Al Dente

What to Cook This Weekend: Totally Tofu Coconut Kareem Pie

It’s the 29th of February, one of those “out-of-time” days which demand the making of dishes that are a bit outside the ordinary, dishes with really good names, dishes like Totally Tofu Coconut Kareem Pie. I first made this for a pie-off at Amazon.com, and while it didn’t win “Best in Show,” it did win “Most Creative,” and had the judges--all carnivores--marveling at the taste. Since I have a continual craving for coconut cream pie combined with a continual amazement at the mutability of tofu, it was destiny that eventually I’d think: “Why not a tofu-based coconut cream pie?” Note that the pie filling needs to spend the night (or a comparable time) in the fridge, so plan accordingly.

Totally Tofu Coconut Kareem Pie

Ingredients:
16 ounces silken style tofu (silken is key)
1 teaspoon vanilla, divided
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup sweet coconut flakes
1 pre-made and baked pie crust for 9-inch pie
Whipped cream (optional)
1/4 cup toasted coconut flakes (optional)
White chocolate flakes (optional)

Directions:
1. Drain the tofu well. Using a pastry brush, brush 1/2 of the vanilla over the blocks of tofu. Let sit for five minutes, then turn the tofu over and brush the other 1/2 of the vanilla over the tofu.

2. Place the tofu in a food processor with the blade attachment in place. Process the tofu until it has reached a very smooth consistency. Add the brown sugar and sweetened condensed milk and blend completely with the tofu.

3. Add the coconut flakes, and pulse the food processor five times.

4. Place the mix into the refrigerator overnight (this may seem excessive, but the flavors need to blend).

5. Either make crust for a 9-inch pie pan, or buy a pre-made 9-inch pie crust. Spoon the coconut “cream” mixture into the pie. Top with whipped cream, toasted coconut flakes, and white chocolate flakes, in that order. Serve.

A Note: To make this a totally vegan dessert, take out the sweetened condensed milk and up the brown sugar to 1/2 cup. Also omit the whipped cream and white chocolate.

Serves 6

--A.J. Rathbun

Ode to a Girl Scout Cookie

Every year I am driven to distraction by Girl Scout cookies. This year my obsession gave way to inspiration. And so I give you haikus celebrating some of my favorites. Enjoy!

Thin Mints
That minty freshness
Paired with chocolatey goodness
I ate the whole box

Tagalongs
Peanut and chocolate
Always the perfect combo
Tag along with me

Samoas
Coconut splendor
Chocolate-caramel heaven
Get in my belly

Have your own cookie haiku? Share it with us in the comments section.

--KitchenMaus

The Calories of March

Right around this time every year any sense of personal "New Year New You" optimism is thrown right out the door with the annual arrival of two events that get my sweet tooth aching: Girl Scout Cookies and new Ben & Jerry's flavors. While Girl Scout Cookies can be ordered in advanced, the search for the new B&J flavors presents more of a hunting-and-gathering challenge as I check the freezer aisle of the supermarkets, pharmacies, and convenience stores in my neighborhood anxious for that first sighting. This year's flavors don't seem as adventurous as year's past. That Cold Stone Creamery standby Cake Batter is the one I'm most eager to sample. What do you think of this year's lineup? Has anyone out there seen (or sampled) these out in the wild?

ONE Cheesecake Brownie: Cheesecake Ice Cream with Cheesecake Brownie Chunks

Imagine Whirled Peace: Caramel & Sweet Cream Ice Creams Swirled with Fudge Peace Signs & Toffee Cookie Pieces

Cake Batter: Yellow Cake Batter Ice Cream with a Chocolate Frosting Swirl

Strawberry Banana: Strawberry Banana Frozen Yogurt with Strawberries and a Strawberry Swirl

--BTP

The Wednesday Wrap: Food News to Go

Road Trip: New York Times restaurant critic Frank Bruni leaves Manhattan to explore 15 "acclaimed, ambitious, promising or intriguing new restaurants from coast to coast." [New York Times]

Can You Hear Me Now?: The LA Times looks into just how loud is loud when it comes to the noise level at restaurants. [LA Times]

The Day of Pigs: Georgeanne Brennan goes whole hog in a weekend celebration of all things porcine. [San Francisco Chronicle]

