Raspberry Almond Bars

There are days when my bedroom looks worse than any stereotypical teenage bedroom or college dorm room. While it drives me absolutely insane if anyone commits the high crime of leaving a dish in the kitchen sink, I seem to have a high tolerance for allowing a pile of clothes to sit for an extraordinarily long period of time before being put away. An array of shoes and sandals strewn on the floor, clothes piled on both the chairs and ottoman, earrings and bracelets scattered on the dresser, and purses hanging from the door knob would cause any cleaning lady to quit (maybe this is why I don't have one because I would end up being the Murphy Brown of the cleaning service employers). As much as I love for the bedroom to always be a calm, peaceful sanctuary with a boutique hotel feel to it, I can create quite a mess. Especially in the days leading up and returning from a trip. Having returned from a great, long weekend trip to Dallas and heading out for a trip to the east coast at week's end, it seems almost pointless to bring any order to all of this chaos this week. It is no surprise that given the choice between baking and cleaning the bedroom, I would choose baking without any hesitation. Even if baking means spending hours on my feet and having to clean up the kitchen.

Before leaving last week I made these Raspberry Almond Bars. I brought most of them to my running group but saved a couple of them to have when returning home. Knowing there were a couple of bars were chilling in the refrigerator lessened the angst of a return flight with a long delay. These bars were pretty gosh darn delicious when I tasted them freshly baked, but for some reason they tasted even more scrumptious several days later. And I don't think it was because I was tired and starving.

There are raspberry bars and then there are the rich, buttery crust raspberry bars. Some are 'silver platter' status worthy, white others have no real discerning status. In other words, not all bars are created equal. Leave it to Nancy Silverton to set the raspberry 'bar' sky high. Having a perfect buttery crust and streusel topping to raspberry filling ratio, her Breakfast Bars are the bees knees.

If there was ever a raspberry dessert to lessen your craving for or keep you from mourning over the limited availability of the really good fresh raspberries at the farmer's markets or in the grocery stores, it would be these Raspberry Almond Bars.

The streusel topping comes together easily in a food processor. Silverton gives the options of using either pastry flour or all purpose flour. Pastry flour falls somewhere between all-purpose and cake flour on the flour continuum in terms of its' protein content, gluten levels, and baking properties. The slightly higher gluten content of pastry flour creates a kind of elasticity contributing to ensuring the buttery layers of croissants, puff pastry and crusts are held together. If you have pastry flour, use it for the crust as that is where it will make the most difference.

Once the dough for the crust is assembled, it needs to rest in the refrigerator for at least two hours or overnight. Chilling the dough further contributes to ensuring a flaky crust, reduces shrinkage during the baking process, and makes the dough easier to roll out. If you allow the dough to rest for more than two hours, you may need to allow it rest for 10-15 minutes before rolling as it may be initially 'too' hard to work with. Rather than roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface, I like rolling out my dough on a large piece of parchment paper. This makes the process of transferring the dough to the baking pan easier.

In a preheated 350 degree (F) oven the crust is baked for 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned. After the crust has baked and cooled, the raspberry jam is spread evenly over the bottom of the crust. The addition of sliced almonds is optional only for those of you who don't like or can't eat nuts. For everyone else, consider them a required ingredient. The bars are topped with the chilled streusel topping before going back into the oven for an additional 40 minutes of baking time. You might think you made too much streusel topping. You didn't. Use all of it. You won't be sorry.

After the baked bars have cooled, a light sprinkling of confectionary sugar gives them that bakery finished, irresistible look.

Slice them into either squares or bars. 

Served at room temperature or chilled, these Raspberry Almond Bars are delicious both ways.

Whether you are having a brunch, need to bring a hostess gift, need to contribute something for a bake sale, planning a picnic, want to create a perfect start to a meeting, or just like having fresh baked pastries around, these Raspberry Almond Bars will most likely be what everyone won't be able to stop talking about.

There is a bit of effort going into these Raspberry Almond Bars. While the perception of effort is all relative, there are incredibly rich rewards to be had in the making of them. And who knows, you might even be given a pass for not cleaning your room.

