Tag: molly and jamie

Chicken Tortilla Soup!

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~Molly & Jamie At the Green Market~

From Food Stylist Molly:

This spring I took a trip to Texas with my mom. Having never been to Texas before, I enlisted the help of the little Miss Texan herself, Jamie Beck, to help plan our travels. We went to Fredericksburg in Texas Hill Country, visited the old dance hall in Gruene and ended our trip with a few days in Austin. Before my mom and I had even left Jamie and I decided we had to do a Texas themed post and share some favorite part of Texas culture with y’all. 

Needless to say, much of the food in Texas is heavily influenced by Mexican cooking. We had a BBQ pulled pork sandwich in Luckenbach, TX that may have been the highlight of the trip. But really, we were eating tacos and tortillas all the day long.

You can find just about anything in New York if you look for it. Some things are a little tricky to find. The Mexican influence on this side of the country however, is not. A quick trip on the 7 train to Queens and Jamie and I found a strong dose of local Mexican culture just a few subway stops away. Ok, it was quite a few stops! But between the Mexican bakeries, hair salons and shops overflowing with piñatas and Mexican candles, it was, quite literally, one of the most colorful neighborhoods I have ever visited in New York. 

Jamie and I had quite the adventure. We had a little lunch at Tortilleria Nixtamal and bought some of their incredible homemade corn tortillas to fry up for our soup; we chatted with some locals in the bakery and had some delicious flan for dessert; and met some lovely local ladies who sold Mexican candles. These women told us about the mystical power of the candles and graciously gave me some rose petals and a pink candle to cure me of my single-girl-in-new-york-city-curse. We’ll see if it works… 

For our post, we decided on a little Tex meets Mex. Chicken tortilla soup is one of my favorite things. Not exactly sure how authentic it is, but it is delicious and certainly a staple at Mexican restaurants in the US. Forgoing our farmer’s market for a Mexican market, we were able to get a local chicken (heads and feet intact!) and all the fixings for our soup. Much like eggs, this is the best time of year to buy chicken. Most people don’t think of meat as a seasonal ingredient, but it absolutely is! Spring chickens are especially tasty and local chickens are everywhere this time of year. Definitely seek them out next time you’re at the greenmarket or your local butcher!

I’m not going to lie, this soup is a lot of work. It has a bunch of steps and is a bit time consuming. But as with all cooking, I believe it is a labor of love. This is a really delicious, light and spicy soup and the toppings are the best part. A little ode to Texas, Mexico, and our beloved New York. 

Stock:

  • 1 whole chicken (head and feet not required), about 4 pounds
  • 1 white onions
  • 2 carrots
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • cilantro, few springs
  • peppercorns, small palmful
  • 1 bay leaf

Place all of the ingredients in a large stock pot. Add enough cold water to cover the chicken by 1”. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Skim any foam that may rise to the surface. Simmer until the chicken is cooked through and starting to fall from the bone, about 1 hour. 

Soup:

  • 6 plum tomatoes
  • 2 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1 dried chile de arbol
  • 2 dried chipotle chilies (or more, if you can take the heat!)
  • 1 small white onion, finely chopped

Toppings:

  • 8 Corn tortillas, cut into strips, fried and salted (or store bought corn tortilla chips)
  • Avocado, diced
  • Queso Freso
  • Cilantro, chopped

Meanwhile, bring a medium size pot of water to boil then reduce to a light simmer. Remove the stems from the chilies and make a cut lengthwise down the side of the chile. Using the end of a small knife, gently scrape out the seeds and veins. Be careful! The chilies (seeds, in particular) are extremely hot and will burn burn burn your eyes and skin if you’re not careful. Use gloves or be sure to wash your hands with soap and water after you’ve seeded the chilies. In a small saute pan over medium heat, carefully toast the chilies. Constantly move them around in the pan just until they become fragrant, about 30 seconds. Place the chilies in a bowl and cover with the boiling water. Cover with cling wrap and leave to fully rehydrate, about 15 minutes. 

Make sure there is enough water left in the pot to cover the tomatoes. If not, add water as necessary and keep at a low simmer. Mark the bottom of each tomato with a small x and place in the simmering water very briefly, about 15 seconds. Remove the tomatoes with a slotted spoon. When cool enough to handle, peel the skins from the tomatoes. Cut the tomatoes in half, remove the seeds with a spoon and discard, then roughly chop the tomatoes. Place the chopped tomatoes, garlic and rehydrated chilies in a food processor and puree until completely smooth. Set aside.

