Gruyère & Walnut Scones

The man of science has learned to believe in justification, not by faith, but by verification.
~Thomas H. Huxley

To those who still cling to blind faith, failing to relentlessly test assumptions and rejecting rational inquiry, here are just a few of the more egregious beliefs that have been disproven and no longer enjoy acceptance in the scientific community…

The earth is the center of the universe and all celestial bodies revolve around it. The universe is static, neither expanding nor contracting. The earth is not spherical, but flat. The earth is a hollow sphere containing light and housing an advanced civilization. The earth was created by a divine being 5,000 years ago and is not some 4.5 billion years old. The theory of evolution is wholly false and imaginary. The human body contains four balanced humors: blood, yellow bile, black bile, and phlegm. The functions of all living things are controlled by a “vital force” or “life spark” and not by biophysical means. Life is generated spontaneously from inanimate matter. People are born with a tabula rasa (“blank slate”) bereft of innate traits or genetic proclivities. Modern alchemy, in which ordinary metals are turned into gold, is on firm footing. All combustible objects contain a special element called phlogiston that is released during burning. Global warming, the increase in atmospheric temperatures that results in climate changes due to anthropegenic causes, is a conspiratorial hoax. Santa Claus and the tooth fairy exist.

That is an extreme short list which does not even touch a host of fictions, but you get the drift. Empirical knowledge trumps raw faith.

When pandering to worldly warmth, please share these savory scones–best nestled up to a mate, with a bowl of hearty soup and a glass of vin rouge.

GRUYERE & WALNUT SCONES

1 1/4 C walnuts

2 1/4 C all-purpose flour
1 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
6 T cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1 C Gruyère or Comté cheese, shredded
1 1/2 t fresh thyme leaves, stemmed and chopped

1 large egg, room temperature, lightly beaten
4 T buttermilk
4 T heavy whipping cream
1 T honey
1 T Dijon mustard

Gruyère cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 400 F

Place walnuts on a baking sheet and bake until toasted. Allow to cool, remove to a cutting board, chop and set aside.

In a large bowl combine walnuts, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add butter and rub in until the mixture resembles coarse meal. It is important that the butter be cold so when it is worked into the flour mixture it does not become a smooth dough. Do not overwork–it should be like a pie dough. Add the Gruyère and thyme thoroughly but gently.

Make a well in center of the dough mixture. In a small bowl combine egg, buttermilk, cream, honey, and mustard and add to the flour mixture, stirring with a spoon until moist. If overly dry, add some more buttermilk and if too wet add more flour.

Gather dough into a ball. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead dough by folding and gently pressing it for about a dozen times. Shape dough into a round about 3/4″ thick. Using a cookie cutter or small wine glass, cut rounds of dough. (Alternatively, you may cut the dough into triangles.) Gather the scraps, reshape the dough into the same thickness, and cut into more rounds or triangles. Arrange on a baking sheet about 1″-2″ apart and sprinkle the top of each with just a little more Gruyère.

Bake scones until tops are lightly golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 15-20 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Mundane Muffins? Nah, Not Really.

If to be interesting is to be uncommonplace, it is becoming a question, with me, if there are any commonplace people.
~Mark Twain

I openly admit to primitive pastry and baking skills. My purlieu lies elsewhere, in a more savory world.

The term “muffin” is derived either from the French word moufflet, meaning a soft bread, or from the German word muffe which is the name for a type of cake. Much like pancakes, it is a two bowl yeast-less method where you simply fold the wet into the dry. Please do not overmix—this overdevelops the gluten in the flour which causes tough muffins with tunnels and a compact, almost rubbery texture. Always hand stir the batter until just thick and lumpy.

Symmetrical with domed tops, these muffins are humble homages to those overripe bananas or luscious blueberries peering at you from the counter or fridge. In either event, moist and tender muffins are fine ways to fuel up a morning coupled with a morning cup of joe, or they can be that needed pick me up when you hit that proverbial late afternoon wall…maybe they are an occasional antidote to circadian cycle hiccups.

This may fall short of provocative fare that elicits raves. Then again, things plebeian are not always prosaic.

BANANA OAT MUFFINS

1 1/2 C walnuts

2 C all-purpose flour
1 1/2 C rolled oats
1 1/2 C granulated white sugar
2 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
2 t ground cinnamon
Grating of nutmeg

4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 C unsalted butter (1 stick), melted and cooled
6 very ripe large bananas (approximately 1 lb.), mashed well (about 1-1/2 cups)
2 t pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 F

Place the nuts on a baking sheet and bake for about 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly toasted. Let cool and then chop coarsely.

In a large bowl combine the flour, oats, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and nuts.

In a medium-sized bowl combine the mashed bananas, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla.

Lightly fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until just combined, and the batter is thick and chunky. Take care not to over mix the batter as totally smooth batter will yield tough, rubbery muffins.

Line two 12 holed muffin pans with paper liners or butter. Spoon the batter into the prepared tins. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 20-25 minutes. Place on a wire rack to cool for five minutes and then remove muffins from pan.

