Week-End

When I was in medical school there was this little-known (HAH) release by R. Kelly during his strange phase called "Ignition (Remix)". There's a line that goes, "It's the freakin weekend baby, I'm about to have me some fun," which I really loved because it's easy to feel fried by the end of the week as a student. During my later years it was even more precious to have a free weekend because clinical duties have little concern with what day it is, except those who don't have overnight duty can go home at noon. Big whoop, right? (By the way, I call it R. Kelly's strange phase because prior to that he was primarily known for his ballads. Anyone remember "I'm Your Angel" with Celine Dion?)

I'm sure my friends thought it was pretty strange of me to be rejoicing over the weekend, because I was one of the uncommon types who, instead of staying behind and hanging out with friends, I packed my bags (and dirty laundry of course) and headed home with my family every weekend I had a chance. I bet they were wondering if I had any actual youth-y fun.

Okay, so it doesn't sound that exciting and I would seem like the kind of person for which weekends are a waste, but there's just something about being able to lie down in your bed at home (and sleep the afternoon away if you must), not worry about having to prepare your own meals, and go shopping or to Mass with my family. YAWN! Well, I like the simple things.

I do have some friends who strangely took it upon themselves to show me what it means to have a good time ("Try this [drink], it's good!"), and I know they meant well, but I wasn't so concerned about fun as I was about relaxing. Partying and such is just a little too much effort. Too stressful. Dressing up, trying to impress people, talking over loud music, having to reject drink after drink (failing maybe once a night, heh), when all I want is to not be so wound up.

So, what do you do (or rather be doing) on your weekends? :)

P.S. I knew I was in love with the English when the nice man from some transportation service in London told me to "have a nice wee-KEND." I've always tried to say it like that ever since.

This is a simple French poundcake-style cake with a light, lemony flavor and a slight hint of rum. I love the way it uses the bottom as the top, so it has a beautiful surface which can be very reflective if done right. According to The Art of the Cake, "it originated in the thirties probably to celebrate the introduction of the five-day workweek with a weekend holiday (semaine anglaise)."

Week-End adapted from The Art of the Cake by Bruce Healy and Paul Bugat
Since I didn't have crème fraîche, I used sour cream with no apparent loss in quality. In the book the bottom edge is covered with a band of chopped almonds 1/2 inch high, and the top-center scattered with chopped pistachios.

• 85g (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened


• 225g (1 cup + 2 tablespoons) sugar


• zest of 3 lemons


• 3 large eggs at room temperature


• 2 large egg yolks at room temperature


• 120g (1/2 cup) crème fraîche or sour cream


• 140g (1 cup) all-purpose flour


• 30g (2-1/2 tablespoons) cornstarch


• 1 teaspoon baking powder


• 45g (3 tablespoons) dark Jamaican or Haitian rum

Preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F). Prepare a loaf pan with at least 1.5L (6-cup) capacity (10 x 4 x 2.5" or 9 x 5 x 2.5" works) by spraying with baking spray, lining with parchment cut to fit the bottom and sides exactly, and the parchment sprayed again. Rub the sugar and lemon zest together till the sugar turns pale yellow. Whisk together the flour, cornstarch, and baking powder in a medium bowl.

In a large bowl, cream the butter, then add 100g (1/2 cup) of the sugar and continue beating until very pale, about 5 minutes. Beat in the remaining lemon sugar. Beat in the eggs and egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition until it appears homogeneous. Beat in the crème fraîche or sour cream. Sift the flour onto the batter in 3 additions, folding well after each. When well-incorporated, sprinkle the rum on top and fold gently. Pour into the loaf pan and smooth the top. Bake until the cake begins to shrink from the sides and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 50-70 minutes.

Cool the cake in the pan for 5 minutes, then unmold and turn right-side-up on a rack and cool completely. Peel the parchment away from the sides and cut the top off with a bread knife so it is flat. Cut a cake board to almost fit this area, but smaller by 1/4" on both dimensions, and place it on top. Turn the cake upside-down on a wire rack and remove the parchment completely.

