Chocolate Amaretti Cake

Posted on April 29, 2012 by Lattes and Leggings

This recipe is adapted from a chocolate amaretti cake recipe in the very first Giada cookbook. I’ve skimmed over it a hundred times, but never had the one ingredient the recipe calls for, amaretti cookies. Amaretti cookies are Italian almond flavored cookies that are light and airy and are the star ingredient in this cake. Just so happens I was in the baking aisle at Whole Foods and came across a bag of Lazzaroni Amaretti Cookies. Score!

Also this is the first time making a cake entirely in a food processor which is awesome considering I usually make a mess in the kitchen when it comes to baking. Did I mention the cake is flourless?

Chocolate Amaretti Cake
adapted from Everyday Italian

A cake full of almond flavor from the amaretti cookies. The top of the cake will crack as it bakes similar to brownies.

serves 6

Ingredients
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup sliced almonds
1 cup amaretti cookies
6 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
1/3 cup sugar
zest of 1 orange
4 large eggs, at room temperature
unsweetened cocoa powder, for sifting

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9-inch cake pan.

Place the chocolate chips in a small bowl. Microwave the chocolate in 20 second bursts for a total of 1 minute, stirring each time until the chocolate is melted. Set aside.

In a bowl of a food processor, add the almonds and cookies. Pulse until the almonds and cookies are finely ground. Transfer the cookie mixture to a bowl. Add the butter, sugar, and orange zest to the food processor. Process until creamy and smooth. Add the eggs 1 at a time, pulsing in between each addition. Add the cookie mixture and melted chocolate. Pulse until just blended.

Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the center puffs slightly and a toothpick inserted in the cake center comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool for 15 minutes. Transfer the cake to a serving plate. Sprinkle cocoa powder over the cake and serve.

Taste of Miami

Posted on April 28, 2012 by Lattes and Leggings

Miami holds a special place in my heart. The beach, sun, palm trees, lounging by the pool, cocktails, and of course stone crab. After moving from Florida to New York, we make a point to visit Miami at least once a year. Here are my favorite food spots.

Casa Tua

A romantic and Italian hidden gem. I remember the first time my husband and I came to Casa Tua. We were on our honeymoon. They were fully booked, and we didn’t have dinner reservations so we sat at the bar, drank and ate mini meatball sliders. Never made that mistake again, and now we’ve eaten dinner here on every anniversary so far. The ingredients are mostly organic and seasonal and stay true to simple, clean Italian flavors.

This past week we had the arugula and baby artichokes salad which was so simple, but so yummy with shaved parmesan. Great appetizer to share between two people. They do offer special appetizers that aren’t on the menu. The fried zucchini blossoms and white asparagus are divine when they are in season. My husband had the pappardelle lamb ragu this time, but prefers the tagliatelle with mixed mushroom and black truffle dish. The branzino with olives, tomatoes, artichokes, and asparagus is my favorite. It’s light and full of veggies. And of course you can’t leave without having the tiramisu. It’s a classic, and the tiramisu at Casa Tua is full of coffee flavor.

Michael’s Genuine

Michael’s Genuine is a farm to table restaurant that creates a menu around sustainable and local farm ingredients. My husband and I ate here for the first time last week and were super impressed. We started off by sharing the beet and heirloom tomato salad. This dish has inspired me to create my own version at home. I can’t get enough of it! The walnut vinaigrette brings all the flavors together. It was truly a tasty dish.

We also split the wood oven roasted whole local snapper with fennel and lemon. It was a 2 1/2 pounder! There is nothing like eating fresh caught fish. We also split a side of wood oven roasted cauliflower in parsley sauce. It was a perfect side to go with the fish. This restaurant is truly amazing! I wish we had saved room for dessert. Next time for sure!

Joe’s Stone Crab

I always save the best for last. After laying in the sun all week, stone crab and key lime pie tops it off. Joe’s Stone Crab is a legendary establishment in Miami beach. It’s been around since 1913, and there’s a reason why. The food is consistent and that oh my gosh can’t get enough of kind of food. We get the same thing every time. Stone crab, killer king crab, and sweet potato fries. Oh and of course their famous key lime pie for dessert. Always leave full and happy! This time around, designer Michael Kors just so happened to be dining there too. I had no clue until he turned around as we were all leaving the restaurant at the the same time. That was pretty cool.

Other favorites:
Dolce Vita for coffee and gelato. The pistachio and hazelnut gelato are super yummy.
Ola for a Latin American dinner. The fried oysters and crispy rock shrimp are standout appetizers.

Spicy Brussel Sprouts

Posted on April 26, 2012 by Lattes and Leggings

Brussel sprouts tend to have a bad rep. How many times have you heard your mom say growing up “eat your brussel sprouts”. I tried them for the first time about 3 years ago at a restaurant called Blue Hill here in Manhattan. They were roasted and served with pistachios for added crunch and texture. I fell in love. Brussel sprouts then became my new favorite vegetable. This recipe is simple and trust me, no complaints from dinner guests. Salty and spicy is a great combo. It may become your new favorite as well.

You can reduce the prep time by using garlic salt instead of garlic cloves. Just make sure to omit regular salt.

Salt is key to cooking brussel sprouts. It enhances the flavor and takes away the bitterness that people so often find a turn off from eating brussel sprouts.

Please note some photos were updated 11/27/12 to accurately reflect the dish. The old photos weren’t so hot.

Spicy Brussel Sprouts

serves 4

Ingredients
1 pound brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
kosher salt

Directions
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the brussels sprouts and cook for about 2 minutes until bright green. Drain well.

Using the same pot, add the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic, brussels sprouts, red pepper flakes. Season well with salt to taste. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until the brussels sprouts are browned and tender. Transfer to a serving bowl.