½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon sea salt
1 cup slivered almonds, lightly toasted (see below)
3 large eggs (one separated)
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Heat the oven to 350 degrees.
Toast the nuts on a rimmed baking sheet for 7 to 10 minutes, or until they just begin to change color. Remember that nuts continue to cook as they cool. Cool completely before using.
Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicon sheet.
In the bowl of your mixer, combine the flour, 1 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the almonds and beat on low to blend well. Add 2 whole eggs, the yolk of the third egg, and the extracts. Beat on medium until a sticky dough forms. (If your flour is quite dry, you may need to add a teaspoon of milk.)
Lightly flour a cutting board. Turn the dough onto the board and shape it into a disk. Cut the disk into four equal quarters. Lightly moisten your hands, then roll each quarter into a log, about 1 1/2 inches wide and 9 inches long. Place logs on the baking sheet, at least 2 inches apart. Press the tops gently to make sure they are even.
Lightly beat the remaining egg white; brush it on the tops of the logs, then sprinkle them evenly with the remaining tablespoon of sugar. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, or until the logs are lightly browned and just set; there will be cracks on the surface. Transfer the baking sheet to a wire cooling rack; let the logs rest for 5 minutes, then carefully peel them off the parchment—they will be hot—and place them directly on the rack to cool for 10 minutes. Discard the parchment.
Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees. Use a chef’s knife to trim the end of each log. Then cut each log on the diagonal into 10 equal slices. (Press down into the log, rather than sawing, to prevent breaking.) Place the slices on the baking sheet, with a cut side facing up. Bake 10 minutes, then turn each slice over. Bake an additional 10 minutes or until the slices are lightly golden. Cool on a rack before dipping in chocolate, if you’d like.
Makes about 40 cookies. The biscotti will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.
Spice Up Your Life with Pepper and the Flick Chicks
CARROT SOUP WITH TOASTED SPICES AND PECANS
Who doesn’t love soup? The ultimate comfort food on a chill, dreary day, soup appears in almost every culture and cuisine. To host a soup exchange, keep the numbers small. Each guest brings enough soup for the others to enjoy a cup and take home a few servings. Guests bring their own to-go containers. The hostess provides salad, bread, and a light dessert.
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ medium onion
2 cloves garlic
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 pound carrots
½ cup canned coconut milk
3 cups water
½ cup pecan halves
1 teaspoon ground cumin or coriander
1 teaspoon celery seed
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
½ teaspoon whole black peppercorns or coarsely ground black pepper
Sour cream or plain Greek yogurt, for serving
Chop the onion and mince the garlic.
Melt the butter in a stockpot over medium-low heat. Stir in the onion, garlic and ½ teaspoon salt; cover and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until the onion has softened, stirring occasionally.
While the onion mixture sautées, scrub and trim the carrots, then slice into thin rounds.
Increase the heat to medium; stir in the carrots, coconut milk, and water. When the mixture begins to bubble at the edges, cover and cook 15 to 20 minutes, until the carrots become tender.
Meanwhile, toast the pecans in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat for 3 to 4 minutes, until fragrant and lightly browned; remember that nuts will continue to brown and crisp as they cool. Transfer to a cutting board to cool; coarsely chop. Add the cumin, celery seed, red pepper flakes, and black peppercorns to the skillet; toast 3 to 4 minutes until fragrant, then crush and blend in a spice grinder or with mortar and pestle. Don’t skip this step, as crushing the spices together helps to blend the flavors.
Test the carrots for doneness; when soft, remove from heat and allow to cool about 5 minutes. Add all but a pinch of the toasted, crushed spices and stir well. Then use your immersion blender or regular blender to puree; leave some chunks, if you prefer. Stir in the remaining ½ teaspoon salt.
Divide among individual bowls. Garnish with the remaining toasted spices, a dollop of sour cream or yogurt, and the toasted pecans.
Serves 4.
A favorite at Ripe, easy to recreate at home.
LAUREL’S TOMATO-BASIL SOUP
4 large tomatoes, cored, seeded, and coarsely chopped
4 cups tomato juice
12–14 small to medium basil leaves
½ cup heavy cream
⅓ cup butter
kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
Basil leaves or edible flowers for garnish
Place chopped tomatoes and juice in a stockpot, on medium heat. Simmer about 30 minutes.
Add the basil leaves. Remove from heat and use a blender or immersion blender to puree, leaving some chunks.
Return puree to stockpot. Add cream and butter; stir well. Season to taste. Reheat, but don’t boil, stirring until the butter is melted.
Serve and garnish.
