Although leaving summer is depressing for some, each year I’m always eager to see this seasonal shift. Like how the first buds on spring-time bushes signify the promise of eventual heat, seeing firm apples either draped on bowed tree limbs, or heaped in paper bags at local farmer’s markets, nudges cooks of all levels to turn the culinary page and embrace an entirely different kind of cinnamon-scented warmth. 

You see, regardless of the time of year, I’ve usually got something in-route to crispness in the oven and/or blipping its way to succulence on the stove–Yes, I make stock, fresh breads, duck confit, stews and homemade pasta–even during the dog-days of summer! Trust me, this is not to be a brat–although I do! get an occassional adolescent surge of defiance when I feel the professional tug to comply with what’s expected–with what’s considered “normal summer cooking.”

But when it comes to apples, things are different. Cooking apples in the fall makes me (and apparently a lot of other rebellious types…) happily comply with a culinary calendar–And it’s this ingredient that, more than any other, for many, initiates the cuisine of autumn. Anyway, since I rarely cook by a strictly-seasonal book –and since this can sometimes make me seem brazen– I think that’s one of the reasons why I feel so happy when the apple-abundant season of fall rolls around. Because “now” –almost everyone that loves to cook and bake seems to be on the same page. (Believe me, wanting to kvell about the many life-enhancing benefits of waking up to the insane aromas from an herb-stuffed pork belly (porchetta) after slow roasting all night long–in August–Well, let’s just say, it can get a little lonely over here…)

Anyway, in the spirit of unity, I thought I would give all you apple-lovers a few things to do in the kitchen…

If you love to bake, THIS APPLE TART IS A MUST….

A Crisp, Apple-Cinnamon Galette

Or, if you’re looking for something savory to slurp, here’s a hearty, yet elegant soup…

An Apple-Scented, Curried Butternut Squash Soup sprinkled with toasted pepitas (so delish!).

Or if you’d like to make a gorgeous, chock-full of chunk, applesauce to serve with your roast chicken…

Here you go…

Here’s what my daughter Jessie requested for breakfast, after waking up to the scent of a fresh batch of applesauce.

Warm applesauce, served alongside oatmeal.

Last weekend’s batch.

And, if you want something smooth and luscious to serve along side a platter of potato latkes…

This version of applesauce (above) is perfectly smooth and made from a wide variety of apples after an amazing day of apple-picking. Here’s my blog that gives a step-by-step illustration of how I made that particular batch, which was probably my best one yet–I also share what I learned,  that day, about the bigger picture of life….And, if you want to learn all about the many different types of apples and also get recipes that celebrate each types uniqueness, here’s a new book, all about it.  

The Point: To me, the sudden appearance of mounds of apples in September signify more than a seasonal change. Their comforting look, smell and taste remind me of their most valuable quality; their simplicity.  People like to complicate and label things–we especially like to label ourselves and others. In terms of cooking, we deem ourselves to be either “good, so-so, brave, scared, lousy, brilliant, brazen or conformist.” We often either claim to “cook but don’t bake” or it’s the other way around.  But, in the world of apples, things are simple.  Though each variety has specific nuances that highlights their individuality–there is a very distinct and common thread that ties them all happily together. 

Whether we leave apples whole and take a shiny bite, or peel, slice and bake them buried in a pie, or simmer them vigorously and mash them to a pulp–all apples are valued for exactly what they are; an entity that has the potential to bring deliciousness to the world. So, no matter what type of apple you are, I want you to know that you’re also filled with delicious potential. (And, if anyone reading wants to share notes about the gorgeous “crackling” song-sung as a  fresh, crusty loaf cools, we must be from the same heap. I’m just an email away!…)

Tags: apple tart, apples, applesauce, books about apples, butternut squash soup, cooking apples, latkes and applesauce

Jon and I were coming back from our usual morning walk with Mango and as we approached our house we smelled a wood-fire burning.

Now, I know, I know….most people would be more than a bit un-nerved, seeing that we were out of the house and, when we left, our grown kids were sleeping on a lazy Labor Day morning. 

But that’s not how things seem to work in our house.

Anyway…instead of going into the house through the usual front door, we followed the scent–and went into the backyard through the side.

And…low and behold (not surprisingly) there he was!

My son Benjamin was standing in front of a fully fired up grill–

He was roasting a bread fruit over direct flame (no–actually– IN the flames) in our barbecue, using hardwood (at 10 am in the morning!).

