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
1/2 cup fresh corn kernels (about 1 small ear)
2 cups finely chopped green cabbage
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 cups cooked pinto beans (or good-quality canned beans), drained and rinsed
1 cup tomato salsa (preferably fresh)

• Preheat the oven to 325˚F.
• Place each wonton wrapper over a small, overturned metal bowl to form a cup shape and bake for approximately 5 minutes each, or until crisp. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool until ready for serving.
• Slice the zucchini, red pepper, and carrots into ¼-inch slices on a mandoline or by hand.
• Preheat a wok for 30 seconds, until medium hot. Add the olive oil, garlic, and onion and cook for 1 minute. Add the zucchini, red pepper, carrots, papaya, corn, and cabbage, season with salt and pepper, and cook for 4 minutes or until the onion is slightly tender. Remove the vegetables from the heat. Add the cilantro, toss, and keep warm.
• To assemble, warm the pinto beans and put a small amount in the bottom of each wonton cup. Top with the sautéed vegetables and some salsa, and serve.
Author Note: You can use smaller wonton wrappers to make these as finger foods or passed hors d’oeuvres at a party.

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

CORN BREAD STREUSEL
1/2 cup freeze-dried corn
1/2 cup almond flour
1 teaspoon cake flour
Pinch of salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

WARM BLUEBERRIES
(recipe in book)

CORN BREAD ICE CREAM
2 cups frozen corn
4 cups whole milk
2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup plus 3/4 cup granulated sugar
10 large egg yolks
3/4 tablespoon salt

• Place the streusel ingredients in a food processor and grind to a rough powder. Set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 350˚F with a rack in the middle.
• With a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until soft and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the egg and egg yolk one at a time, mixing until incorporated. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and vanilla bean seeds. Alternating in three additions, add the combined dry ingredients and the crème fraîche, mixing just until each addition is incorporated.
• Layer half of the cake batter in an 8-inch square cake pan lined with parchment paper, or similar. Carefully spread the blueberries on top in a neat layer. Sprinkle with half of the streusel. Bake until the cake springs back in the center, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool on a rack. Once it is cooled completely, cut into squares.
• To serve, place a piece of the warm cake in the center of a plate. Place some Corn Bread Streusel around the cake. Top it with the warm blueberries and a scoop of corn bread ice cream. Serve immediately.

CORN BREAD STREUSEL
• Preheat the oven to 200˚F with a rack in the middle.
• Place the corn, both flours, and the salt in a food processor and process until powdery. Drizzle in the butter and continue blending for about 1 minute. Transfer to a standard half sheet pan (18 by 13 inches) or similar. Bake until toasty but still light in color, 7 to 10 minutes. This streusel can be stored at room temperature for up to a week in an airtight container, or frozen for an extended period of time and then gently retoasted for a few minutes before using, to refresh the flavor.

CORN BREAD ICE CREAM
• Place the corn in a large pot over medium heat and heat it to evaporate any water from the freezer. Add the milk, cream, and ½ cup of the granulated sugar and bring to a boil.
• Place the remaining ¾ cup of sugar, the yolks, and salt in a medium-size bowl and whisk together. Gently temper the eggs by pouring the hot liquid into the bowl slowly, stirring occasionally.
• Blend the mixture with an immersion blender until smooth. Strain and let cool.
• Freeze in an ice-cream maker according to its manufacturer’s instructions.

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.

Heat a crêpe pan or 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Brush the pan with butter. Add about 2 tablespoons batter, lift the pan and roll the batter around to create a thin, even layer. Once the crêpe starts to form little holes, bubble a bit, and begins to turn golden brown, it’s ready to turn. With a spatula, carefully flip the crêpe over and cook another 30 seconds. Remove the crêpe to a large plate and repeat until you’ve used all the batter, making about 10 crêpes.

In a small bowl mix together the remaining zest, yogurt, honey, and pepper. Place one crêpe on a large plate, smear on a thin layer of yogurt, and top with another crêpe. Repeat until you’ve layered all the crêpes into a beautiful cake. Top with raspberries and confectioners’ sugar.

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.

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.

Add enough kosher salt so the water tastes like sea water. Cover, place over high heat, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 20–25 minutes, until the grain is soft and cooked through. Once the farro is fully cooked, drain, and discard the aromatics.

Fold the fontina cheese, butter, and radicchio into the cooked farro. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

For the duck, in a skillet large enough to fit all four pieces of the duck breasts, combine the olive oil, orange peel, peppers, thyme, and garlic clove. Place the skillet on the burner on the lowest heat you can manage and gently heat the oil until it registers 150° on a meat thermometer. If you have trouble setting your stove low enough, use a cast iron trivet or heat diffuser. I like to leave the thermometer in the oil so I can regulate the heat as necessary and maintain 150°. When you add the duck, the temperature will drop a bit, so you may need to increase the heat slightly.

Score the skin of the duck breasts and season thoroughly with salt and pepper. Heat up another skillet (roughly the same size) over medium-low heat and sear the duck breasts, skin-side down, without moving them at all, until they are crispy and golden brown, 5–7 minutes. Once the skin is golden brown, remove from the pan and now place skin-side up in the 150° olive oil. Poach the duck breasts in the olive oil for 7–10 minutes, until the breasts are firm, medium rare, and just cooked through. Remove from the heat, slice, and serve with the farro.

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.

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.

Tip: Try to get peeled shrimp with their tails still on, for this dish.

Serving suggestion: Rice Kanji, Hot and Sweet Apple Chutney, Sautéed Coconut Chard

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.
2. In a medium bowl, add the sorghum flour, tapioca starch, potato starch, baking powder, salt, and xanthan gum. Mix to combine.
3. In a large bowl or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the margarine for 1 to 2 minutes, until soft. Add the brown sugar and cane sugar, and beat for 1 to 2 minutes longer, until light and fluffy. Add the molasses, flaxseed mixture, and vanilla and beat again until well-mixed.
4. Working in batches, add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until well-combined. Fold in the chocolate chips.
5. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans, smoothing the tops with a spatula (the batter will be very sticky). Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, until the edges are golden-brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool completely on wire racks.
6. For each cake, run a butter knife around the edge to help loosen it from the pan, then place a plate on top and invert to remove from the pan.
7. To assemble, place one cake on a plate or cake plate, rounded side up. Frost with half of the frosting, then top with the remaining cake, rounded side up. Place the remaining frosting in a piping bag (or plastic resealable bag with the corner tip snipped off) to decorate the top of the cake. Refrigerate until 1 hour before serving.

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

PREP TIME: 10 minutes
1. In a food processor, add the sunflower seeds and nutritional yeast, and season with salt and pepper. Process until the sunflower seeds are the consistency of crumbs. Set aside.
2. Set out four plates or bowls. With a mandoline or vegetable peeler, shred the zucchini into thin strands, arranging one shredded zucchini on each plate or bowl.
3. Top each plate with ¼ cup of the marinara sauce and 2 to 3 tablespoons of the sunflower seed mixture. Serve at room temperature.

Mighty Marinara Sauce
PREP TIME: 10 minutes
COOK TIME: 30 minutes

SERVES 6
PER SERVING: calories 83, fat 3 g, protein 3 g, carboydrates 15 g, dietary fiber 4 g

ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, quartered
1 clove garlic
1 large carrot, peeled and quartered
1 stalk celery, quartered
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
Salt
1 bay leaf

1. In a large stockpot, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
2. In a food processor, combine the onion, garlic, carrot, and celery. Process until very finely chopped.
3. Add the vegetables to the stockpot and sauté for 5 to 7 minutes, until soft and translucent.
4. Add the tomatoes and season with salt to taste. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer and add the bay leaf. Simmer, partially covered, for about 30 minutes, until the flavors are well-blended. Remove the bay leaf and serve.

