Ingredients:
1 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup pineapple juice
1 T granulated garlic
1 T freshly ground black pepper
1 T dry mustard
Preparing the marinade:
Mix all ingredients in bowl, and marinate steaks overnight or for 10 hours in refrigerator.
Makes enough marinade for 2 steaks.
Ingredients:
1 cup heavy cream
5 T unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 teaspoon fleur de sel* (plus more for sprinkling on top)
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Preparing the caramel:
Line bottom and sides of an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, then lightly oil parchment.
Bring cream, butter, and fleur de sel to a boil in a small saucepan, then remove from heat and set aside.
Boil sugar, corn syrup, and water in a 3- to 4-quart heavy saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Boil, without stirring but gently swirling pan, until mixture is a light golden caramel.
Carefully stir in cream mixture (mixture will bubble up), vanilla extract and simmer, stirring frequently, until caramel registers 248 degrees F on thermometer, 10 to 15 minutes. Pour into baking pan and cool 2 hours. Cut into 1-inch pieces, sprinkle a few grains of fleur de sel on top. Wrap each piece in a 4-inch square of wax paper, twisting 2 ends to close.
*Available at specialty foods shops and SaltWorks (800-353-7258).
Ingredients:
16 baby Yukon gold potatoes
6 T extra-virgin olive oil
2 T grill seasoning, plus 3 tablespoons
2 T finely chopped rosemary leaves
8 slices thick cut bacon
3 pounds ground sirloin
1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup chopped parsley leaves
24 mini burger rolls, such as small dinner rolls, split
2 cups baby arugula
6 plum tomatoes, trim top and bottom, cut into 1/4-inch slices
1 small red onion, quartered lengthwise, sliced 1/4-inch thick
1/2 cup steak sauce (recommended: A1)
1/2 cup grainy mustard
Preparing the steak fries:
Heat the oven to 500 degrees F.
Get the potatoes in the oven first, then bacon and meat 10 minutes later. Cut potatoes into thin wedges (6 per potato). Coat the potatoes with 1/4 cup olive oil and season with 2 tablespoons of grill seasoning and rosemary. Bake 10 minutes or until golden brown, then reduce heat to 400 degrees F when you add bacon and meat to oven.
* * * * * * * *
Preparing the sliders:
Arrange the bacon on slotted broiler pan and bake until crisp, about 12 minutes then cut each strip into thirds, (24 pieces). Set aside.
Coat a 9 by 12-inch rimmed baking sheet with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Season the meat with Worcestershire sauce, 3 tablespoons grill seasoning and parsley. Spread meat into pan in 1/2-inch layer all the way to corners of pan. Coat the top of meat with 1 tablespoon olive oil and bake at 400 degrees F for 12 to 15 minutes until firm but a little pink at center. Rest meat 5 minutes then cut into 24 square mini burgers.
Place burgers on mini roll bottoms and top with arugula, tomato, bacon, red onion. Mix steak sauce with mustard and dot bun tops, set in place.
Serve potatoes alongside.
Serves 24
Ingredients:
2 (10-ounce) boxes chopped frozen spinach
1 box frozen artichoke hearts
3 T butter
4 cloves garlic, chopped
3 T all purpose flour
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup milk
salt and freshly ground black pepper
pinch ground nutmeg, or to taste
1 cup Gorgonzola, crumbled
1 1/2 cups shredded (a little larger than grated, available in tubs) Asiago or Parmigiano-Reggiano
thick sesame bread sticks, for dipping
celery hearts, trimmed for dipping
pita crisps with Parmesan and herbs (Stacy's)
Preparing the dip:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Defrost spinach 10 minutes on defrost setting in microwave then drain well by wringing out in dish towel. Defrost artichokes as well, 6 minutes on defrost in microwave then wring out and finely chop.
Heat a sauce pot with butter over medium to medium-high heat. Add garlic to melted butter and stir 1 to 2 minutes, then sprinkle in flour and combine 1 minute more. Whisk in stock and milk and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Thicken 2 minutes then remove from heat and melt in Gorgonzola. Stir in spinach and artichokes and half the shredded cheese then transfer to a small casserole and top with remaining cheese. Brown and bubble in the oven for 10 to 12 minutes.
Serve with bread sticks, celery hearts and pita crisps for dipping.
Ingredients:
4 (5-ounce) boneless, skinless, trimmed chicken breasts
1/2 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 eggs
1/4 cup milk
1 1/2 cups dried bread crumbs
1 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced
1/4 pound Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus extra for garnish, grated
olive oil, for frying (about 2 cups)
1 pound penne rigate, cooked al dente
tomato sauce, recipe follows
1/4 cup minced Italian parsley, for garnish
* * * * * * * * *
Ingredients for tomato sauce:
2 T extra-virgin olive oil
1 yellow onion, minced
4 garlic cloves, crushed
6 cups peeled and diced Roma tomatoes
1 T thinly sliced fresh basil leaves
1/2 T chopped fresh oregano leaves
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preparing the tomato sauce:
Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a saucepan. Add the onions and cook until translucent. Add the garlic and cook until almost brown, then add tomatoes. Saute for 30 minutes over low to medium heat. Add the basil and oregano and continue to cook for 30 minutes longer. Puree in a food mill or let cool and puree in a food processor. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
* * * * * * *
Preparing the chicken parmigiana:
Lightly pound the chicken breasts to 1/2-inch thickness. Combine the kosher salt, sugar, and 1 quart of water in a 1-gallon size resealable plastic bag; shake until dissolved. Add the chicken breasts and soak at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Place the flour in a medium bowl. Remove the chicken from the brine. Shake off excess moisture and, with tongs, lightly dredge the chicken in the flour. Shake off the excess flour and transfer to a large plate.
Mix the eggs and milk in medium bowl and whisk thoroughly. In a separate bowl combine the bread crumbs, oregano, basil, parsley, sea salt, and pepper. Dredge the chicken in the egg and milk mixture with tongs and let excess mixture drain off. Now dredge the chicken into the bread crumb mixture, and lightly pat down in the bread crumbs to adhere.
Preheat the broiler.
Let the breaded chicken sit for 5 minutes before frying. In a medium saucepan on medium-high heat, add enough olive oil to come 1/3 up the side of the chicken. Cook the chicken in batches until golden brown on both sides. Remove from the pan when cooked and place on a sheet tray. Repeat with remaining chicken.
When all the chicken is cooked, sprinkle mozzarella and Parmesan evenly over the top. Place under the broiler until the cheese melts and is golden brown.
Serve chicken over pasta and ladle tomato sauce on top. Garnish with additional Parmesan and parsley.
Serves 4
Ingredients:
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 T honey
1/4 teaspoon salt, plus more for seasoning
freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup walnut oil
10 ounces mixed salad greens
1 mango, seeded, peeled, diced
1 cup goat cheese (Chevre) crumbled
1/2 cup dried cranberries
mint sprigs, for garnish
Preparing the dressing:
In a blender combine vinegar, mustard, honey, the 1/4 teaspoon salt, and some fresh ground black pepper. Cover and blend for 30 seconds. With the blender running slowly, add oil in a thin, steady stream. If necessary, stop blender and scrape down sides.
Assembling the salad:
In a salad bowl, combine greens, mango, goat cheese, and cranberries. Add mint sprigs, to liking; drizzle with dressing. Toss gently to coat. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.
Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 heaping T sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup mashed cooked sweet potatoes
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) softened butter
2 to 4 T milk (depending on the moisture of the potatoes)
Ingredients for honey butter:
1 stick butter, softened
1/3 to 1/2 cup honey
shredded orange zest
Mixed nuts, chopped
Preparing the biscuits:
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. In a separate, large bowl, mix the sweet potatoes and butter. Add the flour mixture to the potato mixture and mix to make a soft dough. Then add milk a tablespoon at a time to mixture and continue to cut in. Turn the dough out onto a floured board and toss lightly until the outside of the dough looks smooth. Roll the dough out to 1/2-inch thick and cut with a biscuit cutter. Place the biscuits on a greased pan and coat tops with melted butter. Bake for about 15 minutes.
Note: If the biscuits are browning too fast, lower the temperature.
Serve with honey nut butter.
Makes 15 to 18 biscuits
* * * * * * * * *
Preparing the honey butter:
Mix a stick of butter with honey in a medium sized bowl. Add orange zest and mixed nuts, to taste. Mix again and serve.
