Hot Stuff! Fifty Shades of Chicken

In the spirit of E.L. James’ seductive Fifty Shades of Grey, F.L. Fowler’s Fifty Shades of Chicken follows the juicy adventures of Miss Chicken, a young, organic raw bird. Like the demure Anastasia Steele, Miss Chicken is at the hands of a dominating man with the tools of the trade to turn her into a delectable dish. Sensual stories intertwined with delicious entrees, this fowl is taken through three different acts. The Chef eases us into the process with “The Novice Bird,” and “Falling to Pieces,” and climaxes with “Advanced Techniques.” These fifty enticing recipes are peppered with helpful tips and searing photographs that will certainly leave you with a golden brown afterglow.

Dripping Thighs

The way his apron hangs from his hips already has me all wobbly. But as he coats my thighs with sticky liquid I can hardly contain myself. Is it the wine, or is my aroma starting to drive him crazy too? He heats me up fast, it won’t take much too?

He heats me up fast, it won’t take much to finish me off now. His lips quirk up to a smile. My own juices are mixing with the coating and running all over the place. I get the strangest, sweetest, hedonistic feeling up and down. It’s epicureanism run wild!

He spreads my thighs out on a plate. Sticky hands and at least five wet napkins. What will the housekeeper think? Who cares?

Ingredients

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, patted dry with paper towels
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 teaspoon plus pinch coarse kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 sweet onion, thinly sliced
1 cup white wine
1 bay leaf
1 cinnamon stick
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon honey

Directions

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. In a large bowl, toss the chicken, garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper together.

In a small saucepan, simmer together onion, wine, bay leaf, cinnamon stick, and a pinch of salt until most of the liquid has evaporated, 15 to 20 minutes. Toss in the honey and butter.

Spoon the mixture over the chicken and toss well. Spread thighs, onion mixture, and any juices onto a baking sheet. Bake until chicken is no longer pink and onions are meltingly tender and caramelized, about 25 minutes.

Red Wine Velvet Cake with Whipped Mascarpone

Who isn’t charmed by red velvet cakes? They’re cute: red-and-white striped, as adorable as a candy cane, as sweet as a valentine. They’re typically towering and grand, and scream “party.” Plus, just about anything covered in thick plumes of cream-cheese frosting is automatically delicious.

But behind the pretty facade  so much of it doesn’t add up for me. The chocolate is barely perceptible and the “red velvet” is just red food dye, and a lot of it.

But one day, a reader left a comment on an everyday chocolate cake in my archives [of my blog] and told me she’d been out of the required buttermilk and used red wine instead. She’d turned chocolate cake into a red-wine chocolate cake. And I’d never had one of these before, never even considered it, but I had to drop everything I was doing and try this substitution. It quickly became one of our favorite cakes. With its loud chocolate flavor and natural red tint—this was the real red velvet cake.

This is my favorite cake for grown-ups, and, yes, I do mean grown-ups, because the wine does not fully bake out. (You’re welcome.) The flavor trifecta is red wine, chocolate, and a slip of cinnamon, three things that you will quickly see have always been meant to be together. It’s chocolate-flavored and naturally red, and the texture is so dense and moist that only a little frosting is required between the layers, and that frosting is whipped mascarpone cheese—or cream cheese for people who have taken a fancy to triple-crème cheeses.

Cake
6 tablespoons (85 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup (179 grams) firmly packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup (50 grams) white granulated sugar
1 large egg + 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
3/4 cup (177 ml) red wine, any kind you like*
1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract
1 cup + 1 tablespoon (133 grams) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (41 grams) Dutch cocoa powder
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon table salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Topping

1/2 cup mascarpone cheese
1/2 cup (118 grams) chilled heavy or whipping cream
2 tablespoons (25 grams) granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Make the cake: Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line the bottom of a 9-inch round cake pan with parchment, and either butter and lightly flour the parchment and exposed sides of the pan, or spray the interior with a nonstick spray. In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter until smooth. Add the sugars and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg and yolk and beat well, then the red wine and vanilla. Don’t worry if the batter looks a little uneven. Sift the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt together, right over your wet ingredients. Mix until 3/4 combined, then fold the rest together with a rubber spatula. Spread batter in prepared pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. The top of the cake should be shiny and smooth, like a puddle of chocolate. Cool in pan on a rack for about 10 minutes, then flip out of pan and cool the rest of the way on a cooling rack. This cake keeps well at room temperature or in the fridge. It looks pretty dusted with powdered sugar.

Make the topping: Whip mascarpone, cream, sugar and vanilla together until soft peaks form — don’t overwhip. Dollop generously on each slice of cake. It can also be covered and refrigerated for up to 4 hours.

The Pasta

Apron Anxiety’s Pasta

• Prep Time 10 minutes
• Total Time 20-30 minutes
• Yield Serves 6

In the part memoir, part cookbook Apron Anxiety, Alyssa Shelasky shares her most intimate relationship woes and how her life changed when she decided she was ready to conquer her phobia of all things food. Her personal anecdotes, combined with treasured recipes from her mother’s pasta to her supernatural breakup brownies, allow the reader to get a glimpse of Shelasky’s discovery of her love of cooking and ultimately herself.

