Strawberry Shortcake

When I was young my Mom would make me strawberry shortcake whenever I was sad. It didn't matter what time of day it was, if I was having a bad day she would be there with a big bowl of sweet biscuit, juicy strawberries and whipped cream.  Mom always prepared it the same way:  After the sliced strawberries were tossed in a bowl with sugar and a little lemon, she would bake the biscuit-like shortcakes and whip the cream.  Then, while still warm, she would split a sweet biscuit and spread the insides with butter, a crucial step.  She would then fill the biscuit with the juicy berries and cream.  It was so good.  Enough to get me to stop crying good.  Sweet, creamy, tart and luscious.  Now, whenever June rolls around and strawberries are in season, I always make myself strawberry shortcake the way Mom did.  Somehow it still always makes me feel better.

Strawberry Shortcake
serves 6

For the strawberries and cream:
2 pints ripe strawberries, hulled and sliced in half
1 Tbsp + 1 tsp sugar, divided
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
1 cup heavy cream, cold

For the shortcakes:
follow my buttermilk biscuit recipe (found here) with the following additions:
add 1/2 cup sugar to the dry ingredients
add seeds of 1/2 of a vanilla bean (or 1 tsp pure vanilla) to the cold buttermilk before mixing it in
softened butter for spreading on biscuits

Combine the strawberries with 1 Tbsp sugar and the lemon juice in a bowl.  Cover with plastic and allow to sit at room temperature while you prepare the biscuits.

Once the biscuits have come out of the oven, pour the cold heavy cream into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whip attachment (or use a hand mixer, or whisk by hand) and whip on high until the cream begins to thicken.  Sprinkle in the remaining 1 tsp of sugar and continue to whip until the cream holds a soft peak.  Be careful not to over mix, the cream should still be soft.

Split the biscuits and slather both sides with butter.  Spoon strawberries and juice onto one side of a buttered biscuit.  Follow with a large dollop of whipped cream and top with the other half of the biscuit.  Continue with the remaining biscuits, strawberries and cream.  Serve in bowls or on plates.

Tiny, sweet strawberries fresh from the farmer's market. 

Allowing the strawberries to macerate with sugar and lemon makes them juicy and sweet.

Be sure to butter the inside of each biscuit for even more creamy flavor and richness.

Mound on the berries and juice.

Top with softly whipped cream and finish with buttery biscuit.

This classic dessert will certainly make your day a little better.

Roasted Radishes with Bagna Cauda

Farmer's market produce is finally here.  One of my favorite vegetables this time of year is the surprisingly versatile radish.  Spicy and sharp in its raw form, this root veg gets amazingly sweet and creamy after a short stint in the oven. These roasted jewels get even more delicious tossed lightly in a quick and nutty bagna cauda.  No need to fear the anchovies here, all fishiness is sauteed away with garlic, butter and oil, leaving only an addictively toasty nuttiness.  Pile it all high onto toasted crusty bread and you have yourself the perfect summer appetizer, light lunch or quick snack.  Salty, nutty and sweet, this dish is a great way to utilize some of the first, and most versatile, summer crop.

Roasted radishes with bagna cauda
serves 4 as an appetizer
adapted from this recipe from the New York Times


2 bunches spring radishes, washed stemmed and sliced in half (or quartered for larger radishes)
6 Tbsp olive oil, divided
sea salt
freshly cracked black pepper
2 Tbsp butter
4 anchovy fillets, finely chopped
3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
generous pinch of red pepper flake
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1/2 baguette (or other crusty bread) sliced and toasted

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Transfer radishes to a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle radishes with 2 Tbsp of the olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Toss radishes so that they are evenly coated with oil, salt and pepper.  Roast for 10 minutes or until they are just starting to brown.

While the radishes are roasting, combine butter and the remaining 4 Tbsp olive oil in a small saute pan over medium heat.  Once butter has melted, add the anchovy, garlic and pepper flake. Saute the mixture for 5 minutes, stirring often.

Transfer roasted radishes to a medium bowl.  Pour the bagna cauda over the radishes to your liking.  (Any remaining bagna cauda can be stored in the refrigerator for a few days).  Add chopped parsley and toss the mixture together.

Arrange toasts on a platter, mound the radishes onto the toasts and serve.

Fresh farmer's market radishes.

These spicy spring radishes become magically sweet after a quick roast. 

Toss them up with this buttery, nutty and garlicy sauce.

A perfect summertime appetizer.

