Cookie Marathon Article - Via Seven Days

COOKIE CRAZE-

I was thrilled to be interviewed this week by the talented Ms Suzanne Podhaizer from Vermont's award-winning Arts & Culture weekly, Seven Days Magazine. I was happy to talk cookies after so much turkey talk.

Here's an excerpt: "...To attract new readers, Contos is about to launch a holiday project: She’ll bake a new batch of cookies each day in December and blog about the results. “The house is loaded with cookbooks, cooking magazines and notes,” she says. “There’s hardly room on the kitchen table.” Although she’s found plenty of exciting recipes — including a couple from the first December issue of Gourmet — Contos is most jazzed about an eggnog- flavored version and a Grand Marnier sandwich cookie.

With 31 batches of cookies in the offing, how does the trim 35-year-old plan to stay in shape?..." Click here to read full article.

December 1st Holiday-Eggnog Cookies!

Happy Holiday Cookie Marathon!

I am thrilled to have this opportunity to make cookies for the next 31days and share my stories with you. We should take bets on how much butter I will have gone through. I have lots of supplies and feel ready to go. Early monday morning I kicked off my cookie madness by making these holiday eggnog cookies, with Judy Simpson on WCAX TV. This recipe is a simple start. I love the delicate flavors and it does taste like eggnog.

I would enjoy knowing what cookies you make and how they turn out. You may post comments and questions at the end of each post. Then of course there is always the contact page on mychefcontos.com.

Thanks for tuning in & Happy December 1st 2009!

Holiday Eggnog Cookies

Makes about 30 cookies

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter

3/4 cup sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 tablespoon dark rum

1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons fresh grated nutmeg

1/4 teaspoons salt

Powdered sugar for dusting finished cookies

1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. Cream butter in a electric mixer until light and fluffy. Gradually add the sugar and continue beating until light and fluffy. Beat in egg, vanilla, and rum. Then add nutmeg, salt, and flour. Mix well but not over worked.

2. Chill dough for 15 minutes for easier handling. Shape into 1inch balls and place on a parchment lined baking tray. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Cool on a wire rack and dust with powdered sugar.

Cookie Marathon Press! Read all about it...

I will be celebrating my holiday cookie marathon with Judy Simpson on WCAX TV, Monday morning, November 30th at 6:50am.
So grab your hot morning beverage and tune us in. We will be making the first buttery cookie recipe of my 31 days of Chef Contos' December Cookie Marathon. The recipes will start to be posted on December 1st here on my blog. You can also catch my blog from my website chefcontos.com.

I will be tweeting cookie tips, must have tools (gosh I should know), and funny kitchen moments.

Also this week, I will be featured in The Essex Reporter,

Hometown Section Burlington Freepress

(by Lynn Monty), and Seven Days (food section).

31 Days Of Holiday Cookies and more...

COUPLE OF KNOCK-YOUR-SOCKS-OFF ANNOUNCEMENTS:

First, starting December 1st 2009, I will be blogging holiday cookies recipes, pictures, and stories from my kitchen! Everyday, for 31 days, you will find a new cookie recipe on my blog and or website (chefcontos.com). The month will be filled with flavorful sweet cookies of all kinds; sandwich cookies, lace cookies, and even one deep fried. You can look forward to some surprise old recipes, such as, a cookie from the first December Gourmet Magazine!

So tell your friends, family, coworkers, and the mail carrier. I am excited to share the joy of fine little delicate cakes (as they were called long ago). The gift of a baked good brings long lasting smiles. Please share your comments and pictures on my blog or email through my website.

Second - my new website is up and ready for you chefcontos.com. Search recipes and send me your culinary questions on my contact page. I am your culinary coach and encourage you to "go back to the kitchen".

Third - I am now traveling to your home so we may cook together! The sessions are 2 1/2 hours long and custom designed. Mainly focussing on cooking classes as-well as giving your kitchen a revamp (cleaning the spice cabinets, inventory your kitchen tools, discussing pots and pans, building a baking cabinet, start basic recipes files and much more...). My culinary coaching is designed to meet everyone's kitchen needs. For further details please contact me at chefcontos.com.

