Just say yes.  (Image via The Sydney Morning Herald)

Nigella Lawson argues for thoughtful self-indulgence on NPR (audio track).

Per the domestic goddess: “If you can wallow in the pleasure of every single mouthful, then you’re doing something good…”

It’s official:  all this cold, dark weather has put me on a comfort food kick.  If the forecast is to be trusted, sunset hits Berlin at about 4:30pm. Honestly, I haven’t seen the sun make an appearance on any recent afternoon.  It’s just been gray, gray, gray.  Then pitch dark.

As close to a sunny day as you get in Berlin.

So how does a SAD girl beat the blues?  With vitamin D supplements, the occasional jog, and frequent carby, cheesy, meaty homecooked meals.  If I make it through winter without having to buy new jeans (or more Spanx), it will be strictly by the graces of my under-30 metabolism.

I was very pleased with myself for inventing the following recipe until a friend pointed out that it’s quite close to the Midwestern classic, tamale pie.  Whether you see this as Tex-Mex-Italian fusion or classic comfort food, see that it makes it onto your dinner table—stat!

Chili con Carne:

-1/2 lb. ground beef
-2 Tbsp. chili powder (or to taste)
-1 small onion, finely chopped
-1 clove garlic, minced
-1 Tbsp. tomato paste
-dash of sugar, preferably brown
-1/2 c. red wine (optional), beer, or water
-3/4 c. tomato juice
-1 tsp. beef bullion base (optional)
-1 regular can kidney beans, drained (14.5 oz.)
-1 regular can diced tomatoes (14.5 oz.)
-2 tsp. cumin
-1 tsp. unsweetened cocoa
-cayenne pepper, to taste
-salt and pepper to taste

1. Brown the ground beef on high heat in a medium pot, breaking up into small pieces and seasoning with half the chili powder, salt, and pepper.

2. Turn the heat down a bit and push the beef to the side of the pot with a wooden spoon. Fry the chopped onions in the remaining oil, sprinkling with a little sugar to aid browning.

3. Mix together the beef and onions and stir in the garlic and tomato paste. Deglaze with red wine, scraping up the brown bits into the sauce. Let the wine cook off.

4. Reduce the heat and pour in the tomato juice, bullion (if using), beans, diced tomatoes, cumin, cocoa, and remaining chili powder.

5. Simmer uncovered for 1-1.5 hrs. Add water or more tomato juice if it begins to look dry. Taste for seasoning, adjusting chili powder, sugar, salt, and pepper to your preference.

Polenta:

-1 c. polenta or coarse-ground corn meal
-3 c. water
-1/2 tsp. salt
-1/2 tsp. garlic powder

-olive oil, for frying

1.  Bring water and 1/2 tsp. salt to a boil.

2.  Carefully and slowly whisk in cornmeal.  Reduce heat to a bare simmer.

3.  Continue whisking cornmeal over low heat until it thickens to the consistency of thick-cooked oatmeal.  You may want to take the pot off the heat occasionally if scalding cornmeal lava gives you the willies.

4.  Cover a cutting board with foil, leaving about 1 inch of overhang on the edges.  Lightly butter or oil the foil.  Fold the edges up, creating a square foil “dish” to hold the polenta.  (Alternately, line an 8×8 square dish with foil and grease.)

5.  Using a spatula, spread the polenta onto the foil to an even 3/4-in. thickness using a spatula.  Try to keep it in a square shape.

6.  Chill the polenta until set.

7.  Cut the cornmeal into 12 squares.

8.  In a nonstick skillet with 2-3 Tbsp. of olive oil, fry the polenta in batches, turning to color and crisp each side slightly.  Season with salt and pepper and serve.

To assemble:

Place two or three polenta squares on each plate.  Spoon over some hot chili and top with your choice of cheese.  Serve with a crisp green salad.

A crunchy romaine salad with pears, bleu cheese,and balsamic vinaigrette was a nice accompaniment.

