Chocolate Chip Cherry Cookies

There's a bakery in the Ferry Building that makes wonderful chocolate chip cherry cookies. Rather than spending $2 a pop, I wanted to make my own cookies. I adapted a recipe from America's Test Kitchen. Using browned butter and all brown sugar gives the cookies a nice caramel flavor. I used dried sweet cherries in the recipe.

Chocolate Chip Cherry Cookies
Makes about 5 dozen cookies

14 T unsalted butter (1¾ sticks or 7 oz)
1¾ cups packed brown sugar
2 cups plus 2 T unbleached all-purpose flour (10½ ounces)
½ tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 large eggs
1 T vanilla extract
12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup dried cherries, chopped
1 cup chopped pecans

Heat 10 tablespoons (5 oz) butter in small saucepan over medium-high heat until melted, about 2 minutes. Continue to cook, swirling pan frequently until butter is dark golden brown and has nutty aroma, 1 to 3 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and transfer browned butter to large heatproof bowl. Stir remaining 4 tablespoons (2 oz) butter into hot butter to melt; set aside for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Line a large (18 by 12-inch) baking sheets with parchment paper. (I used a silpat)

Add 1¾ cups brown sugar and salt to bowl with cooled butter; mix until no sugar lumps remain, about 30 seconds. Scrape down sides of bowl with a rubber spatula. Then add the eggs and vanilla and mix until fully incorporated, about 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the flour mixture and mix until just combined, about 1 minute. Give the dough a final stir with rubber spatula to ensure that no flour pockets remain and ingredients are evenly distributed. Add chocolate chips, cherries and pecans.

Drop by heaping teaspoonfuls onto the baking sheet. Bake 12 to 14 minutes. Do not overbake.

Cool cookies on baking sheet and then transfer the cookies to wire rack and cool to room temperature.

In praise of 1,000 calorie sandwiches

A cross-post from one of my other blogs.

Fried Chicken Sandwich...you know you want it

Now that my classes are over and my job doesn't start for another month, I really have no need to go anywhere. With the exception for Trader Joe's, I don't go outside. I've become agoraphobic.

In spite of my aversion to the great outdoors, I ventured over to the East Bay in search of the fried chicken sandwich at Bakesale Betty. The owner was the former pastry chef at Chez Panisse and she was profiled in the SF Chronicle last year. The article includes the recipe for the sandwich.

Since it was a beautiful day and I had some free time, I went off in search of the elusive sandwich. Sure, I really don't need to eat anything that has over 1,000 calories. But I love fried chicken and I love other 1,000 calorie sandwiches. I walked from the BART station to Telegraph, which helped to offset the caloric intake.

The bakery was a tiny operation on the corner of Telegraph and 51st. The sidewalks were lined with old benches and ironing board that doubled for dining tables. People were lined up out the door. That gave me time to peruse the menu selection. I passed on the strawberry shortcake, but I gladly accepted a ginger cookie that was handed out to waiting customers.

I waited for my turn at the counter and I was soon seated outside on a sunny street in Oakland eating a friend chicken sandwich. The verdict: it was pretty good. It's hard to go wrong with fried chicken and cole slaw on Acme bread. I may even venture back to East Bay for another sandwich run after I overcome my agoraphobia.

Lox of love

Nova lox and whitefish salad plate from Barney Greengrass

San Francisco may be a foodie destination, but there is a serious lack of good delis in the city. That's not to say there aren't good delis in California. I could name several in Los Angeles - Canter's, Junior's, Langer's and my favorite, Nate & Al's. It may have to do with the entertainment industry.

On my last trip to New York, I made a pilgrimage to Barney Greengrass on the Upper West Side. I had been to the one in Beverly Hills many times, but I needed to see the home of smoked fish.

There's something utterly simple and comforting about silky, salty salmon and cream cheese on a pumpernickel bagel.

Hold a torch

The Olympic torch relay is going on right now in San Francisco. It's been surprisingly smooth, given all the protests in the city and what had occurred in London and Paris.

How do I braise thee?

It's winter. And except for the past three days, it's been pretty damn cold, for San Francisco. The temps have been down to the 30s. This is the perfect time to make stew. I love braised dishes. They're usually made from the cheaper cuts of meat. The tendons and collagen breaks down during the long cooking process and makes for a rich, unctuous sauce.

