Black Pearl Layer Cake (a chocolate cake with wasaba and ginger)

note: this cake is very involved, and pretty exotic compared to other chocolate cakes but It is worth the time if you like the challenge of making a complicated cake and the excitement of trying something new.

INGREDIENTS

Black pearl ganache
6 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1.5 teaspoon ground ginger
2 tablespoon wasabi powder
2 tablespoons black sesame seeds
1 tablespoon corn syrup
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter, room temperature

Ginger syrup
1 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
5 tablespoons matchstick-size or thinner strips peeled fresh ginger
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise

Cake
2 cups boiling water
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/4 cups sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
4 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Whipped cream frosting
2 cups chilled heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

(note: a simple buttercream frosting is also delicious on this cake, but if you choose buttercream be sure to refrigerate the assembled cake first so that the ganache is quite firm. This isn't necessary if you apply the recipe's light whipped cream topping.)

Additional black sesame seeds

PREPERATIONS

For black pearl ganache:
Place chocolate in medium bowl. Bring cream, ginger, and wasabi to boil in small pot. Pour hot cream over chocolate; cover with plastic wrap and let stand 15 minutes. Whisk cream and chocolate until smooth. Mix sesame seeds and corn syrup in small bowl to coat; stir into chocolate mixture. Let cool to lukewarm. Stir in butter. Cover and let stand at room temperature overnight to set.

For ginger syrup:
Place 1 cup water, sugar, and ginger in small saucepan. Scrape seeds from vanilla bean into pan; add bean. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Simmer 2 minutes; remove from heat. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour for flavors to blend.

Strain syrup into small bowl. Chop ginger. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate ginger and syrup separately.)

For cake:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour three 8-inch-diameter cake pans with 2-inch-high sides. Line bottoms with parchment paper.

Whisk 2 cups boiling water, cocoa powder, and reserved chopped ginger in medium heatproof bowl. Whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in large bowl. Using electric mixer, beat sugar and butter in large bowl until fluffy, about 1 minute. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating until incorporated after each addition. Beat in vanilla extract. Add flour mixture in 4 additions alternately with cocoa mixture in 3 additions, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Divide batter among prepared cake pans; smooth tops.

Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool in pans 5 minutes. Turn cakes out onto racks; cool completely. (Cakes can be prepared 1 day ahead. Wrap with plastic wrap and store at room temperature.)

For whipped cream frosting:
Beat cream in large bowl until soft peaks form. Add sugar, vanilla, and ginger. Beat until stiff peaks form.

Using long serrated knife, trim rounded tops off cakes to create flat surface. Place 1 cake layer, cut side up, on plate. Brush top with 1/3 cup ginger syrup. Spread half of ganache over top of cake. Place second layer, cut side up, atop first layer. Brush with 1/3 cup syrup; spread with remaining ganache. Top with third cake layer. Brush with remaining syrup. Spread sides and top with whipped cream frosting. Sprinkle top with black sesame seeds. Refrigerate until ganache is set, about 4 hours. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes before serving. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep refrigerated.)

Makes 10 to 12 servings.

Vegetarian Tortilla Soup

I ate this soup a lot during the cold months when I was a vegatarian. I usually upped the spices a bit, but I like my food spicy.

VEGETARIAN TORTILLA SOUP

ingredients

Nonstick vegetable oil spray
3/4 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon ground cumin
3/4 teaspoon chili powder
4 cups canned vegetable broth
4 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

4 6-inch-diameter corn tortillas, cut into 1/2-inch-wide strips
1 1/2 cups chopped tomatoes
2/3 cup canned black beans, rinsed, drained
2/3 cup chopped zucchini
1 1/2 tablespoons minced seeded jalapeño chili

preperation
Spray large nonstick saucepan with vegetable oil spray. Add onion and garlic; cover and cook over medium-low heat until almost tender, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomato paste, cumin and chili powder. Add broth and 2 tablespoons cilantro; bring to boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until flavors blend, about 15 minutes. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill. Bring to simmer before continuing.)

