A gougeres kind of day - 300 but who's counting?

Today was one of those days at work (Jamie's today) where I made a lot of one thing. Cheese puffs anyone?  I made 350 but somehow I only ended up with 300.  These magical puffs are so irresistible that it's no surprise 50 went missing. When I am not on the clock, I like to pair them with a little bubbly. 

Thank you Thomas Keller & the French Laundry Cookbook for contributing to this post.

Gougeres1 cup water
7 tablespoons (3-1/2 ounces) unsalted butter
1 tablespoon kosher salt, or more to taste
Pinch of sugar
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
4 eggs
1-1/4 cups grated Gruyère, divided
Freshly ground white pepper
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with Silpats or parchment paper.


In a medium saucepan, combine the water, butter, salt, and sugar and bring to a boil. Add all the flour at once, reduce the heat to medium, and stir with a wooden spoon for 2 minutes, or until the mixture forms a ball and the excess moisture has evaporated (if the ball forms more quickly, continue to cook and stir for a full 2 minutes).
Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle and beat for about 30 seconds at medium speed to cool slightly. Add 4 eggs and continue to mix until completely combined and the batter has a smooth, silky texture. Stop the machine and lift up the beater to check the consistency of the batter. The batter in the mixing bowl should form a peak with a tip that falls over. Finally, mix in 3/4 cup of the Gruyère and adjust the seasoning with salt and white pepper.
Fill a pastry bag fitted with a 3/8-inch plain pastry tip with the gougère batter. Pipe the batter into 1-tablespoon mounds on the baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between the gougères as the mixture will spread during baking. Think the size of a Hershey Kiss. Sprinkle the top of each gougère with about 1/2 teaspoon of the remaining grated cheese and bake for 7 to 8 minutes, or until they puff and hold their shape. Reduce the heat to 350 degrees F and bake for an additional 20 to 25 minutes. When the gougères are done, they should be a light golden brown color. When you break one open, it should be hollow; the inside should be cooked but still slightly moist. Remove the pans from the oven and serve the gougères while hot.

Note: alternatively use two spoons, dipped in water, instead of a piping bag to create little mounds of dough on the baking sheets.
Makes about 30-40 puffs

Meatless Monday

The concept of meatless Mondays isn't new but maybe you need some inspiration beyond whatever is in your fridge. A cheese quesadilla or cereal for dinner doesn't always cut it in my book. Not to say I don't enjoy the occasional break from real home-cooked meals.  I sure know that my husband enjoys them! With a big turkey dinner just around the corner for some of you, perhaps you should dedicate next Monday to going meatless. Here's what a few of my vegan clients enjoyed this week from their personal chef (me)!

Indian Sweet Potato , Chickpea & Swiss Chard Masala



1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes (about 3)
3 teaspoons cumin seeds
1 fresh jalapeño, coarsely chopped, include seeds if you want extra kick
1 T. fresh, peeled ginger, coarsely chopped
3 garlic cloves, smashed
1 tablespoon curry powder, preferably
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
3 tablespoon canola oil
1 3/4 cups water, divided
1 large onion, chopped (about 3 cups)
½ bunch Swiss chard, cleaned, ribs removed and leaves coursely chopped
1 (15-to 19-ounces) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup frozen peas (do not thaw)
1/2 cup chopped cilantro


Peel potatoes and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces. Transfer to a stockpot/deep saucepan/Dutch oven and cover with cold water by 1”. Place pot on stovetop, bring water to a boil and cook potatoes until barely tender when pierced with a knife, about 8 minutes. Reserve pot.


Toast cumin seeds in small skillet over medium heat, shaking skillet frequently, until very fragrant and a shade darker, about 3-4 minutes. Transfer to another small bowl.


Purée jalapeño, ginger, and garlic in a blender with curry powder, cinnamon, turmeric, oil, 1/4 cup water, and 1 teaspoon salt until smooth. Transfer purée to the pan used for boiling sweet potatoes. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring, until thickened slightly, about 1 minute. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until it begins to soften, about 8 minutes. Add chard, stir and continue to cook until it slightly wilts, about 3 minutes.


Add par-cooked potatoes to onion mixture and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until flavors meld, about 5 minutes.