Last but not least...

Happy Thanksgiving! Please remember to laugh and have fun, no matter what happens in the kitchen. Let's talk turkey! I will be home cooking for family and encourage your emails and calls on Thanksgiving or before.

Waitsfield Winters Farmers Market.

Vermont Cheese Council

The Vermont Cheese Council and I have come together in a fun new way. Every month on the Cheese Council's e-newsletter, I will be sharing flavorful recipes highlighting Vermont's fine cheeses.

Sign up for the newsletter at http://www.vtcheese.com/

September recipe:

Cheese Recipe of the Month
By Courtney Contos, Executive Chef for Cook Academy

Savory Harvest Tarts with Tomatoes and Blue Cheese
Makes two tarts

1 sheet (about 1/2 pound ) frozen puff pastry, thawed
1-1/2 cups Blue Cheese (crumbled)
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1-1/2 pounds (about 2 large tomatoes) vine-ripened tomatoes, sliced thin
1 small red onion, halved and sliced thin
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
2 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley leaves

Preheat oven to 425F.
On a lightly floured surface with a floured rolling pin roll out pastry into a rectangle roughly 15 by 13 inches. Halve pastry lengthwise, forming two 15- by 7-inch rectangles.

Brush edges with water and fold in edges to form a 1/2-inch wide border on each rectangle. With tines of a fork, press border to seal. Transfer rectangles to a large baking sheet.

Sprinkle each tart evenly with Parmesan. Arrange tomato slices in one layer on cheese. Scatter onion slices and herbs over tomatoes and sprinkle with blue cheese. Season with fresh ground pepper to taste.

Bake tarts in upper third of oven 14 to 16 minutes, or until crust is golden. Tarts may be made 2 days ahead and chilled, covered loosely. Reheat tarts before serving. Serve tarts warm or at room temperature.

*Serve as hors d'œuvre’s, as a garnish to your favorite salad, or along side grilled steak or roasted chicken. Delicious as they are,-hard not to eat the tarts right out of the oven!

Monday night in October

Fall is my favorite time of year, with its colors, celebrating the last of warm weather foods, and welcoming the winter hardy ones. Recently at home, on a cold windy night, with the wood stove warming the house we indulged. Some of our highlights were
Vermont Smoke and Cure Bacon wrapped in fresh local venison back straps. They were held together with a toothpick and grilled over charcoal wood and apples. In the last minute of grilling, I glazed the bacon wrapped venison with sweet family maple syrup.
I served the venison on top of grilled apple rings.



Also on the dinner table was braised red cabbage, which I just love. The red cabbage is slowly braised with juniper berries, fresh cranberries, cinnamon, and apples (recipe below). That same breezy night I had my first Brussels sprout since last year. I cooked them as I always do with maple syrup, Dijon, and walnuts with a bit of chicken stock. The Dijon and syrup help balance the bitter little sprouts.

This time of year I love lightly simmering red wine and VT apple cider with peppercorns and cinnamon. So gooood! As a youngster, I was served a taste of this divine spiced wine on a cold winter night (shhh).













Well, all this happened in that fun spontaneous way on a Monday night in October.

Courtney's Spiced Wine

1 bottle dry red wine
3 cups real apple cider
1 cinnamon stick
1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
Good splash of Grand Mariner
Maple Syrup to taste ( I use 2 tablespoons)
2 tangerines or 1 orange seeded and sliced

Combine apple cider, dry red wine, cinnamon stick, peppercorns, Grand Mariner, maple syrup, and tangerines, in a medium pot. Gently simmer over medium-low heat for 10 minutes. Serve warm, in mugs.