Back to the stock. When ready, place a colander over a large bowl. Strain the stock into the bowl. Give the soup pot a quick rinse and scrub, then pour the stock back in to the pot. When cool enough to handle, discard the solids and pick through the chicken discarding any skin or bones. Tear the meat into bite size pieces and return to the stock pot. Taste for seasoning, adding salt as necessary. Bring back to a light simmer. Add the chile and tomato puree and simmer for about 10-15 minutes. Add the chopped white onion and simmer for another 2 minutes. 

Finally! Ladle the soup in to bowls. Top with chunks of avocado, crumbled queso fresco, chopped cilantro and crispy corn tortilla strips. Eat immediately!

~ Recipe and words by Food Stylist, Molly Shuster. Photography FromMeToYou.

An ongoing collaboration, please do see more recipes from our series!

Eggs and Potatoes

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~Molly & Jamie At the Green Market~

From Food Stylist Molly:

Springtime at the farmer’s market is always an exciting thing. The reemergence of things that are green! And flowers! And sunshine! Somehow, year after year, the novelty never wears off.


Eggs, which are at their peak this time of year, are everywhere! It’s very easy to find all different kinds of eggs at the market: chicken, duck and quail are generally around. You can also find pullet eggs which are the smaller chicken eggs only available this time of year. I get so taken away with all of the different shapes and sizes and colors that I generally buy a sampling of them all!


Eggs are particularly awesome because they are a cheap source of protein and quick to make. They’re a good thing to have in your back pocket. If you know how to cook an egg, you’re golden.

Here we’ve made some old-school eggs and potatoes, dressing them up just a bit. We had some duck fat in the kitchen so we fried our potatoes in the fat to make some especially delicious breakfast potatoes. You can sometimes buy duck or chicken fat at poultry purveyors at farmer’s markets or in specialty stores. If you don’t have or want to use duck fat then olive oil will work just as well.

We’ve cooked our eggs sunny-side-up, but feel free to make them however you (or whoever’s lucky enough to be getting breakfast in bed) like them. 

Breakfast Potatoes:

  • 2 potatoes (we used Russet), cut into rough 1” cubes
  • 1 onion, thinly sliced
  • few springs thyme, leaves removed
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
  • 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • duck fat (or olive oil)
  • salt and pepper
  • eggs- however you like ‘em


Place the cut potatoes in cold, salted water. Bring to a boil and simmer until just tender, about 10 minutes. Drain the potatoes and set aside.


Heat a skillet or saute over medium-high heat. Add a spoonful of duck fat or a glug of olive oil. Add the onions and saute, stirring only occasionally, until they have softened and have some nice dark charring. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Add another hefty spoonful of fat to the skillet and add your boiled potatoes. Cook until golden and crispy on all sides, about 15 minutes. Turn the heat down to medium-low. Return the onions to the pan and add the thyme leaves, cayenne and paprika. Stir to incorporate and cook until just heated through, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.


Meanwhile, cook your eggs to your liking.

Place on top of the hot, toasty potatoes and dig in!

~ Recipe and words by Food Stylist, Molly Shuster. Photography FromMeToYou.

An ongoing collaboration, please do see more recipes from our series!

Local Catch: Sea Bass

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~Molly & Jamie At the Green Market~

From Food Stylist Molly:

Flipping through the channels recently, I stopped on the Discovery Channel and watched an incredibly depressing show about the harmful effects of industrialized commercial fishing. After 60 minutes of this program, I vowed never to eat canned tuna again! But all in all, it left you feeling slightly optimistic and made some great suggestions about how to purchase seafood while keeping in mind sustainability. For all you tuna lovers, look for tins with the Certified Sustainable Seafood label (www.msc.org) for tuna that is pole caught. For the rest of your seafood needs, buying things that are caught locally makes a world of difference.

In this spirit, Jamie and I wandered down to the Greenmarket to see what our local fishmonger had on hand. Some beautiful local Sea Bass caught our eye, so we bought them whole and brought them home to fillet. We also picked up some baby carrots and a head of cauliflower to cook along with our fish. It might look like a lot of work, but this is actually an incredibly simple, fast dinner. Once you get everything ready to cook, it comes together in no time!

Feel free to use whatever fresh, local fish you’re able to find. You should be able to cook it just the same, but keep in mind that the cooking time may vary.


To fillet:

1. Make a deep cut just behind gills until you hit bone behind the head of the fish.

2. Run the tip of your knife along the spine, cutting about 1/4 inch deep all the way down to the tail. 

3. Starting back at the top of the fillet where the first incision was made, slide your knife under the fillet and work your way across the belly and down to the tail. Make long smooth strokes, using the bones as a guide. You want your knife to graze the bones so you’ll come out with a beautiful, smooth fillet.

