Momofuku's Crack Pie

Momofuku Milkbar CRACK PIE!!!

I am quite delinquent in posting this recipe for the pie I made last Thanksgiving!  You can read the post here.  The infamously named pie does have a sinister addictive quality, everyone who took a bite was unable to stop.  And later, we wanted to go back for more...  The recipe is from the Momofuku Milkbar Cookbook and has been published online, so I'm not breaking any laws by posting it up here.

Total time: 1 1/2 hours, plus cooling and chilling times
Servings: Makes 2 pies (6 to 8 servings each)

Note: Adapted from Momofuku. This pie calls for 2 (10-inch) pie tins. You can substitute 9-inch pie tins, but note that the pies will require additional baking time, about 5 minutes, due to the increased thickness of the filling.

Cookie for crust

2/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon (3 ounces) flour
Scant 1/8 teaspoon baking powder
Scant 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) softened butter
1/3 cup (2 1/2 ounces) light brown sugar
3 tablespoons (1 1/4 ounces) sugar
1 egg
Scant 1 cup (3 1/2 ounces) rolled oats

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees.

2. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

3. In the bowl of a stand mixer using the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl using an electric mixer, beat the butter, brown sugar and sugar until light and fluffy.

4. Whisk the egg into the butter mixture until fully incorporated.

5. With the mixer running, beat in the flour mixture, a little at a time, until fully combined. Stir in the oats until incorporated.

6. Spread the mixture onto a 9-inch-by-13-inch baking sheet and bake until golden brown and set, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and cool to the touch on a rack. Crumble the cooled cookie to use in the crust.

Crust

Crumbled cookie for crust
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
1 1/2 tablespoons (3/4 ounce) brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt



Combine the crumbled cookie, butter, brown sugar and salt in a food processor and pulse until evenly combined and blended (a little of the mixture clumped between your fingers should hold together). Divide the crust between 2 (10-inch) pie tins. Press the crust into each shell to form a thin, even layer along the bottom and sides of the tins. Set the prepared crusts aside while you prepare the filling.



Filling

1 1/2 cups (10 1/2 ounces) sugar
3/4 cup plus a scant 3 tablespoons (7 ounces) light brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup plus 1 teaspoon (3/4 ounce) milk powder
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, melted
3/4 cup plus a scant 2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
8 egg yolks
2 prepared crusts
Powdered sugar, garnish

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, brown sugar, salt and milk powder. Whisk in the melted butter, then whisk in the heavy cream and vanilla.

3. Gently whisk in the egg yolks, being careful not to add too much air.

4. Divide the filling evenly between the 2 prepared pie shells.

5. Bake the pies, one at a time, for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 325 degrees and bake until the filling is slightly jiggly and golden brown (similar to a pecan pie), about 10 minutes.  I made this recipe twice and both times the filling had a runny center,  but my oven at the time (I have upgraded to a convection, so I think I should try this again).  Remove the pies and cool on a rack.

6. Refrigerate the cooled pies until well chilled. The pies are meant to be served cold, and the filling will be gooey. Dust with powdered sugar before serving.




Each of 16 servings: 432 calories; 4 grams protein; 45 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram fiber; 27 grams fat; 16 grams saturated fat; 187 mg. cholesterol; 36 grams sugar; 125 mg. sodium.

A very simple Kale Salad

Kale Salad

This is my latest obsession, an uber simple salad made of raw kale and onions tossed with a dressing made from soy sauce, lemon juice and olive oil.  It's absurdly easy to make and pretty good for you.

Kale is packed with nutrients, and most recipes have you boiling or sauteing until soft, but not this one!  Most salads eventually become limp once tossed with the dressing, but the kale just relaxes, losing its tough fibrous texture, becoming soft and crunchy and almost sweet.  This recipe is from the Esalen Cookbook, a legendary workshop and retreat center in Big Sur, California.  Note:  you can get a kindle version for under $10, looks amazing on the ipad...

The original recipe includes toasted sunflower, pumpkin and sesame seeds which give the salad additional texture and crunch, but the salad is awesome without them.

