christmas stollen

as you finish your holiday shopping and last minute running around before Christmas this friday, maybe you'll have some time to bake this yummy holiday bread. we did our baking before we headed west for warmer weather and to see family, but this recipe was a hit. it takes some time with the rising and resting but is definitely worth it for two beautiful braided loaves filled with dried fruit. the recipe is adapted from martha stewart's traditional xmas bread in the december issue. happy holidays to all our readers and hopefully we'll have some time to post from our CA and AZ adventures before the new year.

Christmas Stollen

makes 2 loaves

5 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour

1/4 cup plus 2 tbs sugar

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1 cup milk, warmed

5 oz unsalted butter, melted

1 tbs plus 1/2 tsp active dry yeast (dissolved in 1/4 cup warm water)

3 eggs, lightly beaten

3 oz raisins

6 oz dried cranberries

1 cup applejack or brandy

1/3 cup crystallized ginger

zest of 1 orange

confectioner's sugar for dusting (optional)

whisk together flour, sugar, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon. stir in milk and melted butter. add dissolved yeast and eggs. turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth. combine raisins, cranberries and applejack in a small bowl and soak until plump, about 15 minutes. drain well and add to bread, with ginger and orange zest. continue kneading for about 10 minutes, adding more flour if dough is too sticky. transfer dough to a lightly oiled bowl. cover with plastic and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, 1-2 hours. punch down and divide into 6 equal pieces. roll each piece into a 15-inch long log. braid 3 logs together and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. repeat with remaining 3 logs. cover and let rise until doubled, about 2 more hours. preheat oven to 350 degrees F. bake stollen until golden brown, 36-40 minutes. let cool completely on a wire rack and dust with confectioner's sugar before serving. enjoy!

chocolate bark

it's homemade holiday treat time! this is such an easy candy to make - no boiling sugar, no candy thermometers, no complicated ingredients - just good quality chocolate and mixed nuts. for this recipe we used what we like and what we happened to have in the pantry - but use a combination of whatever you please. break it into pieces and wrap it up in a pretty little tin or glass jar to give to friends and family this year for a simple handmade treat. enjoy!

Chocolate Nut Bark

makes 2-3 gifts

12 oz dark or semisweet chocolate, chopped

2 1/2 cups mixed nuts such as pistachios, almonds & hazelnuts

melt chocolate in a double boiler, stirring often, until smooth. once melted, remove from heat and stir in 1/3 of the mixed nuts. spread evenly on a parchment lined 9x13-inch baking sheet and sprinkle with the remaining nuts. refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes. break into pieces and keep at room temperature for about a week.

worcestershire

the holidays are here! we had a fabulous thanksgiving with friends filled with way too much good food & wine, julian plenti live & late night bowling here, this exhibit at moma and a cozy winter meal with everyone here. this recipe from last year was a big hit again but we added a third cheese and a little bacon to make it even more decadent! another hit were the homemade bloody marys we sipped while playing dominoes to work up an appetite in the afternoon. after reading this article in the ny times and finding an old recipe in saveur, i decided about a month ago to try making worcestershire sauce from scratch. it turned out delicious and was the perfect addition to the best bloody mary mix from bon appetit. this drink would be a great addition to your new year's day football watching - just don't forget the mean beans.

Worcestershire Sauce

makes 2 cups

2 cups white vinegar

1/2 cup molasses

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup tamarind concentrate

3 tbs salt

1 tsp whole black peppercorns

1/2 tsp curry powder

5 cardamom pods, smashed

3 chiles de arbol, chopped

2 cloves garlic, smashed

1 stick cinnamon

2 anchovies

1 onion, chopped

1 1/2-inch piece ginger, peeled & chopped

1/2 cup sugar

1 tbs water

combine all ingredients except sugar and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. meanwhile, cook sugar with water in a skillet over medium-high heat until it becomes dark and syrupy. add caramelized sugar to vinegar and whisk to combine. cook sauce for 5 minutes more and transfer to a glass jar. let cool, cover and refrigerate for 3 weeks. after 3 weeks, strain to remove solids and return to jar. refrigerate for up to 8 months.

vegetarian dinner

we try to have a vegetarian dinner once a week in our house, which doesn't always happen or isn't always very exciting, but last night it was! needed something quick and easy to go with broccoli & cheese soup and realized that i had a few zucchini and some spinach that needed to be used. so that turned into a delicious zucchini and gorgonzola tart! for dessert i made these cookies - great recipe but trouble because we can't stop eating them!! also anxiously waiting for a cute grey slouch hat to arrive from here discovered via mrs. french. excited to have visitors for the holiday arriving soon and can't wait to get cooking - went here this morning for smoked trout for a dip. also on the menu - cornbread, sausage & apple stuffing, susy's spinach souffle, two kinds cranberry sauce, andy's mashed potatoes, both pumpkin and pecan pie . . . and of course herb roasted turkey with applejack gravy. happy holidays & see you next week!

