Supernatural Brownies

I've posted more than a few brownies over the year and I thought I was happy with my recipe. But this weekend, when the brownie craving hit, I found myself wanting something different - no cheesecake, not cocoa based - and decided to try a recipe I've heard a lot about over the years: Nick Malgieri's Supernatural Brownies. I was expecting to be disappointed. What brownie could live up to the internet hype and name of supernatural brownies? While reading online, I read that the magic happens overnight, so I patiently waited for them to meld. The end result? A rich fudgy brownie that fulfilled all of my brownie-related cravings. The cocoa brownie recipe I have might be easier and the cheesecake raspberry might be more elegant, but this is definitely what I think of when I think of just a pure brownie.

One year ago: Pasta Rustica with Sole, Greek Olives, and White Wine
Two years ago: Saffron Rice
Three years ago: Hot and Sour Rhubarb with Crispy Pork and Noodles
Four years ago: Brisket
Five years ago: Bread Pudding

Supernatural Brownies (from Nick Malgieri courtesy of Saveur)

Ingredients
16 tbsp. unsalted butter, plus more for greasing
8 oz. bittersweet chocolate, cut into ¼" pieces
4 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
½ tsp. fine salt
1 cup flour


1. Heat oven to 350F. Line a 9" x 13" baking pan with parchment paper.
2. He recommends using a bain marie to melt the butter and chocolate, but I would save a dish and melt the butter in a pan over very low heat and then melt the chocolate in. Just be careful not to brown the butter or overheat the chocolate.
3. Whisk together eggs in a large bowl.
4. Add sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, and salt to the eggs; whisk to combine.
5. Stir in chocolate mixture; fold in flour.
6. Pour batter into prepared pan; spread evenly. Bake until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, 30–35 minutes. Let cool on a rack. Allegedly magic happens after it's left overnight.

Black Olive Roast Chicken

We don't often have chicken, but I was pleasantly surprised by how much the olive-rosemary paste permeated the meat and the flavors of the potatoes and fennel. Although the roasting time is long on this, it's a pretty low effort meal. You could easily roast this with only thighs or breasts depending on your chicken meat preferences. Traunfeld recommends using a 6lb roaster to make stuffing the bird easier, but we used a smaller 3 or 4lb bird which was far more manageable for a group of 4. The extra herbed olive paste was appreciated too!

One year ago: Silver Packet Flounder with Miso Mayo
Two years ago: Garlicky Sesame Cured Broccoli Salad
Three years ago: Penne with a Cashew-Dill Sauce
Four years ago: Bourbon Pumpkin Cheesecake
Five years ago: Tomato and Sausage Risotto

Black Olive Roast Chicken (from The Herbal Kitchen)

Ingredients
Herbed Olive Paste
1/2 cup pitted oil-cured black olives
2 tbsp thyme leaves
3 tbsp rosemary leaves
grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
2 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp kosher salt
2 tbsp olive oil
Rest
1 1/2 lbs Yukon Gold (or other potatoes), cut into 2" chunks
2 fennel bulbs, white parts only, sliced 1" thick
1 roasting chicken

1. Preheat oven to 425F.
2. Puree olive paste ingredients in food processor until smooth.
3. Put potatoes and fennel in roasting pan and dot with 1/4 of olive paste. Toss.
4. Using poultry sheers, cut along each side of chicken backbone to remove. Turn chicken over and spread it out flat. Loosen the skin over the breast, thigh, and leg and stuff the remaining olive paste under the skin.
5. Lay the chicken over the vegetables, positioning the legs so they point inwards.
6. Roast chicken for 50 - 70 minutes (depending on the size of your chicken) or until the skin is browned and juices run clear. Let the bird rest 10 - 20 minutes before carving.