BLUEBERRY MUFFINS

5 C all-purpose flour
1 C granulated white sugar
1/2 C raw sugar
3 t baking powder
1 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
Zest of one orange
Zest of one lemon

2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 C buttermilk or plain low-fat yogurt
1 1/3 C canola oil
2 t pure vanilla extract
3 1/2 C fresh blueberries

Preheat oven to 350 F

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, orange and lemon zests. Gently fold in the blueberries.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla extract.
Fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir only until the ingredients are combined. Do not over mix the batter as smooth batter will yield tough, rubbery muffins.

Line two 12 holed muffin pans with paper liners or butter. Spoon the batter into the prepared tins. Fill each muffin cup about 3/4 full of batter. Place in the oven and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean, about 20-25 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool for about 5 minutes before removing from pan.

Buttermilk Waffles with Pecans

He give her a look that you could of poured on a waffle.
~Ring Lardner

Carbo loaders unite!…but for the butter.

Waffles are leavened cousins of the ancient communion wafer which were once baked in irons and likewise displayed a honeycomb pattern. Waffles were first introduced to this continent in the 17th century by Dutch settlers. Even Thomas Jefferson brought a waffle iron from France at considerable trouble and expense when “waffle frolics” became the fad. Quite the image. Sounds like a scene from La Grande Bouffe, a controversial early 70′s film with its scatological humourous depictions of sex and over eating. Picture President Jefferson with his slave-lover-baby-mama Sally Hemings, batter, syrup and butter…an early 19th century 9 1/2 Weeks. A waffle frolic, to be sure.

BUTTERMILK WAFFLES WITH PECANS

2 C flour
1 T baking powder
1 t baking soda
1 T sugar
1/2 t sea salt

4 organic egg whites
4 organic egg yolks
2 C buttermilk
12 T unsalted butter, melted and cooled

3 T pecans, roughly chopped and toasted

Preheat waffle iron

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt, then set aside. Beat egg whites until they hold about a 2″ peak. Set aside.

In another bowl, lightly whisk egg yolks, add buttermilk then the melted butter and whisk further until combined. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients except for the egg whites. Gently whisk them together with several swift strokes. Gently fold in the toasted pecans and then the egg whites. The batter should have a thick pebbled, unincorporated appearance much like muffin batter—it is preferable to undermix than to overmix.

Pour between 1/2 to 3/4 cup batter (or the amount recommended by the maufacturer) onto the preheated waffle iron. Spread the batter to within 1/2″ of the edge of the grids. Close the lid and bake until the waffle is light golden brown.

Serve with unsalted butter and pure maple syrup.

Fried Bird

The light delectable tapas behind us, I felt the urge to offer some heartier fare.

Frying food, including chicken, is both an antiquated and timeless cooking method…going back to ancient cultures such as Egypt, Rome and Asia, even medieval Europe. For instance, Apicius mentions sweet and savory fritters in his classic Roman cooking text even though he does not detail the cooking methodology. This widespread early birth of fried food is no surprise, as dredging foods with flour and spices then frying tenderizes and enhances flavor.

In the 19th century, fried chicken emerged as a deeply rooted staple in the American South with many claiming that Scottish immigrants brought their tradition of deep fat frying chicken to these states. At the same time, the efficient cooking process was well adapted to the plantation life of African-American slaves, who were sometimes allowed to raise chickens…introducing seasonings and spices that were earlier absent in Scottish cuisine.

Whatever the origin, fried chicken often provokes strong emotions and opinions about technique.

Although not crucial, this recipe entails soaking the fowl in a brining solution before beginning the actual cooking process. Briefly (and inadequately), brining alters cellular structure so that more water than usual is retained while the meat is denatured. As the meat cooks, the heated proteins will begin to reduce tightly and exude juice at a lower rate, producing a more tender piece of meat. We hope.

When brining, be sure to use the appropriate container, such as glass or plastic. Aluminum is not a good choice because the salted water and enzymes in the meat combine, creating a chemical reaction with the aluminum which adversely affects flavor.

FRIED CHICKEN

1 free range, organic fryer chicken

Brine solution:
3/4 C honey
12 whole peppercorns
6 sprigs thyme
6 sprigs rosemary
6 plump, fresh garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
3/4 C lemon juice
1 part sea salt to 8 parts cold water, enough to cover chicken

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

3 C all purpose flour
2 T garlic powder
2 T onion powder
2 T sweet paprika
2 t cayenne pepper
Freshly ground black pepper

1 quart buttermilk
2 T hot chili sauce (Sriracha)

Peanut oil
6 sprigs fresh thyme
4 sprigs fresh rosemary
1 bunch fresh sage
6 plump, fresh garlic cloves, peeled and smashed

Prepare the brine solution by combining all ingredients and stirring well in a large heavy pot; bring to a boil for 5 minutes, then cool completely. In a large bowl or container, cover the chicken entirely with the cooled brine solution. Refrigerate, covered, for 4 to 8 hours. Rinse and pat dry. Cut into eight pieces and season with salt and pepper.

In a large shallow platter, mix the flour, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and cayenne until well blended and then season with pepper. In another platter, combine the buttermilk and hot sauce with a small whisk.