Back in the Kitchen: Nancy Leson offers a fascinating profile of the career of Seattle chef Scott Simpson, who went from rising young chef to 469-lb shut-in with Domino's on speed-dial. [Seattle Times]

How Low Can You Go?: In preparation for her upcoming appearance at the Charleston Food + Wine Festival, Ruth Reichl offers some thoughts on Lowcountry cuisine. [Charleston City Paper]

The "Just-Kidding" Defense: Jerry Seinfeld on calling Sneaky Chef author Missy Chase Lapine a "wacko" and mentioning that "many of the three-named people become assassins" during the controversy surrounding his wife's cookbook: I was joking! [New Jersey Star Ledger]

Bruni Beat: It's two stars ("very good") for the West Village's Bar Blanc, "which belongs to a growing brood of establishments whose names suggest scruffier atmospheres and more modest menus than the places actually present." [New York Times]

--BTP

Texas Barbeque and Monster Potatoes

A few weeks ago, I was in Dallas and since I am always on the lookout for new barbecue joints, I took the recommendation of a friend and went to visit Mike Anderson’s. I wasn’t familiar with this Dallas institution and so when I arrived at 2 p.m., they had just shut their doors. The restaurant serves lunch every day and that’s it.  We were out of luck, but Mike and his wife were nice enough to open the doors, offer us a beer and talk about their ‘Que. 

The restaurant has been in operation more than 20 years and serves all kinds of barbecue and home-style sides.  But the thing that I was most curious about was their "Monster Potatoes." Mike told me that they had served 500 potatoes on this regular Friday—in addition to all the other barbecue offerings.  That blew me away…and started my craving for a Texas Monster Potato. 

The stuffed baked potatoes are made using 2-pound potatoes that are about 7-8 inches long and about 4-inches wide. At Mike Anderson’s they are split and stuffed with every imaginable combination of cheese and sour cream, bacon, onions, jalapenos, olives etc. and then topped with chopped beef, pork, chicken, ham, sausage, etc. and a healthy dose of barbecue sauce. I couldn’t decide if I thought that sounded heavenly or a little too much, but I was intrigued.

Fast forward to this week. I went to Austin to speak (and visit my buddies) at the National Barbecue Conference. We took a tour of some of Austin’s finest BBQ restaurants and low and behold, Smokey Mo’s Bar B Que had a big ole stuffed baked potato! I couldn’t wait to try it. The counter person suggested I try the potato with their chopped smoked turkey. In a blink of an eye, they presented me with a steaming baked potato, split and stuffed with a tower of butter, sour cream, cheddar cheese, chopped scallions and the silkiest, moistest, smoked turkey that I have ever eaten. The trick is to put enough of each topping on the potato so that you can taste everything with each bite, but not so much that you drown out the potato. I am sure there is a fine line here, but Smokey Mo’s hit it with perfection. The heat of the hot potato melts the butter and cheese and warms the meat. The fluffy potato takes the place of bread and when you get a bite with a little bit of everything, the raw crunch of the scallion mixed with the richness of the potato, cheese, butter and sour cream make a perfect bed for the smoky toothsome meat. I shared this potato with my table and we still couldn’t eat all of it. I used to dream of brisket and sausage when I went to Texas, but now it is the Monster Potato that is at the head of my list!

The (Parmesan) Cheese Stands Alone

If you're a regular Al Dente reader, you already know Parmesan cheese is something close to our hearts. So I was happy to hear via a recent BBC News article, that the European Commission is keeping the cheese's best interests in mind. They recently argued that Germany had not been acting against producers who did not meet Italy's stringent rules and that the German government claimed the word "Parmesan" merely referred to a variety of hard cheeses. The Court of Justice said only the authentic product bearing the name "Parmigiano Reggiano" could be sold under the name of Parmesan.

Leo Bertozzi, director of the Consorzio del Formaggio Parmigiano-Reggiano (that's the Consortium of Parmesan Cheese--talk about a dream job!), told the BBC News that the ruling was completely positive. "The Court of Justice has stated that Parmesan can be used only to identify Parmigiano-Reggiano. The name is protected and even its translations are protected." Parmesan was among dozens of foods and drinks awarded the status of "protected designation of origin." Others include Champagne and Parma ham as well as Gorgonzola and Feta cheese.

