Miso Soup

Ingredients:
12-ounce block firm silken tofu
2 quarts dashi
6 T dark or red miso
2 T light or white miso
4 scallions, thinly sliced

Preparing the soup:
Wrap the block of tofu in 2 layers of paper towels and lay on a plate. Invert a second plate on top of the tofu and weigh down with a 28-ounce can. Leave for 20 minutes then cut the tofu into 1/4 to 1/2-inch cubes.

Heat the dashi in a 4-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. When the dashi reaches 100 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, ladle 1 cup into a small bowl. Add the miso, and whisk until smooth.

Bring the remaining dashi to a bare simmer, approximately 10 minutes. Add the miso mixture and whisk to combine. Return to a slight simmer, being careful not to boil the mixture. Add the tofu and scallions and cook for another minute or until heated through. Remove from the heat, ladle into soup bowls and serve immediately.

Serves 8

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Grilling Pizzas

Place a pizza stone on the grill and a piece of pecan wood on or a smoker box of water-soaked wood chips (applewood works well, too) on the grill. Heat grill for 5 minutes on low. Turn heat up to medium for 5 minutes and then test pizza stone with a drop of water. If it sizzles, then the grill is ready for the pizza. If the drop of water doesn't sizzle, turn heat up to high for 5 minutes. When ready to put pizza on the stone, turn the grill down to medium again. Calibrating the heat is tricky -- If the stone is too hot, then lower the overall cooking time (check after 2 to 3 minutes) and watch the pizzas carefully throughout cooking.

After placing the pizza on the pizza stone, close the top and grill for 3 to 5 minutes. With tongs (have a long spatula ready if the pizza sticks to the stone), shift the pizza around and grill for another 3 to 5 minutes. Watch carefully. When pizza is done, remove and let rest for a couple of minutes before cutting.

Ingredients:
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 1/2 cups warm water (about 110 degrees F)
3 1/2 cups all purpose flour, plus additional for rolling dough
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
1 scant T honey
1 T extra virgin olive oil, plus some additional for coating the bowl/greasing the trays

cornmeal for the pizza peel

* * * * * *

Ingredients for topping the pizzas (use all or in any combination you wish):
extra virgin olive oil
mozzarella cheese
fontina cheese
pecorino-romano
parmesan-reggiano
Italian fontina
prosciutto
arugula
basil leaves, hand-torn
marinara sauce
eggs

Preparing the dough:
Combine the yeast and warm water in the bread machine pan. Let rest for 5 minutes.

Sift the flour over the yeast mixture. Add the salt, pepper and honey. Turn the bread machine on the dough/pasta cycle. When the machine has mixed and kneaded the dough and proofed to double in size, or after it's mixed and kneaded, remove to a lightly oiled bowl, cover with oiled plastic wrap and let rest in a warm place for about 1 1/2 hours or until doubled in volume.

Lightly flour a cutting board or flat surface. Turn the pizza dough onto the floured area and knead for 3 to 5 minutes. The flour should feel smooth and the ingredients fully integrated. Place the dough inside a lightly oiled large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest in a warm place, about 1 1/2 hours or until doubled in volume.

If dough isn't being used immediately, divide it up and place in oiled ziplock bags or Saran Wrap and refrigerate or freeze until ready to use.

If using immediately, press gently on the dough and turn it onto a floured surface. Divide the dough into 4 equal parts, rolling each quarter into a loose ball. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and allow the dough to rest for an additional 15 minutes. Flatten each ball, one at a time, and roll into a 6-inch round. Place each round in a single layer on a lightly greased baking sheet.

When ready to bake, roll out a disc of dough to about a 6 inch circle. Sprinkle the top of a pizza peel with coarse-ground cornmeal and lay the dough on top. Brush the top of the dough with olive oil before layering on toppings to create a barrier that will help to prevent the crust from getting soggy. Next, spread a thin layer of marinara sauce over the pizza, arugula and basil mixed, shredded cheeses, prosciutto and grate pecorino-romano and/or parmesan-reggiano over the top. If using eggs, break them into a bowl and wait until the pizza is placed on the pizza stone on the grill before putting the raw eggs onto the top of the pizza.

