Tracy Lee : Food, Style and General Musings

I finally bought a madeleine pan this year.  I also found a great recipe from Epicurious.  They are really easy to make.  I simply dust mine with powdered sugar, but you can dip them in chocolate as well.  I love these slightly lemon flavored cookies with a nice cup of tea.   Ingredients 2 large eggs 2/3 cup sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel Pinch of salt 1 cup all purpose flour 10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, melted, cooled slightly Powdered sugar Directions Preheat oven to 375°F. Generously butter and flour pan for large madeleines (about 3 x 1 1/4 inches).* Using electric mixer, beat eggs and 2/3 cup sugar in large bowl just to blend. Beat in vanilla, lemon peel and salt. Add flour; beat just until blended. Gradually add cooled melted butter in steady stream, beating just until blended. Spoon 1 tablespoon batter into each indentation in pan. Bake until puffed and brown, about 16 minutes.

My husband felt the need for cheese grits one morning.  We did not have any of the cheeses we normally use so I suggested we use the brie.  Add a little pancetta and a new recipe was born.  If you do not have pancetta,  bacon will work.   Ingredients 3 cups water 1 cup grits 1/4 cup butter 6 ounces brie (rind removed) 6 ounces pancetta (chopped) 4 tablespoons chopped chives  Salt and pepper to taste Render pancetta and set aside. Bring 3 cups of water to boil.  Add salt and grits.  Reduce heat and stir with whisk occasionally until water is absorbed and grits are not runny.  Remove from heat and add brie and butter.  Ladle into bowls and top with chives and pancetta.

This recipe would really work for almost any green, but I prefer collards.  Each year at Christmas everyone gives me a list of favorite sides.  This is mine.  I found the recipe in Southern Living: 1994 Annual Recipes.   Not your mother's collards. Ingredients 2 pounds fresh collard or turnip greens 1/2 pound bacon (thick sliced).  You can also use thick sliced pancetta 1/2 cup chicken broth 1 tablespoon sugar 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar Optional: 2 medium-size Winesap or Rome apples cored and cut into thin wedges  (1) Remove tough outer stems from greens.  Wash thoroughly and drain.  Stack 3 or 4 leaves together and roll tightly.  Cut rolled greens in 1/4 inch trips.  Repeat with remaining greens.  Set aside. (2)Cook chopped bacon in reheated wok at high until crisp.  Set bacon aside. (3) Add chicken broth and next 3 ingredients to wok; cook until bubbly.  Add greens; stir constantly, 10 minutes or until tender.  Stir in b

Just a few words about cast irons skillets.  You need one.  I consider it an essential piece of kitchen equipment,  so much so, I have given away several of my seasoned skillets to friends and family who for some crazy reason did not have one.  I like the Lodge brand.  A good cast iron skillet will last several generations.  I have skillets from my mother and my husband's grandmother.  Seasoning your skillet is easy.   Coat the skillet with cooking oil and bake at 350 degrees.  Wipe out and it is ready for use.  You may need to do this several times during the first year to create a nice non-stick surface.   Wash skillet using hot water and sponge or stiff brush.  Do not put in dishwasher!    

This is probably one of the more difficult recipes.  Not because it is particularly complex, but because there never really was a recipe.  In the tradition of Southern cooks,  I learned how to make it from watching my husband's grandmother (Gay Gay) and have since modified the dish to incorporate techniques and flavors to make it my own.  Cooking in the South is a great way to bring generations together.  I learned so much more than cooking when I spent time with my grandmothers in the kitchen. Ingredients Cornbread 1 1/4 cups coarsely ground cornmeal 3/4 cup all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon kosher salt 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/3 cup whole milk 1 cup buttermilk 2 eggs, lightly beaten 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted Directions Cornbread Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F and place a 9-inch cast iron skillet inside to heat while you make the batter In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, sal

This is Tyler Florence's (Food TV) recipe for turkey gravy.  I have tried several methods but like this recipe the best.  Now it is one of the "must" items for Thanksgiving and Christmas.  If you cannot find smoked turkey wings,  just roast a fresh turkey wing.  You won't have that slightly smokey flavor, but it is delicious just the same. Ingredients 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1 large smoked turkey wing or two small wings 1 medium onion quartered 2 carrots chopped 1 rib celery chopped 1 head garlic split through the equator 4 stems fresh sage 4 sprigs fresh thyme 6 parsley stems 1 1/2 tablespoons all purpose flour 6 cups chicken stock Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper Directions Heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large stock pot over medium-high heat. Add the wing, onion, carrots, celery, garlic, and herbs, and cook for 5 minutes. Place in the oven and roast for 30 minute

My husband came home from a business trip from New York raving about Brussels Sprouts!  Of course they were flavored with pancetta and as we all know bacon always makes everything better.  His discovery was quite fortuitous.  Each year I receive a call from my dear friend Sara requesting a recipe for various Thanksgiving side dishes.   This year it was Brussels Sprouts.  I have combined several recipes to create what I think is a wonderfully tasty dish.  For the vegetarians, take out the pancetta and add enough olive oil for tossing.  If you cannot find pancetta or would like a less expensive alternative,  you can always use bacon. Ingredients 1 1/2 lb Brussels sprouts trimmed and cut in half through the core. 4 ounces pancetta 1/4 inch - diced 1/4 cup good olive oil 2 apples (peeled cored and cut into 3/4 inch pieces) 2 sweet onions cut into 3/4 inch pieces Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 tablespoon syrupy balsamic vinegar (If you cannot fin

This has become a family Christmas tradition as much as cornbread dressing and turkey.   It pays to have a mother who is a Francophile. Ingredients: Cake Roll 8 ounces semisweet chocolate, broken into small pieces 1/3 cup espresso (brewed from instant espresso) 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 7 egg yolks 1 cup sugar 8 egg whites 3 to 4 tablespoons unsweetened  cocoa (Dutch - process if possible) 2 cups heavy cream 1/4 cup Cognac or brandy Directions: 1. In a double boiler, melt chocolate with espresso over hot not simmering water.  Stir occasionally. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Pour the chocolate mixture into a bowl and let cool until tepid. 2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly butter a 11 by 17 inch jelly roll pan (cookie sheet).  Line it with waxed paper, with a little of the paper overhanging at each end of the the pan and lightly butter the paper. 3. In a medium bowl, beat the egg yolks with 3/4 cup of the sugar until the mixture is pale yellow

This is a great dish all year.  I usually make a basic soup and then  keep several  of the components separate so everyone can individualize their soup.  I love fresh avocado and my daughter likes extra jalapenos. If you would like to make a vegetarian version of this soup, substitute vegetable broth for chicken broth and omit the chicken. Ingredients 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil  1 Medium diced onion 2  Small cans hatch green chilies (chopped) 2 Cloves minced garlic 6 Cups good quality chicken broth 1  16 oz can of tomatoes (chopped in food processor) 1 1/2 Tablespoons cumin 3 Chicken breasts 1 Handful chopped cilantro Salt and pepper to taste 20 small corn tortillas cut into strips; fried in vegetable oil and set aside. Condiments: Fresh avocado Lime wedges Shredded Mexican cheese mix  Chopped Jalapeno Sour Cream Directions Season chicken breast with salt, pepper.  Roast chicken until cooked through. Chop or shred chicken and