“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

“”Tupelo Honey Cafe,” by Elizabeth Sims with chef Brian Sonoskus. It’s as much a celebration of the “Foodtopia” of Asheville as it is about the sweet cafe near Pack Square. This is not one of those “postcard to me” chef books with food you’ll admire but not make. The recipes here are completely doable and kitchen-friendly.” ––Charlotte Observer http://bit.ly/ii3M3s

“I liked this book the moment I saw it. Tupelo Honey Cafe is in one of America’s hippest towns: Asheville, N.C., and with the promise of delivering “Southern comfort” food that is “made from scratch, sassy and scrumptious” and a striking yellow-and-black cover, I was a little gleeful at the prospect of cooking from it. Elizabeth Sims and chef Brian Sonoskus have written a Southern cookbook with a twist. There are recipes for a Macaroni and Gouda Cheese Casserole and Warm Pimento Cheese With Chips. They offer an incredible version of Tomato Pie. The customary Ritz crackers have been replaced with panko breadcrumbs, and it has one of the best and easiest piecrusts I’ve ever made.” ––Philly.com http://bit.ly/mxNevl

“If you’ve spent any time in Asheville, N.C., chances are you’ve visited the Tupelo Honey Cafe. … Replete with mouthwatering recipes and alluring pictures of the food and Asheville vistas, it represents the cafe just right.” ––The Post and Courier http://bit.ly/jJTcQR

“Tupelo Honey Café is one of those landmark dining spots that actually deserves its popularity. Longtime fans and newcomers will enjoy their just-out cookbook, “Tupelo Honey Café: Spirited Recipes from Asheville’s New South Kitchen”, written by Asheville writer Elizabeth Sims with Tupelo chef Brian Sonoskus.” ––Farm Fresh North Carolina http://bit.ly/kJztH7

“Tupelo Honey Café, owned by Steve Frabitore, is a downtown Asheville restaurant founded in 2000. It’s known for its eclectic and creative Southern comfort food. The restaurant opened its second location, in south Asheville, last year. This month, “Tupelo Honey Café,” written by Sonoskus and Elizabeth Sims, an Asheville food writer, was published by Andrews McMeel Publishing. … Chapters in the book start with The Larder, full of salsa, dressings and condiments, such as Sunshot salsa, (named after the Sunshot Organics farm that Sonoskus started), pickled sweet onions and smoked jalapeno aioli. The next two chapters cover appetizers, soups, salads and sandwiches. These include Tupelo Honey wings, Carolina fish chowder, Southern fried chicken BLT and peachy grilled chicken salad with pecan vinaigrette. Entrees include chicken andouille stir-fry with orange jalapeno glaze, buttermilk pork chops with creamy red-eye gravy, and shrimp and goat-cheese grits with roasted red-pepper sauce. Sides include benne-coated asparagus. Desserts include maple sweet potato pudding and chocolate pecan pie. Sonoskus hopes people will try the book’s recipes and experiment in the kitchen, the way he likes to do. And he hopes that the book gives people a taste of Asheville. ” ––Winston-Salem Journal http://bit.ly/m6U8Fa

“[Tupelo Honey Cafe] focuses on the region’s culinary offerings, featuring 125 recipes, complete with gorgeous color photos of food, farms and fresh produce taken by Brie Williams. Sprinkled throughout the book are snippets of the area’s eclectic history, including a brief profile on Asheville native and author Thomas Wolfe. Mouthwatering recipes, such as chicken andouille stir-fry with orange jalapeno glaze, salsa verde pinto beans, peachy grilled chicken salad with pecan vinaigrette, smoked jalapeno sauce and three-berry cream-cheese pie, are featured in the book.” ––The Republic http://bit.ly/e8bvEX

“This full color, 8 1/2 inch by 10 inch 222 page cookbook is simply a work of art. The creative dust jacket design sets the stage for what you are about to encounter as you leaf through the book. Fitting of its name, Tupelo Honey Cafe, the dust jacket is the same golden-yellow hue as honey with an abstract textured design representing a honeycomb and featuring a silhouetted Tupelo tree. Published by Andrews McMeel and authored by Elizabeth Sims with Chef Brain Sonoskus, the book is a tribute to not only the uniqueness and history of Asheville, but also to sustainable farming and farm to table cuisine. … 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.” ––Syrup and Biscuits http://bit.ly/hqCb5r

“We want what the South has (well, our idealized South, before it started snowing regularly there). And if we can’t GET to the South, the next best thing is to bring the South to us. Fortunately, we can do this easily with “Tupelo Honey Café“, a new cookbook from the eponymous restaurant in Asheville, N.C., by food writer Elizabeth Sims and café chef Brian Sonoskus. Asheville, according to this cookbook, celebrates a “foodtopian culture” reflected in the “farm to table movement that has become a way of life.” It also embraces a hybrid mix of commerce and creativity, with, increasingly, farmers, cheese makers, microbrewers and other artisan food producers in the mix.” ––Pocono Record http://bit.ly/dQGYfP

“I couldn’t stop telling people about Tupelo Honey Cafe after a meal there about four years ago. The buzzy location in downtown Asheville, N.C., the funky floor plan, our great seats at the bar (where we enjoyed the view of workers in their assorted Grateful Dead T-shirts working on the plates, and got a feel for how much fun it must be to work there) — It all added up to exactly our kind of place. And the food! We ordered and ordered: grits cakes, sweet potato fries, crab cakes, shrimp and goat cheese grits, the almond-crusted trout and more. … A book doesn’t recapture that night, but it does let me make some of the things we liked most, and try other dishes we wanted or that hadn’t yet been put on the menu. The likeliest candidates are Chicken Andouille Stir-Fry with Orange Jalapeno Glaze; Lamb and Multi-Mushroom Meatloaf; Pork and Blueberry Sausage Simmered in Maple Syrup. All of it seems doable by one person in a home kitchen, which is just another thing to love about both the cookbook and Tupelo Honey Cafe.” ––Nashville Scene http://bit.ly/gyHGz3

“That the cafe, which opened in 2000, dubs itself “Asheville’s new South kitchen” is apparent when you flip to the dedicated chicken chapter [of Tupelo Honey Cafe] alone, where fried chicken is reinvented with a crushed mixed nut-panko breadcrumb crust, meatloaf arrives table-side in poultry form (chicken-dried apple meatloaf with Vidalia onions and a tomato-tarragon gravy), and classic potpie gets a blackened chicken-poblano pepper makeover. … The book [Tupelo Honey Cafe] begins rather than ends — notably — with a chapter titled “The Larder” with salsas (peach-fennel, green tomato), gravies (tomato-shallot, cremini mushroom-sweet onion), dressings and pestos (spicy smoked tomato vinaigrette, basil cashew pesto), preserves/pickles (cherry apple chowchow, peach butter). From those pantry staples, the authors take us through the restaurant’s appetizers and soups (baked goat cheese and smoked tomato dip; coconut-sweet potato bisque) and on to sandwiches and salads (grilled club sandwich with brie and raspberry honey mayo). We could stop there, but there are meats to be had, and copious brunch dishes, of course — this is the South. Only here, we are happy to report, there are as many pain perdu ideas (cinnamon sugar-blueberry jam topped) as there are pancakes (sweet potato with peach butter).” ––LA Weekly http://bit.ly/edrZvj

Serves 4

Enjoy the taste of the Maryland seashore, even when fresh crabmeat isn’t an option. Whip up a homemade tartar sauce with mayonnaise and diced sweet pickles. Or for a lighter version, use equal parts sour cream and mayo, a pinch of minced shallots or onions, and some fresh aromatic herbs of your choice (cilantro, dill, basil, and tarragon are all delicious).

1 (6.5-ounce) can crabmeat, drained
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 egg beaten
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon chopped green onion (white and green parts)
Salt and black pepper
Lard, for frying

In a large bowl, place the crabmeat, bread crumbs, egg, Worcestershire sauce, and onion. Season with salt and pepper; mix well. Shape into 4 equal-sized patties. (If more moisture is needed to form patties, add a dash of melted lard.)

In a large skillet, heat the lard over medium-high heat. Fry the patties 3 to 4 minutes on each side, until golden brown. Drain on paper towels and serve immediately.

Serves 8-10

This cake came about during the 1950s when soda pop (just “pop” in the Midwest) was the occasional special treat rather than an everyday beverage. Substitute with your favorite pop—grape, orange, lemon-lime—to create variations.

3/4 cup lard, plus more for greasing the pans
2 cups granulated sugar
3 cups all-purpose unbleached flour, plus more for dusting the pans
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 (7-ounce) bottle strawberry soda pop
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
5 egg whites, stiffly beaten

FROSTING
2 tablespoons lard, softened
Pinch of salt
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 (12-ounce) bottle or can strawberry soda pop

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Generously grease two 9-inch cake pans with lard; dust lightly with flour and set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together the lard and granulated sugar with an electric mixer on low speed. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Alternately add the flour mixture and the strawberry pop to the creamed mixture, beating well after each addition. Stir in the nuts; fold in the egg whites.

Distribute the batter evenly between the cake pans and bake 30 to 40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.