--AndreaLeigh

Magazine Makeover: Bon Appétit

Last month when my copy of Bon Appétit arrived in the mail, I hardly recognized it. The whole look and feel of the magazine has gone through a major redesign. The new masthead is now in a lowercased font (shocking!), and this crosses over into the inside too, where titles of articles and recipes are also lowercased. The inside of the magazine also seems to have a bit of a personality disorder, with different fonts employed in different areas. Also, the editors use backslashes in quite a number of places, including at the end of section headers (example: "MAIN & SIDES/"). And I'm seeing more abbreviations, such as "apps" instead of "appetizers."

Overall, the look is much more playful than the classically styled old look. It also seems to be borrowing a lot from the internet world, with its crazy fonting (yes, I like that as a verb today) and backslashing. I dunno, maybe it will grow on me, but right now, I'm having a little trouble with it all. If I wanted to read recipes and food articles on the web (and I do), then I would read Epicurious (and I do). It feels almost like they've taken the pearls off a classy magazine, and replaced them with some fashion jewelry from the mall. Luckily, you and I both know not to judge a book by its cover, right?

Is it just me? Am I too much of an editor? Does the general public care about fonts and lowercasing? Did you even notice? Add a comment and let me know what you think about the redesign.

--KitchenMaus

Last Day to Sign Up for the Al Dente Sweepstakes: February 26

To be eligible to win the oil-less turkey fryer, you must sign up for the Al Dente E-mail Digest by tomorrow before Midnight (PST). If you are not yet receiving a daily e-mail digest of our posts at the address you signed up with, you're probably not officially signed up to win. So, take this opportunity to sign up correctly:

1. Enter your e-mail address in the upper right corner of our blog page and click 'subscribe'. A pop-up will appear.

2. In the pop-up box, type the text you see. Then, sign into the e-mail account which you provided to us and look for an e-mail from confirmations@emailenfuego.net.

3. In that e-mail, you must click on the link provided to complete the activation process for your subscription.

For more information, check out the official rules here. Haven't heard of the oil-less turkey fryer? Check out the video. And, get your questions answered about how it works.

Good luck!

--Sous-Chef on the Run

Weird Food Cravings

MSNBC.com recently posted some of the weird food cravings their readers have. Apparently craving peanut butter burgers or banana bacon sandwiches doesn't mean you're missing something from your diet. "Scientists haven't been able to link cravings in humans to specific nutritional deficiencies, says Joy Bauer, TODAY's nutrition expert and author of "Food Cures" (Rodale, 2007)."

Around the Al Dente office, cravings include pickles and cheese with smoked salmon, bacon with chocolate, Lay's sour cream and onion chips with M&M's, and Pringles dipped in coffee yogurt.

So, Al Dente readers, what are your weird food cravings? Maybe ice cream and ramen?

--Spanno

What Color Is Your Fiesta?

Now that I know all about your KitchenAid color horoscope, what I want to know next is: What color is your Fiesta? Here's the all-telling questionnaire:

1. I own no Fiesta tableware, and am not interested in owning any
2. I own no Fiesta tableware, but wish I owned X color(s) (Please comment on desired colors)
3. I own no Fiesta tableware, but I would if it came in X color(s) (Please comment on color(s) you wish they manufactured)
4. I own one color (Please comment on color choice)
5. I own 2+ colors and like to mix and match (Please comment on color combos)
6. I own 2+ colors and like variety--a different color each day (Please comment on color selection)

Fiesta is somewhat of a cult fan club, and with good reason. The look is classic Art Deco and the current color lineup includes 14 shades. More than 30 have been produced over the years. And, did you know they are currently celebrating their 75th anniversary? Congratulations Fiesta!

As part of their year of celebration, they recently announced that they'll be offering a limited-edition anniversary product. They will unveil it at the International Home & Housewares Show in March. In addition to this special item, at the show they will also showcase a new color for their full dinnerware line.

Look for more news on the Fiesta anniversary products right here on Al Dente as our editors travel to the International Home & Housewares Show March 16 to 18 and report back. And, stop by the Amazon Fiesta Store to enjoy the rainbow, whether you're a #2, a #5, or just want to check out the latest pieces when they're released.