Recipe
Raspberry Almond Bars (slight adaptation to Nancy Silverton's Breakfast Bars as shared in her Pastries from the LaBrea Bakery cookbook)

Ingredients
Streusel Topping
2 1/2 cups unbleached pastry flour or unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup plus 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
10 Tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1 inch cubes and frozen
1 extra-large egg, lightly beaten

Dough
4 cups unbleached pastry flour or unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
1/2 cup cornstarch
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 pound (4 sticks) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into 1 inch cubes

Filling
2 cups raspberry jam (or 2 jars (13 ounce sized) Bonne Maman Raspberry Preserves)
1/2 cup sliced almonds, optional

Confectionary sugar for dusting, optional

Directions
Streusel Topping
1. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade, combine flour, sugar, salt and baking powder. Pulse to incorporate ingredients.
2. Add butter and pulse on and off until it's the consistency of a coarse meal.
3. Transfer mixture to a bowl, and add the egg. Toss with your hands or a wooden spoon to incorporate. Mixture should be crumbly and uneven.
4. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Dough and Assembly
1. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade, combine the flour, sugars, cornstarch and salt. Add butter and pulse until dough begins to come together.
3. Turn dough out on a lightly floured surface and gently knead to gather into a ball. Flatten into a disc and wrap in plastic wrap to chill until firm (at least 2 hours or overnight). Note: Dough will become very firm if chilled for more than 2 hours. Will need to allow to rest on counter for 10-15 minutes before rolling out.
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F) and place rack in center of the oven. Line a 10"x16" baking pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
5. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough to an 12"x18" inch rectangle, 1/4 inch thick. Flour surface of dough as needed. (Note: Rolling out dough on a piece of parchment paper makes the process of transferring dough to the pan easier.)
6. Place dough on baking sheet and bake until lightly browned, about 20-25 minutes. Allow to cool.
7. Spread jam over the surface of the crust. 
8. Sprinkle sliced almonds over the crust. Note: Almonds are optional but add great flavor and dimension to the bars.
9. Spread a heavy layer of the topping over the jam and almonds. Note: The topping mixture may seem like it is too much. It's not.
10. Bake for approximately 40 minutes or until the topping is lightly browned.
11. Allow to cool on a baking rack. Sprinkle with confectionary sugar.
12. Cut into squares or bars and serve.
13. Store bars (covered) in the refrigerator. Allow to come to room temperature before serving. Note: Bars taste delicious chilled as well.

Images from the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden. 

Walking through Crepe Myrtle Allee.

The Reflective Garden.

The Koi Fish Pond.

One of several flower and vine houses.

One of several waterfalls in the Lay Family Garden.

Smoked Salmon Spread

"I cannot endure to waste anything so precious as autumnal sunshine by staying in the house. So I have spent almost all of the daylight hours in the open air." Nathaniel Hawthorne. The arrival of meteorological fall gives way to the anticipation of the relief from the hot, humid weather; the arrival of cool, crisp days ; and, visions of the rich tapestry of colors sweeping the landscape. While many prefer to wait several weeks to mark autumn's official arrival, the upcoming Labor Day weekend serves as a second, sometimes unwelcome, reminder that summer will soon be ending. Barbecues and picnics, weekend trips, and long walks and days at the beach are some of the rituals easing us into the changing of the seasons. Yet, in spite of our best efforts, nothing permanently delays nature's inevitable metamorphosis. 

With the days getting shorter, the less time spent indoors the better. Even those of us who enjoy spending time in the kitchen want to be able to take in as much fresh air and sunshine as possible. Which means for those planned and impromptu gatherings we all must have at least one appetizer recipe with easily accessible ingredients. One that comes together in a single bowl in a matter of minutes; requires no overnight thawing or chilling; doesn't require the use of an oven; looks impressive; and, tastes ten times, no a hundred times better than any of the prepared foods we are tempted to buy when feeling time-challenged. If there was ever an appetizer to meet this rather tall order it would be this Smoked Salmon Spread. 