Serves 4.
BLACK BEAN CHILI
Although this version is vegetarian, you can easily add ground beef, browned separately or with the onions. The spicing is flavorful, but not hot.
1 pound dried black beans
4 cups water
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 28-ounce can chopped tomatoes, with juice
2 tablespoons tomato paste
½ teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons Hungarian paprika
½ teaspoon cayenne
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1½ teaspoon kosher salt
Fresh ground black pepper
1 tablespoon brown sugar
Monterey Jack cheese, grated, for topping (optional)
Soak beans overnight in enough water to keep them covered as they expand; drain and place in large stockpot with 4 cups water and bay leaf. Simmer 25 to 30 minutes, until tender but still slightly chewy.
While the beans are cooking, add the olive oil to a large sauté pan. Sauté the onion, garlic, and bell pepper until soft, 12 to 15 minutes. When the beans are cooked, add the onion mixture to the pot and stir well. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, herbs and spices, and brown sugar. Simmer, covered, about 1 hour. Serve sprinkled with cheese, if you’d like.
Serves 6 to 8.
MISTY’S ROSEMARY FOCACCIA
With so much great bread available in the Market, Pepper rarely bakes bread, but Misty generously shared her recipe. This version is topped with rosemary and coarse salt, a classic combo.
Don’t be intimidated by bread baking! It seems mysterious, but is really quite easy. This recipe makes one 8 to 9-inch-round loaf, plus dough for a second loaf. Use instant yeast rather than active. Pepper mixes the dough in a stockpot rather than a bowl, so it can easily be covered.
1½ cups plus 2 tablespoons lukewarm water
¼ cup olive oil
1½ teaspoons dried instant yeast
2¼ teaspoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon sugar
3¾ cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 teaspoon finely chopped rosemary (1 to 2 stems)
Coarse or flaky salt, for sprinkling
In a stockpot or large bowl, mix the water, half the oil, yeast, s
alt, sugar, and flour until it forms a rough dough. Cover and let rest for about 2 hours on the counter. Chill dough about half an hour to make it easier to handle.
Place a baking stone or heavy baking sheet on the middle rack of your oven. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Pour the remaining oil into a 9-inch cake pan and evenly coat the bottom of the pan.
On a cutting board or work surface, dust the surface of the chilled dough lightly with flour, then pull off half, about one pound. Dust with more flour and shape into a ball by stretching the surface of the dough around to the bottom on all four sides, rotating the ball a quarter-turn as you go. (See note below about refrigerating or freezing.)
Use your hands to flatten the dough into a round about 1/2 an inch thick and 6 to 7 inches across. Place dough top side down in the cake pan, moving it around to coat it with the oil. It will not fill the pan. Turn the dough over, cover the pan with plastic wrap, and let dough rest for 10 to 15 minutes.
Use your hands to gently push the dough to the edges of the cake pan. Sprinkle with the rosemary and coarse or flaky salt, as needed.
Cover with plastic wrap, and allow the dough to rest and rise for 20 minutes.
Place the cake pan on the heated baking stone in the oven. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the crust is medium brown and feels dry and firm on the surface. The baking time will vary depending on the focaccia’s thickness.
Use a rounded knife to loosen the loaf from the edges of the pan, then transfer the focaccia to a cutting board. Cut into wedges and serve warm.
The remaining half of the dough can be tightly wrapped and frozen, or refrigerated and kept up to a week. Remove dough from freezer or refrigerator; thaw if frozen. Shape and bake as above.
At Home with Pepper
COLD SESAME NOODLES
A terrific addition to a weeknight dinner—despite the name, no need to chill them!
¼ cup chopped peanuts, toasted
10–16 ounces Chinese egg noodles (1/8-inch thick; often sold as Lo Mein noodles)
2 tablespoons sesame oil for the sauce, plus a splash for the cooked noodles
3½ tablespoons soy sauce 2 tablespoons Chinese rice vinegar
2 tablespoons Chinese sesame paste or tahini, well-mixed
1 tablespoon peanut butter (smooth or chunky)
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon finely grated ginger (fresh or jarred)
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 teaspoons chili-garlic paste
Half a cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced or julienned, or a few scallions (green onions), chopped
Heat oven to 300 degrees. Toast the peanuts 10 minutes and remove from oven. Remember that they will continue to brown as they cool.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add noodles and cook until barely tender, about 5 minutes; they should be al dente, with a touch of chewiness. Drain, rinse with cold water, drain again and toss with a splash of sesame oil.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the remaining 2 tablespoons of sesame oil, the soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame paste or tahini, peanut butter, sugar, ginger, garlic, and chili-garlic paste.
