Butter Chicken (Trattoria Sostanza)

Two versions here. I'll try both and see how they go. This is the re-creation from Salt & Wind. 

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter (I like to use this Parmigiano Reggiano cream butter)
• 2 (4 to 6 ounce) boneless, skin-on chicken breasts
• kosher salt and Freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour can use rice flour to make it gluten free
• 4 medium garlic cloves smashed
• 1 medium lemon halved
• fresh Italian parsley leaves for garnish (optional)

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 400°F and arrange a rack in the middle. Heat the olive oil and butter in a medium cast iron pan (or other heavy-bottomed pan) over medium heat. Meanwhile, season the chicken with salt and freshly ground black pepper then dredge in flour and shake off the excess. When the butter foams, add the chicken, skin-side down, and cook until skin is golden, about 5 to 8 minutes.
2. Flip the chicken, skin-side up, then add the garlic cloves then transfer the pan to the oven and let it cook until the chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes. Return the pan to the stovetop and cook over medium heat until the butter is brown, about 3 to 5 minutes more. Serve with a squeeze of lemon and, if desired, some fresh parsley. 

Another method from Cuisinovia (using all butter and no olive oil):

Ingredients

• 4 chicken breast fillets, with skin, no bones 
• ¾ cup all purpose flour
• 500 grams unsalted butter 
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled and left whole
• 2 lemons

Preheat oven to 220 C. Season the chicken fillets with salt and pepper on both sides. Dredge them in the flour and place them next the stove. Divide the butter in 8, roughly equal pieces. Put a large oven proof skillet, over medium heat. Add 2 pieces of the butter and let it melt. Add the garlic together with the chicken, skin side down. Let it cook, undisturbed, for 10 minutes. Add 2 more pieces of the butter and cook 5 minutes more. Add another piece of butter and transfer skillet in the preheated oven. Bake for 10 minutes. Transfer skillet back on the stove, turn the chicken over and add the remaining butter. Cook for 5 minutes more. Squeeze half a lemon over the chicken. Cut the remaining lemons in wedges and serve with the chicken

Cream Cheese Spice Cake with Penuche Frosting

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups salted butter , at room temperature (3 sticks)
• 8 ounces cream cheese , at room temperature
• 3 cups granulated sugar
• 6 eggs , at room temperature
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon allspice
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground clove

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 325º F. Spray a 12-cup Bundt or tube pan well with baking spray or grease with softened butter and dust with flour, making sure to coat well to prevent any sticking.
2. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or using a hand mixer), beat the butter, cream cheese, and sugar until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition until well combined. Add the flour, salt, and vanilla and beat until well blended but do not over mix. Pour into the prepared pan.
3. Bake until the top is golden brown, the cake springs back when lightly pressed, and a wooden toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 1 1/2 hours. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes on a wire rack, and then turn the cake out onto the rack to cool completely. 

For the frosting:
Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup half-and-half cream
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1/3 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Preparation:

1. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in brown sugar and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and continue to simmer for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in half-and-half cream and salt and return to a boil, continuing to stir. Remove the caramel from the heat and allow to cool to lukewarm, then add vanilla.
2. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar with an electric mixer until smooth, being careful not to over-beat. If the frosting becomes too thick, hot water can be added to thin it out. Spread over a cooled cake and sprinkle with pecans. Allow the frosting to set before serving, about 15 minutes.

Magnolia Bakery Banana Pudding

My neighbor had loads of Magnolia Bakery Banana Pudding shipped in from NYC for her birthday. Lo and behold, they have published the recipe. I actually thought it got better after a day in the fridge and when I make it again, I will reduce the whipped cream by at least 1/2 cup and add more bananas and wafers. (The original recipe also calls for using a piping bag, which seems entirely unnecessary.)

Ingredients

• 1 can (14oz) sweetened condensed milk
• 1 1/2 cups cold water (filtered is best)
• 1 small box (3.4 oz.) instant vanilla pudding mix
• 3 cups heavy whipping cream
• 1 box of Nilla Wafers (cookies)
• 4 medium bananas

Preparation:

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer, blend sweetened condensed milk and cold water until combined. Add pudding mix and blend on medium speed about 2 minutes. Transfer mixture to a small bowl, cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours (or overnight).
2. After the pudding mixture has chilled and is very firm (at least 4 hours), beat cold whipping cream in the bowl of an electric mixer until the cream is fluffy and holds a stiff peak. Then, use a spatula to gently fold the pudding mixture into the whipped cream. Fold/stir just until the pudding is combined. 
3. Pour about 1/2 of the box of Nilla Wafers into a large bowl and break up each cookie in half or into a couple pieces.
4. Slice bananas, reserving a 1/2 of a banana (in the peel) to slice and add just before serving.
5. Begin assembly by adding a few broken cookies, a few slices of banana, and a layer of the pudding. Repeat with cookies, banana and pudding. Add a third layer if possible (depending on your dishes). Chill assembled desserts at least 30 minutes or up to 6 hours. Shortly before serving, add a garnish of a few broken cookies and a slice of banana.

Rhubarb and Ginger Oat Crumble

Another recipe from The Ginger Pig.

Ingredients
125g (4.5oz) chilled butter, diced
125g (4.5oz) plain flour
50g (2oz) ground almonds
50g (2oz) soft brown sugar
50g (2oz) rolled oats
700g (1lb 9oz) rhubarb, course strings removed
20g (3/4 oz) fresh ginger root, peeled and grated
50g (2oz) unrefined caster sugar

Preparation
Preheat oven to 180ºC/350ºF/GM4
Rub the butter and flour together in a bowl until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the ground almonds, sugar and oats and mix well.
Chop the rhubarb and place in an overproof dish with the ginger. Add 4 Tbsp of water, spring with the caster sugar, then evenly spoon the crumble mixture over the top.
Place the dish on a baking sheet and bake for 40 minutes, until golden and bubbling.