Add chickpeas and remaining 1 1/2 cups water, scraping up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan, then briskly simmer, covered, until potatoes are tender, 3 minutes more. Add peas and cook, covered, until just tender, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in cilantro.


Recipe adapted from Gourmet Magazine

I dream of ice cream

I have always dreamed of opening my own artisan ice cream shop.  Well not always but ever since my first visit to San Francisco's acclaimed Bi-Rite Creamery.  Their salted caramel is unbelievable. There's nothing even close to a Bi-Rite Creamery in OKC. However there is a place that sells Jeni's Ice Cream out of Columbus, Ohio.  Her salty caramel ice cream is rich, salty, sweet and tangy. It rivals Bi-Rite's salted caramel.  It's made from the best ingredients and just pretty darn amazing.  I tend to make my own ice cream on a regular basis but when I don't have the ingredients I need on hand to whip up a pint of say honey lavender or toasted coconut ice cream (thanks to David Lebovitz's Perfect Scoop), I find comfort in the high quality ingredients that Jeni's uses.  If you live in OKC, find her delectable artisan ice creams at Forward Foods. Worth every penny!  Or have some of her unique flavors shipped directly to your door. http://jenisicecreams.com/

Simple and delicious almond cake



Every now and then my husband Michael declares that something I make is his new favorite.  It's a rare comment but I take what I can get.  Well his new favorite (almond) cake wasn't just made by me; it was also made by my best friend Mia.  Mia recently visited OKC and our first order of business was not a tour of Bricktown after-hours but to cook together.  That's what best friends do, or at least that's what I do with my best friends. We didn't have a ton of time to dedicate to dessert but we definitely wanted to have something sweet to go with our fall meal.  This almond cake is actually great the next morning with coffee.  Remnants pictured above. With only 1/3 cup of flour, it's practically gluten-free.  My brother Steve might disagree with me though.  Do you have a favorite cake recipe as simple as this one?

Almond Cake

recipe from Alice Medrich, Pure Desserts

3/4 cup plus 2 T. blanched whole almonds (I used Marcona found at Forward Foods OKC)

1 cup plus 2 T. sugar
1/4 t. salt
1/2 t. pure almond extract (pure is imperative)
3 egg, room temp
8 T. (one stick) unsalted butter, cut into a few chunks & slightly softened
1/3 cup AP flour (gluten always finds a way into my desserts)
1/4 t. baking powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease/butter an 8" round cake pan on the bottom and sides. Line the bottom with parchment paper cut to fit the bottom of the circular pan.  Grease/butter the parchment.

Place almonds, sugar, salt and almond extract in the bowl of a food processor and process until the nuts are finely pulverized, about 1 minute. Add the eggs and butter. Pulse to blend thoroughly. Add the flour and baking powder and pulse until just blended.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and spread it evenly. Bake until the cake is golden brown on top and a toothpick plunged into the center comes out clean.  About 25 minutes in my oven but Alice's recipe states 35-40 minutes.  Cool completely in the pan on a cooling rack.

To unmold, slide a slim knife or spatula around the cake to release the sides. Cover the pan with a plate and invert both.  Remove the cake pan, peel off the parchment liner & turn the cake right side up. Dust with powdered sugar if desired before serving.  Fresh berries would go great as well. Tightly wrap the cake and it will keep for several days. 

Serves 10

Fall is here and I spy pumpkins

Today at the bakery, Prairie Thunder Bread Co that is, I found myself craving the fall.  Oklahoma weather has dipped slightly from the sweltering "fry-an-egg-on-the-sidewalk everyday this summer" heat & I am ready for the change as long as snow is not to follow. Cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger & pumpkin popped into my head today as I baked.  For some, fall is here when Starbucks rolls out their pumpkin spice coffee drink specials.  Not me.

After work, I ran over to a magical place called Pam's - Reno & S. Douglas for anyone that has the pleasure of living in Oklahoma City. If you haven't gotten into the Halloween spirit, now is the time because before you know it, Starbucks will be rolling out their nutmeg lattes.

Dinner party - revised

12 females are going on an international trip together in 12 days - sounds like fun doesn't it?  Destination: Israel.  Problem is they don't know each other.  Well they do now!  Last night these 12 travelers got together for a hands-on cooking party to bond pre-flight to Israel.  To whet their appetites, the host picked a delightful Mediterranean menu.  Here's one of the dishes that they prepared - it couldn't be easier.

