Chef Mik's Semlor

About Semlor: Originally these little cream filled buns hark back to the days before Sweden embraced the Lutheran church and were eaten on fat Tuesday with warm milk, though now a days Swedes tend to devour them whenever they can, many of them making themselves sick overdosing on their shire decadence, in fact its said the late King Adolf Fredrik ate so many he croaked!

FoodPerfected must bake truck loads of semlor every year to satisfy the Swedish masses here in Los Angeles, last year we baked one for SWEA that was over 4LB’s and had ½ gallon whipped cream in it!! At work we make our semlor completely from scratch, including the almond paste! We use the highest quality cardamom available and use real Madagascar vanilla in our whipped cream. At home one has a bit more freedom and can be a bit more flexible and on that note here are some helpful baking tips and pointers I hope will help you with your finished product. I am using a combination of pastry flour which ranges from about 9% to 11% protein, and all purpose which ranges somewhere between 11 to 13%, if the protein is two high the dough will be very bread like in consistency. Here I am using baking powder, however traditionally in Sweden when baking; Swede’s typically use something known as "hjorthornssalt" which loosely translates to “baker’s ammonia”, though hardly used anymore today as baking powder has become so readily available. To help prevent sticking be sure to cover the cookie tray covered with greased parchment paper, also be sure not to over crowd or the buns will stick together. Another thing to be mindful of is not to over proof the dough or the end result will not live up to expectations. To that end some signs to look out for are if the dough appears wrinkled, looks some what collapsed they are over proofed. One way to check if the buns have proofed and prevent over proofing tap them they should feel tight and bounce back quickly, if they do so they are ready to go into the oven. I like to brush my buns with a little egg wash, although it is not mandatory as they will be covered in powdered sugar, the reason I do so is I just feel it helps with the browning process. Another thing I like to do is when I prepare my almond paste I like to incorporate the filling from the buns I have hollowed again not mandatory.

Shopping List

Unsalted butter

Heavy cream

Whole milk

Eggs

Yeast

Sugar

Confectioner’s sugar

Blanched almonds

Almond extract

Pastry flour

All purpose flour

Baking powder

Vanilla stick, purée, or extract

Cardamom

Salt

My Mad Method 

Ready to eat!!

Using a dough hook start by mixing together 2 dl melted butter, 3 dl warm whole milk, 2 eggs and 2 TBSP instant yeast

Sift together 1.2 L pastry and all purpose flour, 2 dl sugar, a pinch of salt, 4 tsp baking powder and 1 tsp cardamom; add to the mixer in batches

If you have incorporated all your flour and it is still sticking to the bowl add more flour a very little at a time until it has completely released itself

The dough is finished and ready for action!

Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl, cover with a cloth, and store in warm place for about a half an hour

When the dough has raised and almost doubled in size as it has here it will be ready for the next step, at which point flatten out, divide in two

Weigh out 150g pieces, form into balls, place on sheet pans, proof (allow rising time) for 30 minutes until they have nearly doubled in size

When the buns have proofed, place them in a 200c preheated oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes

The buns are ready when browned and if taped should feel hollow’ish, cool on a wire rack, slice off the lid, set aside but do not discard. Hollow out the bun.

Prepare the almond paste; 100g blanched almonds, 100g confectioners sugar, 1-2 TBSP each almond extract, and egg white,1 tsp water puree until smooth

Whip heavy cream to stiff peaks adding confectioners (powdered) sugar and vanilla when almost finished

Place 1 TBSP almond paste in each bun fill with whipped cream return the lid and sprinkle the top with some confectioners sugar. SEMLOR!!

Chef Mik's Take on Moussaka

Moussaka is basically a casserole one might think of as the Greek answer to Lasagna, made with egg plant, potatoes, and meat usually in some form of tomato sauce, topped with Sauce Béchamel. Its name comes from the Greek Chef Nicholas Tselementes the father of the modern Greek kitchen, and I can tell you from personal experience his influence can be felt through out the land (and islands of course). My first time in Greece now well over 20 years ago, nearly every day for 2 weeks straight at some point I had Moussaka. Typically seasoned with cinnamon and all spice, and everything nice, sometimes beef sometimes lamb, always a treat. I have been preparing Moussaka for years even worked in a Greek restaurant back in Europe for a time and make the dish several ways including a Yugoslavian version along with a few modifications of my own. For today’s incantation I will be using lamb, I have also decided on forsaking cinnamon and all spice and taking a different route this time round using fresh herbs which blend well with lamb. I will also use grilled Japanese eggplant, oven roasted fingerling potatoes and will substitute sauce Mornay instead of the classic Béchamel Tselementes made so popular in his home land. I like to make moussaka whenever I have left over cooked egg plant, potatoes and ground lamb on hand as opposed to prepping everything a la minute. As for special touches and/or other extras one thing that is not so typical in this dish but makes a great addition is pine nuts for anyone willing to live on the edge…

