If an evil curse forced me to eat only one type of cheese for the rest of my life I would cry. Then I would eat burrata. Burrata causes me to swoon and wax poetic. I will ramble on about how it tastes of spring meadows, rainbows and butterflies; how one bite will cause you to have a cheese epiphany consider quitting your job, importing a herd of water buffalo, and starting a cheese making business. (Mr. B logically pointed out that the water buffalo would probably not enjoy sub-zero temperatures. Dream killer.) How every time you visit a Whole Foods you will ask the cheese monger if they have any burrata, and become so disappointed when they do not that all the other cheeses loose their appeal (well almost). Burrata is my cheese.

What is burrata you may ask? It is a silky ball of fresh Italian cheese traditionally made from the milk of water buffalo. This milk is richer than cows’ milk and lacks yellow carotene so it is pure white. The cheese is created by creating an outer shell with mozzarella curds and filling it with a mixture of curd and fresh cream. This means that when you break the soft outer shell of a burrata ball it will ooze a buttery creamy liquid onto the plate. Oh, the liquid goodness! This is definitely a case where the cheese stands alone. You do not need much more than a bit of bread or a slice of heirloom tomato to convey the cheese directly into your mouth.

Burrata is best eaten within 24 hours after it is made and beyond 48 hours is considered past its prime. Much like fish, it should be handled with care and enjoyed at the peak of freshness. Now last I checked, there are not any water buffalo herds in the U.S. and overnight shipping from Italy would make this cheese cost prohibitive. However we are in luck, for on the outskirts of L.A. a man named Vito Girardi is creating Italian quality burrata for our enjoyment. He manufactures 1500 pounds a day, with each ball formed by hand. A marvelous L.A. Times article featuring Vito can be found here.

As burrata has grown in popularity over the past few years, I have seen a copycat version pop up at Trader Joe’s. Sadly, it does not compare to the quality of burrata produced by Vito. Whole Foods carries Gioia’s burrata (Vito’s brand) and while it is not cheap (about $10- $16 per pound) it is well worth the price. Each creamy bite will fill your mouth with a burst of freshness. Tasting of spring grass, tangy curd, and a haunting sweetness it will leave you daydreaming about water buffalo and making cheese.

Burrata Cheese on Grilled Bread (Printable Recipe)

Ingredients:
1 lb fresh burrata cheese
1 loaf artisan bread (nice and crusty)
High quality olive oil
Freshly ground pepper
Sea Salt
1/2 lemon
2 cloves garlic, peeled and cut in half

Directions:
Pre-heat your grill on medium-high (to about 400 degrees). Remove the burrata from the fridge and let it warm to room temperature while you prepare the bread.

Slice bread in 1″ thick slices. Brush both sides of each slice with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt. Once grill is hot, place bread slices on the grill, turning them over after three minutes to cook on the other side. Grill until bread is toasted and grill marks begin to show. Remove bread from grill. Lightly rub the garlic halves across the top of the bread (You want just a hint of flavor here- not garlic bread.) Rub the cut half of the lemon across the top of the bread.

Remove the burrata from the liquid in the container and place it in the center of a large plate. Drizzle a generous amount of olive oil on top of the cheese. Lightly sprinkle the burrata with a little sea salt and freshly ground pepper.

To serve, slice into the burrata and spread it on each slice of bread.

Enjoy!

1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 tablespoon water

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375° F. Place a Silpat or buttered sheet of parchment on a large flat baking sheet.

In a small bowl sift together flour, ginger, and cloves. Place a small saucepan over medium heat and melt butter with sugar, golden syrup, and water, stirring until smooth. Add in flour mixture and stir until ingredients are combined. Remove pan from heat and let stand 2 minutes. Spoon 1 tablespoon batter onto baking sheet and spread into a 3-inch circle. Make 2 or 3 more cookies the same way making sure to keep them at least 2 inches apart as they will spread in the oven. Bake cookies in middle of oven 7 to 9 minutes, or until just golden brown. Cool on the tray for only 30 to 45 seconds, or until just firm enough to hold their shape but still very flexible.

Moving fast, lift the hot cookies, one at a time, from the tray with a spatula and using your fingers gently press into a small bowl or muffin tin. (If cookies become too crisp to mold, return baking sheet to oven 30 seconds, or until cookies are re-heated through and pliable.)

To make the accent spirals, spread thin strips of batter instead of circles and bake until golden brown (4-5 minutes). Remove from oven and quickly wrap in a spiral around handle of a wooden spoon. Cool cookies 20 seconds and immediately slide off spoon handle.

Make more cookies with remaining batter in same manner until all of the batter is gone. Brandy snap cups and twirls can be made 2 weeks ahead and kept in an airtight container at room temperature.

Rhubarb Sangria Compote
Adapted from Bon Appétit, March 2008
Quantity: 2 cups

Ingredients:

Compote
2 cups Pinot Noir or Cabernet Sauvignon
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
3 2-inch-long strips orange peel
2 2-inch-long strips lemon peel
4 whole cloves
6 cups 1/2-inch pieces fresh rhubarb (about 2 pounds trimmed)
1/8 teaspoon salt

Topping
1 cup heavy cream
2 Tablespoons sugar
Ground cloves

Directions:

In a large heavy saucepan over medium-high heat, combine wine, sugar, orange peel, lemon peel and cloves. Bring mixture to a boil and stir until the sugar is completely dissolved. Add rhubarb and salt into the pat and continue to simmer until the rhubarb is tender but not falling apart, about 8 minutes.