4. Continue these long cuts until you have fully made your way under the fillet. Run your knife through the bottom of the tail, fully severing the fillet from the fish. Turn the fish over and repeat on the other side.


Refrigerate until ready for use. Bones may be discarded or saved to make fish stock.

Cauliflower Puree:

Cut one head of cauliflower into florets. Over high heat, bring a pot of salted water to boil. Add the cauliflower and cook until fork tender, about 5 minutes. Drain the cauliflower and place in a food processor. Puree until smooth. Add 3 tablespoons of butter and season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and keep in a warm place until ready for use.

Sauteed Carrots:

Wash and scrub two bunches of baby carrots (if you’re using regular carrots: peel, halve and slice the carrots into 2 inch pieces). Heat a saute pan over medium-high. Add a couple glugs of olive oil, enough to lightly coat the bottom of the pan. Add the carrots and cook, only turning occasionally, until lightly charred and just tender, about 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and keep warm until ready for use.

Sea Bass:

Heat a saute pan over medium-high heat. Add a couple glugs of olive oil, enough to lightly coat the bottom of the pan (you know the drill). Season the fillets on both sides with salt. Cooking in batches, place the fillets flesh side down and cook until golden and crispy, about 3 minutes per side (however, cooking time may vary depending on the thickness of your fillets).

Dollop some pureed cauliflower on a dinner plate. Place the sea bass over the cauliflower and add a generous serving of sauteed carrots. Eat immediately!

~ Recipe and words by Food Stylist, Molly Shuster. Photography FromMeToYou.

An ongoing collaboration, please do see more recipes from our series!

Coeur a la Creme

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~Molly & Jamie At the Green Market~

From Food Stylist Molly:

It wasn’t until I moved to New York that I started drinking milk from local dairies. I was so excited when I found glass bottles of locally produced milk in the regular supermarket. The pretty, retro glass bottles were enough to entice me to buy it, and the milk was so much fresher, creamier and tastier. I couldn’t believe the difference! There are a bunch of small, local dairies that are supplying the city and its farmer’s markets with wonderful milk, cream, yoghurt and other dairy products.

With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, I decided to make a Coeur a la Creme. French in name and origin, Coeur a la Creme is an incredibly simple, yet lovely and refined dessert. You only need a handful of ingredients and can make both the cream hearts and raspberry sauce in advance. Fresh cream and cheese are the stars of this dessert, so the quality and freshness of your dairy ingredients are essential to your success. Happy Valentine’s Day, lovers. And for all you single girls (and guys), go for it! There is no reason why we can’t have our cake and eat it too.

Coeur a la Creme

Special Equipment: Four 4” Coeur a la Creme molds, cheesecloth

• 1/2 cup farmer’s cheese

• 1/2 cup creme fraiche

• 1/4 cup sugar

• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

• 2/3 cup heavy cream, very cold

Line each heart mold with a piece of cheese cloth so that the cloth hangs over the sides of the mold by about 2 inches. Set aside.

In a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix the farmer’s cheese, creme fraiche, sugar and lemon juice until well blended. Remove the paddle and replace with a whisk attachment. Add the heavy cream and whip until you have the texture of whipped cream (this happens quite quickly- don’t over whip!)

Spoon the cream into the lined molds. Fold the cheesecloth over the top so that the entire surface area is covered with cloth. Place the finished molds on a plate and refrigerate overnight.

Raspberry Sauce

• 4 pints raspberries, rinsed and drained

• 1 cup sugar

• 1/2 lemon, juiced

Place half of the raspberries in a bowl and muddle with a fork. In a medium saucepan, combine the muddled raspberries, whole raspberries, sugar and lemon juice. Place over medium low heat and gently simmer until the raspberries have softened and begun to release their juices, about 5 minutes. Cool completely and set aside or refrigerate until ready for use.

To Assemble:

Place a large spoonful of the chilled raspberry sauce on a plate. Take a heart mold and peel the cheesecloth from the top of the cream. Carefully invert the heart onto the center of the plate and gently peel away the cheesecloth. Repeat with the remaining molds and serve immediately.

~ Recipe and words by Food Stylist, Molly Shuster. Photography by me.

An ongoing collaboration, please do see more recipes from our series!

Cranberry Cornmeal Upside-down Cake

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~Molly & Jamie At the Green Market~

From Food Stylist Molly:

Happy New Year! We’ve had a snowy start, but I have good feelings about 2011. And despite what other people say, I love the snow! I love walking through the city and seeing the quiet transformation all things undergo when covered in freshly fallen snow.

