Table Talk
Tres Leche Cake
Cinco de Mayo is one of those holiday's that, at least in my life, is a holiday that functions more than anything as an excuse to invite people over. Specifically, to invite people over to eat Mexican food, which I adore. This year, a party developed quite by accident. We had our friends Robert and Jim over and when Robert mentioned that Jim was busy on Cinco de Mayo, I blithely said,"oh, come celebrate with us!" It hadn't occurred to me before that moment to celebrate at all. After moving out of our house 10 months ago, we have been crammed into a tiny apartment, with an even tinier kitchen, most of our platters, bowls, china, glasses and kitchen gadgets stored away in, god forbid!, a storage unit! Very little entertaining has happened in this small space but spring is here, the views from the balcony are stellar and it's 85 degrees out! I could certainly make a party happen with those elements. That's one thing that had to quickly go when we moved here-- elaborate plans, fussy recipes, and being too particular about anything. Since I was working until late afternoon, the menu had to be easy to pull together. I settled on a taco salad. Robert offered to bring guacamole, Tim some spicy corn, Nanci REAL margaritas with Hornitas Tequila, Cointreau & fresh lime juice, and finally, Tres Leche Cake for dessert. I've been intrigued by the Tres Leche Cake for awhile but have never gotten around to making it. I don't know why-- it is simple, fast and a little addictive-- we each sneaked back in the kitchen for a second slice.
Tres Leche Cake
1 c. all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
5 eggs
1 c. sugar, divided
1 tsp. vanilla
1 12 oz. can evaporated milk
1 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
1/4 c. heavy cream
1 pint heavy cream
3 T. sugar
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 x 13 inch pan liberally until coated.
Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Separate eggs.
Beat egg yolks with 3/4 cup sugar on high speed until yolks are pale yellow. Stir in milk and vanilla. Pour egg yolk mixture over the flour mixture and stir very gently until combined.
Beat egg whites on high speed until soft peaks form. With the mixer on, pour in remaining 1/4 cup sugar and beat until egg whites are stiff but not dry.
Fold egg white mixture into the batter very gently until just combined. Pour into prepared pan and spread to even out the surface.Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 15 or 20 minutes.
Combine condensed milk, evaporated milk, and heavy cream in a small pitcher. When cake is cool, pierce the surface all over with a fork. Slowly drizzle the milk mixture all over the cake—try to get as much around the edges of the cake as you can. Some recipes suggest you won't need all of the milk mixture. At least in Denver's dry climate, the cake soaked up every last drop.
Allow the cake to absorb the milk mixture. Whip 1 pint heavy cream with 3 tablespoons of sugar until thick and spreadable. Spread over the surface of the cake. Chill or serve immediately.
I think it would be great with fresh berries but it's wonderful on it's own.
Conquering the Poached Egg
Just before Easter, anticipating a crowd for brunch, I began practicing poaching eggs. I've tried many methods over the years, none of which I found particularly reliable. That brunch came and went and the eggs turned out just fine. But they weren't perfect. And I wanted perfect. So began my quest to perfect the technique for the perfect poached egg. What I was after was a perfect little oval of egg, white cooked through but still tender, not at all rubbery and tight around the yolk. Little or no white would be left behind in the water. When cut open, the yolk would be mostly semi-soft, like soft butter, with just a little runny yolk in the center. After many many practice runs and a whole lot of delicious breakfasts, I have finally learned to make perfect poached eggs-- every time.
I start with a small pan-- more of a saucier shape, with rounded, not squared, edges on the bottom. Mine is an All-Clad 1 quart, It's perfect. I fill it to 1" below the top with water, and turn on the heat to high. I then add a teaspoon or two of white vinegar-- no, I don't measure. I just pour a little in the lid and guess. The vinegar helps to bind the white together-- there's nothing more annoying than watching the egg white scatter around the pan, leaving a lonely egg yolk in the center! Also, I use very fresh eggs. If an egg is old, it's almost impossible to keep the white from scattering in the water, no matter what you do. Hunt around in your markets and find the brands that are the most reliably fresh and stick with them! Our local eggs from Kings Soopers are my go-to eggs. They're from Colorado, fresh and large when they say large! I wait until the water is boiling-- not a rolling boil but a full boil. If you're eating this on toast, it's time to start your toast!
I like to crack the egg on the side of the pan and quickly, carefully open the shell just over the water. Other cooks suggest cracking the egg in a small bowl or ramekin, which makes it easier to slip the egg into the water. This sounds really smart but when I'm conserving time and dishes, I skip it. I find it nearly impossible to keep the egg from at least partially dropping to the bottom of the pan and sticking slightly but don't worry-- it just requires careful maneuvering to avoid breaking it open when you dislodge it later.Turn down your heat right away to med-low so the water doesn't return to a boil-- you just want it to gently simmer.
Ideally, the egg will slip into the water, the white gathering itself around the yolk in a tight little package-- a beautiful sight. At least here at a mile high, after 6 1/2 minutes, the egg is done to perfection-- fully cooked white, a slightly runny center yolk with soft outer yolk. I scoop it out of the water with a soup spoon, but any large spoon will do. Be sure to drain the egg on paper towels. I plop that baby on a lovely slice of buttered, darkly toasted whole wheat bread, season with kosher salt and fresh pepper-- and voila! I have a most perfect breakfast.
Apr 06, 2012 in
In the Test Kitchen
Hummus
We all have go-to foods. Some of them are simply guilty pleasures, like French fries, or ice cream. Some are down-right embarrassing--like those "desserts" that have a shelf life of 100 years. But some might even be rather interesting (though all of this is subjective, isn't it?). One of the things I get a yearning for is hummus. It always seems rather exotic, perhaps because it's middle eastern and has a really cool name. Oh, I know, it was very hip a decade ago and was a staple at almost every party. But I've never grown tired of it. I love it with chipotle, cumin and cilantro, for a more 21st century rendition. I love it with lemon and garlic. I love it with pita bread or pita chips, with vegetables or on a sandwich. And I love that it is so easy to make: a can of chick peas, some good olive oil, some spices and a food processor, and you're in business. The hardest part is finding good, fresh pita bread. And not ruining your dinner.
Smoky Chipotle Hummus With Garlic Bagel Chips
Serving Size : 10
1 can garbanzo beans -- (15 ounce) drained
1/4 cup water
1/8 cup tahini (sesame seed paste)*
1 1/2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
5 1/4 teaspoons minced canned chipotle chilies**
1/2 large garlic clove -- minced
2 3/4 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 jar sliced pimientos in oil -- (4 ounce) drained
1/8 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 package roasted-garlic bagel chips -- (6 ounce)
Reserve 3 tablespoons garbanzo beans for garnish. Blend remaining garbanzo beans and next 7 ingredients in processor until smooth. Add pimientos; process, using on/off turns, until pimientos are coarsely chopped. Transfer hummus to medium bowl. Stir in cilantro. Season hummus to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with reserved garbanzo beans. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Bring to room temperature before serving.) Accompany with bagel chips.
Source:
"Bon App�tit October 2001"
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Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 114 Calories; 5g Fat (38.6% calories from fat); 5g Protein; 13g Carbohydrate; 4g Dietary Fiber; trace Cholesterol; 20mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 Grain(Starch); 1/2 Lean Meat; 0 Vegetable; 1 Fat.
