best cocoa brownies from smitten kitchen

Posted on by
  • 10 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
  • 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (natural or Dutch-process)
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt (or a heaping 1/4 teaspoon flaky salt, as I used)
  • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs, cold
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2/3 cup walnut or pecan pieces (optional)

Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 325°F. Line the bottom and sides of an 8×8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper or foil, leaving an overhang on two opposite sides.

Combine the butter, sugar, cocoa, and salt in a medium heatproof bowl and (Medrich’s method) set the bowl in a wide skillet of barely simmering water. Stir from time to time until the butter is melted and the mixture is smooth and hot enough that you want to remove your finger fairly quickly after dipping it in to test. Or (Deb’s method) you can melt the butter with the cocoa in a microwave too.

Both methods: Set the bowl aside briefly until the mixture is only warm, not hot. It looks gritty at this point, but don’t fret — it smooths out once the eggs and flour are added.

Stir in the vanilla with a wooden spoon. Add the eggs one at a time, stirring vigorously after each one. When the batter looks thick, shiny, and well blended, add the flour and stir until you cannot see it any longer, then beat vigorously for 40 strokes with the wooden spoon or a rubber spatula. Stir in the nuts, if using. Spread evenly in the lined pan.

Bake until a toothpick plunged into the center emerges slightly moist with batter, 20 to 25 minutes is Medrich’s suggestion but it took me at least 10 minutes longer to get them set. Let cool completely on a rack. (I go further and throw mine in the fridge or freezer for a while; it’s the only way I can get them to cut with clean lines.)

Lift up the ends of the parchment or foil liner, and transfer the brownies to a cutting board. Cut into 16 or 25 squares.

Thai Spice Sweet Tea from chef john

Posted on by
  • 4 1/4 cups water
  • 4 cardamom pods
  • 3 whole star anise
  • 3 whole cloves
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon 
  • 1/2 teaspoon tamarind paste (optional)
  • 1/3 cup white sugar, or to taste
  • 5 bags rooibos tea
  • 2 bags black tea
  • 3/4 cup coconut milk, blended smooth or milk

  • Add water to a saucepan, and place over medium-high heat.
  • Crush cardamom pods with mortar and pestle or flat of a knife. Add cardamom, star anise, cloves, cinnamon, and tamarind to the saucepan, and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes.
  • Add tea bags; stir to combine. As soon as water returns to a simmer, turn off heat, and steep for 5 minutes.
  • Stir in sugar, and let stand 5 minutes more. Strain into a container, squeezing tea bags thoroughly. Wrap container and refrigerate until very cold, about 1 hour.
  • To serve, fill a tall glass with ice. Pour in tea; top with a generous splash of coconut milk.

Magic Cake (Gâteau Magique) from Simply recipes

Posted on by
  • 2 cups (480ml) whole milk
  • 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, diced into tablespoon-sized pieces
  • 4 large eggs, separated
  • 2/3 cup (135g) granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)
  • 3/4 cup (90g) all-purpose flour
  • Powdered sugar, for dusting, optional
  1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Grease an 8-inch square pan with butter or cooking spray. Line the pan with a layer of parchment paper covering the bottom and up 2 sides with a slight overhang. Lightly grease the parchment paper.
  2. Heat the milk and butter: In a small saucepan, heat the milk and butter on low heat just until the butter melts. Don’t let the milk come to a boil or simmer. It should be warm but not scalding hot, 105 to 115°F. Set aside.
  3. Meanwhile, beat the egg whites: In a large bowl using a hand mixer, beat the egg whites on medium-high speed until they form stiff peaks, about 4 minutes. When you lift the beaters out of the bowl, the whipped egg whites should stand up at a point and hold that point
  4. Start the batter: In another large bowl, beat the egg yolks, sugar, vanilla extract, salt, and nutmeg (if using) on high speed until the mixture is pale and creamy, about 2 minutes.Add the flour to the egg yolk mixture and beat on low speed until combined. It may seem like there is too much flour, but the batter will soon be thinned out.
  5. Add the warm milk and egg whites: Continue mixing on low speed, or switch to a whisk, and pour in the warm milk and butter a splash at a time. Once you’ve incorporated about half of the milk mixture, you can pour in the rest, and whisk to combine. The batter will be thin and smooth, like crepe batter.Add the beaten egg whites and use the whisk to gently mix until there are no large lumps of egg whites. Don’t overmix—there should still be a layer of foam on top of the batter.
  6. Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until the top is golden brown, the cake has begun to pull away from the sides of the pan, and the center has a slight jiggle when the pan is gently shaken, about 50 minutes.
  7. Cool and serve: Remove the pan from the oven and set it on a wire rack until it’s cool enough to go in the fridge, about 30 minutes. Let the cake chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour before serving. You can skip chilling and serve the cake at room temperature, though it won’t slice as neatly.Dust the top of the cake with powdered sugar, then slice it into squares. If desired, serve with fresh fruit and, for extra indulgence, a dollop of whipped cream.Store leftover magic cake, well-covered, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Magic cake does not freeze well. The freezing and thawing process will affect the texture of the custard layer.