To prepare the frosting, combine the lard, salt, confectioners’ sugar, and just enough strawberry pop to moisten the mixture; blend well until smooth and creamy. To frost the cake, place one layer on a cake stand and frost, using an offset spatula. Position the second layer atop the first and repeat.

Serves 12

This recipe honors the abundance of America’s sweet and field corn that comes from the heartland. There’s something about the heartland terroir that makes corn and other fresh produce absolutely delicious! Although field corn is grown primarily for livestock feed, ethanol, or adult beverages, when it is grilled we’ve enjoyed field corn as much as sweet. This recipe delivers a combination of sweetness, spice, and smoke that your guests will devour with as much gusto as the ribs.

12 ears corn on the cob, with husks
1/4 cup barbecue rub
2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
12 thin slices lean bacon

Remove and discard any dry outer corn husks. Pull the husks down, but don’t remove them. Hold the corn under cold running water while removing the corn silk.

Heat a grill to medium to medium-high.

Pat the corn dry with paper towels and sprinkle it with the rub and pepper. Wrap the corn in bacon and pull the husks over it. Wrap each ear in a 12-inch square of aluminum foil. Grill for about 15 minutes over direct heat, turning frequently.

Remove the corn from the grill and leave it in the foil for 20 minutes before serving.

Serves 8

Artists at fairs have a label for browsers who say, “I’ll be back,” as they leave the booth. “Be-Backs” seldom return. These ribs are a work of art. The sweet, smoky, meaty, rich flavor will compel most of your guests to be back for more!

8 (6-inch-long) beef short ribs

SAUCE
1 cup tomato sauce
1 cup barbecue sauce
1/4 cup cola
2 tablespoons clover or other mild-flavored honey
2 tablespoons firmly packed dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon ground oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground thyme
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/4 teaspoon Louisiana hot sauce
1 teaspoon granulated garlic

RUB
1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon paprika
2 teaspoons sea salt
1 teaspoon white pepper
1 teaspoon finely ground black pepper
1 teaspoon cayenne

Heat a cooker to 230° to 250°F. Remove the ribs from the refrigerator and outline them with a sharp, pointed paring knife.

Combine all the ingredients for the sauce in a medium saucepan. Bring it to a boil over medium heat, then reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. If the sauce is too thick to brush on the ribs, add water to thin, as desired. Set aside.

Combine all the ingredients for the rub in a small bowl and blend well. Season the ribs all over with the rub.

Oil the grate and place the ribs on it bone side down over indirect heat. Cover and cook for 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Turn and cook for 45 minutes more, then turn and cook for another 45 minutes, or until the ribs reach 185°F on a meat thermometer, glazing the ribs with the sauce every 10 minutes during the last 30 minutes of cooking.

Transfer the ribs to a cutting board and let them rest, covered loosely with aluminum foil, for 10 to 15 minutes. While the ribs are resting, boil the remaining sauce for 1 to 2 minutes. Cut the ribs into individual pieces and serve with the sauce.

Makes 4 servings

Marinade:
1/4 cup no-sugar-added apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons stevia granulated sweetener or agave syrup
2 to 3 tablespoons habanero hot sauce (or your preference)
2 teaspoons ground allspice
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 green onions, including green parts, chopped

4 (4-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Olive oil cooking spray
1 (3- to 6-ounce) bag prewashed mixed salad greens
1 1/2 cups chopped or shredded radicchio
8 figs, quartered, or 12 green or purple seedless grapes, halved
1 cup fresh or canned pineapple chunks in natural juices
4 tablespoons Tropical Fruit Dressing (recipe below)
Pomegranate seeds, for garnish

To make the marinade, mix together all the ingredients in a small bowl until well blended.

Spray the chicken with the olive oil cooking spray. Place the chicken in a resealable plastic bag. Pour the jerk seasoning marinade over the chicken and press and shake the bag until all the pieces are thoroughly coated. Press out any air, seal the bag, and place it in a baking pan to prevent leaks. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours or up to 24 hours.

Remove the chicken from the refrigerator. Discard the marinade and allow the chicken to come to room temperature, about 30 minutes. Spray a large skillet with the olive oil cooking spray and turn the heat to medium-high. Cook the chicken for about 6 minutes, on each side, or until browned and no longer pink. Remove the chicken from the skillet, and let it rest for 6 to 7 minutes. Thinly slice each chicken breast.
Toss together the greens, radicchio, figs or grapes, and pineapple. Divide the salad among 4 plates. Arrange the warm chicken slices on top of each salad. Drizzle each with 1 tablespoon of the tropical fruit dressing. Sprinkle with pomegranate seeds, if desired.

SERVING SIZE: 1 salad
EXCHANGE LIST VALUES: 2 fruit, 3 lean meat
CARBOHYDRATE CHOICES: 2
CALORIES FROM FAT: 38
SATURATED FAT: 2 g
CHOLESTEROL: 63 mg
TOTAL CARBOHYDRATE: 32 g
TOTAL SUGARS: 23 g
CALORIES: 258
TOTAL FAT: 4 g
FIBER: 5 g
PROTEIN: 25 g
SODIUM: 241 mg

Tropical Fruit Dressing

MAKES 3/4 CUP

1/4 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
1/4 cup fresh squeezed pomegranate juice
1 tablespoon coconut oil or olive oil
2 teaspoon stevia granulated sweetener or agave syrup
1/2 teaspoon grated orange or lime zest
1/4 cup fresh orange juice or lime juice

In a small bowl, mix together all of the ingredients until blended. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.

SERVING SIZE: 1 tablespoon
EXCHANGE LIST VALUES: 0
CARBOHYDRATE CHOICES: 0
TOTAL FAT: 1 g
CHOLESTEROL: 0 mg
TOTAL CARBOHYDRATE: 2 g
TOTAL SUGARS: 1 g
CALORIES: 18
CALORIES FROM FAT: 10
SATURATED FAT: 1 g
SODIUM: 2 mg
FIBER: 0 g
PROTEIN: 0 g

Makes 16 Mini Cakes

These cakes are good on their own, but even more delicious served with warm mixed-berry topping.

Butter-flavored cooking oil spray
4 large eggs, at room temperature, separated
1/2 cup agave syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups almond flour or almond meal

TOPPING
2 cups frozen mixed berries or
2 (10-ounce) boxes frozen mixed berries
2 tablespoons agave syrup
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray one mini-muffin pan with a light coating of cooking oil spray. You can also use individual ramekin baking cups, but the yield will be less.

In a large bowl, combine the 4 egg yolks, agave syrup, vanilla, baking soda, and salt. Beat well, until the ingredients are well-blended. Add the almond flour or meal and beat on low speed until combined, about 2 minutes.

Place the 4 egg whites in a large, clean bowl. Use either a handheld mixer with clean beaters or the whisk attachment on a stand mixer and beat the whites on medium speed until opaque, doubled in volume with soft peaks.

Gently fold the egg whites into the batter until just combined. Scrape the batter evenly into the prepared muffin cups, filling each three-quarters full. Bake, rotating halfway through, until the edges are light brown and a dime-sized soft center remains, 18 to 20 minutes. If using larger baking cups, you’ll need to increase the baking time by 5 to 10 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool completely, at least 15 minutes.

To make berry topping, combine all the ingredients in a large microwaveable bowl and toss until combined. Microwave on high for 2 minutes, then stir and microwave again until slightly thickened and steaming, about 2 1/2 minutes more. To serve, spoon 1 tablespoon of the berry topping on each cake.

SERVING SIZE: 1 mini cake plus 1 tablespoon of the topping
EXCHANGE LIST VALUES: 1 1/2 carbohydrate, 2 fat
CARBOHYDRATE CHOICES: 1 1/2
CALORIES: 231
CALORIES FROM FAT: 119
TOTAL FAT: 13 g
SATURATED FAT: 1 g
CHOLESTEROL: 74 mg
SODIUM: 216 mg
TOTAL CARBOHYDRATE: 25 g
FIBER: 3 g
TOTAL SUGARS: 19 g
PROTEIN: 8 g

Serves 6 • Prep time: 10 minutes • Cooking time: 15 minutes

This is my twist on the classic French salad that also boasts tuna, green beans, and hard-boiled eggs. I decided to leave those items off the pizza, but you can certainly add them after the pizza is cooked. What follows is a unique combination of flavors that works really well on pizza dough.

