It’s the People by Jill Foucré September 25, 2021 by Jenny Chang Leave a Comment I said I would write the blog post. As is often the case, things that appear effortless require planning and work. Our Marcel’s blog posts are one of those things. Both retail staff and chefs write them, alternating every two weeks. I make out a schedule six months at a time but I don’t assign topics. Everyone can write about what they want as long as it has some connection to Marcel’s. I also do very little editing. We have a lot of really good writers in our midst. And no one really gets paid to do it – they get a token of appreciation from me but not nearly the value of the work they put in. But everyone does it (generally) without complaint. So when I made the schedule for the second half of 2021, I said I would write the blog post that fell around our anniversary week. I have been thinking for weeks about an angle. A grand metaphor. A heartwarming story. I even looked at world, national, and local headlines from September 26, 2011. Kind of a boring day, as it turns out. Charlie Sheen settled his lawsuit with Chuck Lorre. Stuff like that. Then I decided to think about what has been on my mind lately. There are so many reasons why I have a heart full of gratitude. Friends and family with serious illness but with loved ones to help them. People in my life who have propped me up during some pretty dark days the past few years. Those in our community and in our world who have compassion and caring for all individuals, especially those who are in the most need. What’s the common thread? People. So that’s my angle. Marcel’s is about the people. Yes, we have fabulous merchandise and wonderful classes and beautiful displays and all of that. But what we really have are the people. The customers. The staff. The chefs. The culinary assistants. The dishwashers. The partners. The makers. The creators. And quite a few people fall into more than one of these categories. Generous, thoughtful, imaginative, resourceful, talented – and all with a dedication to Marcel’s. It doesn’t happen without all of you and absolutely everyone plays a role of some kind. Thank you for being my people. Cheers to the next 10 years.
Mandy’s Superfood Salad September 16, 2021 by Jenny Chang Leave a Comment Mandy's Superfood Salad 2021-09-16 16:38:36 Serves 1 Print Ingredients 2 cup baby spinach 1 cup shredded curly kale 1 cup arugula ½ avocado, diced ½ cup cooked quinoa ¼ cup diced apple ¼ cup halved cherry tomatoes ¼ cup small broccoli florets, raw ¼ cup roasted sweet potato 2 tablespoons pomegranate seeds 2 tablespoons torn mint leaves 2 tablespoons chopped parsley leaves Mandy's House Dressing (makes 2 cups) 2 cloves garlic, chopped 6 tablespoons apple cider vinegar ¼ cup maple syrup 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 1 ¼ cup olive oil ½ teaspoon salt 1 ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper Salad Instructions Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl. Top with the dressing and, using tongs, toss until well mixed and dressed. House Dressing Instructions In a blender, combine the garlic, vinegar, maple syrup, and mustard. Process on medium high speed until smooth and well combined. Scrape down the sides. With blender running on low speed, slowly drizzle in the olive oil until emulsified and thickened. Add salt and pepper and season to taste. Refrigerate until ready to use. Adapted from Mandy's Gourmet Salads Adapted from Mandy's Gourmet Salads Marcel's Culinary Experience https://www.marcelsculinaryexperience.com/
Too Pretty To Use? by Lauren Miller September 16, 2021 by Jenny Chang Leave a Comment Have you ever bought something because you thought it was pretty? Of course you have! Well, have you ever bought a kitchen PAN because you thought it was pretty? I’m guessing not too many people have. After months of eyeing the Le Creuset enameled cast iron Signature Skillet in the Deep Teal finish, I finally had to have it. I brought that baby home and boy was she pretty! And then, she sat in the kitchen cabinet. And sat. I didn’t want to “mess” it up and get my pretty new pan all dirty and marked up. And (confession time here), I had never cooked in a cast iron skillet before! After a few months of it sitting unused in my kitchen, it was time to break this new pan in and try out some recipes. I looked around online and decided to start with two savory recipes and two sweet recipes. The initial debut was a giant chocolate chip cookie, baked to perfection! The pan gave it a perfectly crispy exterior and wonderfully gooey interior, and was fantastic served warm with vanilla ice cream. Definitely a treat for the whole family! I then followed up with a spinach frittata, peach cobbler and tasty breakfast potatoes. All were delicious and fun to make! My pretty new pan led me to try some new recipes and is still as pretty as ever! As I continue to discover new dishes to be made in my skillet, soon I will be a more seasoned cook, just like my cast iron skillet. Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie 2021-09-16 15:11:05 Print Ingredients 12 Tablespoons butter 1 ½ sticks melted and cooled until warm 1 cup light brown sugar 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1 large egg 1 egg yolk 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 2 cups + 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips Instructions Heat oven to 325 degrees F. Add butter to a microwave safe bowl and microwave for about 45 seconds, or until most of it has melted. Allow it to cool for a few minutes. Add melted butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar to a medium bowl and beat with an electric mixer until well blended. Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla and mix until combined. Stir in the flour, baking soda, and salt, just until combined. Gently stir in the chocolate chips. Press the cookie dough into a 10’’ or 12’’ cast iron skillet (or a regular, oven-safe skillet would work). Bake for 28-35 minutes or until it looks just barely golden. Don’t over-bake it, especially since it will continue to cook in the hot skillet when you take it out of the oven. Allow to cool in the skillet for at least 20-30 minutes before cutting. Slice cookie into pieces and serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, if desired. Adapted from tastesbetterfromscratch.com Adapted from tastesbetterfromscratch.com Marcel's Culinary Experience https://www.marcelsculinaryexperience.com/ Skillet Home Fries 2021-09-16 15:19:30 Print Ingredients 2 pounds new potatoes, chopped 1 teaspoon seasoned salt 1 teaspoon black pepper 1 teaspoon paprika 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 3 tablespoons vegetable oil Instructions In a small bowl, stir together salt, pepper, paprika, and garlic powder. Cube potatoes into about 1/2-inch cubes. You can leave the skin on. Bring a medium pot of salted water to a simmer. Add potatoes and boil until tender, about 6-8 minutes. Then drain potatoes. Add oil to a large cast iron skillet (or heavy skillet) over medium heat. Add the drained potatoes and spread them out over the surface of the pan. Let sit for five minutes. Stir potatoes once they are starting to crisp up a bit. Add half of the seasoning mix to the potatoes. Continue to let the potatoes cook over medium heat. Don’t over-stir them. Let them sit and get crispy. Keep cooking for 10-15 more minutes until the potatoes are nicely crisp. Add the rest of the spice seasoning near the end of cooking. Serve the potatoes while warm with eggs and ketchup if that’s your thing. Adapted from macheesmo.com Adapted from macheesmo.com Marcel's Culinary Experience https://www.marcelsculinaryexperience.com/ Skillet Peach Cobbler 2021-09-16 15:23:06 Print For the Peach Cobbler Filling The juice and zest from one large lemon; about 2 teaspoons zest and 2 tablespoons juice 4 – 4 ½ lbs (about 10 cups sliced) fresh, ripe peaches (*You can also use frozen peaches; see note below) ¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon (226g) packed dark brown sugar ½ teaspoon almond extract ½ teaspoon salt 3 tablespoons (21g) cornstarch For the topping 1 ¼ cup (150g) all-purpose flour 1 ¼ teaspoon baking powder ¾ teaspoon kosher salt (½ tsp table salt) 10 tablespoons (5oz) unsalted butter, melted and cooled to room temperature ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons (132g) packed dark brown sugar ¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon (62g) granulated sugar 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract Make the Peach Cobbler Filling Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (176 degrees C). Coat a well seasoned 12-inch cast iron skillet with a generous layer of butter. You can also use a 9×13 rectangle baking dish or a seasoned carbon steel pan. Put the lemon juice and zest into a large bowl. Peel the peaches, remove the pit, and cut into ¼-inch slices. Add the peaches to the bowl with the lemon juice as you slice them, tossing them gently from time to time in the juice to coat. The lemon juice will help keep them from browning. Add the rest of the filling ingredients to the bowl with the peaches and toss gently to mix. Pour the filing into the skillet, smoothing it out into an even layer, and bake for 15 minutes. While it bakes, prepare the topping. Make the Brown Sugar Cobbler Topping Add the flour, baking powder, and salt to a bowl and stir to mix. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir with a spoon or rubber spatula, or your fingers, just until all the dry ingredients are moistened and the mixture comes together into a soft dough. Do not over mix. Remove the pan with the peach filling from the oven. Use your fingers to crumble the topping over the peach filling into an even layer. Put the pan back in the oven and bake for an additional 45-55 minutes, until the peach filling is bubbling up all around the edges of the pan and the topping is golden brown and set. Remove from the oven and let cool for about 15 minutes before scooping into bowls and serving. Serve with vanilla ice cream if desired. How to make cobbler with frozen peaches If you're using frozen peaches, you'll want 10 cups; between 45 and 50 ounces. There is no need to thaw frozen peaches before making the filling. Just toss them with the rest of the filling ingredients and dump them into the pan. Spread the cobbler topping over them and bake as directed. It might take a bit longer to bake your cobbler if you're using frozen peaches, so just be patient if it's not quite finished baking after 45-55 minutes. Adapted from ofbatteranddough.com Adapted from ofbatteranddough.com Marcel's Culinary Experience https://www.marcelsculinaryexperience.com/ Frittata 2021-09-16 15:26:33 Print Ingredients 6 large eggs, enough to cover the ingredients 1/4 cup heavy cream 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided 4 slices thick-cut bacon (8 ounces), chopped (optional) 2 small Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 2 cups baby spinach (2 ounces) 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves 1 cup shredded cheese, such as Gruyère, Fontina, or cheddar (optional) Instructions Heat the oven. Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 400°F. Whisk the eggs and cream together. Whisk the eggs, heavy cream, and 1/2 teaspoon salt together in a small bowl; set aside. Cook the bacon. Place the bacon in a cold 10- to 12-inch nonstick ovensafe frying pan or cast iron skillet, then turn the heat to medium-high. Cook the bacon, stirring occasionally, until crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate and pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the fat. (If omitting the bacon, heat 2 tablespoons oil in the skillet, then proceed with adding the potatoes). Saute the potatoes in bacon fat. Return the pan to medium-heat, add the potatoes and sprinkle with the pepper and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and lightly browned, 4 to 6 minutes. Wilt the spinach with the garlic and thyme. Pile the spinach into the pan with the garlic and thyme, and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds to 1 minute or until spinach wilts. Add the bacon back to the pan and stir to evenly distribute. Add the cheese. Spread the vegetables into an even layer, flattening with a spatula. Sprinkle the cheese on top and let it just start to melt. Pour the egg mixture into the skillet. Pour the egg mixture over the vegetables and cheese. Tilt the pan to make sure the eggs settle evenly over all the vegetables. Cook for a minute or two until you see the eggs at the edges of the pan beginning to set. Bake the frittata for 8 to 10 minutes. Bake until the eggs are set, 8 to 10 minutes. To check, cut a small slit in the center of the frittata. If raw eggs run into the cut, bake for another few minutes; if the eggs are set, pull the frittata from the oven. For a browned, crispy top, run the frittata under the broiler for a minute or two at the end of cooking. Cool and serve. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then slice into wedges and serve. Notes Storage: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Adapted from thekitchn.com Adapted from thekitchn.com Marcel's Culinary Experience https://www.marcelsculinaryexperience.com/
Apple Cinnamon Dutch Baby September 10, 2021 by Jenny Chang Leave a Comment Apple Cinnamon Dutch Baby 2021-09-10 18:00:29 Print Ingredients 1 large Granny Smith apple 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, divided 2 tablespoons sugar, divided 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 cup whole milk 2 extra large eggs, at room temperature 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt Powdered sugar Pure maple syrup to serve Instructions Heat the oven to 425°F. Peel, core, and slice the apples 1/8-inch thick. Melt 3 T butter in 9" cast iron or oven proof crepe skillet over medium - medium high heat Add the apple, 1 tablespoon sugar and cinnamon and toss well. Sauté 5 - 7 minutes until tender tossing occasionally. Spread them out over the pan and keep temp low. Meanwhile, melt the remaining tablespoon of butter in the microwave. In a medium bowl, whisk the milk, eggs, melted butter and vanilla. In a small bowl, combine the flour with the remaining tablespoon of sugar and salt. Whisk the flour mixture into the milk mixture, whisking until there are no lumps. Pour the batter over the cooked apple in the pan and immediately place into oven. Bake for about 12-15 minutes, or until the pancake is puffed and edges start to get crispy and browned. Dust lightly with sifted powdered sugar, cut in wedges and serve hot with maple syrup. Marcel's Culinary Experience https://www.marcelsculinaryexperience.com/
