Almond & Caramel Chocolate Clusters

Ingredients for the clusters:
1/2 cup (about 3 ounces) toasted slivered almonds
24 individually wrapped caramel candies (about 6 ounces)
1 cup (about 6 ounces) bittersweet chocolate chips (Valrhona preferred)
4 to 6 T cream, room temperature, divided
1 cup (about 6 ounces) white chocolate chips (Ghirardelli, preferred)

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

Lightly grease two mini-muffin tins with vegetable oil spray. Place 1 teaspoon of slivered nuts in each of the muffin cups. Unwrap the caramel candies, cut each candy into quarters and place 4 quarters (1 candy) in each of the muffin cups on top of the nuts in a single layer. Bake in the oven until the caramel is just melted and beginning to spread, about 8 minutes. Be careful not to over melt the caramel or it will bubble, burn, and become too hard. Place the mini muffin tins in the refrigerator for 5 minutes to cool. Remove the nut clusters from the tins and set aside.

Meanwhile, melt the bittersweet chocolate in a double boiler over low heat. Whisk 2 to 3 tablespoons of cream into the chocolate to slightly thin the chocolate for coating the clusters. Dip half of the nut clusters in the bittersweet chocolate and place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Return the clusters to the refrigerator to harden, about 30 minutes.

Melt the white chocolate in a double boiler over low heat. Whisk 2 to 3 tablespoons of cream into the chocolate to slightly thin the chocolate for coating the clusters. Dip remaining half of the nut clusters in the white chocolate and place on the parchment paper-lined baking sheet with the other chocolate-covered clusters. Return the clusters to the refrigerator to harden, about 30 minutes.

Makes about 24 clusters

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Iggy's Provencal Vegetable Soup with Pistou

Ingredients for the soup:
2 T good olive oil
2 cups chopped onions (2 onions)
2 cups chopped leeks, white and light green parts (2 to 4 leeks)
3 cups 1/2-inch-diced unpeeled boiling potatoes (1 pound)
3 cups 1/2-inch-diced carrots (1 pound)
1 1/2 T kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 quarts homemade chicken stock or canned broth
1 teaspoon saffron threads
1/2 pound haricots verts, ends removed and cut in 1/2
4 ounces spaghetti, broken in pieces
1 cup Pistou, recipe follows
freshly grated parmesan-reggiano, for serving

* * * * * *

Ingredients for the Pistou:
4 large garlic cloves
1/4 cup tomato paste
24 large basil leaves
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan-reggiano
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil


Preparing the soup:
Heat the olive oil in a large stockpot, add the onions, and saute over low heat for 10 minutes, or until the onions are translucent. Add the leeks, potatoes, carrots, salt, and pepper and saute over medium heat for another 5 minutes. Add the chicken stock and saffron, bring to a boil, then simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, or until all the vegetables are tender. Add the haricots verts and spaghetti, bring to a simmer, and cook for 15 more minutes.

* * * * * * *

Preparing the Pistou:
Place the garlic, tomato paste, basil, and parmesan in the bowl of a food processor and puree. With the motor running, slowly pour the olive oil down the feed tube to make a paste. Pack into a container, pour a film of olive oil on top, and close the lid.

Makes 1 cup

* * * * * * *

To serve:
Whisk 1/4 cup of the pistou into the hot soup, then season to taste. Depending on the saltiness of the chicken stock, you may need to add up to another tablespoon of salt. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese and more Pistou.

Serves 6 to 8

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Goat Cheese & Sun-Dried Tomato Jam Crostini

Ingredients for the sun-dried tomato jam:
1 (8-ounce) jar sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained and chopped, oil reserved
1 T olive oil
1/2 onion, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 T sugar
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 cup water
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

* * * * * * *

Ingredients for the crostini:
1 baguette, cut into 3/4-inch slices
1/4 cup olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper
5 ounces goat cheese, room temperature
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves

Preparing the sun-dried tomato jam:
Place a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the chopped sun-dried tomatoes, 1 tablespoon of the reserved sun-dried tomato oil, olive oil, onion, and garlic. Stir and cook until the onions are soft and beginning to brown at the edges, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the sugar, vinegar, water, chicken broth, thyme, salt, and pepper. Bring the liquid to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes. Remove the cover and continue simmering until most of the liquid is reduced and the mixture is the consistency of jam, about 5 to 10 more minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.

