#nerd food

Winnie the Pooh’s Honey Lemon Panna Cotta

As much as many of us (see: both cooks) would like to sit around with a pot of honey and no utensil other than our hands, we figured that we had to make something a little more spoon-friendly for the rest of you. The cream was sweet and lemony and the honey jelly on top made it a complete 10/10. This was so delicious and so rich that it lasted for two desserts rather than just one! Even better.

As always, the recipe is under the cut. Enjoy!

- MJ & K

Ingredients:

(Makes 6 servings)

Panna cotta - 

• 1 c whole milk
  
• 1 envelope unflavored gelatin powder
  
• 1 c heavy cream
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 1 whole vanilla bean, split and scraped
  
• ¼ c honey
  
• ½ c sugar 
• 6 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
  

Lemon gelatin topping - 

• 1 tsp unflavored gelatin powder
  
• ½ c honey
  
• 1 c water
  
• Curls of lemon peel and mint for garnish
  

Sprinkle the gelatin over the top of the milk. Stir in the gelatin and let it sit for five minutes until the gelatin blooms. Pour the heavy cream into a medium saucepan and add the lemon zest, vanilla bean pod, beans, honey, and sugar. Bring it to a boil and then remove it from the heat and let it cool slightly. Add the milk and gelatin mixture and whisk to dissolve. Pour the entire mixture through a fine mesh strainer to remove any leftover gelatin lumps and lemon zest. Stir in the lemon juice and pour the mixture into six wine glasses. Refrigerate them for 2-4 hours until the panna cotta is completely set.  

To make the lemon gelatin topping, sprinkle the 1 tsp of gelatin over 2 Tbsp of water and let it sit for five minutes. Add the remaining water and honey to a small saucepan and bring it to a boil, stirring it constantly. Remove it from the heat and let it cool for a moment before adding the gelatin and stirring to combine. Once the gelatin has completely dissolved, divide it between all of the cups and pour it evenly over all of the panna cotta cups. Chill it until it sets, at least an hour and then garnish with lemon curls and mint. Serve chilled.  

BREATH OF THE WILD FRUIT PIE

We know that this is clearly a cake and not a pie, but we decided to go for visual accuracy rather than the name of the dish. The fruit pie in BotW very much resembles a lovingly decorated Japanese strawberry shortcake so that’s what we set out to make! How on earth does he bake such a lovely cake over a campfire? We may never know. 

As always, the recipe is under the cut. 

- MJ & K

Ingredients:

For the cake - 

• 4 large eggs, yolks and whites separated
  
• 9 ½ Tbsp sugar
  
• 3 Tbsp room temperature milk
  
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
  
• 14 Tbsp cake flour, sifted
  
• 2 1/3 Tbsp butter, melted
  
• Fresh strawberries
  
• Assorted in-season fruit
  

For the custard -

• 1 ½ cups milk
  
• 1 cup heavy cream
  
• ½ vanilla bean, casing and scraped-out contents
  
• 6 egg yolks
  
• ½ cup sugar
  
• 1/3 cup corn starch, sifted
  
• 3 ½ Tbsp room temperature butter
  

For the whipped cream - 

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  
• ¼ cup powdered sugar
  
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
  
• 2 Tbsp meringue powder
  

To make the cake, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and lightly butter and flour an 8″ cake tin. Combine the sugar and egg whites in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment and beat them until they hold stiff peaks. Add the egg yolks to the mixture and beat lightly to combine. Remove the batter to a bowl and add the milk, vanilla extract, and flour, folding to combine after each addition. Fold in the melted butter until everything is well combined. 

Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and lightly tap it on top of your counter to remove any air bubbles. Bake the cake for 25-30 minutes, or until the top turns golden brown and springs back if you poke it lightly. Let the cake cool completely before removing it from the pan and slicing it into two equal halves. 

To make the custard, simmer the milk, heavy cream, and vanilla bean in a pan over medium heat. Whisk your egg yolks, sugar, and corn starch until it becomes pale and creamy. Once the milk mixture begins to bubble around the edges (but not boil), add a little bit of the hot milk to your egg mixture and whisk briskly to keep the eggs from cooking. Add the milk a little at a time and keep whisking until both are completely combined. Whisk the mixture over medium heat until it thickens. 