Couscous Pilaf with Dried Apricots & Almonds
3 c. water
1 t. kosher salt
2 c. couscous
¼ t. ground cinnamon
¼ t. ground turmeric
1 T. extra virgin olive oil
1 c. sliced almonds, toasted (see note) or pistachios
½ c. minced green onions, green & white parts
1/3 c. chopped dried apricots
1/4 c. minced cilantro
1/4 c. minced parsley
½ t. kosher salt
¼ t. freshly cracked pepper
3 T. extra virgin olive oil
Freshly squeezed lemon juice from half of a lemon

In a medium saucepan, combine the water and salt. Bring to a boil over high heat. In a 9x13 baking dish, combine couscous, cinnamon and turmeric. Add olive oil and using latex gloves, if desired, rub the couscous mixture between your palms to ensure that every grain is coasted with oil. Remove gloves, add 1 cup of boiling water, mix well with a fork. Repeat adding another cup of boiling water, until all 3 cups have been added and mixed in. Cover pan with plastic wrap and allow to sit for 20 minutes. If grains aren’t tender after 20 minutes, add a little more boiling water, cover with plastic wrap and let sit for another 5 minutes. Using the tines of a fork, rake couscous until it’s light and fluffy. Set aside and keep warm.

In a large bowl, combine couscous, almonds, green onions, apricots, cilantro, parsley, salt and pepper. Mix in olive oil and lemon juice. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Note: to toast sliced almonds, place on a baking sheet and toasted in a 350° preheated oven for 5 minutes or until golden. Let cool.

Recipe makes 6 cups

Recipe adapted from Insalata’s Mediterranean Table (of course - I can't get enough of this cookbook)

BYOA - Bring your own apron

Host a hands-on cooking party in your home with the help of CalGirl Kitchen! These 12 women whipped up a delicious, healthy, gourmet meal in no time. With glasses of wine in hand, they managed the art of serious multi-tasking in front of the stove. On the menu - yes, there are some repeats:

-Smoky corn & tomato bruschetta on none else than Prairie Thunder baguette

-Farro salad with capers, roasted peppers & marcona almonds

-Roasted beets with feta - maximizing fresh beets from Homeland on Britton & May

-Prosciutto wrapped chicken (well it might have been stuffed with tellegio too)

-Homemade lemon curd w/ fresh blueberries & crushed gingersnaps

Upcoming August classes

If you miss tomorrow night's class entitled Summer Fare, there's always next Thursday's Farmers' Market class at Jamie's (8/26).  Think lots of fresh veggies and fruit at peak ripeness. Sign up and experience first-hand how quality ingridents dictate the flavor of your food.

Tomorrow night's menu includes a tomato and goat cheese tart, fattoush salad, Sicilian-style grilled pork, farro with Catalan dressing (another ode to Heidi Krahling of Insalatas), nectarine & plum crisp with homemade toasted coconut ice cream.

Roadside peaches - find them now

Peaches can be found on the corner of Britton and May this Monday or Tuesday if you are lucky.  Straight from someplace called Blanchard, OK.  Sweet, juicy and ready to eat over the sink or perhaps baked in the form of a galette.  Try this recipe that I threw together with yummy results.  Thanks Frances from Tante Marie's Cooking School in SF for this excellent dough recipe that I always use for my free form tarts.

Summer Peach galette

Filling
2 lbs. peaches, peeled & sliced into 1/2 inch thick wedges
1/2 t. lemon zest
2 t. lemon juice
1/8-1/4 c. sugar

Pastry
8 oz. flour
1/2 t. kosher salt
2 T. sugar
8 oz. chilled unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/3 c. milk
1 T. white vinegar
1 egg, lightly beaten