Ingredients:
4 strips bacon
3 sprigs fresh thyme
2/3 cup heavy cream
2 Pie Crusts, recipe follows
3 medium baking potatoes, peeled
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup grated Gruyere cheese
1 egg yolk, whisked with a splash of water
Ingredients for pie crust:
1 cup butter (2 sticks), cubed and chilled
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
8 to 10 T ice water
Preparing the pie crust:
Put the butter, flour, and salt in the food processor, and pulse lightly just until the mixture resembles wet sand. Add the water, 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing briefly after each spoonful of water. Keep adding water until the dough just begins to gather into larger clumps. Transfer equal amounts of the dough into 2 resealable plastic bags and pat each into a disk. Let rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Remove 1 of the disks from the bag to a flour coated surface. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out to a 10-inch round. Gently fit the rolled dough into a 9-inch pie pan, and refrigerate while you prepare the torte ingredients.
Makes 2 9-inch pie crusts
* * * * * * * * *
Preparing the torte:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
In a skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon until just crispy. Drain on paper towel lined plate and set aside. Crumble the bacon when cool to the touch.
In a small saucepan, heat the thyme and cream over low heat to a bare simmer. Turn off the heat and let steep for about 5 minutes. Remove the thyme sprigs.
Remove the pie pan from the refrigerator. Slice the potatoes in half lengthwise and then finely slice the potatoes. Working in circles, arrange the potato slices in the pie crust, stopping to season each layer with salt, pepper, and about 1/4 of the crumbled bacon. Continue layering until the pie pan is nearly full. Top with an even layer of the cheese and gently pour cream around and over the entire pie, allowing it to seep down between the potato slices. (You may not use all the cream.)
Roll out the remaining disk of refrigerated dough. Cover the pie with the dough and crimp the edges closed. Brush the top and edges of the crust with egg wash. Make a few slits in the center of the top crust, for the steam to escape, and put the pie pan on a baking sheet. Bake the torte until the crust is browned and crispy and the potatoes are cooked through, about 50 to 60 minutes. If the crust edges get too brown, cover them with some strips of aluminum foil. Remove the pie from the oven and let rest at least 15 minutes before cutting into wedges and serving.
Ingredients:
1 garlic clove, sliced in 1/2
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 T balsamic vinegar
soy sauce, a splash (about 1 teaspoon)
salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 T olive oil
Preparing the dressing:
3 cups mixed greens, the darker the better
Rub the inside of a large wooden bowl with both halves of the garlic clove. Put the mustard in the bowl and whisk in the balsamic vinegar and soy sauce vigorously for about 10 seconds to get a creamy consistency. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Drizzle in the olive oil slowly to emulsify. Place the salad greens on top of the dressing. Toss just before serving.
Ingredients:
1 (4 to 5-pound) roasting chicken
1 large yellow onion, sliced
Good olive oil
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 lemons, quartered
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
6 cups (3/4-inch) bread cubes (1 baguette or round boule)
Preparing the chicken:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Take the giblets out of the chicken and wash it inside and out. Remove any excess fat and leftover pinfeathers. Toss the onion with a little olive oil in a small roasting pan. Place the chicken on top and sprinkle the inside of the cavity with salt and pepper. Place the lemons inside the chicken. Pat the outside of the chicken dry with paper towels, brush it with the melted butter, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Tie the legs together with kitchen string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the chicken.
Roast for 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours, or until the juices run clear when you cut between the leg and the thigh. Cover with foil and allow to sit at room temperature for 15 minutes. (The onions may burn, but the flavor is good.)
Meanwhile, heat a large saute pan with 2 tablespoons of olive oil until very hot. Lower the heat to medium-low and saute the bread cubes, tossing frequently, until nicely browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Add more olive oil, as needed, and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Place the croutons on a serving platter. Slice the chicken and place it, plus all the pan juices, over the croutons. Sprinkle with salt and serve warm.
Ingredients for the dough:
8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
3 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
pinch of coarse salt
2 1/3 cups all purpose flour, plus more for rolling out dough
Ingredients for the filling:
4 ounces walnuts
1/2 cup sugar
pinch of cinnamon
pinch of salt
12 ounces apricot jelly, melted
2 cups mini semisweet chocolate chips, or currants or a combination
Ingredients for topping:
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup fine sanding sugar
Preparing the dough:
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter and cream cheese at medium speed. Add sugar, and beat until fluffy. Beat in egg yolks, one at a time, beating to combine after each addition. Add vanilla and salt, and beat to combine. Reduce speed to low, and beat in flour. Remove from bowl, and divide into 3 pieces on a lightly floured surface. Pat into disks, and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, and up to overnight.
Preparing the filling:
In a food processor, combine walnuts, sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Pulse until fine.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Line baking sheets with Silpats. On a lightly floured surface, roll one piece of dough into a 12-inch round, less than 1/8 inch thick. Brush evenly with jelly. Sprinkle with one-third of the walnut mixture and one-third of the chocolate chips. Using the rolling pin, gently roll over filling to press ingredients into dough.
Cut the round into 16 equal-sized wedges. Beginning at the base of each wedge, roll to enclose filling, forming crescent shapes. Pinch to seal. Place on prepared baking sheets. Repeat with remaining dough and filling ingredients. Brush tops with beaten egg, and sprinkle with sanding sugar. Bake until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes.
Makes 4 dozen
Ingredients:
2 T active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water (100 degrees to 110 degrees)
1/4 cup plus 1 teaspoon sugar, plus more for rolling
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
2 large eggs
2 T unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
2 teaspoons salt
3 cups vegetable oil, plus more for bowl
1 cup seedless raspberry jam
Preparing the doughnuts:
In a small bowl, combine yeast, warm water, and 1 teaspoon sugar. Set aside until foamy, about 10 minutes.
Place flour in a large bowl. Make a well in the center; add eggs, yeast mixture, 1/4 cup sugar, butter, nutmeg, and salt. Using a wooden spoon, stir until a sticky dough forms. On a well-floured work surface, knead until dough is smooth, soft, and bounces back when poked with a finger, about 8 minutes (add more flour if necessary). Place in an oiled bowl; cover with plastic wrap. Set in a warm place to rise until doubled, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
On a lightly floured work surface, roll dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Using a 2 1/2-inch-round cutter or drinking glass, cut 20 rounds. Cover with plastic wrap; let rise 15 minutes.
In medium saucepan over medium heat, heat oil until a deep-frying thermometer registers 370 degrees F. Using a slotted spoon, carefully slip 4 rounds into oil. Fry until golden, about 40 seconds. Turn doughnuts over; fry until golden on other side, another 40 seconds. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a paper-towel-lined baking sheet. Roll in sugar while warm. Fry all dough, and roll in sugar.
Fill a pastry bag fitted with a #4 tip with jam. Using a wooden skewer or toothpick, make a hole in the side of each doughnut. Fit the pastry tip into a hole, pipe about 2 teaspoons jam into doughnut. Repeat with remaining doughnuts.
Makes 20 doughnuts
Ingredients:
3 ounces walnuts (1 cup)
6 ounces (1 1/2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces, plus 3 T melted for filling
8 ounces cream cheese
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon table salt
6 ounces roughly chopped semisweet chocolate
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 T ground cinnamon
3/4 cup currants
grated zest of 1 orange
3 T light corn syrup
1 large egg yolk
1 T water
3 T sanding sugar, or granulated sugar
Preparing the rugelach:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Spread walnuts on a baking sheet; toast until golden and fragrant, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Place 1 1/2 sticks butter and the cream cheese in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low speed until the cream cheese is broken down but butter is still chunky. On low speed, add flour and salt, and mix until crumbly and just beginning to hold together, about 20 seconds. There should still be some small pieces of butter visible. Divide dough into two equal parts. Form each part into a flattened rectangle, and wrap in plastic wrap. Transfer to the refrigerator to chill 5 hours or overnight.
Place the chocolate in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until the chocolate is very finely chopped, about 7 seconds. Transfer to a large bowl. Finely chop toasted walnuts by hand, and add to bowl. Add sugar, cinnamon, currants, zest, corn syrup, and melted butter, and combine by hand. Beat egg yolk with the water, and set aside.
Have ready a 9-by-13-inch baking pan lined with parchment paper. Place a rectangle of dough between two 9-by-13-inch pieces of waxed paper; roll dough into a rectangle the size of the baking pan. Line prepared baking pan with dough. Spread dough evenly with walnut mixture. Roll remaining rectangle of dough into a rectangle the size of the baking pan; place on top. Trim the edges of the dough so they are even. Brush the top of dough with egg yolk mixture, and sprinkle with sugar. Bake until golden, about 35 minutes, rotating halfway through. Cool on a wire rack. Cut into 50 to 60 rectangles, each 2 1/2 by 3/4 inches.
Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 1/4 cups firmly packed light-brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
Preparing the cookies:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with Silpats. Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and baking soda, and set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter, vegetable shortening, granulated sugar, and 1 cup brown sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing until fully combined between additions. Add vanilla; beat to combine. Gradually add dry ingredients; mix on low speed until fully combined. Add chocolate chips; mix on low just until combined. Cover bowl with plastic wrap; chill until firm, about 1 hour.
