Day 175! Syria - Éma’a Syrian Ice Cream - Up Next, Tajikistan

If you live in the Boston Area and you haven't been to Arax Market in Watertown, you don't know what you're missing. Located at 585 Mount Auburn Street, this Armenian market is filled with every kind of Middle Eastern fruits, vegetables, nuts, pastries, cheese, spices, olives and supplies one could imagine. Oh, and the most ornate selection of hookas I've ever seen - just in case you need one. So today when I went in with my recipe for Syrian Ice Cream which included 2 ingredients I was completely unfamiliar with: Mastic Gum and Salep,  the awesome guys who run the place couldn't have been more helpful. Within minutes, I had everything I needed, plus a few extra treats I couldn't resist. Many, many thanks to Arax for hooking me up! Be sure to check them out on Facebook.

About the size of North Dakota (U.S.), Syria is a narrow coastal plain with a double mountain belt in the west, and a large semi-arid and desert plateau.  Mostly desert land, the country is hot, dry and sunny in the summer and mild and rainy winter. Ethnic Syrians come from Semitic stock, with 90% being Muslim, 74% Suni and the other 16% a mixture Shia Muslim, Christian and Jews. Most people live in the Euphrates River Valley and along the coastal plain, the fertile strip between the coastal mountains and the desert. An ancient and rich culture whose history dates back to 2500 BC, the city of Elba was home to one of the most brilliant civilizations in the world. Currently, this beautiful country is in the throws of a violent, internal conflict, with protesters demanding the regisnation of President Bashar al-Assad, along with the overthrow of his government. To date 5000 deaths have been reported.  For up-date information on the country's turmoil, readers are referred to facebook.com/syrianuprising.

Agriculture in Syria includes wheat, barley, cotton , lentils, chickpeas, olives, sugarbeets, fruits, nuts, vegetables, beef, mutton, eggs, poultry and dairy. Aleppian culinary influences, along with Arab, Persian and Turkish traditions make for a wonderful variety of dishes such as humus, tabbouleh, fattoush, labneh, shawarma, mujaddara, and meze to name just a few. Middle Eastern food is without a doubt on my top 5 list of favorite foods - and now this ice cream...well, read on.

Rose Water - Scents the custard with a delicate, exotic aroma. I dabbed a little behind my ear because really, what's better than smelling like a sweet rose? Mastic Gum thickens the custard, but also lends a very subtle pine pitch flavor and scent, like pine nuts; Finally, Salep flavors and thickens the ice cream custard with a lovely vanilla and cinnamon taste.

 Gum Mastic - I chewed it plain and it really is like gum, with a pine pitch taste - I loved it!

 Crushed up between two sheets of parchment paper - no crystal meth jokes, please

 Salep added to milk turns thick and smooth with a wonderful vanilla/cinnamon smell and taste

 Add 9 cups of whole milk to a large pot

 Heat to a boil over medium heat

 Gradually add 2-1/2 cups of sugar. Yes, it's a lot of sugar, but it's a lot of milk too - I feel absolutely zero guilt - is that bad? Return mixture to a rolling boil for 5 minutes.

 Just 3/4 of a teaspoon of rose water is added once custard is cooked - a heavenly, delicate scent!

Top with plenty of chopped, shelled, unsalted pistachios - how deluxe can you get?

Be still my heart

Syrian Ice Cream (Éma’a) - Recipe Courtesy of foodbuzz
(Yield:  About 10 cups)

9 cups plus 1/4 cup whole milk, divided
1 cup heavy cream
4 medium pieces (about 1/4 tsp) Chios gum mastic
2 -1/2 cups sugar
5 tsp sahlab
3/4 tsp rose water
Chopped pistachios (for serving)

In a small bowl, whisk together 1/4 c milk with the sahlab; set aside.

Grind the mastic into a powder; the best way to do this is to put the mastic between 2 pieces of parchment paper or inside a plastic bag and pound it with a heavy object, such as a rolling pin.

In a medium-large pot over medium heat, combine 9 cups milk, the cream, and the mastic; bring to a boil (stirring frequently).  Slowly whisk in the sugar and bring back up to a boil, stirring constantly.  Whisk in the sahlab mixture and boil vigorously 5 minutes.  Turn off the heat and add the rose water.  Cool to room temperature, lay a piece of plastic wrap directly on the mixture (to prevent a film from forming), then refrigerate until well chilled (about 4 hours).

