One of my favorite restaurants in New
York in the 1990’s was Montrachet, a three-star restaurant in Tribeca known for
its innovative, Provence-inspired cuisine. Not only were the food and ambience
amazing, but it had the distinction of having a woman chef at its helm, unusual
for a French restaurant. Debra Ponzek was a pioneer, and happily, her cooking
gained the praise of customers as well as
critics. Her food was intensely
flavored and simply presented – no gimmicks, just well perfectly prepared
Meditterranean dishes such as her coq au Riesling (a twist on coq au vin).
I
was the editor of Chocolatier magazine back then, and we named her pastry chef,
David Blom, one of the Ten Best Pastry Chefs in America, so I got to
meet Debra
and see her in action in that small, hot Montrachet kitchen. She was unruffled.
Eventually she moved on – got married, moved to Connecticut and opened Aux
Delices, gourmet food shops in three locations in Connecticut. Here Debra
offers delicious food including main courses (Pork Scallopini with apple raisin
chutney), salads (Bloody Mary Tomato Salad), sandwiches and tea
sandwiches and,
of course, dessert. They also offer cooking classes and catering. If you live
anywhere near Greenwich, you know all about Aux Delices – Debra’s food is
simple and inspiring.
And
now she’s just released a cookbook, written with Mary Goodbody, The Dinnertime
Survival Cookbook: Delicious, Inspiring Meals for Busy Families (Running Press,
2013; $22). The recipes are for the same kind of food you’ll find
at Aux
Delices, things like Charred Pepper, Tomato and Sourdough Bread Salad, Roasted
Cod with Bacon and Leeks, Chicken Paillard with Nectarine Chutney and Baked
Wild Mushroom Risotto (I’m getting hungry here). There aren’t a lot of dessert
recipes in the book (the busy family doesn’t always have time for sweets), but
she does have a few favorites, like Apple Bars, Chocolate Marshmallow Pudding,
Coconut and Lime Cream Pie and Chocolate Espresso Bars, which are really
espresso-flavored brownies. I chose these because I was craving a good brownie,
and I’m always curious to try new brownie recipes. Debra’s version is indulgent
and rich with a strong hit of espresso flavor to round out the intensity of the
chocolate. I cut them into squares, wrapped them individually and frozen them
so that I could enjoy them whenever I got the urge. Looking forward to trying lots more recipes –
sweet and savory – in this book by one of my favorite chefs.
Chocolate Espresso Bars
From The Dinnertime Survival Cookbook by
Debra Ponzek with Mary Goodbody
Makes 16 bars
8 ounces good-quality bittersweet
chocolate
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
3 tablespoons instant espresso powder or
granules
4 large eggs, at room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly
spray a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan with vegetable oil spray.
2. In the top of a double boiler set over
barely simmering water, melt together the chocolate and butter, stirring until
smooth.
3. Meanwhile, dissolve the espresso in 3
tablespoons of boiling water. When the butter and chocolate melt, mix in the
espresso and remove from the heat.
4. In the bowl of an electric mixer
fitted with the paddle attachment and on medium-high speed, beat together the
eggs and sugar for about 8 minutes until pale and creamy and the mixture forms
a ribbon when the paddle is lifted. Remove the bowl from the mixer.
5. Whisk together the flour and cocoa and
add to the batter. Whisk until incorporated. Add the chocolate mixture and
whisk until combined. Transfer to the baking pan, smooth the surface, and bake
for 25 to 28 minutes, or until the edges just begin to set. The bars will seem
underdone but don’t let them overbake.
6. Let the bars cool in the pan, set on a
wire rack, and when cool, cut into squares and serve.
