Category: Recipes

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 Crayfish in Polish Culinary Heritage 

For centuries, crayfish have held a special place in Polish cuisine. Once a humble food for peasants, by the 17th century they reached aristocratic tables, influenced by German and French traditions. 

In classic Polish cooking, crayfish were true delicacies – featured in soups, aspics, sauces, pierogi fillings, and the famous crayfish butter, used as a base for the famous cardinal sauce. 

By the 19th century, Poland was among Europe’s leading exporters of crayfish, highly valued in France and Germany. Yet this tradition declined with the crayfish plague and water pollution, which nearly wiped-out native species. 

Today, thanks to sustainable farming and a revival of heritage cuisine, crayfish are slowly returning to Polish tables, especially in regions like Pomerania and Greater Poland. Celebrating crayfish means reviving not only a forgotten taste but also the artistry of cooks who once transformed them into dishes of elegance and prestige. 

The below recipe comes from a rare 1934 cookbook – now a true collector’s treasure. This unique edition has been lovingly passed down through generations by a member of the Rural Women’s Association “Wygodni Zakociacy” from Zakocie, Masovia region. Thanks to this legacy, they can preserve and celebrate some of the finest traditional recipes from Poland. 

Polish Crayfish with Dill and Wine – Recipe

Adapted by JOANNA OCHNIAK & RURAL WOMEN’S ASSOCIATION “WYGODNI ZAKOCIACY” MARSOVIA 

Yields 6-8 portions

*60 crayfish, depending on size, are usually enough for a celebratory table

Preparation time: ~30 minutes (cleaning crayfish) + 20 minutes (cooking) = ~50 minutes total 

Ingredients

• up to 60 crayfish (various sizes may be used)
• 50 g butter
• ½ liter sour cream
• ¼ liter white wine
• a generous handful of fresh dill
• salt, to taste

Instructions

1. Clean the crayfish thoroughly with a brush and rinse them several times until the water runs clear. Once cleaned, scald them in salted boiling water, then cook under a lid.
2. In a saucepan, melt the butter, add the crayfish, pour in the sour cream and wine, and sprinkle with a generous handful of finely chopped fresh dill. Season with salt to taste.
3. Simmer gently for no longer than 20 minutes – prolonged cooking will cause the crayfish to dry out and lose their delicate flavor.

Polish Crayfish Butter – Recipe

Crayfish butter was one of the most prized foundations of classic Polish cuisine. Made by gently infusing butter with the flavor of crayfish shells and claws, it created a deep, luxurious aroma that enhanced many traditional dishes. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, crayfish butter was considered indispensable for crayfish soups, sauces, and festive dishes. 

Yields ~250 g of flavored butter (enough for 6–8 uses in soups, sauces, or spreads) 

Ingredients: 

• shells and claws from approx. 30 crayfish 
• 300 g butter 
• 2 fresh bay leaves (optional) 

Instructions:

1. Dry the crayfish shells and crush them in a mortar.
2. In a saucepan, melt the butter and add the crushed shells together with the bay leaves.
3. Simmer very gently over low heat for 10–15 minutes, stirring constantly to release the aroma.
4. Strain through a fine sieve lined with cloth or paper.
5. Pour into jars, cool, and refrigerate. 

Use: Crayfish butter was traditionally added to soups and sauces, or used to enrich festive dishes with a delicate yet distinctive flavor. 

Polish Cardinal Sauce – Recipe

The so-called “Cardinal Sauce” was one of the most refined ways to serve crayfish in Poland. Enriched with crayfish butter and cream, it combined elegance with the unmistakable aroma of crayfish meat. This sauce was a hallmark of banquets and festive meals, elevating fish and seafood dishes to true delicacies. 

Yields ~6 portions (as a sauce accompanying a main dish) 

Ingredients: 

• 1 cup mayonnaise 
• 4 tbsp cream 
• ¼ liter dry white wine 
• 100 g crayfish tails 
• 2 tbsp crayfish butter 
• fresh dill, finely chopped 
• salt, pepper, and lemon juice to taste 

Instructions:

1. Combine the mayonnaise with melted crayfish butter.
2. Stir in the cream, wine, chopped crayfish tails, and fresh dill.
3. Season carefully with salt, pepper, and lemon juice.
4. Serve slightly chilled or at room temperature. 