Drain the chicken and pat it dry. Dredge the pieces, a few at a time, in the flour mixture, then dip them into the buttermilk; dredge them again in the seasoned flour. Set aside and let the chicken rest while you prepare the oil. If possible, let stand 1 hour on parchement paper.

Add about 3 inches of peanut oil to a large deep heavy pot. Add the thyme, rosemary, sage, and garlic to the cool oil and heat over medium-high heat until the oil registers 340 to 350 F. The herbs and garlic will perfume the oil with their flavor as the oil comes up to temperature. Skim the fried herbs out of the oil and set aside. Remove garlic and discard. Do not allow the garlic to burn.

Working in batches, carefully add the chicken pieces 3 or 4 at a time. Fry, turning the pieces once, until golden brown and cooked through, about 12 minutes for dark meat and 8 minutes for breasts. When the chicken is done, remove from pan and allow to drain on paper towels. Season some with salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Repeat with the remaining chicken pieces. When serving scatter the reserved fried herbs over the top. Serve hot or room temperature.

Serve with mashed potatoes (see Smashed Potatoes post) and green beans with finely diced garlic.

Weekend Pancakes & Crêpes

I remember when I was a kid I used to come home from Sunday School and my mother would get drunk and try to make pancakes.
~George Carlin

Is Kansas truly as flat as a pancake? A few years ago, three geographers compared the flatness of Kansas to the flatness of a pancake. The findings of these scientists from Texas State and Arizona State Universities were published in the Annals of Improbable Research. They used topographic data from a digital scale model prepared by the U.S. Geological Survey, and they carefully culled a pancake from the International House of Pancakes. If perfect flatness were a value of 1.00, they reported, the calculated flatness of a pancake would be 0.957 “which is pretty flat, but far from perfectly flat”. Kansas’s flatness however turned out to be 0.997, which they said might be described, mathematically speaking, as “damn flat.”

One of my now grown nieces asked for the pancake recipe which we often made on Saturday mornings when everyone was young—a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away. For good measure, a recipe for their more delicate French cousins, crêpes, is posted as well. By no means are these flat delicacies limited to breakfast fare.

BUTTERMILK PANCAKES

Dry Stuff:
3 C all purpose flour
6 T sugar
3 t baking powder
1 t salt

Wet Stuff:
4+ C buttermilk
6 T unsalted butter, melted and cooled
4 eggs

2+ T unsalted butter
Maple syrup
Berries (optional)

Whisk dry ingredients in one bowl and whisk wet ingredients in another bowl. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and with a spoon gently mix them together until just combined. You may need to add more buttermilk to attain the proper batter consistency. After mixing, the batter should have some small lumps. Make sure you do not over mix the batter, or the pancakes will be tough and rubbery.

Heat a griddle or large skillet over medium low heat—until a few sprinkles of water dropped on the griddle or skillet dance about. Then, place a tablespoon or more of butter on griddle or skillet. When butter foam subsides, ladle pancake batter onto griddle or skillet, directing the batter into rounds and making pancakes of any size you desire. Cook until bubbles form on the top of the pancake and turn until the underside is light brown. Adjust heat as necessary; usually, the first batch will require higher heat than subsequent batches. Almost invariably, the first batch will be of lesser quality. So, as with all cooking keep the faith.

Pancakes can be served in many ways: by rolling them around a sweet preserve filling; presented flat with butter and maple syrup; or with just a simple dusting of powdered sugar.

For blueberry, blackberry or other berry pancakes: sprinkle fresh berries on the tops of the pancakes just as bubbles start to appear on the top surface of the batter, then turn when ready.

Pourboire: Pure maple syrup is far superior to the artificial varieties, which are often made with corn syrup and maple flavoring. Maple syrup is graded based upon USDA regulations according to color and flavor. Grade A Light Amber, is quite light and has a mild, delicate maple bouquet and flavor. Grade A Medium Amber, is a tad darker, and has a more pronounced maple flavor. Grade A Dark Amber, is darker yet, with a robust and hearty maple flavor. Grade B, sometimes called Cooking Syrup, is made late in the season, and is very dark, with a very strong maple flavor, as well as some caramel flavor. Finally, consider topping a small stack of fresh pancakes with a healthy dollop of fine ricotta.

CREPES

1 C whole milk
2 large eggs
1 C all purpose flour
2 1/2 T granulated sugar
3 T unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
1/4 t salt

Unsalted butter for cooking

Jam or preserves (your choice)
Confectioners’ sugar

Preheat oven to 200 F

Blend milk, eggs, flour, granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons butter, and salt in a blender, scraping down side once or twice, until batter is smooth, about 1 minute. Let batter stand at room temperature 1 hour which allows the bubbles to subside and helps prevent tears during cooking.

Add butter to a heavy nonstick skillet to coat bottom. Heat over moderate heat until hot, then pour 1/4 cup batter into skillet, tilting to coat bottom evenly. Cook until the underside is pale golden, 1 to 2 minutes, then loosen crêpe and flip with a spatula. Again cook until the underside is pale golden, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Transfer to a heatproof platter and keep warm in oven.

Spread with your favorite jam or preserves, roll them up and dust with confectioners’ sugar.