Serves 4. Add a bag of frozen berries when rhubarb is running low to make the recipe go farther.

Spanish Roast Chicken

This recipe was published in The Times and is also in the Ginger Pig cookbook. I used a smaller chicken and 2/3rds of the vegetables suggested.

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 3kg good-quality chicken
• 1 tbsp sweet paprika
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

      For the bed of vegetables

• 3 onions, peeled and cut into quarters
• 3 carrots, peeled and cut into quarters
• 3 large tomatoes, cut into quarters
• 2 red chillies, cut into quarters
• 2 garlic heads, cut in half horizontally
• 3 red peppers, deseeded and cut into chunks
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 thyme sprigs
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 400ml white wine
• 300g black olives, stoned (optional)

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 180ºC/350ºF/GM4.
2. Put all the ingredients for the bed of vegetables into a large lidded casserole dish. Mix well. 
3. Rub the chicken all over with the olive oil. Spring with the paprika and seasoning and rub these into the chicken, too. 
4. Place the chicken in the dish on top of the vegetables and cover with a tight-fitting lid. Place in the oven for 90 minutes, then remove the lid and cook for a further 20 mins to crisp up the skin. Serve with rice or pasta. 

Serves 6.

Aachener Printen

Ingredients

• 500 grams dark corn syrup
• 3 tablespoons water
• 10 grams potash
• 1 tablespoon rum
• 150 grams rock candy
• 100 grams sugar
• 60 grams candied orange peel, finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons aniseed, ground
• 2 teaspoons coriander, ground
• 1 pinch cloves, ground
• 600 grams flour
• Some dark syrup and water

Method
In a saucepan over medium heat, stir together syrup and water until hot. Remove from heat and cool slightly. Dissolve the potash in the rum. Break the rock candy into very small pieces. Add all of the ingredients to a large mixing bowl and knead until dough forms. Wrap in plastic wrap and let dough rest for 5 days in a cool place. Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease baking sheets. On a lightly floured board, roll dough out to 1/4 inch thick and cut out 1-inch by 2-inch rectangles. Place cookies on prepared baking sheets, about 2 inches apart. Bake 15 minutes. Allow to cool for one minute on baking sheet and then remove to wire racks to cool completely. Glaze the cookies with a mixture of one part syrup to one part water. When dry, store in tins at room temperature.

Smoked Haddock, Creamed Leeks on Toast with Pickled Walnut

Another attempt at a re-creation. The Oxford & Cambridge Club had a club canapé on their dessert menu that I adored. Creamed smoked haddock on toast and topped with a pickled walnut. I've been trying to find something similar. This seems to come closest:

Ingredients

• 600g smoked haddock fillets
• 2 medium leeks
• 50g butter
• 200ml double cream
• 500ml whole milk
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 thyme stalk
• 6 peppercorns
• 1 tbsp freshly chopped chives
• 1/2 juice of lemon
• 4 slices of wholemeal bread for toast
• 2 pickled walnuts

Method

1. ​First poach the haddock
2. Heat the milk with the bay leaf, thyme and peppercorns in a large saucepan until almost boiling. Place the haddock fillets in to the milk and allow to simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and leave to one side.
3. For the leeks, remove the dark green end of the leeks and discard. Slice the remainder of the leeks length ways in half and then slice across so you have half moon shaped slices about 1 cm thick. Melt the butter in a pan and when foaming add the leeks and cook gently on a low to medium heat for around 10 minutes until very soft without the leeks browning at all. Season with salt and add the double cream. Reduce the cream by half on a medium to high heat then remove from the heat.
4. Remove the haddock from the milk and flake into the leeks. Add a couple of tablespoons of the poaching milk, the chopped chives, and some of the lemon juice, and gently fold the haddock in to the leeks. Adjust the seasoning, adding more lemon juice if required.
5. Serve on some toast with a slice or two of pickled walnut. Enjoy!

Here's another version: 

Ingredients:

• 450g smoked haddock fillets
• 4 banana shallots – 2 finely chopped & 2 in quarters
• 1 large leek – finely chopped
• 100ml white wine
• 300ml Rodda’s double cream
• Salt
• Black peppercorns
• Bunch of fresh chives
• 4 thick slices of Baker Tom’s sourdough bread
• 3-4 pickled walnuts

Method:

1. In a saucepan, pour in half a pint of Trewithen milk and bring to a simmer. Then place the smoked haddock fillets in the pan and poach, infusing with one bay leaf, a sprig of thyme, black peppercorns and two shallots in quarters.
2. When the fillets start to flake the fillets are cooked. Take the fillets out of the pan and off the heat, remove the skin and any bones and flake into pieces onto a separate plate.
3. In another pan, sauté two shallots and the leeks (finely chopped) in a little olive oil until soft.
4. Add the white wine and cook until the wine has evaporated.
5. Add the double cream and cook for 3-4 minutes. Then add the flaked haddock and fold the leeks and shallots into the flakes.
6. Add finely chopped chives and check the seasoning, you may not need any salt as the smoked haddock can be salty enough.
7. Toast the sourdough bread and then heap the leeks and haddock mixture on top.
8. Garnish with 2-3 slices of the drained pickled walnuts and serve.

I found smoked haddock (and haggis) at The Scottish Gourmet.