Braised Pork Shoulder with Pears and Thyme

I don't think I realized how much I use cardamom and chiles until asked to cook gluten-free meals without those. That rules out Indian and Middle Eastern - two of my go-to cuisines for gluten free. Soy restrictions ruled out anything Asian, so that left me spinning back to basics. Luckily, Jerry Traunfeld's Herbal Kitchen is full of simple, yet outstandingly flavorful dishes. I was worried this one might be too sweet, but it ended up just fine. For serving to my guests, I substituted a Napa non-alcoholic grape juice that does a pretty good job of mimicking white wine, but if not dealing with a brewer's yeast allergy, I recommend just going with wine.

One year ago: Steamed Fish Curry
Two years ago: Chicken Fricassee with Porcini
Three years ago: Chipped Beets and Beet Greens
Four years ago: Cappuccino Fudge Cheesecake
Five years ago: Chocolate Layer Cake

Braised Pork Shoulder with Pears and Thyme (from the Herbal Kitchen)

Ingredients
5 lbs boneless pork shoulder, cut into 10 rectangular pieces (I used leg and cut a bit smaller)
1/4 cup olive oil
2 medium onions, sliced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 cups white wine
2 cups chicken broth
4 pears, such as Bosc or Barlett, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2" dice
1 small bunch (1 ounce) thyme sprigs
4 bay laurel leaves
1/2 vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise
3 tbsp coarsely chopped thyme
1/2 cup coarsely chopped parsley
1 tbsp lemon juice
Cooked polenta

1. Sprinkle pork with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat. Sear pork in batches until deep caramel brown. Set aside.
2. Turn heat down to medium-low. Pour most of fat from pan, leaving a thin layer. Add onions and garlic and stir until they wilt down (I let them caramelize a bit).
3. Pour in wine and broth and scrape bottom.
4. Stir in pears and put pork back in pan.
5. Tie thyme sprigs, bay leaves, and vanilla bean together and tuck in between pieces of meat. Cover pot, turn heat to very low, and simmer until meat is tender, about 2 hours.
6. Lift pork from pan, move to a platter, and cover with aluminum foil. Discard bundle of thyme.
7. Add chopped thyme to braising sauce, increase heat, and boil until it thickens enough to coat the spoon.
8. Stir in parsley and lemon juice, season to taste, and return pork to pan. Serve over polenta.

Roasted Black Cod with Bok Choy and Soy Caramel Sauce

Fish always seem to be my go-to dish when I'm time constrained. In this case, we needed a quick meal before heading to the airport. This one creates a complete meal with minimal effort and dirty dishes. You can make the soy caramel sauce while the vegetables are roasting (and use the extra time to pack your bags). The book recommends serving with rice which I omitted but would be a good addition.

One year ago: Fennel and Feta with Pomegranate Seeds and Sumac
Two years ago: Pot Roast Studded with Almonds and Bacon
Three years ago: Chocolate Pumpkin Cake
Four years ago: Blue Cheese and Red Potato Tart
Five years ago: Asparagus, Oka, Pine Nuts, and Lemon Pasta

Roasted Black Cod with Bok Choy and Soy Caramel Sauce (from Good Fish)

Ingredients
5 ounces red cabbage, thinly sliced (2 cups)
2 large bulbs boy choy, halved
2 small tomatoes, halved
4 green onions, white and green parts cut into 3" lengths
4 tsp toasted sesame oil
4 tsp rice wine vinegar
4 slices lime
1 serrano chile, sliced
1 lb black cod fillet, cut into 4 equal portions
Soy Caramel Sauce
2 tbsp soy sauce
1/4 cup sake
3 tbsp mirin
1 tsp sugar
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 cup butter, cut into tablespoons

1. Preheat oven to 400F. Line a pan with aluminum foil.
2. Make 4 piles on the foil with each pile having 1/2 cup cabbage, a bok choy half, a tomato half sprinkled with a little salt, and a quarter of the green onions.
3. Drizzle each pile with 1 tsp sesame oil and 1 tsp rice wine vinegar.
4. Top each pile with a lime slice and sprinkle with chile slices.
5. Roast vegetables in the oven for 20 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, make soy caramel sauce. In a small saucepan add everything but butter and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce to a simmer and cook until reduced by half, 5 - 7 minutes. Turn heat to lowest setting and whisk in butter 1 tbsp at a time.
7. Place one piece of black cod skin side down on each pile and drizzle with 1 tbsp soy caramel sauce. Roast for 8 - 10 more minutes or until fish is cooked.
8. Serve with rice and remaining caramel sauce.