Braised Red Cabbage
Serves 8

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
2 pounds red cabbage (1 medium head), shredded
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup apple cider
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen whole cranberries
2 bay leafs
10 juniper berries
1 cinnamon stick
1 large tart apple, cored and sliced
2-3 tablespoons real maple syrup
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

In a large pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add onions and cook until tender.
Add cabbage and saute for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add apple cider, cranberries, bay leaf, and cinnamon stick. Cover and cook slowly over medium low heat until the cabbage is tender, approximately 30 minutes. Stir periodically. Then, add apples, maple syrup, and vinegar. Mix well. Cover and continue cooking until apples are very tender, approximately 10 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Fat Toad Farm

Goats, Fat toads, family, laughter and divine farm-made caramel and goat cheese, all on a back road in Brookfield, Vermont. Fat Toad Farm is a small family-operated dairy farm run by Steve Reid, Judith Irving, Calley and Josey Hastings. They treat their high-quality Alpine and Saanen goat herd like family, and as a result of all this hard work, we get to enjoy a variety of flavorful creamy goat cheese spreads and goats' milk caramel. Hard to choose, but one of my favorite products is the goats' milk caramel, known in Mexico as Cajeta. Small batches are made with fresh goat milk and organic cane sugar, this is hand-stirred over the stove for about four hours. During this time, the sugars in the goat milk and the organic cane sugar caramelize and produce the most incredible sweet and tasty caramel sauce. Four hard-to-choose from flavors may be purchased: original caramel, caramel infused with two types of cinnamon sticks, coffee bean infused caramel, and vanilla bean caramel.

This unique sweet treat is rich and delicious! Fat Toad Farm caramel is a staple in my kitchen as it highlights so may desserts. Served simply with fresh fruit, it is fit for a king.





















Recently around breakfast time, I entered my favorite grocery store Sweet Clover Market. I made the spontaneous purchase of coconut milk ice cream, raw walnuts and Fat Toad Farm Caramel. I went to work, grabbed a spoon out of my kitchen, and sat at my desk to start checking emails. Quickly I opened the ice cream and then the caramel, and began dipping and dunking my spoon, topping it with a walnut half and -w0olah!- my food high felt like it was fueled by some NASA space ship that transported me the planet of happy food bliss.

















So readers, I dare you. Try it. I have attached a crowd pleaser recipe which, for once, is not mine but courtesy of Rick Bayless. I love this rich chocolate cake with vanilla flan and goats' milk caramel. It is wildly fun to make because, in the cooking process the flan and the cake switch places, so when the cake is cooked and cooled completely you flip it onto a serving platter and you have flan on top and cake on the bottom. Please share your comments on this recipe and let me know about your food high.

Watch a action filled video of the carmel making on Daily Grommet. Click here!

If you live in Vermont, you may purchase Fat Toad Farm products at may stores thoughout the state (check website for locations). If not, you may order the caramels from Sweet Clover Market by calling 802-872-8288 ask for Heather or Suzanne, they will ship it to you.

Impossible Cake (AKA chocoflan)

Pastel Imposible (AKA Chocoflan)

Serves 12 generously

Recipe from Rick Bayless

Ingredients

For the mold:

A little softened butter and some flour

1 cup store-bought or homemade cajeta (goat milk caramel)

For the cake:

3 ½ ounces (7 tablespoons) butter, slightly softened

¾ cup sugar

1 egg

1 tablespoon espresso powder dissolved in 1 tablespoon hot water

Or 2 tablespoons espresso

½ cup all-purpose flour

¾ cup cake flour

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

¼ cup cocoa powder (I like the more commonly available—not Dutch process—cocoa best here)

¾ cup buttermilk

For the flan:

1 12-ounce can evaporated milk

1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk

4 eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, preferably Mexican vanilla

