Category: Brown Sugar

Belgian Short Ribs Carbonnade

11/11/2020

Serves: 4
1 large whole cinnamon stick
2 bay leaves
2 whole star anise
4 whole allspice berries
5 whole black peppercorns
3 tablespoon butter, divided
2 tablespoons canola oil
4 to 4½ lbs. beef short ribs (8)
1 to 1½ large onions, sliced (about 3 cups)
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 12-ounce bottles brown ale
1 12-ounce bottle cream stout
2 cups beef broth
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
16 packaged pitted prunes
⅓ cup brown sugar, packed
Salt and pepper to taste
Chopped fresh Italian parsley
4 cups cooked wide egg noodles

Cheesecloth, spice sock o bag

Wrap cinnamon stick, bay leaves, star anise, allspice and peppercorns in piece of cheesecloth or a spice sock or bag. Tie to secure; set aside.
Melt 1 tablespoon butter with oil in heavy large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until butter starts to brown.
Sprinkle short ribs with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Working in batches if necessary, add short ribs to pot and cook until deep brown on all sides, turning occasionally, 7 to 8 minutes per batch. Transfer ribs to large bowl.
Add onion to same pot and sauté over medium-high heat until transparent, about 5 minutes.
Add spice packet and Worcestershire sauce; stir 1 minute.
Add the ale, stout, broth, vinegar and brown sugar, stirring well and bring to a boil. Immediately lower to a simmer.
In a small bowl, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Whisk in the flour until you create a roux. Add 2 to 4 tablespoons of the hot simmering liquid ale/stout/broth. Continue to whisk until fully incorporated.
Add the roux to the simmering pot and continue to whisk until all are one.
Add the mustard and brown sugar and blend it into the mixture well. Then add the prunes.
Bring all back to a simmer. Cover and let continue to cook over low heat for about 2½ hours with an occasional stir.
When the ribs are so tender that they could fall away from the bones, remove the spice packet and discard. Remove the ribs from the stew to a holding bowl.
Set a large sieve over a large bowl and strain the stew broth. Reserve the solids.
Extract cooking liquids from the fat (see note). Return the liquids to the same pot and reduce, at a high simmer, to about 4 cups, approximately 15 minutes.
Return the short ribs to the pot with the reserved solids.
Adjust the seasonings to taste and reheat for about 10 minutes.
Place the warm wide ribbon noodles in a large serving bowl. Add the short ribs, sprinkle with parsley and serve.

NOTE: There are a multitude of fat separators on the market. The first I found to be simple, easy and effective to use is the Swing-Away. I see now that there are others that operate on the same principle.

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Hartford Election Cake

10/21/2020

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Serves: 10 to 12
1¼ cup whole milk warmed to 100° (no higher)
1 tablespoon dry yeast
¼ cup mixed dried cranberries
¼ cup dried figs, diced
¼ cup sultanas
¼ cup dried apricots, diced
4 tablespoons dark rum
2 tablespoons orange blossom water, or orange extract, or vanilla extract
¾ cup brown sugar
8 tablespoons butter, softened (1 stick)
3 eggs, slight beaten
3¼ cups flour
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon coriander
1 cup walnuts, chopped

Bundt pan
Butter & flour to prep pan
3 tablespoons butter, melted

Mix the yeast with the heated milk and set aside.
Mix the dried fruit with the rum and orange blossom water in a small bowl and set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat butter and brown sugar for two minutes on medium speed.
Add eggs and beat for two more minutes.
Drain liquid from dried fruit and add liquid to sugar and egg mixture. Mix to combine. Reserve the fruit for a later step.
Sift flour into a bowl with the salt, allspice, cinnamon and coriander.
Transfer to a stand mixer with a dough hook.
Alternate adding flour-spice mixture and milk mixture to form a loose but very sticky dough. Beat only long enough to bring the dough together.
Pour dough into a large bowl, cover with a dish towel and let rise in a warm draft-free place for about two hours or until doubled in size.
While the dough is rising, liberally butter and lightly flour a 10” Bundt pan.
Pour nuts and dried fruit into the dough and mix by hand just until blended throughout.
Scrape the mixture into the prepared Bundt pan.
Cover with a dish towel and let rise until almost doubled in size, about an additional hour.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Bake in the center of the oven for about 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Remove from oven and brush with the melted butter.
Glaze with rum icing. Recipe below.

RUM ICING
⅓ cup butter, softened
¼ cup milk
2 cups confectioner’s sugar
1½ teaspoon rum
1 tablespoon hot water, as needed

Heat butter and milk over low heat. Stir occasionally. When the butter is completely melted and the mixture combined, remove from the heat.
Stir sugar and rum into the butter and milk mixture. Use the hot water to adjust the icing to the thickness desired.