In a small bowl using a rubber spatula, stir together peanut butter and remaining 1/4 cup brown sugar.
Drop 1 tablespoon of dough at a time onto baking sheets, spacing cookies about 2 inches apart. Make a thumbprint in the center of each cookie. Fill thumbprint with 2 teaspoons peanut butter mixture. Top with a second tablespoon of flattened dough. Carefully mold dough to cover the surprise.
Bake until firm, about 12 minutes, rotating halfway through. Transfer baking sheets to wire racks to cool for 5 minutes. Remove cookies from baking sheets, and let cool completely on wire racks.
Makes 2 1/2 dozen
Ingredients for cookies:
2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup plus 1 T unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
2 teaspoons coarse salt
8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/3 cups sugar, plus more for rolling
2 large egg yolks
2 T heavy cream
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Ingredients for chocolate and vanilla bean ganache:
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/2 vanilla bean, split and scraped, pod reserved
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 ounce (2 T) unsalted butter, cut into pieces and softened
Preparing the cookies:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Sift flour, cocoa powder, and salt into a small bowl. Cream butter and sugar with a mixer until pale and fluffy. Reduce speed to medium, and add yolks, cream, and vanilla. Scrape sides of bowl. Beat in flour mixture until just combined.
Roll balls using 2 teaspoons dough for each, and roll each in sugar. Place 1 inch apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. With the handle of a wooden spoon, press gently in the center of each to create an indentation. Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until cookies are just set, about 10 minutes. (If indentations lose definition, press centers again.) Let cool slightly on baking sheets. Transfer cookies to wire racks, and let cool.
Preparing the chocolate and vanilla bean ganache:
Combine honey, cream, and vanilla seeds and pod in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, and cook, stirring until honey dissolves. Remove from heat, cover, and let stand for 20 minutes.
Place chocolate in a food processor. Return cream mixture to a simmer, then strain through a fine sieve. Discard solids. Pour cream mixture over chocolate, and let stand for 1 minute. Process until smooth. Add butter, and continue to process, scraping down sides occasionally, until butter is incorporated. Let cool slightly, and then use immediately.
Spoon warm ganache into center of each cookie. Let stand until firm, about 15 minutes. Cookies will keep, covered, for up to 3 days.
Makes 90 cookies
Ingredients:
4 cups all purpose flour
2 scant T yeast (2 packets)
4 T sugar
1 large egg
1/4 cup plus 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 medium onion, peeled and diced
2 teaspoons poppy seeds
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Place flour in bowl of an electric mixer with dough paddle attached. Make a well in center and pour in 1 cup lukewarm water. Stir in yeast and 2 tablespoons sugar, and let sit for 30 minutes.
Add egg, 1/4 cup vegetable oil, remaining sugar and the salt. Mix well until dough is soft but not sticky, adding flour if necessary. Turn into a greased bowl, and let rise again, covered, for one hour. Knead lightly, and let rise again for 30 minutes.
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place diced onion in a small bowl, and stir in poppy seeds and remaining 2 teaspoons vegetable oil. Set aside.
Divide dough into 20 balls. On a floured board, roll each ball into a circle about 2 or 3 inches in diameter and about 1 inch thick. Sprinkle a tablespoon or so of onion-poppy seed mixture on each circle. Roll circles again, to a thickness of about 1/8 of an inch. Prick each circle with a fork and sprinkle lightly with kosher salt. Transfer to 2 ungreased baking sheets. Bake for about 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.
Makes 20 onion rolls
Ingredients:
2 large eggs
3 cups grated drained all purpose potatoes
1/4 cup grated onion
1 teaspoon salt, more to taste
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 to 4 T matzo meal, or as needed
canola oil, for frying
applesauce and sour cream for serving
In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs lightly. Add potatoes, onion, salt and pepper, and mix well. Stir in 2 tablespoons matzo meal, and let it sit about 30 seconds to absorb moisture in batter. If necessary add more to make a thick, wet batter that is neither watery nor dry.
Place a large skillet over medium heat, and add 2 tablespoons oil. When oil is hot drop in heaping 1/8 cups (about 2 tablespoons) of batter, flattening them gently to make thick pancakes. When bottoms have browned, after 2 to 3 minutes, flip and brown on other side. Add oil as needed. Drain on paper towels, and sprinkle with additional salt to taste. If necessary, work in batches, keeping cooked pancakes warm.
Serve hot with applesauce and sour cream.
Makes about 24 small pancakes, or 4 servings
Ingredients for the dough:
1 T yeast
1/3 cup milk, at room temperature
2 large eggs, at room temperature
6 T unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup sour cream
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups all purpose flour, sifted
Ingredients for the filling:
12 ounces farmer’s cheese
1/3 cup sour cream
1/3 cup sugar
2 T flour
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 large egg yolk
finely grated zest of 1 lemon
Preparing the pastries:
flour, for dusting
1 large egg mixed with 1 T water
confectioners’ sugar, optional
Preparing the dough:
In bowl of an electric mixer, combine yeast and milk and allow to sit for a few minutes. Stir in eggs, butter, sour cream, sugar, salt and flour. Mix well until dough turns into a ball. Transfer to a covered container and allow to rest for 30 minutes, then refrigerate overnight.
Preparing the filling:
In bowl of an electric mixer, combine farmer’s cheese, sour cream, sugar, flour, vanilla, egg yolk and lemon zest. Mix well. Transfer to a covered container and refrigerate until needed, up to 24 hours.
Assembling the pastries:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Lightly dust a work surface with flour and roll out dough into a rectangle 1/8 inch thick. Cut into 4-by-4-inch squares. Spoon about 1 tablespoon filling into center of each square. Pick up corners of each square and press points together.
Arrange pastries on baking sheets about 1½ inches apart. Brush with egg mixture. Bake until golden, about 20 minutes. Allow to cool and serve as is or sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar.
Makes about 24 pastries
6 pounds of fresh beef or heirloom tomatoes, cut into halves
4 star anise
1 vanilla bean
sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
white granulated sugar
2 sprigs of fresh thyme
1-2 bay leaves
Ingredients for infusion:
garlic cloves, smashed, to taste (see Notes below)
1 bunch (28 grams) fresh basil
extra virgin olive oil
Preparing the paste:
Put a heavy cast pan on the stove over medium to high heat. When hot, place the tomatoes into the pan, and season with salt, pepper and a touch of sugar. Turn the heat down to medium. Add the anise and vanilla bean into the pan. Allow the tomatoes to start to cook then press them gently with a masher to help them to release their juice.
Reduce the heat down to just simmering and continue for about 1-2 hours until it becomes a thickened paste. This slow evaporation of the moisture from the tomatoes will produce a deep color and concentrated flavor without any bitterness.
Remove from the heat and immediately add the garlic cloves and basil, very roughly chopped (knifed once) to the warm paste. Finish with a good amount of olive oil. Allow to cool before storing, although this paste-sauce is ready for use.
Note:
Ingredients for marinated Camembert:
2 unpasteurized small wheels of Camembert
chopped sun-dried tomatoes
chopped kalamata olives/tapenade
fresh thyme, basil and whole bay leaf
cracked garlic
extra virgin olive oil
Ingredients for cumin seed topping:
cumin seeds
fresh thyme and bay leaves
sea salt and freshly cracked pepper
flour for dusting
Ingredients for basic bread dough:
1 lb. bread flour
2 teaspoons salt
1 ounce unsalted butter
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 quart warm water (made from 1 part boiling, 1 part chilled)
1 pinch of sugar
Preparing the Camembert:
Prepare the cheese by piercing the top and bottom rind with a fork. Remove any hard rind with a knife. Marinate overnight, if possible, with olive oil, salt, pepper, fresh herbs, tomatoes, olives and garlic etc.
Preparing the bread:
In a large bowl mix together the flour, salt, butter and yeast.
Stir in the water and mix into a soft dough.
Turn out onto a floured surface and knead well for 10 minutes by hand or 5 minutes in an electric mixer with a fitted dough hook.
Shape the dough into a ball and place in a floured bowl. Cover with damp cloth and leave in a warm place until doubled in size.
Once doubled turn out onto the table and gently press out the excess gas from the dough.
Knead a couple of times to smooth out the dough. Divide into 2.
Roll each piece out 1 times bigger than the cheese.
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
Place the cheese in the center, add some of the ingredients from the marinade, and fold the dough over the top and turn over onto a floured baking sheet so that the folds overlap and are tucked underneath (pinch the edges together to secure). Brush the top with olive and finish with sprigs of thyme, bay leaves, cumin seeds, salt and pepper. Finish with a dusting of flour.
