The Houndstooth Gourmet

For the 4th of July, Frank and I attended a neighborhood bash. I offered to bring a dessert, and when I saw the huge blackberries at Mt. Olympus Farm last week at the Kingstowne Market, I knew I had to use them in my dessert. I froze them for the week, while I contemplated what to make.

A tart? A fruit salad? Hmmm. Nope….a cheesecake! A decadent cheesecake that I could enjoy a small piece of. One that wouldn’t be hanging around, taunting me to eat more. Perfect. I would use those blackberries to make a blackberry coulis to top off my New York style cheesecake.

A coulis (koo-LEE) is a thick sauce using vegetables or fruits. The term coulis initially referred to the juices from roasting meat and is French for “strained liquid”. Coulis are smooth and even in texture, and generally used to accent a dish. For example, meats can be artfully plated with a pool of vegetable coulis underneath or on the side, and desserts can be accented with a sweet and tart berry coulis.

Berry coulis are sweetened with sugar to mitigate tartness as needed. Lemon is also commonly added to brighten the flavors. In my blackberry coulis, I used a cornstarch slurry to thicken it at the end of cooking, before straining the sauce through a chinois.  The slurry must be heated to the boiling point, or about 203 degrees to activate its thickening properties prior to straining.

The end product was a dense, moist cheesecake topped with the blackberry coulis, which looked like a deep purple ganache flowing over the sides. I reserved a handful of the largest berries to garnish the center of the cake.

The cheesecake looked beautiful plated on a white cake stand. Guests at the party admired it before the first piece was cut. After that, it went in a flash! Fortunately, Frank and I were able to enjoy a piece before it was gone.

New York Style Cheesecake with Blackberry Coulis

serves 8

Ingredients

For the crust

• 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 5 tablespoons melted butter

For the cheesecake

• 2 1/2 pounds cream cheese, softened
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/3 cup sour cream, full fat or light (not non-fat)
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 large egg yolks
• 6 large eggs

For the coulis

• 2 pints blackberries (minus a few reserved for garnish)
• 2/3 cup water
• 3/4 cup sugar (more if needed)
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/4 cup water

Directions

Pre heat oven to 325 degrees.

For the crust.

In a bowl, combine the graham crackers, sugar and melted butter. Mix with a fork to incorporate fully. Spread the crust evenly into the bottom of a spring-form pan that has been buttered on the bottom and sides. Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 12-14 minutes, or until it becomes aromatic.

Take the crust out of the oven, and allow it to cool while you make the batter.

 For the batter.

Increase the oven temperature to 500 degrees.

**Between each step of adding ingredients to the batter and mixing, use a rubber spatula to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl, and the paddle. This helps prevent chunks of cream cheese in the final batter product.**

In a mixer using a paddle attachment (this might be tough for a hand mixer due to the initial thickness of the batter) add the softened cream cheese that has been cut into 2-3 inch chunks. Mix on medium-low for a minute to soften.

Add the salt and half of the sugar. Mix on medium-low for a minute.

Add remaining sugar and mix on medium-low for a minute.

Add sour cream, lemon juice and vanilla. Mix on medium-low for a minute

(are you scraping?)

Add egg yolks and mix on medium-low for a minute.

Add eggs, two at a time and mix for one minute between additions.

Place the spring-form pan on a baking sheet and butter the sides. Add batter and place on middle rack of oven. Bake at 500 degrees for 8 minutes. Without opening the oven door, turn the heat down to 200 degrees and continue to bake for 90 minutes.

Remove cheesecake from oven and allow to cool for 3 hours, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. The cake can be stored, covered, in the refrigerator for 4 days.

For the coulis.

Place berries, water and sugar into a sauce pan. Bring to a boil and reduce to medium simmer. Allow to cook uncovered for 10-15 minutes, or until the berries are completely softened. Add the lemon juice and taste for desired balance of sweet and tart. Add additional sugar if need and cook until the sugar is fully dissolved.

In a small bowl, make the slurry by mixing corn starch and water. Whisk until smooth. Add slurry to the simmering berries and bring to a boil. Allow mixture to boil for 4-5 minutes, or until thickened.

Remove the coulis from the heat and strain through a fine sieve or chinois. Allow the coulis to cool, covered, in the refrigerator along with the cheesecake.

To serve, pour coulis over cake, allowing some to drip down the sides. Leftover coulis can be served on the side. Garnish witha few berries in the middle.

Cutting pieces of the cake can be made easier by using a knife which is warmed in hot water, then wiped dry. Cut cake, wipe knife, warm in water, and repeat.

Tags: cheese, Recipe, cake by Ramona
11 Comments »

Truth be told, I eat soup year round-hot and cold. Certain soups can be eaten both ways. Potato leek soup, or vichysoise is one, and borscht is another. Here’s a beet borscht that I put together with beets and dill bought from Medina’s Produce at the Kingstowne Farmers Market.

The real kicker is the dill juice! It gives the soup a nice sour zip. Enjoy this soup as hot are as chilled as you wish.

Summer Borscht

serves 6-8

Ingredients

• 6 medium beets
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 2 tablespoons vinegar
• juice 1 lemon
• 2-3 tablespoons dill pickle juice
• 1/4 cup sugar, or to taste
• salt and pepper to taste
• sour cream to garnish
• bunch fresh dill, chopped to garnish

Directions

Thoroughly rinse and clean beets. Cut stems approximately 3-4 inches above beet. Place beets in pan and cover with water. Bring to boil and reduce heat to simmer. Simmer covered for about an hour, or until tender.

Remove beets from water and allow to cool. Reserve about a quart and a half of the beet liquid. When beets are cool, peel and dice them into bite-size pieces.