*Heart of Lovikka hat, mittens & scarf!

This month, Jamie and I were playing around with cranberries. Cranberries have their peak season September-December and are a good source of nutrients and antioxidants. Massachusetts is known for its cranberry bogs (thank you, Cape Cod cranberry juice), and while I was home for the holidays I was able to pick up a bunch of the beautiful local cranberries that were in season. Cranberries freeze beautifully, so after making a few batches of cranberry sauce the rest went straight into my freezer.

Admittedly, after the latest snow storm, I had had about enough of the snow and wanted nothing more than to watch it fall from my window over a hot cup of tea. Needing to satisfy my sweet tooth, I made a Cranberry Cornmeal Upside-down Cake. It is the perfect accompaniment to an afternoon cup of tea or could even be served with a little whipped cream for dessert.

Cranberry Cornmeal Upside-down Cake

Adapted from Alice Waters’ Chez Panisse Fruit

Cranberry Topping:

  • 1 cup sugar
  • 3 tablespoons water
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for greasing the pan
  • 2 1/2 cups cranberries, picked over and rinsed

Cornmeal Cake:

  • 1 cup flour
  • 1/2 cup flint cornmeal (regular cornmeal may be substituted) Flint cornmeal may be found at: wwww.graysgristmill.com 
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs, separated
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

Preheat the oven to 350. Grease an 8” or 9” cake pan and set side.

Pour the sugar and water into a saucepan and place over medium heat. When the sugar starts to dissolve, swirl the pan to help the sugar cook evenly. Continue to occasionally swirl the pan until you see the sugar start to develop color. When the sugar becomes a lovely, light chestnut color add the butter and continue to swirl the pan gently. Be careful when adding the butter as this causes the caramel to bubble up vigorously. Once the butter has melted completely, quickly pour the caramel into the prepared cake pan.

 Let the caramel cool slightly. Pour the cranberries over the caramel and set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt. Whisk together and set aside. In a mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Separate the egg yolks and whites into two small bowls. Add the egg yolks to the creamed butter one at a time until fully incorporated. Add the vanilla. Incorporate the milk and flour mixture by alternating the two. Add the flour in thirds, adding about half of the milk between each addition, and ending with the remaining flour. Mix until just combined and set aside.

Place the egg whites and cream of tartar in a mixing bowl fitted with a whisk attachment. Whisk vigorously until the whites form stiff peaks. Fold the stiff egg whites into the cornmeal batter in two batches. 

Pour the batter over the cranberries and smooth over with a spatula to create an even, smooth layer.

Bake in the oven for 50-60 minutes, until the top is golden and a toothpick comes out clean. Let the cake sit for 15 minutes. Carefully run an offset spatula or knife around the edge of the pan to help loosen the cake. Place a cake plate over the pan, and wearing oven mitts, invert the cake onto the plate and remove the pan. Best served warm.

~ Recipe and words by Food Stylist, Molly Shuster. Photography by me.

An ongoing collaboration, please do see more recipes from our series!

Apple Beignets & Hot Apple Knocker

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~Molly & Jamie At the Green Market~

From Food Stylist Molly:

I was thinking about doing an apple post for November. Apples are best in early fall at the height of their picking season, but they are such a fall staple and available at the farmer’s market through the winter. I always like to have them on hand to chop in to a salad or have as a snack.

I was debating about our soon-to-be apple post when I stumbled upon an East Village second-hand store selling vintage issues of Gourmet magazine. Of course I greedily rummaged through them and selected an assortment of copies spanning November 1951 to January 1969.

The magazines are so fun to look through. It’s interesting to see how our ideas about food, style and presentation have changed. I don’t think recipes for ham mousse or stuffed partridges would appeal to many readers these days, but it’s also amazing how much our preferences have stayed exactly the same. People always seem to gravitate towards comfort foods and dishes they find familiar and approachable.

Two readers’ requests in the “You Asked for It” section reminded me of what I consider to be the perfect fall comfort food: apple beignets and a hot apple knocker. There is nothing better than munching on a fresh cinnamon-y donut and sipping hot cider when the cold weather arrives. Now I am more accustomed to the traditional apple cider donuts and hot apple cider, but these recipes are a fun twist on a familiar classic. Here are the recipes taken directly from the January 1969 issue of Gourmet.

~ Recipe and words by Food Stylist, Molly Shuster. Photography by me.

An ongoing collaboration, please do see more recipes from our series!