Don't forget to add a comment about your Fiesta passions/desires/habits/needs/dreams. I'm ready to analyze!

--KitchenMaus

What to Cook this Weekend: Cheese Triangles

I've had a few tubes of Pillsbury Crescent Rolls rolling around my fridge for awhile, and this weekend I mean to do something about it. I haven't been in the mood for a plain crescent roll, but fortunately for me, Pillsbury.com has a cool lineup of recipes that use the crescent roll dough. Tasty and easy? It's like they read my mind.

Cheese Crescent Triangles

Ingredients:
One package Pillsbury Crescent Rolls
Grated cheese (cheddar, feta, or mozzarella)
Chopped onions
One egg, beaten

Directions:
1. Separate dough in half and unroll in to two rectangles.
2. Slice each rectangle into six squares.
3. Fill each rectangle with cheese and onions.
4. Fold dough over and press edges together. Brush tops with beaten egg and sprinkle with cheese.
5. Place on cookie sheet and bake for 9-11 minutes (see package for oven temperature). Makes 24 cheese triangles.

--AndreaLeigh

Drink Olive Oil, Live To Be 120-Years-Old

Mariam Amash, an active inhabitant of a quaint Israeli village, makes sure to drink at least one glass of olive oil every day. And since she was born in 1888, she's had at least 43,800 glasses--roughly 2,737 gallons of olive oil.

Olive oil can help lower cholesterol and blood pressure, as well as regulate blood sugar level and knock out nasty free-radicals. More info can be found here. Apparently it has worked fairly well for Mariam, you know, seeing as she's been around since the Turkish Empire was in control.

With 120 grandchildren, 250 great-grandchildren, and 20 great-great-grandchildren, I bet she spends most of her time making out $10 checks.

--Spanno

Did Robert Irvine Beef Up His Past?

Fans of Dinner: Impossible might feel duped lately amidst allegations that British Chef Robert Irvine made up stories about his past. The Dallas Morning News nicely outlines what facts we do and don't have about the chef. Food Network--host of Irvine's show--is refraining from commenting and investigating the allegations.

It seems ironic now that Irvine had such high hopes--knighthood, royal chef, castles, etc. If the alleged resume doctoring is true, Irvine just might end back at square one.

--Sous-Chef on the Run

A Toothbrush that “Erases” and a Recipe for Short Ribs

What’s a toothbrush got to do with a food blog?  For starters, we all have one and we all need a good one. And, for all espresso loving, red-wine drinking, blueberry-eating folks, it's an essential piece of equipment.

I certainly didn’t think that I would ever wax on and on about a toothbrush, but when I was looking for a new one, I was intrigued by the electric Hydra Brush. It promised whiter teeth because it cleans so well that the stains don’t have time to set. 

In today’s world of day-glo white teeth, if a toothbrush can deliver whiter teeth without any high-peroxide gel, I’m all for it. But the thing that really sold me is that you bite into the brush and the four round brushes on the front and the back of the brush-head rotate to clean the back and front of your teeth like a car wash.

I don’t know if my teeth are whiter, but I do know that they feel clean as a whistle—so good that I’ve been doubling my red-wine consumption. I’m drinking and eating my wine!

Enjoy this recipe for Red-Wine Braised Short Ribs. They’re just the thing to make you feel snug and cozy when it’s cold and wet outside. I serve them atop coarse-ground Garlic Cheese Grits, but they are equally great on old-fashioned noodles or mashed potatoes. Since they taste even better on day 2, this is a great recipe to make in advance!

Un-Happy Meal News

From seriouseats.com, Stephen Colbert's video segment on "People Destroying America" (by denying their children Happy Meals). Click here to watch the video.

--AndreaLeigh

A Decade of Subway's Jared

Subway's formerly endearing mascot has turned the big one-zero. Yes, it's been a decade since we first saw Jared waddling walking to Subway after losing 245 pounds.

Lately Jared has been extremely busy. He's on a "Tour de Pants"--a sort of going away party for his fat pants; he recently starred in a "Got Milk" ad; and is in the middle of an expensive divorce. She reportedly will also get 60% of the proceeds from his forthcoming life story. Incidentally, who doesn't know Jared's life story?