Transfer the chilled mixture to an ice cream machine and process according to the manufacturer’s directions.  Once processed, put the ice cream in a freezer-safe bowl and transfer to the freezer to set.  Scoop out the ice cream and roll generously in chopped pistachios before serving.

Final Assessment: Whoa! This might be the best ice cream I've EVER had - and trust me, I've had a lot. It tastes like a combination of vanilla, cinnamon and pine. It's creamy and sweet and the pistachios on top give it texture, crunch and a wonderful nutty flavor that compliments it beautifully. Add to that the ever so slight scent of roses and it's a full on heavenly sensory experience - sexy, right?!

© 2010-2011, What's Cooking in Your World? Sarah Commerford/All Rights Reserved

Roasted Radish and Carrot Medley

This is super simple, but it is a tasty side dish for a weeknight meal.  The ruby red of the radishes and the vivid orange of the carrots create a vibrant and colorful vegetable medley.  I love the way the spiciness of the black pepper plays off the sweetness of the carrots, and the sweetness of the fresh basil plays off the peppery taste of the radishes.  Lemon juice gives the medley a boost of brightness.

Ingredients

2 bunches radishes, tops removed, halved

1 cup baby carrots

1/8 cup extra virgin olive oil

½ teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 ½ tablespoons lemon juice

¼ cup chopped fresh basil

Instructions

Preheat oven to 450.  In a bowl, toss the vegetables with the olive oil, salt and pepper and then place in 8x8 baking pan.  Roast for 30 minutes, or until the vegetables reach the desired tenderness.  Drizzle lemon juice over the vegetables and toss with fresh basil. 

Holiday Gift Fairs 2011

Having gone to one good and one particularly lousy fair last weekend, I'd like to steer you in the right direction. Here are three holiday gift fairs I highly recommend you check out!


Sorry for the late notice, La Cocina's Annual Gift Fair is TONIGHT, December 9th from 5-9 pm at the Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts. This is one of my favorite non-profit organizations in the City. They help women and minorities get into legitimate food businesses. You'll find awesomely delicious goodies from folks like Happy Girl Kitchen - Preserves, Back to the Roots – Mushrooms, Estrellita’s Snacks - Yucca, Plantain Chips, and Tamales, Love and Hummus Co - Organic Hummus, Sweets Collection - Mexican Gellatins, Neo Cocoa - Truffles, Wise Sons – Jewish Delicatessen, McEvoy – Olive Oil, Mattarello Pasta – Artisanal Handmade Pasta and more…

Go and get goodies for yourself or to give away. There will also be a silent auction, a tamale alley and more....








The Renegade Craft Fair
If you've been to this craft fair you know how much fun it is! It's heavily juried so the quality is extremely high. In the past I've found gorgeous porcelain bowls, cutting boards, jewelry, kitchen towels, toys, kids clothes, etc.

On December 17 + 18, 2011, from 11am – 6pm, the 3rd Annual Renegade Craft Fair Holiday Market in San Francisco will return to the Concourse Exhibition Center! Always free-to-attend, holiday shopping has never been more fun than with the work of over 250 of today’s finest makers of handmade goods to peruse and several hands-on crafting activities to get involved with! Food, beverages and libations will also be available! Check out the artist lineup.


Koutáli’s Union Square Pop-Up Christmas Party "Debonnaire" at the Kensington Park Hotel on Sunday December 18th (2-6PM).

This is the first year for this event, a lodge-like lounge party includes a full bar, pool table, and football on several flat screens. You will have the chance to check out curated mini-boutiques by some of SF’s coolest shops and artisans while sipping holiday cocktails and sampling amazing artisan faire.

Boutiques at the event will include Mira Mira, Revolver, Omnivore Books, Alphyn Industries, Foodzie, and several others. In addition Koutali will be hosting a special holiday kitchen gifts store with brands including Wusthof, Bodum, Reidel, and Cuisinart. Hearty holiday food and refined delicacies will be provided by: Do S’more, McEvoy Olive Ranch, Cibo Per Strada, Jablow’s Meats, Bavarian Pretzel works, Rockwall Wines, The Mustard, and Jarred.