The difference between a just okay, nothing to write home about Smoked Salmon Spread and one causing people to hover over the bowl as if this is there last meal, is the quality of the smoked salmon. Not all smoked salmons are created equal. Smoked salmon is a blanket term for any salmon: wild, farmed, fillet, steak, cured with hot or cold smoke. And not to be confused with lox, salmon cured in salt or a salt-brine. For everything you ever wanted to know about what makes for the perfect smoked salmon, David Rosengarten wrote a great piece called "The Smoked Salmon Maze". But as with anything, taste is sometimes a matter of preference. A seven hour round trip to Pentwater, Michigan is the only thing standing in the way from me and what I think is the most delicious Norwegian smoked salmon on the planet. But there comes a point where one has to be practical. I can't believe I just said that. So unless you leave in a town where smoked salmon is readily available from your fish market or you live at least within an hour of Pentwater, then Whole Foods and Trader Joe's are most likely going to be your best sources for some really good smoked salmon.

Room temperature cream cheese, mayonnaise (the real stuff, not Miracle Whip), scallions, smoked salmon, garlic powder and sea salt create a sinfully creamy spread.

To make your life and the making of this appetizer easier, try to find a piece of deboned smoked salmon.

After mixing together the cream cheese, mayonnaise, garlic powder and sea salt, the pieces of smoked salmon and thinly sliced scallions are gently stirred in. You can have this appetizer made and ready to serve in less than 15 minutes. If you prefer to serve it chilled, make it several hours in advance or the night before.

Whenever serving a spread I like to top it with its' main ingredients. Just so everyone knows what it is they are eating. 

The Smoked Salmon Spread pairs well with an assortment of crackers, crostini or freshly sliced baguettes. 

If you are looking for a hostess gift or dish to bring to a gathering this weekend or in the months ahead, make this spread. Pack it in a beautiful re-usable jar or spread it on a pretty dish. Pretty meaning the kind you would want to keep for yourself. This Smoked Salmon Spread will ensure you will be invited back! And if there isn't anything on the menu you are crazy about, well then at least eating the Salmon Spread will make you happy as well as help you absorb your intake of alcohol! Not only is this a great appetizer for end of summer and fall entertaining, it may fall into the most perfect year round appetizer category. Happy Labor Day weekend everyone! 

Recipe
Smoked Salmon Spread

Ingredients
5-6 ounces deboned, smoked salmon (Norwegian or Atlantic), cut into pieces (Note: If you like more salmon in your spread, increase up to 8 ounces)
8 ounces cream cheese softened
3 Tablespoons mayonnaise (recommend Hellman's or Duke's mayonnaise)
3 scallions, thinly sliced, both green and white parts
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
Crackers, crostini, or a sliced baguette for serving

Directions
1. In a medium sized bowl, mix together the cream cheese, mayonnaise, garlic powder and sea salt until smooth.
2. Add in salmon and scallions and mix gently until blended.
3. Serve immediately with crackers, crostini or bread or cover and serve chilled.

Bortell's in Pentwater, Michigan. A family-owned business famous for their fried and smoked fish.

Slow-Fried Potatoes, Caramelized Onions, Thyme and Taleggio

This past week I was finally given the go-ahead to begin running again. Only there was a caveat. I had to ease back into it and only run for short periods of time. My joy and jubilation at hearing this news gave way to some anxiousness (you mean I have to learn how to breathe and run at the same time all over again?) and a bit of hypochondria (is that really a pain I am feeling or am I just imagining it?). These past three months may have contributed to the recovery of my stress fracture, but they haven't done anything to curb my rather active imagination. Rejoining my running group was one of the highlights of the week although for the short term I will be more of a walk/runner than a run/runner. While my 'running' partner' is making great strides in her speed and endurance, I am trying very hard to remind myself to be patient, that there are bigger goals to accomplish. Like running injury free; like getting ready for the upcoming 5k, the winter 5 miler I first ran 15 years ago, and the bridge run in Charleston, South Carolina; and oh, yes, like being able keep pace with her once again (and secretly hope to out pace her just once even though she is more than fifteen years my junior).

