Buckwheat Kumquat Muffins or Loaf

Every so often, I take a trip to New York for no reason whatsoever. Without a wedding or baby naming or conference to attend, I'm free to roam the streets of my former home off the clock, and with no particular destination in mind. I wake up early, lace up the sneaks, and head downtown in search of the cravable. I've got Sam Sifton's app loaded on my iPhone, a couple Chowhound threads open in safari, and an appetite. On days like these, I've discovered Joe the Art of Coffee, Doughnut Plant, Thelewala, Ippudo, and more.

It happens less and less, as schedules have grown busier and there's nary a day with nothing to do. But the last time it did, which was over a year ago, I ate my way through the Bowery. Only this time, I was so single-minded about a particular destination that I basically skipped the exploring and made a B-line for Peels, the beautiful bakery where Shuna Fish Lydon works her magic. And I mean magic.

I've been following Shuna's blog, Eggbeater, for a long time. Many of her recipes are beloved in my kitchen - especially her leeks (aren't they beautiful?). She's doing amazing work at Peels; if you haven't been, go. And when you do go, get the house muffin: a combination of buckwheat, lemon marmalade, and rosemary, it's the inspiration for the recipe I'm sharing with you today, and it's unforgettable.

I'll come at you honestly, with a bit of a confession: I couldn't get either the loaf or the muffins to be as weightless and fluffy as Shuna's house muffins are. I really don't know how she does it. And people, I've tried to find out, I have. I tweeted with her about it a while back. She suggested I write Bon Appetit and ask them to get the recipe, which I did to no avail. Still, it isn't all bad news today. Left to my own devices, I poked around online and experimented quite a bit, and I think I've found a buckwheat cake recipe that's pretty delicious in its own rite. The template comes from the lovely Glutton For Life, whom I encountered via (yet again...) Food52. Her name is Laura Chavez Silverman, and among her recipes are many, many winners. She tried to recreate Shuna's Peels muffins, and her recipe looked promising, so I used it as a template for my own experiments.

Two choices when making this recipe. Muffins: breakfast, party food. Or, a loaf: great in the lunch bag, sliced for tea, whatever. Cooking times are different, but that's it. Perhaps the best thing about the final product? It's blue. Legit blue. Good buckwheat is tinted a beautiful shade of blue, which I definitely thought would fade as the stuff bakes. But nope. This just shows there is such a thing as (non-blueberry) blue food after all.

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To contrast with the blue, I chose orange. Specifically, I employed kumquats in two forms: a quick marmalade, and sliced raw. You get the amazing aromatic kumquat essence from the marmalade, and the tang and freshness from the raw slices. I think it's a winner - but hopefully, you'll make it and let me know what you think.

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Buckwheat Kumquat Muffins or LoafAdapted from Glutton for Life and Garrett McCord, via Epicurious

For the quick kumquat marmalade: 1/3 cup sliced kumquats 1/4 cup water 3 tablespoons sugar

For the cake: 3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour 3/4 cup buckwheat flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger 1/4 cup thinly sliced kumquats 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons greek yogurt 1 egg Kumquat marmalade (recipe above) 1 teaspoon vanilla 4 tablespoons butter

First, make the marmalade: place kumquats, water, and sugar in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until the liquid has reduced and thickened (it will thicken more as it cools). Set aside.

Next, brown the butter: In another small saucepan (or the same one, but rinsed), melt butter over medium heat. It will foam, then the foam will subside. Then you'll start to smell the nutty notes. Pay close attention - nothing burns faster than butter browning unattended. As soon as the milk solids (the little bits in the bottom of the pan) are deep brown and the butter is toasty colored, remove from the heat. Set aside to cool.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease or line with parchment paper either a loaf pan or a muffin tin.

Now, make the cake or muffins: In a medium bowl, combine flour, buckwheat, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, and sliced kumquats. In a separate bowl, combine yogurt, egg, all but 1 tablespoon of the marmalade, and the vanilla. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, then add the butter and fold into the cake batter.

Scoop the batter into the greased or lined pan or tins. Use a brush to brush the top of the loaf or muffins with the remaining marmalade. Bake loaf for 45 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Bake muffins for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

The cake/muffins are best the day they're made, preferably warm. Still, muffins or cake slices are also quite good toasted, and they'll keep about a week at room temp. If you're worried about them, just stick them in the fridge.