To keep the event merry there will be a full bar with holiday Sunday drink specials like $5 Bourbon Cider, Mulled Wine, and Bacon Bloody Mary’s, and free gift-wrapping!

Standard tickets are $10 and include discounts and samples from the participating artisans and boutiques and free gift-wrapping. VIP tickets include two specialty cocktails, an artisan sandwich, and the rest of the perks above.

Use the code DAPPERELF on checkout to receive 30% off their VIP tickets.

Smoked Paprika Dip

This hummus-like dip is filled with the earthy, smoky, redolent spices of smoked paprika, cayenne, cumin, and coriander. The smoked paprika gives the dip a beautiful rusty red color, making it festive addition to a holiday spread.  Not only is this complex and flavorful, but it comes together in just a few minutes.

Ingredients

1 15 ounce can cannellini or Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon mayonnaise

1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

¼ teaspoon cumin

½ teaspoon ground coriander

salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

In small bowl, mix smoked paprika, cayenne, cumin, salt, and pepper.  Place beans, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, and mayonnaise in food processor and puree.  Stir in the seasoning mixture.  Serve with pita wedges or crackers, or whatever else floats your boat.

Blackberry Mini Tarts Recipe

Last week Driscoll's held a wonderful event for bloggers that I got to have a hand in planning. Bloggers brought dishes made with fresh blackberries, got insider cooking tips from cookbook author and cooking teacher Rick Rodgers and an inspiring food photography tutorial and demo from food photographer Caren Alpert.

I learned about pastry tampers, (the secret to quickly forming small tart shells in mini muffin pans) improvising with FedEx boxes and tin foil to get more light in food photos, ate a fabulous of dinner made from Rick's recipes, and tasted some divine desserts from some of my fellow bloggers. I particularly loved Irvin's tangy lemon and blackberry pie. I hope he posts the recipe soon! Rick made a cream cheese crust pastry with a savory filling and a blackberry topping. It was surprisingly similar to my dessert recipe.

I got the original recipe from the Land 'O Lakes website. I adapted it for Thanksgiving using cranberries and no nuts or glaze, then tweaked both the ingredients and the techniques to make it work with blackberries. Driscoll's blackberries are so good right now that I wanted to use them raw. I like desserts with at least some tangy flavor and blackberries have such a great balance of sweet and sour, thanks to a good ratio of natural sugars and organic acids. You could top the custard filled tarts with any kind of fresh berry you like. What makes this recipe so easy is that you mix the dough and the filling in a food processor. You could probably do it using a stand mixer if you prefer.



Blackberry Mini TartsMakes 36

Crust;
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 (3-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/4 teaspoon salt

Filling:
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
pinch salt

2 6-oz packages blackberries, each berry cut into two or three pieces

Heat oven to 325°F. Combine flour, butter, cream cheese and salt in food processor. Blend until dough forms a ball.

Divide dough into 36 equal pieces. Place 1 piece of dough into each ungreased mini muffin pan cup. Press dough evenly onto bottom and up sides of cup or use a pastry tamper! Bake for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile in a bowl or food processor, cream together the sugar and butter then mix in egg, vanilla and salt. Spoon about a teaspoon into each tart crust then bake another 10-12 minutes until the crust is golden and the top of the custard begins to brown. Remove from oven and let cool 10 minutes then remove from pans using a knife if necessary. Place about 3 pieces of berry in each tart shell.

Enjoy!

The Three Must Buy Cookbooks of 2011

I always write a series of "best of" cookbook posts around this time of year. I've recommended a lot of cookbooks in 2011*, but there are three, you simply must add to your collection. They are written by three amazing women who I admire tremendously and feel honored to have gotten to interview or at least meet. They are not just wonderful cooks and writers but cultural anthropologists who dig deep into how people cook, preserving traditions and making food from other places accessible. These books would make great gifts, but really, I recommend buying them for your own collections, that's how good they are.


There are lots of books about Spanish food. I know, because I have plenty of them, but The Food of Spain
is truly the mother of all Spanish cookbooks with over 600 pages. It has stories, history--it's a true treasury that took years of work to complete. I know this because Claudia Roden told me about the work that went into the book when I interviewed her last year (Claudia Roden interview part 1 and 2)

I've said it before and I'll say it again, Claudia Roden's recipes work. They make sense and give just the right level of detail. In this massive tome she uncovers so many more recipes than what you will find in run of the mill restaurants. In The Food of Spain you will discover many fascinating cultures that have influenced Spanish cuisine and recipes both familiar and rare. It's as much a book about food as it is a cookbook.