Shopping list

Ground lamb

Fingerling potatoes

Egg plant

Prepared tomato sauce, or homemade

Prepared béchamel or homemade

Kefalotyri or Parmesan cheese

Onions  

Garlic

Thyme

Rosemary

Bread crumbs

Sea salt

Black pepper

Extra virgin olive oil

My Mad Method

These are oven roasted fingerling potatoes seasoned with garlic, fresh rosemary, sea salt and black pepper, tossed in extra virgin olive oil

These are grilled Japanese eggplant that have been brushed with extra virgin olive oil, sea salt and cracked black pepper

This is a roasted pepper - tomato sauce with addition of egg plant and sundried tomatoes. But any tomato based sauce you like is fine

Brown 450 g lamb with 150g diced onion, 1 tsp garlic, fresh rosemary and thyme to taste

Add 5 dl tomato based sauce, bring to a boil, lower temp simmer 30 minutes, adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste

Add 2 TBS olive oil to a baking pan, add 1-2 TBSP bread crumbs coat evenly

Begin with a layer of potatoes

Add a layer of egg plant

Add a layer of meat sauce

Dust with Kefalotyri or Parmesan cheese, repeat layering one more time. Some people only use one layer of potatoes

Top the casserole with a final layer of 0.8-1 L sauce Mornay to which 3 egg yokes have been mixed in, bake in a 200c preheated oven for about 45 minutes or until nicely browned on top

Ready to eat!!

Can serve with extra sauce, garnish as you please

Chef Mik's Coq Au Vin

Coq au vin is a very classic dish traditionally prepared with a rooster which most likely dates back to the days of the Romans. A very earthy dish full of flavor, only takes a few basic essentials and you are on your way! While salt pork (pancetta, lardon, sidfläsk) is most often used bacon is fine. Also as for the red wine more often the not burgundy is the wine of choice however most any red wine will do (not merlot). If you use white wine in place of red the dish is referred to as either coq au blanc or poulet au vin blanc. As for me well, I am using a cabernet from my favorite winery in the Los Angeles area “Saddle Rock” a selection from Malibu Family Wines.

This is a really great dish it’s no wonder it’s been around so long, and the key to the dish is not over thinking it, keep it nice and simple and you’ll be rewarded for your efforts! I like to make this dish in stages whenever possible, here are some idea’s of how I go about it. When I make chicken stock I like to use the back portion, neck, head and feet of the carcass, saving the breasts to be grilled as an entrée or for sandwiches what have you. I also reserve the thighs and drumsticks to be fried or if I will be preparing a sauté, braise or other stew I will prep the legs ahead so they are ready to be used when needed which is what I did here. This simply entails seasoning the chicken with salt and pepper, dredging them in flour then simply browning them off in a pan. In fact yesterday when I was preparing my stock and sautéing my chicken I also prepped the other components; I am using apple wood smoked slab bacon, reserve the bacon drippings to use for your stew later on. I am using crimini mushrooms but most any mushroom will do and instead of pearl onions I am using cipollini onions. Having done that will cut down my prep time today significantly.

Shopping List

Chicken

Salt pork or bacon

Red wine

Poultry stock or broth

Onions

Mushrooms

Leeks

Carrots

Celery

Garlic

Thyme

Parsley

Bay leaves

Unbleached all purpose flour

Arrowroot or corn starch

My Mad Method

Prep chicken by seasoning them with salt and pepper, dredging them in flour, shallow pan frying (browning), drain well set aside

Prep bacon; cutting them to desired length, frying them in a pan, drain well on paper towels; I cut mine in long strips for presentation purposes

Prep the mushrooms and onions by cleaning them, then browning them off in a pan, when done set aside and reserve until needed

Sauté 1 leek, 1 carrot, 2 stocks celery and 2 cloves garlic bruised (optional) in reserved bacon drippings

Add chicken heat through

Add 5 dl chicken stock, 3 to 4 dl’s red wine and bouquet garni bring to boil reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes

When ready remove chicken and set aside. Discard herbs and strain the sauce returning the liquid to the pot, add mushrooms, onions and bacon simmer 30 minutes longer

Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, thicken if need be with arrowroot or cornstarch diluted in stock or water and serve

Ready to eat!!