• 100g (5 tablespoons) strained apricot jam, melted


• 50g (2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons) confectioner's sugar, sifted


• 2 teaspoons dark Jamaican or Haitian rum

(To make the strained apricot jam, heat apricot jam over low heat until melted, then force it using a pestle or rubber spatula through a fine sieve, discarding the tough, fibrous pieces.) Preheat the oven to 230°C (450°F). Brush the top and sides of the cake with the apricot jam completely. In a small bowl, combine the confectioner's sugar and rum, then add as much cold water (in 1/2-teaspoon increments) until it forms a smooth paste just fluid enough to spread easily with a pastry brush. Brush the top and sides of the cake completely. Place the cake with the board onto a sheet pan and bake in the oven for 1-1/2 to 2 minutes, or until the glaze is translucent (if the glaze starts to bubble around the edges, remove the cake from the oven). Slide it back onto the wire rack and let cool completely.

The cake can be kept at room temperature for 4 days uncovered (it won't dry out because of the glaze). Keep it in the refrigerator on a hot day, but let it come to room temperature before serving.

You may also like:

Read the rest of this post!

Summer Fruit Bavarian

While doing my usual rounds of the food blogs, I came across a banner that intrigued me: it was from BlogHer, asking us (you?) if marketing to women is all about stereotypes. I couldn't quite remember the content of the articles I read from that link, but one writer was lamenting about a sparkly pink candy "just for the ladies" (I can't remember if this is the article I read about the controversial candy bar called "The Finger") while another one, about a "misguided laptops-for-women site." I found myself agreeing with the content of the articles, and of course I am for gender-neutral advertising, for the most part. But don't think men have been dealt a better hand.

Just watching a local cable network here, "Maxx" (probably your equivalent would be SpikeTV, Americans), where I get my daily dose of The Daily Show and The Colbert Report, all the ads are geared towards men. The tagline is "get away with it." Away with what? Oh, watching extreme sports, bikini-clad computer-generated anime females that I hope are meant to be older than 21, references to wanking, beer, infidelity, pugilism, poker, and yes, we prefer women to be dumb (and biting their nails for some reason). Why is The Daily Show and The Colbert Report (among other comedy shows) here? Because laughter apparently requires testicles.

On the other hand, you have the Hallmark Network (a subsidiary of Lifetime Television), where there is a ribbon threaded through every ad, and comedy is channeled through "The Nanny" (which I actually like-- before they got married). While I was at the gym, a Lifetime movie was playing, and I think I have the necessary elements down pat:
1. lead character is a woman
2. mother
3. wedding
4. sister
5. regret in life
6. road trip
7. tequila
8. neglectful man
9. "don't you just wish you could... break out/let loose?" is uttered
10. makeover
11. illness
12. crying
13. tantrum
14. someone gets wet in the rain
15. redemption.
In my movie's case, 1 is Dany Delany and 2 is Doris Roberts.

So, do we ask for these stereotypes? Do we enjoy them? Are pink ponies on your laptop or monster trucks merely us trying to fill some need in our childhood? Why can't advertising agencies get over the fact that we aren't boys and girls any longer? Well, to answer the question of the banner-- yes. Advertising is all about stereotypes and demographics! They wouldn't have been hired if they didn't know their markets (well, apparently they took it too far). But then again, I wonder how bland a world that is truly gender-neutral would be...

ANYWAY. I know it's only ridiculously hot in some areas, but let's be thankful for small favors, people getting rained on :) Amazon has an ongoing promo-- up to 40% off on select ice cream makers. My favorite models (from Cuisinart, arguably the best home ice cream maker makers) are included.

Check out the blackberry swirl ice cream and maple-walnut ice cream I made, both from The Perfect Scoop.

Now, this is one of my favorite recipes from Tartine-- I have served it three times and it always elicits a satisfying gasp from the crowd. It is undeniably feminine in its prettiness, but watch as your elegant guests plow through it like hobos. The chiffon cake recipe from the book is a keeper-- never flopped once, and it is delightfully soft, light, and mild. For my peeps in the South, check out Lisa's post on Steamed Gingerbread Pudding coming early next month.

Summer Fruit Bavarian adapted from Tartine
Chiffon Cake

• 160g (1 cup plus 2 tablespoons) all-purpose flour


• 1 teaspoon baking powder


• 150g (3/4 cup) sugar


• 1/2 teaspoon salt


• 55g (1/4 cup) vegetable oil (I used canola)


• 3 large egg yolks, at room temperature


• 88g (6 tablespoons) water


• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract


• 3/4 teaspoon grated lemon zest


• 5 large egg whites, at room temperature


• small pinch cream of tartar (1/8 teaspoon if you must)

Line the bottom of an 8-inch cake pan or ring (at least 2-1/2 inches high) with parchment paper cut to fit exactly; don't grease the pan. Preheat the oven to 160°C (325°F).

