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Today's Topics:

1. Grilled Beef Tacos With Porcini and Morita Chili Pepper (Jamie R)
2. St. Louisans write, photograph beautiful new cookie book (Jamie R)


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Message: 1
Date: Wed, 1 Jul 2009 13:32:24 -0700
From: Jamie R <craftncook@...>
Subject: [Cookbook-Cookery] Grilled Beef Tacos With Porcini and Morita
Chili Pepper
To: Clipping-Cooking@..., Meat-Lovers@...,
Cookbook-Cookery@...
Message-ID: <p062408c8c67173bcfb36@[192.168.1.104]>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" ; format="flowed"

The Washington Post

Grilled Beef Tacos With Porcini and Morita Chili Pepper
The Washington Post, June 24, 2009

Dinner in 30 Minutes

Cuisine: Central/South American
Course: Main Course
Features: Fast

Summary:

In keeping with the Gastronomer's smoky-foods theme (see his June 24
column and related recipes), here's a good example of the kind of
flavor that can be achieved without an outdoor grill.

Skirt steak is treated to a dry rub that combines the earthiness of
dried porcini mushrooms, the heat of dried chili peppers and the
small punch of smoked sea salt.

Dried porcinis are a little pricey, but they store well and provide
the best result for this dish. Smoked, dried morita chili peppers are
available at Latin markets; they are quite potent. An equal portion
of dried chili peppers labeled simply as "chipotle" may be
substituted. (They may, in fact, be the same thing, but to my palate
the moritas are much hotter.)

To amplify the porcini taste, we used a frozen Italian mushroom mix
that contains porcinis, available at Balducci's. But feel free to
substitute your favorite fresh mushrooms, cut into bite-size pieces
and sauteed until tender. Recipe author Mark Miller prefers using
Taco Bell brand crisp corn taco shells for this dish.

Serve with salsa and a bean salad.

Makes 8 tacos (4 servings)

1 pound skirt steak
3 or 4 dried porcini mushrooms (see headnote)
1/2 dried morita chili pepper, seeded (may substitute 1/2 dried
chipotle pepper; see headnote)
1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon smoked sea salt
2 ears corn
1 or 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus more for greasing the grill pan
6 ounces (half a bag) frozen mixed mushrooms, preferably containing
porcinis (see headnote; may substitute fresh mixed mushrooms)
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
8 corn tortilla taco shells
Leaves from 1/2 bunch cilantro or 1/4 head cabbage, for serving

If necessary, trim fat from the skirt steak so that no more than
one-quarter of the meat is covered with a thin layer of fat. Pound
the meat to a thickness of about 1/3 inch.

Combine the dried porcini mushrooms, the 1/2 dried morita chili
pepper and the smoked salt to taste in a dedicated spice grinder;
pulse until finely ground.

Rub the mixture all over the meat; let it rest while you preheat the
grill pan and prep the corn and mushrooms.

Heat a large, dry grill pan over high heat. Strip the kernels from
the ears of corn to yield at least 1 1/2 cups.

Heat a tablespoon or two of oil in a small skillet over medium heat.
Add the mixed mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 8
minutes, until softened. Season with salt and pepper to taste; reduce
the heat to the lowest setting.

Make a small wad of paper towel and dip it into some oil; grip it
with tongs and use it to grease the grill pan. Place the meat on (or
in) the grill pan; cook for about 2 minutes, then turn it and cook
for 2 minutes on the second side until nicely browned and medium-rare
(cook longer for the desired degree of doneness, but be careful not
to make the meat too tough). Transfer to a cutting board and let it
rest; reduce the heat under the grill pan to medium.

Sprinkle the corn evenly over the grill pan and cook for 1 to 2
minutes, using a spatula to move the corn around constantly so that
it browns but does not burn. (A few kernels might jump out during
cooking, so be careful.) Transfer to a bowl. Turn off the heat. If
desired, lay the taco shells on (or in) the grill pan to crisp them
up (or follow package directions for warming them in the oven).

Cut the skirt steak against the grain into 1/2-inch-wide strips.

To serve, place a bed of cilantro leaves or cabbage (that has been
cut into thin slices or shredded) inside each taco shell; that will
help keep the meat's juices from softening the bottom of the shell.
Divide the steak evenly among the taco shells, then top with some of
the warm mushroom mixture and grilled corn.

Serve with your favorite salsa at the table.

Recipe Source: Adapted from "Tacos," by Mark Miller (Ten Speed Press, 2009).