Add tortillas, tomatoes, beans, zucchini and jalapeñp to soup. Cover; simmer until zucchini is tender, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Ladle soup into bowls. Sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons cilantro.

Per Serving: calories, 157; total fat, 3g; saturated fat, 0.5g; cholesterol, 0mg.
Serves 4.

note: Be sure to save the last two tablespoons of cilantro for sprinking on. if you accidentally toss them in you might end up with a bit of a bitter flavor after it has cooked. I learned the hard way.

good (and moist) southern corn bread ingredients * 2 cups cornmeal * 2 cups all-purpose flour * 1/2 teaspoon salt * 2 tablespoons baking powder * 2 eggs * 1 cup margarine, melted * 4 cups buttermilk directions -In a large bowl mix together the corn meal, flour, salt, and baking powder. -In a separate bowl mix together the eggs, butter, and buttermilk. Add to the dry ingredients and stir until well blended. -Heat a dry 12 inch cast iron skillet over high heat for 2 minutes. Add corn oil to skillet, swirl oil around to coat bottom and sides. Leave remaining oil in pan. Return to high heat for 1 minute. -Pour the cornbread batter into the skillet and cook on high heat until bubbles start to form in the center. Remove from stove. -Bake in a preheated 400 degree F (200 degree C) oven for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Serve warm. serves 8 jalepeno corn bread ingredients *1 1/2 cups yellow cornmeal *1/2 cup all purpose flour *4 jalapeño chilies, seeded but not deveined, chopped *2.5 tablespoons sugar *2 teaspoons baking powder *1 teaspoon baking soda *1 teaspoon salt *1 1/2 cups buttermilk *2 eggs, beaten to blend *3 tablespoons butter, melted directions Preheat oven to 425°F. Butter 8-inch square baking pan. Mix first 7 ingredients in large bowl. Mix buttermilk, eggs and butter in small bowl. Add to dry ingredients and stir until just mixed. Pour into prepared pan. Bake until firm to touch, about 30 minutes. serves 8. I love to make the jalapeno corn bread into little corn muffins, put a dab of unsalted butter on top and eat them with spicy chili or shrimp gumbo. Very, very good.

I've lived in many cities and I've eaten at many different places, well known eateries and hole-in-the-walls alike, so I've been toying with the idea of making lists of my favorite eateries in each city, with links to websites, addresses/phone numbers, and photographs if I have any. 

First installment, Tulsa.  

13 Bean Soup.

1/2 c Dried black beans washed,

-picked over2 c Packaged 13-bean soup mix

-washed, picked over1 lb Smoked pork shoulder, or

-meaty ham bone1 md Onion

1 t Dried thyme

1 Bay leaf

Freshly ground black pepper3 qt Cold water

Salt1 c Fresh or canned tomatoes,

-peeled, seeded, and chopped1 cup fresh or canned tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped

1/2 cup olive oil

1/4 cup good sherry

In a large kettle, cover beans with water, refrigerate and soak overnight. The next day, drain beans, add pork or ham bone,onion, thyme, bay leaf, pepper, and cold water. Set over medium-high heat and bring to simmer. Reduce heat and keep at simmer for 2 1/2 hours. Cool, remove onion, hambone and fat; cut up meat into small pieces. Season with salt and pepper as needed. Add tomatoes and olive oil. Put half the mixture in a blender and blend until almost smooth, but not liquified. Add to whole bean mixture. To serve, stir in sherry and reheat. Ladle into warm soup bowls. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Sorry I haven't updated lately. I've been very busy with work. Hopefully by this weekend things will have slowed down and I can start updating regularly. Thanks for your patience!

Ruth Reichl’s amazing crab cake recipe.

I made crab cakes using this recipe a couple of weeks ago and this is, without a doubt, one of the best crab cake recipes I have ever tried.

Ingredients
1 lb lump crabmeat
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
1/2 small onion, chopped
1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon of sweet paprika
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp prepared tartar sauce
2 slices firm white sandwich bread torn into small pieces
6 Tbsp fresh bread crumbs

Directions

Pick over the crabmeat to remove any bits of shell and cartilage, being careful not to break up the lumps of crab.

