Cheesy Canadian Bacon Strata

For Rene

I think this would be great for your Easter Brunch and super easy because it can be made the day before and just popped into the oven in the morning. I like to sprinkle some fresh parsley on top or try it with honey or maple ham instead. 

Stratas are so versatile because you can substitute almost any ingredients you like or have on hand.  For vegetarian guests you can make it with your favorite comination of herbs and veggies.  You can use up any leftovers or lower the fat and calories with light cheeses and egg substitutes or skim milk.  The possibilities are endless. Ok, I'm hungry now.

Ingredients

Butter, softened (for pan)

4 English muffins, split, toasted, and cut in half

1/2 pound sliced (about 10 slices) Canadian bacon, halved

1 1/4 cups shredded (5 ounces) sharp cheddar cheese

1/3 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese

8 large eggs

3 cups milk

1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

Coarse salt and ground pepper

1/4 teaspoon hot sauce, such as Tabasco

Directions

Butter a 2-quart shallow baking dish (oval or square); set aside. In dish, alternately arrange, cut side down, muffin halves and Canadian bacon. Sprinkle with cheddar and Parmesan cheeses. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, mustard, 1/2 teaspoon salt, a pinch of pepper, and hot sauce until combined. Pour over muffins and bacon; cover tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place baking dish on a rimmed baking sheet; remove plastic wrap. Bake until  puffed and set in the center (see note above), about 1 hour and 30 minutes. (Tent loosely with foil if strata starts to brown too quickly.) Let stand 10 minutes before cutting and serving. 

Century Eggs

You know those nasty looking eggs you see in Chinese markets that you were always afraid to try because you didn't actually know if they were a hundred years old or not.  Fear not!!  

These are often called hundred or thousand-year eggs, even though the preserving process lasts only 100 days. They may be purchased individually in Oriental markets.  

The description of the whites turning grayish isn't quite accurate from the ones I've seen. They're more a dark blackish amber color-- quite attractive actually. 

Ingredients 

2          c          Very strong black tea

1/3       c          Salt

2          c          Ashes of pine wood

2          c          Ashes of charcoal

2          c          Fireplace ashes

1          c          Lime*   (*Available in garden stores and nurseries)

12        Duck egg, fresh.  (chicken, quail or other eggs may be used).

Combine tea, salt, ashes and lime. Using about 1/2 cup per egg, thickly coat each egg completely with this  clay-like mixture. Line a large crock with garden soil and carefully lay coated eggs on top. Cover with more  soil and place crock in a cool dark place. Allow to cure for 100 days. To remove coating, scrape eggs and rinse under running water to clean thoroughly. Crack lightly and remove shells. The white of the egg will appear a grayish, translucent color and have a gelatinous texture. The yolk, when sliced, will be a grayish-green color.

To serve, cut into wedges and serve with :

Sweet pickled scallions or any sweet pickled vegetable

Sauce of 2  tbsp. each vinegar, soy sauce and rice wine and 1 tbsp.  minced ginger root.

  

From “The Regional Cooking of China” by Margret Gin and Alfred E. Castle 

NY Times Recipes for Party Dips and Appetizers

Festive, savory snacks to set out at your holiday celebration.  From Dips to Breadsticks, check out this slideshow with recipes. 

HuffPost Food Names the 11 Best Food Books of 2011

On Tuesday, HuffPost Food named the 11 Best Food Books of 2011. The cookbooks have a wide range, though most of our picks were written by professional chefs. One interesting trend we noticed in this year's crop of cookbooks was an explicit expansion in the range of possibilities of the cookbook form. Some of the books we included hew closely to traditional formats, but others, likeHunt, Gather, Cook and Joe Beef, actively fight the conventions of the form by including serious essays between the recipes. Many of these are beautiful art objects as well, and would certainly make great gifts for food-lovers this holiday season.

Nun's Farts (Pets De Nonne)

This nun’s farts recipe, also called pets de nonne, is the delight of French-Canadian children. The traditional French recipe is for a light choux puff, but in Canada it evolved as a way to use leftover pastry scraps. This treat is brushed with butter, sprinkled with sugar, and rolled into spirals. The pastry spirals are then baked into crispy, flaky confections that are best eaten fresh and warm from the oven.

Ingredients

1 recipe pastry dough or 1 package store-bought pie dough

3 tablespoons butter, softened

1/2 cup pure maple sugar (substitute light brown sugar)

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)

Preparation

Preheat an oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

Roll out the pastry dough into a 9-inch by 12-inch rectangle. Brush the butter over the dough, and then evenly sprinkle the sugar and cinnamon over the butter. Starting at the 9-inch end, roll up the pastry dough into a tight spiral. Slice it crosswise into 8 pieces, each slightly wider than 1 inch.

Place the pastry spirals, cut side down, onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake them for 20 to 25 minutes, until the pastry has turned light golden brown and the sugar is caramelized.

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Makes:  8 servings.

Daniel Boulud's Baked Apples with Cranberries

Baked Apples with Cranberries

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This warm fall dessert is easy to make, colorful and deliciously fragrant. Use large apples that will keep their shape, firm texture, and sweet taste when baked (Rome apples, for example). This recipe can be prepared up to 4 hours in advance.
Yield: 4 servings 

• Zest of 1 orange, 1/2 finely chopped and 1/2 whole
• 4 Rome or Golden Delicious apples
• 2 cups fresh cranberries
• Juice of 2 oranges
• 1/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
• 2 Tablespoons sweet butter
• 5 cinnamon sticks
• Sweetened whipped cream or vanilla ice cream (optional)

Boil the chopped orange zest in 1 quart of water for 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.