Use a slotted spoon to transfer rhubarb into a shallow dish, working to drain off as much liquid as possible. Place rhubarb into the dish in a single layer. Bring the remaining juices in saucepan to a boil and reduce to 1 1/4 cups, adding in any juices which accumulate in the shallow dish. This should take about 5 minutes. Once the liquid is reduced, pour the syrup over the rhubarb and let cool. Cover dish and chill until mixture is cold. This can be made 1 day ahead. Cover rhubarb mixture and store in the fridge.

When ready to serve, place a brandy snap basket on a plate and fill with rhubarb compote. Whip cream and sugar until soft peaks form. Place a dollop of whipped cream on top of the rhubarb compote, insert a spiral cookie, and lightly dust with ground cloves. Repeat with remaining baskets and compote. Enjoy!

If you missed the previous Battles of the Pasta, you can read a blow-by-blow account of epic kitchen warfare here and here.

When I first encountered magical morel mushrooms, the deep earthy flavors filled my mind with fantasies of ravioli pillows filled with mushrooms and sage cased in a brown butter sauce. To find this fantasy in a restaurant would mean traveling for days, and the thought of making my own ravioli quickly turned any fantasy into a sweat-inducing nightmare. So I firmly pushed the notion out of my head and returned to enjoying my morel risotto.

However this year when the magic morels sprung through the earth once more, the fantasy returned with a vengeance. This time it wasn’t nice- it nagged. “You have a new pasta maker just sitting there” it said. “But I’m still recovering from the last pasta battle!” I protested. “Think of the flavors”, it pleaded. “This risotto is quite nice” I replied. Finally my fantasy pulled out the big guns, “You could use bacon.” I was a goner.

I gathered my weapons, and called in Mr. B for reinforcements. We rolled up our sleeves and steeled ourselves for another long floury battle (i.e. we had a beer). Then, hoping to draw on the lessons of The Paupered Chef who fought his own battles with ravioli, we dove in.

Making the Ravioli Dough and Fillings

The dough came together easily. With the wisdom gained from experience, I made sure that the mix was not too dry. As I rolled out the long sheets of dough, it went surprisingly well. Making sure to mist the dough with water if it looked dry, or sprinkle it with a little flour if it looked wet, the dough happily ran back and forth between the pasta rollers. Excitedly I looked over at Mr. B and exclaimed, “It’s working!” Soon I had a two foot long very thin sheet of pasta ready for ravioli filling. I thought, “This is too good to be true!”. It was.

When we layered the second sheet on top of the ravioli filling, and patted out any air bubbles I noticed that I could see the filling through the pasta sheet quite easily. “Well it will probably be really tender ravioli” I thought. We used a small biscuit cutter to cut out the ravioli circles, and then gently transferred them to a plate. Remembering my potsticker disaster, I avoided stacking the ravioli on top of each other and soon filled several plates with the little circles. Once all of the ravioli were formed, I put a large pot of salted water on to boil. When the water was boiling rapidly I picked up a plate of ravioli and walked over to the pot. I reached down to pick up a ravioli and it wouldn’t’ budge. Slightly concerned, I tried to pick up another one. It didn’t move either. Nudging all the ravioli on the plate confirmed my worst fears. They were stuck to the plate.

Assembling the Ravioli and Making the Sauce

Mr. B looked crestfallen, fully aware that this annihilated any hope of eating dinner before 9 PM. I set the plate down and began to gently tug, pull, and use all my skills to free the ravioli. It was a lost cause. I could not get them off of the plate without tearing a big hole in the bottom of each one. Watching our dinner fall apart before my eyes, I frantically looked around the kitchen. Making more dough was out of the question, as we wanted to eat before midnight. Then I spotted leftover scraps of dough crumpled on the counter. Ah ha! Maybe, just maybe, I could gather the discarded dough and win this battle. I re-rolled the scraps and cut out additional circles. Then I took each circle and used it to cover up the holes, basically creating a double-layer ravioli. We managed to patch together enough ravioli for a meal, and proceeded to throw those in the boiling water.

Once the ravioli were cooked, I tossed them with a sauce of butter, bacon, spring onions, and asparagus. Then they were nestled onto plates, with one plate of ravioli containing a morel filling and the second an Italian pork filling. A quick grating of cheese on top, and dinner was finally ready at 10pm on a Sunday night. Exhausted and covered in flour, we picked up our forks and took a bite. Despite being thoroughly abused, the ravioli had somehow managed to survive. I wouldn’t call them tender, but they were still delicious. Flavors of earthy morels, sage, brown butter, and bacon danced across my tongue. Getting there was a nightmare, but my fantasy of morel ravioli was finally a happy reality.

Dinner at Last

Ravioli Two Ways (Printable Recipe)
Dough Recipe adapted from The Paupered Chef
Serves 4

Ingredients:

Dough
3 1/2 cups flour (all purpose flour works very well here)
1 teaspoon salt
4 eggs
1 Tablespoon olive oil
2 Tablespoons water

Morel Mushroom and Sage Filling
1/2 cup minced onion
1 Tablespoon minced garlic
1 cup minced morel mushrooms (about 6-8 mushrooms)
1/3 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons sage
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper

Italian Pork Filling
1 pound ground pork
1/2 cup minced onion
1/3 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
1 Tablespoon minced garlic
1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon oregano
2 teaspoons basil
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper

Sauce
4 strips of thick bacon, cut into 1″ lengths
4 Tablespoons butter
4 Tablespoons olive oil
2 cups asparagus, cut into 1/2″ lengths
2 cups spring onions, cut into 1/2″ lengths
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup pasta water (reserved from draining the pasta)

Grated Parmesan cheese
Freshly ground pepper

Directions:

Make the Dough
In a medium size bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Add eggs, oil, and water. Whisk until ingredients are combined, and then dump the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead the dough for about 10 minutes until you notice a change in texture. The surface of the dough should have a smooth and stretchy feel. If the dough feels too dry, spritz it with water and continue kneading it in. If it feels too sticky then add in a little flour. Wrap finished dough in plastic wrap and set aside for 30 minutes.

