Chocolate Orange French Madeleines

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IMG_0068Here is a Quarantine Kitchen Challenge…..

I was  craving something sweet and during this COVID19 Pandemic, and as I walked into my kitchen pantry to find:

No butter, no problem.
No chocolate chips, no problem.
No milk, no problem.
No flour, no problem……

But with the ingredients I did have on hand in my pantry, included:   Talenti Lemon Bar Gelato ®, eggs, oranges, vegetable and Hershey’s ® Cocoa powder, the dilemma of not having butter, milk , eggs, flour or chocolate was easily conquered. I quickly figured out that I could make…..Chocolate Orange French Madeleines. And here’s how I did it.

Makes about 3 Dozen

Ingredients:
For the Madeleines:
1 box  of yellow or white cake mix
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs
1 pint of Talenti Lemon Bar Gelato®, melted
Zest of 1 large, orange divided
Vegetable spray or oil
All purpose flour, for dusting (if you have it on hand)

For the Chocolate Sauce:
3 tablespoons of cocoa powder
1 tablespoon of vegetable oil
2 teaspoons confectioner’s sugar

Special Equipment:
A madeleine pan

To make the Madeleines:
To a large bowl, add the cake mix, the oil, the eggs , the gelato and about 1/2 of the orange zest. Using a handheld electric mixer, blend the ingredients into a thick batter.

Lightly coat the madeleine pan with vegetable cooking spray or lightly brush with oil. Lightly dust with flour. Tap out the excess. Cover the batter with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to chill for about 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 350º F.

Prepare a baking sheet, and place a wire rack over it for cooling. Prepare a second baking sheet and line it with parchment paper.

Remove the batter from the refrigerator. Using a measured tablespoon, fill  each shell with the batter Place the madeleines in the oven and bake for 10-15  minutes, until slightly golden, springy to the touch, and a skewer or toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.

Remove the tray of baked madeleines and t immediately, loosen the madeleines from the tray using a wooden skewer and then gently remove from the tray and place on a wire rack to finish cooling. If you leave the madeleines to cool in the baking tray then they will almost certainly get stuck.

In the mean time, prepare the chocolate sauce.

Add  the ingredients to a small sauce pan and stir until a smooth paste is achieved. Using a double boiler on the stovetop,  add the small sauce pan and gently heat until the chocolate is glossy and all the solids have dissolved.  Add more oil as needed to get the consistency desired. Set aside and keep warm in the saucepan in the double boiler.

Once the madeleines are cool, it is time to dip them in the chocolate. Pour  the chocolate into a  small mug or other tall and narrow bowl and dip the cooled madeleines into the chocolate.  Allow any  excess chocolate to drip back into the dipping container and then place it on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Place the chocolate dipped madeleines in the  refrigerator for 10 – 15 minutes to allow the chocolate to completely set.

To serve, place the madeleines on a serving platter and garnish with the remaining orange zest.IMG_0122 madelines

Cook’s Notes:

These madeleines should stay fresh for 2-3 days if stored in an airtight container, although they are at their absolute best soon after coming out of the oven. The Madeleines can also be frozen for 2-3 months.

To replace one ounce of unsweetened chocolate, use 3 tablespoons cocoa powder plus 1 tablespoon butter, shortening or oil. Dissolve the cocoa in liquid that is already used in the recipe.

To replace one ounce of semisweet chocolate, use 3 tablespoons of cocoa plus only 1 1/2 teaspoons of butter, shortening or oil and 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons of sugar.

For more information on different types of chocolate, see All About Chocolate and, from Cooking Light, Chocolate Essentials.

If you cannot find Talenti Lemon Bar Gelato® in your local area, feel free to use plain vanilla ice cream.

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Chicken Marsala (Pollo al Marsala)

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Marsala is an indigenous fortified wine frequently used in Sicilian cooking.  There are two varieties of Marsala – sweet and dry.  Sweet Marsala is savored as a desert wine and used mainly for making desserts.  Dry Marsala, which is less sweet, is enjoyed as an aperitif and used for making savory dishes.

Chicken Marsala is typically made with chicken breasts but it can also be made using the whole chicken or just the thighs and drumsticks.  This is a basic recipe with a variation in  using pancetta and  mushrooms. For those who like the layer of flavors,  the earthiness of the mushrooms and Marsala complement each other.  This dish is delicious served over spaghetti, noodles, or mashed potatoes.

 

Serves 4

Ingredients:
One 3-4 pound chicken, washed and cut into 8-10 pieces
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 large onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup diced pancetta
8 ounces sliced white or cremini mushrooms
1 tablespoon flour
1 cup dry Marsala
1/4 cup chicken stock
1 tablespoon minced flat-leaf parsley
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice

 

Directions:

Pat the chicken pieces dry with paper towels.

Heat the olive oil and half of the butter in a large, deep-skillet or Dutch oven over high heat.

Working in 2 batches, add half of the chicken pieces and brown on both sides, about 6 minutes.  Transfer the chicken to a platter and set aside.

Reduce heat to medium-high.  Add the onion, pancetta, and garlic to the skillet.  Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until onions become soft and translucent.  Add the mushrooms and cook for 2 minutes stirring constantly, sprinkle in the flour and stir until combined.

Stir in the Marsala, chicken stock, and parsley.  Add in the chicken pieces, cover with a lid, and simmer for approximately 40 minutes, until chicken is tender.

Transfer the chicken pieces to a serving platter.  Stir remaining butter and lemon juice into the sauce.

To serve, spoon sauce over the chicken.  Sprinkle with additional minced parsley if desired.

 

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All photographs and content, excepted where noted, are copyright protected. Please do not use these photos without prior written permission. If you wish to republish this photograph and all other contents, then we kindly ask that you link back to this site. We are eternally grateful and we appreciate your support of this blog.

Thank you so much!

Pasta with Shrimp and Browned Butter

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Flavor upon flavor is built into this dish by cooking dried pasta, made with egg—in a skillet, directly in the liquid that becomes the pasta sauce. The noodles’ delicate texture pairs perfectly with sweet, briny shrimp and the nuttiness of browned butter. Use larger-sized shrimp, large or extra-large, so they remain tender and plump. Crushed red pepper flakes and lemon juice brighten and balance the richness of this dish.

Adapted from
Milk Street Magazine, 2020

SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS:

6 tablespoons salted butter, divided
1½ pounds large or extra-large shrimp, peeled, deveined and patted dry
Kosher salt, taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
8 ounces dried tagliatelle or pappardelle pasta
4 scallions, cut into 1-inch lengths
Juice of 2 lemons

DIRECTIONS:

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet.

Add shrimp and a bit of salt and pepper. Cook without stirring until browned on the bottom. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

Brown remaining butter in the same skillet. Add 3 cups water, just a sprinkling of pepper flakes and salt and black pepper to taste, then simmer. Add pasta, cover and cook, until al dente. Uncover and reduce slightly.

Over low, stir in scallions and shrimp. Off heat, season with lemon juice, salt, pepper and pepper flakes.

COOK’S NOTES:

You can use cooked, frozen shrimp in this recipe, if that is what you have on hand in your freezer. Just thaw the shrimp in the refrigerator prior to cooking this dish add them to the skillet, over low heat, to prevent them from being over cooked.

Hello Friends!

All photographs and content, excepted where noted, are copyright protected. Please do not use these photos without prior written permission. If you wish to republish this photograph and all other contents, then we kindly ask that you link back to this site. We are eternally grateful and we appreciate your support of this blog.

Thank you so much!