Speaking of secrets, most of us have a friend or family member who we hope will bring their 'famous' cheesey potato casserole to the summer barbecue, graduation party, or holiday gathering. You know the one. Made with some type of frozen hash brown potatoes and usually topped with crushed corn flakes.  Where the gooeyness and cheesiness factor is determined by how much cheese (or do I dare say Velvetta?), sour cream, cream cheese, canned cream soup, and/or butter going into them. The one where as you seriously consider going back for seconds, you dare not think or talk of this comfort food's caloric content, unless of course, you want to be labeled as the spoilsport, party pooper, or killjoy. If there is a downside to these cheesey potato casseroles it's that most recipes make enough to serve the twelve guests you invited and the other twelve you didn't. 

Eating comfort food feels like getting a big, strong hug. You know, the really good two-armed from the heart kind, not the lame, wimpy, impersonal one-armed ones. In almost any form or combination, potatoes and cheese pull you into that kind of strong, take your breath away hug you want to get lost in and have linger on for as long as possible. A cheesey potato casserole and the Potato Leek Gratin are the tight grip kind. And just when you think it doesn't get any better than that, along comes a potato and cheese dish created by Nigel Slater. This one completely engulfs you into a kind of pure bliss, heart-racing embrace. 

Nigel Slater is an English food writer, James Beard award winning cookbook author, and television personality (think of him as the English version of a really good Food Network Star). In the never ending world of sometimes complicated, hard to find ingredients, and trendy not destined to be timeless cookbooks, most of the recipes in Slater's cookbooks swing closer to the ''big flavored, unpretentious, uncomplicated' end of the pendulum. As someone who believes the quality of the ingredients is as essential as the recipe (and let's not forget the cook), his approach to the preparation of food, of meals, is one focused on simplicity and deliciousness. My introduction to Nigel Slater came from a very dear friend, who likes to cook and was born on the other side of the Atlantic. Were it not for this friend, I may have never discovered Slater's recipe for Slow-Fried Potatoes, Caramelized Onions, Thyme and Taleggio. 

Sometimes you take a risk when you make a substitution in a recipe. However, the use of Yukon Gold potatoes (instead of the waxy Red Bliss or New Potato varieties) was one of those low risk, having a great reward decisions. If you take into consideration the Yukon Gold potato is an all-purpose kind of potato with rock star status, you know it is almost a stretch to say I took a risk.

Whenever a recipe calls for caramelizing onions, I tend to use a Spanish or a sweet onion (like a Vidalia). But the perfect looking organic yellow onions at the market this week seemed to be saying 'pick me'. So I did.

Thinly slicing means different things for different vegetables and to different people. Deciding how thick or thin to cut the garlic, onions, and potatoes would definitely affect the outcome of this dish. How thin to cut the garlic and onions were the easier decisions. Considering coins in England are sized differently than the ones here in the US, the 'coin cut' reference for the potatoes wasn't as exact as I wanted it to be. I landed a cut somewhere between 1/8" and a 1/4", leaning more toward the 1/8" cut size. The use of a mandolin to slice the vegetables uniformly would have made cutting easier and faster, however, I decided it was 'a work on my knife cutting skills kind of day'. The same person who made me aware of Nigel Slater is the same person who influenced my decision to buy a Shun knife. On the days I had to use bandages when using this knife, I am less than grateful for being made aware of this amazing, 'you absolutely need to pay attention' when cutting knife. 

The sliced onions are sautéed in the extra-virgin olive oil and unsalted butter until soft and golden, but not to the point of caramelization. The onions will continue to take on more flavor and color when cooked with the potatoes, garlic and fresh thyme.

After adding the potatoes, garlic, thyme, kosher salt and black pepper to the cooked onions, the heat is turned down to a simmer and the pan covered with a tightly fitting lid. The mixture will continue to cook for 40 to 50 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender and lightly golden. Gently stirring the mixture every 10 minutes will help ensure even cooking and color.