Directions

1. Prepare the mold. Turn on the oven to 375 degrees and position the rack in the middle. Generously butter the bottom and sides of a 10-inch round cake pan (you need one that’s 3 inches deep), sprinkle with flour, tip the pan, tapping on the side of the counter several times, to evenly distribute the flour over the bottom and sides, then shake out the excess. Microwave the cajeta for 30 seconds to soften it, then pour over the bottom of the pan, tilting the pan to coat the bottom evenly. Set a kettle of water over medium-low heat. Set out a deep pan that’s larger than your cake pan (a roasting pan works well) that can serve as a water bath during baking.
2. Make the cake batter. With an electric mixer (use the flat beater, if yours has a choice), beat the butter and sugar at medium-high speed until light in color and texture. Scrape the bowl. Beat in the egg and espresso. Sift together the all-purpose and cake flour, baking powder, baking soda and cocoa. With the mixer on medium-low, beat in about ½ of the flour mixture, followed by ½ of the buttermilk. Repeat. Scrape the bowl, then raise the speed to medium-high and beat for 1 minute.
3. Make the flan mixture. In a blender, combine the two milks, the eggs and the vanilla. Blend until smooth.
4. Layer and bake. Scrape the cake batter into the prepared cake pan and spread level. Slowly, pour the flan mixture over the cake batter. (I find it easiest to pour the mixture into a small ladle, letting it run over onto the batter.) Pull out the oven rack, set the cake into the large pan, then set both pans on the rack. Pour hot water around the cake to a depth of 1 inch. Carefully slide the pans into the oven, and bake about 45 to 50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out dry. Remove from the water bath and cool to room temperature, about 1 hour.
5. Serving. Carefully run a thin-bladed knife around the edge of the cake/flan to free the edges. Invert a rimmed serving platter over the cake pan, grasp the two tightly together, then flip the two over. Gently jiggle the pan back and forth several times to insure that the cake/flan has dropped, then remove the pan. Scrape any remaining cajeta from the mold onto the cake.

Strawberries and Vegetable Juice

Sometimes on a hot summer day, a vegetable juice and freshly picked strawberries are all you need for lunch. I just returned from our colorful vegetable garden, and harvested parsley, kale, and spinach that I added to store bought beets, ginger, celery, and local carrots, for a vitamin-filled vegetable juice.

This year, I have the biggest garden I have ever had, and the work and planning are paying off. I started 25% or more of the seeds inside during early spring, and spent cozy days mapping the garden. The garden is designed with a method called square-foot gardening. http://www.squarefootgardening.com/ The list is long but here are a few of the foods growing: beets, cucumbers, lavender, oregano, basil, sage, parsley, rosemary, red oak lettuce, radishes, a variety of hot peppers, tomatoes, and kale.


Once again, we have been blessed with the bright red strawberry. I am very particular about only eating the sweet berry when it is in season and locally grown. I pick and pick, stocking the freezer, preparing for winter. Seems we spend a lot of time in the Vermont summers preparing for winter by chopping wood and preserving the harvest. Strawberries freeze very well, and on a cold wintery morning, I love warming them up with some Vermont maple syrup and serving the strawberry syrup with cinnamon pancakes. Frozen strawberries may also be chopped frozen and added to pancake batter. (Unlike some other berries, frozen strawberries most often, are not used in baking, because they release too much juice). Some of my other favorite uses for frozen strawberries are daiquiris, smoothies, and strawberry sauce.



Happy Summertime Eating!

Your Chef,
Courtney















Strawberry Bread

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon sea salt
4 large eggs
1 cup sugar
1 cup canola or grape seed oil
2 ¼ cups fresh strawberries, hulled and chopped
1 ¼ cup walnuts or pecans, toasted and chopped

Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour two 9 by 5-inch loaf pans. Whisk the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. In an electric mixer, fitted with the whisk, add the eggs and sugar. Beat on medium high until eggs are fluffy. Add oil and mix well. Add flour mixture and blend until just combined. Using a spatula, fold in the fresh strawberries and nuts.

Scrape batter into prepared loaf pans and place in preheated oven. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaves comes out clean, 60-70 minutes. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to cool completely, at least 1 hour. Serve.
(The bread can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days).