Serves 4-6

35 minutes

1/4 cup tamari soy sauce
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
½ medium red onion
1 pound fresh kale

optional:
¼ cup sunflower seeds
¼ cup pumpkin seeds
¼ cup sesame seeds
½ cup sunflower sprouts ½ cup alfalfa sprouts
1 avocado diced


Whisk the soy sauce and lemon juice in bowl. Slowly dribble in the oil as you whisk vigorously. Slice the onion into half moons and marinate in the dressing as you prepare the rest of the salad.

De stem the kale. Slice kale leaves into ¼ inch ribbons (very important!)

If using seeds, toast in a heavy-bottomed pan (cast iron is the best) over medium heat until seeds are just golden and fragrant.  Toast each seed type separately as their size requires varying roasting times.  Cool to room temperature.

Toss everything with the onions, and as much dressing as necessary to lightly but completely dress the kale.  A few grinds of fresh ground black pepper is good

From the Esalen Cookbook

Tom Yum - Thai Hot and Sour Soup

I'm making soups again now with the chilly Fall weather.  This is one of our favorite recipes that I learned from Kasma who teaches Thai cooking classes in her home.  It's flavorful and very satisfying, the heat from the chilies warms you through to your toes.

Ingredients

•  1/2 lb. prawns, or medium- to large-size shrimps, shells removed and butterflied (save shells for soup stock)
• 2-3 stalks fresh lemon grass
• 3 cups water, or mild soup stock, salted with fish sauce (nahm bplah) to the desired saltiness
• 6 thin slices fresh galanga (kah), or 2 dried pieces
• 3 fresh or dried kaffir lime leaves (bai ma-gkrood)
• 8-10 whole Thai chillies (prik kee noo), stem removed and bruised with the back of a cleaver; or substitute with 2-3 sliced jalapeno or serrano peppers
• 1/2 a small onion, halved again and sliced crosswise 1/4-inch thick
• 1-2 Tbs. roasted chilli paste (nahm prik pow);

• 3-4 Tbs. tamarind water: a chunk of wet tamarind, about the size of 1 Tbs., with the soft parts dissolved in 1/4 cup water, pulp removed
• 1 cup fresh brown mushrooms, sliced in 1/4-inch pieces, or 1 can whole straw mushrooms, drained
• 1 small tomato, cut in bite-size wedges (optional)
• 2 green onions, cut in thin rounds
• Juice of 1-2 limes, to desired sourness
• 1/2 cup cilantro leaves or short cilantro sprigs

Cut the bottom tip off the lemon grass stalks and discard the loose outer layer(s). Then cut each stalk into 1-inch sections at a slanted diagonal all the way up to the greener end, near the start of the grass blades, exposing the inner core. Smash each piece with the side of a cleaver or the end of a large knife handle to bruise, releasing the aromatic oils.

Place the cut lemon grass along with the prawn or shrimp shells and the water or stock in a soup pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer with a lid on for 15-20 minutes to draw out the flavors. Strain out the shrimp shells and some of the lemon grass.



Add the sliced galanga, kaffir lime leaves, bruised Thai chillies (or substitute) and sliced onion. Simmer a couple of minutes, then add the roasted chilli paste (nahm prik pow), tamarind water and fresh brown or straw mushrooms. This is the roasted chili paste below.



Heat stock to a boil and simmer for a couple of minutes. Stir in the tomato wedges (if using), green onions and prawns or shrimps. After 20-30 seconds, turn off heat, add lime juice to the desired sourness and the cilantro. Do not let the prawns or shrimps overcook. Serve immediately.

Kasma's Notes and Pointers for Hot & Sour Soup:

Dtom yum is a light soup with practically no oil, and it contains the four main flavors – hot, sour, sweet and salty – accentuated with fresh aromatic herbs. (See Creating Harmonies with Primary Flavors.) It is the most popular soup in Thailand and can be found in the tiniest mom-and-pop village rice shop to the fanciest restaurant in Bangkok. No menu is without it, even in Thai restaurants overseas, and if there is no menu, as is the case in Thailand's rural areas, just speaking the magic words"dtom yum" is enough to procure a steaming bowl of the fragrant and stimulating soup.
Dtom yum can be made with just about any type of seafood or meat, or vegetables for vegetarians. You can have a dtom yum gkai (gkai = chicken), dtom yum bplah (fish), dtom yum talay (mixed seafood), dtom yum hed (mushrooms), and so on.There are numerous ways of blending flavors, as you will notice from eatingDtom yum in various restaurants here or in Thailand. Flavors vary from place to place, from chef to chef and from pot to pot. But basically,dtom yum is hot and sour – hot from some kind of chilli pepper and sour primarily from lime juice – and has lemon grass as the leading herb flavor.

