Roasted Winter Vegetables with Miso and Harissa

December 13, 2013February 7, 2017

Make this. Tonight. Now. I don’t care when. But make it. The sooner the better.

I’m not sure when I discovered this recipe on 101 Cookbooks, but it has quickly become a favorite. I imagine you could roast any winter vegetables with miso and harissa and they would be just as wonderful as the potatoes and squash I made. I haven’t tried the full on recipe with the kale yet, but I’m sure I will soon enough. Once I get over these vegetables. My goodness. This recipe is incredibly flavorful, the miso gets beautifully caramelized, and the harissa adds a perfect hint of spice. It’s so comforting but not boring or familiar at all. So make it.

Roasted Winter Vegetables with Miso and Harissa

Note: I bet this would work beautifully with lots of winter vegetables. Sweet potatoes? Turnips? Broccoli? Fennel? Parsnips? Winter squash? Let me know what you try.

Note 2: If you think miso and harissa are some of those ingredients that you’ll use once and never again, you couldn’t be more wrong. The other night Jonah made me this incredible clam miso soup from The Family Meal, and this squash and tofu with miso and molasses is one of my favorites. As for harissa, try adding it to anything for a little heat, especially shakshuka.

Ingredients

1/2 pound fingerling potatoes
3/4 pound delicata squash
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup white miso paste
1 1/2 tsp harissa paste (more if you like spice)

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. If your potatoes are larger, quarter them, half them, or cut them as you choose. You want the pieces to be about the size of your thumb. Half and seed the squash, and slice into 1/2 inch half-moons. Set aside.

In a bowl, whisk together the olive oil, miso, and harissa. Add the vegetables and toss to coat evenly. Spread on a baking sheet, and roast for 25-30 minutes. You want everything to be nicely browned and tender – I recommend tossing the veggies halfway through.

Remove from oven, allow to cool for a few minutes. Good luck not devouring these within minutes.

Baking Tools from the Commune

December 10, 2013December 29, 2016

I have told you before about the commune. Kelly, my fellow foodie, had a mother, Caroline, who was also a fellow foodie. She was an amazing cook and baker, and it seems to me that she knew everything there was to know, and in my imagination, she created these incredible culinary masterpieces that I only wish I could have tasted.

Unfortunately, I’ll never meet Caroline, as she passed away a few years ago. But I feel like she and I are kindred spirits, especially as I now own many of what used to be her kitchen accessories. Last year, when Kelly and I worked together, he brought in boxes of her old cookbooks to let me go through them and pick out which ones I wanted. Most recently, the commune was going through her old baking tools and, even though I wasn’t there, they made me a box! It was the sweetest gesture that nearly brought me to tears.

While I know what some of the utensils are (a madeleine pan, some mini tart pans, some regular sized tart pans, some spring-form pans) there are others that I have no clue what to do with. Help? I’m posting pictures here, with numbers in the captions, and if you know what some of the items are, please comment below!

Mystery Baking Tools // Serious Crust by Annie Fassler — Number 1 on the left, 2 on the right.

I’m assuming the long skinny tray on the left is for lady fingers. The tray on the right is very shallow, and I’m not sure what it’s for!

The molds on the left are number 3, and one guess for those was a paté mold or something like that? The little molds on the right are number 4, and a guess for those was that they might be for petit-fours.

Lastly, the scalloped edged pans are number 5, and the little circular pans (maybe for donuts?) are number 6.

Weekend Finds 12:8:13

December 8, 2013February 7, 2017

Well, we’re officially over the Thanksgiving hump. In this weekend finds, we’re on to the world of Christmas, and starting to think about decorations and gifting.

1. Meyer Lemon and Sage Hot Toddy

Meyer Lemon and Sage Hot Toddy on Weekend Finds // Serious Crust by Annie Fassler — Meyer Lemon and Sage Hot Toddy

I’m having trouble thinking of much else other than hot, wintery, alcoholic beverages. The other day, I was cozied up on the couch with my big sweater, a blanket, some tea, and my knitting, and my roommate Sophie said to me, “You are made for winter.” I think it’s true, I am. I love being warm and cozy in big sweaters sipping warm drinks. I love this time of year because you get to drink things like this Meyer lemon and sage hot toddy.

