Category Archive: First on the First

First on the First is a foray into new experiences in the kitchen! Hosted by me and Kate of Food Babbles, we post on the first of the month.

Mar 01 2014

#FirstOnTheFirst: Individual Beef Wellington

Categories:

Baking, Cooking, First on the First, Food, Recipes

I am not much of a fan of reality TV. There’s very little that’s real about them, to start.I also don’t like how they’re intended to play the audience like a violin. In spite of all of this, I am a junkie for Gordon Ramsay‘s shows. MasterChef. Kitchen Nightmares. And, of course, Hell’s Kitchen. It seems like every week on Hell’s Kitchen someone receives Chef Ramsay’s wrath for screwing up either risotto or Beef Wellington. In my mind, both of these have become epic challenges, so difficult nobody can get them right. Nobody. And yet, I thought it would be a great idea to make Beef Wellington the #FirstOnTheFirst challenge for March 1st. Makes sense, right? Yikes!

Beef Wellington

I originally intended to make little bites of Beef Wellington–it seemed less likely I’d mess that up. But once I bought my meat–which, by the way, I have never approached the butcher in the grocery store before and certainly never spent $19.99/lb for any meat I’ve ever eaten at home–I was too terrified to chop it all up. $35 worth of beef sat on my counter in steak-form–I could not find a roast–and I started to hyperventilate. I don’t cook meat. I love it, but I don’t cook it because the stuff that sells for $7/lb seems too expensive to experiment with. This? This was insane.

Finally, I gave in. Shut the TV off and immersed myself in the challenge. It was time to face my fear and go for it. I had investigated several recipes for inspiration and even watched Chef Ramsay make Beef Wellington himself. I had this.

Once my Individual Beef Wellingtons were in the oven, I watched closely. I was terrified of overcooking them, or ending up with a totally raw center. Chilling the meat in between and throwing the puff pastry-wrapped meat parcels in the freezer for a bit helps keep the beef inside from getting too well done while the puff pastry finishes. 12:30 AM and I was done. Because everyone makes Beef Wellington in the middle of the night, right? I held my breath, plated it, and adored it. Snapped some photos and then dug in. Because you can’t waste a project like this by turning it immediately into leftovers.

Beef Wellington

It was uh-mazing. No exaggeration here. So tender, so rich, so salty and yet not. Wonderful. The next night (the same night?) I served the rest as leftovers to my family. Which was also nerve-wracking–reheating without overcooking. I highly recommend heating on a rack in the pan so the crust doesn’t get soggy, and in a toaster oven or oven, NOT the microwave. The kids LOVED it. They couldn’t get enough, begging for more and more. My leftover Beef Wellington was just as awesome as my midnight snack, albeit a little less glorious. YUM.

So yeah, consider that challenge killed with great success. Will I ever make it again? Probably not–the anxiety level was too high and the investment was too great for a family meal. But I’m glad I tried it. And all of us enjoyed the end result. Take that, Hell’s Kitchen!

Beef Wellington #FirstOnTheFirst collage

Now I know you’re dying to see how everyone else did on this challenge….

Beef Wellington

slightly overcooked but still extremely delicious

Next month for First on the First…

…we’ll be making naan. A much more economical culinary adventure, and one I am really looking forward to. Check out the First on the First tab for more details on how to participate.

