Getting Help from Julia Child to Run An Experiment
A Big Win, Cardamom and Lemon Scented Madeleines, Crispy Air Fryer Broccoli with Buffalo Sauce, and more
Hello,
Last weekend, we visited the new LACMA exhibit, Dining with the Sultan: The Fine Art of Feasting (running until August 4). The specially curated collection contains art and objects from the Islamic world (including India) associated with culinary traditions. We had a wonderful time, and the exhibit shows how culinary practices evolved and transcended over time. The spoon collections alone blew me away with their details and intricate patterns. They also have a gorgeous book on the exhibit that I picked up. If you’re looking for a lunch spot, I highly recommend eating at Fanny’s next door; the chopped salad is one of the best I’ve eaten in L.A.
It’s been one week since I wrapped the turmeric in a damp towel. It isn’t sprouting yet, but it hasn’t rotted either. Keep your fingers crossed for me.
I’m working on a peanut butter recipe that got me thinking, and I thought I’d pick your brains.
Have a great week,
Nik
Earlier this week, VEG-TABLE won the California Golden Poppy Book Award: the legendary Glenn Goldman Cookbook Award! This award was a surprise, and I’m extremely grateful for all the support you’ve shown me. Seeing this book in your kitchen and what you cook out of it is the best feeling. Thank you!
This week, it’s a double whammy! The first is my crispy air-fryer chickpea battered broccoli bites that I serve up with Primal Kitchen’s Buffalo Sauce. Cauliflower also works great here; remember to use cold water to keep things crisp. The folks at Primal Kitchen have a sweet deal: order any of their products off their site, and you use the code SHARMA20 to get 20% off.
Winter is citrus season, and I’ve also got my Top 10 Favorite Lemon Recipe Collection ready for you. There are lots of different options, from sweet to savory.
In the previous two newsletters, I discussed measuring ingredients and oven temperatures. Ingredients measured by volumes, especially flour, don’t always match their supposed weights. On the other hand, ovens are notorious for running at least 20 to 50 degrees off their stated temperature on the dial. It’s easy to imagine the consequences of how these small affect the outcome of a recipe. Overcooked or undercooked food or textures that are completely off.
It’s now time for us to put these two concepts together and try them out in the kitchen, and there is no better and sweeter way to do this than with madeleines. This week, we’ll use a recipe from Julia Child’s cookbook, From Julia Child’s Kitchen for Madeleines de Commercy. I’ve tweaked this recipe over the years, and in this version, I’ve infused the batter with cardamom and freshly zested lemon.
Why did I pick this recipe?
Except for the weight of the butter, no weights are listed in the recipe in the book. The weight of flour isn’t listed, but Julia did describe how she measured it. A weight would be helpful, considering how we all get different weights of flour using cups.
The most common complaint about madeleines is that they brown very quickly. The baking time is quite short, which makes things even riskier.
Of all the ingredients in the recipe, the one that worried me the most was the weight of the flour. After sifting through the other recipes in the book, I realized Julia probably used 1 cup of all-purpose flour = 130 g. When I first got this cookbook, I tested the recipe with 120 g, 130 g, and 140 g just to be safe. 130 g is the right number.
When you’re ready to bake;
Using the sugar melting point method, test your oven first to see if it’s at 375F/190C and make adjustments if needed.
Weigh the ingredients.
Make sure the batter is rested and chilled so the madeleine gets that characteristic hump. In the cold batter, the butter fats stiffen. The shape of the madeleine mold causes the madeleine to bake at different rates, ultimately resulting in the hump. At the edges of the mold, the butter in the batter melts faster, and it will be flatter, but as you get to the center, the amount of batter is more, and the butter fats don't melt as fast, so it doesn’t go flat.
I recommend first baking one madeleine to ensure it bakes properly and is golden yellow, not brown. Adjust the bake time if needed.