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the oil, egg yolks, water, vanilla, lemon zest, salt, baking powder, and 125g (1 cup and 2 tablespoons) sugar until combined. Sift the flour over this, at the same time whisking until very smooth.

In another large mixing bowl, beat the egg whites until frothy, then add the cream of tartar and beat on medium-high speed until it holds soft peaks. Add the remaining 25g (2 tablespoons) sugar slowly while beating on medium-high speed until the whites hold firm, shiny peaks. Add a third of the egg whites and fold into the yolk mixture to lighten, then fold in the rest of the whites until just combined.

Pour the batter into the pan and spin it around to flatten the batter. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 30-40 minutes. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack. Once completely cool, run a thin knife around the sides and invert onto your hand (a little crust loss is okay since it'll be covered with cream, but you may also invert onto a sheet of parchment sprayed with baking spray if you wish), then place right-side up on a platter. Measure the height of the cake and split it horizontally into two layers of equal height. Carefully separate the layers (I used the bottom of a tart pan).

Bavarian: prepare the pastry cream in advance, or earlier in the day to give it time to cool.

• 250g (1 cup) milk


• 1/2 vanilla bean


• small pinch of salt


• 2 tablespoons cornstarch


• 58g (4-1/2 tablespoons) sugar


• 1 large egg


• 27g (2 tablespoons) unsalted butter


• 3/4 teaspoon gelatin


• 1/2 tablespoon water


• 250g (1 cup) heavy cream, very cold

Make the pastry cream: In a small saucepan, add the milk and scrape the vanilla caviar into it, then throw the pod and salt in. Heat the milk gently, whisking constantly, until small bubbles start to appear on the sides. Remove from the heat. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the cornstarch, sugar, and egg until a paste is formed. Pour the milk into the paste in a thin stream, whisking madly all the while. Return this to the saucepan and place over low heat, constantly whisking until the bubbles just disappear, about a minute. Immediately remove from the heat and place into a cool bowl. When it comes down to about 60°C (140°F), whisk in the butter until incorporated. Leave to cool completely, then place cling film flush against the surface and place in the fridge.

In a small dish, sprinkle the gelatin over the water and let stand for a few minutes. Take 60g (1/4 cup) of the pastry cream and heat it in a microwaveable bowl at LOW in 10-second intervals, or in a heatproof bowl over simmering water until it is hot to the touch. Remove from the heat and whisk in the gelatin water until smooth. Whisk in half the remaining cold pastry cream until well-combined, then the remaining pastry cream.

Whip the cream using a cold bowl and beaters until it holds medium-stiff peaks, then fold in the pastry cream mixture.

Fruit Puree

• 85g (slightly more than 1/2 cup) berries-- I used raspberries


• 25g (2 tablespoons) sugar


• pinch of salt

Combine the three ingredients in a blender until smooth.

Assembly

• 150g (1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons) heavy cream, very cold


• 2 teaspoons sugar


• 285g (10 oz or a pint) berries or cherries, or 340g (12 oz) peaches, apricots, or nectarines, or any mixture of both

Whip the cream and sugar using a cold bowl and beaters until it hold soft peaks.

Use an 8" cake ring or springform pan to assemble. Line the sides with plastic wrap, or as I did, a strip of food grade acetate. Place a cake board cut to 8" diameter on the bottom, then the bottom layer of cake. Brush this with half the fruit puree. Spoon on half the filling, then arrange the fresh fruit over this (if using strawberries, start with the sides, using halved strawberries). Dump the remaining filling over this, using an offset spatula to go over the surface to make sure there are no large air pockets. Place the top layer of cake over this push lightly over the top to compress the filling. Moisten the top layer with the remaining fruit puree. Frost the top with the sweetened whip cream, taking care not to bleed the color of the puree into it (spoon the cream over the whole surface, then fix it with an offset spatula). Refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Unmold and remove the plastic wrap or acetate before serving.

You may also like:

Read the rest of this post!