#FirstOnTheFirst: Individual Beef Wellington
 
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Author:
Recipe type: Entree
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 4 beef tenderloin steaks (about 1.75-2 pounds total)
  • ¾ teaspoon flaky sea salt (like Maldon)
  • ¼-1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  • 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 10 ounces baby Bella mushrooms
  • 1 medium shallot
  • 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 Tablespoon Kerrygold garlic and herb butter
  • 3 Tablespoons cooking sherry
  • 8 ounces Prosciutto di Parma (8 slices)
  • 1 package Dufour puff pastry (14 ounces), thawed
  • 1 large cage-free egg
Instructions
  1. Take the steaks out 30 minutes before cooking and season with salt and pepper on both sides. Set aside.
  2. In a 10-inch cast iron skillet heat 2 teaspoons EVOO over medium high to high heat.
  3. Add the steaks, spacing at least an inch apart from each other. Sear each side for 1-1.5 minutes, then remove to a plate to chill in the refrigerator while preparing the next part.
  4. Clean mushrooms and slice, then chop shallot. Add both the bowl of a food processor and chop until almost pureed.
  5. In the same skillet used to sear the meat heat the Tablespoon EVOO and herbed butter over medium heat. Add the mushroom paste and sautee until the moisture has cooked out, about 10 minutes.
  6. Add the sherry and cook until the moisture has, once again, cooked out, about ten minutes, stirring often. Remove from heat.
  7. Lay out 4 pieces of plastic wrap and lay out 2 slices of prosciutto in the center of each piece of plastic wrap, overlapping them slightly.
  8. Divide the duxelles (mushrooms/shallots) evenly and spread over the prosciutto.
  9. Remove the steaks from the refrigerator, place one in the center of each prepared prosciutto and, using the plastic wrap to assist, wrap with the prosciutto. Wrap tightly with the plastic wrap and stash in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.
  10. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
  11. Divide the thawed puff pastry into 4 portions and roll them out, if necessary, to accommodate each steak. Cut squares off the corners so you’re left with + signs. Set aside scraps to be cut into small shapes for accents, or saved for another project.
  12. Remove the plastic wrap from the steaks and place one in the center of each piece of puff pastry. Gather the ends so the steaks are wrapped entirely in puff pastry. Place on the prepared baking sheet.
  13. In a small bowl, whisk the egg for 1 minute. Seal the edges of the meat parcels using a little egg wash, then brush over the steak packages. Adhere any cut-out accents and brush those with egg, as well.
  14. Place in the freezer for 20 minutes. Save the remaining egg in the fridge.
  15. Remove dough packages from the freezer and apply egg wash to the dough packages again.
  16. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until pastry is golden in color.
  17. Let sit for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
While I have noted this serves 4, you can (and probably should) split each one into 2 servings, resulting in a total of 8 servings that are enough with side dishes. No one will feel skimped on.
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Feb 01 2014

#FirstOnTheFirst: Steamed Bacon Buns

Categories:

Cooking, First on the First, Food, Recipes

I have a confession to make: the first time I ate a steamed (pork) bun was last year. March, to be exact, when I attended the Tourism Australia luncheon. I wasn’t quite sure what to make of it at first–it looked…anemic. Where was my golden crust? Why did it look under-baked? Why would I want to consume that? There was something wrong with it, for sure. But as everyone else dug in, I knew I’d look like a fool if I begged off. I had to try it.

Steamed Bacon Buns

I am so glad I did, because what a world that was opened up to me that day! Wow! Since then, I’ve had pork buns when I’ve come across them, but the opportunities have been few and far between. I don’t know of anywhere I go locally that I can get them. And my trips to NYC aren’t as frequent as I’d like.

So, when it was proposed that we make steamed buns for #FirstOnTheFirst, I was cautiously elated. Thrilled that I’d have a chance to make my own at home. Terrified that I’d be making my own at home. What business did I have embarking upon a culinary journey like this? I knew nothing about steamed buns. But I had to try.

Steamed Bacon Buns

Steamed buns are also known as bao. My favorite fillings I’ve found have been on the porky side–including these bacon buns–but they can also contain sweet bean paste, chicken, etc. Typically they are steamed in bamboo baskets, but I already have enough specialized kitchen equipment; I wasn’t buying more. I can tell you this–the steamer basket on your rice cooker is not the best option. Go with a steamer basket in a regular pot with a little water and cover–this works remarkably well and is quick, too. Leftover bao can be refrigerated for 3-4 days or frozen for longer. You can re-steam them to freshen them up, or pop them in the microwave for 20-30 seconds, making them a fantastic option for work lunches. Or breakfast. Whichever.