Zucchini Gorgonzola Tart

serves 6-8

1 cornmeal crust, recipe here

1 tbs olive oil

2 zucchini, cut lengthwise & then into 1/4-inch thick slices

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 onion, sliced

1 cup spinach, roughly chopped

2 tbs chopped parsley

2 tbs chopped basil

1/3 cup crumbled gorgonzola cheese

1 egg, beaten

6 oz mascarpone cheese

blind bake cornmeal crust according to instructions and let cool slightly while making filling. heat olive oil in a medium skillet and saute zucchini and garlic until softened, about 8-10 minutes. set aside in a large bowl. in same pan, adding more olive oil if needed, saute onion until translucent, about 5 minutes. add spinach and saute 1 minute more or until wilted. add to bowl with zucchini and combine with herbs, cheese, egg and mascarpone. pour into prepared crust and bake at 375 degrees F 25-30 minutes or until set. let cool for 10-15 minutes before slicing and eat warm or at room temperature.

preserved lemons

preserved lemons were a typical moroccan ingredient i'd heard about but wasn't familiar with the taste until now. seeing them while wandering through the isles of this amazing market sparked my interest and then i found a recipe to easily preserve them at home in an old issue of gourmet. ok, now i've got a beautiful jar of opaque sliced lemons, what do i do with them? roast a chicken and make a relish sounded like a good plan to me! this salty tangy herb salad would be great on grilled fish or roast lamb as well - an easy way to dress up any protein. they also add great flavor to soups and salads and will be good in your refrigerator, covered in their juices and a little oil, for about a year.

Preserved Lemons & Relish

6 lemons

2/3 cup kosher salt

1 to 1 1/2 cups lemon juice

olive oil

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1/4 cup chopped parsley

1/4 cup chopped mint

1 shallot, finely chopped

5 slices of preserved lemons, rinsed & rind only, pulp discarded

bring a large pot of water to a boil and blanch whole lemons for about 5 minutes, then drain. when cool enough to handle, cut each lemon into 1/4-inch thick slices, discarding the seeds. toss lemons with salt in a bowl and then pack lemons and salt into a glass jar. add enough lemon juice to cover sliced lemons completely. cover with a tight fitting lid and let stand at room temperature for 5 days, shaking gently once a day. after 5 days, cover with a little olive oil and refrigerate.

to make preserved lemon relish, combine cilantro, parsley, mint, shallot and diced rind in a small bowl. add a few tbs of olive oil to moisten the mixture and a little black pepper. stir to combine and serve at room temperature. enjoy!

fall starter

here's a quick salad that you can throw together to impress dinner guests that is much more sophisticated tasting than it is difficult to make. the combination of sweet pears and maple syrup is offset by salty gorgonzola cheese and smokey bacon - yum! try it with different combinations of cheese, nuts and firm fruit for an ever changing fall starter. is anyone else getting excited for Thanksgiving next week? we have friends coming from santa barbara and boston and can't wait to start cooking - it's definitely the best food holiday of the year.

Fall Pear Salad

serves 2

2 ripe firm pears, such as bosc or anjou

1 green onion, sliced

3 slices cooked bacon, crumbled

1/4 cup gorgonzola cheese, crumbled

1/4 cup hazelnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped

1/2 lemon, juiced

1 tbs maple syrup

3 tbs hazelnut oil

approx. 1/4 cup olive oil

fresh cracked black pepper

core pear with an apple corer, trying to keep pear whole. slice into 1/8-inch thick rounds and combine in a bowl with green onion, bacon, cheese and hazelnuts. in a small bowl, combine lemon juice, maple syrup and hazelnut oil. slowly whisk in olive oil, taste and adjust seasoning to your liking. toss salad with dressing, plate and garnish with pepper. enjoy!

coffee & chocolate

chocolate & coffee is one of those perfect combinations. so when i came home from a recent job with some really nice chocolate and saw this recipe while going through old magazines, i knew exactly what to do - run out and buy some haagen-dazs coffee ice cream immediately! this mocha caramel sauce is from a 2006 issue of gourmet and is definitely worth the few extra minutes it takes to make caramel and melt chocolate for an amazing homemade dessert. i'm sure it would be great poured over any flavor ice cream but coffee was just the thing for us. enjoy!