Persimmon and Pomegranate Salad with Arugula and Hazelnuts

Fall has never been my favourite time of year. I know some people relish the cooling weather and changing leaves, but for me it signals the end of summer, beginning of winter, and end of most of my favourite produce. Of course, San Francisco lacks a real winter and our produce options are better than most year-round, so I'm trying to learn to embrace the change. Produce-wise, fall here means that raspberries, strawberries, and figs are replaced with persimmons and pomegranates. I had never really had persimmons before moving here and pomegranates always seemed exotic, but here the markets overflow with them in early October. The persimmons somewhat remind me of apples, so if you can't find them, I think you could get away with those as a substitute. I was completely surprised by how much I loved this salad. Crunchy, tangy, and just a little bit of sweet. It also reminded me of how much I love hazelnuts.

One year ago: Turkey and Sweet Corn Meatballs with Roasted Pepper Sauce
Two years ago: Aromatic Green Beans with Pounded Garlic and Cardamom
Three years ago: Lamb Stir-Fry
Four years ago: Apple and Cheddar Scones
Five years ago: Mexican Rice

Persimmon and Pomegranate Salad with Arugula and Hazelnuts (from Sunday Suppers at Lucques)

Ingredients
2/3 cup hazelnuts
1 tbsp plus 1 tsp hazelnut oil, divided
1 tbsp finely diced shallot
2 small shallots, thinly sliced
3 tbsp fresh pomegranate juice (if you have pomegranate molasses on hand, you can cheat and use a bit of that watered down)
1/3 cup pomegranate seeds
1 tbsp sherry vinegar
2 tsp rice vinegar
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 small Fuyu persimmons, thinly sliced
1/2 lemon, for juicing
1/2 lb arugula

1. Preheat oven to 375F.
2. Spread hazelnuts on baking sheet and toast 8 - 10 minutes, stirring once or twice. Let cool, coarsely chop, and toss with 1 tsp hazelnut oil and a pinch of salt.
3. Place diced shallot, pomegranate juice, both vinegars, and 1/2 tsp salt in bowl. Let sit five minutes.
4. Whisk in olive oil and remaining 1 tbsp oil to pomegranate mixture.
5. In a large salad bowl, toss persimmons, sliced shallots, and pomegranate seeds with the dressing. Season with salt, pepper, and a squeeze of lemon.
6. Toss in arugula, scatter hazelnuts on top, and serve.

Sauteed Skate with Parsnip Puree, Brussels Sprouts, Pancetta, and Balsamic Brown Butter

To say I've been absolutely smitten with Goin's recipes since buying her A.O.C. cookbook in February would be an understatement. Despite logging more than 50k miles on airplanes since then, I've managed to squeeze in 70 recipes from her two books. I hesitate to post them even when they leave me swooning (for example, this week: brisket with slow-roasted romano beans and olive aioli) because they're often rather involved, but this one manages to balance nicely between effort and results. The parsnip puree is simple and a beautiful compliment to the brussels sprouts. The brussels sprouts are well worth having as a side dish on their own and mostly simmer away happily on their own. The fish is a simple pan-fry. The end result though is so much more than the sum of all of these individual pieces. Don't skip the brown butter sauce at the end (I confess I almost did!).

For the fish, this recipe calls for skate, but any flat fish should work. I used sand dabs (a local San Francisco treat) and skipped dredging in flour. Flounder would be great here as well.

