THURSDAY, JANUARY 15, 2009 | BA 38 BON APPETIT FOR THE LATEST NEWS, VISIT BALTIMOREEXAMINER.COM

RATTLE THOSE POTS AND PANS

KRISTINE BULS/EXAMINER Sarah Mislak Gentry of Rosedale stirs her pasta fagiole that she serves with Italian bread and goat cheese. She fi rst made the dish as a fi rst course for Thanksgiving. You can make it if you try By Rafael Alvarez Examiner Correspondent dies know of Gentry’s cooking skills — her butternut squash lasagna is superb — it has yet to infl uence the Sarah Mislak Gentry, a Rose- sports bar’s burger and chicken dale woman with a hint of Juliette wing menu. Binoche in her profi le, is an easy And that’s just fi ne with Gentry, mix of Mediterranean Europe and 29. Once an art history major at Eastern Europe. On her mother’s Towson University, the Mercy High side, Gentry claims Italy, Spain and School graduate has embraced Germany. Her father, David Mislak, KRISTINE BULS/EXAMINER cooking as a creative outlet in a brings a strong Polish heritage to Pastry chef Jason Gehring holds his signature chocolate cake “Il Cioccolato” at Cinghiale in Harbor East. way that would lose its signifi cance the family. if shared beyond the home. But in the kitchen, a place Gen- “I try to make something healthy try didn’t discover beyond a clean and different every day,” she said, cereal bowl until she married and noting that she stays away from had a child a decade ago, her Medi- baking and other preparations in terranean spirit stirs the pot. which the process must be followed This week it was pasta fagiole — to the letter. known in Italian-American families Thus, Gentry has little use for as “pasta fah-zool” — which Gentry the “Fannie Farmer Cookbook,” cribbed from Giada De Laurentiis’ published in Boston in 1896 as the A confection “Everyday Italian” show on the fi rst such volume to use precise Food Network and made her own. measurements. “I made it [as a fi rst course] for And thus, a Sundown Court Thanksgiving, and everyone loved pasta fagiole in Rosedale that is it.” well on the “soupy” side as opposed Pasta fagiole for Thanksgiving! to the thick, hard-to-separate-the- Now that’s a bounty to be grateful noodles-from-the-beans approach for. popular in other families. worth its “I use white beans instead of her “I never thought I’d be good at red beans, and bacon instead of this until I had to do it,” she said. salt Italian pancetta [pork sides], and it “Now that I have a husband and a was a hit,” said Gentry, who works son, it’s my creative thing — it’s all behind the bar at Dead Freddies Salted caramel reaches new levels this winter I can really fi t in now — but I also saloon in Hamilton on the week- By Christine Stutz salty is pleasing to many who fi nd dish,” she said. For Charleston consider it my job.” ends, making dinner for the family Examiner Correspondent traditional candy too sweet. Sea diners she prepares a layered dark the rest of the week. Rafael Alvarez can be reached at salt works especially well with chocolate dessert with a salted car- If the folks who run Dead Fred- food@alvarezfi ction.com. his winter, the salted cara- caramel because the slight burning amel layer, served with an espresso mel is hot. Starbucks added sensation of the salt crystals on the mousse. She also makes a soft cara- salted caramel hot chocolate tongue brings out the burnt sugar mel petit four that she dips in dark Pasta fagiole on Cook pasta in salted water. Drain Tto its drink menu in the fall, taste in the caramel. chocolate and sprinkles with fl eur and set aside. Heat the oil and and Trader Joe’s began offering Baltimore pastry chef Jason de sel. Sundown Court butter in a large soup pot. Saute salted caramels in stores just before Gehring, who creates desserts for Salted cara- Serves 4 to 6 bacon in same pot for about 3 Christmas. Ina Garten even makes Cinghiale, has long favored using mels are made minutes. Add onion and garlic them on the new season of “Barefoot sea salt in baking. He salutes the locally by » 4 sprigs fresh thyme leaves, and continue cooking until onion Contessa.” pairing of salt and caramel with Mouth Party chopped becomes soft. Do not allow Taking the salted caramel to a a confection currently available ( mouthparty » 2 sprigs fresh rosemary leaves, garlic to burn. Add chicken broth, gooey new level, Haagen Dazs added at the restaurant. It’s a chocolate caramel.com) chopped beans, and herbs. Cover and a decadent Fleur de Sel Caramel fl a- cake with layers of hazelnut sable, and sold at » 1 tablespoon virgin olive oil bring to a boil. Reduce heat and vor to its Reserve line of premium salted caramel ganache, chocolate Eddie’s, Graul’s » 1 tablespoon butter simmer 15-20 minutes. Transfer ice creams. Fleur de sel caramels mousse and hazelnut sponge. and coffee » 2 chopped white onions, medium one to two cups of soup mixture are covered in chocolate, then mixed “The hazelnut sable has quite a shops around size to a blender and puree until with caramel ice cream with cara- large amount of salt, as well as the town. Several » 4 ounces center cut bacon, smooth. Do not overfi ll blender mel ribbons and French sea salt. caramel ganache,” Gehring said. “I candy compa- chopped and be sure to secure lid as hot On its Web site, the company plate it up with bitter chocolate and nies sell them » 3 cloves fresh garlic, minced liquid will spill over if not tightly recommends an unorthodox way caramel sauces, a pulled caramel- online, usu- » 6 cups chicken broth covered. Add puree back to the of enjoying this ice cream fl avor: ized hazelnut, and my house-made ally covered in » 2 14-ounce cans of small white rest of the soup and stir. Season “After a bucketful of fresh salty version of cocoa puff [miniature chocolate. Try beans, drained and rinsed with kosher salt and black pepper oysters, take the empty shells and cream puffs made with cocoa pow- Fran’s Chocolates ( franschoco » 3/4 cup elbow macaroni or other to taste. Just before serving, stir scoop on dollops of Fleur de Sel der].” lates.com) — President-elect small pasta shells in cooked pasta and heat for a Caramel ice cream.” Haagen Dazs Joy Ludwig, pastry chef at Barack Obama’s favorite — and » Kosher salt and ground black minute or two. Serve with grated also suggests pairing the ice cream Charleston, said sweet and salt Woodhouse Chocolate ( wood pepper parmesan cheese as topping. with a syrupy dessert wine, such as have always worked well together. housechocolate.com). » Grated parmesan cheese a French Muscat. “Salt helps to enhance sweetness Follow Christine Stutz’s culinary adven- The combination of sugary and and add depth and balance to a tures at www.twitter.com/foodiechris