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Caramelized Onions

9/16/2020

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Makes 2 cups
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons light vegetable oil
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons brown sugar
4 lbs. onions (Spanish are best if you can find them. Yellow are good.)
2 tablespoons water
Freshly ground black pepper

Prepare the onions by cutting off root end; halving onion from stem to stern; peel papery covering; placing cut side down on cutting surface and slicing into ¼ inch slices.
Heat the butter and oil over high heat in a very large skillet.
When the foam subsides, add salt, brown sugar and stir.
Add the onions, stirring gently to coat them with the mixture. Stirring occasionally, continue to cook until onions begin to soften and release some additional moisture, approximately 5 minutes
Reduce heat to medium. Continue to cook approximately 40 minutes, stirring frequently, until onions are deeply browned and a little sticky. Take care not to scorch the onions. If they begin sizzling reduce the heat. If they are not browning after about 20 minutes, raise the heat.
Remove the skillet from the heat and add the water, stirring gently but well. Season with freshly ground black pepper.

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Gluten-free Pumpkin Cheesecake with Gingersnap Crust

11/20/2019

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Serves 8

Crust:
2 ½ to 3 cups gluten-free gingersnap cookies crumbled medium finely
3 tablespoons brown sugar
6- 8 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
Pinch of salt

Cheesecake:
1 tablespoon softened unsalted butter
24 oz cream cheese, softened
1 cup brown sugar
1 ½ cups pumpkin puree
½ cup heavy cream
⅓ cup maple syrup
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon ground allspice
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 large eggs

Preheat oven to 350°.
Butter a 9-inch springform cakepan and set aside.
Use a fork to combine the gingersnap crumbles, 3 tablespoons of brown sugar and the melted butter, taking care to add only sufficient butter to bind the other ingredients.
Press the crust mixture into the bottom and up about 2 inches of the sides of the buttered pan.
Add the cream cheese and brown sugar to a large bowl and beat with an electric beater until the mixture is light and fluffy.
Add the pumpkin, stirring to blend well.
Add the heavy cream, maple syrup, cinnamon, allspice and vanilla. Stir to blend well.
Add one egg at a time and using an electric beater on a slow speed, beat each egg into the mixture thoroughly.
Pour the batter into the prepared springform pan. Bake in in the preheated oven for 55 to 85 minutes or until the center is set.
Set on a rack to cool for 30 minutes. Then refrigerate overnight.

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Coffee Granita

6/26/2019

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Serves: 4
Time: 15 minutes, plus 3 to 4 hours freezing

3 cups freshly brewed strong coffee or espresso
½ cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon chocolate syrup
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Chocolate covered coffee beans
Lightly sweetened freshly whipped cream

Stir coffee, sugar, vanilla and syrup together; taste and add more sugar if necessary.
Pour mixture into shallow metal or glass pan or bowl. Freeze about 30 minutes, or until ice crystals begin to form at the edges. Gently stir the crystals back into the liquid, not breaking them up entirely.
Continue to stir and break up clumps of crystals every half-hour or so. When the entire mixture has the texture of soft crushed ice, it’s ready to eat.
Scoop individual portions into serving dishes or glasses. Top with whipped cream, sprinkle with a few chocolate-covered beans and serve.

NOTE: Recipe can be doubled.

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Acorn Squash Roasted with Maple Syrup and Sage Cream

2/27/2019

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Serves 6
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
Salt and freshly ground pepper
3 small acorn squash (about 3 ½ pounds)
2 tablespoons Connecticut maple syrup
¾ cup heavy cream
10 to 12 sage leaves, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
6 sprigs of fresh sage for garnish

Preheat the oven to 350°.
Halve and seed each squash. Shave a patch of skin from bottom of each half to assure that it will sit flat.
Combine the olive oil and the brown sugar in a small bowl.
Place the squash halves cut side up on a rimmed baking sheet or roasting pan. Brush the cavity of and exposed flesh of each piece with oil brown sugar mixture. Season with salt and pepper.
Roast squash for about 45 minutes to one hour until tender and lightly caramelized in spots. Arrange the squash on a large serving platter and drizzle with the maple syrup.
In a small saucepan, bring the cream to a slow simmer with the cut sage and cook over moderate heat for 5 minutes.
Remove from the heat and let stand for 5 minutes. Add the butter.
Strain the cream into a heatproof spouted cup (measuring cup). Drizzle it over the roasted squash, garnish with the fresh sage leaves and serve.

ADVANCE PREP: The roasted squash and sage cream can be refrigerated separately overnight. Reheat in a 350° oven, loosely covered with foil. When heated through, drizzle with maple syrup and serve as above.

Preheat the oven to 350°.
Halve and seed each squash. Shave a patch of skin from bottom of each half to assure that it will sit flat.
Combine the olive oil and the brown sugar in a small bowl.
Place the squash halves cut side up on a rimmed baking sheet or roasting pan. Brush the cavity of and exposed flesh of each piece with oil brown sugar mixture. Season with salt and pepper.
Roast squash for about 45 minutes to one hour until tender and lightly caramelized in spots. Arrange the squash on a large serving platter and drizzle with the maple syrup.
In a small saucepan, bring the cream to a slow simmer with the cut sage and cook over moderate heat for 5 minutes.
Remove from the heat and let stand for 5 minutes. Add the butter.
Strain the cream into a heatproof spouted cup (measuring cup). Drizzle it over the roasted squash, garnish with the fresh sage leaves and serve.

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Belgian Short Ribs Carbonnade

Hartford Election Cake

Caramelized Onions

Gluten-free Pumpkin Cheesecake with Gingersnap Crust

Coffee Granita

Acorn Squash Roasted with Maple Syrup and Sage Cream

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