—From I LOVE CORN/Andrews McMeel Publishing
Chef JAMES LAIRD | RESAURANT SERENADE Chatham, NJ
SERVES 6
This is one of my favorite ways to prepare tacos for my friends and our patrons at Restaurant Serenade. Because of the quick cooking of the vegetables, it allows for more time on the deck and less time in the kitchen. Adding the cilantro to the warm vegetables off the heat helps create a wonderfully aromatic dish. Use good-quality tomato salsa or make your own by chopping tomatoes, onions, and jalapeño peppers. Season the salsa with salt and pepper and chopped fresh cilantro.
1 (24-count) package (4-inch wonton wrappers)
1 small zucchini, trimmed and halved
1 medium-size red pepper, seeded and quartered
2 small carrots, trimmed and halved
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon chopped fresh garlic
1/2 medium-size onion, diced
1/2 cup diced green papaya
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—From I LOVE CORN/Andrews McMeel Publishing
Pastry chef Nicole Kaplan New York, New York
SERVES 8
STREUSEL
1/2 cup pecans
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
CAKE
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 1/4 cups cake flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of salt
Seeds from 1 vanilla bean
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon crème fraîche
2 cups fresh blueberries
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—From Seamus Mullen’s Hero Food by Seamus Mullen/Andrews McMeel Publishing
Serves 4
Most people think of crêpes as breakfast food, but I prefer a savory breakfast. The tart yogurt filling and the buttermilk in the batter balance really well with the sweet raspberries.
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 1/4 cups milk
1/4 cup buttermilk
4 tablespoons clarified butter
Zest of 3 lemons
1 1/2 cups plain unsweetened yogurt
2 tablespoons honey
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup fresh raspberries
Sprinkle of confectioners’ sugar
Mix together the flour, granulated sugar, and salt. In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, buttermilk, 3 tablespoons of the clarified butter, and the zest of 1 lemon. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and whisk into a nice, thin batter. If the batter seems too thick, add a bit more buttermilk.
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—From Seamus Mullen’s Hero Food by Seamus Mullen/Andrews McMeel Publishing
Serves 4
As soon as sugar snaps show up at the farmers market, I’m instantly happy. Sweet, crisp, snappy, and sugary! This salad is all about the sugar snaps, with a pinch of Aleppo pepper for heat, some fresh ricotta cheese for richness and texture, and edible flowers for color. It comes together easily, looks gorgeous, and is oh so easy to love.
1 pound fresh sugar snap peas
1 bunch radishes
1/2 cup fresh ricotta cheese
A few leaves fresh peppermint
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Juice of 1 lemon
Olive oil to taste
Pinch Aleppo pepper or red pepper flakes
Handful of edible flowers, such as pea blossoms or nasturtiums
With a sharp knife, trim the tips of the sugar snap peas on both ends, remove the strings if they bother you, and cut some in half lengthwise. Blanch the sugar snaps quickly, just about 30 seconds and shock in ice water. Slice the radishes thinly into coin shapes or half-moons. Combine the peas, radishes, cheese, and peppermint in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper and toss with the lemon juice and olive oil. Serve with a sprinkle of Aleppo pepper and garnish of edible flowers.
—From Seamus Mullen’s Hero Food by Seamus Mullen/Andrews McMeel Publishing
Serves 4
Traditionally we poach duck legs in duck fat then store them in the fat to make confit. But here I poach the breasts in oil. This is a rather unorthodox way cooking duck breast, but I’ve discovered it’s the best way. Duck breast is so juicy and rosy because (and this is admittedly my theory!) ducks use those muscles to control their wings. Chickens are flightless, hence the light color of the meat in their breasts, whereas ducks fly and so have much more developed breast muscles. Duck meat has a lot of myoglobin, a protein loaded with iron. I believe that when it’s overcooked, duck meat can take on that nasty, metallic flavor I associate with awful diner plates of liver and onions.
It occurred to me that if I cook the breast gently, controlling the temperature, I can maintain that rosy color, keep the breast juicy and delectable, and make sure it’s properly cooked. To do this, it’s important that the flesh side of the breast never directly touch the hot pan. I transfer the duck from the skin side in the hot pan directly into the infused olive oil.
For the Farro:
2 cups farro
1 carrot, peeled and cut into large pieces
1 onion, quartered
4 cloves garlic, peeled and lightly crushed
2 guindilla peppers, or 2 pieces ancho chile
1 bay leaf
Kosher salt
1/2 cup fontina cheese cut into small pieces
1 tablespoon butter
1 head radicchio, cut into small bits
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
For the Duck:
2 duck breasts, each cut in half lengthwise
2 1/2 cups olive oil
Peel of 1 orange
2 guindilla peppers, or 2 pieces ancho chile
2 branches fresh thyme
1 clove garlic, peeled and lightly crushed
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
For the farro, thoroughly rinse it in a large colander under running water. Transfer to a large heavy-bottomed pot and add the carrots, onions, garlic, peppers, bay leaf, and 4 cups of water.