When I saw him I remembered that, the day before, Ben brought this–this odd looking thing into the kitchen. I actually took a picture of it because I had never seen it before.

See, my son Ben loves everything about Jamaica–especially their cuisine–so he’s always shopping at West Indian markets so he can cook their native ingredients. To say he loves to cook is an understatement–and his absolute favorite way to cook is using wood, over open flames.

Maybe it’s partly because he evolved in a home where he experienced cooking as anything but a wussy sport! It wasn’t uncommon for my kids to come down the stairs on a random winter day and see me basting chickens as they would roast (in the fireplace!), using a home-made, slow-twirling, string-spit-concoction. SO MUCH FUN!

And here (below) I’m tending the fire in our wood burning oven….(Truly an athletic experience!)

And just this weekend, on Saturday night, Ben helped me maneuver a 2 foot wide paella pan (no joke–the pan covered four burners!).

The next night (Sunday) I cooked polipo (young octopus). I bought them at Randazzo’s my favorite seafood market on Arthur Avenue in the Bronx.

Aesthetically-speaking (be forwarned) polipo is certainly not for the faint-hearted, but this has never bothered Ben.   

Here they are, after cooking at a brisk simmer (covered) in a pot of vegetable broth for 45 minutes–they then were allowed to cool in the broth…Oh, and don’t panic–The poaching liquid is supposed to turn dark purple.

I drained them…  

 Then I used paper towels to gently pull off the outer skin and fat layer (this takes several paper towels). Expect many of the suction cups to come off, too. (This is good.)

Then I cut up the flesh which is now so tender…

See–it doesn’t look so scary anymore!

Then I added some chopped vegetables…

(Celery, jicama, sweet onion, roasted red pepper, pitted oil-cured olives, chives and jalapeno)

And tossed the whole thing with a perky vinaigrette –and then stuck it in the fridge to chill.  

That same day, Ben came into the kitchen and saw that I was about to wrap whole red snappers in leaves from our fig trees.

 The fish are seasoned with extra-virgin olive oil, minced garlic, fresh herbs (thyme, oregano, chives and Italian parsley) and Kosher salt and fresh black pepper).

So, Ben requested that I put some chopped scallions, hot finger peppers and a squeeze of fresh lime juice underneath and on top of each fish (before enclosing them in the leaves)…So, I did!

Ben helped me tie the leaves around the fish with kitchen twine. (He rinsed the strings in water first, to keep them from charring on the grill–such a smart young man…) I chilled them –and took them out of the fridge about 30 minutes before they would go onto the grill.

I filled two chimney starters with hard-wood charcoal and stuffed the bottom with crumpled newspapers (I don’t stuff too tight or it becomes too hard for the paper to ignite the coals–there needs to be some air in there to help feed the fire once you light the paper on fire).

Once I saw flames at the top of the starters, I dumped the coals out onto the grill (underneath the grate)–this usually takes 15 to 20 minutes after fully igniting the paper. I put the grate down and allowed it to get good and hot–then I waited for it to calm down a bit (about 30 minutes after lowering the grate over the hot coals, I was ready to sear the fish).

Just before laying the fish on hot grate, using long tongs, I swabbed the grate liberally with a towel dipped in some vegetable oil (I used a towel that I don’t care about–for obvious reasons). 

I seared the fish over direct heat (the outsides of the leaves should also be brushed with some of the same seasoning mixture used for the fish).

The fish sear for a few minutes, then they get turned (brush some more of the seasoning mixture on top before turning)…

Then they sear well on the second side, then get moved to a cooler part of the grill (to now be cooked using in-direct heat). Yes, the leaves are supposed to become nice and charred –this is what releases their unique flavor onto the fish (and into the air!).

Once the fish are repositioned, the lid goes down–but not all the way. (I stick a piece of wood under the lid so that it doesn’t close fully–it should have an opening that’s about 2 1/2 inches–

If you have vents, just open them, forget the wood).

This next part is determined by the size of the fish, the intensity of the heat and the internal temperature of the fish when it goes onto the grill…This time, for me, after searing on both sides, was about 15 minutes (covered) –They were perfect…

Ta-dah!

Beyond delish–At the table, we  cut off the strings, divided the fish (each one was between 1 1/3 to 1 1/2 pounds–three fish fed the 5 of us-generously (especially since I also served the polipo salad and some other stuff)–6 would be fed adequately).

