Authors: Kir Jensen
Sugar Cube (27 page)
sorbet
- 1
1
/
2
cups water - 1
3
/
4
cups granulated sugar - Grated zest of 1 orange or tangerine
- Grated zest of 1 meyer lemon
- 1
/
8
teaspoon sea salt - One 750-ml bottle brut champagne or sparkling wine, such as Cava
- 1 vanilla bean (I recommend Tahitian for this)
- 1
1
/
2
to 2 pints fresh, ripe, sweet strawberries, hulled and sliced - 1
/
8
teaspoon sea salt - Juice of
1
/
2
Meyer lemon - 2 tablespoons superfine sugar, or more to taste
- TO MAKE THE SORBET:
In a large saucepan, combine the water, sugar, orange zest, lemon zest, salt, and champagne. Split the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape out the seeds with the back of a knife. Add to the pan along with the pod and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Continue boiling for about 1 minute. - REMOVE FROM THE HEAT
and remove the vanilla bean pod. (Don’t discard the pod. Rinse, let dry, and save for another use.) Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a metal bowl. Put the bowl in a larger bowl filled with ice and water. Put the whole thing, ice bath and all, into the refrigerator to chill until cold, 3 to 4 hours. (If you’re working ahead, you can transfer the mixture to an airtight container and chill overnight.) - PLACE AN AIRTIGHT CONTAINER
large enough to store the churned sorbet in the freezer to chill before filling. Freeze the mixture in an ice-cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions, 20 to 25 minutes. Immediately transfer the sorbet to the chilled container. Place plastic wrap directly on the surface, cover, and freeze for several hours or overnight until firm enough to scoop. - TO PREPARE THE STRAWBERRIES:
In a medium bowl, combine the strawberries, salt, lemon juice, and sugar and toss to coat. Taste and add more sugar if necessary. Let macerate until the berries release some of their juice, at least 20 to 25 minutes. - PLACE A COUPLE SCOOPS
of sorbet in the bottom of a small bowl or chilled stemmed glass. Spoon some of the macerated strawberries on top and serve.
•
There’s so much alcohol in the sorbet that it takes a long time to freeze. It will look slightly slushy after churning, so move fast and have your storage container already chilled when you’re done churning to keep it good and cold.
•
Yes, I salt my strawberries. Am I a salt freak? Maybe. But that doesn’t mean it’s not a good idea. Just a pinch of salt will bring out and support the fruit’s flavor without making it taste salty. Trust me.
Put down the fork. This is no place for cutlery. Everyone needs to have a few good go-to nibbles in his or her bag of tricks, things like sexy truffled popcorn and spicy candied nuts that you can munch on during movies or set out at a cocktail party. And it would be a crime to forget about the drinks to sip along with them. I’ve had drinks on my menu from the very beginning, because some treats really are best in liquid form. Here are a few of my favorite and most popular recipes.
Sesame Brittle
Fast, easy, cheap, and yet impressive, this confection makes the best DIY last-minute gift. Forgot your friend’s birthday? Too embarrassed to bring that bottle of Two-Buck Chuck to the dinner party? Make a batch of this candy and soak up the praise. It has a light and crunchy texture that doesn’t get stuck in your teeth, and the contrasting black and white sesame seeds give it a nutty and slightly bitter flavor that’s a welcome change from the usual peanuts.
MAKES ABOUT 1
1
/
2
POUNDS
- 8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter
- 1 cup sugar
- 1
/
4
cup water - 1
/
2
teaspoon sea salt - 3 tablespoons black sesame seeds
- 3 tablespoons white sesame seeds
- LINE A LARGE BAKING SHEET
with parchment paper. In a medium, heavy-bottomed pot, combine the butter, sugar, water, and salt and cook over medium-high heat, swirling the pot, until the mixture reaches 260°F on a candy thermometer. Add the seeds and continue cooking, stirring constantly, until the mixture reaches 350°F, or until the sugar takes on a dark golden brown color. - REMOVE FROM THE HEAT
and immediately pour the mixture into the prepared pan, spreading it into an even layer about
1
/
4
inch thick. Set aside to cool until firm. - ONCE THE BRITTLE HAS SET
, break it into pieces and serve in a candy dish, over ice cream, or dipped in bittersweet chocolate.
Truffle-Honey Popcorn
Popcorn
Most people think butter or caramel when they think of popcorn. But why limit yourself? It’s corn, after all, so it can actually go with just about anything. Musky, rich truffle oil and bold honey make this a particularly grown-up version that’s as welcome on movie night as it is at a cocktail party.
MAKES ABOUT 8 CUPS
- 1
/
2
cup popcorn kernels - 3 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil (if popping on the stove)
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon truffle oil or truffle sea salt, plus more to taste (optional)
- 1
/
2
teaspoon flaky sea salt, such as fleur de sel or Maldon, plus more to taste - a couple of grinds of pepper
- 1 to 2 tablespoons flavorful honey, such as Meadowfoam or chestnut, plus more to taste
- PLACE A LARGE
, heavy-lidded pot (like a stockpot or Dutch oven) over medium heat. Add the vegetable oil and the popcorn kernels, cover, and shake the pot back and forth until the kernels have popped. (You may have to do this in batches if you only have a small pot.) Or, pop the popcorn using an air popper according to the manufacturer’s instructions. - TRANSFER THE POPCORN
to a large mixing bowl. (It needs to be large enough to allow you to really toss the popcorn around. If you don’t have a large bowl, toss the popcorn in batches.) Drizzle with the truffle oil while tossing the popcorn. Add the salt and toss to distribute. Drizzle in the honey while tossing. Keep tossing until the popcorn seems evenly flavored. Add the pepper and more truffle oil, salt, or honey (if desired).