Use: Traditionally served with crayfish, fish, or other seafood, this sauce added a note of prestige and richness to celebratory tables. 

Bon appétit – or as we say in Poland, Smacznego! 

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This blend is packed with flavors that will enhance every dish you add it to. Store your homemade Creole seasoning in an airtight jar in a dark, cool place. It will keep for several months but I like to use it within a couple of months for optimal flavor.

Creole Seasoning – Recipe

Adapted by JOHN COLETTA

Ingredients

• 30g. Paprika; Sweet
• 30g. Paprika; Smoked
• 40g. Salt; Sea; Fine Grind
• 40g. Garlic; Powder
• 15g. Onion; Powder
• 8g. Oregano; Leaves Only; Dried
• 6g. Thyme; Leaves Only; Dried
• 6g. Basil; Leaves Only; Dried
• 6g. Rosemary; Needles; Dried
• 3g. Bay Leaves; Dried
• 12g. Pepper; Black; Tellicherry
• 4g. Pepper; Cayenne

Instructions

1. Place all ingredients into a coffee grinder.
2. Pulse or blend until a smooth powder is formed.
3. Place into a nonreactive storage container, cover, date, label and store in a cool, dry place for up to 30-days.

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“TORTELLI DI ZUCCA AL BURRO E SALVIA”

Filled pasta is one of the finest expressions of Italy’s traditional culinary identity—a perfect blend of quality ingredients, artisanal technique, and regional culture. From south to north, every region offers different doughs, shapes, fillings, and pairings.

Below is a traditional recipe for *pumpkin tortelli with butter and sage*, typical of the Emilia-Romagna region. It’s a simple dish both in ingredients and preparation, balancing the sweetness of the pumpkin, the savoriness of the cheese, and the delicate aroma of butter infused with sage. You can also add crushed *amaretti* cookies or fruit *mostarda* to the filling for a more distinctive flavor.

Pumpkin Tortelli with Butter and Sage – Recipe

Adapted by Gianluca Tomasi

Yields 10 servings

Ingredients

Fresh pasta:

• 500 g flour (type “00”)
• 5 eggs
• Method:
  • Mix the flour and eggs until you obtain a smooth, elastic dough. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for at least 30 minutes.

Filling:

• 800 g Mantuan pumpkin pulp
• 200 g grated Parmesan cheese
• 50 g chopped onion
• Nutmeg, salt, olive oil
• Method:
  • Cut the pumpkin into small pieces and bake at 160°C (320°F) for 30 minutes. Then transfer it to a saucepan with a little olive oil and the gently sautéed onion. Add salt and nutmeg, then mash or strain the mixture. Let it cool and mix in the grated Parmesan.

Sauce:

• 200 g butter
• 10 g fresh sage leaves
• 150 g grated Parmesan cheese
• Method:
  • Roll out the dough into thin sheets, place small amounts of filling spaced evenly, cover with another sheet of pasta, seal well, and shape into tortelli. Melt the butter in a non-stick pan, add chopped sage, and toss the cooked tortelli briefly in the butter. Finish with a generous sprinkle of grated Parmesan.

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Kimchi is a quintessential element of Korean cuisine, widely recognized and respected for its deep flavors, vibrant colors, and health benefits. The most iconic variety is Baechu Kimchi (Napa cabbage kimchi). It is a fermented vegetable dish, generally spicy and tangy, enjoyed by Koreans for centuries and now celebrated globally.

Kimchi offers probiotics, vitamins, and antioxidants, contributing to digestive and overall health. Kimchi is served as a banchan (side dish) with nearly every Korean meal. It can also be used in stews, pancakes, fried rice, and more.

Cultural Significance

Kimchi is not just food—it symbolizes Korean tradition and community. Before winter, families gather for Kimjang, the communal process of making kimchi. This event is listed by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Traditional Korean napa cabbage kimchi is a symbol of Korean heritage, nutrition, and communal spirit. Making kimchi at home is a rewarding experience, introducing you to the flavors and culture of Korea.