We just peeled back the leaves, which revealed the most succulent fish flesh–loaded with flavor! And, Ben was right! The added aromatics made both the taste and texture more savory and diverse.

So, back to Ben in the back yard, cooking a bread fruit over a wood fire (not sure if I need to remind you that it’s 10 am on Labor Day…)

We looked closer to see what he was up to…

He started here…

He nestled the fruit in the fire …and he let it cook.

And cook…The entire cooking process took about 1 1/2 hours–He kept turning it with tongs until completely blackened and the fruit became tender, which is what makes it edible.

I’m talking really BLACKENED!

Once Ben deemed it “done” he took it off the grill and threw it onto the grass until it was just cool enough to handle, then he hacked it in half with this “major” knife.

 He brought it into the kitchen and cut it–removing the blackened skin and nudging the flesh off the central pit.

Ben tasted it while still hot….Just look at him work that knife!

I tasted it too–It was really good! The taste is a combination of a potato and a chestnut (delicious)–with a consistency that’s a bit like home-insulation (that last part I could do without).

Here, we’re making pasta together….Dat-sah-my-boy!!

The point: I’ve never pushed cooking on my children. I always trusted that if I cooked and baked from a genuinely loving, playful and curious place–then they would naturally gravitate toward the kitchen; toward the ability to create joy. Now, as a mother, seeing Ben (my eldest) so happily and so deliberately shop, schlep, chop, knead, sear, simmer and bake–my love and gratitude for my kitchen has deepened. This special room has helped my grown children to nurture themselves and those that they bring into their own homes and hearts, as adults. As a parent, there is nothing that could make me happier. (Well…maybe a wedding??…)

Tags: bread fruit, cooking bread fruit, cooking octopus, cooking polipo, grilled red snapper recipe, hearth cooking, polipo recipe, whole red snappers wrapped in fig leaves

I was literally aching to make challah this weekend. I skipped a few weeks and I was craving the eggy, buttery, milky, yeasty aroma and taste. So, since I knew the kids would be around, I decided to shape my usual dough into three 8 x 4 inch sandwich loaves instead of my more usual braided loaves.

I wanted to make two loaves with seeded tops (for toast and for sandwiches) and one specifically for French toast (no seeds). The fully risen loaves that  get seeds first get swabbed liberally with an egg-wash (before the seeds go on top)–And the one for French toast gets slathered, both before and after baking, with melted butter. Yum.

In case you’re wondering…

Buttering a loaf before and after baking is the way to get a really nice supple (soft and tender) yet still golden crust. Using a beaten egg (with an extra yolk or two) will give the tops a rich, crisp, shiny finish–especially when the egg is given a small splash of water–Adding milk to the egg, on the other hand, will create more of a matt finish–Adding an extra yolk will create an even deeper outer hue. The glaze also acts as a glue for a seeded top. It’s all great –just personal preference.  Anyway,  when using an egg glaze, I suggest straining it after combining the egg with your choice of liquid. This helps to homogenize the two textures (the white and the yolk) making it less gloppy, thus easier to apply with a pastry brush. Allowing the glaze to sit out at room temperature for a while also helps.

Here are two of the loaves just before baking–One glazed with egg plus 2 yolks and a small splash of water…

Above, one loaf is glazed and then striped with sesame and poppy seeds. The other one is brushed with melted butter).

Just out of the oven…Can you detect the subtle differences in the color of the top of these?…Most of the difference is experienced as textural.

Here’s a broader view…

I’m sure you can see why I was craving this amazing bread…My kids love it–Jon loves it and I’m sure if Mango could get her paws on a loaf, she would love it too… 

The Point: My ache to bake is not just about taste. Knowing that the people I love have enjoyed this bread for so many years helps me, as a nurturer, to be the one that connects my family to a wonderful part of the past–while at the same time, making our “present” so special! Plus, the entire bread-making process is  just so much fun…truly.

So, if you’ve never made bread before, I truly hope you’ll make challah your first!–You certainly don’t need to go very far to get the recipe since it’s right here!  You’ll learn how to make both sandwich loaves and a beautiful 6-strand braid like this…

And, to watch the entire process, my new baking series for TV is about to be born (coming this fall!!)–Stay tuned…

Tags: challah bread from scratch, challah bread recipe, challah dough, challah recipe, how to make an egg glaze, making braided loaves, making homemade bread, sandwich loaves, shaping sandwich loaves