Return beets and beet broth to the pan and heat over medium low heat. Add chicken stock, vinegar, lemon juice, and dill pickle juice. Salt and pepper to taste.

Serve when warmed, or allow to cool to room temperature. Garnish with a dollop of cold sour cream and fresh dill.

Tags: soup, Recipe by Ramona
6 Comments »

I don’t know about you , but I think I’ve been watching too many food competition shows. While making this dish using the peas from Green Lever Farm at the Kingstowne Farmers Market, I kept hearing Gordon Ramsey’s voice in my head, say “risahhhhhhhhtoe”.

“Ramona, is the risahto ready?” “C’mon now, you DONKEY!”

“Yes, Chef!”

Talk about your kitchen nightmares.

But, it wasn’t over yet. Next, I saw Tom Collichio’s dissappointed face because I was using frozen scallops *gasp*. You know, those mollusks from hell that Spike picked out of Rick Tramanto’s beautifully stocked walk-in? That transgression that Spike defiantly defended which led to the dreaded phrase-please pack your knives and go.

I had flop sweat and hadn’t even heated a pan yet.

I wonder if there is a 12-step program for food competition show addiction. I’ll look into it and let y’all know. Meanwhile, here’s a method for a delightful risotto that you can top with scallops, or shrimp, or anything you’d like. Use it as a main, or a side dish.

Parmesan Risotto with Peas and Scallops

serves 3-4

In a sauce pot, bring 5 cups chicken stock to a boil. Lower heat to a simmer.

In a pan, heat 2 tablespoons butter over medum heat. Add 1 small onion, diced, and saute for 4-5 minutes until transluscent. Add 1 1/2 cups arborio rice and saute for 1 minute. Increase heat to medium high and add 1 cup dry white wine and cook for 3-4 minutes, until alcohol cooks off and wine is reduced by 1/2. Reduce heat back down to medium. Add 1 cup of chicken stock and to the rice and simmer until most of the stock is absorbed. Repeat adding stock and cooking until the risotto is al dente, or still has a little bite to it. You may not need all 5 cups of chicken stock.

About halfway through cooking the rice, add 1 cup fresh peas.

Add 1 cup of good quality grated Parmesan cheese. Stir to incorporate. Add salt and pepper to taste.

While the rice is cooking, heat a pan (I recommend that you do not use non-stick) over  high heat. Add 2-3 tablespoons olive oil. When the oil just begins to smoke, add 12 large scallops which have been thoroughly dried, salt and peppered.

Allow scallops to caramelize and do not attempt to turn them over until they release themselves from the pan. Salt and pepper the top sides and flip. Cook on the other side until they caramelize and release.

Serve scallops over risotto immediately.

Tags: rice, seafood, Recipe by Ramona
7 Comments »

Last Friday’s market was the busiest that I’ve seen this season. Summer is finally here! Once again, C&T Produce had “Frosty” corn, as did Green Lever Farm across the way. The owner(?) of Green Lever said that the corn was just picked that morning. I bought another half dozen from C&T and it was sweet and bursting with flavor, just like last week.

From Green Lever Farm, I bought more shelled peas. At $5 a box, they are a good deal. I used a couple handfuls in a risotto with Parmesan and scallops (I’ll be posting that later!). While I use frozen peas in cooking, the crispness and pop of fresh peas is a great treat.

Medina’s produce stand has a terrific selection of fresh vegetables and herbs. I couldn’t resist buying tomatillos and onions to make fresh salsa verde (recipe below), along with red beets and dill to make a summer borscht.

Finallly, on the berry front, I picked up large blackberries from Mt. Olympus Farm. They’ll top my sour cream cheesecake with fresh berries, which I made last year with blackberries that I bought from the Dupont Market. Allenberg Orchards had no red raspberries left by the time I got to the market. However, I did get introduced to Henry Allenberg by Smita of the Crackpot Gourmet. When I inquired about their sour cherries, Henry told me that a recent hail storm may have damaged them beyond retrieval. The market will be closed 4th of July, so if the sour cherries are going to be there at all, they should be there the week after.

I hope the sours make it. If not, there’s always peaches to look forward to!

Until the next At The Market, eat and buy local when you can.

Salsa Verde

Ingredients

• 6-8 tomatillos, husks peeled, washed and dried
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/2 red onion, rough chopped
• 1 jalepeno, seeds removed (optional-you can leave seeds in for a hotter salsa)
• 1 bunch cilantro, washed and dried
• 1 lime, zest and juice
• salt and pepper to taste
• olive oil

Directions

Coat the tomatillos lightly with olive oil, salt and pepper. Grill or roast tomatillos under a broiler until they are charred on top and bottom (I used my cast iron grill on the stove top). Allow tomatillos to cool.

In a blender, add tomatillos, jalepeno, garlic, onions, lime zest and juice. Blend until smooth. Add cilantro and pulse to chop cilantro to desired consistency. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Tags: tomatillos, Alexandria, farmers markets, Recipe by Ramona
5 Comments »

I hope all of you are still enjoying rhubarb. In case you’re running out of ideas (like I was!) here’s some photos of my most recent haul of rhubarb, and the rhubarb bars that I made. I had never made these before, so I turned to the trusty internet to find this recipe from Cooks.com.

Of course I changed it a tad!

I skipped the vanilla extract, and put a handful of coarsely chopped pecans into the crust. Overall, this recipe is delicious and really-what with the oatmeal and fresh rhubarb-it has to be good for you. A little, at least!

A little hint ;-)…add 4-5 drops of red food dye to the rhubarb filling as you are preparing it. That’s how I got it so red.

Enjoy!

Tags: rhubarb, dessert, Recipe by Ramona
5 Comments »