Corned Beef Hash with Fried Eggs (Tribute to Dad)

My Dad is probably the most talented person I know but you will never hear him brag about his abilities.  I love that about him.  We have the same long toes, we both furrow our brow when we're concentrating and we both can tell what the other is thinking just from tone of the other's voice.  He has an immense amount of faith in me and no matter how inadequate I feel, he can always boost my confidence.  He taught me the importance of hard work and of being passionate about what you do. He also introduced me to some of the all time greats including John Steinbeck, ginger ale, Frank Sinatra, Mel Brooks (specifically this movie), good Christmas music and the Beatles.  We both love making pancakes, having long talks outside on summer evenings and enjoying an ice cold Coke on a really hot day.  Incidentally, we both also love going out for breakfast.  I have fond childhood memories of sitting at the table with Dad as he dug into his favorite order - Corned beef hash.  Always ordered with eggs over easy and wheat toast.  So in honor of my Dad, I decided to make his favorite breakfast.  Rich and salty corned beef, griddled with potatoes, onions and thyme.  Finished with a couple of fried eggs.  Savory, hearty and comforting.  Just how Dad likes it.  On and on and on, Daddio.  Happy Father's Day.

Corned Beef Hash

serves 2 generously

adapted from a recipe in Cooks Illustrated

2 medium sized russet potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1/2 inch dice

kosher salt

1 bay leaf

2 slices of thick cut bacon, chopped

1/2 of a medium onion, chopped

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

1 tsp fresh thyme

1/2 lb corned beef, finely chopped (most small butcher shops and delis have corned beef)

freshly cracked black pepper

1/4 cup heavy cream

1 Tbsp butter

2 eggs, at room temperature

hot sauce

1 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

In a medium sauce pot, cover the diced potatoes with cold water.  Add the bay leaf and bring pot to a boil over medium-high heat.  Once boiling, allow potatoes to cook for 4 minutes.  When cooked, drain potatoes, discard bay leaf and set aside.

In a cast iron skillet or large saute pan, cook the bacon over medium-high heat until most of the fat has rendered off.  Add the onion and cook for another 7-10 minutes or until the onions are soft.  Add the thyme and garlic and cook for another minute or until the garlic is fragrant.  Add the corned beef and stir to combine with the onions.  Add in a generous pinch of salt and a few cracks of black pepper. Add the drained potatoes to the mix and stir until combined.  Using the back of a flat wooden spatula, (or rubber spatula) firmly press the mixture into the bottom of the pan.  Pour the cream over the top of the mixture and add a few dashes of hot sauce, to your taste.  Allow the hash to cook undisturbed for 5 minutes.  Using the spatula, flip the hash over to expose the caramelized bottom and to cook the other side of the mixture (the hash will not flip in one piece, it will be loose).  Once you have flipped all of the hash, press down on the mixture again and allow it to cook for another 2-3 minutes.  Continue pressing and flipping until the hash is cooked, crusted and browned.  Turn off the heat and allow it to rest while you fry the eggs.

In a large non-stick saute pan, melt the butter over medium-high heat.  Crack one of the eggs into a bowl and set aside.  Once the butter is melted and bubbling, pour the egg from the bowl into the pan.  Crack the other egg into the same bowl and pour it into the pan next to the other egg.  Cook for 3-4 minutes or until the whites are set and the bottoms are a bit golden.  Carefully flip the eggs and allow them to cook on the other side for 30 seconds to a minute (you don't want to completely cook the yolks).  Carefully transfer eggs to a plate.

Serve hash on a plate topped with an egg and sprinkled with fresh parsley.  

A trusty old cast iron skillet is the best way to make your hash caramelized and delicious.

Russet potatoes give great flavor and are starchy enough to hold up to the hot skillet.

Save yourself a lot of trouble by buying corned beef from your butcher or favorite deli.  

Hot sauce gives this dish a kick.  Dad likes Tabasco but any brand will do.

Press down on the hash to achieve that crusty, browned flavor.

Happy Father's Day.

Roasted Potatoes with Parsley & Caper Salsa

Sunday nights in the summer scream for easy dinners.  This past Sunday, we decided to keep it simple and visited our favorite local meat market to stock up on flavorful sausages and burgers for the charcoal grill.  Side dishes were super easy and perfect for eating al fresco:  Lots of pickled vegetables and condiments for the grilled fare and an easy arugula salad.  Last, but certainly not least, we roasted some baby potatoes until crisped and golden, then tossed them with a summery parsley and caper salsa.  This recipe is ideal for lazy Sundays because you can roast the potatoes early, toss them in the salsa, let them sit on the counter and enjoy them at room temperature whenever you're ready to eat.  The salsa is herby, briney, tart and spicy making it a great accompaniment to the creamy roasted potatoes. Flavorful, summery and easy. Just as Sunday nights should be.

