Real, Good Hot Chocolate

Hot Chocolate.  What is better on a cold winter day?  This year I learned the difference between hot cocoa and hot chocolate, the former is with cocoa the latter is with melted chocolate.  How this rather common sense distinction escaped my attention for so many years is a mystery, and how much of a purpose it will serve me now is questionable- but it is an interesting piece of trivia.  At around the same time, I noticed that in The Santa Clause (you know, the one with Tim Allen?), Santa always asks for hot cocoa- I am convinced this is because of his health concious habits, since hot cocoa has significantly less fat than hot chocolate.

As you may be able to tell, I am rather a fan of hot chocolate (and hot cocoa).  This fall I drank plenty of hot beverages made with the cocoa bean, from pumpkin to maple to candy cane to plain- I like a bi-weekly dose of the drink.  This weekend my two sisters, my mother and I had our Christmas celebration.  The sister from Toronto got me the only kind of hot chocolate someone who really knows me would ever dare to get me.  Real. Hot. Chocolate.  Drinking Chocolate. 

This hot chocolate is beyond fine melted chocolate mixed with cream- it is from Chocosol in Toronto, and it is called drinking chocolate.  Made the traditional way with water, instead of milk as was popularized by Europeans when the new world chocolate was first introduced, drinking chocolate is a strong, rich drink with very little sugar.  Unfortunately, my sister forgot which piece of drinking chocolate was which.  Fortunately, this makes tasting them even more exciting since I have preconceived notion as to whether I'll like it... I just know I like chocolate so chances are it'll be delicious. 

The Chocosol website says that sometimes they make their drinks with milk, but they prefer it with water.  I actually tried a couple pieces of mine made with coffee first, and today tried the more traditional method with water.  However, with my weakness for dairy fats and the fact that my sister and cousin had some left over from their decadent morning coffee- my traditional drinking chocolate wound up with a nice creamy cap of cream.  The drink is delicious plain, though it needs stirring as the delicious solids settle to the bottom (an alternative is NOT stirring it frequently, and getting an extra chocolatey sip at the end, both ways are nice).  The whipped cream brings it up a notch, but made with milk or coffee it is also delicious.  I have included the recipe for a comparable drink I enjoy that is the ultimate hot chocolate-cocoa (because I really can't decide whether I prefer hot chocolate or cocoa), but I recommend trying to get some Chocosol drinking chocolate and trying it their way for the ultimate experience!

Hot Chocolate-Cocoa
for 2 (makes about 2 cups worth)

75 grams dark chocolate (preferably around 70%)
2 tbsp cocoa powder
2 cups water
honey, maple syrup or brown sugar- to taste
vanilla
salt
spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, cardamom, black pepper etc.)
whipped cream (optional)

1  Finely chop the chocolate and put it in a pot with the cocoa powder, sweetener, vanilla (as much as you like), a pinch of salt and what ever spices suite the mood- add a splash of water, just enough to make a thick paste
2  Put the pot over medium low heat and whisk until the chocolate is melted, then whisk in the rest of the water slowly and heat until everything is steamy and delicious
3  Divide between two cups and top with whipped cream

Warning: the above recipe is intense!  I enjoy mine with no added sugars, but I am strange- you may want to add up to a 2 tbsp depending on your sweet tooth.  While the whipped cream is not necessary, it adds a fabulous contrasting texture and temperature to the hot chocolate-cocoa- and helps you put on some layers to protect against the winter cold.  Enjoy your hot chocolate or hot cocoa or what ever you want to drink this holiday!

Daring Salmon en Croute

The 2009 Daring Cooks challenge was hosted by Simone of Junglefrog Cooking. Simone chose Salmon en Croute (or alternative recipes for Beef Wellington or Vegetable en Croute) from Good Food Online.  The recipe and details can be found here.  This month's challenge was a little bit different for me because I did it before the due date!  No rushing here- except that I was starving as I made it so I was rushing to have it in my belly.

 I picked up some fresh salmon at the Pelican Fishery and Grill here in Ottawa, which was delicious, but possibly wasted since I overcooked it slightly.  My challenge is that I tend to cook just for myself, and so doing the whole recipe would have been a little whacko since I cannot possibly eat Salmon en Croute for 3 days in a row, however much I love it.  The pastry would get less than delectable anyhow.  And so, I used a 120 gram piece of salmon, which I wrapped in 1/7 of the shortcrust recipe provided (of which about 1/3 was cut away in scraps).  I like my pastry thin, thin, thin so I rolled it out as thin as I possibly could and then verrrry carefully wrapped it around my beautiful piece of salmon.  I didn't have all the ingredients on hand for the sauce, and in the spirit of student money saving and using up ingredients I had around, I am imrpovised a sauce of 2 tsp low fat cream cheese and 1 tsp grainy dijon mustard with a pinch of salt and pepper.

The verdict?  Well... my oven took about 2184564 hours to preheat for some whacky reason, and when it finally did, the fish cooked faster than the pastry because my piece was so small.  it wasn't gummy or horrendously overcooked, just not perfect.  However, my pastry turned out perfectly and each bite was melt in your mouth light pastry followed by sweet delicious salmon and a creamy, tangry mustard sauce.  I served it with some zucchini, which was very briefly sauteed with some lemon juice, lemon zest, chili flakes, salt and pepper.

