Chocolate Nut Brittle

Photo courtesy of The New York Times

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This brittle is neither easy nor inexpensive to make, but I promise it is worth the time and money it takes to put together. The recipe for the brittle was the creation of Suvir Saran, a chef who is highly regarded by his colleagues. His brittle is different from most others because of the spices that are used to give it its unique flavor. This is a great recipe and fortunately the brittle freezes well, so it can be made weeks before things get crazy in the kitchen. Unless you have nerves of steel, this is not a recipe you want to make at the last minute. I don't make a lot of candy for the holidays, but I'll be sure to include this with the other confections that I am planning to prepare. This is good - really good - stuff. Here is how the brittle is made.

Hollywood-Style Hot Cross Buns

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...There is no truth to the rumor that I'm on a quest to find the world's greatest Hot Cross Bun. It may, however,  be true that I'm infirm of purpose when I find a new recipe for them that looks better than my current favorite. I think that's what happened here. I was lured by a gorgeous photo and then roped and tied by the name, Hollywood's Hot Cross Buns. My first thought was California but I quickly learned I was way off base. As it turns out, Paul Hollywood is an English baker and celebrity chef, who best known for being a judge on the BBC One's The Great British Bake Off. Pictures of his Hot Cross Buns are all over the internet and while his buns, which require 3 rises, are more time consuming than most to make, I can tell you they are delicious and worth every second they take to assemble. They are my favorite, at least for this year. I'm not going to repeat the history of the buns tonight, but if you are curious, I included it in my first post about them and you can find that information, here. I hope you will give tonight's recipe a try. The buns have a decidedly fluffy texture and the dried fruit and spices give them a well-developed flavor. The dough is quite damp, so you will want to oil the surface on which you knead it to prevent sticking. Rest assured, if you keep at it, the dough will come together and you will have lovely fragrant buns to serve your family and friends. Here is how the buns are made.

Apple Pecan Pancakes

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...If you are looking for something simple to serve on Christmas morning, you might want to consider these pancakes. They lack the eye appeal needed for a company breakfast, but if you'd like to treat your family to something that is out of the ordinary, you might want to give these delicious pancakes a try. They are simple to make and the recipe, which, by the way, can be cut in half, is straight forward and easy to follow. I have, however, encountered one small problem with the batter as it cooks. It contains a lot of sugar and that, coupled with the shredded apples, means the pancakes can burn or char easily. I suggest you use an electric griddle or keep the heat under the skillet you use for stovetop cooking at a moderate level to prevent that from happening. Despite their raggedy appearance, the pancakes are delicious and I know your family will enjoy them. Here is how they are made.

Gløgg

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Our annual holiday party is over and this year the theme was loosely based on Christmas in Scandinavia. Everything turned out well and I think we came pretty close to the meal that might grace a Norse holiday table. We had ham, pate, meatballs, West Coast salad, gravlax, and Jansen's temptation. Unfortunately, I couldn't get herring in the quantity I needed, so we had no herring on the table. We did have desserts aplenty and I even made Limpa bread for the occasion. There was also gløgg and aquavit for those who spirits needed lifting and Swedish egg coffee for the rest of us. Now that order has been restored, I'm going to treat myself to a cup of  gløgg. It has been raining for most of the day and some mulled wine would really hit the spot tonight. Gløgg is very easy to make and I wanted to share this recipe with those of you who might want to try it. If you do imbibe, don't forget the traditional toast. Skål! Here's how this version of mulled wine is made. God Jul!

Gløgg/Mulled Wine...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of A Healthy Journey

Ingredients:
3-1/2 cups water
1 tablespoon whole cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
2 (3-inch) cinnamon sticks
2 (750-milliliter) bottles dry red wine
1 cup raisins
1 cup whole almonds
1 cup honey or maple syrup

Directions:
1) In a large sauce pan, bring the first 4 ingredients to a boil. Lower heat and let simmer for 20 minutes.
2) Strain boiled mixture into a large bowl. Discard leftover spices and return liquid to mixture to sauce pan.
3) Add in wine, raisins and sweetener and and slowly reheat mixture. Do not let it boil unless you want wine to evaporate.
4) Serve hot with a spoon of chopped almonds and raisins. Garnish with a cinnamon stick! Yield: 18 (1/2-cup) servings.