For extra fun and flavor I like to serve the bread with Ice Cream drizzled with Grand Mariner.

Marche Jean-Talon

Recently Jim and I took a drive to Montreal for a music and food filled overnight. We set out to try a (new to us) restaurant, called "Le Taj", specializing in Indian food. We enjoyed fresh out of the tandoor nan bread, crisp and flavorful samosas, perfectly spiced channa masala (spiced chick peas), and so much more. The service was friendly and attentive and I was happily surprised at the long wine list. On weekend evenings you dine while listening to live tabla music. So, if you have a taste for Indian food while in Montreal try "Le Taj".

http://www.restaurantletaj.com/

Then, after dinner we hailed a cab and went off to hear live music.
After a good nights sleep we found ourselves in a culinary dream come true... strolling around Marche Jean-Talon.

Even in early spring, the center of the market is colorful, packed high with fresh fruits, vegetables, and gardening must-haves.

The market perimeter is a Canadian celebration of local meat vendors, cafes, French bakeries, and cheese shops. Don't forget the detailed spice store with a fine selection of olive oils and vinegars all available to taste. The Middle Eastern street food is fabulous and not to be missed. I love the lamb and green olive pressed sandwiches with hot sauce! You will even find a small tortilla factory, with made to order tacos and tamales.

A visit to Marche Jean-Talon is a must and plan on eating great foods while strolling around.

www.marche-jean-talon.com

Cilantro Coconut Lime Sauce

4 cups cilantro leaves washed and chopped (approximately 2 bunches)
1-2 seeded green chilies (optional)
3/4 cup flaked coconut, unsweetened
¼ - 1/3 cup fresh lime juice
3 tablespoons honey
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon sea salt
3/4 cup warm water (as needed)

In a blender add all the ingredients to make a smooth paste. Add water slowly as needed to keep the blender running (you may also use the food processor). Taste and adjust seasoning.

*Use this sauce with all grilled fish, pork, and lamb. Fabulous with Samosas and spring rolls. Serve with cashew ginger rice!

Celebrating Spring!

My food world seems to have exploded lately! Mid April we celebrated Greek Easter with a fabulous home cooked feast. After cooking for nine straight hours, guests arrived and the party began. We started our party with roasted apricot ginger lamb sausage made by our butcher Cole. Large Greek Kalamata Olives and Vermont Sheep's Milk Feta Cheese drizzled with spicy Greek Olive Oil. The evening rolled on with smiles and laughter. Traditional festive Grecian music was playing in our ears, as we filled our plates with Vermont raised Leg of Lamb, Spanakopita, stewed Green Beans, Meat balls with traditional Red Sauce with a hint of Cinnamon, Grape leaves stuffed with Beef and Rice served with fluffy and light Avgolemono Sauce, Greek Salad, and finishing off with Ouzo and Melamakarona Cookies (honey and walnut olive oil cookies)! What a day to remember.



Greek Salad:

Romaine lettuce
Red Onion, sliced
Large Kalamata Olives
Cucumber, sliced
Tomatoes (use only when in season and ripe)
Feta (buy the best feta you can find, feta cheese should be bought in a milky liquid)
Dried Oregano
Red Wine Vinegar
Greek Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Sea Salt
Black Pepper

Assemble your vegetables, cheese, and olives. Sprinkle with oregano and pepper. Drizzle generously (because later you will want to dip your bread into this flavorful liquid) with vinegar and then olive oil. More Olive oil then vinegar. Let sit for 15-20 minutes. Add sea salt and enjoy. Serve with sesame seed crusted bread.



Fiddle heads, ramps (wild onions), wild greens, asparagus and dandelions are here to celebrate spring with us. This is a time of rebirth and cleansing the body with these astringent foods. We foraged what we could eat and left the rest for nature to play its course. Ramps grow in large patches and are dug up using a small digger. The whole onion is edible. We have been adding them to omelets, soups, and have plans for grilled pizza with ramps and Vermont cheeses. Yum!