Heirloom Tomato Risotto with Fresh Mozzarella

I heard on one of my favorite podcasts yesterday that, due to the unusually cool summer we've had, tomatoes will be in season in California til Thanksgiving. Hallelujah!



If you're not lucky enough to live here in the land o' plentiful produce, perhaps the last of summer's tomatoes have hung around long enough for you to celebrate fall with one last summery dish. Might I recommend this Heirloom Tomato Risotto with Fresh Mozzarella? This is one of those instant classics that I know will be a staple forever. I'm not just saying that because tomatoes and rice are 2 of my very favorite foods. This is the kind of dish I'd serve if I wanted to impress my dinner company.

This recipe uses a technique that I find pure genius: the tomatoes are cooked down with olive oil and garlic until they've released their juices. Then the tomatoey juice is used in addition to the chicken stock as a cooking liquid for the rice. Brilliant, right? I don't need to convince you that tomatoes, basil, and mozzarella go well together; that's obvious. But in this particular formulation, they shine. Really, really brightly.

Heirloom Tomato Risotto with Fresh Mozzarella
Adapted from Lidia's Italian-American Kitchen by Lidia Bastianich
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

4 1/2 cups hot chicken stock or vegetable stock
5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 large heirloom tomatoes, roughly chopped (about 2 cups)
Handful fresh basil, shredded
1 cup cubed fresh mozzarella (preferably buffalo mozzarella)
1 medium onion, minced (about 3/4 cup)
1 medium leek, white parts only, trimmed, cleaned, and chopped (about 1 cup)
4-6 scallions, white parts only, chopped
2 cups Arborio or Carnaroli rice
1/3 cup dry white wine
Salt
2 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Freshly ground black pepper

1. Pour the stock into a 2-quart saucepan and keep it hot over low heat.

2. Heat 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil in a wide skillet over medium heat. Add 2 cloves minced garlic, and shake the pan until the garlic is slightly browned. Slide in chopped tomatoes and stir gently until they are juicy. Toss in a handful of shredded basil, remove the pan from the heat, and set aside.

3. Heat the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil n a 3 to 4-quart braising pan over medium heat. Stir in the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 4 minutes. Stir in the leek and white parts of the scallions and cook, stirring, until the onion is golden, about 6 minutes. Adjust the heat under the pan as the onion browns so that it cooks slowly with gentle bubbling.

4. Stir in the rice and continue stirring until the grains are coated with oil and "toasted" - the edges become translucent - 1 to 2 minutes. Pour in the wine and let it boil, stirring the rice, until evaporated.

5. Season the rice lightly with salt and ladle enough of the stock into the pan to barely cover the rice. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat so the stock is at a lively simmer. Cook, stirring constantly, until all the stock has been absorbed and you can see the bottom of the pan when you stir. Continue cooking, pouring in the remaining stock in small batches. Each addition should be just enough to completely moisten the rice.

6. After about half the stock has been added, take a break from adding stock and add the tomatoes with their juices a ladleful at a time, stirring until absorbed just like you have been doing with the stock. Continue until all of the tomato mixture has been incorporated.

7. Proceed with the remaining stock. The amount of stock you need may vary, so taste to look for doneness and seasoning towards the end.

8. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in butter, mozzarella cubes, and half of the parmesan until completely melted. Add salt and pepper if necessary. Spoon into dishes and top each serving with some of the remaining parmesan.

Salted Caramel Brownies & Happy Birthday, Al!

Last year, I couldn't be with my little sister on her birthday, so I made her some long-distance Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes. Today, in celebration of a quarter-century of Allie's life, something a bit more grown-up. Salted Caramel Brownies.



Allie's been pestering me for months to make her something with salted caramel. So, even though I had to keep them all to myself (what a shame!) due to our geographical divide, these are all for you, kid.

These brownies are just like my sister: sweet, successful, and ridiculous in the best possible way. Making caramel isn't necessarily the most beginner-friendly project, so I'd recommend making these only if you're comfortable with that step. If you are, though, you will be handsomely rewarded. Next time I might [gasp!] skip the salt. I know salted caramel is all the rage right now, but I find it unnecessary.



So, my dearest little one, until I can hand-deliver birthday treats to you, these long-distance brownies will have to do. And because I love you so much, I zoomed a flight to Mars and found you a birthday song too. Happy birthday Allie, see you next yeeaarrrrrr!

Salted Caramel Brownies
Adapted from Brown-Eyed Baker
Makes 16
Printable Recipe

5 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into quarters
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
3 large eggs
1¼ cups granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
Salted Caramel Sauce (recipe below)
Fine sea salt

1. Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray an 8-inch square baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Line the pan with overlapping pieces of foil and spray the foil.

2. Melt the chocolates and butter in the microwave on 50% power for 30-second increments, stirring after each, until melted and smooth. Whisk in the cocoa until smooth. Set aside to cool.

3. Whisk together the eggs, sugar, vanilla, and salt in a medium bowl until combined, about 15 seconds. Whisk the warm chocolate mixture into the egg mixture a bit at a time; then stir in the flour until just combined. Pour about half of the brownie mixture into the prepared pan and spread into the corners.

