Homemade Pickle Relish

Ingredients:
1 cup diced dill pickle
1/4 cup hot-sweet mustard
1 T pickle brine
1 T fresh dill, chopped

Combine ingredients.

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Shashleek With Tzatziki

Ingredients for the shashleek:
1 leg of lamb, boned and trimmed
2 large onions
sprinkle of fresh mint and rosemary, mixed well
salt
lemon wedges, for serving

* * * * * *

Ingedients for the tzatziki:
16 ounce Greek yogurt
10 cloves garlic, minced
1 to 2 cucumbers, shredded
chopped fresh dill, to taste
sugar, to taste

Preparing the shashleek:
Cut the lamb into 1-inch chunks with a minimum of fat.

Puree the onions in a food processor and transfer to a large bowl. Add the mint, rosemary, salt, and lamb cubes; toss to coat. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, refrigerate and let marinate for 1 to 3 days.

Remove the lamb from the marinade; discard the marinade and weigh the lamb cubes out in 7-ounce portions. Thread lamb on skewers. Skewers can be prepared ahead of time and refrigerated.

To cook, heat a charcoal grill to high. Dust the skewers with salt, and grill to order. Before serving squirt lemon juice over them.

* * * * *

Preparing the tzatziki:
Combine thick Greek yogurt and mix in lots of minced garlic, shredded cucumber, and dill.

Can be adjusted to taste, with sprinkles of sugar (it cuts the sharpness of the garlic).

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Almond Chocolate Sandwich Cookies [Baci di Dama]

Ingredients:
1/2 cup thinly sliced almonds
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 cup bittersweet dark chocolate, melted

Preparing the cookies:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the almonds, sugar, flour and butter. Pulse lightly until the almonds are ground and the mixture is homogenous. Place the mixture in a mixing bowl.

Using a tablespoon, place small scoops of the mixture on a lightly greased baking sheet, separating each scoop by at least 1-inch on all sides. Use the tips of your fingers to gently flatten the tops of each scoop. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool to room temperature.

Once the cookies have cooled, gently melt the chocolate in the bowl of a bain-marie (a stainless steel bowl fitted over a saucepan of simmering water s that the bowl just touches the water). Remove the melted chocolate from the heat. Carefully pour or spoon a bit of melted chocolate on the tops of half the cookies. If the tops are not flat enough, simply spoon the melted chocolate on the sides of the cookies that were face down during the cooking process. Use the remaining cookie halves to form the other half of the cookie "sandwich," pressing gently so that the chocolate adheres to both sides of the sandwich. Let rest until the chocolate has cooled, holding the cookies together.

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Sweet Polenta Pizza [Pizza Dolce di Polenta]

Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups fresh ricotta
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 T ground cinnamon
1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted
1/4 cup raisins, plumped in 1/4 to 1/2 cup white wine for 15 minutes, then drained
2 cups cornmeal flour (polenta)
2 T butter

Preparing the pizza:
Preheat the oven to 310 degrees F.

Place the ricotta in a large mixing bowl. Bit by bit; add 1 cup water, mixing well with a wooden spoon after each addition. When the ricotta is loose and creamy, add the sugar, cinnamon, pine nuts and raisins. Stir until the mixture is homogenous. As you stir, add the cornmeal flour bit by bit until completely incorporated.

Use 1 tablespoon butter to lightly grease a 9-inch baking pan. Pour the ricotta mixture into the pan and use the back of the wooden spoon to level the top of the filling. Dab the remaining butter across the top of the ricotta mixture. Bake until firm and golden brown, about 40 minutes. Serve immediately.

Serves 8

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Braised Pork With Grilled Scallions [Brasato di Maiale)

Ingredients for marinade:
1/2 cup olive oil, plus 1/3 cup olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced, plus 1 yellow onion, finely chopped (red onion, Walla Walla, sweet Texas, etc., may be substituted)
1 small carrot, sliced
1 rib celery, sliced
1 T fine sea salt
10 cloves garlic, crushed, plus 4 cloves, crushed
2 bay leaves
2 T fresh rosemary, finely chopped
12 juniper berries, crushed
1 bottle good red wine
4 pounds pork shoulder, cut into 3-inch chunks
3 ounces pancetta, finely chopped
2 cups white wine
1 cup sugar
1/2 cups red wine vinegar

Optional: Fresh sliced carrots and other vegetables (green beans, turnips, etc.)
* * * * * *

Ingredients for grilled scallion salad:
3 bunches scallions
extra virgin olive oil
1 lemon
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preparing the pork:
In a bowl, combine 1/2 cup olive oil with the sliced onion, carrot, and celery. Add the salt, crushed garlic cloves, bay leaves, rosemary, juniper berries, and the bottle of wine. Place the pork in a non-reactive bowl and cover with the marinade. Marinate for 3 days, refrigerated, stirring twice a day.

Remove the meat from the marinade.