Korean Traditional Napa Cabbage Kimchi – Recipe

Adapted by JAKE KIM

Instructions

1. Prepare the ingredients.
2. Salting the Cabbage
   • Cut the cabbages into quarters lengthwise and remove the tough core.
   • In a large basin, dissolve sea salt into enough water to cover cabbage.
   • Dip cabbage pieces in the saltwater, then layer them in a large bowl, sprinkling more salt between leaves.
   • Let it sit for 2–3 hours, flipping every 30 minutes.
   • Rinse salted cabbage 2–3 times with fresh water and drain in a colander.
3. Prepare the Filling
   • Julienne the Korean radish and chop green onions.
   • In a large bowl, mix radish, green onions, minced garlic, ginger, gochugaru, fish sauce (or salted shrimp), and sugar.
4. Mixing and Stuffing
   • Wearing disposable gloves, spread the seasoning mixture. between each leaf of the drained cabbage quarters. Ensure the mixture is evenly distributed.
5. Fermentation
   • Fold each seasoned cabbage quarter and pack tightly into a clean glass or plastic container.
   • Leave at room temperature for 1–2 days to jump-start fermentation (depending on the season/room temperature), then refrigerate.
   • Kimchi tastes best after 1–2 weeks in the fridge but can be eaten fresh or aged to preference.

Tips

• Use Korean coarse red chili flakes (gochugaru) for authentic taste and color.
• Adjust the amount of chili flakes and fish sauce to personal preference.
• Traditional recipes often incorporate salted fermented seafood for rich umami, but vegetarian/vegan alternatives are possible.

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New Orleans, a city renowned for its rich history, vibrant culture, and delectable Creole cuisine, has long been a melting pot of flavors and traditions. Among the city’s many culinary claims to fame, one dessert stands out as a quintessential New Orleans treat: bread pudding.

Bread pudding, a dessert made from stale bread, sugar, eggs, and spices, has its roots in medieval Europe. The dish was originally created as a way to repurpose stale bread, which was a common problem in households before the advent of modern bread preservation techniques. Over time, bread pudding spread throughout Europe and eventually made its way to the Americas, where it was adapted and modified by various cultures.

In New Orleans, bread pudding became a staple dessert in the 18th and 19th centuries, particularly among the city’s Creole population. The Creoles, who were descended from French, Spanish, African, and Native American ancestors, brought their own unique culinary traditions to the city, including a fondness for bread pudding. New Orleans’ bread pudding was distinct from its European counterparts, featuring a blend of French, Spanish, and African influences that reflected the city’s cultural melting pot.

French and Spanish cuisine played a significant role in shaping New Orleans’ bread pudding tradition. The French, who founded the city in 1718, introduced their own bread pudding recipes, which featured ingredients like baguette, butter, and eggs. The Spanish, who controlled the city from 1762 to 1800, added their own twist to the dish, incorporating ingredients like citrus and spices.

The resulting bread pudding was a unique blend of French and Spanish flavors, with a dense, moist texture and a rich, caramelized crust. This style of bread pudding became a hallmark of New Orleans’ Creole cuisine, and its popularity endures to this day.

Over time, bread pudding in New Orleans has undergone significant changes, reflecting the city’s evolving cultural and culinary landscape. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, bread pudding was a staple dessert in many New Orleans restaurants, particularly those serving Creole cuisine.

However, with the rise of modern desserts like cakes, pies, and ice cream, bread pudding’s popularity began to wane. By the mid-20th century, bread pudding had become a relic of the past, relegated to the menus of a few traditional Creole restaurants.

In the 1980s and 1990s, a culinary renaissance swept through New Orleans, as chefs and restaurateurs sought to revive the city’s traditional Creole cuisine. Bread pudding, with its rich history and cultural significance, was at the forefront of this revival. Chefs like Paul Prudhomme and Emeril Lagasse popularized bread pudding through their cookbooks and television shows, introducing the dessert to a new generation of foodies. At the same time, restaurants like Dooky Chase’s Restaurant and Cafe Maspero began serving innovative bread pudding dishes, featuring ingredients like bourbon, pecans, and chocolate.