Place the noodles in your serving bowl. Pour the sauce over the noodles and toss. Garnish with cucumber or scallions and peanuts.
Serves 6 to 8.
BROCCOLI BEEF STIR FRY
Classic and easy, a great weeknight meal, especially when paired with Cold Sesame Noodles and baseball.
3 ounces dry sherry
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon finely chopped ginger
1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
1 teaspoon sesame oil (raw, toasted, or a mix)
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
10 ounces flank steak, cut into thin strips
1 teaspoon corn starch
1 tablespoon canola oil (or other neutral vegetable oil)
4 cups broccoli, flowers and stems, cut into bite-sized pieces (trim stems and peel if tough)
¼ cup thinly sliced scallions (green onions)
¼ cup sesame seeds, toasted (optional)
Prepare marinade in a bowl or a large sealable plastic or silicone bag. Combine sherry, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, sesame oil, and red pepper flakes. Add beef and stir, or if you’re using a bag, squeeze out the air, seal, and turn to coat beef. Marinade 30 minutes to an hour.
Toast the sesame seeds, if you’re using them. Heat oven to 300 degrees. Spread seeds in a shallow baking pan and bake about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Don’t overcook; they will continue to brown as they cool.
Strain marinade into a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and add enough water to make ⅓ cup liquid. Stir in corn-starch until dissolved.
Heat a wok or large nonstick skillet over medium-high. Add the oil and beef; fry, stirring, until the beef loses its red color, about 2 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the beef to another dish. Add broccoli and stir-fry about 3 minutes, then cover and allow to steam a minute. Add the beef and boiled marinade; increase heat and stir-fry until the sauce thickens, 2 to 3 minutes. Sprinkle with scallions. Serve with optional toasted sesame seeds.
Serves 4.
Readers, it’s a thrill to hear from you. Drop me a line at [email protected], connect with me on Facebook at LeslieBude-witzAuthor, or join my seasonal mailing list for book news and more. (Sign up on my website, www.LeslieBudewitz.com.) Reader reviews and recommendations are a big boost to authors; if you’ve enjoyed my books, please tell your friends, in person and online. A book is but marks on paper until you read these pages and make the story yours. Thank you.
Acknowledgments
IN OCTOBER 2001, ASSISTANT U.S. ATTORNEY THOMAS C. Wales was shot and killed outside his Seattle home, the first known murder of a federal prosecutor. The case has never been solved, although it remains open and at this writing, news accounts indicate that investigators have identified a suspect. Law enforcement officers and the Department of Justice believe Mr. Wales’s murder was related to his work. It’s a terrifying and haunting prospect. Although Patrick Halloran is not Tom Wales, and I have no insights into the case, I have borrowed some details from the investigation that have been made public. The tragedy inspired me to highlight the impact of murder on the family and on the wider circle that surrounds each of us.
The dispute over the Gregorian & Son site is fictional, although loosely inspired by real-life concerns over the potential loss of a beloved grocery in Seattle’s Montlake neighborhood to highway expansion, and by similar tensions in communities everywhere.
Although the real-life block featured here does include both a coffeehouse and a salon, mine are completely invented.
I have attempted to be accurate in my brief recount of the Armenian genocide and continuing tensions between the Turkish and Armenian communities. The book Pepper mentions, Passage to Ararat by Michael Arlen, originally published in 1975, is a highly respected account of the Armenian experience; there are other accounts, both fiction and nonfiction, about this tragic period in history, and I encourage modern readers to learn more about it.
Die-hard movie buffs in Seattle may realize I’ve fudged the date the Guild 45th closed by a few months. Rumors of a reopening are circulating; it would be great to see a classic theater given new life, in one form or another.
My thanks to Lita and Celia Artis for exploring Montlake with me, and drinking way too much coffee. Thanks to Debbie Burke for brainstorming, even if the final product took a different path. Amanda Bevill of World Spice Merchants and her staff in Seattle and in Montana could not be more supportive; thank you for the stories, for the cookies and chai, and for letting me eavesdrop on your lives. Although Jamie Ackerman is fictional, her paintings are inspired by those of Market artist Sally Simmons.
Thanks, too, to independent editor Ramona DeFelice Long for diving into an incomplete manuscript; my agent, John Talbot; my editor, D
an Mayer, along with the designers, production staff, and other booklovers at Seventh Street Books; and Dana Kaye, Samantha Lien, and Hailey Dezort at Kaye Publicity.
The Solace of Bay Leaves Page 27
