Top Secret Restaurant Recipes 2 (36 page)

OPTIONAL GARNISH

powdered sugar

1. Peel and quarter two Granny Smith apples. Slice the core from each of the quarters, then slice the quarters into 4 to 5 slices each. Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a 9- or 10-inch skillet. If you’ve got a skillet that isn’t nonstick, such as cast-iron, that’s the best kind for this recipe, although any oven-safe skillet this size will still work. Add brown sugar, cinnamon and the sliced apples and saute for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Turn off the heat and let the pan sit for one hour so that the apples and glaze will stick to the bottom when the batter is poured on top.

2. Preheat oven to 475 degrees.

3. In a medium bowl, beat eggs with an electric mixer. Mix in milk, cream, sugar, salt and vanilla. Mix until sugar is dissolved. Sift in flour and mix until smooth. Let batter rest for about 10 minutes.

4. After the apples have cooled for an hour, pour the batter over the apples and pop the whole thing into the oven for 16 to 18 minutes or until the top begins to brown. Remove it from the oven, cool for one minute, and then use a spatula to loosen the pancake around the edges. Put a plate on top of the pan and invert the pan and plate together so that the pancake comes out upside down on the plate. Serve with an optional dusting of powdered sugar over the top.

3
large eggs
⅓
cup whole milk
⅓
cup heavy cream
2
tablespoons
granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
¼
teaspoon vanilla

½
cup oIl-purpose flour
1 tablespoon melted butter
(salted)

GARNISH

powdered sugar

SERVE WITH

lemon wedges
butter
maple syrup

1. Preheat oven to 475 degrees.

2. In a medium bowl, beat eggs with an electric mixer Mix in milk, cream, sugar, salt and vanilla. Mix until sugar is dissolved. Sift in flour and mix until smooth. Let batter rest for about 10 minutes.

3. Coat the bottom of a 9- or 10-inch oven-safe skillet (cast-iron is best) with melted butter Pour batter into the pan, and bake for 14 to 16 minutes or until golden brown on top and dark brown around the edges. Pancake will rise substantially while cooking. Remove the pancake from the oven and let it sit for about a minute. Loosen the pancake around the edge with a spatula, then slide it out of the pan onto a plate. Dust with powdered sugar, and serve with lemon wedges, butter and syrup on the side.

DOUGH

1 ¼ cups warm water
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
2¼
teaspoons
(I
pkg.) yeast
2 cups bread flour
1
¾
cups whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon cocoa
I teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter, softened
¼
cup honey
2 tablespoons molasses

COLORING

1
¼
teaspoons red food coloring
I teaspoon yellow food
colonng
I teaspoon blue food coloring
cornmeal for dusting

1. Mix sugar with warm water, then dissolve the yeast in the solution. In five minutes the solution will begin to foam as the yeast begins its gassy dance party.

2. While the yeast is waking up, mix the flours, cocoa, and salt in a large bowl. Mix butter into the dry mixture with your hands. Make an impression in the middle of the dry mixture. Add the honey and molasses into the well. Mix the food coloring with the yeast solution, then pour the solution into the well. Stir from the middle bringing the dry mixture into the wet stuff, slowly at first, then quickly as you incorporate all the ingredients. You will eventually have to use your hands to combine everything. Knead the dough for 10 minutes on a lightly floured surface, then roll the dough into a ball and place it into a covered bowl in a warm place for 1 to 1½ hours or until it has doubled in size.

3. When the dough has doubled, separate it into 6 even portions. Roll each dough portion into logs that are 6 inches long and 2 inches wide. Pour cornmeal onto your rolling surface. Moisten your hands then rub water onto each dough log and roll it in the cornmeal. Arrange the rolled dough on a baking sheet and cover it with plastic wrap. Set the dough in a warm spot to rise for another hour or so until the loaves have doubled in size.

4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Uncover the dough and bake it for 35 to 40 minutes in the hot oven. When the bread is done, take it out of the oven and let it cool for 10 to 15 minutes. Serve the bread with a sharp bread knife and butter on the side. If you want whipped butter, like you get at the restaurant, just use an electric mixer on high speed to whip some butter until it’s fluffy.