vanilla bean icebox cake / July 10, 2013 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

in a little over 2 weeks my mr. and i will be getting married! as i sit here now and try to describe my feelings about this, i can't. it's an emotion too big for words, and too meaningful to describe. we just recently applied for our marriage license which made it all the more real and exciting. we went to city hall in downtown manhattan. we waited in lines, waited for our number to be called (as if we were at the DMV), filled out online forms, and signed our printed license! it was much more formal than romantic, but we loved the experience nonetheless. i thought i would be more scared, but it was really nice writing what my future surname will be! in any event, it was awesome being with so many other people who are in a similar place as frank and i are in. and it was especially beautiful to see ALL couples being given the right and opportunity to devote their lives and love to one another in front of their family and friends.

i dedicate this little cake to my fiance. a man who loves me, and understands me in a way no one else can. and importantly, a man who loves cookies and cream. so, this cake is for you, my love.

this cake was inspired by a Barefoot Contessa cake i used make back in the day when ate dairy, sugar, wheat, all that good stuff. however, my cake here is vegan, gluten free, and dairy free. the wafers here are handmade, but you could easily swap them for store bought wafers or cookies to save yourself some time - make sure to buy crisp cookies, not chewy (the Contessa suggests Tate's Bake Shop). in addition, the cream is made from coconut milk, which can easily be substituted with heavy cream, if that's what you prefer. this is perfect summer time cake, that stays in the refrigerator until ready, and will please just about anyone.

vanilla bean icebox cake

(gluten free + vegan)

| makes one 8" cake

chocolate wafers - adapted from Real Sustenance

3 cups almond flour (Honeyville brand or another fine-grain, blanched almond flour)
1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder, plus more for dusting
3/4 cup coconut palm sugar
3 tablespoons decaffeinated espresso powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
5 - 6 tablespoons filtered water

coconut cream

3 cans unsweetened, full fat organic coconut milk - refrigerated overnight
2-4 tablespoons good quality maple syrup (or honey, agave, or powdered sugar)
1 vanilla bean, scraped (or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract)

equipment

8" springform pan
2" round cookie or biscuit cutter
food processor
electric mixer
rolling pin
2 large pieces of parchment paper (for rolling)

instructions

make the wafers - makes 45 chocolate wafers

preheat oven to 350°. line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper
in a food processor, combine almond flour, cocoa powder, sugar, espresso powder, baking soda, and salt; pulse to mix. with the food processor on, drizzle the vanilla extract and 5 tablespoons of water through the hole (the "food pusher" on top of your processor). the dough will come together in a ball. if your mixture is too dry, add the additional tablespoon of water (this process can easily be done by hand as well; the dough is quite thick, so a food processor just makes it easier.)
turn dough out onto flat surface; divide the dough into 3 even pieces. wrap 2 pieces in parchment, and let rest in the refrigerator
roll dough out to 1/8" thickness between 2 sheets of parchment paper. gently, remove the top piece of parchment. using a 2" circular cookie or biscuit cutter, cut the dough. re-roll the dough until it has all been used. place the circles of dough onto the lined baking sheets
place in the oven, and bake for 10 - 12 minutes, rotating halfway through. repeat with remaining dough, and let the wafers cool completely

make the cream - makes ~3 cups

place hand mixer attachments, and a large metal mixing bowl in the freezer for 10 minutes (this makes the cream stay super cold, and prevents any melting - especially in the warm, summer months.)
remove the coconut milk cans from the refrigerator and turn upside down. using a can opener, open the bottom of each can and pour coconut water into a lidded container and reserve in the refrigerator (the water can be used for smoothies or broth/soup). using a rubber spatula, scoop out the solidified coconut cream from the bottom of the can into your bowl. with the mixer on medium-high, beat the coconut cream; add the scraped vanilla bean and the maple syrup. mix and taste - adjust the sweetness to your liking

assemble the cake

arrange the wafers flat in the bottom of the the 8" springform pan, covering as much of the bottom as you can (you may need to break some cookies apart to fill in the gaps). spread a good amount of the cream over the wafers (about a fifth of what you have in the bowl) and spread evenly. continue layering with wafers and cream until you have 5 layers of each, ending with a layer of cream. smooth the top, cover with parchment, plastic wrap, or tin foil, and refrigerate overnight
before serving, run a thin knife around the edges of the cake. unhook the latches, and remove the sides of the pan. using a fine mesh sieve, dust the top of the cake with reserved cocoa powder

slice and enjoy!

*the cake will stay for a week, covered and refrigerated

cranberry bean + ribboned zucchini salad / July 7, 2013 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

this salad was totally meant to be made as a traditional salad, meaning with some sort of leafy green tossed in there. however, a few weeks i had dental work done, not knowing i would not be able to chew so well, i had gone to the famers' market a few days prior and picked up some zucchini and summer squash. without wanting my beautiful, first-of-the-season squashes to go to waste, i thought about what i could do with them. zucchini-squash pasta? some sort of saute? perhaps a zucchini pancake? then i thought about them in a salad, ribboned with herbs. as i started picking my herbs from my (fire escape) garden i thought how amazing a herby-chimichurri vinaigrette would be - i would use red wine vinegar instead of lemon juice, add some crushed red pepper for a little heat, and i would toast some nuts for a more substantial dressing that would hold up next to the ribbons of squash. i thought i was finished dreaming up this little creation until i looked in the refrigerator and saw some leftover black lotus rice. in it went, and delicious it was! this time around i wanted the dish to be solid enough for a meal on its own. so when i saw these absolutely gorgeous cranberry beans i quickly scooped them up, took them home, and added them for some hearty protein.

