Chic Galleria

Meatless Monday: European Mushroom-Onion Dumplings

Editor — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 11:58:38 +0000

Throughout Eastern Europe you will find some type of dumpling, either meat, cheese, or vegetable-filled. Dumplings are very much at home served from a street cart or at an elegant table. Through decades of tumult in Eastern Europe, dumplings have remained—known as pierogi in Poland, Slovakia and the Ukraine, or pirogen in Yiddish.

A bread or potato dumpling called knedliky in the Czech Republic is served with meat, or as an entrée accompanied by sauerkraut. This is a simple vegetarian dumpling, but you should feel free to make it with any filling you like; farmer cheese or cottage cheese or any chopped, cooked meat flavored with onions and herbs make an equally appealing dumpling.

European Mushroom-Onion Dumplings

Makes about 4 dozen

Ingredients:

1 envelope active dry yeast

¼ cup cool water

1 cup whole milk

½ cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces, at room temperature

Approximately 5 cups all-purpose flour, sifted

1 tablespoon sugar

1½ teaspoons salt plus more to taste

¼ cup olive oil

1 cup finely chopped red onion

1 tablespoon minced garlic

2 pounds finely chopped mushrooms (button or a mixture of button and shiitake, cremini, portobello or any wild mushroom)

1 teaspoon lemon juice

Ground pepper to taste

¼ cup heavy cream

1 teaspoon fresh thyme

1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill

1 large egg, at room temperature

Preparation:

-Place the yeast and water in the bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with the dough hook. Stir and let stand for about 2 minutes or until the yeast has dissolved.

-Add the milk and butter to the yeast mixture. Then, add 4 cups of the flour along with the sugar and salt and begin mixing on low. When the mixture is blended, raise the speed to high and beat for about 10 minutes or until the dough begins to pull away from the edges of the bowl, adding flour as needed to make a fairly stiff dough.

-Lightly coat the interior of a large mixing bowl with vegetable oil. Scrape the dough into the bowl. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and set aside in a warm spot for about 1 hour or until doubled in volume.

-While the dough is rising, make the filling.

-Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes or just until softened. Add the mushrooms, stirring to combine. Add the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes or until the mixture is almost dry.

-Stir in the cream and thyme and continue to cook for another minute.

-Remove from the heat. Taste and, if necessary, season with additional salt and pepper. Stir in the parsley and dill. Set aside.

-Lightly oil two large baking sheets or cover with nonstick silicon liners. Set aside.

-Lightly flour a clean, flat work surface.

-Remove the dough from the bowl and divide it into 48 balls of equal size.

-Working with one ball at a time, roll the dough out on the floured surface into small circles about 3½ inches in diameter.

-Spoon a heaping tablespoon of the filling into the center of each circle. Using your fingertips, lightly dampen the edges of the circle. Fold one half of the dough over the filling and onto the other side. Tightly pinch the edges together or gently fold the edge up and over itself to make a raised edge.

-As the dumplings are made, place them on the prepared baking sheets.

-When all of the dumplings have been formed, cover with a clean kitchen towel and set aside in a warm spot for 30 minutes or until they have risen slightly.

-Preheat the oven to 350ºF.

-Place the egg in a small bowl, whisking until frothy.

-Uncover the dumplings and, using a pastry brush, lightly coat the top of each one with the beaten egg.

-Place in the preheated oven and bake for about 20 minutes or until puffed and golden brown.

-Remove from the oven and serve warm or at room temperature.

Noted recipe and restaurant consultant Judith Choate is a three-time James Beard cookbook award winner. She is the author or coauthor of many highly-praised cookbooks. Her collaborators include chocolate-maker Jacques Torres, and such celebrated chefs as Charlie Trotter, David Burke, Charlie Palmer, and Michael McCarty. She and her husband, photographer Steve Poole, live in New York City. Her latest book is “The Best Little Book of Preserves & Pickles: Easy Jams & Jellies, Chutneys & Condiments, Sauces, Spreads and Syrups” (Red Rock Press, 2011). You can learn more about “A Reader’s Cookbook” by visiting http://www.redrockpress.com/delicious.html#readersCookbook

What ingredients do you like in your dumplings?

It’s not the Titanic

Karl Miller — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 11:54:52 +0000

But you’re close. The French steamboat “Paris” left Le Havre, France, for it’s maiden voyage in 1921 for final destination New York. The ocean liner made it to New York but unfortunately, like the Titanic, it too met tragedy early in life and was destroyed by fire in 1939.

Now you can relive those earlier years of grandeur with this replica painting of the original steamboat Paris. Replacing traditional cloth canvas with reclaimed metal from old roof tins, this painting is truly unique. Hand painted oil brings this steamboat back to life with vibrant colors on textured metal. Left in their original condition, these old roof tins still have the nail holes to prove it and make each painting one of a kind. So if you’re afraid to take a cruise on the high seas, bring the cruise ship to you with one of a kind industrial wall art.

