Japanese Cheesecake Souffle

 

 

Tools n’ Stuff

x2 Large mixing bowls

Electric whisk

Spatula

8.5″ round cake tin (can use an 8″ but you’ll have a little extra)

Parchment/wax paper

Foil (if using spring-form cake tin)

Roasting pan

Measuring cups

Measuring spoons

Sieve

 

Ingredients

5 eggs, separated (room temp)

1/4 tsp cream of tartar

2/3 cup sugar (separated in x2 portions)

8 oz cream cheese (room temp)

1 tbsp trashy cheese (Velveeta/Pub Cheese/Cheez Whiz/East Cheese)

1/4 cup unsalted butter (room temp)

1/2 cup milk

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

2 tbsp corn starch

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 cup cake flour

1/4 cup powdered sugar

 

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 315 F (157 C).

2. Fill large roasting pan halfway up with water and place in the oven on bottom rack.

3. Line cake pan with parchment paper.

4. Separate eggs into x2 large mixing bowls.

5. Beat the egg whites on Medium Low speed for about 1 min – till foamy. Add cream of tartar. Increase speed to Medium High and continue to beat until egg whites begin to thicken. Add 1/3 cup sugar gradually. Continue beating for about 3 mins or until egg whites resemble soft peaks.

6. In the other bowl, add to the egg yolks the cream cheese and dirty cheese. Mix for 2 a 3 mins on Low until smooth. Add the butter, milk, vanilla extract and remaining 1/3 cup sugar – beat for 1 minute until thoroughly mixed. Using a sieve, sift in the flour, baking powder and corn starch – mix for another minute.

7. To the egg yolk batter – gently fold in (using the spatula) 1/3 of the egg whites at a time.

8. Pour the batter into the lined cake pan. Spread and smooth batter evenly with spatula. Gently lift and tap the pan flatly on the counter a couple times to remove any big air bubbles. Tightly seal/cover bottom of cake tin with foil if using a spring-form cake tin.

9. Place the cake pan into the pre-heated roasting pan water bath and bake for 1 hour /1.25 hrs – until toothpick comes out clean when inserted and removes from cake center, and top is browned.

10. Turn off oven, open the oven door slightly (2-3 inches) and let cake cool in the oven for about 1 hour.

11. Remove the cake from oven, lift out of pan, place on a plate and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.

12. Dust with icing sugar using a sieve – don’t need to use all/any of it – as desired).

13. Enjoy. Keep refrigerated when taking breaks from enjoyment.

 

Gravadlax

 

 

 

 

Grilled Oysters

 

 

Tools n’ Stuff

• cutting board
• knife
• measuring spoons
• small bowl
• shucker
• teaspoon
• grill
• tongs

 

Ingredients

• 6 tbsp butter (melted)
• 2 cloves garlic (minced)
• 1 shallot (finely chopped)
• 3 tbsp parsley (finely chopped)
• 1 tablespoon hot sauce (I use Tapatio)
• 1/2 lemon (juice)
• pepper to taste
• 1 dozen medium, fresh oysters

 

1. Finely chop all ingredients and place in bowl with melted butter and lemon juice. Stir till mixed.
2. Shuck oysters. Discard lids.
3. Place oysters on hottest part of grill.
4. Place about 1 tsp of the mix on each oyster .
5. Allow to grill roughly 20 mins or until bubbling and oyster edges have started to curl.
6. Remove from grill.
7. Set aside to cool slightly. EAT warm.

 

 

 

 

 

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

Tools n’ stuff

• pie pan
• rolling pin
• 2 large mixing bowls
• measuring spoons
• measuring cups
• knife
• cutting board

Crust

• 2 cups flour
• 1/2 cup butter
• ½ cup shortening
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup gin

*Mix it all up n’ shit per the order above. You know the drill.

Makes enough for 2 x single 9″ pie shells (one top, one bottom)

Filling

• 3 cups de-stemmed, washed and cut strawberries (in larger pieces)
• 2  cups chopped red rhubarb, fresh
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 tablespoons tapioca pearls
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

 

Preheat oven to 350 F

1. Mix all the filling ingredients together in a bowl.
2. Line the pie pan with one layer of dough, put the filling inside, seal the pie with the second sheet of dough. Cut vents in the top of the pie (4)/ lattice the top so that the steam can escape.
3. Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until the filling is bubbling and the crust is golden brown.
4. Remove from oven, let cool and eat a la mode with some delicious french vanilla bean ice cream.

