Lemony Scones

Let's cut to the chase. These scones are tender and delicious. With zest in the dough, and a tart lemon juice glaze on top, even the gluten-free people in your life will throw caution to the wind and gobble some down. This recipe makes a pretty big batch (I filled two sheet pans with about 30 4-bite scones each). Either make half the recipe, or keep it whole to feed a crowd, or freeze half unbaked for next time*. 

Recipe
4C AP flour
1/4C sugar
1T baking powder (make sure it's fresh!)
1t kosher salt
1/2t cream of tartar 
zest of a large lemon (save the juice for the glaze)

1 stick + 5T unsalted cold butter, cut into small cubes

1C + 6T half & half
1 large egg

powdered sugar & lemon juice for the glaze

Preparation
Preheat the oven to 375'

Using a food processor fitted with a metal blade (or a pastry cutter in a bowl), cut the butter into the dry ingredients until you see some pea-sized pieces, and some course-meal-looking pieces of butter in the flour. These uneven pieces of butter will give you the tender layers you want in a scone or biscuit. DO NOT OVERMIX. 

Whisk the egg into the half & half, then mix into the flour, just until a ball forms. I do this by hand. Then turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface, and gently knead the dough for just a few turns until all the dry bits are incorporated. Roll the dough into a rectangle about 1" thick. Using a pizza cutter or thin, sharp knife or bench scraper, cut the dough into squares, then cut the squares in half to make triangles. Clean, sharp cuts will help the sides of the scones puff up while baking. 

Space the scones out a bit on baking sheets lined with parchment, and bake about 20-25 minutes, until the tops just begin to turn golden. 

Allow to cool for about 10 minutes, then glaze. If you glaze when the scones are too hot, the glaze will melt right off, like that guy's face in Raiders of the Lost Ark. If you wait til they're too cool, the glaze won't dry properly. 10 minutes is perfect. 

Glaze
Sift about 1.5C of powdered sugar into a glass or ceramic bowl. Do not use metal, or it will react with the lemon juice, and the glaze will taste like metal. Squeeze a little lemon juice over, and stir (again, with something NOT METAL). Add lemon juice until you get a thick but still sort of runny glaze. It should coat the back of a spoon, but still drip...slowly. 

Serve immediately. 

*Note: If you decide to make the full batch and freeze half of them for later, freeze the scones on a sheet pan, then transfer them to a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 1 month. Bake from frozen. They might just take a bit longer to bake. 

На здоровя!

Cool, Creamy, Tart: Perfect Lemon Bars

I recently had occasion to bake on the hottest day in San Francisco's recorded history. Though I believe I was hallucinating from the heat, I somehow managed to pull it off - as a Deadhead and former professional pastry chef, I was up to the task. Normally, I cut these into 2-3" squares, but these were for my punky sister's birthday party, so I cut them into bite-sized cubes, which served cold, were just right for a sweltering summer soiree. 

These can be made ahead and kept frozen for up to a month. You can also juice the lemons ahead of time, and keep it frozen in 1C portions. Then, when the mood strikes, you're one step closer to enjoying these bad boys (next time you're presented with a ton of lemons, think LEMON BARS!)

For a quick video on the technique, see Ina Garten's version. But I prefer my recipe, as it has less sugar and flour in the filling, and less butter in the crust, but you'll never miss it. Use meyer lemons for a more dynamic citrus flavor, but any lemon (or mix of citrus juice) will do.

This 9x13" batch makes 12-20 squares (depending on how big you want to cut them), or can be cut into minis as shown above. 

For the Short Dough Crust
6oz unsalted butter, softened but cold (1 1/2 sticks)
3oz sugar (3/4C)
1 egg
1/2t vanilla extract
pinch of kosher salt
9oz unbleached all-purpose flour (a bit more than 2C)
3/4t baking powder

Cream the butter and sugar together. Beat in the egg til combined. Add the vanilla. Whisk together the dry ingredients in a separate bowl, then stir into the wet ingredients until just combined.

Dump the dough into a 9x13 baking dish, and with floured hands, press the dough evenly to a 1/8" thickness, making sure to go up the sides a bit. Chill the dish for 30 minutes, or covered, overnight. 

Preheat the oven to 350'. Bake the shell for about 15-20 minutes, just until set and starting to get golden. Remove the shell, and set on a cooling rack. 