Acorn Squash Tortellini

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~Molly & Jamie At the Green Market~

From Food Stylist Molly:

Fall just might be my favorite time of year. It’s the New Englander in me! I love the leaves’ changing colors and the crunch of the fallen ones beneath my feet; the clear sunny days and cool nights; temperature perfect for boots and tights and scarves. I think it’s the absolute best time for the farmer’s market as well. There is a huge range of delicious choices being harvested: apples, pears, squash, kale, Rocambole garlic (the hard-neck variety) and the remainders of summer such as tomatoes, lettuce and peppers.

For me, the best part is seeing all the amazing varieties of squash and pumpkins that are available. They come in so many shapes, colors and textures. There is something whimsical and fantastic about them. Most recipes you see call for butternut squash, but I encourage you to try some of the other varieties. One of my favorite is acorn squash. Much like butternut, acorn squash is widely available and has a sweet, nutty flavor.

We’ve roasted our acorn squash to act as the base for our tortellini filling. As always, I encourage you to roast the seeds. Sprinkle them with a little sea salt and roast at 300 until crisp! They will make the perfect snack while you’re working away on your pasta and tortellini.

Acorn Squash Tortellini

Pasta:

•2 1/2 cups flour, plus more for dusting

•3 eggs, room temperature

Measure your flour and pour onto a clean, dry surface. Make a large well in the center, keeping the walls of flour about 2” thick.

Crack the eggs into the well and carefully start beating the eggs with a fork. Gradually start mixing more flour into the eggs. If you think you’ll make a mess (as I have done many times before) feel free to do this process in a large mixing bowl.

Once you have a thick paste, begin to work the mixture with your hands, incorporating as much flour into the dough as it allows.

Knead the dough for about ten minutes, dusting with flour as you go, until you have a smooth, rather firm ball of dough.

Wrap the dough with saran wrap and let it rest for 30 minutes.

Filling:

•1 medium acorn squash (should yield about 1 1/2 cups roasted squash)

•olive oil

•2 cloves garlic, minced

•2 shallots, very finely diced

•2 tablespoons cream

•2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

•1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

•3/4 teaspoon salt

•few grinds of fresh cracked pepper

Preheat the oven to 375. Halve the acorn squash and scoop out the seeds (reserving, if you would like to roast them separately). Brush the exposed flesh with olive oil. Place flesh-side down on a baking tray and roast for 25-35 minutes, or until very tender.

In a small sauté pan, gently sweat the garlic and shallots with a bit of olive oil over low heat until tender… about 5 minutes.

Scoop the roasted squash into a mixing bowl and discard the skin.

Add the garlic-shallot mixture along with the remaining ingredients. Mix well and set aside.

Back to the dough!

When it has fully rested, cut the dough in half. Wrap the second piece of dough until it is ready for use. Flatten the dough with your hands so that it will easily feed into the rollers. Starting on the largest setting, begin rolling the dough. Fold the dough back on itself a few times and switch the direction in which you feed the dough through the rollers. This will help create a smooth, strong pasta. Once you feel good about your dough, fold your pasta into thirds and flatten. Run the pasta through the rollers twice. Then adjust your roller to the next setting, rolling the pasta through each level until you reach the last setting. If the pasta sheet becomes too long to manage, cut in half.

Lay the finished pasta sheets on a baking tray lined with a clean kitchen towel. Make sure that there is a layer of cloth between each sheet of pasta. The sheets stick together very easily. Also, be sure to keep them well covered! The fresh pasta will become brittle and dry very quickly if left exposed.

Once you have rolled all of your dough, you’re ready to start making the tortellini! Have a small cup of water handy.

Working one sheet at a time, cut the dough into 3”x3” squares (I used a fluted pastry wheel).

Place a small scoop of prepared filling into the center of each square.

Dip your finger into the cup of water and brush two sides of the square.

Fold in half to make a triangle and seal the edges.

Fold the two bottom points of the triangle together and seal together with another small brush of water.

While you’re working, put a large pot of salted water up to boil. If you’re not cooking your tortellini right away, I recommend freezing them. I think it is the best way to store them. Otherwise they can get soggy and stick to one another very easily. Just be sure to lightly dust the tortellini and layer them gently in a Tupperware container.

Once your tortellini have been made, start the sauce just a few minutes before cooking them.

Butter Sauce:

(adapted from Giorgio Locatelli’s, Made in Italy)

•1 stick cold butter, cut into cubes

•1 shallot, finely diced

•1/4 cup white wine

•2 tablespoons heavy cream

•salt and pepper, to taste

Melt a pad of butter in a small sauté pan. Add the diced shallot and cook over low heat until tender. Turn up the heat and add the white wine. Boil until it has reduced by about two-thirds. Lower the heat slightly and add the heavy cream. Slowly start incorporating the remaining butter, whisking as you go. The sauce should start to thicken and become light and creamy. Don’t let this mixture boil or your sauce will break! Season with salt and pepper. Keep warm until ready for use.

