All posts filed under: Food Musings

The Best Carrot Cake Ever

Published by Kathy Hunt

My husband likes to say that he’s a simple man but I’ve never known anyone to have a more complicated relationship with carrots than he. Just try sneaking an orange sliver into a stew, pot pie or casserole. With the quick flick of his spoon the offending veg flies off his plate and onto mine. Forget about slipping raw, julienned carrots into a salad or slaw. The cat, who eats anything, ends up eating them. However, if you ask Sean what his favorite dessert is, his answer will be carrot cake. If you like to cook and live with someone who has a favorite dish, chances are that you’ve tried to perfect it. Such is the case with me and carrot cake. After countless years and cakes I found perfection yesterday in the following recipe. I’d love to claim that I conjured up this winsome sweet on my own but I can’t; the recipe comes courtesy of my husband’s aunt, Nancy Haberberger. Sweet but not cloying, moist but not soggy, flavorful but not overly rich, …

Perfecting Pita

Published by Kathy Hunt

I’d call this my winter of eating globally but, truthfully, my interest in world cuisines started early and largely as a result of my Western Pennsylvania hometown. A former steel city, New Castle boasted of an array of ethnic backgrounds and extraordinary foods. Forget bland white bread, burgers, tomato soup and apple pie. I grew up eating such exotic, Mediterranean specialties as spinach pie (spanikopita), stuffed grape leaves (dolma), pasta fagioli and tiramisu. A childhood favorite that I still adore is pita. Unfortunately, depending on whose you’ve eaten, this Mediterranean flat bread is either an ethereal vessel for falafel and souvlaki or a dry, tough disc that’s impossible to chew. In recent months, as markets and Mediterranean cafes change their bakeries, I’ve been stuck with the unappetizing kind. Because I love the tag team of hummus and pita — I could eat it every day of the week — I’ve become annoyed, really annoyed, with the lousy pita supply. Enter homemade pita. Soft and airy, it’s a far cry from stale, store-bought bread. Plus, it’s …

Simmering Heat of Szechuan Pepper Shrimp

Published by Kathy Hunt

Another week into the new year and I’m still fixated on lighter fare. Although Asian cuisine continues to dominate my dinner menus, right now it’s not so much a specific dish as it is a spice, Szechuan pepper, that I crave. With its mildly hot, slightly piquant tang Szechuan pepper brings a clean, wholesome warmth to my winter cooking. Contrary to its name, Szechuan pepper doesn’t belong to the peppercorn family or even grow on vines as peppercorns do. Instead these reddish-brown berries come from prickly ash trees. Originating in the Szechuan province of China, they also appear in parts of Japan, India, Tibet and Indonesia. Dried, the aromatic berries are sold whole and in powdered form. With a little searching I can find both whole and ground Szechuan pepper at Asian markets and well-stocked spice shops such as Kalustyan’s. Cooks often use Szechuan pepper to dress up spare ribs, pork loin or duck. Because I’m not a pork or beef eater, I add it to my favorite protein source, seafood. When tossed together with …

Fortify the New Year with Pho

Published by Kathy Hunt

Like many, I’ve been in a post-holiday slump. Endless days of cooking, baking and eating rich, heavy dishes have left me apathetic about food. Want lunch? Pour some milk over a bowl of Cheerios and dig in. Yeah, I’ve felt that uninspired. Since I can’t live on dry, oat cereal alone, I’ve turned to a delicate dish favored by my husband’s Vietnamese step-father, pho. Part soup, part entree, this Vietnamese specialty boasts of clean flavors, fresh ingredients and satisfying portions. Pho’s wholesome simplicity and ease of preparation make it a wonderful antidote to the food funk into which I’ve slipped. Pho begins with a clear stock made from beef, chicken or pork, water and a bouquet garni. Cooks pour the heated stock into bowls filled with blanched rice noodles, strips of meat or fish and sliced spring onions. To this they may add mint, cilantro, bean sprouts and/or chilis. To add a little zing, they may serve pho with a splash of lime juice or fish sauce or dab of chili paste. Appetizing and light, …

Books for Readers and Cooks

Published by Kathy Hunt

For as long as I can remember, I’ve been a voracious reader. Fiction, non-fiction, newspapers, magazines, websites, blogs, cereal boxes . . .. Thanks to my not-so-secret addiction and a gravitation to the culinary world, I consume a lot of good — and not so good — food writing. Below are the best of what I read in 2012. Other than having well-written, well-researched, engaging text and being great holiday gifts, there is no common theme for these selections. Nonetheless, you may notice several America-centric books as well as two with “fork” in the title. These are pure coincidences. Next week, noteworthy baking cookbooks. Taco USA by Gustavo Arellano (Scribner, 2012) Rest assured – this is not just about tacos. Gustavo Arellano discusses a host of Mexican imports including such beloved foods as salsa, tortillas, burritos and, yes, tacos. He includes profiles of such disparate characters as the founders of Frito-Lay, Old El Paso and Chipotle and the creator of the frozen margarita machine. As you might expect from the title and aforementioned figures, Taco …