2. DIY Limoncello

DIY Limoncello on Weekend Finds // Serious Crust by Annie Fassler — DIY Limoncello

A while ago when Jonah and I went to Toro Bravo, we were gifted some limoncello after we had to wait a little bit. And I must say, I really enjoyed it. So, while we’re on the topic of lemony alcoholic beverages, I think this DIY Limoncello would make a great gift. Plus, it’ll be a nice light after-dinner drink for those heavy Christmas dinners.

3. Geometric Ornaments

Geometric Ornaments on Weekend Finds // Serious Crust by Annie Fassler — Geometric Ornaments featured on Design*Sponge

Yesterday Jonah and I went with our roommates to get our Christmas tree! And it is all now decorated with Carmelle’s ornaments. When I get to a point in my life where I’m collecting Christmas ornaments (maybe I should say if I get to that point), I like to think I would collect things like these beautiful geometric ornaments featured on Design*Sponge. I especially like the second ones, by FlaneursPockets on Etsy.

4. DIY Vanilla Extract

DIY Vanilla Extract on Weekend Finds // Serious Crust by Annie Fassler — DIY Vanilla from HonestlyYUM

I’ve heard of lots of people gifting homemade vanilla extract for the holidays. And I think it’s a great idea. But before I read this post on HonestlyYUM, I never really thought about using a) different types of vanilla or b) different kinds of liquor. It might be cool to give people a “flight” of vanilla, as it were.

5. Winter Salad from 101 Cookbooks

Winter Salad on Weekend Finds // Serious Crust by Annie Fassler — Winter Salad from 101 Cookbooks

Sometimes in winter I have trouble making an interesting salad. I mostly just use mixed greens, dried cranberries, candied nuts, and some cheese. Same old, same old. BUT recently I’ve started using delicata squash in everything, including salads, after eating a delicious salad at Grain & Gristle. This salad from 101 Cookbooks not only looks unlike anything I’ve made before, but it also has delicata squash in it! Yum.

Chipotle Pecan Brownies and “The Unofficial Girls Guide to New York”

December 5, 2013February 7, 2017

Welp, it’s officially time to start making holiday treats and going gift shopping. Last night Jonah and I went to the Holiday Ale Fest, and it really got me into the holiday spirit. In thinking of holiday gifts, I want to tell you about this little book that I think would make a great present: The Unofficial GIRLS Guide to New York.

Now, before we jump in here, let me clarify that this book is the GIRLS guide, as in the TV show. Which I love. The past 2 seasons, my friend Erica has come over every week to watch it with us. The characters are fantastic (I think Shoshana is my favorite), the storyline is ever-entertaining, and it certainly captures certain aspects of being a twenty-something in a big city and not having any idea of what you’re doing with your life. Which I may or may not be able to relate to.

So when my aunt and uncle (of Unofficial Mad Men Cookbook fame) told me they were writing a GIRLS book, I was incredibly excited. Jonah and I rattled off interviews they could do, recipes, etc. But they had already thought of everything. This book is half fan-girl material, half guidebook, with some great recipes sprinkled throughout. Since receiving it in the mail, I’ve loved flipping through it, reading the stories of all the locations – not only because they make up the backdrop for this great show, but also because it’s New York, and there are so many interesting tidbits about all of these places. I’m just sad the book wasn’t out in time for our trip to New York!

I wanted to give you a little sneak preview by letting you in on one of the recipes. I decided to whip up “Agave’s Chipotle Pecan Brownies” a couple weeks ago, and dang were they good. More cake-y and less fudgy, the chipotle brings a really nice smoky and spicy flavor to these sweets. These would be a great unique treat to whip up for a holiday party! The recipe comes from Oberlin’s Agave Burrito Bar & Tequileria (Oberlin is where Marnie, Hannah, Jessa, and Elijah went to college, and where Marnie meets Charlie at the Oberlin College Galactic Safe Sex Ball 2007, which you can read more about in the book). I made half the recipe, and still had a 9×13 pan full of these bad boys, so I’ll give you the halved version, plus the full amounts in parentheses.