When I was growing up, my mother made this meal at least once a week and I never got tired of it. This simple dish is fresh, healthy, and very much like her. It is my happy childhood incarnate. We always ate pasta al dente, but that’s only because we insatiable teenagers were too impatient to wait. Add a salad or crusty bread for a lovely meal. 

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 4 teaspoons chopped fresh basil
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for salting pasta water
• 4 medium tomatoes, diced or sliced
• 1 pound spaghetti, or bucatini if you’re being fancy
• ½ to 1 cup (or less if you’d like) freshly grated mozzarella or Romano cheese
• ½ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Place a large pot filled with water over high heat. Bring to a boil.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat.

Add the garlic and cook until tender. Stir in the basil and salt. Toss in the tomatoes and simmer for 15 minutes, or until they soften.

Throw a generous pinch of salt into the boiling water. Add the pasta, stir, and cook according to the package instructions. Taste a piece of pasta toward the end of the cooking. When it’s done, drain it and return it to the pot. Add the grated mozzarella and the tomato mixture to the pot. Stir gently for about 3 minutes, until the cheese melts.

Transfer the pasta into bowls. Sprinkle some Parmigiano over each bowl and serve.

If you’ve been running from or chasing after vampires, werewolves or fairies, you can work up a pretty big appetite. In the new cookbook True Blood: Eats, Drinks, and Bites from Bon Temps, based on the critically acclaimed HBO series, True Blood, you’ll get a taste of some good southern delicacies straight from your favorite characters. Whether it is the daily special at Merlotte’s from Lafayette and Terry, or delectable drinks served by Eric at Fangtasia, you’ll be craving these recipes in no time. If you are looking to satisfy your bloodlust, here is a recipe you can sink your fangs into.

According to Arlene Fowler Bellefleur:

“I know Jessica was made a vampire against her will ‘n’ all, but I don’t feel one bit sorry for her. You know why? She’s a goddamn tip hoarder. People love tippin’ redheads, and I used to be the only redhead at Merlotte’s. Now with that girl battin’ her stupid eyelashes at every male customer that walks in the door, I can’t get no one to sit in my section! So when my tables are real slow, or just plain empty, I make myself a Bloody Mary and sip it while I watch Mikey play with that stupid doll. It helps pass the time ‘til my shift is done and I can get home to Coby and Lisa.”

Bon Temps Bloody Mary

Makes 1 drink.

6 ounces……………Tomato juice
1 ½ ounces…………Vodka
1 teaspoon………….Fresh lime juice
½ teaspoon…………Worcestershire sauce
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Cayenne pepper
Cracked ice
Pickled green beans or pickles okra for garnish.

Combine the tomato juice, vodka, lime juice, and Worcestershire in a cocktail shaker. Season with salt, black pepper, and cayenne. Stir. Fill a highball glass with ice and pour the drink over ice. Garnish with beans or okra. Serve immediately.

Date Nut Spice Bread (Yield: 1 (8-inch) Loaf)
Copyright 2008, Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics, All Rights Reserved

2 cups coarsely chopped dates (10 ounces pitted)
1/3 cup Cointreau or Triple Sec
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
¾ cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
1 extra-large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon grated orange zest (2 oranges)
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¾ cup freshly squeezed orange juice (3 oranges)
¾ cup coarsely chopped pecans (3 ounces)

For the cream cheese spread
6 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon grated orange zest

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter the bottom of an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 2 1/2-inch loaf pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper, then butter and flour the pan.

Combine the dates and Cointreau in a small bowl and set aside for 30 minutes. Stir occasionally.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and brown sugar together on medium speed for 1 minute. Scrape down the bowl. With the mixer on low, add the egg, vanilla, and orange zest. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt. With the mixer still on low, add the flour mixture alternately with the orange juice to the creamed mixture, beating only until combined. By hand, stir in the dates with their liquid, and the pecans.

Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.

Meanwhile, in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the cream cheese, sugar, and orange zest on medium speed until just combined.

Slice the bread and serve with the orange cream cheese on the side for spreading.

Rhubarb Crumble Pie

Martha Stewart Pies and Tarts

• Prep Time 30 minutes
• Total Time 2 hours
• Yield Serves 10

Ingredients

• Pie Dough, or your favorite prepared crust (and skip steps 1 and 2)
• All-purpose flour, for dusting
• 1 3/4 pounds (about 6 cups) rhubarb, ends trimmed, cut crosswise into 3/4-inch pieces
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• Pinch of salt
• Crumble Topping

Directions

1. Place the pie dough on a floured piece of parchment paper. Using your knuckles, press edges of dough to help prevent cracking. Roll out dough to a 14-inch round.
2. Use the parchment to lift and wrap dough around rolling pin; carefully unroll over a 9-inch pie plate. Gently fit dough into bottom and sides of plate, being careful not to stretch or tear. Using kitchen shears, trim dough to a 1-inch overhang; fold under, and press gently to seal. Crimp edges if desired. Refrigerate 1 hour.
3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. with rack in lowest level. In a large bowl, toss rhubarb with sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Pour into pie shell; sprinkle with Crumble Topping. Place pie on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet.
4. Place pie in oven; reduce heat to 375 degrees. Bake until topping is browned and crust is lightly browned, about 1 1/2 hours. (If topping or crust begins to brown too quickly, tent with foil.) Cool completely before serving.