Creamy Asparagus Pasta With Peas and Mint from NYT

Posted on by
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea or table salt, more as needed
  • 1 pound short pasta, such as campanelle
  • 1 pound asparagus (about 1 bunch), trimmed
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • ¾ cup frozen green peas (no need to thaw)
  • 4 scallions, white and green parts thinly sliced
  • ¼ teaspoon red-pepper flakes
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • ¾ cup heavy cream
  • ¾ cup grated Parmesan, more for serving
  • 1 lemon, zested and halved
  • ½ cup chopped fresh mint (or use parsley, basil or dill), for serving
  • Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook pasta until al dente according to package directions.
  2. As the pasta boils, slice asparagus stems into ¼-inch-thick pieces; leave asparagus tips whole.
  3. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add asparagus, peas, scallions and red-pepper flakes. Cook until vegetables are bright green and just tender (but not soft or mushy), 2 to 4 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook 1 minute more. Season with the salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper; pour mixture into a large serving bowl.
  4. To the same skillet, add the heavy cream, ½ cup grated Parmesan and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Simmer until reduced and thick, about 2 to 3 minutes. Return vegetables to the skillet and toss with the sauce to reheat.
  5. When the pasta is done, reserve ½ cup pasta water, then drain well.
  6. Immediately put the hot pasta in the same bowl you used for the vegetables and toss with remaining ¼ cup grated Parmesan, lemon zest and mint. Add vegetable-cream mixture and the juice of half a lemon, and toss well. If the mixture looks thick, add a little pasta water to loosen it; it should be saucy. Taste and season generously with salt, pepper and more lemon juice as needed; it should taste bright and lively. Serve, topping each bowl with more Parmesan, mint and a drizzle of olive oil.

SALMON, AVOCADO, WATERCRESS AND PUMPKIN SEED SALAD By Nigella

Posted on by

Serves: 2, generously

FOR THE SALMON

  • 2 Alaskan, organic or ASC-certified Scottish salmon fillets
  • 2 spring onions (trimmed)
  • 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
  • 2½ teaspoons fresh lime juice
  • 2 teaspoons Maldon sea salt flakes

FOR THE SALAD

  • 3 tablespoons pumpkin seeds
  • 100 grams watercress
  • 1 teaspoon organic cloudy apple cider vinegar
  • 1 small ripe avocado
  • 1 tablespoon cold-pressed rapeseed oil or extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon Maldon sea salt flakes or to taste
  1. Put the salmon fillets in a small frying pan (I use one with a 20cm / 8in diameter) and cover with cold water from the tap. Add the whole spring onions and peppercorns, squeeze in the lime juice and sprinkle in the salt, then bring to the boil, uncovered. When the pan is bubbling, turn the fillets over, then remove the pan from the heat and leave to stand for 7 minutes. Then take the fillets out of the liquid and leave to cool completely, which could take up to 1 hour. Once cool, the salmon will be cooked through, with its flesh desirably tender and coral inside.
  2. While the salmon’s cooling, make a start on the salad. Toast the pumpkin seeds by tossing them in a dry, heavy-based frying pan on the hob. They will start jumping a little, and will darken and get a smokier taste. It doesn’t take long to toast them, so don’t leave the pan and, indeed, keep giving it a quick swirl. Then transfer to a cold plate.
  3. When you’re ready to unite salmon with salad, put the watercress into a large shallow bowl (or split between 2 bowls), sprinkle with the vinegar, and toss. Now add the salmon, removing the skin and tearing the fish into bite-sized pieces or shreddy bits, as you wish.
  4. Halve the avocado and remove the stone, then spoon the flesh out onto the salmon and watercress, or cut it into slices if you prefer. Drizzle the oil over the salad, sprinkle with the salt and half of the toasted pumpkin seeds, and toss gently to mix. Scatter the remaining pumpkin seeds on top, and eat.

Crispy green beans with potato sabi by Priya

Posted on by

1 tablespoon neutral oil or olive oil
1 medium russet potato, diced into ½-inch pieces
½ teaspoon coarse kosher salt (such as Morton)
8 ounces green beans, trimmed and halved
½ tablespoon ground coriander
½ tablespoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 (½-inch) piece ginger, minced
1½ tablespoons unsweetened almond butter
Lime juice, to taste
Chaat masala (optional), for garnish
Rice or roti (optional), for serving

Step 1
In a large (lidded) nonstick skillet over high heat, warm the oil. Once the oil is hot, add the potato and half the salt and let cook, undisturbed, until the cubes develop a golden-brown crust on the bottoms, 3 to 5 minutes.
Step 2
Lower the heat to medium, give the potatoes a toss and add the green beans, the remaining salt and ¼ cup of water. Cover and let cook for about 3 more minutes, until the beans are starting to soften but still a little crunchy, and the potatoes have a little firmness but can be pierced with a fork.
Step 3
Add the coriander, cumin, pepper, garlic and ginger. Toss to coat the potatoes and green beans, then let cook until you can smell the strong fragrance of the spices, ginger and garlic, about another minute.
Step 4
Turn the heat down to low, stir in the almond butter, and as it melts, toss it with the vegetables to coat. Cook the sabzi for another minute or two, just to let the almond butter dry out a little and form a crust on the vegetables.
Step 5
Remove the pan from heat, and sprinkle the top with lime juice and a light dusting of chaat masala, if using. Serve by itself, or with rice or roti alongside.