Honey Cake and High Holiday Menu Ideas

Yep, it's that time of year again. The High Holidays are upon us! For those celebrating, it's a time to cook up a storm, get those pomegranates on the table, slice up the apples, and of course, pull out the stops with an awesome brisket. For the rest of y'all, it's a chance to read all you ever wanted to know - and more - about honey cake. Here, then, are my menu ideas for this time of year. They're great for Rosh Hashana, but they're also pretty delicious for any old day.

First things first: I teased my Twitter followers with the promise of an awesome honey cake in the pipeline. Now, I deliver. I made the Gourmet Live honey cake this week, and let me tell you, it is the best honey cake ever. I have to save the cake for a meal later this week, so I haven't yet glazed it (hence the stolen photo from Gourmet and none of my own, yet), but i made a miniature to taste test, and it passes muster and then some. It's an interesting take on a honey spice cake, made with plenty of honey, ginger, cloves, orange zest... and coffee. You won't be able to put your finger on any one flavor in the cake, but its beguiling flavor will keep you coming back for another bite, then another. Gourmet says your guests will ask you for the recipe; I'll let you know if my hosts ask me.

Honey Cakebarely adapted from Gourmet Live

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 teaspoons cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger 1/4 teaspoon ground clove 3 large eggs 1 cup sugar 1 1/4 cups corn or canola oil 1 cup pure honey 3/4 cup lukewarm coffee 1 1/2 teaspoons packed grated orange zest, optional

For chocolate glaze: 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons shaken canned unsweetened coconut milk (not light) 2 teaspoons light corn syrup 4 ounces bittersweet (60% cacao) chocolate, finely chopped

For garnish: Flaky sea salt, such as Maldon (optional)

Heat oven to 350°F with rack in middle. Generously spray pan, including center tube, with baking spray, or wipe with olive oil and sprinkle with flour, shaking out excess.

Whisk together flour, baking powder and soda, salt, and spices in a large bowl.

Whisk eggs well in another large bowl and whisk in sugar, oil, honey, coffee, and zest (if using) until well combined.

Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and add the honey mixture, then stir with the whisk until the batter is smooth.

Pour batter into pan (it’s liquid enough to level itself in the pan), and bake in oven until springy to the touch and a cake tester comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes.

Let cake cool in the pan on a rack for 20 minutes. Loosen cake from the pan with a thin rubber spatula, then invert cake onto the rack (see Cooks’ Notes) and cool completely.

For glaze:

Bring coconut milk and corn syrup to a simmer in a small heavy pan, stirring until combined.

Remove pan from heat and add chocolate. Let chocolate stand 1 minute, then stir until chocolate is melted and glaze is smooth.

Let glaze stand, stirring occasionally, until thickened slightly, but still pourable.

Transfer cake to a cake plate and slowly pour the chocolate glaze over the top of the cake, letting it drip down the sides. If desired, let the cake stand at room temperature until glaze is set. Just before serving, sprinkle glaze lightly with flaky sea salt, if using.

Pomegranate Brisket

I first posted my brisket recipe on another blog post about Rosh Hashana menus. It really is the best brisket ever - plus, it's made with pomegranate syrup, and pomegranates are a traditional Rosh Hashana food. You can't go wrong with this recipe.

sweet-sour onions

Sweet and Sour Pearl Onions

A great side dish to accompany the brisket, requiring minimal enough work that you'll have enough time to bake those challot. Speaking of which...

couscous salad3

Couscous with Pistachios, Sultanas, and Mint

The perfect summer-to-fall transition dish, and one of my all-time favorite ways to use couscous. This recipe is a winner, and it can be served warm, cold, or at room temperature - perfect for those unpredictable meal times.

Carrot-Zucchini Bread

For those who love their sweet side dishes, this carrot-zucchini bread will hit the mark. For the Brits and others who think we Americans with our marshmallow-buried sweet potatoes are crazytown, this is a great dessert.

Braised Red Cabbage

An oldie but goodie, this dish always gets loads of compliments when I serve it. It also features pomegranate seeds; apparently I can't get enough.

If you're looking for other menu ideas, look no further.

To all of my readers, new and old - I hope you all have a wonderful New Year, filled with happiness and health, and lots of new, exciting things.

Enjoy! Oh, and do share your menu ideas in the comments: what are you making this holiday season?

How to Use (Up) Zucchini

Friends, the zucchini glut is nearly over. Those plants have practically exhausted themselves these past few months. Before you know it, we'll be talking apple pie. But we've still got a week or two more of zucchini overflow, and I thought I'd share a couple delicious ways to put zucchini excess to good use.