New Orleans-style bread pudding is distinct from other versions of the dish due to its use of French bread and a blend of spices and ingredients that reflect the city’s cultural heritage. The bread pudding is often made with a combination of white and brown sugar, which gives it a rich, caramel-like flavor. Additionally, the use of eggs, butter, and cream adds moisture and a velvety texture to the dish.

Another key ingredient in New Orleans-style bread pudding is the use of bourbon or other types of liquor, which adds a depth of flavor and a slightly boozy kick. Some recipes also include nuts, dried fruit, or other mix-ins, which add texture and flavor to the dish. Overall, the combination of ingredients and spices in New Orleans-style bread pudding makes it a truly unique and delicious dessert.

Bread Pudding – Recipe

Adapted by John Coletta

Yields 8 servings

Ingredients

• 30g. Butter; Unsalted; Room Temperature; Soft
• 350g. 2-day old French bread; Cubed
• 500ml. Heavy Cream; 40% Butter Fat  
• 1ltr. Milk; Whole; Pasteurized or Raw
• 6 Eggs; Extra large
• 400g. Sugar; Brown; Granulated
• 20ml. Vanilla Extract
• 8g. Cinnamon; Powder; Vietnamese
• 6g. Nutmeg; Fine Grind
• 2g. Salt; Sea; Fine Grind
• 50g. Raisins; Dark
• 50g. Raisins; Yellow

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 175-Degrees C
2. Gather a 20 x 33 centimeter baking pan. Utilizing a pastry brush, liberally spread the baking pan with the butter.
3. Place the bread cubes in a large non-reactive bowl.
4. In another non-reactive bowl add the cream, milk, eggs, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and raisins. Stir to combine and then pour over the bread cubes. Allow to sit at room temperature for 60-minutes.
5. Transfer the mixture to the butter prepared pan and bake until the center of the pudding is set, 50 to 60 minutes.

Rum or Bourbon Sauce

Ingredients

• 500ml. Heavy Cream; 40% Butter Fat
• 250ml. Milk; Whole; Pasteurized or Raw
• 100g. Sugar; Granulated
• 30g. Cornstarch
• 100ml. Rum or Bourbon
• 2g. Salt; Sea; Fine Grind  
• 30g. Butter; Unsalted
• 100ml. Rum or Bourbon
• 60g. Sugar; Confectioner’s
• 8 Vanilla Ice Cream; Scoops
• 80g. Pecans; Toasted

Instructions

1. Place a heavy bottom 2-liter saucepan over a low heat. Add the heavy cream, milk, and sugar.
2. Place the cornstarch and rum or bourbon in a small bowl and whisk into a slurry.
3. Pour the slurry into the cream sauce and bring to a boil. Once the sauce boils, reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and cook, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes.
4. Remove the sauce from heat. Stir in the salt, butter, and remaining rum.
5. Strain thru a fine mesh strainer and transfer to an appropriate serving vessel.
6. Divide the cooked bread pudding into 8-equal serving portions and transfer onto an appropriate serving vessel. Dust liberally with the confectioner’s sugar, a scoop of vanilla ice cream, toasted pecans and serve with the Rum or Bourbon Sauce.

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Jalebi is a North Indian recipe, popular across India. It is best accompanied by rabri, warm milk and saffron syrup.

Jalebi – Recipe

Adapted by Nimish Bhatia

Yields 4 servings

Ingredients

For the Batter:

• All-purpose flour 250 g
• Baking powder 3g
• Lukewarm water 200 ml
• Yogurt 30g
• Sugar 8 g

For the Sugar Syrup:

• Sugar 300g
• Water 250 mlm
• Lemon juice 3ml
• Saffron 20-25 strands
• Cardamom powder 3g
• Rose water 10ml

For Frying:

