Stir Crazy, Posted: 7/11/07
The down side of an upside down cake
I once used 18 eggs to make a pineapple upside down cake. Notice that I didnít say the recipe called for 18 eggs; it only called for six, but it took 18 eggs to make.
Like most lessons in my life, I learned the hard way that itís best to read a new recipe all the way through before beginning. This is especially true when using church or community cookbooks, because the instructions can often hold some surprises! In the case of the pineapple upside-down cake, the ingredients list mentioned only six egg yolks. After separating the eggs and using the yolks, I tossed the whites.
You probably know where this is going. Further down in the recipe, it said to beat the eggs whites and fold them into the batter.
I donít know why the ingredients didnít list "6 eggs, separated." That would have made it clear that I needed both the yolks and whites. But anyway, I was out of eggs and I sent one of the kids to the grocery store.
Unfortunately, she dropped the eggs on the way into the house, breaking six of them. While you can get away with some whites in the yolks, you canít get any yolks into the whites. So, I carefully separated the whites from the remaining six eggs to finish the cake. Total: 18 eggs.
The cake was good, but I never used the recipe again because of the frustration associated with it.
Iíd like to say that was my last kitchen disaster, but of course it wasnít. Not too long ago, I decided to make garlic-roasted mashed potatoes. I was a little short of time, so instead of taking an hour to roast the garlic is the oven, I tried to speed up the process by "roasting" it in the microwave. It started on fire, ruining my microwave.
Despite the disaster, the recipe remains a favorite. This time of year, use new potatoes and serve with any grilled meat. ?I got the recipe from the reader request column in Gourmet magazine, December 1997 issue. The recipe is from Joe Fortes Seafood and Chop House, Vancouver, BC.
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Joeís Roasted Garlic
Mashed Potatoes
1 garlic head, unpeeled
2 1/2 lbs. red potatoes, scrubbed
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup buttermilk
1 tablespoon chopped chives
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
pinch white pepper
Cut 1/4 inch off the top of the garlic and wrap in foil. Roast at 400 until soft (40-50 minutes). Cool, then squeeze out garlic.
In a 4-quart saucepan, cover potatoes with water and simmer until tender. Drain but donít peel. Return to pan and add butter. Mash slightly. With an electric mixer, beat in sour cream, buttermilk, chives and oil until well mixed. Add Parmesan, garlic, pepper and salt to taste, beating until smooth.
Serves 4-6.
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