Leave to double in size in a warm, non-drafty place.
Just before placing dough in a preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, spray the inside of the oven with water. Spray again 5 minutes before the end of cooking.
Remove to a large serving board and allow to cool before serving.
Makes 2 loaves
Ingredients:
1 (4 pound) beef brisket, first-cut
extra-virgin olive oil
1 T kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
coarsely ground black pepper
3 large carrots, cut into chunks
1 onion, halved
2 celery stalks, cut into chunks
1 head garlic, cut in 1/2
1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes (San Marzano), hand-crushed
1 cup beef broth
1/2 to 3/4 bottle dry red wine
1 bay leaves
1/4 bunch fresh thyme, leaves only
4 sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves only
1 handful fresh flat-leaf parsley
Preparing the brisket:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
Drizzle brisket liberally with olive oil then season the meat on both sides with salt and pepper.
Place a large Dutch oven or heavy-based pot over medium-high heat and add a 3-count of olive oil. Place the brisket in the pot and sear on both sides to form a nice brown crust. Remove from pot and set aside before adding carrots, onion and celery. Brown vegetables, then add the garlic, tomatoes, red wine, bay leaf, thyme, rosemary, and parsley. Add the brisket back to the pot, cover and roast in the oven for 3 hours until the brisket is fork tender.
Remove the brisket to a cutting board and let it rest for 15 minutes. Strain out the vegetables and pour off some of the excess fat, then pour over the brisket.
Slice brisket across the grain and serve over parsnip puree with roasted red onions and garnish with parsley, or over broad pasta noodles, or polenta.
Ingredients:
1 T canola oil
2 pounds flat, first-cut brisket, trimmed of fat
3 medium onions, halved and sliced
6 allspice berries or pinch of ground allspice
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 bay leaves
1 cup dry vermouth or dry white wine
3 cups reduced-sodium beef broth
4 medium carrots, peeled
3 medium parsnips, peeled
1 medium rutabaga (about 3/4 pound), peeled
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons arrowroot or 1 tablespoon cornstarch
1-2 T water
Preparing the brisket:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add brisket and cook until browned, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a large plate and set aside.
Add onions to the pot; cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in allspice, thyme, paprika, salt, pepper and bay leaves, then pour in vermouth (or wine). Bring to a boil. Cook for 3 minutes.
Stir in broth and return the brisket to the pot along with any accumulated juices. Bring to a simmer. Cover, place in the oven and bake for 1 1/2 hours. Meanwhile, cut carrots, parsnips and rutabaga into 2-by-1/2-inch sticks.
Transfer brisket to a plate. Using a slotted spoon, remove and discard bay leaves and allspice berries (if using). Stir mustard into the sauce. Add the carrots, parsnips and rutabaga. Return the brisket to the pot; cover and bake for 1 hour more.
Test vegetables and brisket for tenderness by piercing with the tip of a sharp knife. As they get done, transfer to a cutting board or platter, cover with foil and set aside. If necessary, continue to cook, testing for doneness every 20 minutes. Total cooking time for the brisket may range from 2 1/2 to 5 hours, depending on the particular piece of meat.
Skim fat from the sauce. Place the pot over high heat and bring to a boil. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, to reduce and intensify flavors. Dissolve arrowroot in 1 tablespoon water (or cornstarch in 2 tablespoons water); add to the simmering sauce and cook, stirring constantly, just until thickened, about 10 seconds.
Slice the brisket thinly against the grain and arrange slices on a serving platter. Using a slotted spoon, mound the vegetables around the brisket. Spoon half the sauce over the meat and vegetables; pass remaining sauce separately.
Ingredients:
1 bone-in prime rib (6 to 7 pounds)
8 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
salt and coarsely ground black pepper
2 cups red wine
4 cups beef stock
1 T chopped fresh thyme leaves
Preparing the prime rib:
Thirty minutes before roasting the prime rib, remove from the refrigerator and let come to room temperature.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Make small slits all over the prime rib and fill each slit with a slice of the garlic. Season liberally with the salt and coarse pepper, place on a rack set inside a roasting pan and roast for about 2 hours until medium-rare, or until a thermometer inserted into the center of the meat registers 135 degrees F. Remove the meat to a platter, and tent with foil to keep warm.
Place the roasting pan on top of the stove over 2 burners set on high heat. Add the wine to the pan drippings in the pan and cook over high heat until reduced, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Add the stock and cook until reduced by half. Whisk in the thyme and season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Slice meat as desired and serve with thyme au jus.
Ingredients for the cookies:
3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 stick salted butter, softened
2 large eggs
1/4 cup molasses
3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting work surface
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
Ingredients for the icing:
1 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted
1 to 2 T milk
Red and green food coloring, as desired
Variations: assorted sprinkles, dragees, etc.
Preparing the cookies:
Using a mixer on low speed, cream the brown sugar and butter in a large bowl until thoroughly combined. Mix in the eggs and molasses.
Sift together the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in another bowl. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix with a spoon. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap; place in the refrigerator until firm, about 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 1 or more cookie sheets with parchment paper.
Let the dough sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes, until pliable.
Take about 1/2 cup dough at a time and roll on a floured surface to 1/4-inch thick. Use cookie cutters to cut cookies into any shapes you want. Re-roll and cut out the scraps. Using a spatula, transfer the cookies to the prepared cookie sheets, leaving space between them. Refrigerate the cookies for 20 minutes, then bake until they just begin to brown at the edges, 18 to 20 minutes. Cool slightly, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely before decorating.
Preparing the icing:
Combine the confectioners' sugar and milk in a bowl. Leave white or divide among bowls and add food coloring. Decorate cookies with icing; use a pastry bag to pipe eyes, mouths, buttons and bow ties. Top with sprinkles or other candy decorations.
Ingredients:
2 cups chestnut flour
2 T white granulated sugar
1/4 cup walnut pieces
1/2 cup plus 1 1/2 cups milk, very cold
2 T extra virgin olive oil
2 T chopped fresh rosemary leaves
4 lemons, sliced paper-thin, seeds removed
1 1/2 cups sugar
Preparing the cake:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
In a large mixing bowl, place the flour, sugar and walnuts. Add 1/2 cup milk and slowly add the rest of the milk, stirring constantly to avoid forming lumps in the batter.
Grease the cake pan with 1 tablespoon of the oil and pour in the batter. Drizzle the top of the batter with the remaining olive oil and distribute the rosemary evenly over the top. Bake for 45 minutes, or until a toothpick pierced in the center comes out clean.
While the castagnaccio is cooking, in a small saucepan, combine the lemons, sugar, and 1 cup water over medium heat. Cook until quite soft and bubbly, about 20 minutes. Remove the castagnaccio and serve either warm or cool with lemon sauce.
Ingredients:
1 cup toasted pecans
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon table salt
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into pieces
3/4 cups packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large egg yolks, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 T grated orange zest, from 3 oranges
1/2 cup seedless blackberry jam
Preparing the cookies:
Add the nuts to the bowl of a food processor, fitted with a blade, and pulse until finely ground (it should be powdery and not a paste), about 15 pulses. Set aside. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl until evenly combined and set aside.
Put the butter and sugars in the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, and mix on medium speed until creamy and light, about 2 to 3 minutes. Turn off the mixer, scrape down sides of the bowl, and add egg yolks and vanilla. Mix until well incorporated.
Mix in the orange zest, ground pecan powder, and the flour mixture until just incorporated. Divide the dough into 2 even pieces, pat each into a thin disk, enclose in plastic wrap, and let rest in refrigerator at least 1 hour and up to 12 hours.
When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and arrange racks in the upper and lower third of the oven. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and let sit at room temperature until pliable enough to roll. Roll out half of the dough on a piece of lightly floured parchment or waxed paper to 1/4-inch thickness. Using a 2-inch round cookie or biscuit cutter, cut out rounds of dough. Using 3/4-inch round cookie cutter, cut out the center of half of rounds to make rings. Transfer rounds and rings to the freezer to set up for 5 minutes before continuing. Gather the dough scraps and chill.
Transfer the chilled cookies to parchment lined baking sheets, leaving at least 1-inch between each cookie. Bake 2 sheets of cookies at a time until the undersides are golden, switching sheets halfway through, about 12 to 15 minutes total. Cool 5 minutes on sheets then remove to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat until all dough is used.
To assemble cookies, spread 1/2 teaspoon jam on the bottom side of each solid round cookie, then top with a ring-shaped cookie.
Ingredients:
1 cup toasted hazelnuts
2 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon table salt
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into pieces
3/4 cups packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large egg yolks, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 T grated orange zest
1/2 cup chocolate-hazelnut spread, like Nutella
Preparing the cookies:
Add the nuts to the bowl of a food processor, fitted with a blade, and pulse until finely ground (it should be powdery and not a paste), about 15 pulses. Set aside. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl until evenly combined and set aside.
