Culinary Definitions (Part 3):

Huckleberry as defined in Food Lover’s Companion
“A wild, blue-black berry that closely resembles (and is often mistaken for) the Blueberry. The huckleberry, however, has 10 small, hard seeds in the center, whereas the blueberry has many seeds, so tiny and soft that they’re barely noticeable. Additionally, the huckleberry has a thicker skin and a flavor that is slightly less sweet and more astringent. Unless you pick them yourself, or have a friend who does, it’s unlikely that you’ll find fresh huckleberries because they’re not cultivated. They’re in season from June through August and are good eaten plain or in baked goods such as muffins or pies.”

Hummus as defined in Food Lover’s Companion
“This thick Middle Eastern sauce is made from mashed chickpeas seasoned with lemon juice, garlic and olive or sesame oil. It’s usually served as a dip with pieces of Pita, or as a sauce. When Tahini (sesame-seed pasted) is added, it becomes hummus bi tahina. Middle Eastern markets carry both forms in cans or jars or sometimes fresh.”

Infusion as defined in Food Lover’s Companion
“An infusion is the flavor that’s extracted from an ingredient such as tea leaves, herbs or fruit by steeping them in a liquid (usually hot), such as water, for tea. In today’s culinary parlance, sauces that have been variously flavored (as with herbs) are also called infusions.”

Jack Cheese as defined in Food Lover’s Companion
“A semisoft cheese with a buttery-ivory color and a mild, agreeable flavor reminiscent of America Muenster. It’s the name-sake of its creator, David Jacks, a 19th-Century cheese maker who resided near Monterey, California. This cheese can be made from pasteurized whole, partly skimmed or skimmed cow’s milk. Unaged Jack, typically ripened for about one week, has high moisture and good melting properties, so it’s excellent for sandwiches as well as for cooked dishes. Some versions contain flavorings such as Jalapeño chile, garlic and dill. Aged (dry) Jack, aged for about 10 months, is a pale yellow color and has a firm texture and rich, sharp, slightly nutty flavor. Because of its low moisture content it’s often used as a grating cheese. Unaged Jack is available throughout the United States, whereas the aged version is more commonly found on the West Coast or in specialty cheese shops.”

Jambalaya as defined in Food Lover’s Companion
“One of Creole cooker’s hallmarks, jambalaya is a versatile dish that combines cooked rice with a variety of ingredients including tomatoes, onion, green peppers and almost any kind of meat, poultry or shellfish. The dish varies widely from cook to cook. It’s thought that the name rives from the French, jambon, meaning “Ham,” the main ingredient in many of the first jambalayas.”

Jasmine rice; jasmine rice as defined in Food Lover’s Companion
“An aromatic rice from Thailand that has a flavor and fragrance comparable to the expensive Basmati rice from India, at a fraction of the cost.”

Julienne as defined in Food Lover’s Companion
“Foods that have been cut into thin, matchstick strips. The food (such as a potato) is first cut into 1/8 inch thick slices. The slices are stacked, then cut into 1/8 inch thick strips. The strips may then be cut into whatever length is desired. If the object is round, cut a thin slice from the bottom so it will sit firmly and not roll on the work surface. Julienne is most often used as a garnish.”

Junket as defined in Food Lover’s Companion
“This sweet, mild-flavored dessert is made with milk, sugar, various flavorings and rennin. The rennin coagulates the mixture into a soft puddinglike texture. Junket is served chilled, sometimes accompanied by fruit.”

Tangerine Jelly Roll

Tangerine Jelly Roll
By: Linda West Eckhardt

4 large eggs
¾ cup sifted cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
2/3 cup granulated sugar, divided
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

Whipped Cream Filling:
1 cup whipping cream
3 Tablespoons granulated sugar
¼ cup fresh tangerine or other citrus juice
Grated zest of 1 tangerine or other citrus juice
Julienned citrus zest, for garnish

Prepare to Bake: Arrange the rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees. Line a 15x10 ½ inch jelly roll pan with Silpat sheet or parchment paper. Spritz with cooking spray. Place the unbroken eggs in a bowl of hot tap water.

