Kicken Confections: The Trials and Tribulations of the Anxious Chefs.: June 2014

Good evening everyone.

Today we are going to add our potato salad recipe. We recently got a chance to go to the Greenpoint Brooklyn farmers market in McCarren Park were we got to buy a lot of summer produce. We made our way to the last tent and went nuts. Onions, scallions both white and red (which I have never seen red), Dill, cilantro, carrots, chamomile, chives (which are expensive in the regular supermarket), radishes, long leaf arugula, etc. I got a sniff of the dill and I just got a craving for potato salad.

The reason is called Green Market Potato Salad is because a lot of the ingredients I used in it came from the market, with some pimiento for added taste and color. If you live in Brooklyn or happen to be near the park on a Saturday, make your way to the market. Their products won't disappoint.

Green Market Potato Salad

Ingredients: *TT= To taste

- 5 Lb red skin potato, rinsed and cut into fours

- 3 Tbsp of fresh dill

- 3 Tbsp of fresh cilantro

- 2 Tbsp of fresh chives

- 4 Tbsp of Goya pimiento

- 4 Tbsp of pimiento juice

- 1/4 Cup of sour cream

- 1/2 Cup of Mayonnaise

- Salt and pepper *TT

Procedure:

1. Bring the potatoes to a boil until tender. I say a good 10 minutes should get them nice and tender, but also it depends on their size.

2. While that is cooking, dice the pimiento,chives, and measure out the juice of the pimiento. Set aside.

3. Mince the cilantro and dill. Set aside

4. Once the potatoes are cooked, carefully drain and rinse in cold water until they are warm.

5. Place the potatoes in a bowl and add all the greens, pimiento and juice. Stir until combine.

6. Add the sour cream, mayonnaise, salt, pepper, and mix well together.

7. Cover and chill in the fridge for a good 2 hours before serving.

You can use less Mayonnaise and more sour cream or visa-verse. Also for a healthier substitute, replace mayonnaise for plain Greek yogurt, and maybe add a little bit of fresh lemon juice.

Also you can always add more or less of the greens to your personal preference.

Enjoy!

Hey everyone Antoinette here and we would love to share this awesome new recipe of ours!

This recipe came up as a random idea for my Poppas 93rd birthday. It was something different. He always wanted me to make him apple turn overs but I couldn't just make him that for his birthday. He also likes cheesecake so why not combine them both?

My Poppa means a lot to me , He is a WWII Veteran and a hard working no-frills kinda of guy. I wanted this cake to be special and I wanted him to enjoy every bit of it. Everything on this cheese cake is made from scratch, from the crust on the bottom to the crumble on top of the cake. The cake went over very well. I knew this when my Poppa who eats like a bird went in for a 2nd slice! I really hope you guys enjoy it as much as we did, it was soo good that I'm thinking about making it again for the 4th of July.

Apples
-2 apples (we used golden delicious) but you could use a different type like Granny smith.
-1 Tbsp light brown sugar.
-1 Tbsp granulated sugar
-2 tsp ground cinnamon.
-2 tsp corn starch.
-1/2 tsp ground ginger.
-1/4 tsp freshly grated nut meg.
-1/8 tsp ground clove.
-The juice of half a lemon.
-A pinch of kosher salt.
-1 tsp of butter.

Apple preparation
1. Peel, core and slice the apples in to medium wedges.
2.Combine apple slices with the sugar,salt and spices, make sure they all get evenly coated.
3. Drain the excess liquid and place the apples with the butter in to a saute pan.
4. Add lemon juice then cook the apples till the become a bit softer and warm.
5. Add the 2 tsp of corn starch mix till it starts to stick to the apples.
Set apples aside till later.

Crumb topping
-1 1/4 all purpose flour
-2 1/2 Tbsp light brown sugar
-1/2 tsp cinnamon
-3/4 ounce butter (0.75)

Crumb topping preparation
1. Combine all of the ingredients together until it resembles grated cheese.
Set aside till later

Pate Sablee ( bottom crust)
-3 1/2 ounces cold butter cut in to small cubes
-Pinch of salt
-1 1/2 ounces powdered sugar
-1/4 tsp vanilla extract
-5 1/2 ounces all purpose flour
-1 egg yolk

Pate Sablee ( bottom crust) preparation
1. Combine butter, salt, confectioners sugar and vanilla in a stand mixer with paddle attachment. Mix on a low speed till just about crumbly.
2. Beat in egg and half the flour, scrape down the sides of the bow.
3. Add the remaining flour and combine till fully incorporated.
4.Spread crust evenly with your hands across the bottom of a per-greased and parchment lined 8-inch cake pan.

Bake in the oven at 325 degrees F for about 20 to 25 minutes, until light golden and baked through.
Remove from oven an let cool completely.

Cheesecake batter yields one 8 inch cheesecake
1 1/2 pounds of cream cheese
6 ounces of granulated sugar
1/4 fluid ounce of vanilla extract
1/4 fluid ounce strained fresh lemon juice
3 eggs

Cheesecake preparation
1. Grease the sides of your pan again
2.With the paddle on lowest speed,beat cream cheese smooth, stop mixer an scrape down bowl and beater.
3.With mixer running on the lowest speed, add sugar in a stream, stop and scrape.
4.Add vanilla, lemon juice and 1egg, mix only until absorbed.
5.Add the remaining eggs one at a time, scrape down bowl between each addition. Mix till well incorporated.
6. Take your pan with the pre-baked crust and start lining the bottom with the apple slices, start from the edges and worked in words until crust in completely covered.
7. Pour cheese cake batter in to the cake pan, then place the cheese cake in to a water bath. The water should come up to at least half way of the cake pan.
8. Bake at 325 degrees F for about 55 minutes or until light colored and firm except for the very center.
9. 5 minutes before the bake time is up, slide the cheesecake out of the oven and liberally top it with the crumbs.
10. Wrap and cool for at least 3 hrs but is better if done overnight.

Everyone said it was smooth, creamy, the richness was to die for, and the apples were crispy, tart from the lemon, and sweet from the apples themselves. The crust was delicious and with the apples it definitely added an extra dimension of flavor.