These are recipes I've been making all summer, and you should certainly take the opportunity to make them while zucchini plants are still producing. Lest you think we're only talking about stir fry or gratin, I've got you covered for brunch and snacktime, too.

zucchini boats

Zucchini Boats

Enter the world's easiest dinner. You can have it on the table in under half an hour, and coupled with a side salad and maybe a slice of baguette, it's the perfect summer meal. We're talking about zucchini halves, hollowed out and filled with a mixture of chopped zucchini innards, ricotta and feta cheese, lemon, and herbs, then broiled till bubbling and brown. While I've got a recipe for you here, this is the sort of thing you should feel free - nay, compelled - to improvise. If you only have ricotta, skip the feta. If you have mozzarella, use it in place of the parmesan; just as good. And while I use mint and basil, any other herb would work here. (Thyme would be especially nice.)

Zucchini Boatsserves 4

2 pounds zucchini or summer squash of any size 1 cup ricotta 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese 1/4 cup mixed chopped herbs (basil, mint, dill, thyme, marjoram, all great) zest and juice of 1/2 a lemon 1 egg, beaten 1/4 teaspoon salt freshly cracked pepper

Preheat the broiler.

Halve the squash, and use a small spoon to slowly scrape away the flesh of each squash half, leaving about 1/2-inch-squash shell intact. Chop removed flesh into bits, and place chopped squash in a medium mixing bowl.

Add to bowl all remaining ingredients except Parmigiano cheese and stir to combine. Spoon mixture into squash shells, transfer to foil-lined broiler-safe baking dish, and broil about 15 minutes, until zucchini are soft hot, and brown on top. Serve warm.

zucchini frittata

Zucchini Frittata

One of my favorite discoveries this summer was the fact that squash blossoms are delicious in other forms than fried. Go figure. My health-conscious friends will likely appreciate this post, since squash blossoms are among summer's treats, and there are ways to cook them that do not involve copious amounts of oil.

The starting point for this recipe came from Food52 founder and all-around awesome lady Amanda Hesser, who created a frittata using squash blossoms and garlic scapes. I added thinly sliced zucchini and halved cherry tomatoes, and finished the whole thing with some lumps of fresh chevre. Amanda's frittata came out perfectly yellow. Aiming to discredit suspicions of food snobbery at my house, I'll admit that I like my frittatas slightly overcooked. There, I said it. Mine come out golden brown, and I'm quite happy that way. Feel free to treat your frittata-ed eggs more gently.

Zucchini Frittataserves 4-6 as one course of several

8 large eggs, lightly beaten Salt and freshly cracked pepper 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 tablespoon unsalted butter 5 garlic scapes, thinly sliced, or 2 garlic cloves, smashed and chopped 8 zucchini blossoms, stems trimmed to 1 inch 1/2 a large zucchini, sliced very thinly (on a mandoline, if possible) a handful of cherry tomatoes, rinsed and halved 3 ounces fresh chevre or goat cheese

Heat the oven to 325 degrees. Place zucchini in a strainer, sprinkle with salt, and let strain for 20 minutes. The zucchini will start to emit liquid. After 20 minutes, transfer zucchini to a kitchen towel and press to remove excess liquid and salt.

Season the eggs with salt and pepper. Add sliced tomatoes and zucchini to egg mixture. Place a 12-inch non-stick pan over medium heat. Add the olive oil and butter and when the butter is foamy, add the garlic scapes, spreading them around the pan. Cook for 1 minute. Lay the zucchini blossoms in an even layer in the base of the pan. Cook for about 1 minute, then turn and wilt the other side, another 30 seconds. Slowly pour the egg mixture into the pan. Dot the top of the egg mixture with blobs of chevre. Transfer the pan to the oven, and bake until the frittata is just set, 6 to 8 minutes (more if you're crazy like I am). Remove from the oven. Lay a large plate on top of the pan, and invert the frittata onto it. Serve warm or at room temperature, cut into wedges.

zucchini bread

Zucchini Bread

Ok, I don't know how to break this news any other way...I have made 6 loaves of zucchini bread in the past three weeks. I'll happily blame the apparent fixation on a slew of recent housewarming and condolence gifts I gave. But really, I can't resist the way my kitchen smells when this zucchini bread is in the oven.

The recipe is from Deb, and having made it three times, I can tell you, there is no way to improve this recipe. It is absolutely perfect. This is the time to make this bread: zucchini is everywhere, but the weather is cool enough to turn on the oven. Don't waste a moment. You know what? Make a double batch. Freeze a few loaves. Thank me later.