 

 

Blood Orange & Thyme Meringue Pie

Easter is here and It’s time to get so eggcited you just cant hide it and dress up like roadkill. RIP. Bunny awareness month. 💛🐰💐🍫
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Before you reign victorious at a children’s Easter egg hunt this Sunday, bake this pie as an easter offering!
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More people should make pie for Easter. I know it doesn’t rise like bread or Jesus, but Pie is good and people love to eat it. All non-evil people who don’t worship satan, nidhogg, mara, iblis or the like. Like my Daddy always said; “Dan. I like pie, all kinds of pie”

 

Tools n’ stuff

• 2 big bowls
• Medium saucepan
• Measuring cups
• Measuring spoons
• Rolling pin
• Rolling mat
• Whisk
• Electric whisk
• 9 inch Pie pan

Grandma Dans Crust (didn’t mean for that to sound gross)

• 2 cups flour
• 1/2 cup butter
• 8 tbsp shortening
• 1/3 cup gin
• ¼ tsp salt
• 2 tbsp de-stemmed fresh thyme leaves

*Yields 2 x 9″ pie crusts

Filling

• 1 cup sugar
• 6 tablespoons corn starch
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1/2 cup gin (steeped with 1 tbsp thyme leaves overnight and strained)
• 5 egg yolks
• zest of 1 blood orange
• ½ cup fresh blood orange juice
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/4 cup greek yogurt
• ¼ teaspoon salt

Meringue

• 5 egg whites (use the whites from the 4 eggs you used in the filling)
• 8 tablespoons sugar
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon vanilla

 

1. Preheat oven to 425 F
2. Roll out your pie pastry and line a 9 inch pie pan.
3. Perforate your pie crust with a fork, to prevent bubbles, and bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes, until golden brown. Remove and set aside to cool.
4. In a large metal bowl, whisk the ingredients for the meringue on high speed with an electric whisk, adding the sugar one tablespoon at a time. Until soft peaks form. Set aside.                                                                                                                                               *I like to check if its done by trying to hold the bowl upside down. If the meringue holds and doesn’t slide out, its done! No this isn’t a prank, but yes, use caution when doing this
5. In a heavy-bottomed pan, mix the sugar, corn starch, flour, salt and water together. Whisk on medium heat (whisk constantly or it’ll burn on the bottom) until the mixture is thick and translucent
6. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, blood orange juice and zest together. Then take a dollop of the thick filling mixture from the stove, and whisk it quickly into the egg and lemon mixture – to temper the eggs so they don’t overcook and separate.
7. Then pour all of it into the pot on the stove and whisk in the butter, then continue cooking for about another five minutes, whisking constantly on medium-low heat. Remove from heat.
8. Assemble and brule. Evenly spread  the filling in your pie crust. Slather the meringue on top, forming billowy peaks with your spoon for texture, and broil. Be VERRRYYY careful. Keep your eye on it, once it gets going it can turn from white to black in just a few seconds! Like Michael Jackson! Well, reversed. RIP.
9. Place in the fridge for at least ½ an hour to chill and set.

Layered garden salad

This salad is a retro classic, to be held in the same esteem of greats such as The Waldorf, The Wedge, and yes; The Cobb.

I inherited this layered garden salad recipe from my dear old friend (and band-mate) Niccis’ Mom, Jan Coonan, during my time living in Australia. I have fond memories of Nicci and Mrs Coonan, whom I loved dearly and wished was my own Mom.

Many a sunday was spent at Niccis’ house after band practice devouring one of Mrs Coonans delicious Sunday Roasts which we would hungrily await as whafts of buttery potatoes and caramelized meats filled the air.

Mrs Coonan was hilarious and loved to keep us on our toes, as only a rad Mom does 🙂 – I’ll never forget the time she for absolutely no reason at all, swiftly ripped off her banana clip (which doubled as a ponytail on account of the long black hair attached to either side) off her head and lunged at us with it, chasing us around the house, flexing its teeth opened and closed like a rabid animal, screaming “RAAAAWWWWRRRRR!!! HERE COMES THE ANGRY VAGINA!!!”       

Ah the memories. Mrs Coonan knew a healthy dose of fear is good in teenagers. Thank you, Mrs Coonan.

Anyway, back to this salad….