Put the butter and sugars in the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, and mix on medium speed until creamy and light, about 2 to 3 minutes. Turn off the mixer, scrape down sides of the bowl, and add egg yolks and vanilla. Mix until well incorporated.
Mix in the orange zest, ground hazelnut powder, and the flour mixture until just incorporated. Divide the dough into 2 even pieces, pat each into a thin disk, enclose in plastic wrap, and let rest in refrigerator at least 1 hour and up to 12 hours.
When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and arrange racks in the upper and lower third of the oven. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and let sit at room temperature until pliable enough to roll. Roll out half of the dough on a piece of lightly floured parchment or waxed paper to 1/4-inch thickness. Using a 2-inch round cookie or biscuit cutter, cut out rounds of dough. Using a 3/4-inch round cookie cutter, cut out the center of half of rounds to make rings. Transfer rounds and rings to the freezer to set up for 5 minutes before continuing. Gather the dough scraps and chill.
Transfer the chilled cookies to parchment lined baking sheets, leaving at least 1-inch between each cookie. Bake 2 sheets of cookies at a time until the undersides are golden, switching sheets halfway through, about 12 to 15 minutes total. Cool 5 minutes on sheets then remove to awire rack to cool completely. Repeat until all dough is used.
To assemble cookies, spread 1 teaspoon of the chocolate-spread on the bottom of each solid round cookie, then top with a ring-shaped cookie.
Ingredients for the pie crust:
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 T grated orange peel
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/4 cup solid vegetable shortening, cut into small pieces
1 T orange juice
2 T (about) ice water
or 1 prepared pie shell, unbaked
Ingredients for filling:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 pound cooked and mashed sweet potatoes
1 cup granulated white sugar
1/2 cup whole milk or evaporated milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs, beaten
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
pinch of salt
Preparing the pies:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Mix butter, sweet potatoes, sugar and milk until well blended. Add vanilla, eggs, nutmeg and cinnamon; mix well. Pour into the prepared pie shell. Bake for about 1 hour, until set.
Makes 1 9-inch pie
Ingredients:
1 (12-ounce) bag cranberries, fresh or frozen
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of freshly ground nutmeg
1/4 cup good quality bourbon (Makers' Mark), or more
Preparing the cranberry sauce:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Combine the cranberries, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a small baking dish and cover. Bake for about 55 minutes. Remove the cover and stir to melt any un-dissolved sugar. Return the dish to the oven and bake for about 5 to 10 more minutes, or until the cranberries are soft and surrounded by a syrupy sauce. Remove the dish from the oven and immediately stir in the bourbon, to taste. Let the dish cool to room temperature, then chill for at least hour before serving. The sauce will keep for several weeks in the refrigerator.
Ingredients for the cranberry sauce:
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
1 (16-ounce) bag fresh cranberries
1 cup chopped apple
1 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 cup Grand Marnier
1/2 orange, juiced
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated
Preparing the cranberry sauce:
Combine the sugar and water in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the cranberries and return to a boil, then lower the heat so that the liquid simmers. Add the apples, raisins, Grand Marnier, orange and lemon juices, cinnamon, and nutmeg, and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, until the apples are tender. Remove the pan from the heat, add the walnuts and let the sauce cool.
Ingredients:
12 ounces to 1 pound (4 cups) fresh cranberries
1 1/2 cups granulated white sugar
1 cup water
1/2 to 1 navel orange, supremed and zested, chopped fine
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 cup crushed pineapple, drained
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
ground cinnamon, sprinkle, or a stick of cinnamon
1/8 to 1/4 cup of Grand Marnier
Preparing the cranberry sauce:
Wash cranberries and set aside.
Bring sugar and water to a boil. Add cranberries, orange, orange zest and cloves (and stick of cinnamon, if using). Simmer over a high flame, stirring frequently, until berries pop open. Add crushed pineapple, Grand Marnier, walnuts, and ground cinnamon (if not using cinnamon stick) and blend. Cool and serve.
Ingredients:
8 large yellow onions, halved and sliced lengthwise into 1/4-inch strips
1/4 cup unsalted butter
salt and freshly ground pepper
2 2/3 cups water, divided
2/3 cup dry Sherry
5 cups chicken broth (with as little sodium as possible)
2 2/3 cups beef broth
8 sprigs fresh thyme and one bay leaf, tied together
1 loaf French bread
1 pound gruyère, grated
Preparing the soup:
Heat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Place the onions and butter in large lidded casserole, season with 1/4 teaspoon salt, cover and place in the oven. Cook, stirring every 15 minutes or so, until the onions are softened and a light golden-brown, about 1 1/2 hours.
Transfer the casserole to the stove-top and heat over medium-high heat. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are a deep golden-brown and just begin to stick to the bottom of the pot to form a crust.
Add half of the water and cook, scraping the bottom constantly, until the water has evaporated, about 8 minutes. Add the Sherry and continue cooking until it has evaporated, 3 to 5 minutes.
Stir in the remaining water, chicken broth and beef broth, as well as the thyme bundle and bring to a gentle simmer. Reduce the heat to maintain a bare simmer and continue to cook for 40 minutes. Remove the thyme and season to taste with salt and pepper.
While the soup is simmering, prepare the toasts:
Slice the French bread on a bias into one-half-inch thick slices large enough to fit inside of each soup bowl (use one toast if it will fit, two if the slices are smaller). Toast the bread until crisp and golden. Set aside.
Fill 8 oven-proof soup bowls with soup to 1/2-inch from the rim, making sure to distribute onions evenly between bowls. Lay the toasts on top of the soup, inside the edges of the bowl. Sprinkle the grated gruyère evenly over the tops of the bowls and place the bowls under the broiler just until the cheese is bubbling and begins to brown in places.
Serves 8
Ingredients:
5 3/4 cups (1 pound, 10 ounces) bread flour
scant 1 cup (6.4 ounces) sugar
1 3/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 3/4 T baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) plus 1 T cold butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3 eggs, divided
1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 cup buttermilk
3/4 pound dried black currants (about 2 1/2 cups)
2 T milk
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
Cut in the butter until the mixture is crumbly.
In a medium bowl, whisk together 2 of the eggs, the vanilla and buttermilk. Pour the buttermilk mixture over the dry ingredients, and stir together to evenly distribute. (The dough will be crumbly.) Stir in the currants.
Pour the mixture onto a lightly floured cutting board, and gently knead to form a cohesive mass. Be careful not to overmix, or the dough will be tough.
Scoop the scones using a large (4-ounce) scoop onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, or divide the dough into 14 portions (each portion will be about one-half cup), leaving 3 inches between each.
In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining egg with the milk to form an egg wash. Brush the egg wash over each of the scones.
Bake the scones until puffed, lightly browned and a toothpick inserted comes out clean, about 30 minutes, rotating halfway through baking for even coloring. Remove to a rack and cool slightly before serving.
Makes 14 scones
Type your summary here.
2 cups heavy cream
1/4 pound gorgonzola cheese
2 pounds fresh spinach, cleaned and stemmed
4 skinless and boneless chicken breasts
salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
flour to dredge the chicken, about 1/2 cup
2 T olive oil, more as needed
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, preferably whole milk
1/2 cup grated parmigiano reggiano
chopped parsley, for garnish
Preparing the chicken:
In a medium heavy-bottom saucepan, bring the cream to a boil. Reduce the heat to a good simmer and cook, stirring frequently, until it is thickened and reduced by about half, about 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in the gorgonzola and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the cheese is melted and combined with the cream, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat and reserve in a warm place.
Bring a large pot of water to boil. Blanch the spinach to bring out the color, then drain and shock in a bowl of ice water. Drain again, pressing out all excess water. Set aside.
Pound the chicken: Place each chicken breast between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound to a thickness of one-fourth inch without tearing. Season each breast with a pinch of salt and pepper on each side, then dredge in flour to coat.
In a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, heat the oil until hot, then brown the chicken on each side, one piece at a time, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Adjust the heat as needed to keep the chicken from burning, and add oil as needed to keep a thin film on the bottom of the pan. Remove the chicken to a platter to keep warm.
In the same sauté pan, add a little oil if needed to maintain a thin film, then stir in the garlic. Cook over medium-heat just until aromatic. Stir in the spinach, then the sauce. Cook, stirring constantly, for a minute or so to merge the flavors. Remove from heat.
Heat the broiler and place each chicken breast on an oven-proof plate. Spoon one-fourth of the cream and spinach over each breast, then evenly sprinkle the mozzarella and parmigiano reggiano cheese over each portion.