Great Books for Cooks

Published by Kathy Hunt

As a food writer, occasional reviewer and all-around fan of cookbooks, I have a long list of favorite books. Each year the lineup grows to include recent publications as well as titles new to my collection. Below are the best from my 2012 acquisitions. Whether you’re holiday shopping or just browsing for yourself, the following will be wonderful additions to any kitchen shelf. Next week . . . a few fabulous baking and culinary history books. For the Love of Food by Denis Cotter (Collins, 2011) In his fourth cookbook Irish chef and restauranteur Denis Cotter serves up a wealth of quick, flavorful vegetarian recipes. Over the course of nine chapters he covers such sumptuous dishes as Portobello and roast tomato florentine, orecchiette with broad beans and baby courgettes, and citrus, sultana and maple rice pudding with raspberries. Once again, Cotter offers creative meals that will delight both vegetarians and meat-eaters. Burma by Naomi Duguid (Artisan, 2012) Maybe you love to learn about exotic lands. Perhaps you crave a new cuisine to cook. In either …

Taking Sides on Turkey Day Take 2

Published by Kathy Hunt

The countdown to turkey day has begun! Rather than take up valuable shopping and cooking time talking about the history of Thanksgiving side dishes, this year I’ll share a few recipes for easy and fabulous offerings. Whether you’re hosting a huge feast for family and friends, traveling to a potluck or holding an intimate dinner for two, the following sides will surely satisfy. For additional Thanksgiving recipes, check out Kitchen Kat’s 2011 entry on Taking Sides for Turkey Day. “TOP” (TURNIP-ONION-POTATO) CASSEROLE Serves 4 to 6 2 turnips, trimmed and cut into chunks 1 large red onion, cut in half and then quartered 1 large yellow onion, cut in half and then quartered 1 yam, peeled and cut into chunks 1 Idaho potato, peeled and cut into chunks 3 red bliss potatoes, washed and quartered 1 large orange bell pepper, cut into chunks 8 cloves garlic, peeled and halved 1/3 cup olive oil freshly ground black pepper, to taste 4 ounces Haloumi cheese, thinly sliced Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Coat the interior …

‘Tis the Season for Cranberries

Published by Kathy Hunt

Cranberries never seem to get their due. At Thanksgiving we mash them into chunky, oft neglected sauces. Face it—no matter how tasty it may be, no one asks for seconds on cranberry sauce. Once that holiday passes, we shove string through their waxy, red skins and fling them across fir trees. The rest of the year we squeeze out their tart, crimson juice for fruit cocktails or dry them until withered and toss them into scones and salads. All and all, not very dignified ways to use such a spectacular fruit. Native to North America, cranberries were a favorite of Native Americans and European settlers. They made them into compotes, jams, sauces, soups, tarts, cakes, breads and wine. Sometimes they dried them. Other times they ate them straight from the vine. Unquestionably, the settlers knew a good fruit when they saw one. High in antioxidants and fiber, cranberries go well with a myriad of foods and flavors. As you might expect, they pair beautifully with apples, cinnamon, cloves, chicken, pumpkin, sweet potatoes and turkey. They …

This Holiday Season Have a Scotch … Egg

Published by Kathy Hunt

While I know that the holidays are steeped in tradition, I do like to spice things up a bit by adding a new dish or two to the Thanksgiving menu. This year I’m leaning toward scotch eggs. Although it’s now a fixture at British pubs, the scotch egg had tonier beginnings. The posh London department store Fortnum & Mason claims to have created the very first in 1738. Inspired by Indian kofta, a scotch egg consists of a hard-boiled egg encased in ground sausage and seasoned breadcrumbs. Deep-fried until golden brown, it is then cooled and served at room temperature. Nice on its own, it also goes well with dash of hot sauce or splash of gravy. Sans sauce, a flavorful scotch egg makes for great finger food. Hence why, along with being a pub favorite, this portable treat also shows up at picnics and at English high tea. Its taste, portability and eye-catching appearance likewise make it a welcome addition to the holiday appetizer, dinner or brunch table. For vegetarian guests I offer a …

Return to the Pumpkin Patch

Published by Kathy Hunt

I can’t let autumn pass by without mentioning that amazing, globular fall fruit known as the pumpkin. Ranging in size from two to a whopping 800 pounds, this hefty fellow was once relegated to seasonal pies and decor. Today, though, I keep this low-fat, low-calorie, firm-fleshed gourd in my kitchen long past Thanksgiving. Although I lack the green thumb and good soil to grow pumpkins, thanks to friends who have both, I’ve learned a thing or two about harvesting a great pumpkin. A trailing plant, this winter squash needs space to grow. It likewise requires temperate weather and regular watering. Mature at 16 weeks, a pumpkin can be picked and stored whole in a cool, dry, dark place for several months. When cut, it must be refrigerated and used within a few days. How to use a freshly cut pumpkin? I love turning it into a silky puree. After removing the seeds, I put the pumpkin halves, cut side down, on a rimmed baking sheet and sprinkle a half cup of water over them. I …