If your custard has any lumps, you can run it through a strainer. Remove the vanilla bean and allow the custard to cool completely in the fridge before applying it to the cake. 

To make the whipped cream, combine all of the ingredients in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment and whisk until it holds soft peaks. 

Decorate your cake as you see fit, layering the cake, sliced strawberries, pastry cream, and whipped cream. The whipped cream can be pt into an icing bag to give a decorative effect, but it’s just as tasty when applied with a spatula.  

FINAL FANTASY XV GREEN CURRY SOUP

“ Strength +160, HP +800, Fire Resistance +70″

As usual, the recipe is below the cut.

-MJ & K

Serves 2-3

• 2 cups coconut milk
  
• 1 cup chicken stock
  
• 1/3 cup green curry paste (*Recipe below*)
  
• 4 tsp palm sugar
  
• 2T fish sauce
  
• 6 kaffir lime leaves
  
• Salt and pepper
  
• 4 small Japanese eggplants, peeled and diced)
  
• 2 red bell peppers, sliced
  
• 4 chicken thighs, (boneless, skinless) diced into 1-inch pieces
  
• Fresh Thai basil leaves
  
• 1 long red chili, sliced diagonally

Bring the coconut milk and chicken stock to a boil over medium high heat. Add the curry paste and mix well until dissolved. Add the palm sugar, lime leaves, and fish sauce and mix again, allowing to cook for another 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant.

Add the chicken, peppers, and eggplant, and simmer for another 3-5 minutes - or until chicken is cooked, the eggplants are no longer buoyant, and the peppers have softened. Serve over rice and garnish with chilies, sliced basil, and extra fish sauce.   

Curry paste:

• 5T shallots
  
• 5T garlic, minced
  
• ½ tsp lime zest
  
• 2 stalks lemongrass, peeled to the bulb and chopped
  
• 4 slices galangal
  
• ¼ tsp peppercorns
  
• 20 green birds-eye chilies
  
• 1 tsp shrimp paste
  
• 1T cilantro stems and a handful of leaves (or 10 coriander roots)
  
• 10 Thai basil leaves
  
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
  
• 3T olive oil

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend until the mixture blends into a smooth and bright green paste. This may take up to 5 minutes of constant blending.

Can be made up to a week in advance if refrigerated. If frozen it will keep for 2 months.

Joaquin’s Super Power Picadillo Tacos

“Joaquin, I’ll take one taco, with extra destiny.”

These tacos might not actually give you super power (or Overwatch ults) but they are mighty tasty and could leave you feeling like a proper kitchen wizard.

The recipe is under the cut!

- MJ & K

Ingredients:

• Canola oil
  
• 1 large russet potato, peeled and chopped into quarter-inch cubes
  
• 2 pounds lean ground beef 
  
• 1 Tbsp cumin
  
• 3 Tbsp chili powder
  
• 1 tsp garlic powder
  
• 1 tsp onion powder
  
• ½ tsp ground corriander
  
• Salt and pepper
  
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  
• 1 large bell pepper, diced (of any color)
  
• 1 fresh jalapeno, diced fine
  
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped 
  
• 1 small can of green chilies
  
• 3 Roma tomatoes, chopped
  
• ½ cup chicken broth
  
• Warm corn tortillas
  
• Chopped lettuce
  
• Avocado
  
• Sour cream
  
• Shredded cheese
  
• Cilantro
  

Warm a generous splash of canola oil in a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add the potato cubes and fry them until they turn golden brown and crunchy - about 7-10 minutes. Remove them to a paper towel-lined plate and add the ground beef to the same pan. Add the cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, corriander, and salt and pepper. Cook the beef and spices until thoroughly browned and then remove to a holding dish. 

In the same pan with the remaining beef fat (and another splash of oil if necessary) add the onion and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the pepper, jalapeno, garlic, and green chilies and cook for an additional 5-8 minutes, until the pepper is tender and the onion has begun to caramelize. Add the chopped tomatoes and chicken broth. Simmer until the mixture begins to reduce, then add the cooked potatoes and ground beef and stir to combine. Let the mixture warm through for 3-5 minutes. 

Serve the filling on warm corn tortillas with as many toppings as you like! It’s your magic taco, after all.