Make the Fillings
While the dough rests, assemble the ravioli fillings. For the morel filling, in a medium bowl combine onion, garlic, mushrooms, Parmesan cheese, salt, sage, and ground pepper. Stir ingredients gently until well combined. Set aside. For the pork filling, in a medium bowl combine pork, onion, Parmesan cheese, garlic, balsamic vinegar, thyme, oregano, basil, salt, and ground pepper. Stir filling until ingredients are well combined. Set aside.

Roll out the Dough
Take the ball of dough and cut it into four equally sized pieces. Press each piece into a rough rectangle shape to fit through your pasta machine rollers. Place a damp kitchen towel over the dough that you are not rolling, to keep it from drying out. Carefully run a rectangle of dough through your pasta rollers, beginning on the largest setting. Work the dough through the rollers, reducing the setting after every two or three passes of the dough, until you are finally have a dough that is about 1/16th of an inch thick. If the dough is translucent, it is too thin. If your dough is sticking to the rollers, dust it with flour. If the dough is crumbling then it is likely too dry, mist it with water and try again. Once the dough is about 12″ x 5″ long and the right thickness, set it on a lightly floured counter top. Repeat the process until all the dough is rolled out, covering the finished sheets with a damp towel to keep them from drying out. (Do NOT stack the sheets of dough!)

Make the Ravioli
Place 1 teaspoon of the filling of your choice on one sheet of dough, leaving a 1/2″ space between the filling and the edge of the dough and a 1″ gap between piles of filling. Lay a second sheet of dough over the top of the filling. Using your fingers, gently press around each mound of filling, pressing out any air between the sheets of dough. Using a small round biscuit cutter or a small wine glass, cut out the ravioli. Use your fingers to press gently around the edges of each ravioli, making sure the seams are closed. Set the finished ravioli on a surface or plate that is lightly dusted with flour. (Do NOT stack the ravioli!) Repeat this process with the remaining two sheets of dough.

Prepare the Sauce and Cook the Ravioli
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil over high heat. While water is coming to a boil, make the sauce.

Place a heavy medium-sized skillet over medium heat. Add bacon to the skillet, and cook until almost crispy, about 6 minutes. Remove bacon from skillet with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add butter and olive oil to the skillet. Once butter is beginning to foam, add asparagus and onions to the pan. Saute until asparagus is al dente and onions are tender, about 4 minutes. Turn off heat, and move pan off of the burner.

Once the water is boiling, add the ravioli to the pot. Turn down the heat to keep the water at a gentle boil – too strong and you risk damaging the ravioli. Cook the ravioli for 3 minutes, and then taste one for doneness. If the texture is to your liking, turn off the heat. If not then cook for 1 more minute and taste again. Immediately take 1/2 cup of the pasta water out of the pot, and set aside. Then quickly move the ravioli with a slotted spoon into the pan with the sauce. Add the reserved pasta water into the pan along with the salt and bacon. Gently stir to coat the ravioli with the sauce. Once ravioli is well coated, dish it into individual plates and top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and freshly ground pepper.

If you missed the previous Battles of the Pasta, you can read a blow-by-blow account of epic kitchen warfare here and here.

When I first encountered magical morel mushrooms, the deep earthy flavors filled my mind with fantasies of ravioli pillows filled with mushrooms and sage cased in a brown butter sauce. To find this fantasy in a restaurant would mean traveling for days, and the thought of making my own ravioli quickly turned any fantasy into a sweat-inducing nightmare. So I firmly pushed the notion out of my head and returned to enjoying my morel risotto.

However this year when the magic morels sprung through the earth once more, the fantasy returned with a vengeance. This time it wasn’t nice- it nagged. “You have a new pasta maker just sitting there” it said. “But I’m still recovering from the last pasta battle!” I protested. “Think of the flavors”, it pleaded. “This risotto is quite nice” I replied. Finally my fantasy pulled out the big guns, “You could use bacon.” I was a goner.

I gathered my weapons, and called in Mr. B for reinforcements. We rolled up our sleeves and steeled ourselves for another long floury battle (i.e. we had a beer). Then, hoping to draw on the lessons of The Paupered Chef who fought his own battles with ravioli, we dove in.

Making the Ravioli Dough and Fillings

The dough came together easily. With the wisdom gained from experience, I made sure that the mix was not too dry. As I rolled out the long sheets of dough, it went surprisingly well. Making sure to mist the dough with water if it looked dry, or sprinkle it with a little flour if it looked wet, the dough happily ran back and forth between the pasta rollers. Excitedly I looked over at Mr. B and exclaimed, “It’s working!” Soon I had a two foot long very thin sheet of pasta ready for ravioli filling. I thought, “This is too good to be true!”. It was.

When we layered the second sheet on top of the ravioli filling, and patted out any air bubbles I noticed that I could see the filling through the pasta sheet quite easily. “Well it will probably be really tender ravioli” I thought. We used a small biscuit cutter to cut out the ravioli circles, and then gently transferred them to a plate. Remembering my potsticker disaster, I avoided stacking the ravioli on top of each other and soon filled several plates with the little circles. Once all of the ravioli were formed, I put a large pot of salted water on to boil. When the water was boiling rapidly I picked up a plate of ravioli and walked over to the pot. I reached down to pick up a ravioli and it wouldn’t’ budge. Slightly concerned, I tried to pick up another one. It didn’t move either. Nudging all the ravioli on the plate confirmed my worst fears. They were stuck to the plate.