This lovely cake comes from Smitten Kitchen, a very famous food blog with beautiful photos and recipes that sometimes work.  I approached this recipe with a fair dose of skepticism (not to mention, blog envy) and about 2 lbs. of apples.  And I’m so glad I did.  After a few recent baking failures (including this week’s zucchini bread with raspberries; trust me—don’t go there), my baker’s ego was a little tender.  So imagine my delight when my husband’s coworker came over for coffee and remarked, “Ach, so this is the famous apple cake your husband talks so much about!”

I could have kissed her right there. Instead, I made a mental note to add this cake to the short list of go-to recipes for dummies (i.e., me).

All of which is to say, dear Smitten Kitchen, that I repent of my bad attitude toward your recipes.  That failed beef-leek stew, the extremely onion-y Hungarian goulash? Bygones. You’ve redeemed yourself. This one is, as mommy bloggers like to write,  ”a keeper” (along with that rockin’ pumpkin bread pudding recipe you gave us).  A warm, cinnamon-y wedge and a cup of tea make the perfect fall breakfast or afternoon snack.  And my husband believes that calling it apple “bread” rather than “cake” neutralizes the calories.  With this cake—ahem—bread, anything is possible.

No need to peel; they melt right into the cake.

I substituted yogurt for half of the oil of the original recipe.

(adapted from Smitten Kitchen)

-6 unpeeled apples (McIntosh or another sweet-tart variety), cored and chopped into chunks
-1 Tbsp. cinnamon
-dash of pumpkin pie spice
-5 Tbsp. sugar (I used turbinado)

-2 3/4 c. flour
-1 Tbsp. baking powder
-1 tsp. salt
-1/2 c. vegetable oil
-1/2 c. yogurt
-2 c. sugar
-1/4 c. orange juice
-2 1/2 tsp. vanilla
-4 eggs
-1/2 c. sliced almonds (optional)

1.  Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a tube or bundt pan with oil or butter.  Toss apple chunks with cinnamon and sugar in a large bowl and set aside.

2.  Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt in another large mixing bowl.

3.  In another bowl, combine oil, yogurt, eggs, orange juice, sugar, and vanilla.

4.  Mix dry ingredients into wet.  Do not overmix.

5.  Pour half of batter into prepared pan, then top with half of the apples. Spread the remaining batter over the apples (do not reverse these layers, or the apples will stick to the pan).  Top with the remaining apples tossed with the almonds.

6.  Bake for 50-70 min., or until a tester comes out clean.  Check at the low end of the range to ensure it does not overbake.

7.  Cool and enjoy!

Image via The Big Blend

Cool weather just screams out for hearty, homey food, don’t you think? The weather dropped a good 15 or 20 degrees (Fahrenheit…have to specify now!) this past month in Berlin, and I’ve been craving comfort food. This chunky, creamy potato soup fits the bill without being a total fat-bomb. It’s great as is, but feel free to kick it up a notch with some grated cheddar or a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkling of homemade croutons and fresh snipped chives.

Don’t let the German-language label mislead you…that thar’s evaporated milk.  And there’s no celery in this photo because I spontaneously added it later.  For me, soup making is a bit of alchemy!

A little butter is key to this recipe’s success.

In a soup of so few ingredients, homemade broth is a nice touch.

Soup:

-1 3/4-2lbs. potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-sized chunks
-1 1/2 stalks celery, pureed in blender or very finely chopped
-2 cloves garlic, minced
-1 onion, finely chopped
-1 shallot, minced
-handful of parsley, chopped
-approx. 4 c. chicken or vegetable broth (depending on how thick you like your soup)
-1 c. evaporated milk (not condensed milk)
-cayenne pepper, to taste
-pinch of dried sage
-salt, pepper, and white pepper, to taste
-pinch of nutmeg
-2 bay leaves

-1 Tbsp. butter
-olive oil

To serve: fresh chives, sour cream, cheddar cheese, homemade croutons (recipe follows)

1. Melt butter and a splash of olive oil over med-low heat in a large stock pot. Add onions, shallot, and celery. Cook gently until almost translucent.