Cook the onion and 1/2 of the teaspoon of salt in 1 Tbsp of butter in a small skillet, over medium high heat, until the onion is softened. Let it cool.

Whisk together the eggs, Worcestershire sauce, remaining salt, paprika, pepper, tartar sauce, and onion mixture. Gently fold in the crabmeat and torn bread. Note that the mixture will be very wet. Gently form the mixture into six cakes, each about 3 1/2 inches across and 3/4 inches thick. Line a tray with a piece of wax paper just large enough to hold the cakes and sprinkle it with half of the bread crumbs. Set the crab cakes in one layer on the top of the paper and sprinkle with the remaining bread crumbs. Cover the crab cakes loosely with another sheet of wax paper and chill for one hour.

Melt the remaning 3 Tbsp of butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat until the foam subsides. Cook the crab cakes until golden brown, about 3 minutes on each side.

Makes 6 crab cakes.

easy and delicious gumbo recipe #1

This recipe is the easiest, quickest and most simple one I use. I generally use this one when myself or friends get cravings for gumbo and we don’t have all day to work on the ancient recipe that was passed down from my paternal Grandmother, who learned it from her father.
Ingredients

1-3/4 teaspoons olive oil

1/2 cup  boneless chicken breast halves, chopped

5 ounces andouille sausage, thinly sliced.

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 cup and 2 tablespoons of all purpose flour

1 tablespoon and 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

5 cups chicken broth

1 (12 fluid ounce) can or bottle of good beer

2 roma (plum) tomatoes, diced

2/3 sweet onion, sliced

8 oz can diced tomatoes with green chile peppers, with liquid

1 tablespoon and 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh red chile peppers

1/2 bunch fresh parsley, chopped

3 tablespoons Cajun seasoning

10 ounces of shrimp, peeled and deveined

okra to taste. (I use 10 ounces).

Directions

1. Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium high heat, and cook chicken until no longer pink and juices run clear. Stir in sausage, and cook until evenly browned. Drain chicken and sausage, and set aside.
2. In a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat, blend olive oil and flour to create a roux. Stir constantly until browned and bubbly. Mix in garlic, and cook about 1 minute.
3. Gradually stir chicken broth and beer into the roux mixture. Bring to a boil, and mix in tomatoes, sweet onion, diced tomatoes with green chile peppers, red chile peppers, okra, parsley, and Cajun seasoning. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer about 40 minutes, stirring often.
4. Mix chicken, sausage, and shrimp into the broth mixture. Cook, stirring frequently, about 30 minutes on low heat.

Whole Grain Pancakes

I love this whole grain pancakes recipe. I tried many recipes from cookbooks and didn’t find one I loved so I created this one myself. It took a couple of tries but I compiled a recipe that I adore. These are a hit at brunches and with overnight company.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup dry milk powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1-1/2 cups water
• 2 tablespoons butter (unsalted), melted
• 1 tablespoon and 1-1/2 teaspoons vinegar
• 2 tablespoons of brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon of nutmeg

Directions

1. In a large bowl, sift all-purpose flour, milk powder, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, brown sugar and salt. Stir in whole wheat flour. In a small bowl, combine sugar, eggs, water, butter and vinegar. Make a well in the flour mixture, and pour in the egg mixture. Mix until smooth.

2. Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using about 1/4 cup for each pancake Cook until pancakes are golden brown on both sides. These are best if served very hot.

Hummingbird.

A hummingbird is a delicious alcoholic drink that is popular in Jamaica. After combining all of the scrumptious ingredients it has a smoothie-like consistancy. Perfect on warmer days.
Ingredients

• 1 fluid ounce rum cream liquor (I use Cruzan)
• 1 fluid ounce coffee flavored liqueur
• 1 fluid ounce milk
• 1/2 fluid ounce strawberry flavored syrup
• 1/2 banana
• 1 cup crushed ice

Directions

In a blender, combine rum cream liqueur, coffee liqueur, milk and strawberry syrup. Then add the banana and crushed ice. Blend until smooth. Pour into a glass and enjoy.