Most dtom yum in Thailand is made, of course, with Thai people's favorite chillies, prik kee noo, known now in the western world as "Thai chillies." In this recipe, the chillies are kept whole, so you and your guests can spot them easily and not bite into one unless you choose to. Simmering the chillies in the broth will flavor the soup with its special spicy flavor. If you can find red ones, they make the soup prettier and are even easier to spot, but if you want to insure a zero chance of a fiery accident, you may wish to simmer the chillies in the soup stock a few minutes and then strain them out entirely. Remember, the longer you cook chillies, the more their heat will cook out into the surrounding broth.

Alternatively, for a stronger roasted flavor, you may wish to use dried red chilli peppers. Roast them on a dry pan directly over a burner until the pods are dark red, turning frequently so they do not burn. Cut each roasted pepper into two or three segments and add to the soup. Keep in mind, however, that the nahm prik pow in the recipe already provides some roasted flavor.

© 1995 Kasma Loha-unchit.       

A Greek inspired feast: kebab burger platter with a some very fine accompaniments

I've been remiss. To make up, I have prepared a mediterranean feast that is perfect for warm weather! Mr. K is a big fan of the delectable chickpea dip hummus and tabbouleh, in fact he is always pestering me to whip up a batch. Whip up a batch? Finally I got motivated and found a recipe for kebab burgers stuffed with a savory mixture of feta and spinach, which are delicious tucked into pita bread, slathered with with hummus and some tzatziki sauce along with a good scoop of tabbouleh! Yes, well sometimes us foodhoes just have to jump in take charge of things.

For the burgers:

2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 small onion, chopped
2 cups lightly packed baby spinach leaves, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill, or 1 teaspoon dried
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/4 pounds lean ground turkey breast
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 whole-wheat burger buns
1/4 English cucumber, thinly sliced
4 small leaves romaine lettuce, hard ribs removed

Directions

In a small bowl, stir together the yogurt, oil, lemon juice, garlic, dill, and salt and pepper.

Heat 2 teaspoons of oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until soft and translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the spinach and cook until wilted, about 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat. Add the feta cheese, dill and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and stir to combine.

Divide the turkey into 4 equal sized rounds. Make 2 equal sized patties out of each round so you have 8 patties total. Put 2 tablespoons of the spinach-feta mixture onto half of the patties. Top with remaining patties working the turkey around the edges to seal burgers closed. Season the burgers on both sides with the salt and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

Spray a nonstick grill pan with cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat, or prepare the grill. Grill the patties until cooked through, about 5 minutes per side.

To serve, place a burger on the bottom half of each bun, top with about 2 tablespoons of yogurt Tzatziki sauce, then 2 or 3 cucumber slices and a lettuce leaf. Top with the other half of the bun and serve.

Tzatziki sauce

This is excellent as a dip or included as an essential component of a mediterranean feast.

Ingredients:

16 ounces plain Greek style yogurt  (I use lowfat, don't like the texture of nonfat)

1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded, and finely chopped

Pinch kosher salt

4 cloves garlic, finely minced

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 teaspoons red wine vinegar

5 to 6 mint leaves, finely minced

If you don't have Greek style yogurt, place the yogurt in a tea towel, gather up the edges, suspend over a bowl, and drain for 2 hours in the refrigerator.

Place the chopped cucumber in a tea towel and squeeze to remove the liquid; discard liquid. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the drained yogurt, cucumber, salt, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, and mint. Serve as a sauce for gyros. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to a week.

Yield: 1 1/2 cups

Tabbouleh

Another essential dish from a mediterranean feast

Ingredients

1 cup bulghur wheat
1.5 cups boiling water
.25 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)
.25 cup good olive oil
3.5 teaspoons kosher salt
1 cup minced scallions, white and green parts (1 bunch)
1 cup chopped fresh mint leaves (1 bunch)
1 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley (1 bunch)
1 hothouse cucumber, unpeeled, seeded, and medium-diced
2 cups cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Place the bulghur in a large bowl, pour in the boiling water, and add the lemon juice, olive oil, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Stir, then allow to stand at room temperature for about 1 hour.