Life preservers not included!

Click HERE to view Industrial Wall Art at HudsonGoods.com.

Karl Miller is the owner of HudsonGoods.com and writer for HudsonGoodsBlog.com

Manic Monday: Red, White, and Black

Kaitlin Vocker — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 11:50:38 +0000

I love pops of red against a neutral outfit. This white pencil skirt is perfect for Monday morning work attire and the bag is absolutely wonderful for carrying those stacks of papers you’ve been having to read over for weeks. The earrings remind me of a nautical theme, which I adore! It’s the perfect work outfit for the springtime.

Top: The Outnet

Skirt: Stylebop

Purse: Rebecca Minkoff

Earrings: Kate Spade

Shoes: Aldo

What is your favorite nautical-themed piece of clothing?

Kaitlin Vocker is the Style and Beauty Editor for Chic Galleria and loving every minute of it. She is a graduate of Louisiana Tech University with a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing. In her spare time, she runs her own blog www.secretivestyle.com! You can also follow her on twitter @secretivestyle or facebook

South of the Border Super Bowl Basket

Editor — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 11:23:40 +0000

The super bowl is this weekend and all the finger foods you can think of have been ordered. Would you want something other than wings this weekend? Here is the recipe for our award-winning Super Bowl snack!

South of the Border Super Bowl Basket
(makes approximately 12 baskets)

What you’ll need:

1 package flour tortillas

PAM Cooking Spray

1 can Ro-tel Diced Tomatoes and Green Chilies

2-3 links fresh chorizo sausage

1 can refried beans

Shredded Mexican cheese

Guacamole

Sour Cream

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Take small ramekins and place in large roasting pan. Spray ramekins with PAM.

Heat a saute pan. Split the chorizo sausage casing down the middle and remove the casing. Drop the sausage into the pan and break up. Cook thoroughly.

Using an upside down glass bowl, cut tortillas to fit ramekins and place one in each ramekin. Bake tortillas for 10 minutes. Remove from oven. Move rack to top level and set your oven to broil. While tortillas are still warm, spread approximately 1 tablespoon of refried beans on bottom of each tortilla.

Next, add about a tablespoon of cooked chorizo, followed by a tablespoon of Ro-tel Tomatoes and Green Chilies, and cover with small handful of shredded cheese. Slide pan of ramekins under broiler and broil for approximately 2 minutes. Watch carefully. Remove from oven when tortillas are crisp and brown around edges.

Remove tortillas from ramekins, arrange on serving platter. Top with a dollop of guacamole and sour cream. Enjoy!

Terry Krongold is a life-long passionate baker. In addition to a full-time job in the pharmaceutical industry, Terry has been involved with food for many years, including co-ownership of a dessert catering company in the late eighties called I Love Cheesecake, specializing in fine cheesecake and unique desserts. Terry is the author of The Cook’s Tour, a blog focused on food, baking, and travel. When not working, writing, or baking, she spends time planning vacations around restaurants to visit. She can be reached at terry@cookstour.net.

What beers will you be drinking with all your favorite super bowl snacks this weekend?

Lidia’s Italy Ricotta Cookies

Editor — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 11:52:41 +0000

I love cookies but Ricotta cookies are one of my all time favorite. Light and fragrant with freshly zested lemon, these little ricotta kisses will brighten any dreary winter day! They are a cinch to put together so you can have a batch in no time.

Lidia’s Italy Ricotta Cookies

What You’ll Need:

2¼ cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

Pinch kosher salt

1 cup granulated sugar

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 large eggs

8 ounces fresh ricotta, drained

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

2 teaspoons lemon zest

Glaze

1/4 cup lemon juice

2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt into a bowl, and set aside.   Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Cream the sugar and butter in a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Reduce the speed to medium, and crack in the eggs one at a time, beating well between additions. Plop in the ricotta, vanilla, and lemon zest, and beat to combine. Add the flour mix, and beat on low until just combined, but do not over mix.

Drop the dough in heaping tablespoons onto the baking sheets. Place in oven, and bake, rotating pans halfway through the baking time, until the cookies are puffed, golden, and cooked all the way through, about 20 to 22 minutes. Remove from oven, and cool on wire racks.

When the cookies are completely cool, make the glaze. In a bowl, whisk together the confectioner’s sugar and lemon juice to make a smooth glaze. Adjust the consistency with a little water or more confectioners’ sugar to make the glaze thick enough to stick to the cookies when dipped. Hold each cookie with two fingers, then dip the top of the cookies in the glaze and let dry on racks until all are done. Let dry for 2 hours before storing.

What are some of your other favorite non-chocolate chip cookies?