Steamed Bacon Buns

They do take some time, though. The dough needs to rise for 2 hours. And you can only steam so many at a time (in my case, 4). All told, it was about 3 hours from start to finish, and that was on a work night. I was tired at the end, but extremely proud of myself. And a bit addicted. It probably wasn’t a great idea to eat 1.5 steamed bacon buns and then start my exercise for the night. Oops. Next time I’ll stash them for the week following and spread the love out a bit.

Want to check out some more steamed buns? You know you do!

#FirstOnTheFirst Steamed Buns

Now… for my version. I discovered the cutest tutorial ever on my name is yeh and I couldn’t resist! Truly–you must check it out! The bacon caught my attention, that’s true, but those adorable little buns smiling and snoozing won my heart. I had to try her recipe–or, at least, a riff off of it. I’m so glad I was enticed by her cute little buns, for this is now a keeper! Some sweet heat balanced by soft pillows of dough and bacon, of course. This might be the best food ever. You owe it to yourself to try them!

Steamed Bacon Buns

Next month, we’ll be making Beef Wellington. I really need my head examined. If you’d like to participate in the insanity, check out the First on the First tab for details. We’d love to have you!

Steamed Bacon Buns
 
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Author:
Recipe type: Entree
Serves: 12
Ingredients
Dough
  • 2¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
  • ¾ cup warm water
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup warm whole milk
  • ¼ cup Spectrum organic shortening
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
Filling
  • 12 ounces nitrate-free bacon, chopped, cooked, and drained
  • ¾ cup water
  • 3 Tablespoons honey
  • 1 Tablespoon + 1 teaspoon soy sauce
  • 1½ teaspoons rice vinegar
  • 1½ teaspoons sesame oil
  • ¾ teaspoon sriracha sauce
  • ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
Instructions
  1. Combine the dough ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook.
  2. Mix on low (speed 2 on a KitchenAid) until combined and watch that the dough becomes smooth and slightly sticky–it should adhere to the bottom of the bowl while kneading. If it’s too sticky, you can add flour 1 Tablespoon at a time, waiting until it’s incorporated before adding any more. If the dough is too dry, you can add warm water 1 Tablespoon at a time.
  3. Knead for 5 minutes, then transfer to a clean bowl.
  4. Cover and keep in a warm, draft-free place to allow the dough to rise til doubled in size, about 2 hours. (I turn my oven on the lowest temperature for a few minutes, turn it off, leave the light on and put the bowl there.)
  5. During the last hour of the dough rising, combine the bacon, water, honey, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, sriracha, and red pepper flakes in a medium sauce pan.
  6. Cook over medium heat until it starts to boil.
  7. Remove 3 Tablespoons of the fluid, add to it the cornstarch, and whisk til combined.
  8. Pour back into the bacon mixture, stir, and continue cooking until thickened. Set aside to cool.
  9. Cut out 12 parchment squares for the next stage…
  10. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
  11. Once the dough has risen, turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface. Divide into 12 equal pieces.
  12. Flatten 1 piece of dough into a disc, put 2-3 teaspoons bacon filling in the center, and gather the edges up in the middle, pinching to seal, so you have a little packet of meat.
  13. Place on a prepared baking sheet and pop in the warm oven to wait until ready to steam.
  14. Repeat with the rest of the dough and filling.
  15. Fill a large sauce pan with 2-3 inches of water, place in it the steamer basket, and place 4 parchment squares in the basket. Put buns on top of the parchment squares, cover, and cook on medium-high temperature, steaming for 10 minutes.
  16. Check that the exterior of the buns has hardened a bit and isn’t sticky. Cook for a couple more minutes, if necessary, then transfer to wire racks.
  17. Repeat with remaining buns.
  18. Eat warm; if cooled, re-steam or microwave for 30 seconds before consuming.
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Jan 01 2014

#FirstOnTheFirst: Sticky Toffee Pudding

Categories:

