Brooks Plum Cake

Sometimes when it rains, it pours. In our case, there was a downpour of plums this weekend. After returning from the farmers market with a generous bag of plums, a friend called to offer some more from the tree in her backyard. Two hours into the picking, she hadn’t made a dent in the crop and wanted to know if we were good for 10 pounds. Who says no to that?

Speaking in weather terms (and since the rainy season is next here in Portland), our “in” boxes have been flooded with plum cake recipes lately. Even if we baked one of each recipe we read, we’d still have plenty of plums left over. We developed this recipe to share with you that involves quickly cooking the plums down into a chunky compote as a way to use up more of our bounty. An added bayleaf and an optional splash of brandy balance out the flavor so it’s not cloyingly sweet. Layer this jammy compote to the top of our easy cake batter before baking. Some of the plums stay on the surface, others sink down, creating a rustic cake that makes a delicious weekday snack with a cup of tea.

Brooks plums (a European variety that is prevalent in Oregon) are the ones pictured here and what we used for this recipe. They are larger than many other varieties. If you use a smaller variety, don’t hesitate to double the number of plums in our recipe. You might consider making extra and setting it aside to eat with ice cream or yogurt.

Since school is back in swing in the Thread & Whisk homes, we are trying to start the year off right with a strong lunchbox game. You might say that we take product development seriously around our studio since we’ve been packing this dessert to go with our own lunches too.

Plum Cake

(serves 8)

INGREDIENTS
12-15 large plums, pitted
1/2 cup sugar
1 bay leaf
1/4 water
1 Tbsp brandy, optional

2 cups flour
4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
4 oz unsalted butter, softened
1-1/4 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla

METHOD
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 9” springform cake pan. Set aside.

Combine plums, 1/2 cup sugar, bay leaf, water and brandy in a medium sauce pan. Cook over medium heat for 7-10 minutes until the mixture is still very chunky but coats the back of a spoon like - dare we say it - cough syrup. Stir occasionally while cooking. When done, remove from heat and allow to cool for at least 15 minutes. Remove bay leaf.

Sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

Using an electric mixer, combine butter and 1-1/4 cups sugar. Beat until light and fluffy (3-5 minutes). Add eggs, one at a time, combining mixture in between. Add vanilla. Slowly add in flour mixture until just combined.

Scrape contents of mixing bowl into springform pan. Smooth out top with an offset spatula. Add plum mixture to top. Bake for 35-40 minutes until cake has slightly pulled away from sides of pan and an inserted cake tester comes out without batter on it. Some of the plums will sink into the body of the cake. Allow to cool several minutes before removing from pan.

Dulce delicious

Today we’d like to turn a frown upside down, and while doing so share an excellent food hack. Why the frown, you ask?  A few weeks ago, one of us had an epic culinary fail involving crêpes -  in public.  FROWN.  After having flipped hundreds of crêpes over the years, the culinary school graduate (and francophile!) among us had a momentary lapse.  For a Peruvian themed dinner with foodie friends, our contribution was dessert.  Making crêpes filled with dulce de leche seemed like a great idea, until it went sideways.  

Always open to cuisines from other cultures, we pulled a Peruvian crêpe recipe off the computer.  Suffice it to say the crêpes did not come together as expected.  With a slightly furrowed brow, we completed the recipe and placed the dulce de leche filled crêpes into our host's fridge during the dinner. Sadly, when we retrieved them everything had turned into a soupy glop.  It was a disappointment that has been needling us ever since. Today, we're righting that wrong by creating a chocolate version of our favorite crêpe recipe to perfectly complement dulce de leche. 

Now here comes the good hack.

Actually, it's an awesome hack.  Traditional South American recipes for the creamy, caramel-tasting confection known as dulce de leche involve stirring milk and sugar in a pan for hours at a time.  While that didn't actually deter us, murmurs of a simpler method were intriguing.  Let's see if it fits into one sentence:  Boil an unopened can of sweetened condensed milk in a pan of water for 2-3 hours to make dulce de leche.  

Seriously, that's it.  Actually, it can be even easier if you own an Instant Pot.  We don’t, but we hear that you can achieve the same results in 30-40 minutes.  Let us know if you try it!

When you open the can, this is what you get.  The sweetened condensed milk that starts out white turns deeper hues of caramel depending on how long you cook it.  (We cooked it for about 2-1/2 hours.)  If you like a richer, darker flavor, cook it longer.  We hesitated to photograph it in the can, because it vaguely reminded us of canned cranberry sauce at Thanksgiving.  But it is so much better.  And it doesn’t at all jiggle on a plate like can-shaped cranberry jelly. 