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, combine sliced peaches with lemon zest, lemon juice and sugar. Let stand.
2. Using a food processor fitted with a metal blade, mix flour, salt and sugar to combine. Add butter, pulsing until the mixture resembles a course meal, about 10 pulses.
3. Combine measured milk and vinegar in a small, easy to pour container/bowl. With the machine running, add the milk/vinegar in a slow steady stream. Process until the pastry dough comes together. Split dough into two balls. Reserve one half for another use.
4. On a lightly floured work surface, immediately roll out the other half of dough to 1/8 inch thick and about 15 inches round. Place the round onto a parchment lined baking sheet. It may overlap the edge of your baking sheet.
5. Mound peaches in the center of your pastry. Fold over dough to make a raised edge and enclose the peaches, leaving a the center of your peach mound exposed. Brush dough with egg wash. Chill for 20 minutes in the refrigerator.
6. Bake galette for 45-50 minutes until pastry is golden brown and peaches are softened. Transfer to a wire cooling rack; let sit at room temperature.
7. Serve each slice with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Soup in the summer? I'll have mine on the rocks!

There are some yummy tomatoes at my local farmers' markets right now. I couldn't resist making a simple gazpacho after picking up these beauties at Urban Agrarian’s stand on Sunday. Farmer Matt is there every Sunday from 11-3 in the Cheever’s parking lot. Come for other fresh & local produce like corn (not my sweet white California variety), mushrooms, zucchini, peaches, blackberries, etc. Seasons are short around here so make the most of the yummy summer produce that OK has to offer. It will be gone before you know it. Nope, we aren't in California anymore.
This recipe basically comes from one of my fav cookbooks, Insalata's Mediterranean Table - made a few modifications but not many. If you live in my beloved Bay Area, please visit both of Heidi’s restaurants: Insalata’s and Marinitas. Both are located in downtown San Anselmo.

Gazpacho
4 lbs. vine ripened tomatoes, cored, seeded and chopped; reserve juices by squeezing out seeds over a handheld mesh strainer (about 8-10 tomatoes)
1 English cucumber, chopped
3 cloves garlic
1 red bell pepper, roasted, seeded and chopped
1/2 red onion, chopped
3 T. freshly squeezed lemon juice
4 T. sherry vinegar
1 T plus 1 t. kosher salt
1 t. freshly cracked pepper
1 c. extra virgin olive oil
Avocado chunks to garnish

In a large bowl, combine tomatoes, tomato juices, cuc, garlic, pepper, onion, lemon juice, vinegar, salt and pepper. Using your hands, crush ingredients with your hands (use kitchen gloves if desired). Allow soup to macerate for 4 hours or overnight, covered and refrigerated. When ready, working in batches, blend tomato mixture until smooth. Transfer pureed mixture to a large bowl. (Use a food processor if you don't have a blender handy.) Add the oil to taste as well as additional salt, pepper and sherry vinegar. Garnish with avocado chunks, serve chilled.
Serves 10

Upcoming cooking classes

If you are in the OKC area and interested in learning more about summer produce, come to one of my upcoming classes at Jamie's. Fresh-from-the-market food tastes so good this time of year and I am not talking about the grocery store. Here's what is in store:

Friday, July 16th - Farmers' Market class at 6:30
Monday, July 19th - Farmer's Market class at 6:00
Friday, July 23rd - Date Night at 6:00

All of my classes at Jamie's are hands-on and are limited to 12 people. Bring your own vino!

I am headed to Tahoe at the end of the month - I am in need of some California weather and food - always!

Welcome to CalGirl Kitchen's blog!

Greetings from my Oklahoma City kitchen! My husband Michael and I moved to Oklahoma City from my home state, California, specifically San Francisco, in March 2009. In the past year or so, I have had the pleasure, if you want to call it that, of adapting to a completely new landscape, way of life (slow) and cuisine. Gone are the days of plentiful produce year-round and fresh produce stands on the roadside. Homesick- yes, but being lovesick is the overarching factor that brought me to Michael's part of the world.

It's taken me over a year to figure out where to find the best produce available. Though I don't have to worry about traffic or finding a parking spot in Oklahoma City, I do have to drive to numerous venues in order to cook tonight's dinner. It's eye opening what you can and cannot find when you are used to cooking seasonally. Fresh sometimes seems very foreign. Organic - forget it. I am doing my best with what I can find but it's not easy.

I keep thinking to myself - would Oklahoma City residents benefit from having a "fresh food chaser?" There are people here employed as storm chasers so why become Oklahoma City's first official fresh food chaser. I am in pursuit of cooking fresh, seasonal, ingredient driven food for my husband and my clients. How hard can that be? Let the adventure begin! Wish me luck.