say exactly when it'll be posted. If you wish to be a contributor or have a recipe that you wish to share, send me a message.

I've been diddling with the idea of changing the layout of this recipe blog, but who knows? Well, have to go now...

Happy Eating!!

How to make pizza dough from scratch

This recipe is a 2 day process. The first thing you're going to make is the sponge for the dough and then the dough itself. You can use this dough recipe to make pizzas [duh, lol], strombolis, and you can use it for the Broccoli and Ricotta Calzone recipe. Let's get started.

Day 1:
[Sponge]

• 1 c lukewarm water
• 1/4 oz active dry yeast
• 1 c all-purpose flour

Put water in mixer bowl, sprinkle half of the yeast [reserve the rest for the dough] and 1/4 tsp flour over water. Let stand until yeast dissolved and look spongy, about 4 minutes.

1. Add remaining flour, whisk until smooth, scrape down bowl. Cover with a plastic wrap. Rest at room temperature overnight, about 12 hours.

Day 2:

[Dough]

• 1 1/2 c lukewarm water
• 2 tsp ground sea salt
• reserved yeast 
• 6 c all-purpose flour

1. Add water, salt, reserved yeast, flour [1 cup at a time], in mixer, beating with a dough hook to blend [If you don't have a mixer with a dough hook, a food processor should work].
2. Beat until the dough is smooth and comes cleanly away from the bowl, about 15 minutes. If dough is too sticky, beat in more flour [about 1/4 cup] at a time. Scrape onto a floured surface. Knead into a smooth ball.
3. Brush inside large bowl with oil. Add dough ball, turning over to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and chill [1 hour]. Remove plastic and punch down the dough.
4. Cut into 8 equal pieces. Knead into smooth balls. Arrange 4 balls on flour dusted table, cover loosely with kitchen towel, let rise until almost doubled [1 hour].
5. Preheat oven to 500F. Work 1 ball at a time. Dust dough with flour as you stretch it. Shape dough ball into 5 inch round, then gently stretch and roll it out into a 9 inch round.
6. Sprinkle large baking sheet with cornmeal. Put dough on top, brush lightly with oil. Top as desired and slide into oven.
7. Bake until crush is crisp brown and check underside [about 14 minutes].

Broccoli and Ricotta Calzone

You can serve these calzones with a side of marinara sauce..Yum yum. This recipe serves 4.

Ingredients

• 1/2 lbs broccoli florets, blanched and shocked
• 20 oz pizza dough [4 balls - 5 oz each]
• 8 1/8 oz ricotta cheese
• 3/4 oz parmesan cheese, shredded
• 1/16 tsp black pepper
• 1/16 tsp garlic powder
• 1/16 oz whole egg
• 1/8 oz water
• 1/4 tbsp Italian herbs
• 1/4 qt marinara
• 1/16 lbs or 1 oz shredded parmesan for garnish

Directions

1. Flatten dough balls into rounds.
2. Blend cheese and spices together. Portion 2 oz [with a #16 scooper] of cheese mix onto one-half of flattened dough ball. Smooth filling slightly, leaving 1/2 inch border.
3. Distribute 1/2 c or 1 3/4 oz of broccoli over cheese. Brush edges of dough with water. Fold over filling, crimp edges to seal tightly.
4. Mix eggs and water. Brush over top of calzones. sprinkle with herbs. Bake at 350F for 18-25 minutes or until the therometer reads 185F.
5. Serve with 2 oz of warm marinara sauce topped on the calzones and garnished with parmesan cheese.

Mixed Greens Salad with Pears, Walnut, and Bleu Cheese

Ingredients

• 3/4 # or 12 oz mixed greens, washed and dried
• 3 oz port wine vinaigrette
• 9 oz pears, quartered
• 7/8 oz walnuts, whole and toasted
• 7/8 oz crumbled bleu cheese

Directions

1. Toss 2 oz lettuce with 1 tbsp vinaigrette and place on a chilled plate. Top with 1 1/2 oz pear, 1 tbsp of walnuts, and bleu cheese.