1 pound fresh or frozen bread or pizza dough, thawed according to package directions
2 cups thinly sliced roasted red peppers
1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives, sliced into thin rounds
1 cup shredded Gruyère or Swiss cheese
1 teaspoon dried oregano

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Roll the dough out into a large circle or rectangle about ¼ inch thick. Transfer the dough to a pizza pan or baking sheet. Top with peppers, olives, cheese, and oregano. Bake for 15 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is bubbly.

Nutrients per serving:
Calories: 322
Fat: 12g
Saturated Fat: 4g
Cholesterol: 20 mg
Carbohydrate: 39g
Protein: 12g
Fiber: 1g
Sodium: 826mg

Serves 4 • Prep time: 10 minutes

Because cooked beets are sweet, it’s great to pair them with tart Granny Smith apples, salty and pungent goat cheese, and nutty, crunchy pistachios. When you create your own dishes, try to pick opposing flavors that will work well together on the plate. It’s all about creating a balance.

2 cups thinly sliced cooked beets (not pickled)
1 Granny Smith apple, cored and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
¼ cup crumbled goat cheese
¼ cup shelled pistachios

Combine the beets, apple, and sherry vinegar in a large bowl and toss. Fold in the goat cheese and pistachios. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper before serving.

Nutrients per serving:
Calories: 156
Fat: 7g
Saturated Fat: 3g
Cholesterol: 7 mg
Carbohydrate: 19g
Protein: 6g
Fiber: 4g
Sodium: 299mg

Blueberries may seem unusual in a doughnut, but paired with this refreshing orange glaze you will find it’s the perfect combination of tart and sweet! These are a healthier doughnut because they are baked instead of fried, but you will need either a standard-size doughnut pan or a standard-size mini doughnut pan for baking these.

Ingredients
Doughnuts
3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
1/2 cup (1 stick) salted butter
1 cup buttermilk
3 large eggs, beaten
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

Glaze
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
2 teaspoons grated orange zest

1. Preheat the oven to 375℉ and position an oven rack in the center. Lightly coat the doughnut pans with nonstick cooking spray.

2. Make the doughnuts. In a large bowl, combine the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and orange zest with a whisk. Melt the butter in a small pot over low heat and set aside. In a medium bowl, combine the melted butter, buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla with a whisk until foamy, 1 to 2 minutes. Pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture and stir with a large wooden spoon until completely combined. Gently fold in the blueberries until just combined. Do not overmix. Using a pastry bag fitted with a 1-inch round tip, divide the batter equally (using even pressure) between the pans, filling about halfway full. Alternatively, you can use a gallon-sized resealable plastic storage bag. Fill the bag and using scissors, remove 1 inch from one of the bottom corners and proceed with filling the pans as described above.

3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until the doughnuts spring back when lightly touched. Remove from the oven, invert the doughnuts onto a rack, and allow to cool completely.

4. Make the glaze. In a medium bowl, combine the powdered sugar, orange juice, and orange zest with a whisk, mixing until smooth.

5. Glaze the doughnuts. Dip the top of each doughnut into the glaze and lift, allowing the excess to drip back into the bowl. Place the doughnuts on a platter and serve. These doughnuts are best served fresh.

These homey, irresistible bars can be put together in no time, will feed a crowd, and are loved by everyone. The brown sugar-oatmeal crust provides just the right sweetness and crunch against the soft, tart, lightly chewy filling in the center, which is simply a mixture of raspberry jam and dried sour cherries. Pack them in lunches, bring them to bake sales, or serve them warm with ice cream—this is a good recipe to have in your repertoire. Use old-fashioned oats when you want a hearty crunch, or quick oats for a more tender bite, but don’t use instant oats or you’ll have mush.

Makes 36 (3 by 1-inch) bars

Ingredients
Dough
1 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 3/4 cups old-fashioned or quick oats (not instant)
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

Filling
1 (16-ounce) jar good-quality seedless raspberry jam
1 cup dried sour cherries
Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

1. Preheat the oven to 350℉ and position an oven rack in the center. Line a 9 by 13-inch baking pan with foil across the bottom and up the two long sides, then lightly coat with melted butter, oil, or high-heat canola-oil spray.

2. Make the crumble dough. Place the flour, oats, brown sugar, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat on low speed until evenly mixed (or place in a food processor and process for 5 seconds). Add the cold butter and mix on low speed until the mixture looks like wet sand and starts to form clumps, 5 to 6 minutes (or process for 45 to 60 seconds, pausing to scrape down once with a spatula).

3. Divide the dough in half. Pat one half into an even layer in the prepared pan. Set the other half aside. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden and crisp. Transfer to a rack and cool for 20 minutes. Leave the oven on.

4. Make the filling. Empty the jam into a medium bowl and stir well to break up any lumps. Add the cherries and stir until well mixed and all the cherries are coated with ham. Spread evenly over the cooled crust, all the way to the edges. Sprinkle the remaining dough evenly over the filling.

5. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the topping is golden brown and the filling is bubbling. Transfer to a rack and cool completely, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

6. To serve, run a thin knife or spatula around the edges of the pan to loosen any dough or filling. Lift the cookies out using the foil as handles and place on a cutting surface. Cut into 3 by 1-inch bars. Just before serving, use the fine-mesh strainer to lightly dust the confectioners’ sugar over the cookies.

Submitted by Tiffany Lemons From her mother Bonnie Smith’s recipe, Tucson, Arizona

Tiffany Lemons’s three little girls stand in matching holiday dresses in front of their open closet preparing for the big event. Red, pink, and purple shoes sparkle at them from the shelves, but they carefully select the black patent leather shoes, along with pearl necklaces. Tiffany frantically completes the final preparations for the annual mother-daughter cookie exchange.

Tiffany’s mother, Bonnie, started this tradition in Arizona, where Bonnie hosted the annual event. Tiffany helped her mother make the Cakies, then dressed in her black patent shoes and pearls. Bonnie invited her girlfriends and their daughters. Each invitee brought three dozen cookies, which were arranged on the dining room table. Guests took platters around the room, collecting samples from every tray. There was the usual assortment of snickerdoodles, snowballs, peppermint bark, toffee, and chocolate chip cookies, but the Cakies were the most sought after. After enjoying some tea, coffee, or lemonade, and conversation, each mother-daughter set went home with three dozen cookies to enjoy during the holidays.

Tiffany moved to California and started the Cakies ritual when her eldest daughter turned two years old. Rules are rules, and according to tradition, this is a girls-only event. No boys allowed. She hopes that, in 20+ years, her daughters will carry on the Cakies tradition. She looks forward to the day her girls call her at midnight asking those familiar questions, comparing techniques, frosting the final batch, and anxiously arranging last-minute party preparations.

Makes about 6 dozen cakies

1/2 cup vegetable shortening (we suggest Crisco Butter Flavor)
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 batch Cakies Frosting
Sprinkles or other decorations
Black patent leather shoes

Day 1: Place the shortening and sugars in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium speed until creamy. Reduce the speed to low and blend in the eggs, one at a time. Add the sour cream, blending until just combined. Add the vanilla and mix until smooth, about 1 minute. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator overnight.

Day 2: In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. Return the shortening and sugar mixture bowl from the refrigerator to the mixing stand. With the mixer on low speed, blend in the flour mixture, a little at a time, until just incorporated. The cookie dough will look like thick and sticky tapioca pudding. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and return to the refrigerator to chill for at least 4 hours.

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper (or use nonstick baking spray). When the cookie dough is cold, drop it by rounded tablespoonfuls onto the baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between cookies. Place the remaining dough in the refrigerator between batches to keep it chilled. Bake for 11 to 13 minutes, until the cookies begin to turn golden. Remove from the oven and cool for 2 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to let cool completely.

Spread the frosting onto the cooled cookies. Add colored sugar crystals or other decorations while the frosting is warm.

Cakies Frosting

2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 to 4 tablespoons hot water

Place the confectioners’ sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Slowly add the butter and vanilla and mix on medium low speed until well combined, about 1 minute. Add 2 tablespoons water and mix until blended. Add more water 1 tablespoon at a time, if needed, to achieve the desired consistency (thick enough to spread).

Sugar Mommas Tips

sugar mommas notes: There are rules for a successful cookie exchange. Follow Wilton’s book, Wilton Cookie Exchange, or go online to the Martha Stewart Cookie-Swap Party Planner. Use these guidelines or create traditions of your own.