* * * * * *

Preparing the crostini:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil.

Place the baguette slices on the baking sheet. Using a pastry brush, lightly coat the baguette slices with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake until lightly toasted, about 8 minutes.

Place the soft goat cheese in a small bowl. Stir in the thyme.

* * * * * *

To assemble:
Spread the crostini with sun-dried tomato jam and top with the goat cheese and herb mixture.

Serves 4 to 6

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The Sidecar

This is (The Barefoot Contessa) Ina Garten's favorite cocktail, originated at Harry's Bar in Paris in the early 1900s in honor of a customer who rode around in a motorcycle sidecar, ala Jennifer Paterson and Clarissa Dickson Wright (Two Fat Ladies).

Ingredients:
juice of 1/4 of a lemon
1/2 ounce triple sec
1 ounce brandy

Preparing the cocktail:
Shake with ice and strain into chilled, sugar-coated rimmed cocktail glass, with a twist of lemon.

Serves 1

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The Sidecar, Ala Barndiva

Ingredients:
1 1/2 ounces Germain-Robin Craft Method Brandy
1 ounce housemade pumpkin curry liqueur [recipe below]
1/2 ounce blood orange juice squeezed to order
1/4 ounce fresh lemon juice
1/4 ounce brown sugar syrup

Preparing the cocktail:
Shake with ice and serve up. Cut a round piece of orange peel, flame it over the drink, then drape the warm peel to the side of the glass.

Serves 1

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Preparing pumpkin-curry liqueur:
After initially roasting the sugar pie pumpkin, slow-cook the pulp using traditional Christmas spices (brown sugar, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, vanilla, ginger and mace) add savory curry spices (cumin, cardamom, coriander, black pepper, cayenne, turmeric and fenugreek). Steep this mixture in rye for two weeks. Strain into sterile bottle and keep refrigerated.

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Rob Roy

The Rob Roy is basically a Manhattan made with Scotch.

Ingredients:
3/4 ounce sweet vermouth, preferably Italian (not French)
1 1/2 ounces Scotch
dash of orange bitters (Regans' Orange Bitters No. 6)

Preparing the cocktail:
Stir with ice and strain into cocktail glass with a twist of orange peel.

Serves 1

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Ramos Fizz, Barndiva's Version

Ingredients:
2 ounces Broker's Gin
1 ounce heavy cream
1 egg white
juice of half a lemon
juice of half a lime
1/2 to 3/4 ounce ginger-vanilla syrup
3 drops French orange blossom water

Preparing the cocktail:
Chill a Collins glass (serve tall, without ice). Shake ingredients without ice for 10 seconds. Add ice to your shaker. Shake for seven minutes (or after two minutes). Strain into glass without ice and top with chilled soda.

Serves 1

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Ramos Fizz

Ingredients:
juice of half a lemon
1 egg white
1 teaspoon powdered sugar
2 ounces gin
1 T light cream
1/2 teaspoon triple sec

Preparing the cocktail:
Shake with ice and strain into a highball glass over two ice cubes. Fill with carbonated water and stir.

Serves 1

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Old-Fashioned

Preparing the cocktail:
Into an old-fashioned glass, put a small cube of sugar, a dash of bitters and a teaspoon of water and muddle well. Add 2 ounces blended whiskey or bourbon. Stir. Add a twist of lemon peel and ice cubes. Decorate with slices of orange, lemon and a cherry. Serve with a swizzle stick.

Serves 1

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Martini

Ingredients:
1 1/2 ounces gin
3/4 ounce dry vermouth

Preparing the cocktail:
Stir vermouth and gin over ice cubes in a mixing glass. Strain into a cocktail glass. Serve with a twist of lemon peel or an olive.

Serves 1

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