 Although the basic instructions are a one-liner, please be sure to read the recipe below so that you don't skimp on practical kitchen safety measures.    

A dollop of unsweetened whipped cream (or even crème fraîche) is a nice balance to the sweet caramel-like filling and chocolaty crêpe.  If you are making one can of dulce de leche, why not go ahead and make two or three at the same time?  After opening the cans, transfer the contents to glass jars.  Use one jar to swirl into ice cream on another day.  And wrap the last jar with a bow, giving it as a gift to one really lucky friend.

Chocolate Crêpes with Dulce de leche

(makes approximately 20 six-inch crepes)
This recipe for dulce de leche requires having a simmering pot of water on the stove for 2-3 hours.  Please take this into account so that you can plan on being nearby and to add more water if needed.

Ingredients
2 eggs
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup water
3/4 cup + 2 Tbsp flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
3 Tbsp melted butter, plus additional 1 tsp for frying crêpes
2 Tbsp granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla    

1 can sweetened condensed milk, label removed

Optional Garnishes
whipped cream or crème fraîche
powdered sugar

Method
To make the crêpes, combine eggs, milk, water, flour, cocoa powder, 3 Tbsp melted butter, sugar and vanilla in bowl or blender.  Whisk vigorously by hand or blend until mixture forms a smooth batter.  Allow the batter to rest for an hour or refrigerate overnight.  (Remove from refrigerator and allow it to warm up for about 30 minutes before making crêpes.)

Melt the remaining 1 tsp butter in a crêpe pan or nonstick skillet over medium-low heat.  Pour about 3 Tbsp of batter into pan and quickly tilt the pan to form a thin, even coating of batter.  Cook for about 45 seconds until the sides of the crêpe can be loosened with a heat-resistant spatula.  Gently flip the crêpe over and cook for an additional 30 seconds.  Slide the crêpe onto a plate.  Repeat with remaining batter.  It’s not necessary to add more butter before each crêpe as you’ve already seasoned the pan.  Allow crêpes to cool completely before spreading with dulce de leche.  

To make the dulce de leche, place the unopened can of sweetened condensed milk in a pot and cover it with water by two inches.  Bring water to a boil, then lower heat and reduce to a simmer.  Cover the pot and continue simmering for 2 hours, or up to 3 for a richer caramel flavor.  Safety warning:  Add water to the pot if it begins to evaporate below the level of the can.  Allow the can (and water in the pot) to cool to room temperature before opening the can.

To assemble crêpes, spread desired amount of dulce de leche on each one.  Fold in quarters or roll and garnish, if desired.

THOUGHTS
Transfer finished dulce de leche to a glass jar and store in the refrigerator for up to a month.
 

Make time to play

With the onset of beautiful weather, do you find yourself wanting to stay out and play just a bit more?  Now that spring has arrived, we celebrate the sunshine and the arrival of cherished friends as they pop up at the market. Tender fresh asparagus is the first thing to go into our basket as we look forward to the bounty of the season's flavors.  A delicious and simple way to prepare it is drizzled with a bit of olive oil and flashed under a broiler for a few minutes.  Gotta love that slightly charred flavor!  Asparagus prepared this way is an excellent side dish, but read on for a way to make it the main attraction.

As the days get longer and we want to extend our play time, we're trying to make dinner prep shorter.  Enter Cacio e Pepe, one of our favorite go-to’s.  It's a classic Roman pasta dish that couldn't be simpler to make and we'll bet you a nickel that you have all the ingredients in your kitchen already.  Cacio e Pepe - translated as “cheese and pepper” - is the perfect landing pad for broiled asparagus.  Along with that, we can't resist adding just a few additional ingredients (also likely to be in your kitchen) like lemon, garlic and parsley to elevate the flavor of the meal.  This simple yet delicious dish comes together in about 20 minutes, allowing you plenty of time to get out and play a little longer.

Do you ever wonder how far down to trim asparagus before you get to the fibrous part of the stalk?  Bend a stalk between your fingers.  The place where it snaps naturally is where it becomes tougher.  Instead of throwing away those tougher parts of the stalk, it’s a great idea to reserve them for a cream of asparagus soup where they will be simmered and puréed.
 