Assembling the Ravioli and Making the Sauce

Mr. B looked crestfallen, fully aware that this annihilated any hope of eating dinner before 9 PM. I set the plate down and began to gently tug, pull, and use all my skills to free the ravioli. It was a lost cause. I could not get them off of the plate without tearing a big hole in the bottom of each one. Watching our dinner fall apart before my eyes, I frantically looked around the kitchen. Making more dough was out of the question, as we wanted to eat before midnight. Then I spotted leftover scraps of dough crumpled on the counter. Ah ha! Maybe, just maybe, I could gather the discarded dough and win this battle. I re-rolled the scraps and cut out additional circles. Then I took each circle and used it to cover up the holes, basically creating a double-layer ravioli. We managed to patch together enough ravioli for a meal, and proceeded to throw those in the boiling water.

Once the ravioli were cooked, I tossed them with a sauce of butter, bacon, spring onions, and asparagus. Then they were nestled onto plates, with one plate of ravioli containing a morel filling and the second an Italian pork filling. A quick grating of cheese on top, and dinner was finally ready at 10pm on a Sunday night. Exhausted and covered in flour, we picked up our forks and took a bite. Despite being thoroughly abused, the ravioli had somehow managed to survive. I wouldn’t call them tender, but they were still delicious. Flavors of earthy morels, sage, brown butter, and bacon danced across my tongue. Getting there was a nightmare, but my fantasy of morel ravioli was finally a happy reality.

Dinner at Last

Ravioli Two Ways (Printable Recipe)
Dough Recipe adapted from The Paupered Chef
Serves 4

Ingredients:

Dough
3 1/2 cups flour (all purpose flour works very well here)
1 teaspoon salt
4 eggs
1 Tablespoon olive oil
2 Tablespoons water

Morel Mushroom and Sage Filling
1/2 cup minced onion
1 Tablespoon minced garlic
1 cup minced morel mushrooms (about 6-8 mushrooms)
1/3 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons sage
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper

Italian Pork Filling
1 pound ground pork
1/2 cup minced onion
1/3 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
1 Tablespoon minced garlic
1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon oregano
2 teaspoons basil
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper

Sauce

4 strips of thick bacon, cut into 1″ lengths
4 Tablespoons butter
4 Tablespoons olive oil
2 cups asparagus, cut into 1/2″ lengths
2 cups spring onions, cut into 1/2″ lengths
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup pasta water (reserved from draining the pasta)

Grated Parmesan cheese
Freshly ground pepper

Directions:

Make the Dough
In a medium size bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Add eggs, oil, and water. Whisk until ingredients are combined, and then dump the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead the dough for about 10 minutes until you notice a change in texture. The surface of the dough should have a smooth and stretchy feel. If the dough feels too dry, spritz it with water and continue kneading it in. If it feels too sticky then add in a little flour. Wrap finished dough in plastic wrap and set aside for 30 minutes.

Make the Fillings
While the dough rests, assemble the ravioli fillings. For the morel filling, in a medium bowl combine onion, garlic, mushrooms, Parmesan cheese, salt, sage, and ground pepper. Stir ingredients gently until well combined. Set aside. For the pork filling, in a medium bowl combine pork, onion, Parmesan cheese, garlic, balsamic vinegar, thyme, oregano, basil, salt, and ground pepper. Stir filling until ingredients are well combined. Set aside.

Roll out the Dough
Take the ball of dough and cut it into four equally sized pieces. Press each piece into a rough rectangle shape to fit through your pasta machine rollers. Place a damp kitchen towel over the dough that you are not rolling, to keep it from drying out. Carefully run a rectangle of dough through your pasta rollers, beginning on the largest setting. Work the dough through the rollers, reducing the setting after every two or three passes of the dough, until you are finally have a dough that is about 1/16th of an inch thick. If the dough is translucent, it is too thin. If your dough is sticking to the rollers, dust it with flour. If the dough is crumbling then it is likely too dry, mist it with water and try again. Once the dough is about 12″ x 5″ long and the right thickness, set it on a lightly floured counter top. Repeat the process until all the dough is rolled out, covering the finished sheets with a damp towel to keep them from drying out. (Do NOT stack the sheets of dough!)

Make the Ravioli
Place 1 teaspoon of the filling of your choice on one sheet of dough, leaving a 1/2″ space between the filling and the edge of the dough and a 1″ gap between piles of filling. Lay a second sheet of dough over the top of the filling. Using your fingers, gently press around each mound of filling, pressing out any air between the sheets of dough. Using a small round biscuit cutter or a small wine glass, cut out the ravioli. Use your fingers to press gently around the edges of each ravioli, making sure the seams are closed. Set the finished ravioli on a surface or plate that is lightly dusted with flour. (Do NOT stack the ravioli!) Repeat this process with the remaining two sheets of dough.

Prepare the Sauce and Cook the Ravioli
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil over high heat. While water is coming to a boil, make the sauce.

Place a heavy medium-sized skillet over medium heat. Add bacon to the skillet, and cook until almost crispy, about 6 minutes. Remove bacon from skillet with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add butter and olive oil to the skillet. Once butter is beginning to foam, add asparagus and onions to the pan. Saute until asparagus is al dente and onions are tender, about 4 minutes. Turn off heat, and move pan off of the burner.

Once the water is boiling, add the ravioli to the pot. Turn down the heat to keep the water at a gentle boil – too strong and you risk damaging the ravioli. Cook the ravioli for 3 minutes, and then taste one for doneness. If the texture is to your liking, turn off the heat. If not then cook for 1 more minute and taste again. Immediately take 1/2 cup of the pasta water out of the pot, and set aside. Then quickly move the ravioli with a slotted spoon into the pan with the sauce. Add the reserved pasta water into the pan along with the salt and bacon. Gently stir to coat the ravioli with the sauce. Once ravioli is well coated, dish it into individual plates and top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and freshly ground pepper.