4. Spoon 9 dollops of Salted Caramel Sauce on top of the brownie batter. Top with the remaining brownie mixture, spread into the corners and level the surface with a spatula. Again, spoon 9 dollops of the Salted Caramel Sauce on top of the brownie batter. With a dull butter knife, gently run it through the batter to swirl the batter just a bit (don’t do it too much or it will all mix together). Sprinkle a bit of sea salt on top.

5. Bake until slightly puffed and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a small amount of sticky crumbs, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool on a wire rack to room temperature, about 2 hours. Remove the brownies from the pan using the foil handles and transfer to a cutting board. Cut into squares. Brownies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature.

Salted Caramel Sauce
1 cup granulated sugar
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
2/3 cup heavy cream, at room temperature

1. In a 3-quart saucepan, heat the sugar over medium-high heat, whisking as the sugar begins to melt. Some of the sugar will harden into clumps, but that’s okay – it will melt eventually – just keep whisking.

2. Continue to cook the sugar until it reaches a dark amber color. At that point, whisk in the salt, and then add the butter all at once and whisk until it is completely incorporated into the sugar. Remove the pan from the heat and pour in the heavy cream (it will foam up when first added). Continue to whisk until it forms a smooth sauce.

3. Allow to cool for at least 10-15 minutes before using in the brownies. The leftover sauce can be stored, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Red Velvet Whoopie Pies

I've had whoopie pies on the brain lately. I made these cream-filled cakey sandwich cookies for the first time almost a year ago, and since then the urge to make them has crept back up on me slowly and steadily until I could ignore it no more.



I've had some good whoopie pies and some mediocre ones recently, but nothing has come close to my first attempt, pumpkin whoopie pies. These little red velvet guys were a fun variation on the theme, and the flavor was spot-on, but I tragically overbaked them. The texture wound up a bit on the dry side, crumbly and really messy/difficult to eat. A good whoopie pie should be moist and dense, the perfect cross between cake and cookie. Despite my less-than-perfect red velvet experiment, I am undeterred! Next on my list to try is chocolate peanut butter.

What's the best whoopie pie you've ever had?

Red Velvet Whoopie Pies
Adapted from Food Network Kitchens
Makes 16-18
Printable Recipe

For the cookies:
1 ounce semisweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 ounce milk chocolate, chopped
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup sour cream
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon red food coloring
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

For the filling:
8 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
3 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
2 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
1 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise and seeds scraped

1. Make the cookies: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Combine the semisweet and milk chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave at 50 percent power until melted, about 2 minutes. Whisk until smooth.

2. Whisk the melted butter, sour cream, eggs, vinegar, vanilla and food coloring in a bowl until combined. In another bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

3. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in four equal batches, whisking each batch completely before adding the next. Stir in the melted chocolate.

4. Scoop heaping tablespoonfuls of batter onto the prepared baking sheets and smooth the tops with a damp finger. Bake until the cookies spring back when lightly pressed, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes on the baking sheets, then transfer to racks to cool completely.

5. Meanwhile, make the filling: Beat the cream cheese and butter with a mixer until smooth. Beat in the confectioners' sugar and vanilla seeds. Sandwich a heaping tablespoonful of filling between 2 cookies; repeat with the remaining cookies and filling. Refrigerate 30 minutes before serving.

Watermelon Aguas Frescas

So I know that it's Labor Day and summer's unofficially over, but that doesn't mean that we have to stop eating and drinking summery things just yet. Aguas frescas ("fresh waters") are a refreshing, usually fruity beverage that originated in Mexico and are now popular all over the Americas. Horchata, a sweet, cinnamony rice drink that also falls under the agua fresca umbrella, is one of my favorite things ever.



On a particularly hot day recently, I decided to test out a fruity variety with the watermelon I had on hand. The bright flavors of watermelon and lime, combined with the chilled quality of the fresh fruit, made it thirst-quenchingly refreshing and just plain tasty. I can't wait to experiment with strawberries, cantaloupe, honeydew, and maybe even making my own horchata!

One important note: Make sure you use a fine mesh strainer. I couldn't find mine (residual moving chaos) and had to improvise, so my version was somewhat thicker and slushier than it should have been. Still delicious, but not quite as authentic as I had planned. Of course I found the strainer right after I finished making the drink!

Have you ever had aguas frescas? What's your favorite flavor?

Watermelon Aguas Frescas
Adapted from Whole Foods Market
Serves 4-6
Printable Recipe

6 to 8 pounds seedless watermelon, cut into 2-inch pieces
2 cups cold water, divided
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
1 tablespoon agave nectar or honey (more or less to taste)
Ice cubes
Lime slices and mint leaves for garnish (optional)

1. In a blender, process half the watermelon pieces with 1 cup of water until smooth. Pour through a strainer into a pitcher. Repeat the process with the remaining melon and water.

2. You should end up with about 8 cups of juice. Stir in the lime juice and agave/honey. Pour into ice-filled glasses and garnish with lime slices and mint.