Roasted Potatoes with Parsley Caper Salsa

adapted from this recipe

serves 6

2 lbs baby potatoes, scrubbed and sliced in half

4-5 Tbsp olive oil + more for drizzling on potatoes

3 tsp kosher salt, divided

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

2 heaping Tbsp capers, with juice

zest of 1 small lemon + the juice from half that lemon

1 garlic clove

1 small shallot (or half of a large shallot)

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Slice potatoes in half and transfer to a baking sheet. Drizzle potatoes liberally with olive oil and then sprinkle with 2 tsp of the kosher salt and the freshly ground black pepper.  Toss until potatoes are evenly coated and spread them out in an even layer on the pan.  Roast potatoes for approximately 45 minutes or until they are browned, crisped and no longer stuck to the pan.  Set potatoes aside while you make the salsa.

In the bowl of a food processor, (you could also use a blender, a mortar and pestle or simply chop the ingredients by hand) combine the capers, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic clove, shallot, parsley and a pinch of kosher salt. Puree the mixture while streaming in 4-5 Tbsp of olive oil (add as much or little as looks good to you). Puree until throughly blended but still a bit chunky.  Transfer salsa to a bowl, add the red pepper flakes and stir to mix.

Spoon all of the salsa over the potatoes and toss until evenly coated. Serve warm, at room temperature or cold.

ps:  you can make the parsley caper salsa early, keep it in the refrigerator and toss it with your freshly roasted potatoes whenever you're ready to eat.

pps:  This salsa would also be incredible with chicken, fish or a freshly grilled steak.  

Buttery baby potatoes ready to be roasted.

Fresh lemon juice and zest gives the salsa a zesty tartness.

Blending the salsa in a food processor makes this dish even easier.  

Roasted potatoes awaiting their salsa dressing.

Green, summery, fresh and perfect alongside anything off the grill.

Pile them on a platter and dig in.  

French Gimlet

Everyone has a favorite summertime cocktail.  When the weather turns humid and I am craving an iced cold libation, gin is definitely my go-to spirit.  My current favorite gin drink is what is sometimes referred to as a "French Gimlet." Shake your favorite gin with a bit of herbaceous elderflower liquor and lots of fresh lime juice. This drink gives you all of the refreshing qualities of gin, with a bit more punch than your standard gin and tonic. It's not too sweet, it's not too strong and it has ample citrusy tang from the lime.  Perfect on a hot summer evening.  Serve it straight up or, as I like to, over ice.  The colder the better in my book.  This cocktail just may become your new drink of summer.

French Gimlet

makes 2

4.5 ounces gin 

1.5 ounces elderflower liquor (such as St. Germain)

juice from one lime

lime slices for garnish

Combine first three ingredients in a shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously. Pour cocktail into two chilled  glasses or two glasses filled with ice. Garnish with lime wedges and serve.

Fresh lime juice gives this cocktail a juicy kick of tartness.

A bit of gin and a bit of elderflower liquor.

Summertime in a glass.

Buttermilk Cake Doughnuts

Cake doughnuts always remind me of my childhood.  I wasn't allowed to eat them that often, but when I was, they always satisfied.  These are simple, old fashioned cake doughnuts, scented with freshly ground nutmeg.  They are so delicious and surprisingly simple to make. No yeast, no rising. Just a basic dough cut into shapes and fried until golden. Sprinkle warm doughnuts with powdered sugar, dredge them in cinnamon sugar, dunk them into a freshly mixed glaze or, as I did, roll them in homemade vanilla bean sugar.  However you finish them, these doughnuts are the perfect weekend breakfast treat.  Pile a few of these tender doughnuts on a plate, grab your mug of hot coffee and curl up with the newspaper.  Even as an adult, these doughnuts will leave you childishly happy.

Buttermilk Cake Doughnuts

adapted from this recipe

makes about 14 doughnuts (less if you fry the holes)

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 1/2 teaspoons nutmeg, freshly grated

3/4 cup buttermilk, at room temperature

2 eggs, at room temperature

1/4 cup sour cream, at room temperature

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1/4 cup butter (1/2 stick), melted and slightly cooled

canola oil for frying

tools:  candy or deep fry thermometer

Take two sheet pans and line one pan with a thick layer of paper toweling and the other pan with parchment paper.  Set pans aside.