2. Stir in garlic, being careful not to burn. Next, add broth, evaporated milk, bay leaf, sage, and parsley.

3. Add peeled, chopped potatoes to pot. Simmer uncovered until tender. Season with salt, pepper, and cayenne to taste.

4. Thicken the soup. Either 1) use a potato masher to break down some of the potatoes and thicken the soup or 2) remove the bay leaves and about 3 cups of cooked potatoes to a bowl and puree the remaining contents of the pot with an immersion blender. Return the reserved potatoes to the soup.

5. Heat through and serve with your choice of toppings.   Enjoy with a chunk of crusty bread!

Homemade Croutons:

-2 slices thick cut bread of your choice (whole wheat is good)
-1 tsp. butter
-salt

1. Cut bread into bite-sized cubes.

2. Melt butter in a skillet.

3. Add bread cubes. Fry until golden. Sprinkle with salt and serve atop your favorite soup.

I had a chocolate craving the other night, but since there was only hot chocolate mix in the house (pursuant to the theory: if you don’t buy it, you can’t eat it), I made cookies instead.  Oatmeal raisin cookies, in fact.  I’m more of a chocolate chip girl, but that wasn’t possible, given the current Schoko-drought.

I have freely admitted that baking is not my forte.  As per usual, I didn’t have all the ingredients the recipe called for.  Brown sugar (the soft, molasses-enriched stuff) just doesn’t exist in Germany.  I was also thinking about tweaking a recipe I’d never made, which doesn’t usually bode well.

Fortunately, the cookie gods smiled upon me, and the cookies came out great—chewy, soft, and delicious—despite my meddling and substituting.  Even without chocolate, they were satisfying.  (Especially for breakfast the following morning.)

625 commenters can’t be wrong—this is a great recipe.  I’m even tempted to call it foolproof.  Here’s my take on the classic:

Preheat your oven to 350F. In a large mixing bowl, cream together:

-1/2 c. unsalted butter, softened
-1/2 c. sugar
-1/2 c. dark brown sugar, firmly packed (or in my case, 1/2 c. turbinado [raw] sugar, plus 1 tsp. honey)
-1 large egg
-1 tsp. vanilla (or the equivalent amount of vanilla sugar)

In a separate bowl, whisk together:

-1 c. all-purpose flour
-1/2 tsp. baking soda
-1/2 tsp. baking powder
-1/2 tsp. kosher salt (slightly less if using salted butter or regular salt)
-1 tsp. cinnamon
-1/4 tsp. nutmeg

Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, just until combined. Do not over-mix or your cookies will be tough.

Using a spatula, stir in:

-1 1/2 c. oats (not instant, but quick-cooking are OK)
-3/4 c. raisins (re-hydrated first with hot water and drained)

On a foil-lined baking sheet, drop heaping tablespoons of cookie dough approximately 2-in. apart. Bake for approx. 10 min., watching closely, until they are just turning golden but are still soft under the crust. Cool for 10 minutes on the sheet, then transfer to a wire rack.

Makes 18-20 medium-sized cookies.

For most of August and September, Germany was awash in adorable Italian prune plums, known to Brits as “damsons” and to Germans as Zwetschke (or Zwetschge, depending).  Don’t you just want to pinch their chubby cheeks?

Roughly half to two-thirds the size of regular red plums, these purple beaut’s were selling for 1.99/kilo (2.2 lbs.) at the height of summer.  And the bakeries in Berlin were going wild with plum Kuchen, plum tarts, plum pockets, and plum strudel.  Not to be outdone, I bought a kilo of my own and began scheming.