My roommates can verify that I truly enjoyed my dinner, and didn't stop talking about it for a few days.  Heck, I still am.  I just want to en croute everything with pastry now, soon it will be Christmas- I think I will en croute something for my family.

Comforting Clam Chowder

I have been craving comfort food lately and when canned baby clams went on sale at the grocery store I figured I'd try my hand at clam chowder.  In the spirit of healthy cooking to keep myself lighter than Santa Clause this season, I wanted a recipe with no cream but plenty of pizazz.  Yesterday I tried one that used cornstarch to thicken it; it had  white potatoes, corn, clams and some seasonings.  While it was nice, but it was lacking any real flavour and colour.  With a few... well a bunch... of changes- I have developed a delicious and nutritious clam chowder with bacon, booze, cayenne and cabbage.

Clam Chowder with Cabbage and a Kick
serves 2 generously (800 ml total if made exactly as I did)

2 pieces bacon, finely diced
1 small onion (100 g), finely diced
1/4 cup white wine
salt and pepper
1/2 tsp thyme
pinch cayenne
1 bay leaf (if you have it, I didn't and it was fine)
1 1/3 cups milk (I used 1%)
1/2 cup canned baby clams, drained with both juice and clams reserved
2 small or 1 large sweet potato (200 g), diced
1/3 cup (50 grams) frozen corn
2 cups chopped cabbage (200 g)
green onion and chili flakes

1  In a medium pot, fry the bacon over medium low heat until very, very crispy- stir it often to loosen up bits stuck on the bottom.  Once done, drain off the excess fat
2  Add the onions and cook for 2 minutes then add the white wine and seasonings (adjusting to taste, you can always add more later) and use the liquid to scrape all the bacony goodness of the bottom of the pot
3  Pour in the 1 1/3 cups of milk, reserved clam juice and potatoes- turn the heat up to medium, cover and let it simmer away until the potatoes are nearly, but not completely, perfect
4  Remove half of the mixture from the pot and blend until smooth, then pour back in and add the corn, cabbage and clams
5  Cook for about 5 minutes more, just until it is all piping hot and the cabbage is slightly cooked, but retains some crunch
6  Serve in chowdery bowls with fresh green onions or extra chili flakes on top.  Chow down!

Don't be intimidated by the large amount of cabbage in this recipe- it is winter and your body needs it!  If it scares you thhhhaaat much, feel free to halve it or add in another vegetable.  I didn't know if I should remove the bacon bits after frying and add them in after I had pureed the potatoes, but I am glad I left them in because it distributed the flavour, and there were still pieces from the reserved half of the pot.  The cayenne is tricky because it varies in strength depending on age, and people's tastes can be very different, if in doubt- serve it with chili flakes and people can make it as spicy as they like.   It wasn't the creamy stuff you'll get at a traditional seafood place, but it was perfect for me- thick, flavourful and full of different textures and vegetables.

Each bowl  (if prepared exactly as instructed and serving two) contains about 350 calories and about 3 servings of fruit and vegetables!  It's all that cabbage man.

Oatmeal Options

I love breakfast. It is probably my favourite meal of the day, I wake up empty and hungry, the whole day ahead of me- and a good breakfast can mean the start to a good day. Or at least help. Over the past couple years I've gotten more adventurous with my breakfast choices; peanut butter and tomato on toast or soft cooked polenta with vegetables and poached eggs make frequent appearances beside my cup of coffee. One day I began to wonder what savoury oatmeal would be like.  I did a quick google search to see if anyone had tried it before with good results and turns out, Mark Bittman has. Bittman recommended making it with a dash of soy sauce and scallions, and so I tried his way first, but since then have made many additions of my own. Turns out savoury oatmeal is now a regular on my breakfast schedule... though I sometimes eat it for lunch, or dinner.

My only problem with Bittman's oatmeal is the lack of veggies... and protein... it makes a delicious carby breakfast, but it is incomplete. To create a complete meal out of savoury oatmeal I have a few recommendations:
1) Make sure the oatmeal has an additional flavour added. Soy sauce for asian themes, lots of black pepper if your going for typical North American tastes or even something like balsamic vinegar if you are going to be using a topping like goat's cheese or roasted veggies. Often I also add a starchy vegetable to the oatmeal to bulk it up, like cubed roasted pumpkin, shredded parsnip or even eggplant- make sure to put it in with enough time to cook through though!
2) Choose your vegetable topping carefully, it will be on top of soft oatmeal and a contrast is rather nice. One of my favourites is bok choy because the stems add a nice crunch. Cabbage, shredded carrots and peppers all make nice options, I usually leave this layer raw or only slightly cooked, but season it generously.
3) The protein layer is usually the easiest part- I generally go with a couple eggs poached or fried, and sometimes bacon. I have tried cheese and it's nice, but I prefer the creaminess of the egg and the way it blends with the oatmeal.