Ready for Dessert: My Best Recipes Written by David Lebovitz

Cherries in Red Wine Syrup

Makes 2 cups (500g)

I used bright-red sweet cherries, but feel free to mix in some of the multi-hued varieties, such as Queen Anne (incongruously called ‘Napoléon’ cherries inFrance) and Ranier. If you can get sour cherries, a mix of those with the sweet ones is cherry paradise.

1 pound (450g) fresh cherries, stemmed and pitted
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (130g) sugar
1 1/4 cups (310ml) red wine
2 teaspoons corn starch or potato starch
2 tablespoons red wine or 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
optional: 1/2 tablespoon kirsch

1. Put the cherries and sugar in a large, wide saucepan.

2. Mix one tablespoon of the red wine with the corn or potato starch in a small bowl until it’s dissolved and set aside.

3. Add the rest of the wine and the vinegar to the saucepan. Bring the heat up to a boil, then reduce the heat so it’s at a low boil and cook, stirring frequently, for about 12 minutes, until the cherries are completely wilted and softened through.

4. During the last moments of cooking, stir in the starch slurry and let the mixture boil the additional minute or so, to thicken the juices.

5. Turn off the heat and stir in the almond extract and kirsch, if using.

Storage: The cherries will keep up to one week in the refrigerator. They can be frozen for up to six months.

Easy Cranberry & Apple Cake

Barefoot Contessa: How Easy Is That?

Serves 6 to 8

12 ounces fresh cranberries, rinsed and picked over for stems
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and diced
½ cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
1 tablespoon grated orange zest (2 oranges)
¼ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
11⁄8 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
¼ pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
¼ cup sour cream
1 cup all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon kosher salt

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
2. Combine the cranberries, apple, brown sugar, orange zest, orange

   juice, and 1 teaspoon of the cinnamon in a medium bowl. Set aside.

3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment,

   beat the eggs on medium-high speed for 2 minutes. With the mixer

   on medium, add 1 cup of the granulated sugar, the butter, vanilla,

   and sour cream and beat just until combined. On low speed, slowly

   add the flour and salt.

4. Pour the fruit mixture evenly into a 10-inch glass pie plate. Pour the

   batter over the fruit, covering it completely. Combine the remaining

   1 tablespoon of granulated sugar and 1⁄8 teaspoon of cinnamon and

   sprinkle it over the batter. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, until a toothpick

   inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean and the fruit is bubbling around the edges. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Chocolate Rosemary Ganache

From Martha Stewart Living, February 2000

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 6 large sprigs fresh rosemary
• 1 large egg white
• 1/2 cup superfine sugar
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 11 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 5 large eggs, separated
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• Chocolate Rosemary Ganache
• Hazelnut Praline, (optional)

Directions

1. Separate rosemary into small bunches. Beat egg white with a drop or two of water until it is very loose. Place superfine sugar in a small, shallow bowl. Lightly brush one sprig of rosemary with the egg white. Sprinkle superfine sugar over the damp bunch of rosemary; shake to remove excess. Transfer rosemary to a cooling rack to dry, at least 1 hour. Repeat until all rosemary is used; set aside sugared rosemary. (It will keep at room temperature for about 24 hours.)
2. Preheat the oven to 275 degrees with two racks centered. In the top of double boiler, or in a heat-proof bowl set over simmering water, melt butter and chocolate together, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Set mixture aside to cool.
3. In a medium bowl, lightly beat egg yolks, and stir them into the cooled chocolate mixture. Add granulated sugar, flour, and baking powder to the chocolate mixture, and stir to combine.
4. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk the egg whites just until soft peaks form. Stir one-third of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten it. Fold the chocolate mixture into the remaining egg whites, just until combined. Spoon the batter into twelve 3 3/4-inch heart molds with removable bottoms. Transfer molds to a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until centers spring back when touched, about 45 minutes. Transfer molds to a wire rack, and let sit 5 minutes. Unmold cakes. (After they have cooled, if not using right away, cover cakes lightly with plastic wrap.)
5. To serve, place a cake on serving plate. Pour warm ganache over it; sprinkle with praline, if using. Top with a second and then a third cake layer, drizzling each with ganache. Repeat to make 3 more servings. Sprinkle cakes with praline if desired, and garnish with sugared rosemary. Serve.

Chocolate Rosemary Ganache

Ingredients

Makes 1 1/2 cups

• 9 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, needles

Directions

1. Place chocolate in a medium heat-proof bowl. Warm cream with rosemary in small saucepan over low heat. Bring just to a boil. Strain cream over chocolate. Cover bowl tightly with foil; let sit about 5 minutes. Stir to melt all chocolate. To warm ganache, place bowl over a small pan of warm water to keep chocolate thin enough to spoon. (Do not keep chocolate over boiling hot water, or it may break and look as if it has separated.) The ganache may be made 1 day ahead and rewarmed in the microwave.