The Filling
2C sugar
5 extra large eggs
2T lemon zest
1C lemon juice
3T unbleached all-purpose flour 

Whisk together the eggs and sugar, add the zest and juice, then the flour. Pour the filling into the warm shell, and return to the oven. Bake for another 25-30 minutes until set (if you give the pan a little shake, it doesn't jiggle). 

Cool the bars completely in the pan. I usually freeze them to make cutting easier, but you can also keep them in the fridge overnight. Either way, wrap them well. 

I use a bench scraper or thin but sturdy metal spatula to loosen the edges. To cut even bars, use a ruler or measuring tape to mark 3-4 bars on the short side, and 4-5 bars on the long side (yielding 12-20 bars). 

Dust the bars with powdered sugar just before serving. Store extras in the freezer for up to one month. 

На здоровья! 

Pesto Dedicated to Someone I Love...

I have the best friends. Today one of them came over to visit me in my new place, and as she was leaving, she shared with me how happy she was that I finally found my home. I could see that she had been with me through my long wait (and near misstep into taking the wrong apartment). She is a true friend.

These are the people I live for and love most to cook for and with. Pardon my ending a sentence with a preposition, but it's true.

So here it is. Pesto. 

• Basil (about 4 ounces, or one large bunch)
• Olive Oil (up to 1/2C)
• Garlic (2 cloves)
• Lemon Juice (about 1T to taste)
• S&P
• Parmigiano reggiano (about 1/4C)
• Toasted Pine Nuts (about 1/4C) 

If making a large batch, use a Cuisinart or blender. A mini-prep works great for smaller batches. 
Pick leaves off stems. Wash & dry leaves if they're noticably dirty. You don't want grit it your pesto.
Toast pine nuts in a dry pan on the stove. Don't walk away. They go from 0-60 in no time. 
Stuff the leaves into the blender/food processor. Add the garlic, pine nuts, parm, about 1/2 the oil, and about 1/2 the lemon juice. Sprinkle with a little kosher salt and pepper. 
Blend until chopped up. Stop and scrape down the sides, and blend again until pesto-like. 
Add more oil to make the right consistency. You can also add a tiny bit of water. 
Adjust the lemon juice salt & pepper to taste.
Serve immediately. Store in the fridge in an airtight glass container for up to one week, or freeze in ice cube trays for easy use later. 

Recommended uses:
Roasted Potatoes with Pesto (great hot or cold)
Grilled Vegetables and Fish
Homemade Gnocchi with Pesto & Goat Cheese 
Pizza! 

A mini-prep is ideal for small batches of pesto and other quick sauces and salsas.

The mini-prep blade is designed to rotate clockwise on one speed, and counterclockwise on the other, helping to incorporate ingredients.

Roasted Cauliflower with Dates, Pine Nuts, & Garbanzo Beans

For everyday eating, I subscribe to the E.N.D. mantra - Easy, Nutritious, Delicious. Fortunately for my tiny pocketbook, this also usually means "super cheap". Shopping for produce at local markets with high turnover, you should be able to find a wide variety of seasonal ingredients at good prices, ensuring a well-balanced diet, and highly-entertained palate. Taste and texture are paramount for me. I am not about to wear a bland-vegetable hairshirt in order to live a long, healthy life. Luckily, that's not necessary. Vegetables are delicious. And I can prove it.

Without further ado, here's the latest (and my recent favorite -  seriously, I make it at least once a week), roasted cauliflower with dates, pine nuts, and garbanzo beans.

Serves 3-4 as an Entree
3 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 1/2t cumin seeds 
1/2C raw pine nuts
1/2C medjool dates, pitted & finely chopped
1T coconut oil 

1 large cauliflower, cut into bite-sized florets (flat sides help browning) 
1/2 can garbanzo beans, drained & rinsed 
juice from 1 lemon 
olive oil
S&P
freshly chopped parsley for garnish 

Preheat oven to 350'. Oil a rimmed baking sheet or roasting pan. 
In a medium skillet, heat the coconut oil over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds, heat about 30 seconds. Add garlic, pine nuts, and dates. Gently stir for about 1-2 minutes, just until the pine nuts turn golden. Remove pan from heat and set aside. 

In a large bowl, combine the cauliflower, garbanzo beans, and date mixture. Squeeze in lemon juice, stir, and spread evenly on the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle with a little kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Drizzle with a bit more olive oil, and roast for about 30-35 minutes, until the cauliflower begins to brown. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley, and serve immediately. Reheat leftovers in a skillet or microwave. 

Enjoy! 


Adapted from the Kripalu School of Ayurveda