Lemon Chicken

Sitting on my virtual desktop I actually have a text file that contains several topics I think I may eventually want to talk about on the blog. Whenever I think of something and it turns into an essay in my mind, I file it there just so my food, for some reason, can have a pinch of loopy in it. However, looking at the file and scouring my brain for any sort of content I want to accompany this dish (it also determines the subtitle in the picture), I realize I didn't want to talk about anything at all. I am aware that sometimes you probably don't feel like reading or commenting on anything except the dish, and sometimes I just go on and on not realizing I didn't say anything about the dish. Oops. Well, today's a good day because this one's a no-brainer. Aaah!


I keep talking about how the first cooking shows I watched were Caprial's Cafe, Baker's Dozen, and Biba's Italian Kitchen (and something I'd rather forget, Cooking with the Urban Peasant). But I just remembered that that's not true: the first cooking shows I ever watched, and probably the case for most Filipinos my age, were Wok With Yan (with Stephen Yan) and Cooking It Up With Nora. The former is US-produced and I'm sure it rings a bell with a lot of you. I loved that show. He'd ask us to put 3 tablespoons of oil (cups?) in the wok, and for that he'd pour a smooth stream from his little pitcher of cooking oil in a circle just within the circumference of the wok's bowl, a circle for each tablespoon (or cup?). At the end of the episode, he'd carve a swan or an Eiffel Tower or Buckyball out of an apple or carrot for garnish.

Come to think of it, I can't remember a single episode where he didn't fry anything. I don't know what happened to Stephen Yan (he was eventually replaced on my television with the less charismatic but goofier Martin Yan in Yan Can Cook), but I hope his efforts to try to appeal to "American" "Chinese" tastes did not result in intractable hyperlipidemia.

I don't know who started what but there was this movement to just coat everything "Chinese" in thick cornstarch batter and serve it with a sweet glop. This version of lemon chicken is not that. It is all-natural, has no day-glo/ radioactive colors, just the right amount of tart and sweet, comes together in almost no time at all, and is delicious to the last bite without making you feel ill. Honest lemon chicken that tastes of actual lemons. Who knew?

Lemon Chicken adapted from Chinese food master W.K. Leung's recipe on the eGullet forums (the link has a step-by-step pictorial.)
You may also use 360g (1-1/2 cups) packaged lemonade (Minute Maid or such) and the juice of one lemon in place of the lemons, sugar, and water indicated in the recipe.

• 670g (1-1/2 pounds) chicken breasts, filleted (2 breasts. You may leave the skins on, but I took them out.)


• salt and fresh ground pepper


• 1 large egg


• 50g (6 tablespoons) cornstarch


• 50g (1/2 cup) unseasoned bread crumbs (dry or fresh, doesn't matter much. Use panko if you like.)


• 4 lemons


• 50g (1/4 cup) granulated sugar (you may use even less sugar if you want a tarter dish.)


• 10g (1 tablespoon) cornstarch

Using a meat tenderizer or food mallet, pound the chicken breasts to flatten them. Cut each breast into 4 pieces and season with a little salt and pepper. In a small bowl, beat the egg lightly. In a skillet, heat about half an inch of cooking oil over medium heat (I didn't take any temperatures, but you'll want a light sizzle on a bit of the of breadcrumbs tossed into the oil). Coat each piece of chicken in a cornstarch (use the 50g quantity), slapping off the excess, then dip each into the egg, then coat completely on both sides with bread crumbs. Shallow-fry each piece for about 3 minutes on each side, then park onto a plate lined with paper towels.

Juice the lemons, saving 2 thin slices of lemon for garnish. Add enough water to the lemon juice to make 360g (1-1/2 cups). In a small nonreactive saucepan over medium heat, add the diluted lemon juice and sugar, stirring to dissolve. Let it boil and reduce to half the quantity, about 10 minutes. In the meantime, stir together the 10g cornstarch and 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl until dissolved. Add the cornstarch slurry into the reduced lemonade and stir together. Let it boil until it reaches the desired consistency-- I waited for the sauce to hold a track drawn by my finger on the back of a spoon dipped in the sauce, about 2 minutes.

Place the chicken on a serving plate (cut them up into bite-size pieces if you wish), and pour the sauce over. Garnish with the lemon slices and serve immediately with plenty of rice.

You may also like:

Read the rest of this post!