Taleggio is a creamy, sweet yet slightly acidic, perfect for melting Italian cow's milk cheese. Some describe it as being aromatic with an aftertaste of truffle. In less than culinary acceptable descriptive terms, I will just say it is insanely delicious. And melted over the slow-fried potatoes and caramelized onions tossed with freshly chopped time, it is nothing short of pure sinfulness. The kind of dish you put on your last meal wish list.

Thinly (here we go again) slices of the Taleggio cheese are placed randomly over the top of the cooked potatoes and onions. Covering the pan with the lid, the cheese melts perfectly in approximately 2-3 minutes. The aroma of these Slow-Fried Potatoes, Caramelized Onions, Thyme and Taleggio is intoxicating. 

The Slow-Fried Potatoes, Caramelized Onions, Thyme and Taleggio can either be a side dish or a main dish. As a main dish it can be served with a poached egg over for breakfast or with a salad for lunch or dinner. As a side dish it would pair well with a roasted chicken or grilled steak. 

If serving as a side dish, Nigel Slater believes this recipe should be enough for four people. And I agree with him. But don't plan on having any leftovers. Which means if you are having a dinner party for six or more, you will need to make the necessary adjustments in ingredient amounts, cooking time and possibly pan size.

With potatoes and onions available year round, this is a four season, four star dish. The Slow-Fried Potatoes, Caramelized Onions, Thyme and Taleggio take the potato-cheese combination to a completely different level of gastronomy. This might be the highest praise one can give to a relatively inexpensive, simple in preparation, delivering a great depth of flavor, and capable of sending you into a state of bliss dish. If there is any guilt to be had with regard to this redefined version of cheesey potatoes, it will come only if you don't say 'seconds please'. Once your family and friends taste them, they won't secretly wish for you to make them. They will just flat out request them.

Recipe
Slow-Fried Potatoes, Caramelized Onions, Thyme and Taleggio (inspired by the Nigel Slater recipe shared in his cookbook Real Food, 1998 edition)

Ingredients
1 3/4 pounds (500 g) Yukon Gold potatoes or waxy potatoes (approximately 3 large), thinly sliced (do not peel)
1 medium-to-large sized yellow onion, thinly sliced (recommend a Spanish, Vidalia, or organic yellow onion)
2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 1/2 Tablespoons (50 g) unsalted butter
2-3 cloves of garlic, very thinly sliced
A generous Tablespoon of freshly chopped thyme
generous 1/3 pound (100-110 g) Taleggio or Fontina cheese
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Directions
1. In a 9-10 inch shallow, heavy bottomed skillet (one having a lid), heat the extra-virgin olive oil and butter over medium heat. Add sliced onions and cook until they are soft and golden in color. (approximately 10-15 minutes).
2. Add sliced potatoes, sliced garlic, kosher salt, black pepper and thyme. Toss to ensure the potatoes are well coated in the oil/butter mixture and the herbs.
3. Turn the heat down to a simmer, cover pan and cook for 40-50 minutes (or until the potatoes are soft and golden. Gently stir mixture every 10 minutes to ensure even cooking as well as to prevent the onions from burning.
4. Slice taleggio cheese thinly and lay randomly over the cooked potatoes and onions. Place lid on pan and cook over low heat for an additional 2-3 minutes or until the cheese has begun to melt.
5. Sprinkle with additional chopped thyme and a pinch of kosher salt. Serve immediately.
Notes: (1) I used one of my Staub pans in the making of this recipe and it cooked the onions and potatoes to perfection, (2) It will serve 2 as a generous main course or up to 4 as a side dish. If serving for a larger gathering, make adjustments in ingredients and pan size as necessary, (3) They reheat beautifully in the oven or microwave if wanting to serve for breakfast topped with a poached egg.

Iconic and conflicting historical images from Annapolis. The Maryland State House.

The Thurgood Marshall Memorial.

Statue of Roger Brooke Taney.

Chesapeake Bay Bridge