Strawberry-Rhubarb Filled Brioche Rolls

Most people realize that brioche is a delicious rich flavored bread. But do you know just how much butter it takes to achieve that level of flavor? Cups. Yes plural- as in more than one cup. There is so much butter in this bread that if those who freak out over trans-fats ever get wind of it, we just may find brioche outlawed in several states. If you are one of those people just look at the pretty pictures and don’t read the following paragraph. (Actually if you are one of those people this website may scar you for life. Run, run away!)

The past two weeks in the Bread Baker’s Apprentice Challenge, had me creating not one, not two, but three versions of brioche. My arteries may never forgive me. The first challenge was to make a classic brioche dough. Three options were presented with varying levels of butter indecency. Rich Man’s brioche (for those who can afford liposuction) with a butter ratio of 87% contains one whole pound of butter. Middle Class brioche (for those who have a gym membership) has a somewhat reduced amount of butter, and Poor Man’s brioche (jogging is free), is a prime example of poverty being “relative” because compared to most breads it still has lots of butter.

Making the Brioche Loaf

I decided that Middle Class brioche was rich enough for our blood and proceeded to make the bread. Compared to any dough I’ve made the brioche dough was incredibly smooth and silky. Chilling the dough overnight prior to working with it was absolutely necessary, as otherwise I think it would have simply dissolved into puddles of butter on the counter. Since the recipe made a double quantity I first went the traditional loaf route and then changed things up, turning the remaining dough into cinnamon-style rolls. A leftover strawberry-rhubarb compote was hanging out in my fridge so I incorporated that into the rolls along with a bit of cinnamon. After taking a very long time to rise (at least 4 hours) the brioche finally went into the oven.

Classic Brioche Loaf

The results? Decadent and delicious. The outer edge of the traditional loaf turned a deep golden brown and provided a nice chewy ring around a light and buttery interior. I used too much filling in the rolls, however, and they reacted by sinking in the oven. The strawberry rhubarb flavor was incredibly good in the brioche dough. I need to play around with this concept a bit more as I think it will be awesome once perfected.

Casatiello Loaf

The second challenge was to take the brioche dough and transform it Italian style into a Casatiello loaf. This meant that not only do you use a lot of butter, but now you add in salami and cheese. That’s right, hanging out with the French may make you feel fat, but hanging out with the Italians could very well get you killed! (Side note: I’ve always wished I was Italian.)

Making the Casatiello Bread

A surprise trip to Wholefoods meant I had the luxury of finding authentic Italian hard salami, along with a lightly smoked Gouda and a tangy Swiss cheese. These ingredients took the Casatiello loaf over the top into the “dangerously delicious” category. Once baked, the loaf was studded with mouthwatering chunks of salami and oozing pockets of cheese. Each slice could be a complete meal. When lightly toasted and topped with an egg cooked over easy…you’ll be jumping out of bed before the alarm to eat breakfast. It is that good!

Casatiello Cross-Section

If you haven’t picked up a copy of The Bread Baker’s Apprentice yet, I would encourage you to look it up. So far the bagel recipe and the Casatiello recipe are worth the cost of the book. With over forty recipes to go it is probably only going to get better from here!

Oscar’s First Birthday from Phoo-D on Vimeo.

My family has a long-held tradition of The Birthday Dinner. A revered tradition, it gives the person turning a year older free rein to choose the location, menu, and company for the meal. My brother would almost always choose Chinese food. A plate of General Tso’s chicken to be exact. As he grew older (and taller) that plate became a platter- just for him. When I married Mr. B I introduced him to this family tradition. Now after three years I suspect he has become wise to how it works and is plotting his meals far in advance.

This year when I asked Mr. B what he would like for his birthday dinner he replied, “Rack of lamb and a cheesecake.” My eyebrows shot up. “A cheesecake?” I asked. “Are you sure?” (Confession: I am not a big fan of cheesecake and usually keep a respectable distance from it at all times.) “Yup, a cheesecake” he replied. “And strawberry rhubarb would be nice.”

Well now I was stumped. Not only do I usually avoid cheesecake but I had never heard of nor seen a strawberry rhubarb cheesecake. Attempts to change his mind were futile so I soon found myself searching for a recipe. When I saw a mascarpone cheesecake with strawberry rhubarb glaze and chocolate-covered strawberries on top I knew it was birthday-worthy. The recipe detailed a long process which takes several days to complete.

Making the Cheesecake

I made the mistake of starting to bake the cheesecake after work the night before Mr. B’s birthday. Before I knew it, I was wishing Mr. B a happy birthday at midnight and still waiting for the base of the cake to cool so I could go to bed! The next day I rushed home over my lunch hour to make chocolate covered strawberries, and then rushed home again at the end of the day to assemble the cake before making the rack of lamb for dinner.

Making the Chocolate-Covered Strawberries

Fortunately I picked a straightforward recipe for the rack of lamb, which combined a delicious Dijon breadcrumb crust and a classic mint sauce. The resulting lamb was wonderful and I would make this recipe again in a moment. A viscous mint sauce added bright silky flavors to tender lamb, while the crumb crust provided a toasty crunch to each bite.