Place each plate briefly under the broiler to melt the cheese and brown the sauce slightly. Sprinkle the plates with chopped parsley and serve immediately.
Ingredients:
5 slices whole-wheat or white bread, torn into small pieces
2 large eggs
12 ounces evaporated skim milk
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 T semi-sweet chocolate chips
Haagen-Daz 5 vanilla bean ice cream
Preparing the bread pudding:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Lightly butter an 8-inch square baking dish. Spread the bread in the dish in an even layer.
In a mixing bowl, whisk the eggs. Add the evaporated skim milk, brown sugar, cocoa, vanilla, and cinnamon. Whisk until the sugar and cocoa dissolve. Pour the cocoa mixture over the bread. With a fork, mix in any unsoaked bread pieces. Sprinkle the chocolate chips over the top and let stand for 10 minutes. Bake for 35 minutes, or until puffed and set in the center. Serve warm, with a scoop of ice cream on top.
Serves 6
This brioche is perfection.
It requires time, and you will come to appreciate just what a workhorse the Kitchen Aid mixer is (mine had to go in for the motor's works to have the grease repacked after this effort), but the product that comes out of your oven is so worth it.
Ingredients for preferment:
1/4 cup nonfat milk
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 1/4 cups bread flour (8 1/4 ounces)
Ingredients for the dough:
2 T and 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
5 large eggs
1 1/4 cups whole milk
3 1/2 cups bread flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 T salt
1 cup + 2 T unsalted butter, chilled but pliable
Ingredients for egg wash:
4 large egg yolks
¼ cup heavy cream
pinch of salt
Preparing the preferment:
Warm the milk only enough to take the chill off. The milk should not be warm or cold to the touch but in between the two (80-90 degrees F). Pour the milk into a mixing bowl, sprinkle the yeast over the milk, stir to dissolve the yeast with a wooden spoon, and then add the flour, mixing with the spoon until a smooth batter forms. Cover the bowl with cheesecloth and place in a cool, draft-free area for 1 hour and then refrigerate for at least 1 hour or for up to 3 hours to cool down. The mixture will rise until doubled in volume and not yet collapsing.
Preparing the dough:
Measure all the ingredients for the dough. Once you measure the butter, cut into cubes and return the eggs, milk and butter to the refrigerator to chill.
To make the dough, transfer the preferment and then the yeast to the large bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. Mix on low speed until the yeast is incorporated into the preferment batter, which will take a minute or two. Stop the mixer as needed and use a spatula to clean the bottom and sides of the bowl, folding the loosened portion into the mixture to incorporate all the elements fully. When the mixture has come together into an even, well-mixed mass, begin to add the eggs one by one, increasing the mixer speed to medium or medium-high to incorporate the eggs and stopping the mixer and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Once all the eggs are incorporated, reduce the mixer speed to low and begin slowly to add 1 cup of the milk. When the milk is fully incorporated, stop the mixer and add the flour, sugar and salt. Engage the mixer again on low speed and mix until the dry ingredients are incorporated, about 3 minutes. Increase the speed to medium-high and mix until you see a dough forming and it starts to come away cleanly from the sides of the bowl, 2 to 3 minutes.
Turn off the mixer and let dough rest for 15 to 20 minutes. While the dough is resting, place the chilled butter cubes into a separate mixer bowl. Fit the mixer with the paddle attachment and mix the butter on medium speed until the cubes are pliable but not soft and are still chilled.
Remove the bowl holding the butter from the mixer and replace it with the bowl holding the now-rested first-stage dough. Refit the mixer with the dough hook and begin mixing on medium speed. When the dough again starts to come away cleanly from the sides of the bowl, increase the speed to medium-high. At this stage the dough will appear very silky and elastic. With the mixing speed still on medium-high, add small amounts of the butter, squeezing the cubes through your fingers so that they become ribbons as they drop into the bowl. Stop the mixer to clean the bottom and sides of the bowl as needed with the spatula. Make sure that you don’t add too much butter too quickly and also make sure that you don’t mix the butter too long after each addition or you will heat up the dough. When all the butter has been added, allow the mixer to run for another 2 minutes to make sure the butter is fully incorporated. The dough should still be coming away cleanly from the sides of the bowl at this point.
Slowly add the remaining 1/4 cup milk in increments of 1 tablespoon and increase the mixer speed to high. Mix until the dough is very smooth and silky and continues to pull cleanly away from the sides of the bowl. This should take another 2 minutes.
Lightly oil a large baking sheet. Spread the dough evenly on the prepared pan. Dust the top lightly with flour and cover with cheesecloth. Put the pan in the freezer for at least 3 hours and then transfer to the refrigerator overnight.
Brush three 9-inch by 5-inch loaf pans with melted butter. Remove the chilled dough from the refrigerator and place on a lightly floured work surface in a cool kitchen. Divide the dough into 3 equal portions. Press each portion into a rectangle the length of a loaf pan and slightly wider than the pan. Starting from a narrow end, roll up the rectangle tightly, pinch the ends and seam to seal, and place seam side down in a prepared pan. The pan should be no more than one-third full. The dough increases substantially during rising, and if you fill the pan any fuller, the brioche will bake up too large for the pan. When the pans are filled, place them in a draft-free area with relatively high humidity. Let rise for 2 to 3 hours. During this final rising, the brioche should at least double in size and look noticeably puffy but still be resilient to the touch.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F for at least 20 minutes before you want to begin baking. About 10 minutes before you want to begin baking, make the egg wash: whisk together the yolks, cream and salt until you have a pale yellow mixture. Using a pastry brush, brush the wash on tops of the loaves. Let the wash dry for about 10 minutes before baking.
Place the loaves in the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 350ºF and bake until the loaves are a uniformly dark golden brown on the bottom, sides and top, about 45 minutes longer. Remove the pans from the oven, immediately rap the bottoms on a tabletop to release the loaves, and then turn the loaves out onto wire racks to cool. The loaves can be eaten warm from the oven or allowed to cool and eaten within the day at room temperature or toasted. If you keep them longer than a day, wrap them in plastic wrap or parchment paper and freeze them indefinitely.
Makes 3 1-1/4 lb. loaves
Corn:
This tart will hold in the refrigerator for several days. Reheat in a 400 degree F oven for 10 to 15 minutes to re-crisp the crust.
Ingredients:
2 sheets puff pastry (17.3-ounce package), thawed according to package directions
2 1/2 pounds firm-ripe summer tomatoes
heaping cup fromage blanc [Note: Bellwether Farms fromage blanc is available in markets that carry a large selection of cheeses, such as Real Foods, Berkeley Bowl and Andronico's. It comes in a 7.5-ounce package that is perfect for this recipe. If you can't find fromage blanc, use a mix of 2/3 cup ricotta and 1/3 cup sour cream.]
salt to taste
1 cup very thinly sliced red onion
1/2 cup pitted oil-cured kalamata or other flavorful black olives
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
freshly ground pepper to taste
2 T extra virgin olive oil
2 T thinly sliced or chopped fresh basil
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet (or 2 smaller ones) with parchment paper.
Roll out each puff pastry sheet to a 12 x 14-inch rectangle.
Place on the baking sheet and fold over the edges of each pastry to form a 1/2-inch border. Prick the bottom of each pastry with a fork and bake for 10 minutes. Let cool for 15 to 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, slice the tomatoes in half width-wise and gently squeeze out the seeds and juice.
Slice the tomatoes into 1/8-inch-thick rounds.
Using a rubber spatula, spread half of the fromage blanc over one of the cooled crusts.
Cover the fromage blanc with half of the tomatoes, slices overlapping, then season with salt.
Top the tomatoes with half of the onion slices, dot with half of the olives and sprinkle with half of the thyme and some pepper.
Bake the tart for 18 minutes, or until the tomatoes are very soft but before the onion gets too brown.
While the first tart is baking, assemble the other tart with the remaining ingredients.
(It's better not to bake the tarts at the same time unless you have a convection oven, in which case you should reduce the temperature by 25 degrees.)
Right before serving, drizzle the tarts with the olive oil and sprinkle with basil.
Serve hot or at room temperature.
Serves 8
8 small double-rib lamb chops, about 2 pounds total
12 ounces green beans
Ingredients for the rub:
1 teaspoon ground cumin, plus more to taste
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, plus more to taste
Ingredients for the dressing:
3 T shallots, finely chopped
1 teaspoon roughly chopped fresh mint, parsley or basil
3 T sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
1 1/2 T extra virgin olive oil
Preparing the lamb chops:
Preheat the broiler.
Combine the cumin, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Rub the spice mix into both sides of the lamb chops.
Place the chops on a foil-lined baking sheet and broil for 2 to 3 minutes per side for medium-rare, 4 to 5 minutes per side for medium. Tent with foil and let rest.