Lemony Cacio e Pepe with Broiled Asparagus

(serves 4)

Ingredients
Asparagus:
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed to remove fibrous part of stalks
2 Tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper
1 Tbsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Pasta:
3/4 lbs angel hair or thin spaghetti (preferably dried pasta instead of fresh)
salt for cooking water
3 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 Tbsp olive oil
4 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
1 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (reserve 2 Tbsp for serving)
zest and juice of 1 lemon, separated
1 Tbsp chopped parsley

METHOD
Preheat broiler.  Place oven rack in position closest to broiler element.  Arrange asparagus on foil-lined sheet pan. Do not crowd the asparagus.  Drizzle with olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper.  Place under broiler for several minutes until tips of asparagus become a little charred.  Remove from broiler and toss asparagus with tongs to char evenly.  Sprinkle with Parmesan and return to broiler for one minute.  Remove and set aside.

In a large pot, cook pasta in generously-salted boiling water according to package instructions, until it is just barely al dente.  Drain pasta, reserving about 1 cup of the cooked pasta water.

While the pasta is cooking, melt the butter and add the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat.  Add the pepper and garlic, and cook for 1 minute.  Do not allow the garlic to brown.  Ladle out about 1/2 cup of the pasta water, and slowly and carefully add it to the melted butter mixture.  Whisk until combined, adding more water if needed.  

Remove pan from heat.  Gradually add in the cheese and whisk until combined.  Stir in the lemon zest.  Using tongs, add pasta in increments, combining it with the sauce as you go.  Stir in the lemon juice and parsley.  Divide pasta on plates, sprinkle with remaining Parmesan and top with asparagus.

One Dish Fish

Sometimes the whole truly is greater than the sum of its parts.  One dish meals have a way of creating new flavors that you can't arrive at unless all of your ingredients mingle and bring out the best in one another.  We love this Cast Iron Skillet Baked Fish both for its minimal ingredients and the straightforward process in which you prepare it.  Practically any white fish will do - we used True Cod here.  When it's baked with the tomatoes, both of them let off natural juices that do something special to the flavor of the potatoes.  Yeah, those potatoes are the soul of this dish.  They are tender, creamy and caramelized in each bite.  Briny olives and fresh herbs punctuate the meal at just the right moments.

This recipe can go from the oven to your table in a few easy steps.  (Don't forget the oven mitts and trivet!)  Begin by preheating the oven (and your oven-proof skillet) while slicing up the potatoes and onion.  Prepare the fish, tomato and olives while the potatoes get a head start in the oven.  Then, while everything goes back into the oven together, you have a few minutes to wipe off the counter and pour a glass of wine.

Slow food made fast is how we think of this recipe.  The rustic flavors that come together in the oven seem like they ought to have taken longer to produce.  The added bonus is that this dish can also be scaled up to accommodate last minute dinner guests by adding a few more potatoes.  Don't forget the crusty loaf of bread to wipe up every last bit of magic in the pan.

Cast Iron Skillet Baked Fish

(serves 4)
A cast iron skillet or roasting pan is ideal for this recipe.  Make sure the pan is not too large.  It’s ok if the potatoes are a little crowded, but if the pan is too big and your ingredients spread out too far, all the yummy juices will evaporate.  A 12 inch skillet is ideal for the measurements listed here.  Another key to this recipe is high quality extra virgin olive oil and using enough of it.  The amount listed here is a guideline.  If you think it needs an extra glug, go for it.

INGREDIENTS
4-6 yukon gold potatoes, peeled and sliced into 1/4-1/2 inch slices
1/2 onion, thinly sliced
1 cup extra virgin olive oil, divided (more if needed)
1 lb cod or halibut fillets, portioned into 3-4 oz servings
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes (yellow grape tomatoes shown in photo) 
1/4 cup kalamata olives, pitted
1 Tbsp fresh chervil, roughly chopped (basil or parsley can be substituted)
salt and pepper to taste

METHOD
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Place cast iron skillet or other oven-proof pan in oven to heat up. 

Combine potatoes and onions in bowl.  Drizzle with 3 Tbsp olive oil, toss to coat.  Season with salt and pepper.  Remove skillet from oven and transfer potato mixture into skillet.  Return to oven.  Bake for about 15-20 minutes.  

Remove skillet from oven.  Using a spatula, toss the potatoes and scrape the bottom of the pan to keep the potatoes from sticking.  It’s ok if the potatoes break up a bit.  Continue to bake for about 10 minutes while preparing fish.

Place fish on plate and drizzle about 1 Tbsp olive oil over each piece.  Season with salt and pepper.  Combine tomatoes, olives and herbs in small bowl and drizzle with remaining olive oil.  Season with salt and pepper.

Remove skillet from oven.  Using a spatula, scrape the potatoes off the bottom of the skillet again and hollow out a few spots to place the fish.  Add the tomato and olive mixture over the fish and return to the oven.  Continue baking until fish is cooked through.  This will depend on the thickness of the fish.  After 15 minutes, check for doneness by poking the fish with a knife to see if it flakes easily.