Drop by your local discount store once in a while to pick up festive platters, boxes, or tins, and colored cellophane wrap, and ribbons so guests can transport their loot home in pretty packages.

sass it up: Be the sassiest gal at the party by bringing the best hostess gift. If you want to outshine the other moms, bring decorative, food-safe parchment paper to line the trays or package the cookies. Wilton sells holiday-themed sheets. What a find!

Submitted by Debbie Carpenter From her grandmother Vina Marie Post’s recipe, Madison, Wisconsin

Grandma and Grandpa Post traveled in their trailer each winter in search of warm weather and a golf course. During the summer, they settled the RV in a park near Lake Mendota. When the grandkids came to visit Madison in the 1960s, Grandma Post let Debbie and her sisters sleep in the motor home. Nothing could be neater to a kid!

In his spare time, Grandpa Post built bicycles, and the kids were always riding around the trailer park on funky-looking bikes he’d pieced together. Debbie’s favorite was the tandem bike he made with her older sister Kathy. Nothing quite matched the freedom the freckle-faced girls enjoyed while cruising around on bikes in the summer months without a care in the world.

In between adventures, Grandma Post and the girls would stroll over to the Piggly Wiggly to buy the ingredients necessary to make Oatmeal Carmelitas. Oozing caramel, chocolate, and pecans between layers of crunchy oatmeal, they instantly became Debbie’s favorite, and Grandma Post always had the cookie jar filled with them for the girls to enjoy.

Grandma Post was also skilled at knitting and crocheting. When Debbie was a teenager, she found a picture in a magazine of a knit halter top with a watermelon on the front. Grandma Post knitted the top and surprised Debbie on her next summer visit. Debbie wore that shirt to shreds. We can easily imagine Debbie riding a handcrafted bike in the spiffy yellow halter with a big watermelon on the front eating Oatmeal Carmelitas.

Grandma Post lived to be 99 years old. She passed away one month before her 100th birthday. Her Carmelitas are so good, we expect the recipe to survive well beyond another 100 years.

Makes about 2 dozen 2-inch square bars

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
2 cups quick-cooking oats
1 (14-ounce) bag Kraft soft caramel candies, unwrapped (about 50)
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped pecans (optional)
Tiger Beat magazine

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 by 13-inch baking dish (or use nonstick baking spray). Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. Place the butter and brown sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium speed until creamy. Slowly add the flour mixture and blend until incorporated. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to fold in the oats. The mixture will be crumbly. Transfer half (about 3 cups) of the mixture to the baking dish. Use your fingers to gently press and spread the mixture evenly on the bottom of the baking dish. Bake for 10 minutes to set.

While the first layer is baking, place the caramels and milk in a small saucepan (or see Carpool Crunch). Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the caramels are melted. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.

Remove the crust from the oven. Sprinkle the chocolate chips and pecans (if desired) evenly over the top. Carefully pour the caramel mixture on top of the chocolate chips and nuts, and spread evenly. Sprinkle the remaining crumb mixture over the top. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove from the oven and let cool to room temperature. Then refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or until the bars are set. Cut into 2-inch squares.

Sugar Mommas Tips

sugar mommas notes: If you are a true caramel lover, forego the chocolate chips and nuts to have a pure caramel encounter.

When you remove the baking dish from the oven, don’t put it in the fridge. Run to the freezer, grab some vanilla ice cream, and drop chunks of the warm, gooey Carmelitas over the ice cream. Whatever you do, take a moment to enjoy the gooey phase before the (refrigerated) solid phase.

carpool crunch: Use Kraft Premium Caramel Bits—already unwrapped for easy melting.

Place the caramels and evaporated milk in a glass or other microwave-safe bowl. Heat on high power for 2 minutes. Stir and repeat in 30-second increments until the caramel is melted and has a smooth consistency.

Walking along the waterfront down the Rua das Lorchas, past pastel stucco apartment buildings splashed with freshly washed clothes dancing and drying in the sun and the occasional window box bursting with red and pink geraniums, the pungent smell of drying fish assaults my nostrils. All along the sidewalk, salted fish are laid out on woven wooden trays baking in the direct sunlight. Dried fish, especially bacalao (salt cod), is one of the many ingredients introduced by Macau’s Portuguese colonists and is an important component in Macanese cooking. In the fifteenth century, Portuguese fishermen came up with a way to preserve surplus fish by salting and sun-drying them on the decks of their ships.

To me, this dish is the essence of Chinese-Portuguese fusion. Fried rice, a distinctly Chinese dish, is fused with Mediterranean black olives, chorizo, and salt cod. Bacalao is used primarily as a flavoring agent in Macanese fried rice; however, it is difficult to find and prepare. We substitute a dash of Asian fish sauce in its place in this recipe, which gives the rice a similar flavor, but if you can find bacalao (or its Italian equivalent, baccalà) at a fishmonger or specialty food store, substitute 3 ounces (rehydrated and chopped) for the Asian fish sauce.

Serves 4 to 6

Fried Rice
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon Asian fish sauce
Juice of 1/2 lime
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, thinly sliced into half-moons
2 large eggs, beaten
3 cups cooked long-grain white rice, chilled
1 small green bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
1/2 cup corn kernels (fresh or frozen and thawed)
4 ounces chorizo sausage, thinly sliced
1/2 cup pitted green olives

In a small bowl, combine the sugar, Asian fish sauce, and lime juice and stir until the sugar is dissolved.

Heat the oil in a wok over high heat. Add the garlic and onion and sauté for 3 minutes, or until the onion starts to turn translucent. Pour in the eggs and scramble until they are just set, and then immediately toss in the rice and stir until well mixed. Decrease the heat to medium and add the bell pepper, corn, chorizo sausage, olives, and the sugar mixture, and stir-fry for 3 minutes. Remove the wok from the heat and let rest for 4 minutes before serving.

The word for “pot stickers” in Chinese is guotie, literally “pot-stick,” a name they have earned from their cooking method. Chinese cooks first steam guotie in giant flat-bottomed iron pans. When all the water is absorbed by the dumplings, they are left in the pan to get crispy and “stick” to the pan. We recommend using a nonstick skillet when making these so that the dumplings don’t actually stick to the pan forever. These Guotie Pot Stickers make amazing appetizers served with the dipping sauce. We like to make more dumplings than we can eat and freeze the extra for later.

Makes about 36 dumplings

Dipping Sauce
1 cup Chinese black rice vinegar
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro
1/4 cup light soy sauce
1 tablespoon sugar

Dumplings
12 ounces ground beef or ground pork
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
3/4 cup minced green onions, green and white parts
1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
Pinch of salt
About 36 round Dumpling Wrappers (purchased premade, or see page 258)
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
3/4 cup water

To make the dipping sauce, whisk together the black rice vinegar, ginger, sesame oil, cilantro, soy sauce, and sugar in a small bowl. Set aside.

To make the dumplings, combine the meat, soy sauce, cornstarch, ginger, green onions, sugar, sesame oil, and salt in a bowl and stir in one direction with a chopstick until just mixed. Fill a small bowl with some water. Hold a dumpling wrapper in the palm of your hand and place 1 heaping teaspoon of filling in the center. Dip your finger in the bowl of water and run it around the edge to help make a good seal. Lightly fold the wrapper over on itself, but don’t touch the edges together. Starting at one end, use your fingers to make a small pleat on the side of the wrapper closest to you, then press the pleat into the other side and pinch together firmly. Keep making pleats down the dumpling opening in this way until completely sealed (see Dumpling Folding Tips on page 255). Repeat this process with the remaining filling and wrappers. Freeze any dumplings that you don’t intend to cook immediately (see Dumpling Freezing Tips on page 256).

Heat 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Place 12 dumplings pleat side up in the pan so that they are just touching each other. Cover and cook for 1 minute. Decrease the heat to medium-low, pour 1/4 cup of the water into the pan, and cook, covered, for 8 to 10 minutes, until all the water is absorbed by the dumplings and their bottoms are crusty brown. Repeat this process 2 more times with the remaining dumplings, oil, and water. Serve the dumplings with a side of the dipping sauce.

It’s no accident that we take our burgers seriously. Nearly one out of every five diners at Ruby Tuesday orders one. That adds up to some 13 million burgers each year. A great burger should be plump, juicy, and flavor filled. At the restaurant, our burgers are prepared simply—seasoned only with salt and pepper—to showcase the rich, natural taste of the meat. They are typically dressed with roasted garlic mayonnaise, tomatoes, lettuce, onion slices, and dill pickles. We hold back on the ketchup, however, which is served on the side. Of course, we love ketchup as much as anyone, but we prefer to leave it up to our guests whether they want to add it. The same is true for mustard.