On the bright side, Jared now has a ridiculously hot girlfriend.

--Spanno

What to Cook This Weekend: Oven-Baked Mushroom Risotto

This is my new favorite recipe! My friend Lea made it for me last week--it was so simple and tasty. I can't wait to have it again. Oven-baked risotto is a great weeknight recipe since it doesn't require the constant stirring of a classic risotto. Note that you can leave out the mushrooms for a plain version, or add other ingredients (did someone say butternut squash?) to mix things up. Also, if you didn't notice, this recipe is vegan. However, if your cheese-loving heart so desires, you can add a sprinkling of Parmesan at the end. Though, really, it doesn't need it.

Oven-Baked Mushroom Risotto

Ingredients:
1 ounce dried mushrooms, such as porcini (or substitute fresh mushrooms of your choice)
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1/4 cup finely chopped shallots
3/4 cup Arborio or Carnaroli rice
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup vegetable stock
1-1/2 cups boiling water
Salt and pepper to taste
Chopped parsley (optional garnish)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
2. Reconstitute mushrooms in a bowl of hot water. When soft, drain and chop. Set aside.
3. In an oven-proof pan (not too shallow), sauté chopped shallots in 1 tablespoon olive oil until translucent. Add chopped mushrooms and sauté briefly. Add rice and sauté about a minute, coating thoroughly.
4. Add white wine, stock, and boiling water. Bring to a simmer. Add salt and pepper to taste.
5. Cover pan and place in oven. Cook for 20 to 25 minutes, until rice is done.
6. Stir in remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil before serving. Garnish with parsley, if desired.

Serves 4.

--KitchenMaus

Treats for Your Sweets, Day 3: White Chocolate Soufflé

I know it's a bit late in the day, but if you're looking to wow your Valentine this evening, this just might be the recipe. If you haven't made a soufflé before, I would suggest being very gentle when pulling this out of the oven. This specific recipes comes from Epicurean.com.

Ingredients:
3 ounces white chocolate, chopped
4 eggs, separated
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
6 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or 1 tablespoon framboise (raspberry) liqueur (if you don't have the raspberry liqueur, try white chocolate liqueur,or increase the vanilla)
Raspberry Sauce:
1 cup fresh or frozen unsweetened raspberries, thawed
Sugar to taste

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Butter 4 individual soufflé dishes, about 8 ounces each. Lightly dust the bottom and sides of the dishes with sugar. Melt the chocolate over barely simmering water; set aside to cool.

2. In a large bowl, beat the egg whites until foamy. Add the salt and cream of tartar, and beat until soft peaks form. Gradually add 2 tablespoons of the sugar, beating until stiff, glossy peaks form. In a medium bowl, beat the egg yolks until thick and pale in color. Beat in the remaining 4 tablespoons sugar. Stir in the vanilla or framboise and the melted chocolate. Fold one-fourth of the beaten egg whites into the chocolate mixture. Fold this mixture into the remaining egg whites. Spoon the soufflé mixture into the prepared dishes. Bake for 10 minutes, or until set and golden brown.

3. Meanwhile, make the sauce: Purée the raspberries in a blender and push them through a sieve, discarding the seeds. Sweeten to taste. Pour the sauce into a pitcher. Slash each soufflé with a spoon and pour in a little sauce.

Happy Valentine's Day!

--Sous-Chef on the Run

Happy Hour Drink Special: Her Sarong Slipped

Ideal for a Valentine’s Day signature mix, Her Sarong Slipped is a sweet-tangy-bubbly combination of brandy, lemon juice, grenadine, and Champagne (or sparkling wine), with a slightly coy name and a lovely taste that fits any romantic occasion.