Making the Rack of Lamb

So how was the cheesecake? Was it worth the late night and work? Absolutely. Mr. B was thrilled with the results and despite my cheesecake aversion I enjoyed every bite. Mascarpone lightened the texture of the cheesecake beautifully, while a smooth strawberry rhubarb sauce added a tart fruit flavor. The chocolate covered strawberries were both delightful to look at and fun to eat. This was a dessert that would impress the pickiest of gourmands- just try to wait for a weekend to make it!

Rack of Lamb with Classic Mint Sauce (Printable Recipe)
Recipe Adapted from Bon Appetite
Serves 4

Ingredients:

Rack of Lamb
1 8-chop rack of lamb, trimmed (Ask your butcher to trim it to a “French Cut”)
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 1/2 cups fresh white breadcrumbs
3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint

Fresh mint sprigs

Mint Sauce
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
1/2 cup canned beef broth
1/3 cup minced shallots
6 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/4 cup sugar

2 teaspoons cornstarch

Directions:

Prepare the Mint Sauce (At least 2 hours ahead)

Place a small heavy saucepan (don’t use aluminum) over medium heat. Add 1 cup mint, broth, shallots, vinegar, and sugar to the pot. Stir well until the sugar has dissolved. Allow mixture to simmer gently for about 2 minutes, then remove it from heat. Immediately cover the pot and let it stand for 2 hours.

Pour sauce through a fine mesh sieve into a 2 cup capacity glass measuring cup. Return the empty saucepan to the stove over medium heat. Then add in the cornstarch. Slowly pour the strained sauce into the cornstarch, whisking constantly to prevent lumps from forming. Stir constantly until the sauce thickens and becomes clear, about 2 minutes. Take the pan off the heat, and allow sauce to cool to room temperature. (If you are making the sauce a day ahead of time, store it in the fridge once cool. Bring sauce to room temperature the next day before continuing with the recipe.)

Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of mint into the sauce and stir. Taste sauce and season with salt and pepper if necessary. Serve with lamb. (Makes about 1 cup.)

Prepare the Lamb

Preheat oven to 450°F with a rack in the lower middle of the oven. Season both sides of the lamb with salt and pepper. Spread 1 tablespoon mustard on each side of the lamb rack. In a medium bowl, mix together breadcrumbs and mint until well combined. Gently press the mixture onto both sides of the lamb, coating it well.

Place lamb in a roasting pan with rack or a large rimmed baking sheet. Roast the lamb for 10 minutes and then lower the oven temperature to 350°F. Continue to roast the lamb until a meat thermometer inserted into the center of the meat reads 130°F for medium-rare. This should take about 20 minutes more but if your rack is not well trimmed the fat cap may insulate the meat and extend your cooking time by 10-15 minutes.

Remove lamb from oven, and transfer it out of the pan onto a cutting board. Tent the rack with foil and let it sit for 5 minutes so the juices can settle in the meat. Carefully cut the rack between each bone, dividing the meat into chops. Serve lamb chops on top of the mint sauce or pass the sauce separately, depending on your preference. Garnish with mint sprigs.

Mascarpone Cheesecake with Strawberry Rhubarb Glaze (Printable Recipe)
Recipe Adapted from Bon Appetite
Serves 12

Ingredients:

Crust
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted

Filling
2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 8-ounce containers mascarpone cheese, room temperature
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
6 large eggs, room temperature
1 1/2 tablespoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
Pinch of salt

3/4 cup sour cream

Glaze
4 cups 1/2-inch pieces fresh rhubarb (from about 1 1/2 pounds)
8 strawberries, hulled, halved
3/4 cup sugar
2/3 cup plus 3 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch

Chocolate-covered strawberries
6 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped
12 large strawberries

Special Equipment
Waxed paper
9″ Springform Pan

Directions:

Day 1 – Allow 1 hour of active cooking time, and about 4 hours of in-active time

Make the Crust
Preheat the oven to 325°F with a rack in the middle. Coat the inside of a 9″ springform pan well with nonstick cooking spray. In a medium bowl, mix together graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and cinnamon until well combined. Place butter in a small microwave safe bowl and microwave for about 20-30 seconds until just melted. Pour melted butter into the dry ingredients and mix with a fork until all ingredients are moistened. Press crumb mixture onto the bottom of the pan (not the sides) until it is completely covered in an even layer. Place the pan in the oven and bake for about 10 minutes, until the crust is set. Remove pan and allow crust to cool completely. Leave the oven on to maintain a steady heat for the cheesecake.

Make the Filling
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add in the mascarpone and beat mixture until it is smooth. Next add in the flour and beat until well combined. With the beaters still running, add eggs one at a time, waiting until each egg is incorporated before adding the next one. Mix in the vanilla, lemon juice, lemon peel, and salt. Once all ingredients are combined, pour filling into the pan on top of the cooled crust.

Place pan in the oven and bake for about 1 hour, until the cheesecake appears puffed around the edges and is beginning to turn golden on top. The center of the cake should still jiggle slightly if you (VERY) gently shake the pan. Turn off the oven and close the door. Let the cake sit in the oven with the door closed for an hour. (This will help prevent cracks in the cake as the edges settle back down giving you a flat surface on top of the cake.) Transfer the cake out of the oven onto a rack, and let it cool for another hour or until it is completely cooled. Whisk the sour cream until it is smooth and then spread it on top of the cake. Place the cake in the fridge overnight.

Day 2 – Allow 1 hour of cooking time and 6 hours-1 day for the glaze to set.