Baking, First on the First, Food, Recipes

Getting Seasonal…

#FirstOnTheFirst Sticky Toffee Pudding

When we plan our challenges for First on the First, we try to take the time of year into consideration. Croquembouche, for example, was set for June because it is traditionally served at French weddings and June is often thought of as the height of the wedding season. When we get to projects we’ll be preparing around Christmas-time, treats like last month’s Homemade Candy Canes come to mind. It may not be a food we typically serve–I hadn’t eaten Sticky Toffee Pudding before this challenge, for example–but it shouldn’t seem completely out of place. I think we hit the mark quite well this time. Visions of Dickens’s A Christmas Carol filled my head as I got to work, transporting me to a Christmas past without the need of any spirits. Well, except for a little Cointreau.

Sticky Toffee Pudding

The funny thing is that, at least, according to Sharrow Bay Hotel in the UK, Sticky Toffee Pudding has only been around since the early 1970s, when it was invented by Francis Coulson. In other words, my idea of a traditional Victorian Christmas could use a little revision. I’m off by 100 or so years. Oops. I really should find more time to read…

Sticky Toffee Pudding

Regardless, you can’t get more Christmas-y than this sticky cake with its ginger undertones and deep, rich flavor. My husband surprised me by actually liking it (have I told you what a picky PITA he is?) and the kids couldn’t wait to have another serving. By baking in these mini Bundt-like pans, each was treated with his/her own cake to devour. The plates were all licked clean.

Getting Sappy…

Sticky Toffee Pudding

As we close out another year of First on the First, I want to thank Kate of Food Babbles for her unending patience! We’re pretty opposite in our planning strategies and she has been a saint in putting up with my last-minute nonsense! I want to thank all the participants for struggling along with us. Sometimes the challenges are–literally–a piece of cake. Other times, you wonder why you even bothered. But we’re in this together, and I appreciate you coming back, month after month, for more abuse. Last, I want to thank all of you for reading about our journeys! It’s not easy to share when something you’ve tried in the kitchen is a flop, especially for the whole world to witness. But you have made it easier to see the big picture and understand that, in the grand scheme, something good comes from each of these experiments. Your support and wonderful comments encourage us to keep on trying.

Getting Sticky…

Now…who wants some pudding? Grab a fork and dig in!

And for February…

We’ll be starting the year with Steamed Buns. Sounds like I need to pick up some new kitchen equipment first! If you’d like to join in, please click on the First on the First tab above for details. We’d love to see what you create!

Sticky Toffee Pudding

Sticky Toffee Pudding
 
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Author:
Recipe type: Dessert
Serves: 10
Ingredients
Pudding
  • 1 cup water
  • 1½ cups chopped pitted dates (about 6 ounces)
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ cup candied ginger, chopped
  • ¼ cup (4 Tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened, plus more for greasing the pans
  • 1½ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for the pans
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 cup organic sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 large cage free eggs
Toffee Sauce
  • ¾ cup turbinado sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons Lyle’s Golden Syrup
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • ¼ cup (8 Tablespoons) unsalted butter
  • pinch flaky sea salt
  • 2 teaspoons Cointreau, or other orange-flavored liqueur (optional)
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Whipped cream or vanilla ice cream for serving
Instructions
Pudding
  1. In a medium saucepan, combine the water and dates and bring to a boil.
  2. Remove from heat and stir in the baking soda; it will foam up; then stir in the candied ginger. Set aside to cool a bit.
  3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease and flour 10 mini Bundt pans (or 10 cavities in 2 pans of 6-cavities… I know, that sounds confusing). Set aside.
  4. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
  5. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
  6. Beat in the vanilla extract.
  7. Add 1 egg and beat until it’s fully incorporated.
  8. Add half the flour mixture and half the dates, mixing until incorporated.
  9. Beat in the other egg, then add the remaining flour and dates, mixing until incorporated.
  10. Fill prepared mini Bundts half-way.
  11. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center of one of the cakes comes out clean.
  12. Cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes, then cover with a wire rack, invert, and release onto wire rack to cool.
Toffee Sauce
  1. Bring the sugar, syrup, cream, butter, and salt to a boil over medium-high heat.
  2. Boil gently for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently to keep from burning. Once it coats the back of a spoon, it’s done.
  3. Remove from heat, add the Cointreau and vanilla extract (it will bubble up a bit–be careful!), and stir.
Serving
  1. Place a mini Bundt in the center of a shallow bowl. Spoon warm toffee sauce over the top of it. Top with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, if desired.
Notes
If you can’t find Lyle’s Golden Syrup in the baker’s aisle of your local grocery store, you can substitute unsulphured molasses. You’ll get a deeper, richer flavor doing this.