One Year Ago Today: The Other Tom and Jerry

Two Years Ago Today: Mussels Fra Diavola

Three Years Ago Today: Caramel Corn

Indian Butter Chicken

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I appreciate irony. We spent weeks in India, and while chicken stroganoff was featured every evening, we never once were served the famous Indian butter chicken, murgh makhani. The dish is popular in countries all over the world and its absence while we were in India was a bit strange and caused a giggle or two. I honestly believe it was absent from our menus because everyone assumed that someone else had served it and they were trying to please us by offering something new. The dish is made with chicken (murgh) that's marinated in a spicy yogurt sauce before being grilled or cooked in a clay oven, called a tandoor. The sauce (makhani) is made by combining butter, tomato puree and spices with fresh cream. It is my habit to prepare the most popular entrees of the countries we visit prior to an extended trip. It helps us to know what to expect and makes it much easier to adjust to a new cuisine. Butter chicken was one of the dishes I learned to make before we left for India. We have one small Indian restaurant in our community and I used their chicken as my point of comparison. I found an extremely simple recipe developed by Carla Fitzgerald Williams and used that as my base. Her recipe differs from most, in that it uses a deli rotisserie chicken to emulate the texture of the tandoor chicken used in more traditional recipes. I have three recipes for butter chicken. I use this one only when authenticity is not a concern. It's quick, easy and very flavorful. I offer it here for those of you who have never tried butter chicken. This is a wonderful introduction to Indian cuisine. It is much kinder to a beginner's palate than some of the other dishes you might be tempted to try. Garam masala, described here, is the dominant spice mix in this sauce. You should be able to find it in the spice aisle of any major grocery chain. This is a really nice recipe. You can find extensive reviews of it, here. Here's the recipe.

Indian Butter Chicken...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Carla Fitzgerald Williams

Ingredients:
Spice Blend
1 tablespoon garam masala seasoning
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
Sauce
3 tablespoons butter
1 large onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
2 teaspoons jarred minced garlic
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes in juice
1 skinless rotisserie chicken, boned out and pulled into 1-1/2 by 1/2-inch chunks or shredded
1 (10-ounce) box frozen peas, placed in a colander and run under hot water to thaw
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
Optional: Hot basmati rice, pita bread

Directions:
1) To make spice blend: Stir ingredients together in a small bowl and set aside.
2) To make sauce: Melt butter in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until pieces just begin to turn gold, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, tomato paste and spice blend. Cook for 1 minute until spices are fragrant, stirring constantly to prevent burning. Add tomato sauce and diced tomatoes and stir will. Add chicken pieces, spoon sauce over the top and bring to a simmer. Turn heat to low and cook, uncovered, until the chicken is warmed through and the sauce is flavorful, about 10 minutes. Stir frequently. Remove the chicken to a serving dish and cover to keep warm.
3) To finish: Shake any excess water from peas. Add peas and cream to sauce in the pan, stir well and heat through. Do not boil. Spoon sauce over chicken. Serve with rice and warmed pita bread. Yield: 4 to 5 servings.

Your might also enjoy these recipes:
Murgh Makhani:Butter Chicken - eCurry
Butter Chicken - 2FrugalFoodies
Indian Butter Chicken - Mommy Cooks
Indian Butter Chicken - Life's Ambrosia
Chicken Makhani (Indian Butter Chicken) - What's Cookin', Chicago?
Indian Butter Chicken: Murgh Makhani - Sea Salt with Food
Crockpot Butter Chicken - Food and Whine
Butter Chicken - The English Kitchen
Grilled Indian Butter Chicken - The Parsley Thief

Alu Ki Tikki (Potato Patties) - Kalakho and Camel Caravans

Alu Ki Tikki.