• 500 ml ghee or vegetable oil

Instructions

1. Preparation of Batter:
   • In a bowl, mix all-purpose flour, baking powder, sugar, and yogurt.
   • Add lukewarm water gradually, stirring to form a thick, smooth batter.
   • Cover and let the batter ferment for 8 hours in a warm place.
2. Preparation of Sugar Syrup:
   • In a saucepan, combine sugar and water. Heat until sugar dissolves completely and it simmers on a slow heat.
   • Add lemon juice to clary the syrup and then add saffron strands, cardamom powder, and rose water.
   • Simmer until it reaches one-string consistency (a drop between fingers forms a single thread). Stir well and keep warm.
3. Frying and Assembling Jalebis:
   • Heat ghee/oil in a flat pan over medium-low heat.
   • Pour the batter into a Jalebi bag or a squeeze bottle.
   • Pipe spiral shapes directly into the hot oil.
   • Fry until golden and crisp. Drain excess oil. Immediately dip jalebis into warm sugar syrup for 30 seconds.
   • Remove and serve hot.

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Aseeda Bobbar is a traditional Emirati dessert made with saffron and cardamom.

Aseeda Bobbar – Recipe

Adapted by Atim Suyatim

Ingredients

• Pumpkin, clean and seedless Pumpkin, clean and seedless 1000 grams
• Flour No. 2, roasted Flour No. 2, roasted 500 grams
• Sugar Sugar 500 grams
• Saffron Saffron 5 grams
• Cardamom Cardamom 5 grams
• Oil Oil 20 grams
• Rose water Rose water 20 grams
• Ghee Ghee 50 grams
• Water Water 500 grams

Instructions

1. Peel the pumpkin, cut into cubes and boil it until cooked and then strain the water.
2. Add hot water to the mashed pumpkin then add saffron, caradamom, and ghee.
3. Dissolve the flour in the water and add it to the mixture.
4. Add rosewater to the mixture, then pour it in the bowl.
5. Add some ghee on top.

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Avocado Toast didn’t just pop up out of nowhere. Its origin story began long before it was an Instagram sensation and the “downfall” of millennial budgets across the nation. There are several legends about how toast smeared with avocado came about. It turns out its roots reach further than you might imagine.

The person who claims he put avocado toast on menus across the world is Bill Granger of bills restaurant in Sydney, Australia. Granger says he has no doubt that Australian cafe culture is what brought this breakfast into the spotlight. His version of avocado, lime, salt, and olive oil on toast was on the menu as early as 1993.

However, Chef Chloe Osborne of NYC’s Cafe Gitane says that she snacked on avocado toast in Australia during the 1970s, eventually bringing the tradition with her to the USA. She later added avocado toast to her Manhattan restaurant’s menu, with the earliest recorded appearance in 2006, though she claims they served it up before then. Her avocado toast really helped the trend spread across America. The Kitchen posted a copycat recipe in 2008, and since then, it’s spread and evolved across the country, with an avocado toast recipe in Gwyneth Paltrow‘s It’s All Good being hailed as another turning point for the humble breakfast item.

Avocado Toast in California

Avocados grow abundantly in Mexico, so it makes sense that they would have made their way to California. A New Yorker article describes a diner enjoying an avocado sandwich on whole wheat at Best Drug Stores, Inc. in Los Angeles in 1937. Even earlier, in 1931, the LA Times wrote about women enjoying avocado on toast with their coffee, hot or iced, after long days of shopping.

Outside of Los Angeles, it seems like the meal wasn’t unheard of, either. In a 1920 article for the Covina Argus, there’s a recipe for avocado on toast. More notably, The San Francisco Chronicle ran an article in 1927 suggesting that one should “Mash the flesh of the avocado and spread thickly on toast or between thin slices of bread.”

According to Rico Torres, co-chef of Mixtli in San Antonio, Texas, records of humans eating avocado date back 10,000 years ago in Puebla, Mexico, where avocados, indigenous to Mexico, were domesticated there before spreading to Central and South America. Torres says that avocado on a toasted tortilla likely preceded avocado on toasted bread.

Bread arrived in Mexico in the 1500s, along with Spanish colonizers, so it wouldn’t be too surprising if they put two and two together then. Chileans and Peruvians have a tradition of eating smashed avocado on bread, too. The dish is called pan con palta, and it’s so common it’s almost laughable to think of it as a trendy food. In Chile, fresh bread called marraqueta is smeared with mashed avocado and served for breakfast, as a snack, or with tea, a culinary tradition likely dating to the late 1800s.