When pizza is cooked, remove from the grill and let rest for a couple of minutes before cutting.

Makes 4 6-inch pizzas

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Curried Chicken Sandwiches

Ingredients
1/2 cup flaked coconut
1/2 cup chopped almonds
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons orange marmalade
1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 cups diced cooked chicken
12 (1/2-inch-thick) pumpernickel, wheat, or white bread slices
3 T diced green onions

Preparing the sandwiches:
Bake coconut and almonds in shallow baking pans at 350 degrees F, stirring occasionally, 5 to 10 minutes or until toasted.

Stir together cream cheese and next 4 ingredients; gently stir in chicken. Spread evenly on bread slices; trim crusts, and cut each slice into 3 strips. Sprinkle evenly with coconut, almonds, and green onions.

Makes 36 sandwiches

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My Boyfriend Talks About Our Shared Love

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Corn Fritters

Ingredients
1 1/4 cus self-rising cornmeal mix
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
2 large eggs, slightly beaten
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted
1 (15.25 ounce) can corn, drained
vegetable oil, for frying

Preparing the fritters:
Heat oil to 325 degrees F.

In a medium bowl, combine cornmeal mix, flour, sugar, and salt. In a small bowl, combine milk and eggs. Add milk mixture to cornmeal mixture, stirring well. Stir in butter and corn.

Pour oil to a depth of 2 inches in a Dutch oven, or use a deep-fryer. Drop by tablespoons into hot oil. Cook 2 to 4 minutes, or until golden, turning once. Drain on paper towels.

Makes 24 fritters

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Penne With Arugula & Pine Nuts

Ingredients for the dressing:
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 large lemon, zested and juiced
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

* * * * * *

Ingredients for the pasta:
1 pound penne rigate pasta
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces, at room temperature
4 cups baby arugula
1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1 cup grated parmesan
1/2 cup toasted pine nuts
2 T capers, rinsed and drained

Preparing the dressing:
In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, and pepper until smooth. Set aside.

* * * * * *

Preparing the pine nuts:
Arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake in a preheated 350 degrees F oven until lightly toasted, 6 to 8 minutes. Cool completely before using.

* * * * * *

Preparing the pasta:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and reserve about 1 cup of the pasta water.

In a high-sided skillet, whisk the butter over medium heat until melted. Simmer until foamy. Continue to cook until the butter has a nutty aroma and turns a caramel color, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat. Add the pasta, dressing, arugula, tomatoes, parmesan, pine nuts, and capers. Toss until coated, adding the reserved pasta water, 1 tablespoon at a time to loosen the sauce, if needed.

Serves 4 to 6

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Capellini With Fresh Tomato Sauce, Basil & Parmesan

Ingredients:
4 pints cherry tomatoes, halved
extra virgin olive oil
2 T minced garlic (6 cloves)
18 large basil leaves, julienned, plus extra for serving
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound dried angel hair pasta
1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving

Preparing the pasta:
Combine the cherry tomatoes, 1/2 cup olive oil, garlic, basil leaves, red pepper flakes, 1 teaspoon salt, and the pepper in a large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, and set aside at room temperature for about 4 hours.

Just before you're ready to serve, bring a large pot of water with a splash of olive oil and 2 tablespoons salt to a boil and add the pasta. Cook al dente according to the directions on the package. Drain the pasta well and add to the bowl with the cherry tomatoes. Add the cheese and some extra fresh basil leaves and toss well. Grate fresh parmesan over the top.

