We head back inside, and I toss him a chicken snack, and he flops down on the floor to eat it. My phone rings.
“Hey, baby, my hands are kind of full, can you come get the door for me?”
“On my way.”
I wipe my hands and open the door. RJ is standing there, and in his arms is a wriggling French bulldog puppy of the most inexplicable color, almost pale honeyed yellow tinged with a sort of peachy pink.
“Oh my goodness! Who are you?”
RJ hands me the pup, who immediately starts licking all over my face and biting my ponytail. Dumpling tries to stand on his one leg to see what is going on, and falls over at my feet. RJ scoops him up and puts him face-to-face with the puppy.
“Dumpling, there is someone we want you to meet. We thought you might want a little sister.”
Dumpling looks at the puppy, who leans forward and licks his face. Dumpling licks back. The puppy sniffs his ear and then with one move, snatches the eye patch right off his head and starts to chew it. Dumpling looks at me with his one good eye, head cocked as if to say, “We’re going to have our hands full with this one,” and then turns and licks RJ under his chin.
“I can’t believe you did this! You are so sneaky.”
“Well, we did talk about wanting to do it, and a guy at work breeds them for showing, but this one is off the allowable color charts.”
“She does have a certain, um … Well, she’s kind of, um …”
“Pink? Yeah. Some weird anomaly, and apparently, not good for the show circuit.”
“But good for us.”
“That’s what I thought.”
“What should we call her?”
RJ smiles. “I was thinking Pamplemousse.”
“Of course. What else could she be?” I turn to the puppy, and gently remove Dumpling’s eye patch, now slightly mangled and covered in spit, from her mouth and hand it back to RJ, who replaces it on Dumpling’s head. “What do you think? Are you our little Pamplemousse? Hmm?” She leans forward and licks my face and then nips the end of my nose. “I guess that is a yes!”
I put Pamplemousse down on the floor, and RJ puts Dumpling down next to her, and the two of them begin to circle and play. RJ puts his arm around me, kissing the side of my head and squeezing me tight to his side.
And this? Right here?
This is how it happened.
The End.
And happily ever after.
In the Kitchen with
Alana and Friends
Bruce’s Midnight Scrambled Eggs
SERVES 2
Alana knows that nothing keeps them coming back like good company, good loving, and great food. Want to make someone swoon with a midnight snack or breakfast in bed? This dish will keep them eating out of your hand.
6 eggs
1 tablespoon cold water
3 tablespoons butter, cold or frozen
4 slices good sourdough bread, toasted and lightly buttered
4 slices prosciutto
1 tablespoon chives, minced fine
Salt and ground grains of paradise or other pepper
Crack the eggs into a bowl and beat well with the water. Using a microplane or other fine grater, grate 2 tablespoons of the butter into the eggs and mix so that the little pieces of butter are well distributed. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat, and melt the remaining butter in the pan. When the foaming subsides, pour in the eggs, and gently stir fairly constantly as the eggs cook. Turn the heat down to medium-low once you start to see large curds forming. Keep stirring the eggs until they reach your desired level of doneness. Place two pieces of toast on each plate, and top with prosciutto. Divide the eggs over the pieces of toast, sprinkle with salt and the ground pepper of your choice, and garnish with chives. For extra richness, you can add a couple tablespoons of crumbled goat cheese or Boursin herbed cheese to the eggs in the last minute of cooking.
Dulce de Leche Cheesecake
SERVES 8
If Maria ever doubted that Alana was the right person to be her personal chef, this cheesecake sealed the deal!
Crust:
2 cups gingersnap crumbs
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
7 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Preheat oven to 375°F. Mix crumbs, sugar, and butter until you get a consistency somewhat like wet sand. Press into and about two inches up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Bake until it smells toasty and has browned a bit, about 9 to 12 minutes. Let the crust cool on a rack while you make the filling. Lower oven temp to 300°F.