Dishes you will want to try include Eggplant with Bechamel and Cheese, Fish Stew with Peppers and Tomatoes, Migas with Bacon, Onion Coca.






What can I say about Paula Wolfert that hasn't already been said? She is the most well-known authority on Moroccan food and The Food of Morocco is one of her most important books. Having lived in Morocco for years, she has a depth of knowledge that is just unparalleled. But if you have spent any time with her, you will be struck by her genuine enthusiasm for capturing the details of the cuisine and her drive for perfection. Her recipes are meticulous. Like Claudia Roden, she goes well beyond the surface to discover the history and varied influences that make for such a rich cuisine. Her latest book is over 500 pages. You can read my interview with her from 2009 here.

The book also has plenty of tips and advice to help you get it right, from the different types of couscous to explanations as to why steaming is better than boiling. There are lots of shopping resources too.

Dishes you will want to try include Lamb with Onions, Riffian Split Pea Soup with Paprika Oil, Almonds and Hard Cooked Eggs, Double Cooked Red Chicken Marrakech Style, Barley Grits Couscous with Fresh Fava Beans





It might seem surprising that I put Lisa Fain in the same category as Claudia Roden and Paula Wolfert, but if you spend some time at her blog or reading her wonderful cookbook, The Homesick Texan
, you will see why I do. Lisa Fain's passion and connection to her Texas heritage and food shines through in everything she writes. She treats the cuisine of Texas with such respect and warmth that you can't help but appreciate it too, even if you are not "homesick" for it.

Unlike Roden or Wolfert, Lisa Fain is not an outsider, but a native who shares her own personal stories. And if she can make Texas recipes work in a New York apartment kitchen you have to know they will work for you too. Her book is a little over 350 pages.

Dishes you will want to try include Calabacitas (Squash and Pork Stew), Poblano Macaroni and Cheese, Coffee Chipotle Oven Brisket and Watermelon Salsa.


*Other cookbooks I reviewed and recommended in 2011:
Cooking My Way Back Home, Kokkari, Bi-Rite Market's Eat Good Food, The Family Meal:Home Cooking with Ferran Adria, 100 Perfect Pairings, Basic to Brilliant, Y'all


The Homesick Texan and The Food of Spain were review copies, I purchased The Food of Morocco

Dan Dan Noodles

Sometimes you just want that taste of spicy.  You crave something to get your adrenaline going, to perk up your taste buds, and to give you a bolt of energy.  We’ve been seeing and enjoying these noodles in local Chinese restaurants over the last couple years for their unique, and highly addictive, taste, and we just couldn’t resist the urge to try and perfect our own recipe.  These noodles represent the surprisingly harmonious combination of aromatic, creamy, umami, and spicy flavors.

Ingredients

2 leaves bok choy, julienned

1 celery rib, julienned

1 carrot, julienned

2 scallions, chopped

5 garlic cloves, minced

1 pound ground chicken

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon rice wine

dash white pepper

 2 teaspoons peanut oil

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 tablespoons tahini

2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

3 teaspoons chile paste

1 teaspoon honey

1½ teaspoons oyster sauce

¾ cup chicken broth

12 ounces cooked spaghetti

additional sauce:

2 teaspoons chile paste

2 teaspoons tahini

2 teaspoons oyster sauce

2 teaspoons soy sauce

1 teaspoon honey

Instructions

Using a fork, mix chicken with soy sauce, rice wine and a bit of white pepper.  Heat oil over medium high heat in wok and brown chicken, sprinkling the cinnamon as it cooks.  In a bowl, whisk tahini, vinegar, broth, chile paste, honey and oyster sauce.  Once chicken is cooked, turn heat to low and add garlic.  Cook for about a minute, or until it becomes fragrant.  Add the tahini mixture and chicken broth, simmering until the sauce thickens.  Add the bok choy, carrot, celery and scallions.  Add the cooked spaghetti to the meat mixture.  Whisk the additional sauce ingredients in a bowl and coat the spaghetti and vegetables.