Serves 6

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Shrimp With Fennel & Feta

Ingredients:
4 T extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 1/2 cups medium-diced fennel
1 T minced garlic (3 cloves)
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes
2 teaspoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 T Pernod
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/4 pounds (16 to 20 per pound) peeled shrimp with tails on
5 ounces feta cheese, coarsely crumbled
1 cup fresh bread crumbs
3 T minced fresh parsley
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
2 lemons

Preparing the shrimp:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a 10-or 12-inch heavy ovenproof skillet over medium-low heat. Add the fennel and saute for 8 to 10 minutes, until the fennel is tender. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the wine and bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the liquid is reduced by half. Add the tomatoes with the liquid, tomato paste, oregano, Pernod, salt, and pepper to the skillet. Simmer over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 15 minutes.

Arrange the shrimp, tails up, in one layer over the tomato-mixture in the skillet. Scatter the feta evenly over the shrimp. In a small bowl, combine the bread crumbs, parsley, and lemon zest with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and sprinkle over the shrimp.

Bake for 15 minutes, until the shrimp are cooked and the bread crumbs are golden brown. Squeeze the juice of 1 lemon over the shrimp. Serve hot with the remaining lemon cut into wedges.

Serves 4

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Vanilla Pound Cake With Black Cherry Sauce

Ingredients
nonstick baking spray
all purpose flour
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
3 cups sugar
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and seeds scraped
6 large eggs, separated
3 cups cake flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup sliced almonds

* * * * *

Ingredients for black cherry sauce:
2 T sugar
1 T cornstarch
1 teaspoon lime zest
1/2 cup black cherry juice
1 (12-ounce) package frozen dark sweet cherries


Preparing the vanilla pound cake:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Spray a 12 to 15-cup fluted pan with nonstick baking spray with flour.

In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add the scraped vanilla bean seeds, beating until combined. Add the egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.

In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add to the butter mixture, alternately with the sour cream, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Beat the egg whites at high speed with an electric mixer until foamy. Gently fold into the butter mixture. Spoon into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the almonds evenly over the top of the cake. Bake until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean, 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Remove from the pan, and cool completely on a wire rack. Serve with black cherry sauce.

* * * * *

Preparing black cherry sauce:
In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, cornstarch, and lime zest. Stir in the black cherry juice, whisking until smooth. Add the cherries. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring frequently, until thickened, about 1 minute.. Remove from the heat and let cool.

Serves 8 to 10

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Salted Caramel Ice Cream

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups sugar
3/4 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons flaky sea salt, such as Maldon
1 recipe of ice cream base
1 T pure Tahitian vanilla extract

* * * * *

Ingredients for ice cream base:
1 cup whole milk
4 large egg yolks
3/4 cup sugar
2 cups heavy cream

Preparing the ice cream base:
Heat the milk in a sauce pan over medium-low heat.

Prepare an ice bath by setting a 2-quart bowl over a larger bowl partially filled with ice water.

Set a strainer over the smaller bowl and set aside.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until pale yellow in color and the sugar has dissolved. Gradually pour the warmed milk into the yolk mixture, whisking constantly. Pour the mixture back into the same saucepan you used to warm the milk. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until the custard thickens and coats the back of a wooden spoon.

Strain the custard into the top bowl of the ice bath to stop the cooking process. Add the heavy cream and stir over the ice bath until cool. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill thoroughly, preferably overnight.

Makes about 3 cups.

* * * * *

Preparing the ice cream:
Heat the sugar in a dry heavy-bottomed sauce pan over medium heat, stirring with a fork to heat the sugar evenly, until it starts to melt, then stop stirring and swirl the pan so the sugar melts evenly, and continue cooking until it is a dark amber color.

Carefully add the heavy cream (the mixture will splatter) and cook, stirring until all the caramel has dissolved. Transfer to a heat-proof bowl and stir in the sea salt. Set the caramel mixture over a bowl filled with ice water and stir until chilled to room temperature. Combine the caramel mixture with the ice cream base and add the vanilla.

Freeze in an ice cream machine according to manufacturer's directions.

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