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—From Quick-Fix Indian by Ruta Kahate/Andrews McMeel Publishing
serves 4
2 medium cucumbers, preferably English, peeled
2 medium carrots, peeled
2 medium green serrano chiles, seeded
1 tabelspoon minced fresh cilantro leaves
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, or to taste
Salt
1/4 teaspoon granulated sugar
Using a mandoline or the slicer side of a box grater, thinly slice the cucumbers and carrots into very thin rounds. Using a knife, cut the chile into thin rounds as well.
In a serving bowl, mix together the cucumbers, carrots, chile, cilantro, lemon juice, salt to taste, and sugar. Use your fingers; this distributes the dressing evenly, otherwise the slices of cucumber tend to stick together in a clump. Let sit in the refrigerator for at least 10 minutes before serving.
—From Quick-Fix Indian by Ruta Kahate/Andrews McMeel Publishing
serves 4
This is a very distinctive dish because the curry leaves and black pepper go together so well. I created the recipe one time when I had nothing but frozen shrimp in the freezer and was really craving the heat of black peppercorns. It’s been a party staple in my home ever since, served as a first course with Pickled Cucumber and Carrot Salad.
6 tablespoons canola oil
20 fresh curry leaves
1 pound large tiger shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground coarse black pepper, or even more if you like pepper as much as I do!
Salt
Heat the oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat. Toss in the curry leaves and back away from the stove—they’ll sputter wildly and turn crisp. Add the shrimp and toss. Add the black pepper and salt and continue tossing over high heat until the shrimp is pink and cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes. Take care not to overcook the shrimp.
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—From Allergy-Friendly Food for Families/Andrews McMeel Publishing
Forget those cookie cakes you get from the mall. This double-layer confection is tastier, healthier, and totally allergen-free. And what child or adult doesn’t love a big giant cookie? Please note that this recipe calls for potato starch, not potato flour.
PREP + ASSEMBLY TIME: 20 minutes
BAKE TIME: 30 minutes
ingredients
Canola oil, for coating the pan
2 cups sorghum flour
1/2 cup tapioca starch
1/2 cup potato starch
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons xanthan gum
1 cup soy-free, nonhydrogenated margarine, at room temperature
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup raw cane sugar
1/4 cup molasses
2 tablespoons ground flaxseed whisked with 1/4 cup warm water
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free chocolate chips
Dairy-free vanilla frosting (page 186)
1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Thoroughly coat two 9-inch round cake pans with canola oil.
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—From Allergy-Friendly Food for Families/Andrews McMeel Publishing
Cool Zucchini Noodles
When it’s too hot to cook, these zucchini “noodles” make a quick, nutritious meal. The sunflower seed and nutritional yeast topping add palate-pleasing nuttiness and crunch.
SERVES 4
PER SERVING: calories 151, fat 8 g, protein 7 g, carboydrates 16 g, dietary fiber 6 g
ingredients
1/2 cup toasted sunflower seeds
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 large zucchini, peeled and ends trimmed
1 cup Mighty Marinara Sauce
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“I could write an entire review on Chapter 1 — “The Larder” which is filled with recipes for salsas, gravies and sauces, dressings and spreads, and preserves and pickles. With a new twist on salsas, there are recipes that include apples, peaches, roasted corn, and green tomatoes as the main ingredients. Then, we move on to more traditional Southern-style recipes like milk gravy and sausage gravy. But, then a character steps forth by the name of Low Country Gravy and I’m intrigued. I’m then introduced to Orange Cilantro Sauce. It’s nice to meet you, too. And, they’ve brought their friends, Garlic Ranch Dressing and Creamy Maple Mustard Dressing. While I was there, I touched base with Raspberry Honey Mayonnaise and Peach Butter. I will admit that I may have lingered in the larder longer than necessary.” ––Savannah Now http://bit.ly/xbwriy
“This full-color, 8 1/2-inch by-10 inch 222-page cookbook is simply a work of art. … Overall, I found the recipes and directions easy to follow and clear. I appreciate the generous font size and the stunning photography. The editorials, stories and quotes made this cookbook an interesting read. And I did read it. Cover to cover.” –Bloomingdale Patch http://bit.ly/qCaOG1
“Tupelo Honey Café, located in downtown Asheville, N.C. since 2000 and in South Asheville since 2010, shares some of its creative recipes in the newly released cookbook “Tupelo Honey Café: Spirited Recipes from Asheville’s New South Kitchen.” Written by Elizabeth Sims and farm-to-fork movement pioneer Chef Brian Sonoskus, you’ll enjoy trying the book’s flavorsome recipes for dishes like Root Beer Molasses-Glazed Pork Tenderloin with Smoked Jalapeño Sauce, a good example of Tupelo Honey Café’s flair for merging sweet with spicy and crunchy with smooth. ” ––Peninsula Clarion http://bit.ly/mAFYVR
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