Whichever way you make your savoury oatmeal- make it your own! Do what you want and be open minded, oatmeal has a very mild flavour and can be treated like any other grain (rice bowl anyone?). A contrast of flavours and textures and temperatures is ideal, but so is speed, so I have included both my quick asian oatmeal and the lengthier and more complex BLT oatmeal recipes.

Asian Oatmeal
makes 1 bowl

40 grams, about 1/4 cup oatmeal
1/2-3/4 cup water
1 tbsp soy sauce
150 grams/several stalks boy choy, chopped
1/4 tsp sesame oil (optional)
1 clove garlic, crushed (optional but recommended if you have time)
1 cm cube fresh ginger, grated(optional but recommended if you have time)
chili flakes
2 eggs

1 Heat 1/2 cup water to boiling in a small pot then add oatmeal, reduce heat to low, put a lid on it and let cook until smooth and water is absorbed. If it seems to thick, add remaining water nearer the end.
2 While the oatmeal cooks, heat a large nonstick pan over medium heat, then toss in the bok choy, sesame oil, ginger, garlic and chili flakes and cook for a couple of minutes, stirring to make sure the seasoning is broken up, then remove from the heat and put in a bowl
3 Return the pan to the element and fry the two eggs over medium heat to your liking
4 Once the eggs are nearly done and the oatmeal is almost ready (should take about the same amount of time) add the soy sauce to the oatmeal and stir it up
5 Put the oatmeal in your pretty Japanese bowl, top it with the bok choy and eggs and enjoy- making sure each bite has a bit of every component. Yum.

BLT Oatmeal
makes 1 bowl

40 grams/about 1/4 cup oatmeal
1/2 cup water
lots of salt and pepper
100 grams/about 1 cup cabbage, diced
1 tsp grainy dijon mustard (I absolutely love President's Choice)
2 tbsp plain yogurt or sour cream
1 small tomato, halved
2 pieces of bacon
1 egg

1  Cook the oatmeal exactly as in the previous recipe, adding salt and pepper instead of soy sauce at the end.
2  While oatmeal cooks, dice the bacon and fry over medium low heat until very, very crispy then drain well on paper towels
3  While the bacon and oatmeal are cooking, mix the cabbage, mustard and yogurt well to make a sort of coleslaw and broil the tomato until it is hot and cooked, but not falling apart
4  Once the components are nearly all ready, put the bacon pan back on the heat and fry the egg to your liking
5  Layer the ingredients in the bowl: peppery oatmeal, mustardy cabbage, bacon bits, hot tomato and fried egg- then give it all a grind of salt and pepper

I love both these breakfasts, but each satisfies a different craving.  The BLT oatmeal is honestly the one I eat more often because I love the contrast of creamy, crunchy, hot, cold and sweet and salty... it is truly a delight in every bite.  One tip for eating your breakfast oatmeal: use a spoon and a fork... it requires a spoon to scrape the sides, but a fork to tear apart the tomato and bok choy.  A knife is pretty useless and each utensil on its own is inadequate.

I hope this lengthy post makes up for my recent lagging, I'm off to enjoy a steaming bowl of bok choy oatmeal!

Cannoli Cocktail

The November 2009 Daring Bakers Challenge was chosen and hosted by Lisa Michele of Parsley, Sage, Desserts and Line Drives. She chose the Italian Pastry, Cannolo (Cannoli is plural), using the cookbooks Lidia’s Italian-American Kitchen by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich and The Sopranos Family Cookbook by Allen Rucker; recipes by Michelle Scicolone, as ingredient/direction guides. She added her own modifications/changes, so the recipe is not 100% verbatim from either book.

Well... since Lisa Michele made some changes, I felt it would be alright if I made a few too... well... a lot actually. In terms of the cannoli dough, I made it exactly as the recipe told me to (using red wine), except a smaller quantity since I am a poor student with only one stomach. The dough worked well and I didn't have any major issues with it shrinking, but it didn't exactly bubble and fry perfectly and I found the end product a bit more dense than I would have liked. I should confess here that I've never had a real cannoli, so that is on my list of to does so I can see what I did wrong. And also eat deep fried pastry.

Since I don't actually love pastry that much, I decided I would just have a couple pieces beside a jumbo serving of a filling. I based the filling on traditional cannoli I saw and just mixed together: 1/2 cup light ricotta, 1/4 cup liberte Mediterranean orange marzipan yogurt (godly), a few chopped almonds and 1 tbsp mini chocolate chips. Then I spooned it into a fancy dessert glass, garnished it with deep fried pastry and brought it to my room and enjoyed it with some chocolate tea and a clementine.

Please excuse the short summary, as exciting and wonderful as I am sure cannoli are, I was very tired this month (which is why I just finished the challenge about 2 hours before the deadline) and my baking has been suffering. I mean frying. Also please excuse that my dessert looks like a reindeer smothered in a snowbank... I didn't realize until I uploaded my pictures how much those little chocolate chips looked like reindeer eyes pleading me to rescue the poor beast. Oh well, if it had had a red nose like Rudolph I might have seen it in time to save it, but I need my dried cranberries for cookies tomorrow.

I can't wait to try some real good cannoli though, if anyone knows a good bakery or confection place in Ottawa that makes them- let me know!