--A.J. Rathbun

The Wednesday Wrap: Food News to Go

That's Just Offal: When food plays such a vital role in courtship, can carnivores and vegetarians commingle in the kitchen (and in love)? [New York Times]

More Meaty Issues: Relationships can survive food allergies, picky eating, and, yes, carnivores vs. vegetarians. [San Francisco Chronicle]

Adding These to My Bucket List: Seattle faves Salumi (Porchetta) and Paseo (Cuban Meat Sandwich) make the grade as Esquire ranks The Best Sandwiches in America. And that's no typo, the McRib is indeed on the list. [Esquire]

In Local News: All-star omnivore Michael Pollan guest blogs on Omnivoracious, the Amazon book editors' blog. [Omnivoracious.com]

TiVo Alert: In case you missed No Reservations this past Monday, do yourself a favor and track down a replay of Tony's trip to London and Edinburgh where he spends some quality time hunting with Marco Pierre White, eating with Fergus Henderson, consuming all manner of fried delights with mystery writer Ian Rankin, and recording a Shatner-esque spoken-word song with Morcheeba. [Travel Channel]

Bruni Beat: It's one star for the revamped Second Avenue Deli (now located on Third Avenue and East 33rd) as Frank Bruni visits with the "latke-loving" posse of Ed Koch, Nora Ephron, and Laura Shaprio. [New York Times]

--BTP

Elizabeth Karmel's Recipe for Heart Brownies

I first created this recipe for my oldest nephew, August. When he was a year old, he exhibited an interest in cooking, and his doting aunt (me) jumped at the opportunity. I didn’t want to make a traditional kids recipe because that wouldn’t be any fun to eat]for the adults so I came up with this one-bowl recipe that can be stirred together simply with a blending fork or a wooden spoon. It features adult-friendly ingredients like lots of bittersweet chocolate—I like Scharffen Berger or Green & Blacks, 70 and 72 percent, respectively—and walnuts. 

Initially, we made the brownies in a Lekue Silicone Heart Muffin Pan just for fun and because it was close to Valentine’s Day. However, we all loved the result of the individual baked brownies because each piece had great chewy edges and a soft, fudgy inside. Besides tasting great, they look so cute and the individual heart shapes elevate the simple brownie from an afternoon snack to a legitimate dessert.  Needless to say, they became a tradition and August’s favorite sweet.

When I made that first batch, I had no idea that these brownies would become one of my signature recipes. Almost immediately, I started making the brownies with dried cherries and pecans because I love the combination of tart dried cherries and dark chocolate. And, as a Southerner, pecans are like salt and pepper—you put them in everything! I also started adding bits of dried ancho chiles to the mix for a really sophisticated “barbecue” brownie. In fact, these brownies are served at the Manhattan restaurant Hill Country where I am the Executive Chef. But they aren’t made in a heart muffin pan! Those brownies are reserved for family and friends. Click to read the recipe...

The Infrared Turkey Fryer: Your Questions Answered

Our sweepstakes for Char-Broil's Big Easy Oil-less Infrared Turkey Fryer has stirred up a lot of questions in the comments, so we’ve gone out and gotten you some answers. BBQ expert “CB” of Sizzle on the Grill—Char-Broil is a sponsor—dropped us a line with more information about this unique product for cooking a turkey: Q: How do you “fry” without oil? And how is infrared different from microwave and convection?
A: There are three basic methods for heating food—convection, conduction, and radiation. Convection is the act of air heating and rising and circulating around the chamber. A home oven is a perfect example of this. Every home oven is a “convection” oven, but if you add a fan to it you actively circulate the air and essentially speed up the natural process. For backyard BBQs the smoker or grill also uses convection to “roast” meat inside when the lid is closed.

Conduction is the direct transfer of heat from the heat source to the food to be cooked. A frying pan is a perfect example of this.

Radiation is the transfer of electromagnetic waves through the space. Your home microwave uses radiation. Microwaves and infrared waves are at different spots on the spectrum of energy. Microwaves hit food and “excite” water molecules. Infrared hits the food and that starts the heating process.

Now let me blow your mind. Deep frying is a form of convection heating. Instead of hot air, you are using hot oil to transfer the heat. Depending on the oil used in the fryer, the temperature is usually about 375 degrees to keep the food from absorbing a lot of oil.