Add the scallions, mint, parsley, cucumber, tomatoes, 2 teaspoons salt, and the pepper; mix well. Season, to taste, and serve or cover and refrigerate. The flavor will improve if the tabbouleh sits for a few hours.

Hummus

This is very good as part of a mediterranean feast.
Ingredients

4 garlic cloves
2 cups canned chickpeas, drained, liquid reserved
1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 cup tahini (sesame paste)
6 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)
1 tablespoon finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons water or liquid from the chickpeas, more if you need it
8 dashes hot sauce
1 tbsp cumin
1/2 tsp. Smoked paprika

Directions:

Turn on the food processor fitted with the steel blade and drop the garlic down the feed tube; process until it's minced. Add the rest of the ingredients to the food processor and process until the hummus is coarsely pureed. Taste, for seasoning, and serve chilled or at room temperature.

Vietnamese Inspired Chicken Noodle Soup

I love Vietnamese chicken noodle soup. It's so fragrant and flavorful, especially good for this time of the year when it's chilly out and you're feeling run down. This is a quick recipe, something you can make at home that doesn't require boiling an entire chicken for the day...




2 quart cartons of Organic Chicken Broth
4 chicken thighs
1 boneless skiness chicken breast (if desired to add to finished bowl, I used meat from the thighs)
1 white onion quartered and peeled
2 3-inch chunks of peeled ginger, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 tbl whole coriander seeds
1 tbl fennel seeds
1 whole clove
3 whole star anise
1 tbl sugar
2 tbl fish sauce or to taste
Cilantro stems

Cheesecloth or you can use a big tea strainer ball for the bouquet garni.

To Serve

1 lb dried rice noodles (I used fresh egg noodles from the chinese market, Mr. K's preferred noodles)
Bean sprouts (it's a nice touch to blanch the bean sprouts in the water you use to cook the noodles in so that they are lightly cooked and warmed)
Cilantro tops
Thinly sliced red onions or shallots, panfried slowly until they caramelize
Lime, cut into 4 wedges
Sliced jalapeno
Sriracha hot sauce
Hoisin sauce

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 450

Place the cut onion, ginger and chicken in a 19 x 13 baking pan. Bake in oven 30 minutes, turning the chicken occasionally, to get an even carmelization. Set aside to cool.Put chicken broth in a large stockpot and set over a low flame. Prepare a Bouquet Garni by placing the coriander, cloves, star anise and cilantro stems in a cheesecloth sachet, tie with twine and place in the broth (I used a metal tea strainer) Add roasted chicken thighs (if using meat from the thighs, remove meat at this point to put into the soup for later, or reserve breast meat if using for later) onion and ginger to the pot and cover partially. Turn heat to high – let it come to boil, then immediately turn heat to low. Simmer for 20-30 minutes and adjust seasoning with more fish sauce and/or sugar.

Prepare noodles as per directions on package. Usually this requires cooking for 8-12 minutes in boiling water. Place cooked noodles in a bowl and ladle with broth, shredded chicken meat. Serve with the following at the table: bean sprouts, fresh herbs (cilantro tops, basil or mint leaves), caramelized red onions or shallots, lime, sliced jalapeno, Sriracha hot sauce and Hoisin sauce. I say that the caramelized onions are mandatory, because it's just not the same without them.

momofuku ginger scallion sauce

Makes about 3 cups

This amazing sauce is delicious on noodles or as a condiment with any roasted meat. The fragrance is intoxicating and makes everything taste incredible... This is an important component of the infamous momofuku bo ssam feast that I highly recommend.

Ingredients

2-1/2 cups thinly sliced scallions (from 1 to 2 large bunches)
1/2 cup finely minced peeled fresh ginger
1/4 cup grapeseed oil
1-1/2 teaspoons soy sauce
3/4 teaspoons sherry-wine vinegar
3/4 teaspoons coarse salt

Directions

Mix all ingredients together in a medium bowl; let stand 15 to 20 minutes before using. Sauce may be kept covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

momofuku bo ssäm

This dish takes time (6 hours) to slow cook the pork, but is surprisingly easy. It was so good that we proclaimed it one of the best things we have ever cooked! I posted a more verbose commentary here.