In a large casserole, heat the remaining olive oil, then add the pork pieces and pancetta to sear on all sides, working in batches, and removing the meat once it is seared. Add the chopped onion and remaining garlic to the pan, and cook until just softened. Add the marinade and scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Add 2 cups wine and the pork and bring to a simmer. Cook over low heat, partially covered, for 90 minutes, or until the meat is very tender.

Remove the meat and keep it covered.

In a small saucepan, heat the sugar over high heat until it melts and turns golden. Remove from the heat and add the vinegar. Pour this mixture into the sauce and heat through. Serve the pork with the sauce spooned over. Encircle the pork with the grilled scallion salad. Drizzle fresh extra virgin olive oil over the top and a little squeeze of fresh lemon juice.

* * * * * * *

Preparing the grilled scallion salad:
Drizzle the scallions with olive oil. Grill for 1 minute. Squeeze 1/2 lemon over scallions and grill for 2 more minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove the scallions from the grill and toss with the rest of the lemon juice.

Serves 8

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Braised Lamb Shanks over Mascarpone Polenta

Ingredients for lamb:
1 cup all purpose flour
1 T spice mixture
4 large lamb shanks
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 T extra virgin olive oil
2 T unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onions
3/4 cup chopped carrots
3/4 cup chopped celery
2 T minced garlic
2 cups dry red wine
1 cup peeled, seeded and chopped tomatoes
2 bay leaves
2 T freshly chopped parsley leaves
1 T minced fresh rosemary leaves
2 sprigs fresh thyme
2 cups chicken broth
2 cups beef broth

* * * * * *

Ingredients for spice mix:
2 1/2 T paprika
2 T salt
2 T garlic powder
1 T black pepper
1 T onion powder
1 T cayenne pepper
1 T dried oregano
1 T dried thyme

Makes 2/3 cup

* * * * * *

Ingredients for polenta:
2 1/2 cups water
2 cups milk
1/4 cup olive oil
freshly ground white pepper
1 cup polenta (coarsely ground yellow cornmeal)
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 cup mascarpone cheese
4 sprigs rosemary, for garnish

Preparing the lamb:
In a shallow dish, combine the flour and spice mixture. Season the lamb liberally with salt and pepper, then dredge the lamb shanks in the seasoned flour, shaking to remove any excess.

In a large Dutch oven, heat the 2 tablespoons olive oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium-high heat until hot. Add the lamb shanks, in batches if necessary to prevent overcrowding, and cook until well-browned on all sides, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove the shanks from the pan and set aside. Add the onions, carrots, and celery to the pan, and cook, stirring, until soft and caramelized around the edges, 4 to 6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the wine and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring to deglaze the pan. Cook until reduced by half. Add the tomatoes and bay leaves and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add 2 tablespoons of the parsley, the rosemary, thyme, chicken broth, beef broth, and reserved shanks and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, season with salt and pepper, cover tightly, and cook, turning the meat occasionally, until the meat is tender and falling from the bone, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

When the lamb shanks are very tender and beginning to fall from the bone, remove them from the braising liquid using a slotted spoon and transfer to a plate, cover with foil to keep warm, and set aside. Bring the braising liquid to a boil and cook until reduced to sauce consistency and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Adjust seasoning if necessary and remove from the heat.
* * * * * *

Preparing the polenta:
In a large saucepan, bring the water and milk to a boil. Add the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil and season with salt and white pepper. Very gradually, add the polenta in a steady stream, whisking constantly. Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring frequently with a heavy wooden spoon until thick and creamy, 20 to 30 minutes. Add the heavy cream and mascarpone to the polenta and adjust the seasoning, to taste. Cook, covered, for 10 minutes longer, or until smooth, thick and creamy. Keep warm until ready to serve the shanks.

* * * * * *

Assembling the lamb and polenta:
To serve, spoon the polenta into 4 large bowls. Top each with a lamb shank and spoon the sauce over the lamb. Place the tips of the rosemary sprigs in an open flame until ignited; blow out the flames and garnish each plate with a smoking rosemary sprig.

Serves 4

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Tomato Ketchup

Ingredients:
1 large red onion, peeled and roughly chopped
1/2 bulb fennel, trimmed and roughly chopped
1 stick celery, trimmed and roughly chopped
extra virgin olive oil
a thumb-sized piece fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
1/2 a fresh red chili, deseeded and finely chopped
a bunch unch fresh basil, leaves picked, stalks chopped
1 T coriander seeds
2 cloves
sea salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound cherry or plum tomatoes, halved plus 1 pound canned plum tomatoes, chopped or 2 pounds yellow, orange or green tomatoes, chopped
3/4 cup plus 2 T red wine vinegar
1/3 cup soft brown sugar

Preparing the ketchup:
Place all the vegetables in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan with a big splash of olive oil and the ginger, garlic, chili, basil stalks, coriander seeds and cloves. Season with the pepper and a good pinch of salt.

Cook gently over a low heat for 10 to 15 minutes until softened, stirring every so often. Add all the tomatoes and 1 1/2 cups of cold water. Bring to the boil and simmer gently until the sauce reduces by half.