Preparing the green beans:
Trim the green beans and prepare a large bowl of ice water.
Steam the beans for 3 to 7 minutes, until tender. Immediately plunge the beans into the ice water. When cool, drain and pat dry. Toss the green beans with the dressing beans and adjust seasonings.
Preparing the dressing:
Combine the shallots, mint, vinegar and oil in a medium bowl. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
Serve the green bean salad with the lamb chops, along with couscous.
Serves 4
Ingredients for cake batter:
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 cup oil
2 small jars plums (baby food, without tapioca - small jars are approximately 4 ounces)
2 cups flour (unsifted)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup pecans (optional)
Ingredients for glaze:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
Preparing the cake:
Combine the sugar, eggs and oil in a medium bowl and mix well. Add the plums.
In a separate bowl, combine the flour, salt, cloves, baking soda and cinnamon. Add the dry ingredients to the moist mixture and mix just until combined. Add pecans, if desired.
Pour the batter into a greased and floured bundt cake pan and bake at 325 degrees F for 1 hour, or until the cake tests done.
Preparing the glaze:
Combine the butter, powdered sugar and lemon juice.
When the cake is done, unmold and brush with the glaze. Cool before cutting.
Serves 8 to 10
Great on baby back ribs and beef brisket.
Ingredients:
2 T kosher salt
1 T ground Tellicherry pepper
1/4 cup pure ground New Mexico red chile (such as Dixon)
3 T granulated garlic
1 cup sweet red paprika
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1 T ground cumin
1/4 cup dried oregano leaves
Combine the salt, pepper, red chile, garlic, paprika, brown sugar, cumin and oregano in a bowl and mash together.
Store in a glass jar at cool-room temperature.
Yields about 2 cups
1 to 2 heads arugula, or two boxes pre-washed
2 oranges
2 avocados
parmigiano reggiano, shaved
Ingredients for dressing:
1 shallot, finely diced
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (1-2 lemons)
1/4 teaspoon white granulated sugar
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Preparing the dressing:
Juice the lemons and pour into a mixing bowl over the shallots. Macerate for 20 minutes.
Add 1/4 teaspoon of sugar, a pinch of salt and pepper to taste. Slowly whisk in the oil; the dressing will thicken slightly. Adjusting seasoning to taste.
Spread washed and dried arugula leaves out onto a large serving bowl or platter. Supreme the oranges and cut the avocados into slices or cubes and place on top of the arugula leaves. Spoon the dressing over top and shave parmigiano reggiano over salad.
Serves 4
Ingredients for dough:
1 cup milk
1 cup water
2 T butter
1 T white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 (.25 ounce) envelope active dry yeast
1 egg yolk
1 T water
Variation: Substitute whole wheat flour for the all-purpose flour (or a 50-50 mix of all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour) and honey for the sugar.
Preparing the dough:
Combine the milk, 1 cup of water, butter, sugar and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil then remove from the heat and let stand until lukewarm. If the mixture is too hot, it will kill the yeast.
In a large bowl, stir together the flour and yeast. Pour in wet ingredients and stir until the dough starts to pull together. If you have a stand mixer, use the dough hook to mix for about 8 minutes. If not, knead the dough on a floured surface for about 10 minutes. Place the dough in a greased bowl, turning to coat. Cover and let stand until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
Punch down the dough and divide into 12 portions They should be a little larger than a golf ball. Make tight balls out of the dough by pulling the dough tightly around and pinching it at the bottom. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil. After the rolls sit for a minute and relax, flatten each ball with the palm of your hand until it is 3 to 4 inches wide. You may want to oil your hand first. Set rolls aside until they double in size, about 20 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Mix together the egg yolk and 1 tablespoon of water in a cup or small bowl. Brush onto the tops of the rolls. Position 2 oven racks so they are not too close to the top or bottom of the oven.
Bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove the rolls from the oven and return them to different shelves so each one spends a little time on the top. Continue to bake for another 5 to 10 minutes, or until nicely browned on the top and bottom.
This is Habana restaurant's version of the Mojito from El Floridita in Cuba.
Ingredients:
12 fresh mint leaves
juice of 1 lime
1 ounce simple syrup
ice
3 ounces Rom Matusalem rum, or white rum
2 ounces soda water
sugarcane stick (optional - sugarcane swizzle sticks are available online at http://www.melissas.com, and at some Hispanic grocers)
Muddle the mint leaves in a 14-ounce glass to release the oils. Add the lime juice and simple syrup. Fill the glass with ice and add the rum. Top off with soda water.
Pour into a shaker and close the lid tightly. Shake vigorously. Pour back into the glass, allowing the Mojito to run down the sides of the glass.
Serve garnished with mint leaves and sugarcane.
Serves 1
When experimenting with different fruits in gelato:
Ingredients for gingerbread:
Non-stick vegetable oil spray
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 T ground ginger
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 T minced crystallized ginger
10 T (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
3 large eggs
1 cup molasses
1 cup boiling water
2 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
Ingredients for lemon curd filling:
2 (11-ounce) jars prepared lemon curd
3 to 4 cups heavy cream, sweetened with sugar and vanilla, beaten to soft peaks
Ingredients for blackberry sauce:
2 pints fresh blackberries, or 1 bag frozen blackberries, thawed
1/4 cup sugar, or more to taste
pinch of salt
2 T Framboise (raspberry liqueur), or to taste
1 T fresh squeezed lemon juice
Note: Substitute seedless blackberry jam for blackberry sauce (loosen with raspberry liqueur and lemon juice), as well as homemade lemon curd for bottled
Preparing the gingerbread:
Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Spray 1 half-sheet pan with nonstick cooking spray. Line bottom of pan with parchment paper; spray paper.
Sift flour and next 6 ingredients into medium bowl. Mix in crystallized ginger. Using an electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until fluffy. Beat in brown sugar. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time. Gradually beat in molasses, followed by 1 cup boiling water. Mix in grated lemon peel. Gradually mix in dry ingredients. Transfer batter to prepared pan. Bake until a tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool for 15 minutes. Run a knife around the pan sides. Turn out onto a rack and peel off paper. Cool and cut into 1-inch cubes.
Preparing the lemon curd filling:
Place lemon curd in a large bowl. Fold in one-half of the whipped cream, to taste, until combined. Refrigerate if not using immediately. Reserve remaining whipped cream for the top of the trifle.
Preparing the blackberry sauce:
Place blackberries, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan and cook until the berries are soft and the sugar has melted. Transfer to a blender and blend until smooth. Pour through a strainer into a bowl. Stir in the framboise and lemon juice. Set aside until ready to use.
Assembling the trifle:
In a trifle bowl, start with an even layer of gingerbread cubes, top with 1/3 of the lemon curd mixture, and 1/3 of the blackberry sauce. Repeat 2 more times. Top with remaining whipped cream. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight before serving.
Ingredients:
1 medium butternut squash, peeled and sliced in 1/4-inch half pieces
salt and freshly ground pepper
rosemary and thyme, dried
Preheat Oven To 400 degrees F.
Peel the squash, cut in half length-wise and cut into 1/4-inch slices. In a large bowl, mix together the oil, salt, pepper and herbs, and add the squash slices, turning to coat.
Place the squash single layer on a foil-lined sheetpan and roast for 25 minutes.
Serve hot, warm or cold.
Ingredients:
roasted butternut squash
Ingredients for dressing:
1 cup fresh cranberries
3 T grapefruit juice
2 T maple syrup
2 T olive oil
1 T red wine vinegar
1 T parsley, chopped
1/2 shallot, minced
1/4 cup pecans, toasted and chopped
salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Place cranberries onto a foil-lined sheet pan and roast for 15 to 17 minutes. Remove cranberries from oven and let cool.
Mix dressing ingredients together and add cooled cranberries. Pour over roasted butternut squash.
Serve warm, at room temperature or cold.
Ingedients:
2 medium shallots, sliced, approximately 1/2 cup
1 cup chopped, peeled celery root cooked in chicken broth until soft
one 14-ounce jar vacuum-packed roasted chestnuts, coarsely chopped
4 cups chicken stock or more, to taste
sage, 1 sprig
1 teaspoon dried thyme
3/4 cup half-and-half or whipping cream
salt and freshly ground white pepper
truffle oil
Cook shallots until transparent and softened. Combine cooked celery root with chestnuts and shallots. Put through food mill using stock to help it go through (might need to go through twice or put briefly in a blender). Put in all in a soup pot on stove. Add half and half or cream a bit at a time, over a low flame. Do not let boil.
Serve warm, not hot. Three-quarters of a cup per serving (this is very rich), with toasted bread slices (with good unsalted whipped butter) alongside. Drizzle a scant teaspoon of truffle oil over the top of each bowl.