From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...There are two Indias. One is modern and vibrant, the other is mired in poverty and tradition. My first real exposure to the dichotomy came while visiting a farm village outside the town of Kalakho in the state of Rajasthan. The villagers invited us into their homes and the men entertained us with local music and dancing. While much of what we saw was well orchestrated showmanship, the journey to and from local villages gave some insight into what was really happening in these remote areas of the country. We traveled in camel caravans and the slow pace made close observation possible. Despite best efforts by the government, much work still needs to be done. Women here are little more than chattels and a headcount while at a local school confirmed an unintended male bias. Old ways die very hard, yet these people do not seem to be unhappy. Television, with its exposure to undreamed of freedom and material goods, has not reached their villages and they remain a serene and patient people, seemingly lost in another century. I don't know how much longer that can last.

In the midst of all that, we were housed in a lovely resort that overlooked a monsoon lake. Our meals were regular and delicious and I brought several recipes home with me. These potato patties were part of our breakfast buffet each morning. They are a simple mix of seasoned potatoes, combined with peas and spices, that is held together with chickpea or all-purpose flour. Despite their appearance they really are delicious. Here's the recipe.

Alu Ki Tikki...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
1 pound potatoes, peeled and cut in 1-inch cubes
2 teaspoons salt
1 bay leaf
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 red onion, finely diced
1 (1-inch) piece ginger, peeled and finely diced
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
2 tablespoons chickpea (besan) flour (all-purpose flour can be substituted)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
3 tablespoons vegetable oil or a mixture of vegetable oil and ghee

Directions:
1) Cover potatoes with cold water, add salt and bay leaf and bring to a boil. Then turn heat down to a simmer and let cook until soft enough to mash, about 15 minutes or so. Drain potatoes and return to pot.
2) Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a saute pan. Add onions, ginger and pepper flakes. Saute until soft. Add salt, cumin, coriander, turmeric and cook for a few seconds longer.
3) Mash potatoes. Gently fold in peas, onion-spice mixture, chickpea flour and lemon juice.
4) Using a 1/4 cup measures, form into patties.
5) Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a large nonstick skillet. When hot, add patties and cook until a deep golden brown, turn and continue cooking until reverse side is golden. Remove and drain on several layers of paper toweling. Serve warm or at room temperature with tomato or mint chutney. Yield: 12 to 14 patties.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Aloo Palak - eCurry
Spicy and Seedy Indian Potatoes - Herbivoracious
Chickpea Potato Curry - Simply Recipes
East Indian Potato Chops - Foodista

Tomato Jam - India Here We Come

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...As you read this, I'll be on the first leg of a journey that will take me to India, Nepal and Tibet, and as you might suspect, I am euphoric. Because I travel lightly and will be gone for such a long time, I've pre-scheduled new posts for each day that I'm away. Think of them as a bribe to keep you returning to my table. Preparation of the thirty odd recipes I'll be featuring has kept me very busy and I've been a poor correspondent for the last week or so. I hope you understand and forgive my radio silence. While I'm not traveling with a computer, I'll have about 30 minutes each morning when I'll have one at my disposal, so I'll at least be able to read your comments and, hopefully, reply to a few of them. I can't promise much more than that. I can promise regular visits once I'm home. Right now, I'm much like a child on Christmas Eve. Despite miles already traveled and place already seen, I find it difficult to curb my enthusiasm at the beginning of a journey. I'm not a blasé traveler and I approach each new adventure with an open heart and mind, and, the Silver Fox, cynic that he is, would add, an open wallet. I once knew a child who had a runaway imagination and even larger dreams. She was fascinated by the Himalayas and a place called Kathmandu, a spot she had found on the dogeared map she'd study for amusement. The strangeness of its name stayed with her and she knew she find and visit it someday. That day - her day - has come. Wish her Godspeed, please. Hugs and blessings...Mary




While getting the house ready for our departure, I came across several pounds of tomatoes that had to be used. I normally would have sent them down the hill to a neighbor, but that wouldn't work this time as that neighbor had sent them up the hill to me earlier in the week. I'm sure you get the picture. Fortunately, I'd been holding onto Mark Bittman's recipe for tomato jam and this was a perfect time to try it. There, literally, is nothing to this recipe and I found it make a wonderful condiment. I sent the tomatoes back down the hill in a jam jar. This may become our fruitcake thing. Here's the recipe.