Serves 4

This burger is all about the beef. You can use any ground cut you like, but we recommend freshly ground beef chuck—the hamburger gold standard for most butchers. With about 20 percent fat content, chuck is still juicy and flavorful when it comes off the fire.

Roasted garlic mayonnaise (page 195) adds a special touch. But if you don’t have time to make it from scratch, any top-notch commercial mayonnaise will yield excellent results, with or without the garlic.
And if you’re enjoying your burgers with wine, look for a fruit-forward red like Zinfandel or Malbec. Rosé is a fine match for burgers, too. It has bright acidity and fruit flavors that can stand up to onion, mayonnaise, and ketchup. By extension, fruity Sangria (page 12) is also an excellent choice for your glass.

2 pounds ground beef (preferably chuck)
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon canola oil, if cooking on the stovetop
Roasted garlic mayonnaise (page 195) or mayonnaise (page 194), or store-bought, for spreading
4 hamburger buns (such as ciabatta, potato, or English muffin), split and toasted
4 to 8 leaves butter or other green leaf lettuce
4 tomato slices
4 onion slices
8 round dill pickle slices (optional)
Ketchup, for serving (optional)

Prepare an outdoor charcoal or gas grill for direct-heat grilling over medium-high heat. Or, have ready a large, heavy skillet.

Place the beef in a large bowl, sprinkle with the salt, and add several grinds of pepper. Using your hands, mix together thoroughly. Divide the meat into 4 equal portions. Gently shape each portion into a ball, then toss the ball back and forth between your hands a few times to eliminate any air pockets. Gently flatten each ball into a patty about 5 inches in diameter and 1 inch thick.

If not using an outdoor grill, coat the surface of the skillet with the canola oil and heat on the stovetop over medium-high heat. Place the patties on the grill rack or in the skillet and cook, turning once, for about 5 minutes on each side for medium-rare or about 7 minutes on each side for medium. Remove from the grill or pan.

Spread a dollop of mayonnaise on the bottom half of each bun. Place a leaf or two of lettuce on top of the mayonnaise. Set the burger on top of the lettuce. Layer 1 tomato slice, 1 onion slice, and 2 pickle slices on top of the burger. Cover with the top half of the bun. If desired, cut the burgers in half for ease of eating. Pass the ketchup at the table.

­Tips for Backyard Barbecues
When hosting a casual backyard barbecue, the more you plan in advance, the more free time you’ll have to enjoy with friends and family. The following tips will help ensure you’re having as much fun as your guests.

1. Check your fuel source. It’s no fun running out of propane gas or charcoal briquettes with hungry guests waiting to eat.
2. Ready any other dishes in advance, such as salads, side dishes, and desserts, and set them aside in a cool place or refrigerate them. It’s a good idea to plan a menu that includes as many dishes as possible that require no heating.
3. If your party is on a hot summer day, make sure there is plenty of available shade. If it is an evening get-together, provide enough light to allow your guests to move about safely.
4. Have plenty of ice on hand and an ice chest for cold drinks. White wines need to be kept cold, and red wines should be stored out of the sun. Warm red wine will taste “hot,” or alcoholic.
5. And speaking of alcohol, not everyone drinks it. Remember to provide plenty of nonalcoholic drinks as well.
6. With finger food, napkins are required. Don’t be caught short!

Quesadillas are Mexican-style pizzas. The cheese is the main attraction; it highlights the supporting cast of other ingredients—in this case, chicken, avocado, bacon, and tomato—all framed by two toasty fried corn tortillas. This is a great recipe for using up leftover chicken. But if you don’t have any in the refrigerator, you can pick up a boneless, skinless chicken breast at the market and quickly cook it on the stovetop.

Usually eaten as appetizers, quesadillas can also be a satisfying main course following a light salad, such as Mixed Baby Greens with Mustard Vinaigrette (page 72). Probably the best beverage choice is a cold beer, preferably a light lager. But iced tea or lemonade would make a fine option, as well.

Serves 4 as an appetizer or 2 as a main course

1 boneless, skinless raw chicken breast, or 3/4 cup cubed cooked chicken (1/4- to 1/2-inch cubes)
Salt
3 tablespoons canola oil, plus 1 tablespoon, if cooking chicken
4 slices bacon, cut in half crosswise
4 (8-inch) white corn tortillas
1 cup grated Cheddar cheese
2 medium tomatoes, sliced
3 green onions, white part only, thinly sliced
1 medium ripe avocado, pitted (see Chef’s Tip, page 25), then peeled and sliced
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
1 cup grated Swiss cheese
Sour cream, for garnish
Pico de Gallo (page 22), for garnish

If you are cooking the chicken breast, cut it into 1/4-to-1/2-inch cubes and lightly salt them. In a small skillet, heat the 1 tablespoon canola oil over medium-high heat. Place the chicken in the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 2 minutes Flip the chicken pieces and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for about 2 minutes more, or until all the pieces are cooked through. Remove from the heat and set aside.

In a medium skillet, cook the bacon over medium-high heat, turning once, for about 2 minutes on each side, or until it starts to crisp. Transfer to paper towels to drain and reserve. Discard the drippings.

For ease of assembly, lay out all of the ingredients except the tortillas on a large, flat platter or other flat surface. Place 2 tortillas on a clean countertop. Layer on top, in the following order and dividing the ingredients evenly between the tortillas, the Cheddar cheese, chicken, tomatoes, green onions, avocado, bacon, cilantro, and finally the Swiss cheese. Lay a second tortilla on top of each stack of layered ingredients. Using your palm, gently but firmly press down on each quesadilla, making sure the edges of the top and bottom tortillas touch.

In a large skillet, heat the 3 tablespoons canola oil over medium-high heat until it begins to shimmer. Carefully place 1 quesadilla into the hot oil. Pressing down gently on the top tortilla now and then with a spatula, cook for about 2 minutes, or until the bottom is golden brown. Using the spatula, carefully flip the quesadilla over and continue to cook, gently applying pressure to the top tortilla as before, for about 2 minutes more, or until the bottom is golden brown. Using the spatula, transfer the quesadilla to a paper towel to drain. Repeat with the second quesadilla.

Set each quesadilla on its own plate and cut into quarters. Garnish each quesadilla with a dollop each of the sour cream and the salsa. Serve hot.

If you’ve got a burning desire to keep ’em down on the farm during the fall or winter holiday season, here’s the perfect way to do it. Fill the house with the smell of spiced apples. I recommend using Granny Smith apples, as most other apple varieties are likely to produce a weaker version of this soup. You need acid and flavor, and the Granny Smith delivers both.

Try to find organic apples, then leave the skins intact as most of the flavor and nutrients are found in or just under the skins of the fruit. Use your imagination when it comes to garnishes: perhaps some chopped, toasted walnuts, grated sharp cheddar cheese, or a dollop of sour cream or yogurt.

Serves 4 to 6

1 stick cinnamon
6 cloves
6 allspice berries
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
5 large Granny Smith apples, quartered, cored, and sliced
5 cups water
2/3 cup raisins
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice (optional)
3 to 4 tablespoons honey (optional)
1/2 cup Greek-style yogurt or sour cream

Using a spice grinder or mortar and pestle, grind the cinnamon, cloves, and allspice to a fine powder.

Place the butter and apples in a 7-quart slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW for 2 to 3 hours, until the apples are soft and the juice nice and browned. Mash any large pieces of apple, then add the water, spices, and raisins and continue cooking for 2 hours longer.

Just before serving, stir in the lemon juice and honey. To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and top with the yogurt.

Indispensable Tools of the Trade: The Spice Grinder
Spices will taste brighter and fresher if ground just before using, just like the pepper that is ground fresh over your salad at table. This may sound like a lot of work at first, but once you’ve got a system, the rest is easy. It is generally simplest to buy spices in bulk, keep them in the freezer, and pull whatever spice out of the freezer and grind it as you need it. Spices can be ground with an electric mill or by hand with a mortar and pestle. If you are truly pressed for time, feel free to substitute commercially ground spices for the whole spices recommended in the recipes. Substituting 1 teaspoon of whole spice for 1 teaspoon of ground spice should get you close enough!

