The Bitten Word

Flourless Double-Chocolate Cookies

Everyday Food (September 2009)

We tried to behave ourselves all summer -- we limited carbs, cut back on sweets and just said no to cookies.

But it's fall, and we're riding the cookie train from here to Christmas.

If you're looking for a sweet hit to get back on the junk, look no further than these Flourless Double-Chocolate Cookies.  Dark, rich and oh-so-chocolatey, they're perfect for kicking off your downward cookie spiral for fall.

(Plus, they're gluten-free, so you can pretend they're not as bad for you!)

Poached Salmon with Corn and White Wine–Butter Sauce

Food & Wine (September 2009)

We're not big poachers. As a cooking method, it's just never on our radar.  In fact, we've only ever poached something three times -- two different egg dishes and some rhubarb for a dessert.

But this Poached Salmon with Corn and White Wine-Butter Sauce might just bring poaching into regular rotation around The Bitten Word house. It's quick and easy, and it wraps the salmon in light, lovely flavors.

Green Beans with Hazelnuts

Everyday Food (September 2009)

We saw a cooking demo this summer, and as the chef was chopping up vegetables for a green bean and feta salad, she made special mention of how she was cutting up the green beans: slicing them into quarter-inch segments, on the diagonal.

Somebody in the group asked why, and the chef leveled with us: It doesn't make them taste better, but it does make them seem more special.

Sometimes, it really is the small things. 

Such is the case with a side dish like Green Beans with Hazelnuts. Though uncomplicated and relatively simple, the preparation elevates green beans to something, well, more special.

The Best Bloody Mary

Bon Appétit (September 2009)

When the Bloody Mary was first popularized in the 1920s and 30s, the recipe was simple: Half tomato juice, half vodka.

Since then, Bloody Marys have gotten a lot more complicated. Today, even a basic Bloody is likely to have celery salt, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco and horseradish. And the drink hasn't escaped the current mixology trend -- au courant Bloodies include everything from Chinese five-spice to bacon-infused vodka to local, organic heirloom tomatoes.

Yes, it's been an 80-year trend toward a fancier Bloody Mary, and it's culminated in this recipe from Bon Appétit.

We can't imagine a more complicated Bloody than this one. Golden beets? A fennel bulb? Sriracha? Guinness?

Bon Appétit says it's "the best," but the recipe sounded absolutely ridiculous to us. So we couldn't wait to try it out!

Pork Chops with Bacon and Cabbage

Everyday Food (September 2009)

There's starting to be a nip in the air, and we're starting to look forward to more cool weather cooking. 

In fact, we spent a good chunk of Sunday in the kitchen, making potato leek soup with an excess of potatoes we've gotten from our CSA over the past few weeks. We'll defrost it this winter for a nice, warm treat on a cold day. 

Making soup has got us thinking of other cool weather dishes, like our favorite braised short ribs and risottos that use fall flavors. 

We got our first taste of real fall cooking this week with these pork chops from Everyday Food. Seared and then baked with bacon, cabbage and a simple roux, they're the epitome of autumnal deliciousness.

Roasted Chicken with Sauce Fines Herbes

Recipe from Ratio by Michael Ruhlman

We're on a never-ending search for the perfect roast chicken recipe. Actually, that's not exactly accurate. In truth, we're on a never-ending search for a recipe that beats the Barefoot Contessa's Lemon and Garlic Roast Chicken.

We've written about this quest a couple times already, but so far nothing has been able to top Contessa's recipe for its ease, simplicity and delicious flavors. But we're always game to try!

As we mentioned last week, we just finished reading Ratio: The Simple Codes Behind the Craft of Everyday Cooking by Michael Ruhlman.  In his chapter about stocks, which includes ratios for thickening stocks with starch, Ruhlman introduced us to beurre manié, or butter into which flour has been kneaded.

Beurre manié can be used to thicken any sauce into which you would place butter.  As Ruhlman says, that's pretty much every sauce.  As an example of how to use this ratio, he gives a recipe for roasted chicken with sauce fines herbes.

Could the Ratio chicken beat our beloved Contessa? 

Corn on the Cob with Mint-Feta Butter

Gourmet (August 2009)

Think of this as a last hurrah of summer.

Sweet corn is still lurking around this part of the country.  Sure, it's not in the abundance that we had a month ago, but it's still available at the farmers market.

If, like us, you've binged on corn this summer, exhausting your repertoire of corn dishes, you may need a way to liven up the remaining kernels of summer.