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Message: 2
Date: Wed, 1 Jul 2009 13:49:51 -0700
From: Jamie R <craftncook@...>
Subject: [Cookbook-Cookery] St. Louisans write, photograph beautiful
new cookie book
To: Clipping-Cooking@..., Home-Bakery@...,
Cookbook-Cookery@...
Message-ID: <p062408b9c6717369e79d@[192.168.1.104]>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" ; format="flowed"

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

06.24.2009 9:23 am

St. Louisans write, photograph beautiful new cookie book

By Judith Evans

I just received an advance copy of Cookie Swap: Creative Treats to
Share Throughout the Year (Gibbs Smith, $19.99, 158 pages), and
despite the heat wave, it makes me want to turn on the oven and start
baking.

The book is by St. Louisan Julia M. Usher, whose creativity, culinary
expertise and artistic ability combine in recipes for cookies that
are in turn beautiful, fun and sometimes funny. The recipes are
reliable, too -- to make sure, she hired members of the St. Louis
Culinary Society to test each one.

For a barbecue, Julie has concocted Chocolate-Chai Burgers on Sesame
Seed Buns. For Easter, she shows how to make cheesecake-filled birds'
nests topped with candied eggs. The nests are made with kataifi
(shredded phyllo dough), and while the result is impressive, the
method is impressively easy. The wedding chapter includes Tiers of
Joy, stacks of shortbread rounds decorated to look like miniature
wedding cakes. Each recipe includes a complexity rating from 1 to 3
and an estimate of how long it takes to prepare.

Another St. Louisan, Steve Adams, took the photos, which are fabulous
-- and mouthwatering.

The book will be on store shelves Aug. 1. This recipe for S'mores
Bars is a sneak peak. (Its complexity is 1 -- the easiest -- and the
time required is 45 minutes.)

Julie writes: "I've taken the same campy ingredients in s'mores and
turned them into an easy-to-package bar, perfect for tossing into
summer picnic baskets." I think they would be a great treat to tote
to a fireworks show as well.


S'MORES BARS
Makes 2 dozen (2-inch) squares

Prep Talk: Allow about 1 hour for the brownies to cool before
applying the marshmallow topping; otherwise, the marshmallows will
melt and flatten. The brownies will stay fresh longer if kept in the
pan, tightly wrapped in foil, and cut just before serving. Store at
room temperature up to 1 week.

Graham Cracker Crust:
2 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs (15 to 17 crackers, finely ground in
a food processor)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons firmly packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted

Fudge Brownie Filling:
6 ounces premium unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 cup (2 sticks) plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, chopped into
tablespoon-size pieces
2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
5 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
13/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups pecan halves, toasted and coarsely chopped (optional, for topping)
4 cups (packed) miniature marshmallows (about 8 ounces, for topping)

1. Line a 10 x 15 x 2-inch glass baking dish (sometimes called a
roasting pan) with foil, leaving a 1-inch overhang around the top
edge of the pan. Smooth out any big wrinkles in the foil and then
lightly coat the foil with nonstick cooking spray.

2. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to
350 degrees F.

3. Prepare the Graham Cracker Crust. Combine the graham cracker
crumbs and sugars in a small bowl. Gradually add the melted butter
until the crumbs just hold together when squeezed in your palm. (The
crumbs may absorb slightly more or less butter depending on the
graham cracker brand.) Press the mixture into an even 1/4-inch-thick
layer on the bottom of the prepared pan. Run a smooth-bottomed
measuring cup over the crust to pack and level it.

4. Mix the Fudge Brownie Filling. Combine the chocolate and butter in
a large bowl (about 4-quart capacity) that fits a double boiler.
Place the bowl over barely simmering water and stir as needed until
the chocolate and butter are melted. Remove from the heat and whisk
in the sugar, followed by the beaten eggs and vanilla extract. Stir
in the flour, mixing until smooth. Pour the batter on top of the
graham cracker crust and level with a small offset spatula.

5. Top and bake. Scatter the chopped nuts evenly over the batter, if
desired. Bake 30 to 35 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in
the brownie center comes out with dark, damp crumbs on it. Do not
overbake. Set on a wire rack and cool completely in the pan.

6. Distribute the marshmallows evenly over the brownie top. Place the
pan under the broiler in the top third of the oven for about 1
minute, or until the marshmallows are puffy and golden brown. Watch
carefully and rotate the pan regularly, as the marshmallows can
easily burn. Cool until the topping is firm and easily cut without
sticking.

7. Remove the brownies from the pan in one block by gently pulling up
on the foil overhang or by easing the block out with an offset
spatula. Place directly on a cutting board. Remove all foil and trim
any uneven edges before cutting into 2-inch squares. For the neatest
cuts, use a sharp knife, wiped clean with a warm, damp cloth between
slices.
1 Star



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End of Cookbook-Cookery Digest, Vol 8, Issue 96
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