You can make the cakes a day in advance and the toffee sauce as early as a few hours before serving. Just reheat the toffee sauce before spooning over the cakes.
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Happy New Year!

May 2014 bring you good health, wealth, and happiness! I hope you’ll continue following our journey–and even consider participating!

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Dec 01 2013

#FirstOnTheFirst: Homemade Candy Canes

Categories:

Cooking, First on the First, Food, Recipes

With Christmas only a few weeks away, we decided to try our hands at making candy canes this month for First on the First–a terrifying challenge, at least to me. Any time you’re handling burning hot lava and trying to fashion it into something edible, I get nervous. And let’s not forget, I wasn’t exactly lucky the last time we tried candy-making.

homemade candy canes

Searching the internet, you’ll find a lot of articles on how big companies make their candy canes, but not many from the home cook’s perspective. It could be that this is an exercise in insanity–the yield isn’t particularly high compared to the perceived work involved. Or it could just be that, with candy canes being so inexpensive, few people feel it’s worth attempting them. It’s not like you’re saving a whole lot of money here–in fact, you’re probably spending more by making them yourself. Regardless, there’s a certain satisfaction from presenting a project from your own kitchen that can’t be beat. So we marched on, timid but hopeful.

It’s important to note that this is not really a project to be shared with younger children. Candy-making, in general, involves precise (scalding hot) temperatures and quick movements. Let the kids help you with the sugar cookies and leave the candy canes to the adults. The kids will be more than happy to assist in eating them once they’re completed.

homemade candy canes

I’m not a fan of corn syrup, given the likelihood that it is genetically modified and I’m still not sure how I feel about ingesting such things. But many candies are extremely difficult, if not impossible, to make with substitutes. They’ll crystallize, the texture will be all wrong, and you’ll just end up angry and frustrated. This is a once a year thing; I can accept it. (You’d be eating it in commercial candy canes, anyway.)

Hand protection is important. Because you have to act when the candy is pliable, it will be quite hot. Get some of those $1 bin tight-fitting gloves, cover them with non-latex food-safe gloves, and oil up. You’ll have to suck it up to play this game; as candy cools, it turns brittle and you won’t be able to work it anymore. If it cools off too much, you can set it in a low-temperature oven to warm it up again. The recipe I used suggested 200 degrees Fahrenheit, but I’ve seen as low as 170 degrees Fahrenheit recommended. I’ve also heard that you need to be careful about letting the dyed portion of the batter sit too long in the oven, so keep that in mind when you’re planning it all out.

homemade candy canes

After reading through several recipes, I selected the one from Bay Area Bites for my experiment. It had the best explanation I could find and better estimates of how long each step would take. Plan on an hour to an hour and a half of uninterrupted time to devote to the candy canes. That’s not always easy to do, but I luckily found a kid-free morning to tackle it.

Before we get to my version, why don’t you check out how the other ladies’ candy canes turned out here:

homemade candy canes

Alright. Are you ready? This will go fast. Read through it a couple times before you start, because there won’t be time for second-guessing once you’ve begun this journey. Hold on tight! Let’s hope it’s not a bumpy ride!