One year ago: Portobello Mushrooms with Pearl Barley and Preserved Lemons
Two years ago: Pureed Mustard Greens with Clarified Butter
Three years ago: Sweet and Sour Napa Cabbage
Four years ago: Refried Bean Enchiladas
Five years ago: Cheese Enchiladas

Sauteed Skate with Parsnip Puree, Brussels Sprouts, Pancetta, and Balsamic Brown Butter (from Sunday Suppers at Lucques)

Ingredients
3/4 cup Wondra flour (or regular flour)
2 lbs boneless skate or other flat fish
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
6 tbsp unsalted butter
2 tbsp balsamic butter
2 tbsp chopped parsley
Parsnip puree (recipe follows)
Balsamic-braised Brussels sprouts

1. Place four on large plate for dredge. Season fish with salt and pepper and coat with flour.
2. Heat a large saute pan over high heat. Swirl in 2 tbsp olive oil. Place fish in pan and cook for 3 minutes until nicely browned. Flip, turn heat down to medium, and cook another minute or so. Keep warm while you make the brown butter sauce.
3. Pour oil from pan and wipe it out. Return to medium heat. Add butter and cook 3 - 4 minutes until brown and nutty.
4. Turn off heat and swirl in vinegar (be careful it may sputter!). Stir parsley into sauce.
5. To serve, spoon hot parnsip puree onto 6 plates. Top with hot Brussels sprouts and arrange fish over top. Spoon any remaining Brussels sprouts over and around the fish. Spoon brown butter sauce on fish and serve.

Parsnip puree
Ingredients
1 1/4 lb russet potatoes, peeled and cut-into chunks
1 1/4 lb parsnips, peeled and cut into chunks
3/4 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup whole milk
8 ounces unsalted butter, cut into chunks
kosher salt

1. Place potatoes and parsnips into two medium pots. Add 1 tbsp of salt to each pot, fill with water, bring to a boil, and simmer until tender (15 - 20 minutes).
2. When potatoes and parsnips are cooked through, strain and let cool slightly.
3. In a small saucepan, heat cream and milk together and then turn off heat.
4. Pass potatoes and parsnips through a potato ricer and transfer to a heavy-bottomed pot. (Alternatively, you could use a potato masher. The ricer will give you a smoother texture.)
5. Stir over medium heat with to dry the mixture out.
6. Slowly add in chunks of butter while stirring. Season with 2 tsp kosher salt.
7. When all the butter is incorporated, slowly stir in warm cream mixture until smooth. Keep warm until the rest of the dish is ready.

Tuna Sashimi Salad with Wasabi Vinaigrette

Think of this dish as a deconstructed sushi roll. It combines all of your favorites - tuna, avocado, soy, and wasabi - without the effort of rolling things up into a roll and making sushi rice. The original calls for seared tuna which you could obviously do still, but we just found it didn't add enough to justify the extra work. The original also doesn't call for avocado, but we had one sitting around and I appreciated the creamy texture in there and tuna sushi always makes me think of avocado.

One year ago: Panfried Sea Bass with Harissa and Rose
Two years ago: Crumbled Cheese with Scallions and Tomatoes
Three years ago: Pork in Green Peanut Sauce
Four years ago: Cauliflower Gratin
Five years ago: Basic Risotto Recipe

Tuna Sashimi Salad with Wasabi Vinaigrette (adapted from Avec Eric)

Ingredients
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp wasabi sauce
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup radish sprouts (or other small greens)
1/4 cup cilantro leaves
1 green onion, thinly sliced
1 avocado, pitted and chopped
2 tuna steaks (approximately 6 ounces each), sliced into 1/4" pieces
3 tbsp canola oil

1. Whisk lime juice, soy sauce, and wasabi in a bowl to blend.
2. Whisking constantly, drizzle olive oil into lime juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
3. Gently combine radish sprouts, cilantro, green onion, and avocado in another bowl.
4. Fan tuna slices in a pinwheel pattern on 4 plates.
5. Lightly dress salad with vinaigrette and place a small mound of salad in the center of each plate.
6. Drizzle more vinaigrette on tuna and salad. Serve.