Make the Batter: Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a piece of wax paper. Separate the eggs. Beat the egg whites in a large bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in 1/3 cup of the sugar, a tablespoon at a time, until the sugar is thoroughly dissolved and stiff peaks form. Set aside. In a large bowl, beat the egg yolks until they are thick and lemon colored, gradually adding the remaining 1/3 cup sugar and the vanilla. Sprinkle the flour mixture over the yolks and fold to mix. Fold gently into the egg white mixture.

Bake the Cake: Spread the batter into the prepared pan and bake until the top springs back when touched, 8-12 minutes. Meanwhile, dist a kitchen towel with confectioners’ sugar. When the cake is baked, turn it out onto the towel and peel the Silpat or parchment paper off. Starting from the long side, carefully roll up the warm cake with the cloth and set it aside to cool.

Fill the Cake: Whip the cream with the sugar and citrus juice until stiff peaks form. Fold in the grated zest. Unroll the cake and spread the whipped cream inside. Reroll and place on a serving plate. Dust the top with additional confectioners’ sugar, and garnish with julienned citrus zest.

Butterfinger Cheesecake

Butterfinger Cheesecake
By: Linda West Eckhardt

Crust:
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 (2.16oz) Butterfinger candy bar, crushed in the food processor
¼ cup unsalted butter, melted

Filling:
16oz (2 packages) cream cheese
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 (2.16oz) Butterfinger candy bar, crushed in food processor

Prepare to Bake: Arrange rack in the middle of the oven and preheat it to 350 degrees. Place the eggs for the filling in a bowl of hot tap water.

Make the Crust: Combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and Butterfinger crumbs in a 9-inch springform pan. Drizzle the melted butter over all and stir to mix. Press down with the back of a spoon to form a crust that covers the bottom and comes 1 ½ inches up the side of the pan. Bake for 6 minutes, then set aside.

Make the Filling: Add the cream cheese to the mixer bowl and whip to soften, adding the vanilla, sugar, eggs (one at a time), and the sour cream. Fold in half the crushed Butterfinger bars and pour the mixture into the crust.

Bake the Cake: Bake the cake until the center is set, 40-55 minutes. Turn off the oven. Leaving the door slightly ajar (be careful with this step if you have small children), leave the cheesecake in the oven for 1 hour. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with remaining crushed Butterfinger bars. Refrigerate, covered.

To Serve: Remove the sides of the pan and place the cake on a serving plate, leaving the bottom of the pan in place. Cut into thin slices and serve.

Traditional 1-2-3-4 cake with lemon filling and frosting

Traditional 1-2-3-4 cake with lemon filling and frosting
By: Linda West Eckhardt

4 large eggs
3 cups sifted cake flour
1 Tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) soft, unsalted butter
2 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup milk

Prepare to Bake: Arrange the rack in the middle of the oven and preheat it to 400 degrees. Spritz two 8-inch round cake pans with Baker’s joy. Place the unbroken eggs into a bowl of hot tap water.

Make the Batter: Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of a stand mixer, then, with the mixer running, pinch off pieces of the butter and add them one at a time. Add the sugar, a Tablespoon at a time, then the eggs, one at a time. Then add the vanilla and milk. Beat on high speed just until well mixed.

Bake the Cake: Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake until wooden pick comes out clean, about 15-20 minutes. Cool in the pans on a rack for 5 minutes, then flip the layers out onto racks, removing the pans, and cool thoroughly.

Lemon Curd Filling:
3 large lemons
1 cup granulated sugar
5 large egg yolks
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

Make the lemon curd: While the cake is baking, in a medium heavy saucepan over medium heat, combine the grated lemon zest from 2 of the lemons with the sugar. Add the egg yolks and lemon juice to the sugar mixture and stir. Add the butter and stir until melted. Cook and stir until thick. Set aside to cool with a piece of wax paper set against the surface of the curd. Use to fill the cooled cake, spreading it generously between the layers.

Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting:
8oz cream cheese, softened
½ cup (1 stick) butter, soft
1/8 teaspoons salt
Juice and grated zest of 1 lemon
¼ cup sifted confectioners’ sugar, or to taste
Make the frosting: While the cake is baking and cooling, combine the cream cheese, butter, salt juice, zest and sugar. Beat until stiff. Cover with a piece of wax paper, pressing it down against the top of the frosting. When the cake is cool, transfer one layer to a cake stand. Add one layer, top with curd, and smooth it with an offset spatula. Add the second layer, secure with toothpicks if needed, and then frost the sides and top of the cooled cake. Store covered.