Ahhh . . . I love this stuff. This is not your ordinary chili but reflects the rich combinations of ingredients found in real Mexican cuisine. You might even think of it as a bean mole, since it combines many of the spices and ingredients, including both chile powder and cocoa powder, usually found in mole poblano. It’s got guts and flavor, and I love it with or without the cornbread crust. It’s best sprinkled with lots of cheese, sliced olives, scallions, and cilantro.

Serves 6 to 8

1 pound (2 cups) dried black beans
6 cups water
6 allspice berries
1 stick cinnamon
1 teaspoon cumin seed
1 teaspoon coriander seed
1/4 teaspoon aniseed
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 medium onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/4 cup diced red bell pepper
1/4 cup diced green bell pepper
1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
1 to 2 tablespoons chile powder
1/4 cup cocoa powder

Cornbread crust1 cup cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup buttermilk

Toppings
1/2 cup sour cream or nonfat yogurt
1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions
1/2 cup sliced black olives
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Rinse the beans thoroughly and place them, along with the water, in a 7-quart slow cooker. In a spice mill or mortar and pestle, grind the allspice, cinnamon, cumin, coriander, and aniseed. Add the spices, along with the tomatoes, onion, garlic, bell peppers, oregano, chile powder, and cocoa powder to the beans. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours, until the beans are tender. Turn the slow cooker up to HIGH.

To make the crust, in a food processor pulse the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until thoroughly mixed. Add the eggs, vegetable oil, and buttermilk and pulse until the liquid ingredients are thoroughly mixed in with the dry. Spread the cornbread mixture over the top of the chili, or drop large spoonfuls around the surface of the chili, and continue cooking on HIGH with the lid slightly ajar for 1 hour longer, or until a toothpick inserted into the crust comes out clean. Ladle the soup into bowls. Top each bowl with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkling of scallions, olives, and cilantro.

A Word About Beans
Bean cooking times may vary, sometimes greatly, in accordance with the condition of the beans themselves. Beans that have recently been harvested are likely to be in good condition; beans that have been sitting on the shelf for a long time may take a very long time to cook. Try to purchase beans from a source with a rapid turnover rate, and check the package. If the beans look chipped or there are “crumbs” in the package, chances are the beans have been sitting around for a long time.

Serves 4

12 ounces rotini
1 tablespoon olive oil
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
3/4 cup pitted kalamata olives, halved
1/4 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, minced
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Freshly ground black pepper

Cook the rotini in a large pot of boiling salted water until just tender, about 10 minutes. While the pasta is cooking, heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Stir in the crushed tomatoes and the diced tomatoes and simmer until the tomatoes have broken down a bit, 5 minutes.

Add the olives, sundried tomatoes, parsley, basil, salt, red pepper flakes, and black pepper to taste. Cook to blend flavors, stirring occasionally, about 4 minutes longer. Drain the cooked pasta well and serve topped with the sauce.

Serves 4

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small yellow onion, minced
2 cups shredded zucchini (1 medium zucchini)
2 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound firm tofu, well drained
1/4 cup nondairy milk
3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 small ripe tomato, chopped
1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

Heat the oil in an ovenproof skillet. Add the onion, cover, and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the zucchini and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.

In a blender, combine the tofu, nondairy milk, nutritional yeast, cornstarch, onion powder, dried basil, and turmeric. Add ½ teaspoon salt and pepper to taste and blend until smooth.

Preheat the broiler. Spread the tofu mixture evenly over the vegetables in the ovenproof skillet. Cover and cook over medium heat until firm and golden brown on the bottom, about 15 minutes. Run under the broiler just long enough for the top to become golden brown. Cut into wedges and sprinkle the top with the tomato, olives, and fresh basil. Serve hot.

• Keep your kitchen well organized: This makes it easier, when you’re ready to cook, to assemble your mise en place, which means gathering the ingredients and equipment you’ll need. This includes measuring out the ingredients in advance.
• Good prep can also help avoid kitchen mishaps, such as missing ingredients, wrong pans, or burning up dinner while you search for a spice or a spatula.
• Be more intuitive or instinctive when you cook: By this I mean don’t be afraid to substitute or change ingredients when it seems appropriate. In most cases, the recipe will turn out just as well and maybe better, since it will now have your own personal touch.
• Be flexible: It sometimes happens that you run out of an ingredient at the last minute. In those cases, rather than dropping everything to rush out to the store, try to determine if you have something in the house that can be substituted.
• To avoid running out of the ingredients you use most frequently, keep an ongoing grocery list in the kitchen so you can write down items the minute you run out or see that you’re getting low.
• Keep a well-stocked pantry: The surest way to make certain you can get dinner on the table is to keep your pantry well supplied with the staples you most
frequently use.

Teriyaki is a combination of two Japanese words, teri for “luster” and yaki for “grilled” or “broiled.” These light-as-a-feather chicken meatballs are poached, with a sweet and shiny sauce for the teriyaki angle. I’ve given a variation for a grilled version, but I love how these can be poached and ready for serving in a few minutes, and their juicy, delicate texture is a revelation. Mirin, sweetened Japanese rice wine, is available at Asian grocers and many supermarkets.

makes 4 servings

chicken meatballs
1 pound ground chicken
1/2 cup panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
1 large egg, beaten
1 scallion, minced, plus more for garnish
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon peeled and shredded fresh ginger (use the large holes of a box grater)
1 tablespoon Japanese-style soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
8 quarter-sized peeled fresh ginger, crushed under the flat side of a large knife, for the cooking liquid

teriyaki sauce
2/3 cup Japanese-style soy sauce
2/3 cup mirin
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon rice vinegar

Hot cooked rice, for serving

1. To make the meatballs, combine the chicken, panko, egg, scallion, cornstarch, shredded ginger, soy sauce, salt, and pepper in a large bowl and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes or up to 4 hours.

2. Bring 2 quarts water and the sliced ginger to a boil in a pot over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low to keep at a simmer.

3. Using your wet hands rinsed under cold water, shape the chicken mixture into 20 equal meatballs. Transfer to a baking sheet. Carefully add the balls to the pot. Simmer until cooked through, about 6 minutes.

4. While the balls are cooking, make the teriyaki sauce. Bring the soy sauce, mirin, sugar, and rice vinegar to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Boil until thickened and reduced to about 2/3 cup, about 5 minutes. Pour into a small bowl.

5. Using a wire spider or sieve, remove the meatballs from the cooking liquid. Drain briefly on paper towels. Spoon the rice into serving bowls. Top with the meatballs and drizzle with the sauce. Sprinkle with minced scallion and serve hot.

Grilled Chicken Teriyaki Meatballs:
Because the chicken mixture is soft, these meatballs are best grilled in a metal meatball-grilling basket. Prepare a medium-hot fire in an outdoor grill. Oil 20 molds in 2 baskets and place the meatballs in the baskets. Grill, covered, turning after 3 minutes, until the meatballs are browned and cooked through, about 8 minutes.

Here is the all-American cheeseburger, transformed into a meatball. As miniature versions of a bigger food item, sliders could share “the cute factor” with cupcakes. Adorability aside, I appreciate how they deliver so many elements in a couple of bites– meat, bun, and more in a compact and delicious package.

makes 12 sliders, 4 servings

1 pound ground round (85 percent lean)
1/3 cup dried plain bread crumbs
1 large egg, beaten
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
12 (1/2-inch) cubes sharp Cheddar cheese, cut from brick cheese
12 store-bought slider buns or small Parker House rolls, split
2 leaves red-leaf lettuce, torn into 12 pieces
12 dill pickle slices (optional)
Tomato ketchup

1. To make the meatball sliders, mix the ground round, bread crumbs, egg, salt, and pepper together in a large bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes or up to 4 hours.

2. Prepare a medium-hot fire in an outdoor grill. Using your wet hands rinsed under cold water, shape the meat mixture into 12 equal meatballs. One at a time, flatten a ball slightly in your palms and completely wrap a cheese cube in the meat mixture. Transfer to a plate.

3. Scoop out some of the crumb from each bun to make more room for the meatballs. (Save the crumbs for another use, such as using in meatball recipes.) Set the buns aside.

4. To grill the meatballs with a basket, lightly oil the molds (a pump sprayer works best). Place the meatballs in the basket and close it. Place the basket on the cooking grate and cover. Grill the meatballs until the undersides are lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Flip the basket over and grill until the other sides are lightly browned and the meatballs are medium-rare, about 3 minutes more. Remove the meatballs from the basket. Transfer to a platter.