Add the basil leaves, then puree the sauce in a food processor or with a hand blender and push it through a sieve twice, to make it smooth and shiny. Put the sauce into a clean pan and add the vinegar and the sugar. Place the sauce on the heat and simmer until it reduces and thickens to the consistency of tomato ketchup. At this point, correct the seasoning to taste.

Spoon the ketchup through a sterilized funnel into sterilized bottles, then seal tightly and place in a cool dark place or the refrigerator until needed - it should keep for 6 months.

Makes 1 pint

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Coconut Sandwich Cookies

Ingredients for the cookies:
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 package (7 ounces) sweetened shredded coconut (about 2 1/4 cups)
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

* * * * * *

Ingredients for vanilla buttercream filling:
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preparing the cookies:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees with racks in upper and lower thirds. Whisk to combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Reserve 1/2 cup coconut. Place remaining coconut in a food processor; pulse until coarsely ground.

Beat butter and both sugars with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Beat in egg and vanilla. Reduce speed to low, and gradually add flour mixture and ground coconut; mix until just combined.

Drop dough by level tablespoons onto parchment-lined baking sheets, 1 to 2 inches apart. Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until lightly golden around edges, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

Dividing evenly, spread filling on flat sides of half the cookies; sandwich with remaining cookies. Roll edges in 1/2 cup reserved coconut, and chill until ready to serve.

Makes 30 cookies

* * * * * *

Preparing the vanilla buttercream filling:
Beat butter with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. Reduce speed to medium, and beat in confectioners' sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, scraping down side of bowl as necessary, until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add vanilla, and beat until smooth.

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Chocolate Caramel Cookies

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
5 T unsalted butter
7 T unsweetened dark cocoa
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup plain yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
soft caramel, rolled into little balls
sea salt

Variation: 1/8 teaspoon chipotle powder

Preparing the cookies:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper, lightly coated with cooking spray. Sift together flour, soda, and salt; set aside.

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat; stir in cocoa powder and sugars (mixture will resemble coarse sand). Add yogurt and vanilla, stirring to combine. Add flour mixture, stirring until moist. Wrap the chocolate dough around the caramel balls. Place balls on cookie sheets and sprinkle with sea salt.

Bake for 10-12 minutes or until almost set. Cool on pans 2 to 3 minutes or until firm. Remove cookies from pans; cool on wire racks.

Makes 16 cookies

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Jelly Doughnuts

Ingredients:
2 cups all purpose flour, plus more for dusting the baking sheet and rolling out the dough
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 (1/4-ounce) packet active dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
2 large egg yolks
3/4 cup warm whole milk (105 degrees F to 115 degrees F)
2 T unsalted butter (1/4 stick), at room temperature
6 cups (1 1/2 quarts) vegetable or canola oil, for frying, plus more for coating the bowl
2/3 cup smooth jam or jelly
powdered sugar, for dusting

Preparing the doughnuts:
INSTRUCTIONS
Place the flour, sugar, yeast, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer and whisk to combine. Add the yolks and milk and mix, using the hook attachment, on medium-low speed until a shaggy dough forms, about 1 minute. Add the butter, increase the speed to medium high, and mix until the dough is smooth, shiny, and elastic, about 5 minutes.

Coat a large bowl with oil. Form the dough into a ball, place in the bowl, and turn to coat in the oil. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Lightly flour a baking sheet; set aside. Punch down the dough, transfer to a lightly floured work surface, and roll until about 1/4 inch thick. Using a 2-inch round cutter, stamp out as many dough rounds as possible and place on the prepared baking sheet about 1/2 inch apart. Gather the dough scraps into a ball and roll out again, stamping rounds until you have 30 total on the baking sheet. Cover loosely with plastic wrap or a damp towel. Let rise in a warm place until puffy and about 1/2 inch thick, about 30 minutes.

Place the vegetable or canola oil in a Dutch oven or a large, heavy-bottomed pot and set over medium heat until the temperature reaches 350 degrees F on a candy/fat thermometer. Meanwhile, line a second baking sheet with paper towels and place a wire rack over the paper towels; set aside. Place the jam or jelly in a piping bag fitted with a 1/4-inch round tip; set aside.

Using a flat spatula (don’t use your hands -- this will deflate the doughnuts), carefully transfer the dough rounds, one at a time, into the oil. You should be able to fit about 6 at a time, leaving at least 1 inch of space in between and keeping the oil temperature at 350 degrees F. Fry until the bottoms are golden brown, about 1 1/2 minutes. Carefully flip with a fork and fry until the second side is golden brown, about 1 1/2 minutes more. (If air bubbles appear in the doughnuts, pierce with the tip of a paring knife.) Remove with a slotted spoon to the wire rack. Repeat with the remaining dough rounds.

When the doughnuts are cool enough to handle, use a paring knife to puncture the side of each to form a pocket in the center. Place the tip of the piping bag into the pocket and pipe about 1 teaspoon of jam or jelly inside. Dust with powdered sugar before serving.

Makes about 30 doughnuts

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