Homemade Candy Canes
 
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You can make candy canes at home–with a little patience. Having your mise en place ready before starting is essential to success. You’ll need to act fast!
Author:
Recipe type: Candy
Serves: 24
Ingredients
  • vegetable oil for greasing pans, tools, and gloves (and gloves!)
  • 3 cups granulated sugar (the white stuff; there are less impurities to mess up your project)
  • 1 cup light corn syrup
  • ⅓ cup water
  • ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
  • ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 teaspoons peppermint oil (not extract; you can find this at Michael’s stores, if you’re having a hard time sourcing it; it comes in convenient 2 1-dram bottle packages, which is exactly how much you need)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • green food coloring (some suggest gel colors, but this recipe actually said about ⅓ bottle of the regular little food colorings, so that’s what I used)
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Heavily grease two rimmed baking sheets, a bench scraper, kitchen shears, and (in the absence of kitchen shears) a very sharp knife. Line your work area with parchment paper or a Silpat (that’s what I used) for the candy canes to cool on. Put one of the prepared baking sheets in the oven to warm.
  2. Grab a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan and add to it the sugar, corn syrup, water, cream of tartar, and salt. Stir, then clip on your candy thermometer to the side of the pan. Do not stir again. Use a pastry brush dipped in water to wash down any sugar crystals from the sides of the pan, as needed. Cook the syrup until it reaches 310 degrees Fahrenheit (hard crack stage).
  3. Get your gloves on!
  4. Pour the syrup on the room temperature baking sheet and drizzle the peppermint oil over it. Use the bench scraper to work the oil into the syrup by scraping the bottom of the candy and folding it over the top. Do this several times, trying to distribute the peppermint oil throughout the syrup, before adding the vanilla and repeating. Keep cutting and folding until it becomes pliable, then cut in half. Put half on the heated baking sheet in the oven to keep it warm. This is the half that will be dyed later.
  5. To make the white portion of the candy canes, you don’t need any dye; the color will develop as you pull the candy (in fact, that will be an indication that you’ve pulled it enough).
  6. Generously oil up your hands–it’s time to get your work-out. Scrape up the candy into a ball and stretch it out into rope with your hands. Fold it over on itself, twist it, pull again, repeat. Go as quickly as possible–again, you can’t let it cool off too much or you won’t be able to work the candy (it will be hot, so you’ll want to work quickly anyway). As you continue on, the candy will change color and gain a sheen. Once it has turned white, return it to its baking sheet and place in the oven to keep warm.
  7. Remove the other half of the batch and pour the green dye over it. You’ll need a lot, but you can adjust it to how pure you want the color to be. I used ⅓ of a tiny bottle of regular ole food dye. Use the bench scraper to work the color into the candy. You don’t need to pull this half of the candy. Return to the oven for 5 minutes to warm it up.
  8. Once the candy is warm enough to work with, remove both halves from the oven. Roll each half into logs and cut them into 4 pieces. Take a white and a green piece, then return the rest to the oven to keep them warm. (They may melt back into a blob again; just cut off pieces as needed.)
  9. Line up the green and white pieces next to each other, press together, then begin twisting them, working as thin as you’d like. Use the oiled kitchen shears or sharp knife to cut every 4 inches. Work a hook into each section, pinch the ends, and place on the parchment paper/Silpat to cool completely. Continue working with the rest of the twisted candy.
  10. Repeat with the remaining sections in the oven, working with a pair of pieces at a time. If they start to get too cool to work with, return them to the oven for a few minutes to soften up.
  11. Cool completely before consuming (about 15 minutes). Wrap each candy cane with cellophane or plastic wrap and store in an airtight container. Candy will last for a few months.
Notes
*When you add the peppermint oil, prepare for a good cry fest. It was worse than any time I’ve ever chopped onions. At least my sinuses were good and clear after. And my house will smell great for eternity. Or at least through Christmas. **Everything will require a good soaking after. Including any burns (not that **I** burned myself or anything…).
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So how’d that go? I’d love to see the candy canes you make! (I’d also love to play around with the flavorings–they don’t have to be peppermint or red and white!)

Next month we’ll be making Sticky Toffee Pudding. I have never even tasted this before, so I can’t wait to make it and see what it’s like! If you’d like to join us, check out the First on the First tab above for details. We’d love to have you at the table!

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