Mocha Caramel Sauce

1 cup heavy cream

3 1/2 tsp instant espresso powder

1/2 cup sugar

4 oz bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

1/8 tsp salt

in a small bowl, stir together cream and espresso powder. cook sugar in a heavy saucepan over medium heat, undisturbed, until it begins to melt. continue to cook, swirling the pan gently, until a deep golden caramel color. remove from heat and let sit 1 minute. very carefully pour in espresso cream - mixture will steam and bubble. then cook over low heat, stirring, until caramel is dissolved. add chocolate and salt and cook until sauce it smooth. serve warm or at room temperature.

short ribs & polenta

as the weather gets cooler and the days get shorter, our bodies start to crave warm satisfying comfort food. for us, it doesn't get any more comforting than braised short ribs with creamy polenta. we were tempted to do another short rib ragu over pasta but decided this was just as easy and satisfying. the recipe calls for the braise to be done in a dutch oven on the stove top and then in the oven for 3 hours but you could probably make it work in your slow cooker as well - either way, this dish will fill your home with a wonderful aroma! make your polenta according to the directions on the bag but be sure to stir in some extra butter, parmesan cheese, mascarpone and salt for a real treat.

Braised Short Ribs

serves 4

3 lbs. beef short ribs

smoked sea salt & fresh ground pepper

2 tbs olive oil

1 granny smith apple, diced

1 onion, diced

2 celery ribs, diced

3 garlic cloves, smashed

5 sprigs thyme

1/2 cup tomato paste

1 cup dry white wine

2 cups chicken stock

1/3 cup apple cider vinegar

3 tbs honey

preheat oven to 300 degrees F. season short ribs generously with smoked salt & ground pepper and heat oil in a medium sized dutch oven. add short ribs, brown on all sides and remove. add apple, onion, celery, garlic and thyme and cook 6 minutes. add tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes until it deepens in color. add wine, chicken stock, vinegar and honey and bring to a boil. add short ribs, bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. cover and transfer to the oven, braising for 3 hours and turning halfway through cooking.

remove short ribs from the pot and set aside to cool slightly, meat should fall off the bone. strain the sauce into a large bowl and refrigerate to solidify the fat. when the meat is cool enough to handle, shred and discard the bones. skim fat off top of sauce and use just enough of the sauce to moisten the shredded meat - serve shredded meat warmed over creamy polenta. enjoy!

grape crush

concord grapes are still in season and covered in bees at the local greenmarket. we've seen lots of great inspirations of how to use them around town - jellies, sorbet and a wonderful cocktail at Gramercy Tavern. we used these delicious seasonal grapes last year in an amazing grape tart. this year we decided to try a cocktail, The Grape Crush. make the grape concentrate and simple syrup ahead of time and keep it in the fridge so you can whip up a cocktail whenever you feel the urge! hope everyone has a great weekend and a happy halloween!

The Grape Crush

serves 1

2 oz Hendricks gin

1 oz fresh lime juice (about 1/2 lime)

1 oz grape concentrate, see recipe below

2 tbs lemon simple syrup, see recipe below

4 oz soda water

in a cocktail shaker, combine gin, lime juice, grape concentrate, simple syrup and ice. shake well and strain into a highball glass filled with crushed ice. top with soda water, stir and enjoy.

Concord Grape Concentrate

1 lb concord grapes, stems removed

2 tbs lemon juice

combine grapes and lemon juice in a medium saucepan over high heat. cook, stirring frequently, until grapes release their juices, about 7 minutes. strain through a fine mesh sieve and cool completely.

Lemon Simple Syrup

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup water

1-inch zest of lemon

combine sugar, water and lemon in a small saucepan over high heat. bring to a boil and cook just until sugar is dissolved. remove from heat and let sit 5 minutes. discard lemon zest and let syrup cool completely.

brittle

this recipe is an adaption of a brittle i discovered in an old issue of gourmet that i found when we were going through stacks of magazines before we moved. we are so disappointed in conde nast's decision to shut the doors of gourmet magazine and will definitely be missing our monthly inspiration, the stunning images and beautiful recipes. this brittle is a play on granola and gathers a lovely rich flavor from the combination of butter, oats and nuts - play with the combination to add your own favorite granola elements.

Maple Granola Brittle

1 cup old fashioned rolled oats

1 cup whole almonds

1/2 cup shelled sunflower seeds

1 cup dried cranberries

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup maple syrup

1/2 cup orange juice

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened

preheat oven to 350 degrees F. on a baking sheet, spread out oats, almonds and sunflower seeds. toast for 15 minutes or until oats are pale golden, stirring often. transfer to a bowl and toss with dried cranberries.

line a baking sheet with a nonstick liner such as a silpat. in a heavy 5 quart saucepan, cook brown sugar, maple syrup, juice and salt, stirring with a wooden spoon, until mixture reaches 290 degrees F on a candy thermometer. stir in butter until melted and quickly add oat and nut mixture. immediately pour onto sheet pan and cover with a sheet of parchment. roll out brittle as thin as possible with a rolling pin. carefully peel off parchment and discard. cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes. break into large pieces and enjoy! can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.