Cook the tortellini in boiling salted water for 2-3 minutes. Serve with the butter sauce and top with a small sprinkling of freshly grated nutmeg, grated Parmesan and chopped chives.

~ Recipe and words by Food Stylist, Molly Shuster. Photography by me.

An ongoing collaboration, please do see more recipes from our series!

Herbs de Provence Roast Chicken

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From Chef Molly: While there are certain staples that are an absolute must on my weekly farmer’s market list (seasonal veggies, honey, eggs), it is meat has steadily been inching its way to the top of the list.

I know! I should always buy local meat. It is so important to understand where your food is coming from. But it is rather pricey and this New Yorker is on a budget.

However, I must practice what I preach! Yes, it’s more expensive than meat you would buy at the regular market, but it’s worth it. Whatever you buy will be more flavorful, juicier and just all-around tastier! And you’ll sleep soundly knowing that you are supporting local, humanely-raised meat.

Jamie, having just recently traveled to a lavender field in Texas,  brought along her dried lavender as inspiration for this week’s shoot. We wanted to pair the lavender with some sort of local meat. We wandered through the farmer’s market until we came upon a vendor selling upstate-NY chicken. With our broiler in hand, we picked up some fresh herbs, flowers and veggies and it was into the kitchen to make a greenmarket feast!

Herbs de provence is a mixture of dried herbs which always pairs thyme and savory, and sometimes includes a variety of others such as rosemary, marjoram and lavender. With my dried herbs supplementing Jamie’s lavender, we had a lovely mixture of flavors for our Herbs de Provence chicken.

Roasted along with some red onions and fingerling potatoes- yum.

Herbs de Provence Roast Chicken

~1 4lb roasting chicken
~4 tablespoons butter
~3 tablespoons herbs de provence
~few springs of fresh herbs (thyme, rosemary, lavender)

~salt

Preheat the oven to 400.

Wash the chicken inside and out with cold water. Pat dry and place in a heavy bottomed roasting pan. Rub the chicken all over with butter. Sprinkle the herbs de provence evenly and season with salt. Place a few springs of fresh herbs in the cavity of the bird. Tie the drumsticks together with kitchen twine and place any veggies along the sides of the roasting pan.

Bake until the bird is cooked and juices run clear, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Let sit for 5 minutes before carving.

~ Recipe and words by Chef & Food Stylist, Molly Shuster. Photography by me.

As seen today on Design Sponge’s In the Kitchen With.

Please do see more recipes from our ongoing series!

 

End-of-Summer Blueberry Pie

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~Molly & Jamie At the Green Market~

From Chef Molly:

Summer has flown by, but it was a wonderful one! So many sunny days and gorgeous, warm nights. Realizing there were precious few weeks before the change of seasons started to take hold, I decided to host a little end-of-summer gathering for my friends. Just the thought of fall made me nostalgic and longing for my favorite summer treats such as lobster rolls and corn on the cob. So, for my party, I decided to make the ultimate summer delicacy: blueberry pie.

This version is adapted from a Martha Stewart. Granted, not much needed to be changed! I just tweaked a couple of things here and there and I made the pastry dough by hand. It’s a bit more work, but your efforts are well worth it. The crust is buttery and flakey, and the filling is juicy and sweet. I served my pie warm, with a big scoop of vanilla ice-cream. It was a delicious farewell to a beautiful summer!

Crust:

2 1/2 cups flour (plus more for dusting)

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

2 sticks unsalted butter, very cold, cut into small pieces

ice water (1/4-1/2 cup)

Thoroughly mix together the dry ingredients. Add the cold pieces of butter. Using two knives, cut the butter in to the flour. Be patient, this will take about 5-10 minutes. The mixture should resemble very coarse sand with a few larger pieces of butter.

At this point, start adding cold water to the dough a tablespoon or two at a time. Use your hands to start bringing the dough together. Once the mixture begins to come together, turn it out onto a dry surface and quickly work the dough into a ball. Flatten into a disk and wrap with saran. Chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least one hour.

Filling:

3 pints blueberries, washed and picked over

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup flour

1 egg

1 tablespoon milk

Mix all of the ingredients in a large bowl. In a small bowl, beat the egg and milk. Reserve.