this has become a quick and easy summer meal, as well as a plentiful side dish for us. plus it can be refrigerated and eaten throughout the week. serve it cold or room temperature, this salad of sorts lends itself to picnics, a day at the beach, or just a night at home. i paired the beans and zucchini with black rice. however, any grain will work wonderfully here, whether you prefer another type of rice, quinoa, or farro. as for bean substitutions, i could see chickpeas or fava beans being just as good.

cranberry bean + ribboned zucchini salad

| serves 6

4 medium zucchinis (or 2 large), washed, trimmed, and ribboned

1/2 pound fresh cranberry beans (8 ounces), shelled

1/4 cup red onion, minced

1 cup black rice, cooked

1 ripe avocado, sliced

3 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted

1 tablespoon cilantro, julienned

1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt

vinaigrette:

2 tablespoons packed fresh basil

1 tablespoon fresh parsley

1/4 teaspoon fresh thyme

1/2 clove garlic

1 tablespoon pine nuts, toasted

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon olive oil

one pinch fine grain sea salt (about 1/8 teaspoon)

instructions

make the beans and rice

in a saucepan, combine 1 cup black rice with 2 cups water. bring to a boil, turn to low and cover the pot. cook for 25-30 minutes. let rest and cool
in a medium saucepan, cover the beans with water. bring to a boil, turn down heat to a simmer; cook for 10-15 minutes depending on the freshness of your beans. drain, season with salt and pepper. set aside

make the vinaigrette

in a food processor, combine the herbs, garlic, crushed red pepper, pine nuts, olive oil, vinegar, and salt. blend the ingredients, scraping down the sides until combined

make the salad

in a large serving bowl, combine the chopped red onion and rice, taste and season with salt and pepper. add zucchini ribbons, beans, and avocado; toss gently with the vinaigrette. garnish with cilantro and pine nuts

enjoy

baked eggs with cuban sofrito / July 1, 2013 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

on my long list of places i would love to travel to, Cuba is probably in the top 3. my first introduction to anything Cuban was when my dad would play Buena Vista Social Club cassettes and cds. and even though i couldn't understand what the singers were saying, i loved how the music sounded. there was a part of me that felt like i had a finger on the pulse of Cuba. as i got older and learned more about Cuba's politics, it's social codes, and also of the island's beauty, i grew a deeper appreciation for its mystery and particular way of life. i am hopeful that one day i will find myself there, but in the meantime, i live vicariously through a small Cuban restaurant (Cubana Cafe) in the neighborhood where we have become friendly with the owner and waitstaff. i always tell frank that it's my happy place. the music, the decor, the vibe, the food! ugh, the food! i can never tire of their menu items, especially a mildly, spicy, jalapeno sauce served with fresh plantain chips. frank and i (and our lacking palettes) tried to taste our way through the sauce to figure out its ingredients, but ended up asking the owner what the secret in the sauce was. he gave us the 4 ingredients: tomato, onion, garlic, and jalapeno. in an attempt to create something similar i made a quasi cuban sofrito. and while it's not identical to it, it's a good replacement when i can't get my fix from Cubana Cafe.

for this dish i used the corn tortillas from the other week. however, any kind of tortilla or maleable flatbread will work here. i could imagine using naan, or pita bread. also, i have made these baked eggs by sandwiching the eggs between the sofrito sauce; it adds a bonus layer of kick! the sofrito recipe makes about 2 cups, so be sure to experiment with it. it recently made its way into our dinner on top of baked fish. it could also be used as a dip or as a taco or quesadilla topping, so have fun with it!

baked eggs with cuban sofrito

| makes 4

4 corn tortillas

4 organic eggs

1/2 cup sofrito

1 avocado, pitted and sliced

1 bunch cilantro, washed and stemmed

fine grain sea salt

ancho chile powder to taste

for the sofrito:

| makes ~2 cups

4 plum tomatoes

1/2 of one onion, sliced

2 garlic cloves

1 jalapeno pepper, stem removed

1 tablespoon fresh cilantro

1/8 teaspoon pinch fine grain sea salt (or salt to taste)

pinch of ground cumin

instructions

make the sofrito

pre heat oven to broil. line too small jelly roll pans with parchment paper or tin foil
place the tomatoes and jalapeno on one baking sheet and broil for about 5-7 minutes. using tongs, flip the tomatoes and jalapeno over and broil for another 5-7 minutes; until the skins are charred, and tomatoes are split. remove from oven and let cool until they are ready to handle by hand
turn the oven temperature down to 400°. lightly coat the tin foil lined jelly roll pan with olive oil, place onion and garlic on, bake for about 15-20 minutes; until onion edges are charred, and garlic is soft. remove from oven and let cool slightly
peel and core the tomatoes; place in food processor. cut the jalapeno in 3 pieces; place one piece in processor (remove seeds if you don't want it as spicy). peel the garlic and place in the food processor with the onions. pulse in the cilantro, salt, and cumin. process until pureed. refrigerate in an air tight container until ready to use (can be refrigerated for up to 2 weeks)

make the eggs

pre heat the oven to 350°
gently place tortillas inside the ramekins (i threw my tortillas in the microwave to soften them so they wouldn't crack or break); crack an egg into each tortilla-lined ramekin and sprinkle with a pinch of salt. place the ramekins on a baking sheet and place in the oven. bake until whites of eggs are set, about 15-20 minutes (rotating halfway through)
remove from oven and top with a healthy amount of sofrito, sliced avocado, cilantro, salt and a sprinkle of ancho chile powder

eat immediately, and enjoy!