A Perfect Pair

Looking at the evolution of avocado toast, it seems like one thing is true. Once avocado and bread are in the same place at the same time, it becomes obvious they were meant to be together. It’s thanks to Instagram and social media buzz that the combo has become so popular today. Truth is, this snack’s at least a century old and likely many more. obvious they were meant to be together. It’s thanks to Instagram and social media buzz that the combo has become so popular today. Truth is, this snack’s at least a century old and likely many more.

California Avocado Toast – Recipe

Adapted by John Coletta

Yields 4 servings

Ingredients

• 1 250g. Avocado; Ripe; Peeled; Halved; Pitted
• 20g. Shallots; Peeled; Finely Minced
• 5g. Mint; Fresh; Leaves Only; Fine Chopped
• 5g. Parsley; Italian Flat Leaf; Leaves Only; Fine Chopped
• 10ml. Oil; Avocado
• 10g. Salt; Sea; Fine Grind
• 2g. Pepper; Black; Tellicherry; Coarse Grind
• 4 Slices Bread; Whole Grain or Whole Wheat; 1.25 Centimeters Thick
• 1 Garlic; Fresh; Clove; Peeled; Cut in Half
• 30ml. Oil; Olive; Extra Virgin
• 5g. Parsley; Italian Flat Leaf; Leaves Only
• 5g. Radishes; French Breakfast; Shaved lengthwise; Paper Thin
• 1 Lemon; Fresh; Grated on a Microplane
• 5g. Salt; Sea; Flaky; Maldon
• 2g. Pepper; Black; Tellicherry; Coarse Grind
• 2g. Pepper; Red; Crushed

Instructions

1. Mash the avocado with a stainless steel fork in a shallow bowl until chunky. Add the shallots, mint, and parsley and slowly drizzle the avocado oil. Mix until unified. Season with fine salt and black pepper.
2. Toast the bread until browned and crisp. Lightly rub 1 side of each slice with the cut side of the garlic until fragrant; reserve the garlic for future usage. Lightly brush the toasts with oil, and season with fine salt and pepper.
3. Divide the fork mashed avocado mixture evenly among the toasts, and top with Italian Parsley leaves and Shaved French Breakfast radishes. Evenly distribute the grated lemon rind, and season with flaky sea salt, black pepper and red pepper flakes.
4. Arrange onto an appropriate serving vessel and serve immediately.

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Traditional dolma is made with meat, rice, and a mixture of herbs rolled into grape leaves. There is also a variety of dolma made with a filling of nuts. Its name comes from the verb ‘doldurmaq’, meaning ‘to stuff’ in Azerbaijani. The ingredients vary from region to region and depending on the time of year. For example, in summertime, stuffed aubergines or tomatoes are also considered dolma dishes.

Grape Leaves Dolma – Recipe

Adapted by Orxan MUXTAROV

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground lamb or beef (or a combination)
• 1 medium onion, passed through a meat grinder or grated
• ½ cup medium-grain white rice, thoroughly rinsed (do not use long grain rice, such as Basmati!)
• ½ cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
• ½ cup finely chopped fresh dill
• ½ cup finely chopped fresh mint
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• About 100 small-size or 50 medium-size fresh grape leaves (or frozen grape leaves, or canned leaves (about ¾ of a 16-ounce can)
• 3 tablespoons clarified butter (ghee) or unsalted butter (add more if meat is lean), or olive oil
• Plain Yogurt or Garlicky yogurt sauce, to serve (recipe follows)