An admittedly novice baker (and by “novice” I mean: stubborn, refuses to measure things properly, substitutes ingredients at will), I didn’t get much further than my old standby—plum cake.  This cake never fails me, and it looks much more impressive than it has any right to.  Ina Garten calls this “Plum Cake Tatin”; I call it perfect.  (And by “perfect” I mean:  despite my best efforts, I never manage to burn it, cause it to fall, or leave half of it clinging to the pan.  Oh, and it tastes terrific, too.)

Think of this plum cake as a pretty update on pineapple upside down cake, and you get the idea.  This one elicited oohs and aaahs from company, which I guiltily accepted, knowing how easy it is to make.  Served up with a dollop of sour cream sauce or crème fraîche, this cake will serve you well in a pinch (or an overabundance of produce), too.  Enjoy!

Plum Cake “Tatin” (after Ina Garten)

-6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter, at room temperature, plus extra for greasing the dish
-10 to 12 purple Italian “prune” plums or 4 regular plums pitted and sliced (if you use regular plums or another juicy fruit, you will probably have to pour off some juice after the cake bakes.)
-1 3/4 cups granulated sugar, divided
-2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
-1/3 cup plain yogurt
-1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
-1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla or almond extract
-1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
-1/2 teaspoon baking powder
-1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
-toasted sliced almonds, for topping (optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Generously butter a 9-inch glass pie dish and arrange the plums in the dish, cut side down.

2. Combine 1 cup of the granulated sugar and 1/3 cup water in a small saucepan and cook over high heat until it turns a warm amber color. Swirl the pan but don’t stir. Pour quickly and evenly over the plums.

3. Meanwhile, cream 6 tablespoons of butter and the remaining 3/4 cup of granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs. Add the yogurt, lemon zest, and vanilla (or almond extract) and mix until combined. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt and gradually add it to the butter mixture. Mix only until combined.

4. Pour the cake batter evenly over the plums and bake for 40 minutes, until the cake is golden and a cake tester comes out clean. Cool for 15-25 minutes, then invert the cake onto a flat plate. [If the fruit was very juicy (i.e., the cake is swimming in sauce), you may need to pour off some of the fruit syrup before inverting the cake. Allow to set as much as possible before turning out the cake.]

7. Sprinkle with toasted almonds, if using. Serve warm or at room temperature with crème fraîche or whipped cream.

Rumor has it that curry made its way from India to Japan during the colonial period via the British navy. There it morphed into a mild, savory-sweet roux-based sauce that’s the perfect counterpoint to a crispy piece of pork or tofu.  If you’re used to eating coconut-milk laden or incredibly spicy curries, Japanese curry is a refreshing change of pace.

Intrigued?

It’s dead easy to make, armed with a box of Japanese curry roux.

1.  Drain, slice, and season firm tofu with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and cayenne. Put a pot of rice on to simmer.

2.  Coarsely chop and saute together carrots, potatos, onions, sweet potato, red bell pepper, and a bit of eggplant.*

3.  Dredge seasoned tofu in flour.  Dip in beaten egg, then coat with panko (Japanese bread crumbs).  Season with salt.

4. Preheat oven to 375F. Lightly grease a baking sheet with oil. Arrange cutlets evenly on sheet and begin baking. Occasionally rotate the pan, but do not flip the cutlets.

5. Chop a 100 g. brick of hot Japanese curry roux into pieces and add to the vegetables. Add 3 c. water. Stir often so the roux doesn’t stick. Add ground black pepper and a dash of sugar to taste.

6. Check the cutlets. If they haven’t fully browned, briefly crisp them under the broiler. Plate with rice and a generous serving of curry. Serve with a cool beer.

*Eggplant may not be a traditional ingredient…but it’s damn tasty in
this curry.

p.s.  Nytimes.com has an interesting story on Japanese curry

Today I found a great food blog while surfing the internets and using the google.  This easy recipe for banana bars especially caught my eye—probably because living abroad makes me homesick for good, simple American cooking.  Don’t these sound devilish?