 

Chef Mik's Veal Marsala

When I think about American style Italian food one of the first things I think of is veal marsala, a very nice, very simple sauté. More often then not served Stateside with pasta of some sort, though I imagine when served in Italy it would follow pasta at the dinner table. The wine is of course a key player in this dish, a fortified wine inspired by the English mans love of Porto and Sherry. Marsala wine travels well and was quite seaworthy which helped it rise in popularity. this was do to the fact it did not spoil quickly in the unstable and quite hostile environment it was stored in, on those ships as it had hard alcohol added to it in the case of marsala brandy was the alcohol of choice. On that note, it’s highly recommended one use a wine for the cooking process one would not be afraid to drink. As for the other essentials of the dish, I am using veal scaloppini which are thin cuts of meat derived from the sirloin, but cutlets are also quite common. A word of advice scaloppini cook rather quickly so just be mindful of that fact, this is also why I like to get my sauce going before I start browning the meat. As for the sauce, I prefer using veal stock and demi glace as apposed to beef and/or poultry stock as I have done so today. You can use most mushrooms for this dish, white button, cremini or portobello are quite common, I will be using baby bello. Lastly, many people will add thyme along with other herbs and spices which is perfectly fine however I think this dish is great just the way it is, nice and simple.  

Shopping List

Veal scaloppini or cutlets

Mushrooms

Shallots

Beef or veal stock

Demi glace

Sweet marsala wine

Unbleached all-purpose flour

Butter

Extra virgin olive oil

Sea salt

Black pepper

My Mad Method

Prep the veal ahead of time by slice veal into thin strips, and clean it of excess debris

Begin the sauce by adding about a TBSP extra virgin olive oil and melting about 1 TBSP butter to a hot pan

Add 6 baby bello or other mushroom sliced thick and sauté

When the mushrooms have color and are somewhat softened add one shallot sliced or chopped and 1 clove garlic minced sauté a minute or so longer

Add 4 dl sweet marsala wine, 4 dl veal or beef stock and 1 TBSP demi glace, reduce by 1 quarter, set aside

Dredge the veal in seasoned unbleached all purpose flour, I have only added seas salt and black pepper

Heat a sauté pan add about 2 TBSP each extra virgin olive oil and clarified butter, when nice and hot start browning the veal

Flip the veal and brown on the other side as well a minute or so longer

Add the sauce and sauté for 3 to 4 minute until meat is cooked through and sauce has reduced by ¼ , if desired melt a little butter into the sauce

Ready to serve!!

Ready to eat!!

Chef Mik's Corny Corn Bread

This is a basic Southern style corn bread recipe, a dense, savory cake type bread made with either yellow or white cornmeal. One may substitute additional flour for a portion of the cornmeal if you’d prefer a lighter version. To this base recipe I have also added 1 tea spoon of sugar which simply isn’t done if you are a purest. However I am a firm believer in knowing the rules first before breaking them.

From an historical perspective its hard to say how long corn bread has been around however the native Americans were making a version of corn bread known as “pone” before the white man arrived in the new world. Modern day corn bread however is traditionally prepared in an iron skillet though you can prepare them in a cake pan, pie pan or muffin tins. It should be noted thou if you decide to bake them in a muffin tin as muffins it is recommended one employ at least equal parts cornmeal and flour if not 2 parts flour to 1 part cornmeal. You can add just about anything to the basic batter you like, example include: creamed or grilled corn, chilies, peppers, sundried tomatoes, black beans, bacon, sausage, fresh or dried herbs and so on. You can also pan fry, deep fry or grill corn bread. Many people will substitute mayonnaise for part or all of the eggs, back in our café we use to prepare chipotle mayo for sandwiches and if I had any on hand I would add a spoon or two every now and again to our cornbread batter. Of course this is by no means a necessity, Corn bread is super simple and taste super good, so bake a batch and enjoy!

Shopping List

Cornmeal

All purpose or self rising flour

Baking powder

Baking soda

Butter milk

Eggs

Bacon

Corn

Green and red jalapeño chilies

Onions

Salt

Pepper

My Mad Method

Render 100g bacon in an Iron skillet or sauté pan, set aside bacon and reserve fat

Mix 7.5dl corn meal (not corn starch), 2.5dl all purpose flour, 3 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp salt, and 1 tsp sugar

Mix together 2.5dl butter milk, and 2 eggs

It should resemble a thick pan cake batter, add 1TBSP bacon drippings and just enough water so that it is pourable

Fold in the reserved bacon, 50g grilled corn, 25g grilled green and red jalapeño chilies, and 25g grilled onions

Place the skillet in a 200c preheated oven with the remainder of the bacon fat, heat through. Sprinkle some cornmeal before adding batter

Pour the batter evenly into the pan and level off the top, place in oven for 20-30 minutes until firm in the center

Fresh out of the oven, and ready to serve!!

Ready to eat!!