Filling:
24 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
¾ cup dulce de leche (see note)
2 tablespoons flour
pinch salt
1¼ cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
4 large eggs at room temp
In the bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, beat cream cheese, dulce de leche, flour, and salt on medium speed, until very smooth and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add sugar and vanilla and beat until well blended and smooth. Add eggs one at a time, and beat just to blend. Do not overmix.
Pour filling into crust and smooth the top. Bake at 300°F until the center just jiggles, about 55 to 65 minutes. It will be slightly puffed around the edges and vaguely moist-looking in the center. Cool completely on a rack. Cover and chill for at least 8 hours before serving. Pie will keep for up to 3 days in the refrigerator or can be frozen up to a month. To freeze, put the unmolded, cooled cake in the freezer, uncovered until the top is firm and cold, then unmold and wrap in two layers of plastic wrap and one layer of foil. To thaw, place it in the refrigerator overnight.
Note: You can substitute caramel if you can’t find dulce de leche.
Girls’ Night Beet Bruschetta
SERVES 10 TO 12 AS AN APPETIZER
Girls’ night in never tasted better. Open a bottle of crisp white wine, and get ready to dine and dish.
1 pound mixed golden and chioggia baby beets (see note)
2 tablespoons canola oil
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon orange zest
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
¼ teaspoon Aleppo pepper
Salt to taste
1 baguette, sliced into½-inch-thick rounds
8 ounces goat cheese at room temperature
2 tablespoons honey
Preheat oven to 400°F. Trim and wash beets. Toss with canola oil and salt and pepper, and put in a packet made of heavy-duty foil. Roast for 25 to 40 minutes until a knife goes in clean and beets are very tender. Let cool just enough to be handled, then using dry paper towels, wipe the peels off the beets. Chop peeled beets into medium dice, and toss with olive oil, orange zest, thyme, Aleppo pepper, and salt to taste. Mix goat cheese with honey and spread a thin layer on the bread slices, and top with a generous spoonful of beets.
Note: You can substitute red beets, but I find the flavor of these more subtle.
Mother-in-Law
Maple French Toast Brulee
SERVES 6 TO 8
Nothing will ruin a brunch faster than dripping maple syrup down the front of a favorite blouse. Keep family relations happy with this elegant take on a breakfast classic.
1 loaf Challah or brioche, preferably one day old
1 pint high-quality French vanilla ice cream or frozen custard
4 eggs
4 tablespoons butter
Salt
3 tablespoons demerara sugar
3 tablespoons granulated maple sugar
½ teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
Melt ice cream or frozen custard completely and blend with eggs and a pinch of salt. Slice ends off bread, and then slice into 1-inch-thick slices. Arrange slices in a casserole dish, and pour egg mixture over them, allowing it to completely soak into all the bread, about 10 to 15 minutes.
Melt half the butter in a nonstick skillet. Cook toast in batches until gol
den brown and crispy on both sides and cooked through, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a sheet pan. Brush the remaining butter on the tops of the cooked toast. Arrange a rack in the top of the oven, and preheat the broiler. Blend the maple sugar, demerara sugar, and nutmeg with a pinch of salt. Sprinkle the tops of the toast evenly with a thin layer of the sugar mixture, and put under the broiler, watching carefully as the sugar melts and caramelizes. You might need to rotate the sheet pan to be sure all the sugar melts evenly. Don’t let it burn! Alternatively, if you are comfortable with a blowtorch, you can melt the sugar topping that way. Serve immediately, or the crisp sugar top will lose its crunch.
Mama’s Caraway Pelmeni
SERVES PLEHNTY
These traditional Russian dumplings are a great thing to make with your kids, no matter how old they are. Caraway adds a special Ostermann family touch.
½ pound ground beef shoulder
½ pound ground pork butt
1 onion, grated, liquid squeezed out
1 clove garlic, grated
1 tablespoon caraway seeds, ground to powder in a coffee mill or with a mortar and pestle
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cups flour
3 eggs
1 cup milk
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Mix beef and pork well with hands, then add onion, garlic, caraway seeds, salt, and pepper. To make mincemeat more tender and juicy, add 2 to 3 tablespoons of water. The mixture should be moist but firm enough to shape into balls. Reserve in refrigerator.