Instructions

1. First, prepare the stuffing. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the ingredients for the stuffing (add less salt if using briny canned leaves). Mix with your hand until well combined.
2. If using fresh grape leaves, boil slightly salted water in a medium saucepan and blanch the leaves in small batches (about 10 at a time) in the boiling water for about a minute (less if the leaves are very tender). This will soften the leaves and make them easier to roll and faster to cook. Remove the leaves from the pan using a slotted spoon and drain in a colander. Cut off the stems.
3. If using canned leaves, put batches of them in a colander, rinse well under cold water to remove the salt, and drain. If the canned leaves feel too thick, blanch them in boiling water for about a minute, then drain. Otherwise, do not blanch. Cut off the stems.
4. Have a medium saucepan ready. If using medium-size mature leaves, cut them in half. Small, young leaves can remain whole.
5. If there are any torn or damaged leaves, do not discard—use them to patch holes in other leaves as needed. Also, arrange some of the damaged leaves flat on the bottom of the saucepan. If you don’t have damaged leaves, line the bottom of the saucepan with unused whole leaves to cover.
6. Now stuff the grape leaves. Hold a leaf (or half, if cut) shiny side down on the palm of your hand. Place about 1 heaping teaspoon of the filling at the stem end of the leaf. Fold the top down, then the sides over the filling and roll up tightly to shape it into a 1-inch round bundle. Arrange the stuffed leaves, seam side down, on the bottom of the pan. Continue until all the leaves and filling are used, arranging the stuffed bundles snugly together in the pan, making several layers.
7. Dot the top with butter and pour in water to cover the dolma halfway. Place a small lid or a small ovenproof plate on top of the stuffed leaves to keep them tight and to prevent them from opening. Cover and bring to a boil.
8. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for about 1 hour 30 minutes, or until the leaves are tender, the filling is cooked, and there is little liquid left (if the liquid is completely absorbed at some point during cooking, add more water and continue to simmer).
9. Serve immediately with bread and plain yogurt or garlicky yogurt sauce to spoon onto the dolma to taste.
10. Garlicky Yogurt Sauce: To make garlicky yogurt sauce, in a bowl, combine 1 cup or more plain yogurt with 2-4 cloves garlic, crushed with a garlic press.

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The History of Baked Alaska

On March 30, 1867, for a mere $7.2 million — about two cents per acre — the U.S. bought land from Russia that would eventually make Alaska its 49^th state, gaining a delicious fringe benefit in the process: Baked Alaska.

No, this igloo-shaped dessert — cake and ice cream shrouded in toasted meringue — didn’t come from the icy north, but its name was inspired by the land deal. In fact, the treat’s true roots date back to the turn of the 18th century, when American-born scientist Sir Benjamin Thompson (aka Count Rumford, a title he gained for his loyalty to the crown during the American Revolution) — whose inventions included a kitchen range and a double boiler — made a discovery about egg whites.

Rumford realized that the air bubbles inside whipped egg whites made meringue a great insulator. “That’s really why the Baked Alaska works,” says Libby “O’Connell, the History Channel’s chief historian and author of The American Plate.”The meringue insulates the ice cream from heat.”

By the 1830s, this culinary revelation had inspired French chefs to create a dessert called the “Omelette Norwegge.” This predecessor of Baked Alaska consisted of layers of cake and ice cream covered in meringue, then broiled. The French named this elaborate treat in reference to its own frigid territory to the north — Norway.

So how did the “Omelette Norwegge” become embroiled with the Alaska purchase?

Charles Ranhofer, an expat Parisian pastry chef at the legendary Delmonico’s restaurant in New York City, was renowned for dishes doubling as cultural commentary — Peach Pudding à la [President Grover] Cleveland or Sarah Potatoes after actress Sarah Bernhardt, for example. In 1867, Ranhofer made a quip through his pastry that the world would never forget.

Secretary of State William’s Seward’s acquisition of a faraway tundra drew no shortage of criticism and ridicule. Ranhofer, who likely encountered the “Omelette Norwegge” in his French training, jumped on the bandwagon with a dessert he dubbed “Alaska, Florida” — a reference to the temperature contrast between ice cream and toasted meringue.

The original version consisted of banana ice cream, walnut spice cake and meringue torched to a golden brown. While making Baked Alaska today is much easier because of modern conveniences such as electric mixers and blowtorches, it was once an incredibly opulent dish, requiring a full kitchen staff and a significant amount of time. And it was also alluring, because it contained expensive bananas from Central America.