Preheat the oven to 425. Grease a 9” pie plate and put aside. Cut the chilled dough in half keeping the reserved piece in the refrigerator. Shape the dough into a ball and flatten into a disc. On a lightly floured surface, roll the pastry into a circle, rotating and lifting the dough off of the surface after every roll of the pin (this will help you roll an even circle and will help prevent the dough from sticking). Add a little dusting of flour as you go, if needed.

When the dough is about 1/8” thick, roll the dough onto your rolling pin and place over the prepared pie plate. Let the dough gently settle into the pan and then press it lightly into the dish. Place in the refrigerator and bring out the reserved half of the dough. Repeat the rolling procedure. Using a serrated pastry wheel (pizza rollers work very well) cut the dough into 1” strips.

Take the pie plate out of the refrigerator and fill with the blueberry mixture. Lay the strips vertically across the pie leaving about 1” between each strip. Weave the remaining strips horizontally across the pie to create a braided lattice.

Brush with egg wash and place in the oven. Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 and bake for another 35-45 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the blueberries are bubbling.

Serve warm or at room temperature with a spoonful of vanilla ice-cream.

~ Recipe and words by Chef & Food Stylist, Molly Shuster. Photography by me.

An ongoing collaboration, please do see more recipes from our series!

Molly & Jamie ~ At the Green Market ~ Strawberry Rhubarb Jam

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From Chef Molly:

Rhubarb is one of my very favorite things. It just reminds me of summer. On special occasions or particularly beautiful summer nights, my family often drives out to the coast of Westport, MA to our favorite seafood restaurant. In addition to the fresh seafood, they boast the most gorgeous, Norman Rockwell-worthy fruit pies. The flavors often change, but come summertime, Strawberry-Rhubarb is a near constant on the menu. Delish!  

Rhubarb first appears in the spring and is available through late summer. It’s a vegetable, most often used like a fruit, with a flavor unlike anything else. Here we’ve made a delicious homemade jam. Rhubarb, undoubtedly, is the star.  

Strawberry Rhubarb Jam ~


Ingredients

5 cups rhubarb (about 8 stalks), cut into 1/2 inch pieces

1 1b strawberries, quartered

1/2 lemon, juiced

1 1/2 cups sugar, or to taste 

Place all of the ingredients in a medium saucepan.

Place over medium heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and stir occasionally. Simmer for about 45 minutes to an hour, or until the the fruit has broken down and started to thicken into a jam-like consistency. Remember, the mixture will continue to thicken as it cools.

Remove from heat and cool completely. Store in an airtight container or mason jar and keep in the fridge. The fresh jam will last about a week.  

Enjoy with some lovely buttermilk biscuits and a cup of tea. The perfect start to a summer morning!

~ Recipe and words by Chef & Food Stylist, Molly Shuster. Photography by me.

An ongoing collaboration, please do see more recipes from our series!

Molly & Jamie ~ At the Green Market ~ Spring Salad

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From Chef Molly:

It’s a good time to be in New York. Trees are blooming, kids are outside playing and people are revelling in the first lazy afternoon spent sunbathing in the park.  With the whole of the city rejoicing in these first signs of spring, I was sure the farmer’s market would join in similar abundance.

There were new spring delicacies to be had: ramps, lettuces, swiss chard and a multitudes of egg varieties dotted the farmer’s market. However, I am afraid we will have to wait a bit longer for the spring fields to catch up with my fever.  

Radishes are one of the first things to pop-up in green markets during early spring. Happily, there were beautiful baby lettuces to accompany them for this lovely, simple, spring salad.  

Spring Salad with Lemon-Herb Vinaigrette~ 

Ingredients

Salad:

one bunch mixed spring lettuces

one small bunch radishes

one avocado  

Lemon-Herb Vinaigrette:

two tablespoons chopped herbs (such as chives, parsley, tarragon, mint)

one small shallot, finely diced

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 2 lemons)

3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

salt, pepper  

First, make your dressing. In a bowl or mason jar, whisk all of the ingredients and season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Wash and dry the lettuce and radishes.

Thinly slice the radishes. Halve and deseed the avocado. Slice lengthwise and carefully spoon out the flesh.  

Place the lettuce and radish slices in a large mixing bowl. Whisk the dressing and pour over the greens, only just enough to give them a light coating of vinaigrette (you will have leftover dressing). 

Arrange on plates. Divide the avocado slices evenly between the plates and place on top of the lettuces. Sprinkle with any leftover chopped herbs. 

Eat immediately! 

~ Recipe and words by Chef & Food Stylist, Molly Shuster. Photography by me.

An ongoing collaboration, please do see more recipes from our series!


Molly & Jamie ~ At the Green Market ~ French Onion Soup

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~ Recipe and story by Chef & Food Stylist, Molly Shuster. Photography by me.