Mix flour with eggs, milk, salt, and oil until a soft dough forms. Knead on a floured surface until dough is elastic. Your hands will know.
Take some dough and make a snake about 1-inch thick in diameter.
Divide into pieces 1-inch-thick. Roll each piece into ball, and then, using dowel, roll out thin, so that each is -inch thick.
If you like perfect, take a glass or a cup and make rounds with help on the dough. We no like perfect look, just like perfect taste, but Martha Stewart, she not approve. Fill each round with 1 teaspoon of the mincemeat and fold into half-moons. Pinch edges together and connect the opposite sides, making sure there are no air bubbles or dumplings will explode. Pelmeni can be cooked immediately or frozen to be cooked later (you can keep them in the freezer for a long time). To cook pelmeni, bring water to a boil in a large pot. It is important to use plenty of water, so that the dumplings don’t stick to each other. Salt water to taste like Caspian Sea. Carefully drop pelmeni into boiling water. Don’t forget to stir them from time to time. Boil for 20 minutes. To serve, melt butter in pan and add some chopped onions. Cook till golden and soft. Add cooked pelmeni and get crispy on one side. Serve with sour cream, maybe some applesauce, or sprinkle with vinegar.
Chilled Pea Soup
SERVES 4 TO 6 AS A STARTER,
UP TO 12 AS AN AMUSE-BOUCHE
Insanely simple and delicious. A go-to for last-minute entertaining, perfect for summer get-togethers.
1 pound frozen petite green peas (buy the highest possible quality here, not the place for generic)
Cold water
Salt and pepper to taste
Crème fraîche or full-fat greek yogurt
Zest of one lemon
1 tablespoon finely minced chives
2 tablespoons celery leaves (the pale yellow leaves on the inside of a heart of celery)
Extra-virgin olive oil for garnish
Place the peas, still frozen, in a blender or food processor. Add cold water until it barely reaches the top of the peas; do not cover, the peas should be poking their little heads out of the water. Puree on high for 2 minutes until as smooth as possible. Strain through a fine strainer or chinois, pressing to get all of the liquid out. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Keep in the fridge. To serve, top the soup with a dollop of crème fraîche or greek yogurt mixed with the lemon zest, sprinkle with chives and a couple of celery leaves. Drizzle a bit of olive oil over the top.
Can also be served hot.
Melanie’s Healthy Wheat Berry Salad
SERVES 8 TO 12 AS A SIDE DISH
Hearty and good for you, without sacrificing flavor. (For more of Mel’s famously light dishes, check out her mini cookbook at the back of Good Enough To Eat by Stacey Ballis, available at booksellers everywhere and your favorite online retailers.)
1 cup orzo
1 cup wheat berries
1 large or 2 small pink grapefruit
1 teaspoon honey
1 cup tangerine or blood orange juice
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons champagne vinegar (or more to taste)
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
3 tablespoons toasted slivered almonds
3 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped
A day in advance, cook the orzo in boiling salted water until tender. Cook the wheat berries in boiling salted water until tender. Drain and place in a mixing bowl.
Peel the grapefruits and cut them into segments or supremes. Add any collected juices to the tangerine or blood orange juice. Place the juice in a small saucepan and heat on high and reduce by half. Remove from heat and stir in honey. When the juice has cooled, add the oil and vinegar and mix well. Season with salt and pepper and add to the orzo and wheat berries. Toss well and gently fold in grapefruit segments, and refrigerate overnight. Just before serving, add almonds and mint. Correct seasoning and serve at room temperature.
Olive Oil Spanish Tortilla
SERVES 6 TO 8 AS A MAIN COURSE, 12 TO 16
AS AN APPETIZER
A quick visit to Spain, and delicious anytime.