Tomato Jam...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Mark Bittman


Ingredients:
1-1/2 pounds good ripe tomatoes (Roma are best), cored and coarsely chopped
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
1 tablespoon fresh grated or minced ginger
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoons red pepper flakes

Directions:
1) Combine all ingredients in a heavy medium saucepan, Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring often.
2) Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until mixture has consistency of thick jam, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning, then cool and refrigerate until ready to use; this will keep at least a week. Yield: About 1 pint.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Peach Melba Jam - Bunky Cooks
Black Mission Fig Jam - Coconut and Lime
Freezer Berry Jam - Real Mom Kitchen
Brandied Fig Jam - Talk of Tomatoes
Texas Three Pepper Jam - SwEEts
Late Summer Plum Jam - Piece of Cake

Chunky Plum and Tomato Chutney

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...It was a gorgeous day. It was crisp and sunny and early errands provided the perfect excuse to get out for a while. An hour became two and before I knew it the day was done. We picked up visas, had flu shots and filled the prescriptions the CDC insists we need for our adventure. With all of that done, our trip countdown officially began. We are at 12 days and counting. The next destination on the agenda should have been home, where chores aplenty were waiting. I must admit my resolve crumbled. The day was just too lovely to spend inside. We took to our favorite backroads and byways and spent the rest of the day in the country picking, plucking and picnicing. I came home with what will probably be my final stash of locally grown plums, tomatoes and sweet peppers. I also had some gorgeous, fresh from the farm, pork and lamb in my tote. The plums and tomatoes are starting to look dogeared, so I decided to use them in a chutney where their less than perfect appearance could be disguised. The chutney would be perfect with grilled chops and help make an ordinary meal special. Time constraints meant the chutney would have to be served warm, so that helped narrow down my choices. This simple version of the condiment looks best when it is made with firm, just ripe fruit. If you have good knife skills, the chutney is table ready in about 30 minutes. Leftovers can be refrigerated for several weeks or frozen for up to a year. Here's the recipe.

Chunky Plum and Tomato Chutney...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, inspired by Nancy Baggett

Ingredients:
1 small yellow onion, coarsely chopped
1-1/2 tablespoons peeled and finely chopped ginger root
1 (3-inch) piece stick cinnamon
1 teaspoon allspice berries, crushed or 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns, crushed or a scant 1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 to 3 pinches dried hot red pepper flakes, crushed, to taste
2 cloves, finely crushed or 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons water
2-1/2 cups pitted and chopped (3/4 inch) unpeeled red or yellow plums
1-1/4 cups slightly underripe peeled tomatoes, chopped into 3/4-inch pieces

Instructions:
1) Have 2 or 3 (8-ounce) jars ready.
2) In a medium-size nonreactive pan over medium-high heat, combine onion, ginger root, cinnamon stick, allspice, black pepper, salt, red pepper flakes, cloves, sugar, vinegar and water. Adjust heat so that the mixture boils briskly and cook, uncovered, 5 minutes. Add plums and reduce heat to simmer gently for 3 minutes. Add tomatoes and cook 3 to 5 minutes longer, or until plum and tomato pieces are cooked through but still hold some shape. Liquid should seem almost syrupy. Remove from the heat.
3) To test for doneness, put about a tablespoon of the chutney in a small, nonreactive bowl and place in freezer about 3 minutes. If syrup is slightly thickened, chutney is done. If it is still runny, boil 2 minutes longer. (The chutney may still seem somewhat fluid but will thicken further when chilled.)
4) Remove from heat. Discard cinnamon stick. Ladle chutney into jars, allowing about 3/4-inch headroom for expansion during freezing. Wipe any drips from jar rims and threads; screw on lids securely. Let stand until barely warm. If lids seem loose after cooling and contracting, check and tighten further, but not so much that seal is broken. May refrigerate for 1 month or freeze up to 1 year. Yield: 3-1/2 cups.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Mango Chutney - Chasing Delicious
Tomato Onion Garlic Chutney - Niya's World
Fiery Plum Conserve - KO Rasoi
Pear Ginger Chutney - Wives With Knives
Peach Chutney - Sugar Crafter
Cilantro Ginger Chutney with Coconut - One Life to Eat
Five Spices Plum Chutney - Vegalicious
Peach Chutney - Suburban Spoon