Another testament to Mrs Coonan being the coolest mom, and adult in general ever; She would serve this salad to us accompanied by a fatty delicious grilled steak as a hang-over remedy (legal age is 18 in Australia). Our limp, lifeless bodies would painfully crawl over to this feast, and devour, as if we had never before in our lives eaten. Gaining strength with each bite. To this day, I still havent found a better hangover cure.

Theres something so scrumptiously satisfying about the crispness of the refreshing lettuce (crispness magically enhanced by the addition of those frozen peas) against the creamy, tangy dressing, salty little pops of bacony goodness and cheese, and the sweet bursts from those tender peas.

Its just bad enough to comfort you, and refreshing enough to hydrate and cleanse. Also perfect for a less dramatic, simple summer BBQ.

Mrs Coonan, you gave me many gifts. This is up there among them. xo

 

 

Tools n’ stuff

• large 8” x 8” (or larger) Bowl
• large frying pan
• small pot
• cutting board
• knife
• measuring spoons
• measuring cups

Ingredients

• ½ head iceburg lettuce (shredded)
• 2 cups frozen peas
• 2 hard boiled eggs (chopped)
• 8 oz mushrooms (thinly sliced)
• 4 oz shredded cheddar
• dressing
• 4 bacon rashes (fried and crumbled/chopped finely)

Dressing:

• 6 spring onions (finely sliced)
• 1 cup mayo
• 3 tbsp dijon mustard
• 2 tbsp sour cream
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• pepper to taste

1. Prep all the ingredients listed above, as directed
2. Layer per the order listed; Lettuce, frozen peas, eggs, mushrooms, slather with the dressing, covering the entire salad right to the edges. Finish by crumbling the bacon over the top.
3. Enjoy

Thyme and honey one-pot roast pork

This is one of my absolute favorite one-pot roasts. Its a really straightforward dish that is surprisingly simple to make, yet results in complex, mouth-watering succulence. A beautiful marriage of a few ingredients with minimal fuss.

 

Tools n’ stuff

• Large cast-iron pot/Medium wide-lipped roasting pan
• large bowl
• plastic wrap
• cutting board
• knife
• wooden spoon
• measuring spoons
• meat thermometer
• serving platter

 

Ingredients

* Any of the root vegetables can be swapped out. Use fingerling/baby  potatoes, or quartered potatoes, parsnips or beets instead if you want. Use quartered firm nectarines or pears instead of the apple, any sturdy tart fruit will work! But keep in mind to quarter them if using larder root veggies or fruits. I’ve mixed this recipe up so many times and its delicious every time. Just use the same quantities.

• 2 lb pork roast
• 3/4 lb baby carrots, washed
• 1/2 lb mini “lady apples”
• 1/2 lb red cipollini onions (halved) 
• 1 lb king trumpet mushrooms (sliced vertically)
• 1 bunch fresh thyme (roughly 20 sprigs, de-stem as you use)
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 cup white wine
• 3 tbsp dijon mustard (2 tbsps for marinade, 1 tbsp for sauce)
• olive oil
• kosher salt and pepper to taste

1. Place your roast in a bowl. Drizzle olive oil all over the roast, sprinkle with pepper, then add the dijon and about 5 sprigs of thyme. Rub this marinade all over the roast. Cover and let marinate for at least 2 hours, or preferably overnight. Remove roast from fridge 1 hour before cooking to allow it to reduce back to room temperature.
2. Preheat oven to 375 F
3. In your roasting pan, mix together the onions, another 10 sprigs of thyme, garlic, apples and drizzle with about 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt and pepper to taste and mix again.
4. Place veggies in the bottom of a medium roasting pan, or a large cast iron pot.
5. Sprinkle salt all over the roast, to taste. And place roast on top of the veggies.
6. Place in the oven for about 1-1.5 hours. When the roast is cooked it and the veggies should be golden brown and a meat thermometer should read 150 F. Place the vegetables and the roast on a platter to rest.
7. Place the roasting pan, which should have all the drippings still in it on the stove on medium heat. When it starts sizzling, throw in the mushrooms, sauté for a couple minutes and then throw in the remaining thyme and the white wine to deglaze the pan and create a delicious sauce. Stir in the Dijon and honey, season with salt and pepper to taste. Let this simmer until its slightly thickened and has a silky sheen to it.
8. Slice the roast, plate with a helping of the veggies, a slather of the mushroom wine sauce over the meat. Mange.

