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Jordan Marsh Muffins

Way back in the day, there were these things called department stores where you could find basically anything (a lot like malls or, y’know, the Internet).

Sarcasm aside, bakeries were a critical part of the department store experience—or so I’m told, although the only place I know of left to observe this phenomen is Harrod’s—and like the infamous Neiman Marcus cookies, Jordan Marsh muffins were renowned far and wide.¹ Yes, they’re really that good.

The original recipe is for blueberry muffins, but I think the best addition by far is peaches. This makes at least a dozen muffins.

Ingredients

1/2 c butter
1 c sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 c flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 c milk
a whole bunch of your preferred fruit
cinnamon or brown sugar for sprinkling

Prep

Preheat the oven to 375
Grease muffin tin cups

Process

Cream together the butter and sugar with an electric mixer until fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time and stir in the vanilla. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt, and add to the wet mixture alternating with the milk. If the fruit is damp (i.e. chopped peaches or frozen blueberries) flour it lightly. Fold in the fruit, then spoon the batter into the tin. Sprinkle the tops generously with the brown sugar or cinnamon. Bake for 30 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Allow to cool a few minutes before removing from the tin.

¹ Jordan Marsh was a large Boston-based department store chain that merged with Macy’s in the 90s and lost the internal corporate brand war to the Macy’s name; many of the Macy’s around the country were originally Jordan Marshes, including the enormous Boston location, formerly Jordan Marsh’s flagship, and where my mom—who gave me this recipe—had her first JM muffin.

Fish Tacos + Salsa Verde

Fish tacos are amazing, but there’s no good way to make ‘em yourself without fresh salsa verde for a topping. These make for a ridiculously healthy and fresh meal.

Ingredients

salsa verde

1 1/2 lbs tomatillos
1/2 large white onion, chopped
1/2 cup cilantro leaves, apprx 1 bundle
2 serrano peppers stemmed, seeded, and chopped
2 tbsp fresh lime juice
2 tbsp cumin
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt

fish tacos

filleted catfish
red cabbage
flour tortillas
cumin
Optional: mozzarella cheese

Salsa Verde

If you haven’t worked with tomatillos before, don’t worry, it’s easy: simply peel off the husks, and don’t be afraid to use running water liberally because they’re often sticky underneath. make sure to remove the stems but don’t cut them. Put them in a pot of boiling water for 5-7 minutes or until soft. Remove them with a slotted spoon and put them in a blender with the rest of the salsa verde ingredients. Blend until there are no large chunks, but not to homogeneity.

Fish Tacos

The fish tacos themselves are super easy: cut fine shavings from the cabbage, and sautee them on medium-high dry heat for 1-2 minutes to soften them, then set aside. Cut the catfish into thin strips and place them in the pan when the cabbage is done. Sprinkle them lightly with cumin and sautee about 3 minutes on each side, and when done, shred them using a spatula. While the fish is cooking, microwave the tortillas for 30-40 seconds each to warm them. Then make your tacos.

Irish Soda Bread

I hate dealing with yeast bread, so back in college when I needed to make a whole bunch of bread fast I started making this delicious Irish Soda Bread. You can literally have a loaf done in an hour if you’ve got your ingredients together. I almost always use cranberries, but you can experiment with anything you want. 

Ingredients

4 c flour
2.5 tsp baking soda
2 tbsp sugar
dash salt
1 egg
2 c buttermilk
8oz cranberries

Prep

Pre-heat oven to 375°
Grease a standard cake plate or bread pan

Process

Mix all the dry ingredients and wet ingredients separately, then mix them together into a dough, then mix in the cranberries. It’s admittedly much easier to mix the cranberries into the dry ingredients first, so if you’re lazy you can do that, just know that your cranberries will wind up with some flour in their nooks and crannies.

Plop the dough in the pan and bake for 50 minutes.

Sam’s Minestrone

This is a great soup based on an exceedingly delicious creation my friend Sam made for me once. I don’t make a lot of soups, but this one is easy and always delicious. It’s completely healthy except the ravioli, which you can always switch out if you want, using just penne or removing the pasta entirely and adding extra mushrooms or something. 

Ingredients

1 onion
1 green bell pepper
1/3 lb. crimini mushrooms
1 bag spinach (4-6oz, I prefer baby)
1 container (usually 1/2 lb) ravioli or tortellini
1 can diced tomatoes (I think these come in 16oz?)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp red pepper flakes OR serano peppers, 1-3 depending on how hot you want it
1 tbsp cumin
1/3 bottle cheap red wine
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
Salt and pepper to taste

Process

Cut the onion, mushrooms, and pepper into fairly large, equivalently sized pieces. Sweat the garlic and onions in olive oil for a few minutes, then add the mushrooms, peppers/flakes, and spices and cook on medium-high for another 4-5 minutes. Then add the can of tomatoes (including water) and red wine and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Add the ravioli and enough extra hot/boiling water so that the liquid covers everything. When the ravioli is done, add the spinach and keep on heat just long enough to wilt the spinach.

Carrot Cake Cookies

The original recipe for these was a vegan recipe with some substitutions (margerine, fake egg) with which I have never bothered. If you felt like frosting these, a cream cheese frosting would work great just like with carrot cake. But they’re damn good on their own, my only note being that unlike many cookies they actually taste a lot better once fully cooled.

Ingredients

1 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
2 sticks butter
2 eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
2 cups finely grated carrots (about 3 large carrots)

Process

Pre-heat oven to 350°.

With an electric mixer, cream the sugars and butter until fluffy, then mix in the eggs and vanilla. 

In another bowl, mix all dry ingredients except the carrots and oats. Mix gradually into the wet ingredients, then add the carrots and oats. 

Standard cookie practices: put spoonfuls on a baking sheet, bake for 12-15 minutes, and cool on wire racks.

Super Easy Chocolate Soufflés

This is a ridiculously easy soufflé recipe that effectively cheats with a bit of baking powder. I don’t mind cheating when it makes the cooking vastly easier and more accessible. Please note that I will now cease using the accented e when typing soufflé.

While I suppose one could make a single large souffle, this is just the right amount to fill four rammikins for individual souffles, which of course are way awesomer. I actually use (oven-safe) Chinese rice bowls rather than rammikins, and have also tried coffee mugs and such.

I usually add rasberries or some such thing. I’ve been meaning to experiment with chocolate the same flavor as the berries I add, but haven’t gotten around to it yet.

Ingredients

6oz chocolate (if it’s not obvious, good chocolate is essential)
3/4 stick unsalted butter
4 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 c granulated sugar
1 c flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
powdered sugar

Prep - Important for your timing!

Bring eggs to room temperature (easiest if you immerse them in lukewarm water)

Pre-heat oven to 350° F (175° C)

Mix/sift together flour, baking powder, salt and reserve

Melt 6oz of bittersweet chocolate with 1 stick of butter (2 minutes on medium in microwave)

Set up a water bath in a baking dish of some sort so your rammikins are sitting in an inch or so of hot or boiling water rather than on a tray

Process

Mix eggs & vanilla on high for 1 minute until they get foamy. Slowly add 1 cup granulated sugar and decrease mix speed to medium-high for another 2 minutes until it lightens to a pale yellow. Mix chocolate into egg mixture on medium. Carefully fold in flour mixture, then mix in any berries or such you might have.

Fill ramikins most of the way and bake for 35-40 minutes, basically until tops are slightly cracked but not dried out. Serve dusted with powdered sugar and any other garnish you feel like adding.