The Big Easy uses infrared energy to “bathe” food. It excites the proteins, not the water. Thus, you are literally frying it. It’s just like sitting in the sun all day. The infrared energy will “fry” your meat's skin. The Big Easy doesn’t need a lid because it’s better to let the hot air escape. That way your food doesn’t dry out and there’s no basting necessary. Unlike conventional turkey fryers there is also no warm-up period. Just drop your thawed turkey (stuffed or unstuffed, injected or not, sugar-less rubbed or not) into the chamber and turn the Big Easy on. Infrared energy starts cooking it immediately and the cooking time for 12-14-pound turkey will be cut almost in half.

Q: Is the Big Easy hard to clean?
A: The Big Easy has a drain hole at the bottom to allow most of the drippings to collect in tray. If you line that tray with a food-safe liner, you can reuse the drippings for gravy. Any small amounts of fat and drippings that splatter on the sides of the chamber burn off almost immediately. Otherwise, they clean up easily with a scrub brush and soapy water. The wire cooking basket can be cleaned the same way or put in the dishwasher.

Thanks for the info "CB!" Readers, it's your duty to sign up to win this fryer.

--Sous-Chef on the Run

Treats for Your Sweets, Day 2: Red Hot Cupcakes

Anyone who knows me, knows I'm easily won over by a cupcake. But on Valentine's Day, it can't be just any cupcake. Whip up a batch of these sexy red hot ones, and I guarantee the results will be very favorable. This recipe comes from cupcakeblog (go there for the meringue frosting recipe).

Red Hot Cupcakes

Ingredients:
1/2 cup cake flour
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons cinnamon
5 teaspoons ancho chili powder
1/4 cup grape seed oil (or vegetable oil)
4 egg yolks
1/4 cup water
5 egg whites
1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

Directions:
1. Sift flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, and chili powder into the bowl of a standing mixer.
2. In a medium bowl, combine oil, egg yolks, and water. Stir to combine.
3. On a low setting, start to beat the dry mixture and slowly add the wet. Increase the mixer speed to high and beat until the mixture is incorporated.
4. Transfer mixture to another bowl. Wash and dry mixer bowl.
5. Whip egg whites with whip attachment on medium-high speed until foamy. With the mixer on medium speed, add cream of tartar and slowly add sugar. Beat on high speed until stiff peaks form.
6. Scoop a cupful of the stiff egg whites into the batter and stir to combine. This should lighten up the batter.
7. Transfer the batter to the egg whites and gently fold until there are no more streaks of egg white.
8. Scoop into cupcake cups about 2/3s full and bake at 350 F for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Makes 15 cupcakes.

--AndreaLeigh

Don't Forget to Sign Up for the Al Dente Blog Sweepstakes

If you haven't heard already, we're running our first Al Dente Blog Sweepstakes. Subscribe to Al Dente's  E-mail Digest before February 26, 2008 for your chance to win Char-Broil's Oil-Less Infrared Turkey Fryer. Don't forget, in order to be eligible, you must activate your subscription. After you enter your e-mail address in the upper right corner of our blog page, a pop-up will appear. In the pop-up box, type the text you see . Then, go to your e-mail inbox and look for an e-mail from "confirmations@emailenfuego.net". In that e-mail, you must click on the link provided to complete the activation process for your subscription. For more information, check out the official rules here.

Haven't heard of the oil-less turkey fryer, check out the video.

Good luck!

--Sous-Chef on the Run

Treats for Your Sweets, Day 1: Chocolate Banana Spring Rolls

Nothing says "I love you" like a chocolaty dessert (at least at my house). This recipe, from epicurious.com, was modified from the original version, which included kumquats. I find the mixture of chocolate and citrus revolting, so I've substituted bananas.

Chocolate Banana Spring Rolls

Ingredients:
2 large bananas (or 3 small), cut into 1/4-inch slices
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon ( 4 1/2 ounces/127 grams) heavy whipping cream
1/8 teaspoon of salt
8 1/4 ounces (233 grams) bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 large egg yolk
1 tablespoon rum
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
Thirty-six 5-inch square spring roll wrappers
1 large egg, lightly beaten
Canola, vegetable, or other neutral oil for deep-frying

Preparation:
1. Put the banana slices into a small saucepan, add the cream and salt, and warm over medium heat just until bubbles form around the edges of the pan. Remove from the heat.

2. Put the chocolate into the bowl of a food processor and pour the hot banana cream over it. Let sit for 2 minutes, then process until the mixture becomes smooth and shiny. Add the egg yolk, rum, and butter and process to combine.