From Egg Whites to Meringue by Rachel Dau September 9, 2021 by Jenny Chang Leave a Comment Who says the only place for a marshmallow is on a s’more? Now, don’t get me wrong, I LOVE a good s’more, but there is something about light and refreshing fruit that really hits the spot! My family and I love this season for all the amazing produce, and specifically the fruit. We have a one year old daughter who eats anything and everything! And always on the menu for her are a wide variety of different fruits. However, this weekend we decided to play around with a different base for the fruit, and get our fancy on! There is something really rewarding about taking your egg whites all the way from their fresh, out of the shell state to the beautiful fluffy meringue! All those thousands of tiny bubbles beginning to form. And beneath all that beauty is a network of proteins trapping the air bubbles, that gives your meringue its structure and volume. Meringue offers a blank canvas for so many different things. (Also made an amazing cake with a swiss meringue buttercream, but we’ll save that story for another time J) We chose to go with a classic pavlova. What makes this a little different is the addition of cornstarch in the meringue. With cornstarch, your baked meringue is delicate and crispy on the outside while chewy and soft on the inside. In addition, allowing it to cool and rest in the oven after baking overnight helps to avoid cracking in the pavlova. From here, you can run wild! We liked to capitalize on summer fruits like berries and citrus! Atop the pavlova is an orange curd and whipped cream, then berries to garnish. I love being able to get others involved to decorate and garnish with the fruit! The best part is, you can make it completely seasonal – switch up the berries for poached apples or pears in the fall! And change up the sauces that you serve it with. Try your hand at this delicate and delicious dessert and customize it however you like! Pavlova 2021-09-09 12:31:50 Print Ingredients 221 grams egg whites 3 grams cream of tartar 225 grams granulated sugar 10 grams cornstarch 4 grams white vinegar (or other flavors as desired) 4 grams vanilla bean paste Instructions Preheat your oven to 300 F. In a mixing bowl, add your egg whites and cream of tartar, and whip until foamy and frothy. Separately, combine the sugar and cornstarch. On medium speed, slowly rain in the sugar mixture (slow and consistent dusting). Continue raining until it has all been added. Turn off the mixer and add the vanilla bean and vinegar. Increase your speed to medium high and whip until stiff peaks form. The meringue will get very thick and stiff. You will be able to hold the bowl upside down without any of the meringue moving. Form the meringue into desired shape on a parchment lined sheet pan. You can form into one large one, around 9” around or individual minis, about 3-4”. Once you pile the meringue on, spread it out a little bit into your desired shape and depth. If the meringue is whipped to the stiff peak, it will not spread or grow during baking beyond where you form it. Bake until it is crispy on the outside and resembles a creamy light beige color, about 1 hour (could be less for smaller ones or more for a large one). Turn the oven off and allow to cool completely overnight or up to a few hours. When ready to assemble, gently remove off the parchment paper with a spatula. It should lift right off and on to your serving plate. Garnish as desired – crème anglaise, fruit curds or sauces, whipped cream, chocolate, fruit, etc. You can make the pavlova 1-2 days ahead and store the meringue lightly covered on your counter until ready to assemble and eat. Notes Tips: It is important that all your tools are very clean before making meringue. Fat is the enemy of meringue and can cause it not to whip. Starting with egg whites at room temperature allow the meringue to whip more efficiently and have increased volume. Marcel's Culinary Experience https://www.marcelsculinaryexperience.com/