 

Butternut squash soup

 

Tools n’ stuff

• cutting board
• knife
• blender/hand blender
• large pot
• wooden spoon
• measuring cups
• measuring spoons
• soup ladle

 

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 medium butternut squash, peeled and diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 6 cups chicken stock
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• arugula/watercress to garnish
• salt and pepper to taste

 

1. In a large pot, sautée the butter, onions and garlic on medium-low heat till softened
2. Add the butternut squash and sautée till softened, also. Add the curry powder, salt, pepper and chicken stock
3. Let simmer on low heat, covered, for about an hour until everything is soft and has started to break-down
4. Stir in the cream and puree using either a hand-blender or standing blender till completely smooth
5. Ladle into bowl and garnish with a drizzle of more cream and some greens.

 

*For a variation in flavor, switch it up and swap the curry powder for sage. Or another twist; add lemongrass and swap the cream for coconut milk!

Mexican Mango Melon Salad

 

Tools n’ stuff

• cutting board
• knife
• melon baller
• large mixing bowl
• citrus juicer
• measuring spoons

Ingredients

• ½ a small Watermelon (2 cups)(cubed or balled)
• 1 large mango (2 cups)(cubed or balled)
• 1/2 a large lime (juiced)
• ¼ cup mint (julienned)
• 4.5 oz cojita cheese (crumbled)
• 1 tbspn olive oil
• 1 tspn chili powder
• ¼ tspn ground cayenne pepper
• 1 tspn coarse sea salt

 

1. Ball/Dice the mangoes and watermelon, place in large bowl
2. Julienne the mint and place in the same bowl
3. Crumble to cojita over the top
4. Scatter all the other ingredients over everything in the bowl with reckless abandon and hand-toss it all together
5. Just eat it

 

 

RaTARTouille TART

 

 

 

Ratatouille is a delicious Provençal peasant dish from France, rich with history and flavor. I’ve switched it up a little and turned it into an even more delicious, mouthwatering, savory tart! On buttery french puff pastry, of course. Its flaky and herby and juicy and zesty and just god damned beautiful to look at.

Its a little finicky to make, but incredibly yummy and well worth the effort.

A perfect tart to treat your friends at a dinner party. Roll up with this thing like the love child of Julia Childs and Remy the mother fucking mouse from the Pixars Ratatouille. Everyone will love this shit.

 

Tools n’ stuff:

• large cookie sheet
• parchment paper
• medium frying pan
• wooden spoon
• measuring spoons
• 2 x large mixing bowls
• Mandolin (or a shit load of spare time on your hands and a sharp ass knife)
• cutting board
• knife
• Spoon

 

Ingredients

• store bought puff pastry (14oz)(I used “DuFour” brand)
• 1 large red onion
• 3 garlic cloves (minced)
• eggplant (8oz) (a small thin variety that will slice into a uniform size to match the tomatoes, squash and zucchini, I used “Listada di Gandia” but japanese/chinese eggplants work well too)
• yellow squash (4oz)
• zucchini (4oz)
• sweet mini peppers (8oz)
• roma tomatoes (8oz)
• fresh thyme (3 tbsp)
• red wine vinegar (1 tbsp)
• soft goats cheese, chèvre (4 oz)
• tomato paste (3 tbsp)
• olive oil (4 tbsp)
• salt/pepper to taste

 

Preheat the oven to 400F

1. Slice the onions. Place 1 tbsp of olive oil in a pan on the stove. Add the onions, garlic and saute till caramelized on medium heat. Stirring constantly so it does not burn! Roughly 10 minutes. Salt/pepper to taste. Set aside to cool.
2. With your mandolin, slice the zuchinni, peppers and eggplant uniformly in rounds
3. In a large bowl, toss the sliced veggies in the remaining olive oil, vinegar, fresh thyme, and salt/pepper to taste
4. Because the tomato is so delicate you will want to slice these with a knife separately, as thin as you can, and set aside till you assemble to tart. Do not toss with the other veggies
5. Place parchment paper on the cookie sheet, and the unfolded puff pastry on top of that
6. Spread the tomato paste on the puff pastry with a spoon, leaving a 1 inch uncovered lip around the circumference of the dough
7. Evenly arrange the caramelized onions over the paste
8. Layer veggies over caramelized onions, overlapping each other, alternating between vegetables and adding a schmear/dab of goats cheese in the mix after each rotation (use only one slice of each veggie per rotation except for the peppers which will need 3 slices per rotation since they are “hollow” 🙂 )
9. Bake for an hour till golden brown
10. Enjoy yoself