I haven’t tried this recipe yet, but I’ll have to break it out when I have a couple overripe bananas to part with.  Thanks to Kristen of Dine & Dish for sharing.

Bars:

-1/2 c. butter
-2 c. sugar
-3 eggs
-1 1/2 c. mashed, ripe bananas (approx. 2 large)
-1 tsp. vanilla extract
-2 c. flour
-1 tsp. baking soda
-1 pinch salt

Frosting:

-1/2 c. butter
-8 oz. cream cheese
-4 c. confectioners’ sugar
-2 tsp. vanilla extract

1. Beat together wet ingredients.
2. Combine dry ingredients and stire into creamed mixture.
3. Spread in a greased 15×10×1-in. pan.
4. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.

For frosting: cream together butter and cream cheese, gradually stirring in sugar and vanilla. Spread over cooled bars.

Image via Dried Fruit Guy

Surprise! I’ve changed continents. Here’s hoping you’ll enjoy my dispatches from my new home, Berlin—where every trip to the grocery store is an adventure, the produce is fresh and cheap, and the cashiers are surly but move at the speed of light.

Like so many others, today’s recipe started with one irresistible seasonal ingredient:

It’s mushroom season in Germany, and these beauties (chanterelles, or Pfifferlinge) have been cropping up all over menus in Berlin.

I stumbled upon a brimming basketful in the market this week and began plotting ways to highlight their deliciousness.

In a nod to my new surroundings, I settled on German cutlet (Schnitzel) marinated in tangy lemon juice, gently pan-fried, and swathed in a creamy mushroom-herb sauce.

This dish is a fantastic study in contrasts: the crisp coating against the sultry sauce; the bright lemon against the rich, mellow mushrooms.  In short, delicious.  Guten Appetit!

-2 turkey or chicken cutlets, pounded thin
-juice of 1/2 lemon
-3/4 c. flour
-garlic powder, to taste
-salt & pepper, to taste
-1/4 c. chopped parsley, divided
-2 Tbsp. butter, more as needed
-oil (vegetable or a light olive oil)
-1/4 lg. onion, minced
-generous 1 c. chanterelle mushrooms, cleaned and coarsely chopped (or substitute your favorite variety)
-2″ of leek, minced (optional)
-1/4 tsp. herb d’ Provence
-1/2 c. dry white wine
-1/2 c. half-and-half or light cream

1. Marinate the cutlets in lemon juice for up to 2 hrs.
2. Season the flour with garlic, salt, pepper, and 2 Tbsp. parsley. Dredge the meat on both sides. Hold in the fridge for 10 minutes so that the coating can adhere.
3. Heat oil and butter in a pan on medium heat. When an piece of chopped onion sizzles in the pan, add the meat.
4. Let the cutlet fully brown on one side—about 6 minutes. Resist the urge to poke, prod, and lift the meat until it is crispy.
5. Turn the meat and brown the other side.
6. Remove the meat to a covered plate and keep warm in the oven on low.
7. Add the onions, leek (if using), chopped mushrooms, and herb d’ Provence to the pan.  Add a dash more garlic powder.  Drizzle in more oil/butter as needed.  Sauté until the onions are translucent and the mushrooms have released most of their water.
8. Deglaze the pan with wine, scraping up the brown bits with a wooden spoon.
9. Stir in the cream.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Cook a scant minute or two longer.
10. Plate the cutlers with your chosen side (rice, pasta, potatoes) and dress with the sauce. Sprinkle with remaining parsley and serve immediately.

Photo via Only Eat…

Washingtonian’s Best Bites blog has the story on an awesome D.C. dining concept: FREE.

That’s right:

“Instead of a bill, diners receive a note explaining that their meal is a gift from a previous patron. The only request: Leave what you will to cover the next person’s meal.”

Having worked in a restaurant where diners occasionally failed to leave enough to cover their own meal, not to mention the next person’s, I love this concept. Kudos to Polo India Club!

For the full story, visit Best Bites.