I made Braised Beef Stroganoff from the NY Times over the weekend. The original recipe calls for beef tenderloin, but this recipe uses chuck roast. Right now, I'm on a student budget and filet mignon is a bit pricey.

Braised Beef ‘Stroganoff’

2 ½ pounds beef chuck, cut into 1-inch cubes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 medium yellow onions, peeled and sliced
½ cup white wine
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
¾ cup yogurt
2 tablespoons butter
8 ounces button or crimini mushrooms, stems removed and caps sliced
Cooked and buttered egg noodles (optional).

1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Season the beef all over with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a stew pot over high heat. When hot, add the beef and cook, in batches if needed, until browned. Transfer to a plate.

2. Reduce heat to medium-low, add the onions and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until the onions are softened, about 15 minutes. Add the white wine, 2 cups of water and a pinch of salt, scraping the caramelized bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. Return the beef and its juices to the pot and bring to a boil. Cover, place in the oven and cook until the beef is tender, about 2 ½ to 3 hours.

3. Transfer the beef and ¼ of the onions to a large plate. Purée the remaining onions and cooking liquid in a blender with the mustard and yogurt, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Return the beef and the reserved onions to the cooking pot and stir in the sauce.

4. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and sauté until tender. Season with salt, and add to the pot. If you choose, serve over buttered egg noodles.
Serves 6.
Adapted from Daniel Patterson.

Cooking with Google

A few years ago someone posted a blog post called "Cooking with Google." The idea was that you enter in the ingredients you have on hand and Google with find recipes for you.

Of course the good folks at Google latched onto that idea and came up with Google Base. Its one quick way to answer, "What's for dinner?"

After the storm

The Bay Area was pounded by the worst storm I've seen since I've moved to San Francisco on Friday. Wind gusts reached 70 mph. Of course I had to go outside during the worst part of the storm. It was like getting sprayed with high power hoses. Cars in front of my building has to pull over and stop because the wind was too strong. I saw a woman try to cross the street only to give up and run back inside.

About 1.2 million people lost power. The next storm is supposed to arrive tomorrow.
The storm toppled 30 foot trees in the park across from my apartment.

More damage

Chicken with Riesling

I've been cooking up a storm lately. It's one way of dealing with stress. I made Coq au Riesling from Nigella Lawson. Chicken, bacon and wine - how could you go wrong? Yes, that's a half pound of bacon in the recipe.


Coq au Riesling

1 1/2 hour, plus overnight refrigeration (optional)

8 ounces sliced bacon, sliced crosswise into 1-inch pieces
3 medium onions, peeled and roughly chopped
10 chicken thighs, with skin and bone
8 ounces button mushrooms, halved
2 large or 3 small cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley
3 tablespoons chopped tarragon
1 bottle dry or off-dry riesling wine.

1. Place large flameproof casserole or other heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat. Add bacon, and stir until it begins to release its fat. Add onions and sauté until softened, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer mixture to plate, leaving behind as much liquid fat as possible.
2. Place pan over medium-high heat. Working in batches (do not overcrowd pan), brown chicken pieces on both sides, transferring them to a plate after they are browned.
3. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add mushrooms, garlic, 3 tablespoons of parsley and 2 tablespoons of tarragon. Sauté until mushrooms are coated in fat, about 1 minute. Return chicken pieces, onions and bacon to pan. Add wine, and raise heat to bring to a boil. Partially cover, turn heat to low, and simmer for 1 hour.
4. To serve immediately, sprinkle with remaining parsley and tarragon. For best results, cool, and refrigerate overnight. The next day remove any chilled fat on surface with paper towels. Reheat gently, sprinkle with parsley and tarragon, and serve.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings.

Food for thought

France

A week ago I was in Paris. Here are some of the highlights of the trip.

Token picture of the Eiffel Tower
Le temps des ceries
Cheese, glorious cheese
Val de Loire
Chateau de Chenonceau
St. Emilion
Sunset over the Atlantic
That's one big dune
Sète
Now I'm back to the mundane and banal existence of everyday life.