Baked Chicken Meatballs with Peperonata

Gourmet (August 2009)

The Bitten Word is back from the beach!

We're shaking the sand from our suitcases and gingerly applying aloe lotion to our sun-kissed skin. While we were away, though, something happened. Labor Day came and went. There's a slight nip in the air, and we swear we saw the faintest hint of color on the leaves this morning.

Fall is just around the corner.  And our thoughts are already turning to heartier fare, which is why we're so glad we bookmarked these Baked Chicken Meatballs with Peperonata from last month's Gourmet.

Leftovers | Beach Edition

We're at the beach this week, where we're taking in some sun with friends, eating seafood and (gasp!) taking a break from the Internet.

Typically at the end of the month, we post items we liked in food magazines that weren't necessarily recipe related.  (See previous Leftovers here.)

But you know what?  In August, while there were several dishes we wanted to cook, there wasn't really any non-recipe stuff we wanted to share with you.

Instead, here's a look at what we've been reading this summer and what we plan to read at the beach.  

THE FORTUNE COOKIE CHRONICLES: Adventures in the World of Chinese Food by Jennifer 8 Lee
Purchase The Fortune Cookie Chronicles

Zach just finished this book and Clay is going to read it while we're gone. It's an absolutely amazing look into the history of Chinese food in America.

Starting with an instance of dozens of people across many U.S. states all winning the lottery using the same set of numbers they each got from fortune cookies, Lee takes a deep dive into Chinese food around the globe. 

The entire book is chock-full of interesting tidbits that you'll be sharing over your General Tso's for years to come. 

Word of warning: You will crave Chinese food!

RATIO: The Simple Codes Behind the Craft of Everyday Cooking by Michael Ruhlman
Purchase Ratio

Clay just finished this book and found it fascinating. Ruhlman outlines 33 basic food ratios and then gives you ideas on how to use those ratio to create your own variations on classic dishes. The dough chapter, for instead, includes ratios for, among other things, Cookie Dough (1 part sugar: 2 parts fat: 3 parts flour) and Pie Dough (3 parts flour: 1 part fat: 2 parts liquid). Once each ratio is introduced, Ruhlman then gives you many variations on both.

Other chapters cover Batters, Stocks/Sauces, Farcir (meat-related ratios), Fat-Based Sauces, and Custards. We haven't been baking much this summer, but when we get back, we're eager to take some of these ratios for a spin. 

THE FLAVOR BIBLE: The Essential Guide to Culinary Creativity by Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg
Purchase The Flavor Bible

This isn't so much a book we're reading as one we're constantly browsing.

The authors have created an extremely useful reference book that tells which ingredients go together best.  Let's say, for instance, you find yourself with a bunch of juniper berries sitting on the shelf (like we have right now).  The Flavor Bible has more than 40 recommendations for complimentary flavors, from cabbage to pork to venison. 

Earlier this summer, when we wanted to make a cardamom ice cream, we got the idea for adding vanilla by browsing this book, resulting in our Cardamom-Vanilla Ice Cream.

If you're the kind of cook who likes to experiment and just go with the flow, this book is perfect for you.

INSATIABLE: Tales from a Life of Delicious Excess by Gael Greene
Buy Insatiable

Top Chef viewers likely know Gael Greene as a judge on this summer's Masters series. Before that show, we were aware that Greene was a long-time New York City restaurant critic, but we knew very little else about her. Zach's mom just read Greene's memoir and then sent us her copy of the book, with an intriguing note:

"This book is a really fun read but it's really raunchy. Pretend you didn't get it from your mother."

Let's just say, by page three, she's describing a very intimate encounter with Elvis.  We can't wait to read it at the beach!

What did you read this summer? Any books to recommend?  We'd love to hear about them. 

Boozy Ice Pops

Fine Cooking (August/September 2009) & Gourmet (July 2009)

 

Nothing makes us more nostalgic for long, lazy childhood summers than the idea of a Popsicle. Opening the freezer and seeing a Technicolor array of bright, sugary ice pops is one of life's great pleasures. Unwrapping a Popsicle and then eating it -- while your tongue slowly turns unnatural hues of blue, green or red -- is one of the most refreshing and most quintessentially summer things there is.

This summer, we've been making our own ice pops, but with one great twist that's decidedly un-childlike: booze!

Whether you're a bourbon girl, a Bloody Mary guy or more of a margarita person, if you're looking for one last summer hurrah this weekend, look no further than these boozy ice pops.