O’Connell says, “It’s one of the best exemplars of the Gilded Age in American history.” The price tag reflected its grandeur — the cost of the dessert then would equal about $40 today. And Delmonico’s, established in 1837 and still in business today, was a who’s who of the dining scene, drawing personalities like the Rockefellers and Charles Dickens.

According to Billy Oliva, Delmonico’s current executive chef, the dessert’s name was coined in the 1880s when English journalist George Sala visited the restaurant and remarked: “The ‘Alaska’ is a baked ice … the nucleus or core of the entremets is an ice cream … surrounded by an envelope of carefully whipped cream, which, just before the dainty dish is served, is popped into the oven or brought under the scorching influence of a red hot salamander.”

Michael Krondl, an associate editor of the Oxford Companion to Sugarand Sweets, tells a slightly different tale. He says the French “Omelette Norwegge” didn’t appear until the 1890s, and evidence for Ranhofer’s debut of the “Alaska, Florida” is too slim to credit him with its creation.

According to Krondl, the journalist who visited Delmonico’s was Charles Augustus Sala — though records account for just one English journalist in this era with the surname Sala: George Augustus Henry Sala which is in line with Delmonico’s story. “Charles Augustus Sala described eating an ‘Alaska’ at Delmonico’s with more enthusiasm than accuracy,” states the Oxford Companion to Sugar and Sweets, “He mistook the meringue for whipped cream.”

Conflicting accounts aside, Ranhofer definitely featured the dessert under the name “Alaska, Florida” in his 1894 cookbook, The Epicurean. And today, Delmonico’s continues to serve it at a much more reasonable price — $13 — and in more or less the same fashion as the original: walnut sponge cake layered with apricot compote and banana gelato, covered with torched meringue.

Baked Alaska – Recipe

Adapted by John Coletta

Yields 12 servings

Ingredients

• nonstick cooking spray
• 80g sugar, granulated
• 3 large egg yolks
• 5 ml vanilla, pure extract
• 84 g chocolate, bittersweet, melted, tempered
• 3 large egg whites, room temp
• 3 g salt, sea, fine grind pinch
• 2750 ml ice cream, chocolate
• 1750 ml ice cream, vanilla
• 600 ml ice cream, strawberry
• swiss meringue
• kitchen blowtorch

Instructions

1. Line a 22 centimeter round cake pan with parchment paper, and spray with cooking spray.
2. Combine 40g sugar and the egg yolks in bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment; whisk on medium speed until pale yellow and thick, about 15 minutes. Add vanilla, and fold in melted chocolate just to combine.
3. Combine egg white and a pinch of salt in bowl of electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment; whip on medium speed until frothy. Add remaining 40g sugar; beat until stiff. Fold egg whites into the chocolate mixture.
4. Carefully pour batter into prepared cake pan. Bake until cake is set and top is dull, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack.
5. Spray a 3-liter bowl with a 22 centimeter diameter with cooking spray; line with plastic wrap. Pack base of bowl and up the sides with chocolate ice cream; cover with plastic and press with your hands to make an even, smooth layer. Transfer to freezer and freeze until firm, about 2 hours.
6. Remove plastic wrap and form a layer of vanilla ice cream on top of the chocolate; cover with plastic wrap and press with your hands to make an even, smooth layer. Transfer to freezer and freeze until firm, about 2 hours.
7. Remove plastic wrap and form a layer of strawberry ice cream on top of vanilla, leaving a small well in the center of the coffee layer. Transfer to freezer and freeze until firm, at least 2 hours and up to overnight.
8. Place cake on a parchment-paper-lined baking sheet. Remove ice cream from freezer and remove plastic wrap; invert bowl over cake. Keep ice cream covered with plastic wrap, and return ice cream cake to freezer.
9. Fill a pastry bag, fitted with a large star tip, with meringue; pipe onto ice cream in a decorative fashion, or spoon meringue over ice cream and swirl with a rubber spatula. If ice cream starts to soften, return cake to freezer for 15 minutes.
10. Using a kitchen torch, heat meringue until it just starts to brown, transfer to an appropriate serving platter, and serve immediately

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