Shrimp with eggs by flolum.com

Posted on by
  • 2 tablespoons cooking oil divided
  • 4 ounces shrimp
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  • 2 stalks green onion chopped
  • 1 teaspoon soy sauce
  • ½ teaspoon sesame oil
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground white pepper

For the Egg Mixture

  • 4 eggs
  • ½ teaspoon soy sauce
  • ½ teaspoon cooking oil
  • Clean and pat dry the shrimp. Cut shrimp into smaller pieces, if desired. Add 1 teaspoon cornstarch and coat the shrimp.
  • In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together ingredients for the egg mixture until well combined. Set aside.
  • Heat a large cast iron, wok or non-stick pan on medium high and add 1 tablespoon cooking oil. Add shrimp and cook until 80-90% done.
  • Add the cooked shrimp to the egg mixture. Add another tablespoon oil to the pan and pour in the egg mixture. Tilt the pan and start moving the cooked egg to the centre while letting the uncooked egg cook around it. Turn the heat off and let it cook in the residual heat until the egg is cooked to your liking.
  • Remove onto a serving platter. Drizzle with soy sauce, sesame oil and sprinkle ground white pepper.

Plum Torte-Smitten Kitchen

Posted on by

Marian Burros’s plum torte is a cult classic in which a mass of plums are coated with cinnamon sugar and baked into a pancake-like batter, where they melt into pie-like pockets and you definitely don’t want to miss it. It’s the perfect September baked good. This is ideal with blueish/purple Italian prune plums, but if you can’t find them, other plums will do. The internet is full of riffs on the cake, like cutting the sugar back to 3/4 cup (feel free to, although I didn’t find the 1 cup too sweet at all), with or without lemon juice, ranges of cinnamon (1 teaspoon is the original amount; 1 tablespoon was a typo that’s not bad at all, but I usually use the smaller amount). I’m not immune, either: I sometimes start by browning the butter and letting it cool to room temp before whisking the batter together by hand. In 2023, I’ve made a few minor updates: Sharing how I one-bowl the cake,and bumping up the salt (previously: a large pinch).

2024 Plum Torte Updates

  • 1 cup (200 grams) plus 1 to 2 tablespoons granulated sugar (use less for sweeter plums)
  • 1/2 cup (115 grams or 8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup (130 grams) all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon (5 grams) baking powder (ideally aluminum-free)
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 12 smallish purple Italian purple plums, halved and pitted
  • 2 teaspoons (10 grams) fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Heat oven to 350°F. Coat a 9-inch springform [I have this one] with butter or nonstick spray. For even easier removal, line the bottom with a round of parchment paper. 

In a large bowl, beat butter and 1 cup (200 grams) of the sugar together with an electric mixer until fluffy and lighter in color. Add the eggs, one at a time and scraping down the bowl. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt over batter and mix it until just combined. 

Spoon batter into prepared cake pan and smooth the top. Arrange the plum tightly in the pan, skin side up, all over the batter, covering it. Sprinkle the top with lemon juice, then cinnamon, then remaining sugar.

Bake until cake is golden and a toothpick inserted into a center part of the cake comes out free of batter (but of course not plum juice), about 45 to 50 minutes. Cool on rack.

Once cool, if you can stand it, and I highly recommend trying, leave it at room temperature overnight as this cake is even better on the second day, when those plum juices further release into the cake around it, becoming not just “cake with plum,” but cakeplumughyum (official terminology, there). If planning more than 2 to 3 days out, I’ll store the cake in the fridge for longevity.

Honey Garlic Shrimp-Sally’s Baking Addition

Posted on by
  • 1/3 cup honey or brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce (we usually use reduced sodium)
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced (or 1 teaspoon jarred minced garlic)
  • optional: 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
  • 1 lb medium uncooked shrimp, peeled & deveined
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • optional for garnish: chopped green onion
  1. Whisk the honey, soy sauce, garlic, and ginger (if using) together in a medium bowl. You will use half for the marinade in step 2 and half for cooking the shrimp in step 3.
  2. Place shrimp in a large sealable container or zipped-top bag. Pour 1/2 of the marinade/sauce mixture on top, give it all a shake or stir, then allow shrimp to marinate in the refrigerator for 15 minutes or for up to 8-12 hours. Cover and refrigerate the rest of the marinade for step 3. (Time-saving tip: while the shrimp is marinating, we usually steam broccoli and microwave some quick brown rice.)
  3. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Place shrimp in the skillet. (Discard used marinade.) Cook shrimp on one side until pink, about 45 seconds, then flip shrimp over. Pour in remaining marinade/sauce and cook it all until shrimp is cooked through, about 1-2 more minutes.
  4. Serve shrimp with cooked marinade sauce and a garnish of green onion. The sauce is excellent on brown rice and steamed vegetables on the side.