Zucchini Breadmakes 2 loaves

3 eggs 1 cup olive or vegetable oil 1 3/4 cups sugar 2 cups grated zucchini 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 3 cups all-purpose flour 3 teaspoons cinnamon 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional - I'm not a nuts-in-bread fan so I skip) 1 cup dried cranberries, raisins or chocolate chips or a combination thereof (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease and flour two 8×4 inch loaf pans.

In a large bowl, beat eggs. Mix in oil and sugar, then zucchini and vanilla.

Combine flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder and salt, as well as nuts (if using), chocolate chips and/or dried fruit, if using.

Stir dry mixture into the egg mixture. Divide batter into prepared pans.

Bake loaves for 60 minutes, plus or minus ten, or until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean.

So there we have it. A few great recipes for the most prolific summer vegetable there is.

Now...a question. What are your favorite zucchini recipes?

Rhubarb Almond Coffee Cake

(I'll just get this out of the way right now. Yes, those are pecans atop my rhubarb almond coffee cake. I really like the crunch of pecans. Could I have used almonds, for consistency? Sure. But I didn't, and no one in this house complained. If you're wanting to double down on almond flavor, go for it.)

Now then.

This is the coffee cake I've been craving for months. Did I know I was craving it? Perhaps I had an inkling. I think by now I've blown my cover as a lover of sweet, breakfasty things. A quick swim through my archives, and my, I do seem to like coffee cake quite a bit! But you can never have enough coffee cake recipes. And at the risk of wrist-slapping my shortsightedness the next time a find a recipe that can be called THE coffee cake, I'm telling you with as straight a face as I've got: this is THE coffee cake. The one coffee cake you really, truly will need.

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Now tell me you like almond and we'll be all set.

Lord knows I love almond cake. I've made this one, from Amanda's wonderful book, several times, and it doesn't disappoint. But even a slice of that cake is a serious commitment. It's texture falls somewhere between downy and downright dense, depending on how you make it (food processor or mixer), and the almond flavor, it does not hide. I like almonds, a lot, and I don't mind almond paste, either; but I tend to enjoy that sweet almond flavor when it's a great deal more subtle.

rhubarb coffee cake 4

rhubarb coffee cake 5

Not absent, mind you - just more in harmony with other things. Like my favorite spring fruit, rhubarb. And some good vanilla. If all things had rhubarb, almonds, and vanilla in them, boy would I have an eating problem. The threesome are perfect together: almonds bring sweetness and also a milky flavor and texture; rhubarb offsets the sweetness with tang, and vanilla gives the whole thing somewhere to go. A coffee cake smooth with almond paste, fragrant of vanilla, with little lumps of soft, tart rhubarb throughout? Why yes, please. I'll take half the cake.

rhubarb coffee cake 6

How do I say this without sounding insincere? This cake is perfect. The batter is like silk, the finished cake as soft and fluffy as they come, without any of that strange springiness you'd find in an angel food cake. Just light and fluffy, really moist without being mushy or dense, perfumed with almond and vanilla, with rhubarb just when you want it. God, it is so good.

rhubarb coffee cake

Had enough of my kvelling? Go ahead, make it yourself.

Rhubarb Almond Coffee Cakeadapted from Amanda Hesser's Almond Cake and Claiborn's Sour Cream Coffee Cake, both printed in the NYT Essential Cookbook

2 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt 2 sticks (1/2 pound) unsalted butter, softened half a tube (3 oz.) almond paste 1 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar 2 eggs 1 cup sour cream 1/2 teaspoon vanilla 2 cups rhubarb, cut into 1-inch pieces 1 cup sliced almonds or chopped pecans 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a bundt pan or 9-inch tube pan.

In a small bowl, sift or stir together flour, baking powder, and salt.

In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or a hand mixer), cream together butter and almond paste until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add 1 3/4 cups sugar gradually, beating until very fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Fold in sour cream and vanilla, then fold in dry ingredients and use a spatula to incorporate. Add rhubarb, and again fold into batter just until evenly distributed. Do not overmix.

Combine 2 tablespoons of sugar with pecans or almonds and cinnamon.

Spoon 1/3 of the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle 3/4 of the pecan or almond mixture over batter. Spoon in remaining batter, and distribute remaining nut mixture overtop. Bake for 50-60 minutes, until a knife inserted into the deepest part of the cake emerges clean. Cool on rack until cool enough to handle, then unmold cake onto serving platter. If you don't (I didn't), the sides will get a bit soft. Not that anyone here complained.