In a large bowl, whisk the dry ingredients including the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, kosher salt and nutmeg, until combined.  In a medium bowl, whisk the wet ingredients including the buttermilk, eggs, sour cream, vanilla and slightly cooled melted butter, until combined.  Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and gently fold the two together using a rubber spatula.  Just fold until the mixture just becomes a sticky dough.  Be sure not to over mix the dough or your doughnuts will be tough.

Sprinkle a clean work surface with flour.  Turn the dough out onto the floured surface and sprinkle the dough with a bit more flour.  Roll or pat the dough out until it is 1/2 inch thick.  Using a small 2 3/4 inch doughnut cutter (or using two different sized round cutters to create doughnut shapes) dip the cutter in flour and cut the doughnuts. Place cut doughnuts on the parchment lined baking sheet. Continue re-rolling any left-over dough and cutting out doughnuts until you run out of dough. You can either keep the doughnut holes and fry them, or re-roll them out with the scraps to make more whole doughnuts.  Transfer the baking sheet to the refrigerator while you prepare the oil for frying.

In a large dutch oven or similar pot, pour approximately 1 1/2 inches of canola oil. Attach your candy or deep fry thermometer to the side of the pot and turn the heat to medium high.  Once the oil has reached 365 degrees F, the doughnuts are ready to be fried.

Carefully and gently, place three doughnuts into the oil.  Once they have turned golden brown on one side, using tongs or a wire basket, turn the doughnuts and allow them to cook on the other side.  This will likely take approximately 1-2 minutes per side.  Be sure to keep an eye on the oil temperature and adjust your heat to keep the oil at approximately 365 degrees.  Once the doughnuts are done, lift the doughnuts from the oil, allow the excess oil to drip back into the pot and transfer the doughnuts to the baking sheet lined with paper towel.  Repeat until all of the doughnuts are fried.  

Once the doughnuts have all been fried, roll them in a medium bowl filled with the sugar combination of your choice or dunk them in a simple cake glaze.  If desired, allow finished doughnuts on a wire rack to cool.  

Note:  Many may enjoy these cake doughnuts freshly-fried and slightly warm, but I actually think they are infinitely more delicious after they've sat for a few hours, even overnight.  

Mound your sticky doughnut dough onto a floured work surface.

Rolled to 1/2 inch thickness, the dough is ready to be cut.

Cut doughnuts and transfer them to your parchment lined sheet.

Ready to take a dip in some hot oil.

Using a candy or deep-fry thermometer ensures that the oil is at the optimum temperature for frying.  

Bubbling oil turns these little cakes golden brown.

Be sure to allow the excess oil to drip from the doughnuts.

Immediately place the freshly fried doughnuts on your paper towel lined sheet.

Use any flavored or unflavored sugar you like.  I like using homemade vanilla sugar (explained in this post).  Be sure to sift out any large pieces of vanilla bean pod before rolling your doughnuts.

Allow doughnuts to cool on a wire rack.

Stack 'em up, grab your coffee and enjoy.

What could be better than these sugary rings of sweet dough?

Prosciutto Baguette Sandwich

Even with the simplest of recipes, when you use really good ingredients, things just taste better.  This sandwich is a prime example of that.  Take a really good baguette, slice it in half, slather the insides with butter and fill it with peppery arugula, thinly sliced red onion and rich, salty prosciutto.  Done.  You will be amazed at how delicious these relatively simple ingredients can taste together.  I crave this sandwich.  It keeps surprisingly well for a few days wrapped in plastic in the refrigerator and I've been known to make two baguettes worth at a time so that I can enjoy it throughout the week.  It's addictively good.  The richness of the prosciutto pairs so well with the sharp bite of red onion and freshness of the arugula.  A fresh, buttered baguette brings it all together.  Trust me, this simple sandwich has craveable flavor.

Proscuitto Baguette Sandwich

Makes 1 baguette

1 fresh baguette, sliced lengthwise

3 T unsalted butter, softened

4-6 thinly sliced pieces of prosciutto (preferably prosciutto de Parma)

thinly sliced red onion 

handful of fresh arugula

kosher salt or sea salt

Slather the insides of the baguette with the butter.  Layer the prosciutto on one side of the bread and top with a few pieces of red onion.  Sprinkle with salt and then top with a generous mound of arugula.  Top with the other side of the baguette, press with your hands and slice into portions.

A fresh baguette.  Crusty on the outside, tender on the inside.

Spread with soft, creamy butter.  

Pile on the prosciutto, onion and a sprinkling of salt.

Fresh arugula gives a crisp, peppery bite.

A simple sandwich with addictive flavor.