Serves 6 to 10

• 1 (8- to 10-pound) bone-in pork shoulder or pork butt
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon coarse salt
• 7 tablespoons light-brown sugar
• 12 oysters, shucked, for serving
• 1 cup napa cabbage kimchi, cut into strips for serving
• 1 cup napa cabbage kimchi, pureed, for serving
• 1 cup Ginger-Scallion Sauce, for serving
• 1 cup Ssam Sauce, for serving
• 2 cups steamed short-grain white rice, for serving
• 3 to 4 heads Bibb lettuce, leaves separated, washed well, and spun dry
• Sea salt

Directions

1. Place pork in a large bowl or roasting pan. In a medium bowl, mix together granulated sugar and 1 cup coarse salt. Rub sugar mixture all over pork and cover bowl with plastic wrap; transfer to refrigerator for at least 6 hours and up to overnight.
2. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
3. Transfer pork to a large roasting pan, discarding any accumulated juices (or drain accumulated juices from roasting pan that pork is in). Transfer roasting pan to oven and cook, basting every hour with rendered fat in roasting pan, until meat is tender and easily shredded with a fork, about 6 hours.
   
   
   
   
4. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together remaining tablespoon coarse salt and brown sugar; rub mixture all over pork.
5. Increase oven temperature to 500 degrees. Return pork to oven until sugar has melted into a crisp crust, 10 to 15 minutes. Serve hot with oysters, kimchis, ginger-scallion sauce, ssam sauce, rice, lettuce, and pickled vegetables.

momofuku vinegar pickles

another dish to go with the bo ssam feast, this recipe can be used with a variety of vegetable or fruits such as carrot, daikon or, napa cabbage or fruit like melon or apple-pear.

Ingredients:

1 cup water, piping hot from the tap

1/2 cup rice wine vinegar

6 tablespoons sugar

2-1/4 tsp kosher salt

julienne cut daikon and carrot, scrubbed, peeled, trimmed and cut into thin slices.

Combine the water, vinegar, sugar and salt in a mixing bowl and stir until the sugar dissolves

Pack the prepared vegetables into a quart container. Pour the brine over the vegetables, cover, and refrigerate. You can eat the pickles immediately but they will taste better after they've had time to sit -- 3 to 4 days at a minimum, a week for optimum flavor. Most of these pickles will keep for at least a month.

momofuku ssäm sauce

Makes 1/4 cup-ish. I thought the original recipe from David Chang's Momofuku cookbook had too much liquid, so I cut the vinegar and oil in half and increased the miso and chili pastes! You can tweak to your own taste.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoon ssamjang (soybean and chile-pepper paste)
1 tablespoon kochujang (Korean chile-pepper paste)
2 tablespoon sherry-wine vinegar
2 tablespoon grapeseed oil

Directions

Mix all ingredients together in a medium bowl. Sauce may be kept covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Orecchiette with Turkey Sausage and Broccoli Rabe

I had a package of orecchiette pasta in the pantry and when I saw broccoli rabe at the market, I pulled some spicy sausage I had tucked in the freezer and went looking online for a recipe. I found this from from Giada De Laurentiis, Everyday Italian Food Network. It's good, easy and very flavorful, a good hearty dish for winter.

Ingredients

• 2 bunches broccoli rabe, stems trimmed
• 1 pound orecchiette pasta
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pound turkey Italian-style sausage, casings removed
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• Pinch dried crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan

Directions

Cook the broccoli rabe in a large pot of boiling salted water until crisp tender, about 1 minute. Transfer the broccoli rabe to a large bowl of ice water to cool, saving the cooking water. Bring the reserved cooking water back to a boil.

Heat the oil in a heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it up into pieces with a spoon, until browned and juices form, about 12 minutes. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes, and saute until fragrant, about 2 minutes.

Meanwhile, when the reserved cooking water is boiling, add the orecchiette and cook until al dente, tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes.

Strain the broccoli rabe and add it to the pan with the sausage mixture and toss to coat with the juices. Add the pasta to the skillet. Stir in the Parmesan and serve immediately.