6 to 7 medium potatoes, peeled and sliced thick (I like yukon gold for this)
1 whole yellow onion, peeled and chopped in ¼ʺ dice
2 to 3 cups of good Spanish olive oil
5 to 6 large eggs
Salt to taste
Put potatoes and onions into a bowl and mix them together. Salt the mixture well. In a large, heavy, nonstick frying pan, heat the olive oil on medium-high heat. Drop a single piece of potato into the oil to ensure it is hot enough to fry; it should sizzle subtly but not frantically. If you get a lot of bubbles, it means your oil is too hot. Turn a nearby burner on a lower heat and carefully move the pan over, let it cool and retest in 2 minutes. Once the oil is at the right temperature, carefully place the potato and onions into the frying pan, spreading them evenly over the surface. The oil should almost cover the potatoes. You may need to turn down the heat slightly so the potatoes do not burn.
You want the potatoes to slowly go golden brown while the insides cook completely. If you notice a lot of browning, turn down the heat more. When you can easily poke a potato with a fork or break it in half with a spatula, it is cooked. Be sure to test three pieces or so, in case you get the one piece that is fully cooked. With a slotted spoon remove the potatoes and onions to a bowl. If you want, you can put them in a colander to remove more oil. While the mixture is cooling, crack the eggs into a large mixing bowl and beat by hand with a whisk or fork. Pour in the potato onion mixture. Mix together gently with a large spoon so that the potatoes don’t break up too much.
Pour 2 tablespoons of olive oil into a small, 9- or 10-inch nonstick frying pan and heat on medium to medium-low heat. Once again, be careful not to get the pan too hot because the oil will burn—or the tortilla will! When hot, stir the potato-onion mixture once more and “pour” into the pan and spread out evenly. Allow the egg to cook around the edges. Then you can carefully lift up one side of the omelet to check if the egg has slightly “browned.” You can cover the pan with a lid to help set up the top a little. The inside of the mixture should not be completely cooked and the egg will still be runny.
When the mixture has browned lightly on the bottom, place a large dinner plate or baking sheet upside down over the frying pan. With one hand on the frying pan handle and the other on top of the plate to hold it steady, quickly tur
n the frying pan over and the omelet will “fall” onto the plate. Place the frying pan back on the range and put just enough oil to cover the bottom and sides of the pan—approximately 1½ teaspoons. Let the pan warm for 30 seconds or so. Now slide the omelet (which is probably still a bit runny), into the frying pan browned-side up, using a spatula to catch any egg mixture that runs out. Use the spatula to shape the sides of the omelet. Let the omelet cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Turn the heat off and let the tortilla sit in the pan for 5 minutes. Serve hot or at room temperature.
Michelle Bernstein’s White Gazpacho
SERVES 4 TO 6
Reprinted with permission from Michelle Bernstein’s Cuisine à Latina cookbook, which you should buy because DAMN her food is amazing and all her recipes work. I’m just saying. If you want to taste Michelle’s food, head to Michy’s or Sra Martinez restaurants in Miami.
2 cups chopped, peeled, English seedless cucumber
2 cups seedless green grapes
1½ cups salted Marcona almonds
1 small garlic clove
½ shallot
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
1½ cups cold vegetable stock or broth
½ cup good quality extra-virgin olive oil (I look for one with a more buttery taste than peppery)
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
2 tablespoons dry sherry
Salt and pepper to taste
Garnish:
¼ cup sliced seedless green grapes
2 tablespoons crushed Marcona almonds
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
Put the cucumber, grapes, almonds, garlic, shallot, dill, and broth in a blender and puree until very smooth, about 2 to 3 minutes. With the motor running on high, drizzle in the olive oil in a thin stream until the mixture emulsifies. Stop the motor and taste. It should be smooth and creamy, if slightly grainy. If it is still a bit chunky, puree for another minute. Add the vinegar and sherry and puree on high for one more minute. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Off the Menu Page 31
