Having lived on Wall Street for the past six years, occupying before it was "Occupied" so to speak, I've been meaning to share this Financier recipe for a while. Sort of like madeleines but different, Financiers are airy little almond cakes that can be further flavored with more nuts or marmalade, as they are here. It's been said they take their name from their gold brick … [Read more...]
BAKED PUMPKIN SPAETZLE
It seems time to get back to the basic tenets of this site. Spectacularly Delicious is dedicated to recipes with a proper name that require specialized equipment to either prepare or serve, call for unusual or hard to find ingredients and often take a long time to prepare, resulting in a splendid presentation with a marvelous taste. In short, spectacularly delicious. … [Read more...]
GREEN TOMATO INDIA RELISH
If you're looking for relish recipes, you've come to the right place. Corn relish. Mexican Corn Relish. Zucchini Relish, Fennel and Onion Relish and Christmas Relish. Even Blueberry Relish with a Brokeback Mountain theme. Alas, it's been brought to our attention that we don't yet have a recipe for "regular" relish, more accurately known as India Relish. So here goes. So … [Read more...]
STUFFED CABBAGE CAKE / CHOU FARCI GATEAUX
It's hard to get too worked up about stuffed cabbage, at least for me. Hearty, homey, tasty -- yes. But elegant? Not so much. Until now. This stuffed cabbage cake, or better still, Chou Farci Gâteau, takes a modest meal and elevates it to true star stature. And it's not all that hard. Instead of individually stuffed rolls, the braised meat is built up in layers of … [Read more...]
MOSTARDA DI CREMONA
So I've been on a Jane Gardam binge lately, reading everything of hers I can get my hands on. Her writing is addictive, her stories filled with all-too-human characters and happy small surprises. (Start with Old Filth; and no, it's not what you think.) In The Hot Sweets of Cremona she introduces us to Mostarda di Cremona, "bright fruit things" displayed in an Italian … [Read more...]
HOME MADE KIMCHI
No doubt about it, kimchi is an acquired taste. But once familiarized with its fiery, tangy crunch, it's addictive. Thanks to the rise of Korean-American chefs like Roy Choi and David Chang kimchi has found felicitous mash-ups with other cuisines, notably Mexican. I particularly like a big blob of cool kimchi on top of pasta marinara or Bolognese. Seriously satisfying. This … [Read more...]
CORN CHUTNEY AND TWO NEAT GADGETS: HOT JAR MITT AND CORN CUTTER
Here's a riff on our popular corn relish recipe. This time some tumeric, more mustard and raisins make it zippier. Yellow beans and green tomatoes thicken it for that rich chutney lusciousness. Great to make while the corn is still wonderful. And check out this nifty canning jar mitt. It keeps its form, making it easy to grip and hold hot jars while you fill them. Another … [Read more...]
FENNEL AND ONION RELISH
Canning projects are running full steam -- here's one of our favorites. Based on a recipe from Edon Waycott's Preserving the Taste. FENNEL AND ONION RELISH Recipe makes 5 pints 2 large fennel bulbs 2 large sweet onions, such as Vidalia or Maui 2 Tablespoons + 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1 cup water 4 cups white vinegar 1/2 cup sugar 1 Tablespoon black pepper corns 3 … [Read more...]
EXTRA LARGE SUMMER FRUIT TART HACK
Working off the same base recipe posted earlier, this XL version used tonka beans to infuse the crust with a smooth spicy taste and heady vanilla aroma. Not to worry, cinnamon still works fine. Nectarines and apricots were the fruit de jour; they're great for this tart because they don't need to be peeled. The large 11" tart pan with removable bottom allows for apricot … [Read more...]
MARCELLA HAZAN STYLE TOMATO SAUCE CANNING RECIPE – FRESHTECH HACK
Marcella Hazan's celebrated tomato sauce is pretty simple - the original recipe calls only for tomatoes, onion, butter and salt. And it makes about two cups of sauce, a nice amount for one pound of pasta. But Marcella's recipe is not home-canning friendly. Her simmered-then-discarded onion is fine, the big chunk of butter is not. The solution? Make the sauce without the … [Read more...]