Make the Glaze
Place a large saucepan over medium heat. Combine rhubarb, strawberries, sugar, 2/3 cup water, and lemon juice in the pan. Stir mixture well until the sugar dissolves. Turn down the heat and simmer mixture until the rhubarb is tender (about 9 minutes). Take pan off of the heat and let mixture cool for 10 minutes. Pour the mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a 2 cup glass measuring cup. Press down on solids in the sieve with a spatula to extract as much liquid as possible out of the mixture. You should end up with about 1 1/2 cups of liquid. Wipe any chunks out of the saucepan, and pour the extracted liquid back into the pan. Bring liquid to a simmer over medium heat. In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch and 3 tablespoons of water. Add cornstarch mixture into the liquid, whisking constantly. Stir until the sauce boils and becomes thick (about 6 minutes). Pour the glaze into a small bowl and place it in the fridge until cold and slightly thickened (about 2 hours). Spread the glaze evenly on top of the cheesecake. Place cheesecake back into the fridge for a minimum of 4 hours and up to 1 day before serving.

Day 3 – Allow 30 minutes of cooking time and 30 minutes – 6 hours of chill time

Make the Chocolate-Covered Strawberries
Rinse your strawberries, leaving stems intact, and gently pat dry with paper towels.

Line a baking sheet with waxed paper. Place chocolate in the top of a double boiler set over simmering water, and stir constantly until the chocolate is smooth. (Alternatively you can place the chocolate in a microwave safe bowl and cook for 1 minute intervals, stirring after each minute, until smooth.) Turn off heat, and dip strawberries into the melted chocolate until it comes half way up the sides of the berry. Carefully shake off excess chocolate and then place the strawberry on the wax paper. Repeat until all strawberries are coated. (You may need to re-warm the chocolate if it becomes too thick and is not coating the strawberries as well as when you started.) Place baking sheet into the fridge and chill until the chocolate is set (about 30 minutes). You can do this up to 6 hours ahead of serving. (We noticed a decline in flavor after the strawberries had been in the fridge for 24 hours. They were still good- but slightly soggy.)

Place strawberries decoratively around the edges of the cheesecake and serve. Enjoy!

My family has a long-held tradition of The Birthday Dinner. A revered tradition, it gives the person turning a year older free rein to choose the location, menu, and company for the meal. My brother would almost always choose Chinese food. A plate of General Tso’s chicken to be exact. As he grew older (and taller) that plate became a platter- just for him. When I married Mr. B I introduced him to this family tradition. Now after three years I suspect he has become wise to how it works and is plotting his meals far in advance.

This year when I asked Mr. B what he would like for his birthday dinner he replied, “Rack of lamb and a cheesecake.” My eyebrows shot up. “A cheesecake?” I asked. “Are you sure?” (Confession: I am not a big fan of cheesecake and usually keep a respectable distance from it at all times.) “Yup, a cheesecake” he replied. “And strawberry rhubarb would be nice.”

Well now I was stumped. Not only do I usually avoid cheesecake but I had never heard of nor seen a strawberry rhubarb cheesecake. Attempts to change his mind were futile so I soon found myself searching for a recipe. When I saw a mascarpone cheesecake with strawberry rhubarb glaze and chocolate-covered strawberries on top I knew it was birthday-worthy. The recipe detailed a long process which takes several days to complete.

Making the Cheesecake

I made the mistake of starting to bake the cheesecake after work the night before Mr. B’s birthday. Before I knew it, I was wishing Mr. B a happy birthday at midnight and still waiting for the base of the cake to cool so I could go to bed! The next day I rushed home over my lunch hour to make chocolate covered strawberries, and then rushed home again at the end of the day to assemble the cake before making the rack of lamb for dinner.

Making the Chocolate-Covered Strawberries

Fortunately I picked a straightforward recipe for the rack of lamb, which combined a delicious Dijon breadcrumb crust and a classic mint sauce. The resulting lamb was wonderful and I would make this recipe again in a moment. A viscous mint sauce added bright silky flavors to tender lamb, while the crumb crust provided a toasty crunch to each bite.

Making the Rack of Lamb

So how was the cheesecake? Was it worth the late night and work? Absolutely. Mr. B was thrilled with the results and despite my cheesecake aversion I enjoyed every bite. Mascarpone lightened the texture of the cheesecake beautifully, while a smooth strawberry rhubarb sauce added a tart fruit flavor. The chocolate covered strawberries were both delightful to look at and fun to eat. This was a dessert that would impress the pickiest of gourmands- just try to wait for a weekend to make it!

Rack of Lamb with Classic Mint Sauce (Printable Recipe)
Recipe Adapted from Bon Appetite
Serves 4

Ingredients:

Rack of Lamb
1 8-chop rack of lamb, trimmed (Ask your butcher to trim it to a “French Cut”)
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 1/2 cups fresh white breadcrumbs
3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint

Fresh mint sprigs

Mint Sauce
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
1/2 cup canned beef broth
1/3 cup minced shallots
6 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
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2 teaspoons cornstarch

Directions:

Prepare the Mint Sauce (At least 2 hours ahead)

Place a small heavy saucepan (don’t use aluminum) over medium heat. Add 1 cup mint, broth, shallots, vinegar, and sugar to the pot. Stir well until the sugar has dissolved. Allow mixture to simmer gently for about 2 minutes, then remove it from heat. Immediately cover the pot and let it stand for 2 hours.

Pour sauce through a fine mesh sieve into a 2 cup capacity glass measuring cup. Return the empty saucepan to the stove over medium heat. Then add in the cornstarch. Slowly pour the strained sauce into the cornstarch, whisking constantly to prevent lumps from forming. Stir constantly until the sauce thickens and becomes clear, about 2 minutes. Take the pan off the heat, and allow sauce to cool to room temperature. (If you are making the sauce a day ahead of time, store it in the fridge once cool. Bring sauce to room temperature the next day before continuing with the recipe.)

Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of mint into the sauce and stir. Taste sauce and season with salt and pepper if necessary. Serve with lamb. (Makes about 1 cup.)