From Chef Molly:

Consider the onion.
While I can’t take credit for the profundity of that thought (it belongs to the one and only, Mr. James Beard), it is the subject at the heart of this month’s post.
Onions are probably the most commonplace, standard kitchen ingredient there is, but they are prevalent with good reason. Onions keep for months, add loads of flavor to dishes, and are amazingly versatile. They provide many nutritional benefits to boot. Storage onions (the standard onion variety with thick, dry skins) are available year-round at farmer’s markets due to their long shelf life.
After all the cold, snowy weather we’ve been experiencing in NYC, I was in the mood for something warm and comforting to beat the chill. After picking up a couple of pounds of beautiful brown onions at the farmer’s market, I set about tweaking a recipe for French Onion Soup that I made while in culinary school.

My good friend Brad generously donated a hunk of Gruyere to contribute to my endeavor. Brad’s family owns an amazing cheese shop just outside of Boston called Wasik’s. Armed with a cave-aged Gruyere from the Swiss Alps, farmer’s market onions and a fresh baguette, I felt success was inevitable. And I was right.
French Onion Soup is the coolest, not only because it is so delicious, but because all you need to make it is a bit of patience and a handful of basic ingredients.

French Onion Soup

  • Ingredients

2 pounds onions, sliced very thinly,

1/8-1/4 inch.

3 tablespoons butter,

plus extra for buttering the bread

2 oz Calvados

(brandy or cognac may be used as a substitute)

6 cups homemade chicken stock

2 bay leaves

5 sprigs thyme

baguette

10 oz Gruyere cheese, grated

*A special thanks to Wasik’s for the amazing selection of cheeses!

salt and pepper, to taste

To start, sweat the onions very, very slowly over low heat. This allows all the natural sugars to caramelize and helps the soup develop a more hearty, robust flavor. Don’t rush this process!

The onions will need up to a full hour and a half in order to cook properly. Give them an occasional stir. Meanwhile, have a pot of stock heating on the stove so that when it comes time for use, it will be warm and ready to go.

Once the onions have turned a deep golden brown, deglaze the pan with Calvados. Be sure to scrape up all the good bits that are sticking to the bottom of the pan. Simmer for a few minutes to cook off the alcohol.

Add the chicken stock, bay leaves and thyme. Simmer for 35-40 minutes.

While the soup is simmering, prepare the toasts. Preheat the oven to 350. Slice the baguette into 3/4 inch slices and lay on a baking tray. Spread butter on one side of the bread and toast in the oven until crispy and golden, about 8 minutes. Set aside.

Turn on the broiler to high.

Once the soup has simmered, season with salt and pepper. Ladle the soup into the gratin dishes, top with two overlapping toasts, and sprinkle generously with Gruyere. Place under the broiler and cook until the cheese is melted and bubbly, about 3 minutes. This happens quickly, so be sure not to burn your toasts!

Serve immediately.

*The yield for this recipe will vary depending on the size of your gratin dishes. Ours were tremendous and this recipe only yielded two portions. However, this recipe should easily serve four if baked in smaller ramekins. The ratio of ingredients will remain the same, just be sure to prepare two toasts for each ramekin and portion the cheese equally among the baking dishes. Snack on any cheese that might be leftover.

An ongoing collaboration, please do see more recipes from our series!

Molly & Jamie~ At the Green Market

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~ Story and styling by Chef & Food Stylist, Molly Shuster. Photography by me.

From the Chef:

For my 25th birthday, I went on a trip to Paris. Yes, this makes me just about the luckiest girl there is and my experience in France was only confirmation of that fact. I fell in love with Paris- the food, the city, the people, the pastries! All of these were enough to make me consider packing my bags and staying for good.
Of all the wonderful food I had while in Paris, nothing quite compared to the incredible cheese that could be found throughout the city. Virtually all the cheese in France comes from small local dairies. The variety was astounding, as were the myriad differences in color, texture, age, smell and taste.

Dinner in France inevitably includes hours of laughter and conversation with friends, fresh bread, multiple bottles of delicious cheap wine, and a cheese course to finish the meal. Offering anywhere from 3-6 varieties, the cheese course quickly became a favorite part of my Parisian suppers. Happily, this is a tradition I can practice anywhere.

Unlike in the US, cheese in France is made with unpasteurized milk. All American milk is required by law to undergo pasteurization due to health laws. While this inevitably makes for a different kind of cheese, there are American dairy farms using traditional methods to produce beautiful, artisanal dairy products. Next time you are at your local farmer’s market, check out all the different varieties being offered.

An ongoing collaboration, please do see more recipes from our series!