Chipotle Pecan Brownies

Ingredients

6 oz semisweet chocolate (12 oz)
1 cup plus 2 Tbl unsalted butter, room temperature (2 1/4 cups)
1 3/4 cups sugar (3 1/2 cups)
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract (1 Tbl)
4 eggs (8 eggs)
1 1/4 cups flour (2 1/2 cups)
3/4 tsp cinnamon (1 1/2 tsp)
3/4 tsp chipotle powder (1 1/2 tsp)
4 oz pecans, crumbled to your desired consistency (8 oz)

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 9×13 baking dish/pan (or 2 if you’re using the amounts in parentheses).

In a double boiler, melt the chocolate, stirring frequently. While the chocolate is melting, cream the butter and sugar together in an electric mixer on medium speed. Add the vanilla, mix again, and then add the eggs. Mix to combine – it should be “creamy and lemon colored.” With the mixer on low speed, slowly pour in a little bit of the chocolate. Let the mixer stir this small amount in, then slowly pour in the rest of the chocolate and mix until it’s just incorporated.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, cinnamon, and chipotle powder, then stir to combine. Remove the bowl of chocolate from your mixer base, and gently fold the dry ingredients into the chocolate batter until thoroughly combined.

Pour the batter into your prepared pan, and scatter the pecans over the top. Bake for 25 minutes, rotate the pan 180 degrees, and bake for another 10-15 minutes. The brownies should be just set in the center of the pan. Remove from oven, and allow to cool for an hour before cutting. Serve them up and enjoy!

Restaurant review: Remedy Wine Bar

December 2, 2013February 7, 2017

Remedy Wine Bar // Serious Crust by Annie Fassler

And we’re back! I hope you all had a lovely Thanksgiving holiday. Mine was filled with family and (of course) a huge amount of delicious food. Just what Thanksgiving is supposed to be. Now it’s time to get back to blogging!

A few weeks ago I was invited to a blogger event at Remedy Wine Bar, a lovely little spot in NW Portland. First of all, let me just say, is there anything that can be bad about good wine, good food, and good company? No, no there is not. But this spot definitely has something about it. Located on the north Park Blocks, the wine bar is chic and modern, but still cozy, with big windows overlooking the park. The building used to be an old pharmacy (that’s where the name comes from), and it definitely feels like a piece of old Portland, updated to meld with the ever hip Pearl. I can perfectly picture coming here for a glass of wine during First Thursday.

It was a Tuesday night, which is flight night at Remedy – each week they feature 2 different flights of 3 wines each on a different theme. The week I went, it was might Malbecs. Among the bloggers, there were definitely those that knew their wines. I was not one of them. As far as wine goes, I get my motto from a professor of mine and her husband: “If you don’t like it, don’t drink it.” I can never remember which wines are supposed to taste like what, and I can’t tell a fancy bottle from a cheap one. So when I like a wine, I drink it; When I really like a wine, I’ll maybe write down the name or snap a picture of the label.

The folks at Remedy were right there to help us learn about the wines as well as to talk with us about what we were tasting. Josh, who brought us our wine, even got out a big old book to show us maps of the regions our wine was from. Manager Dan Beekley and owner Michael Madigan were incredibly friendly, talking to us about their vision for the wine bar, what they love, what they do. They seem to have an incredible knowledge of wine, and it shows on their menu. Everything we tasted was delicious, and I can’t wait to go back to try more. It was just an all around incredible evening.

In addition to some fantastic wine (my favorite that we tried was the Bodegas Azul Reserva 2009, which you can find on their regular wine by the glass menu), we also got to sample some delicious bites by chef Ingrid Chen. The obvious group favorites were the cheesy bits – like a cheez-it but for grown ups, dusted in blue cheese powder from Rogue Creamery – and the tarte flambe with delicata squash, bacon lardons, and caramelized onions. We also enjoyed the white bean dip (one of the creamiest versions I’ve ever had), the warm olives, some marcona almonds, and a cheese plate and charcuterie plate.

If you’re in the neighborhood, looking for a soothing, beautiful spot to enjoy a glass of wine with some delicious snacks, this is most definitely the place to do it.