Prepare the Lamb

Preheat oven to 450°F with a rack in the lower middle of the oven. Season both sides of the lamb with salt and pepper. Spread 1 tablespoon mustard on each side of the lamb rack. In a medium bowl, mix together breadcrumbs and mint until well combined. Gently press the mixture onto both sides of the lamb, coating it well.

Place lamb in a roasting pan with rack or a large rimmed baking sheet. Roast the lamb for 10 minutes and then lower the oven temperature to 350°F. Continue to roast the lamb until a meat thermometer inserted into the center of the meat reads 130°F for medium-rare. This should take about 20 minutes more but if your rack is not well trimmed the fat cap may insulate the meat and extend your cooking time by 10-15 minutes.

Remove lamb from oven, and transfer it out of the pan onto a cutting board. Tent the rack with foil and let it sit for 5 minutes so the juices can settle in the meat. Carefully cut the rack between each bone, dividing the meat into chops. Serve lamb chops on top of the mint sauce or pass the sauce separately, depending on your preference. Garnish with mint sprigs.

Mascarpone Cheesecake with Strawberry Rhubarb Glaze (Printable Recipe)
Recipe Adapted from Bon Appetite
Serves 12

Ingredients:

Crust
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted

Filling
2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 8-ounce containers mascarpone cheese, room temperature
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
6 large eggs, room temperature
1 1/2 tablespoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
Pinch of salt

3/4 cup sour cream

Glaze
4 cups 1/2-inch pieces fresh rhubarb (from about 1 1/2 pounds)
8 strawberries, hulled, halved
3/4 cup sugar
2/3 cup plus 3 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch

Chocolate-covered strawberries
6 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped
12 large strawberries

Special Equipment
Waxed paper
9″ Springform Pan

Directions:

Day 1 – Allow 1 hour of active cooking time, and about 4 hours of in-active time

Make the Crust
Preheat the oven to 325°F with a rack in the middle. Coat the inside of a 9″ springform pan well with nonstick cooking spray. In a medium bowl, mix together graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and cinnamon until well combined. Place butter in a small microwave safe bowl and microwave for about 20-30 seconds until just melted. Pour melted butter into the dry ingredients and mix with a fork until all ingredients are moistened. Press crumb mixture onto the bottom of the pan (not the sides) until it is completely covered in an even layer. Place the pan in the oven and bake for about 10 minutes, until the crust is set. Remove pan and allow crust to cool completely. Leave the oven on to maintain a steady heat for the cheesecake.

Make the Filling
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add in the mascarpone and beat mixture until it is smooth. Next add in the flour and beat until well combined. With the beaters still running, add eggs one at a time, waiting until each egg is incorporated before adding the next one. Mix in the vanilla, lemon juice, lemon peel, and salt. Once all ingredients are combined, pour filling into the pan on top of the cooled crust.

Place pan in the oven and bake for about 1 hour, until the cheesecake appears puffed around the edges and is beginning to turn golden on top. The center of the cake should still jiggle slightly if you (VERY) gently shake the pan. Turn off the oven and close the door. Let the cake sit in the oven with the door closed for an hour. (This will help prevent cracks in the cake as the edges settle back down giving you a flat surface on top of the cake.) Transfer the cake out of the oven onto a rack, and let it cool for another hour or until it is completely cooled. Whisk the sour cream until it is smooth and then spread it on top of the cake. Place the cake in the fridge overnight.

Day 2 – Allow 1 hour of cooking time and 6 hours-1 day for the glaze to set.

Make the Glaze
Place a large saucepan over medium heat. Combine rhubarb, strawberries, sugar, 2/3 cup water, and lemon juice in the pan. Stir mixture well until the sugar dissolves. Turn down the heat and simmer mixture until the rhubarb is tender (about 9 minutes). Take pan off of the heat and let mixture cool for 10 minutes. Pour the mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a 2 cup glass measuring cup. Press down on solids in the sieve with a spatula to extract as much liquid as possible out of the mixture. You should end up with about 1 1/2 cups of liquid. Wipe any chunks out of the saucepan, and pour the extracted liquid back into the pan. Bring liquid to a simmer over medium heat. In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch and 3 tablespoons of water. Add cornstarch mixture into the liquid, whisking constantly. Stir until the sauce boils and becomes thick (about 6 minutes). Pour the glaze into a small bowl and place it in the fridge until cold and slightly thickened (about 2 hours). Spread the glaze evenly on top of the cheesecake. Place cheesecake back into the fridge for a minimum of 4 hours and up to 1 day before serving.

Day 3 – Allow 30 minutes of cooking time and 30 minutes – 6 hours of chill time

Make the Chocolate-Covered Strawberries
Rinse your strawberries, leaving stems intact, and gently pat dry with paper towels.

Line a baking sheet with waxed paper. Place chocolate in the top of a double boiler set over simmering water, and stir constantly until the chocolate is smooth. (Alternatively you can place the chocolate in a microwave safe bowl and cook for 1 minute intervals, stirring after each minute, until smooth.) Turn off heat, and dip strawberries into the melted chocolate until it comes half way up the sides of the berry. Carefully shake off excess chocolate and then place the strawberry on the wax paper. Repeat until all strawberries are coated. (You may need to re-warm the chocolate if it becomes too thick and is not coating the strawberries as well as when you started.) Place baking sheet into the fridge and chill
until the chocolate is set (about 30 minutes). You can do this up to 6 hours ahead of serving. (We noticed a decline in flavor after the strawberries had been in the fridge for 24 hours. They were still good- but slightly soggy.)

Place strawberries decoratively around the edges of the cheesecake and serve. Enjoy!