Searching4Zen

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  • Prune Tequila Ice Cream

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    Ingredients ¾ cup prunes (dried plums; about 5 oz) ⅓ cup gold tequila 2 cups heavy cream 1 cup half-and-half ½ vanilla bean, split lengthwise 6 large egg yolks ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar Special equipment: an ice cream maker Instructions Pack prunes into a ½ pint jar and add tequila (it should just cover them). Cover […]

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  • Duck With Forty Cloves of Garlic

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    Garlic lovers as well as those who are not so sure will be surprised at the mellow sweetness a long, slow baking imparts to these 40 garlic cloves. The duck is perfumed with the heady aroma, and the sauce, finished with sherry vinegar and Cassis, is sweetly tart and nutty. The perfect accompaniments are wild […]

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  • Cream Cheese Frosting

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    Ingredients 3 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract 2 ½ cups powdered sugar Instructions Beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla in large bowl until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in sugar. Cover and refrigerate until firm enough to spread, about 15 minutes. Source: Epicurious.com via Bon Appétit […]

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  • Meatballs: The Spuntino Way

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    BY FRANK FALCINELLI, FRANK CASTRONOVO, PETER MEEHAN JULY 2010 THE FRANKIES SPUNTINO KITCHEN COMPANION & COOKING MANUAL FRANKIES SPUNTINO Source: Epicurious.com Ingredients 4 slices bread (2 packed cups’ worth) 2 pounds ground beef (we used a mixture of ground beef – 80% lean, ground pork and Italian sausage which resulted in a great flavor combination) […]

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  • Chicken Monterey

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    Officially this is a fricassee — that is, the chicken is first partially cooked in butter or oil and is then finished in a liquid, in this case a mixture of orange juice, tomatoes, and chicken stock.There is a bit of garlic, a touch of rosemary, and a colorful garnish of sauteed vegetables.The whole dish […]

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  • Ultimate Banana Bread Recipe

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    Why This Recipe Works We added banana flavor without introducing too much moisture to our banana bread recipe by microwaving the fruit and draining it. We then simmered the banana liquid in a saucepan until it reduced and incorporated it into the batter. We used brown sugar instead of granulated and swapped out oil for […]

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  • Fudge or Mocha Ripple

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    By David Lebovitz June 2011 THE PERFECT SCOOP: ICE CREAMS, SORBETS, GRANITAS, AND SWEET ACCOMPANIMENTS source: Epicurious Ingredients ½ cup (100 g) sugar ⅓ cup (80 ml) light corn syrup ½ cup (125 ml) water 6 tablespoons (50 g) unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder ½ teaspoon vanilla extract Instructions Whisk together the sugar, corn syrup, water, and cocoa powder in […]

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  • Salted Butter Caramel Ice Cream

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    Author’s Notes Be sure to use good salt. I use fleur de sel, but if you don’t have it, a mild-tasting sea salt will do in a pinch, such as Maldon, fine gray salt, or kosher salt. Don’t use ordinary fine table salt; it’s far too harsh. In step 6, all of the caramel may […]

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  • Scallion Crêpes

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    These much more delicate than Peking pancakes or tortillas. You can make them up to 24 hours ahead and store, wrapped in plastic in the refrigerator. Ingredients 2 large eggs ½ teaspoon sugar ½ teaspoon salt ¾ cup milk ½ cup water, or as needed 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour 3 tablespoons very finely chopped trimmed scallion greens 1 tablespoon Asian […]

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  • Peking Duck

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    Method: Indirect grilling Advance Preparation: 24 hours for drying the duck skin, although we believe you need to leave it in the refrigerator for at least two days. Authors Notes: Peking duck is one of the glories of Chinese gastronomy. I never thought of it as barbecue until I visited Macao. This tiny Portuguese enclave, […]

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