An unusual and delicious accompaniment for turkey, pork, lamb, or beef.
Ingredients:
12 ripe prickly pears
granulated white sugar
1 lemon
Very carefully and wearing thick gloves, rub the skin of each pear with a disposable cloth or paper towels to get rid of the tiny spines. Rinse in water and put the pears (which should be deep purple) into a saucepan. Cover with sugar, allow to sit for an hour to bring out the juices.
Simmer on low until the fruits are soft and the juice thickens. Add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
Chill until ready to serve.
Ingredients:
2 cleaned and cracked Dungeoness crabs
2 T olive oil
1/2 stick of unsalted butter
8 cloves of fresh garlic, chopped and minced
fresh herbs (oregano, thyme)
freshly ground black pepper
Mix together the butter, olive oil, garlic, fresh herbs (I like oregano and thyme) and black pepper to taste, toss with the crabs.
Spread the crabs out in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast in a 350 degree F oven for 25-30 minutes.
Ingredients:
4 sweet potatoes, about 1 1/4 pounds, cooked, peeled, and sieved
6 large eggs
2 pinches of salt
2 T unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup molasses
2 ripe bananas, riced
1/2 cups dark rum or bourbon
1 T grated fresh ginger
allspice, cinnamon, cloves, to taste
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Mix all of the ingredients together and bake for about 45 minutes, until the pudding is set.
Ingredients:
1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
6 ounces to 2 cups heavy cream, just enough to coat the cauliflower
1/2 pound Monterey Jack cheese, coarsely grated
6 ounces to 2 cups grated Parmesan (the amount depends on the size of the caulflower head)
6 ounces goat cheese, cut into small pieces
salt and freshly ground pepper
Variations: Add cooked and crumbled bacon over top just before serving; chopped roasted poblano peppers; sliced toasted almonds or pecans; Gruyere in place of Monterey Jack cheese; about 6 to 8 ounces of fresh lump crabmeat
Preparing the gratin:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Layer the cauliflower, heavy cream, and the 3 cheeses in a medium casserole dish. Season with salt and pepper. Roast until the cauliflower is soft and the sauce has thickened slightly (45 minutes covered and then for another 20 minutes uncovered). Remove from the oven and let rest for 15 to 20 minutes before serving.
Ingredients for falafel:
2 T canola oil, plus extra for frying
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 large red bell pepper, chopped
5 cloves garlic, chopped
2 (14-ounce) cans chick peas, drained
1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes, optional
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 egg
1 T kosher salt
1/2 T freshly ground black pepper
5 T flour
2 cups freshly chopped parsley leaves
3/4 cup freshly chopped cilantro leaves
Ingredients for yogurt dressing:
1 cup plain yogurt (Greek-style or drain 8 to 24 hours before preparing the dressing)
1/2 T lemon zest
1 T freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 to 1 teaspoon salt
1 T freshly chopped cilantro leaves
2 teaspoons freshly chopped parsley leaves
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon fresh mint, chopped - optional
Pitas, whole wheat (warm in oven just before serving)
Accompaniments: shredded lettuce and chopped tomato, sliced cucumbers
Preparing the yogurt dipping sauce:
Mix ingredients together in a small bowl and chill until ready to use.
Makes 1 cup
Preparing the falafel:
In medium skillet over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons oil and sweat onion and peppers 2 to 3 minutes then garlic and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes.
In a food processor, pulse the parsley and cilantro. Add the chick peas, red chili flakes, ground cumin, the egg, salt, black pepper, and pulse to form a coarse consistency. Add flour. Pulse until mixture starts pulling from the sides of the food processor.
Remove mixture to a large bowl and mix in the onion mixture. Chill falafel until ready to cook.
Roll falafel dough into 1-inch rounds. Then form rounds into an oblong quenelle shape, like a football.
In a thick-bottomed skillet heat 1/2 inch of canola oil over medium heat to 350 degrees F. Cook falafel balls a few at a time, until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Be sure to turn them so they do not burn or stick to the bottom of the pan. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with salt while still hot.
Assembling the falafel sandwiches:
Open the pita bread to make pockets. Place 3 to 4 falafels inside. Stuff with lettuce tomato and cucumbers and drizzle sauce generously on the inside. Serve immediately.
Ingredients:
1 medium eggplant, cut into 1/2- inch cubes
2 cloves garlic, smashed and roughly chopped
1 T extra virgin olive oil
8 ounces orzo
1 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/2 cup diced red onion
4 T minced Italian parsley
2 T red wine vinegar
2 red bell peppers, roasted, peeled and chopped into small 1/4-inch pieces
1 medium-sized cucumber, peeled and seeded, diced
3 T capers
2 T chopped sundried tomatoes (1/4-inch pieces)
16 kalamata olives, pitted and chopped fine
1/2 cup chopped marinated artichoke hearts (1/2-inch pieces)
2 T liquid from marinated artichoke hearts
2 teaspoons lemon zest
2 teaspoons minced fresh mint
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
4 to 5 Romaine lettuce leaves
Preparing the eggplant:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
In a small bowl, toss cubed eggplant with the garlic and oil. Spread on sheet pan and place in preheated oven. Roast until golden brown, about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally for even browning.
Preparing the salad:
Meanwhile, cook pasta according to directions and drain. Remove eggplant to a large non-metallic bowl. Add pasta and stir in 1/2 cup of feta while pasta and eggplant are still warm. Set aside to cool while preparing other ingredients.
Add in the rest of the ingredients except the romaine and gently stir to combine, adding remaining feta cheese last. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Chill for 1 hour and serve on a bed of romaine on a large platter.
Ingredients for vinaigrette:
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 T minced shallots
1/4 cup low-salt chicken broth
1 sprig of thyme
1 T balsamic vinegar
1 T sherry vinegar
1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 T extra virgin olive oil
kosher salt to taste
large pinch freshly ground pepper, or to taste
Ingredients for salad:
2 medium-size red beets
2 medium-size gold beets
1 pound red or Yukon gold potatoes, creamer or "C" size
1 T olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
6 ounces mixed baby salad greens
chopped parsley for garnish (optional)
Preparing the beets and potatoes:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Rinse the beets and shake dry. Wrap each beet loosely in aluminum foil, securing edges well. Place on a baking sheet and roast for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the beets can be easily pierced with a skewer.
Remove from the oven and cool slightly. Open the foil packets and peel the beets. The skins should slip off easily when they are fully cooked (to prevent staining, wear gloves). Slice the beets into 1/4-inch rounds. Set aside.
Rinse and dry the potatoes, then cut in half lengthwise. Toss with the oil to coat and season with salt and pepper. Place the potatoes cut-side down on a baking sheet and roast until done and the cut sides are browned and crispy. To conserve energy, use the oven while roasting the beets, or increase the oven temperature to 400 degrees F for the potatoes to get more crispness and browning.
Preparing the vinaigrette:
Heat the olive oil in a small saucepan and sweat the shallots. Add the chicken broth and thyme sprig. Simmer until reduced by about half, remove the thyme then add the two vinegars and mustard. Remove from heat and whisk in the extra virgin olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
Assembling the salad:
Toss the salad greens with just enough vinaigrette to coat. Adjust seasonings. Transfer to salad plates. Toss the potatoes with more of the vinaigrette and arrange around the greens. Fan the beets on top, drizzle with more dressing and garnish with optional parsley.
Serves 4 as a salad course
Ingredients for the cake:
3 1/2 sticks butter or margarine, softened (1 3/4 cups), plus more for greasing pan
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for flouring pan
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
6 large eggs
2 cups confectioners' (powdered) sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 cups chopped walnuts (8-ounces)
Ingredients for the glaze:
3/4 cup confectioners' (powdered) sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 to 2 T milk
Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 12-cup Bundt pan or 10-inch angel cake pan. Dust with flour and tap out the excess.
In a large bowl, beat the butter and granulated sugar using an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Gradually add 2 cups confectioners' sugar, beating until well-blended. By hand, stir in 21/4 cups flour, 3/4 cup cocoa and the nuts; mix until well-blended. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly.
Bake for 58 to 62 minutes. (Because this cake has a soft tunnel of fudge, an ordinary doneness test cannot be used. Accurate oven temperature and baking time are critical.)
Let the cake cool upright in the pan on a rack for 1 hour, then invert onto a serving plate and let cool completely.
To make the glaze: In a small bowl, combine 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar, 1/4 cup cocoa and 1 1/2 tablespoons milk. Mix until well blended, adding the remaining 1/2 tablespoon milk to make a spooning consistency.
Spoon the glaze over the top of the cooled cake, allowing some to run down sides.
Store the cake tightly covered.
Makes 12 to 14 servings.
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