3. Line an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pan with plastic wrap. Pour the chocolate mixture into the pan and transfer to the freezer. Freeze, uncovered, until completely hard.

4. Unmold the chocolate bar and peel off the plastic wrap. Cut the bar lengthwise in half, then cut each half crosswise into 1/2-inch slices. You should have 36 chocolate bars.

5. Lightly brush the entire surface of a spring roll wrapper with a bit of the beaten egg. Turn the wrapper so that you see a diamond, and lay a chocolate bar across the end closest to you so that the ends of the bar meet the edges of the wrapper to form a triangle. Take the corner of the wrapper closest to you and wrap it around the chocolate, then roll the chocolate away from you one full rotation. Tightly fold the sides in toward the center, then continue to roll up to the end of the wrapper, making sure the end is tightly sealed. Set on a baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining wrappers and chocolate. Freeze the spring rolls for at least 10 minutes or up to 2 days; take them out only when you are ready to fry them.

6. Fill a saucepan with oil to a depth of 2 inches and heat to 350°F. When the oil is ready (a tiny pinch of flour will sizzle), add a few spring rolls, taking care to not crowd the pan, and cook, turning occasionally and adjusting the heat as necessary to maintain 350°F, until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Drain on paper towels and cook the remaining rolls.

7. Dust with powdered sugar. Serve warm.

Servings: Makes 3 dozen spring rolls, about 10 servings.

--Spanno

How to Blend an Egg

I was just over on the new gourmet.com website (which, I might add, is fabulous) and came across their featured recipe for white asparagus soup. Now, I have to tell you, this recipe intrigues me, and not because I love (green) asparagus soup. I am very interested in the preparation technique of soft boiling an egg and then blending it with the soup ingredients. I can only imagine that the boiling adds some level of food safety, but still produces a silky soup. I guess it makes sense, given that you never heat the soup itself, and therefore the egg would never get cooked if added raw. Readers, have you heard of or tried this technique? How does it turn out?

Whether you've tested this technique or not, you'll probably want to try this recipe. I know I do.

White Asparagus Soup

Ingredients:
1 soft-boiled large egg
1 jar Spanish white asparagus (about 500 g)
2 tablespoons mild olive oil
2 teaspoons Sherry vinegar
2 teaspoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 teaspoons chopped mint
1/4 cup sparkling water
4 very thin slices serrano ham or prosciutto, torn into pieces
2 fresh white asparagus, trimmed and thinly sliced on a diagonal
Mint leaves for garnish

Directions:
1. Cover egg with water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil, then simmer 3 minutes. Drain and cool under cold running water.
2. Drain jarred asparagus, reserving liquid; coarsely chop, leaving tips whole.
3. Blend chopped asparagus (not tips), egg, oil, vinegar, parsley, mint, sparkling water, and 3/4 cup asparagus liquid in a blender until smooth. Season with salt.
4. Chill soup, covered, until cold, about 20 minutes.
5. Divide asparagus tips, ham, and fresh asparagus among 4 shallow bowls, then pour in soup. Drizzle with a little additional oil.

Serves 4 as a first course.

--KitchenMaus

Double the Dose: Chocolate and Caffeine in One Handy Candy Bar

As reported on the sugarily reliable Junk Food and Candy blogs, Snickers has recently released a limited edition candy bar, the Snickers Charged, which contains both chocolate and 60 milligrams of caffeine (which is just below the caffeine kick from a regular 8-ounce cup of coffee and above the caffeine of a normal soda--it also has taurine and other B vitamins, which increase the boost in theory. Or make it “healthy”). According to the company, this means that “the post-lunch, pre-dinner hour between two and three p.m. [is] the Snickers Charged Re-Power Hour.” Doesn’t that vaguely sound like an hour of kids cartoons where the superheroes are candy-based (ala the Simpsons’ “Quick Energy Choco Bot Hour”)? The company also asserts that the bar is designed to “meet consumer needs and help millions of Americans take back their energy-zapped afternoons.” I suppose it’s possible that some tired souls need a combination of chocolate and caffeine to make it through the day, but really, isn’t a mid-afternoon