Mom's Milestone and Crab Benedict

My mother has been on a fish-vegetable-juicing-flax seed- barley grass-kales sprint since she was diagnosed with breast cancer. The other day she leans over and says, oh, let's have eggs benedict, but with crab - like this restaurant in town serves.

So this morning, in part because of logistics, as a celebration of her last day of radiation, we had crab benedict. Now, making fancy breakfasts isn't my thing, as any of my colleagues can attest, but I love making it at my parents.' Perhaps because they are so cheery and bustling at 5:30 (yes, that would be in the morning - on weekends, it is closer to 6:30, yes, am).

The hollandaise sauce is actually quite easy. The trick is to keep whisking. Yeah, a bit of a workout, but really great results. And clearly, use only real crab. No fake stuff, and if the crab is small, use a little more. It's amazing. You need to try this recipe. Beats any other Benedict by FAR!

Crab Benedict
Serves 4

1/2 dungeoness crab - big fat one, separated into large pieces, fat removed, about 2 cups chunky crab
4 - 8 eggs, poached (one to two eggs per person - we found one to be sufficient)
4 whole wheat English muffins, sliced and lightly toasted
1 recipe Martha's hollandaise, but use 2 Tbsps of lemon

A bowl of fruit- to flush out your system

Layer: English muffin, crab, egg, sauce.
Enjoy with a cup of coffee and a baby aspirin!

Girls’ Night and Chocolate Caramel Crack

It technically is “knit night,” but without the knitting – similar to book clubs where books are mere accessories for the chatting and eating. The great thing about “knit” night is that it’s totally low key. You can come in your pajamas after a crazy day, and you go home happy – or at least full – or both. Everyone always brings something yummy, and somehow, everything magically comes together in a warm, fuzzy, almost soul (definitely stomach) sustaining meal.

It seems as though the essentials of (ANY) girls’ night (aka book club, aka "knit" night) are
1. Great people
2. Cheese (actual cheese, not “cheese” aka cheese product)
3. Sugar (not a lot, but some)

This night, we had (real) Cheese Fondue infused with Guinness and apple juice (that’s a whole other blog)… and sugar, well… it was from SmittenKitchen. This recipe found its way to my inbox not long ago. When I tried it, it was like, OMG, why haven’t I ever had this before?
It’s fantastic for entertaining because you can make it well ahead of time, and all you need to do is put it on a plate and watch it get devoured.

Chocolate Caramel Crack(ers)
From SmittenKitchen, who adapted it from David Lebovitz, who adapted it from Marcy Goldman

NOTE: For a regular sized cookie sheet, I halved the recipe.

4 to 6 sheets matzo or approximately 40 Saltines (matzo is easier)
1 cup unsalted butter, cut into large pieces
1 cup packed light brown sugar
A big pinch of sea salt (or kosher)
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups semi- or bittersweet chocolate chips or chunks
1 cup toasted chopped almonds, pecans, walnuts
Extra sea salt for sprinkling (optional, but highly recommended)

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 11-by-17-inch baking sheet completely with foil (do NOT skip this step), and then line the base of the foil with parchment paper, cut to fit.

Line the bottom of the baking sheet with matzo or crackers, covering all parts. If using matzo, you'll need to break pieces to fit any extra spaces.

In a medium heavy-duty saucepan, melt the butter and brown sugar together, and stir it over medium heat until it begins to boil. Once it has begun boiling, let it bubble for three more minutes, stirring it well. It will thicken a bit as it cooks. Remove from the heat and add the salt and vanilla, and then quickly pour it over the matzo or crackers. You’ll want to spread it quickly, as it will begin to set as soon as it is poured. A silicone spatula is handy for this.

Bake the caramel-covered crackers for 15 minutes, watching carefully as it will bubble and the corners might darken too quickly and/or burn. You can reduce the heat if you see this happening.

Remove from oven and immediately cover with chocolate chips. Let stand five minutes, and then spread them evenly across the caramel. An offset spatula or silicone spatula works great here. Sprinkle the chocolate with toasted chopped nuts and/or sea salt.

Let cool. The chocolate should be hard. Break it into large pieces and store it in a container. It should keep for a week.

Trade Me for Golf?

Yes, that would be me. Traded for golf...

It's that time of the year, when the frosty winter air gives way to sunshine. When men look over wide expanses of mud in anticipation of that great day. The first day of golf season. It is also the time when millions of women around the world become golf widows.

It is in anticipation of this time, that I got the warning of possible abandonment. Five times. In one conversation. And there was more than one conversation. Ok, maybe not abandonment, but less than the once-a-week date.

So this right of spring seemed like a good time to, oh, dust off the old blog.
A friend of mine told me that this is one of the best blackberry seasons in years. Indeed, the stores are teeming with these plump, juicy bits of deliciousness. And it seemed a good time as any to try Nigella's (that would be Lawson - do you know another Nigella?) Blackberry Galette.

I've had an eye on this recipe since receiving How to Be a Domestic Goddess years ago (I actually have an equally loved paperback version as well - also a gift), but was wary of the whole baked blackberries and creme fraiche situation. But as I pulled it's amazingly gorgeousness out of the oven, juices trickling from the crust, I knew it would be nothing short of amazing. And it was.

Blackberry Galette
Adapted from Nigella Lawson's How to Be a Domestic Goddess

For the pastry:
1/3 cup all purpose flour
2 tbsp polenta or cornmeal
1 tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
5 tbsp butter
1-3 tbsp ice water

For the filling:
1 cup blackberries (more if you like)
2 tbsp sugar (more if you like)
1-2 tbsp creme fraiche

Pulse dry ingredients for the pastry in a food processor. Add butter and pulse briefly until it resembles coarse breadcrumgs. Addjust enough water, a tablespoon at a time, to form a dough. Form into a disc, wrap in seran wrap and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.

Prehead oven to 375 degrees F.

Roll the pastry (between two sheets of waxed or parchment paper) into a 10" round (or so). Transfer to a baking sheet. Spread blackberries around, keeping a 2-3" border. Sprinkle 1 tbsp sugar, then dollop bits of creme fraiche around, sprinkle the rest of the sugar (if you want).

Wrap the edges, creating a little rim around the galette - as you would a pizza crust.

Bake 20 minutes or until the pastry is cooked through.

Note from T: This little galette would be a handy - oh unexpected dinner guests - treat. Just double the pastry recpie, keep half in the freezer next to your frozen blackberries (bought that way or thrown in a ziploc). Creme fraiche has an expiration date of forever, so when the mood strikes, pull everything out of cold storage and you will look like a domestic goddess (or god) yourself!


Enjoy!