(To grill the meatballs without the basket, lightly oil the cooking grate. Place the meatballs on the grill and cover. Grill until the undersides are lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Flip the meatballs and grill until the other sides are lightly browned and the meatballs are medium-rare, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a platter.)

5. Place the buns on the grill and grill, turning once, until lightly toasted, about 1 minute. For each slider, place a meatball on a bun bottom and top with a piece of lettuce and a pickle slice. Add a dollop of ketchup. Add the bun top and serve warm.

Serves 4

I can’t keep Megan away from beets when the gem-like baby ones roll in. Lucky for her, beets are readily available year-round in the Midwest. Although this salad can take on one of many variations, we strip it down to its bare essentials, focusing on the beets, whose sweetness seems intensified against the salty whipped blue cheese that we pair with it. Candied pecans give the salad some needed snap, and a few tendrils of baby frisée lettuce frame it all nicely with a frilly border.

This salad is particularly pretty if you use different-colored beets. Just make sure you keep them separated before arranging them on plates so they don’t stain each other.

1 pound baby beets, trimmed of greens
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 ounces blue cheese, softened
¼ cup Champagne Vinaigrette (page 253)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
⅓ cup Candied Pecans, chopped (page 254)
Baby frisée, for garnish (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Tightly seal the beets, whole, in a large sheet of aluminum foil. If you are using different-colored beats, package the beets separately by color so that the red ones won’t stain the lighter-colored ones.

Bake the beets for 40 minutes. To test the beets for doneness, a knife should slip in and out of them without any effort. Let the beets cool. Peel the thin layer of skin from each beet. Cut the beets into quarters. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, whip the cream cheese on high speed until soft and fluffy, stopping to scrape the bowl as needed. Add the blue cheese and continue to whip, scraping the bowl as
needed, until the two cheeses are evenly mixed and fluffy. Season with salt and pepper and whip a little more to incorporate.

Toss the beets with the vinaigrette. If you are using different-colored beets, toss them separately by color to prevent them from staining each other. Divide the beets among 4 plates.

Transfer the whipped cheese to a pastry bag and pipe the cheese in small mounds around the beets. Or you can simply spoon the cheese onto the plates. Garnish each salad with some pecans and frisée. Serve immediately.

Serves 4

As a kid, I loved going apple picking in the fall. There was always the promise of cider to be drunk and pies and fritters to be made and eaten afterward. I have distilled my childhood orchard memories into this comforting dessert, which is best served the day it is made.

The spices in the cider can and should be adjusted to your taste. The cider will perfume your house with a warm scent as your guests arrive for dinner.

2 quarts apple cider
1 cup light rum (we use 10 Cane rum)
½ cup sugar
6 cloves
3 cinnamon sticks
2 teaspoons freshly grated nutmeg
Zest of 1 orange, peeled with a Y-peeler
1 large piece crystallized ginger, chopped into small pieces
4 Braeburn apples, peeled, quartered, and cored
4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter
Brown Butter–Pecan Ice Cream (page 266)
Pecans, toasted and chopped, for garnish

Bring the cider, rum, sugar, cloves, cinnamon sticks, nutmeg, zest, and ginger to a boil in a large saucepan over high heat. Turn the heat down to low and add the apples. Bring the liquid to a low simmer and poach the apples for 20 minutes, or until the apples become tender but not soft or mushy.

Remove the apples with a slotted spoon and set them on a plate to drain. Cover and keep the apples warm while you let the cider steep for 10 minutes.

Strain the cider through a fine-mesh sieve. Discard the cinnamon sticks, orange peel, ginger, and cloves. Cover the cider and keep warm until ready to serve.

Divide the apple halves among 4 bowls. Vigorously whisk the butter into the cider. Pour the warm buttered cider over the apples and top each with a scoop of the ice cream. Garnish each bowl with chopped pecans and serve immediately. Extra cider can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

Serves 8–10

Quivering cranberry slices that melt into the meat and slowly caramelize give this brisket its lovely character. Even better, it takes so little effort for this sweet alchemy to work. Roberta Greenberg, the long-time assistant to the rabbis at this well-known New York City synagogue and the keeper of this recipe, suggests reducing the sauce on the stove after reheating it if you prefer it thicker. It is good enough to make you convert.

Sprinkle both sides of the brisket with the garlic powder, paprika, and salt and pepper. Tightly cover the brisket with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 days.

When you’re ready to finish the dish, preheat the oven to 500°F.

Unwrap the brisket, place it in a roasting pan, and roast for 20 minutes on each side. Remove the pan from the oven and decrease the temperature to 350°F. Place the onions under and around the brisket, then cover the top of the meat with the cranberry sauce slices. Tightly cover the pan with heavy-duty aluminum foil and cook until fork-tender, about 3 hours.

Remove the pan from the oven and allow the brisket to cool. Transfer the brisket to a cutting board, trim the fat, then slice the meat against the grain to the desired thickness. Return the slices to the pan, overlapping them at an angle so that you can see a bit of the top edge of each slice, cover the pan with foil, and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, remove any congealed fat from the top of the sauce. Heat the brisket, covered, at 350°F for 20 minutes, then, uncovered, for another 20 to 30 minutes, until hot and the sauce has reduced a bit. Serve with the sauce.

1 (4- to 5-pound) beef brisket
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon paprika
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 large onions, peeled and cut into eighths
2 (14-ounce) cans jellied cranberry sauce, sliced

Adapted from a recipe by Zak Pelaccio and Robbie Richter of Fatty ’Cue, Brooklyn, New York

Makes about 1 pint

Here is the secret to the brisket sandwich New York Magazine called “fiendishly good” when they named it Sandwich of the Year in 2009. Sam Sifton, reviewing it in The New York Times: “Deckle deliciousness from psychedelic Texas.” This sandwich’s sauce—”so thick it’s more like jam,” says Fatty ’Cue’s pit master Robbie Richter—is way more than a supporting player. We have adapted it to the closest possible approximation. But if you don’t feel like going on a scavenger hunt for ingredients, just set your GPS for 91 South 6th Street in trendoid Williamsburg, Brooklyn. And don’t expect it at dinner. Their brisket sandwich is only on their lunch and late night menus.

Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat, then add the shallots, chiles, garlic, galangal, and the dried shrimp. Cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Remove the mixture to a small bowl lined with a paper towel and set aside.

Wash the pan, then add the palm sugar and smoked tomatoes and turn the heat to medium. When the palm sugar has dissolved, add the tamarind and belacan and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. If the mixture starts to burn or gets really thick, simply reduce the heat.

Stir in the reserved shallot mixture and cook until warmed through. Allow the mixture to cool slightly in the pan, then purée in a blender or food processor. Stir in the fish sauce. The chile jam keeps in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator for about 1 week.

2 tablespoons canola oil
1 cup sliced shallots
½ cup destemmed, seeded, and sliced long red chiles
¼ cup sliced garlic
¼ cup peeled and sliced galangal (see Notes)
¹/8 cup dried shrimp
¼ cup palm sugar (see Notes on page 147)
¼ cup smoked tomatoes, peeled and seeded (see Notes)
¹/8 cup tamarind (see Notes)
¼ teaspoon belacan, toasted (see Notes)
¹/8 cup fish sauce

Depending on how strict you are, a Niçoise salad without tuna can still be called a Niçoise. This traditional salad has always been vegetable-based, with interesting flavors and textures coming from thin green beans, olives, and tomatoes, among the many other ingredients. I like to toss the components together in a bowl, combining the flavors and textures, rather than arranging some elements separately on a platter, as is done for a composed salad. Instead of tuna, I use homemade Peppercorn-Crusted Tofu Chèvre.

Serves 4

8 ounces slender green beans (such as haricots verts), trimmed
4 medium red-skinned potatoes (about 1 pound total), cut into ½-inch-thick wedges

Vinaigrette:
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
1 small shallot, minced (about 2 tablespoons)
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

Salad:
1 large head butter lettuce, leaves separated and larger leaves torn in half
3 ripe tomatoes, cut into wedges, or 10 to 12 cherry tomatoes, halved
Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 log Peppercorn-Crusted Tofu Chèvre (recipe follows), sliced into rounds
¹⁄3 cup Niçoise olives or kalamata olives
2 tablespoons capers, drained
1½ tablespoons minced fresh flat-leaf parsley

Cook the green beans in a large pot of boiling salted water until they are crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Drain and submerge the green beans in a bowl of ice water just until they are cold. Drain the green beans again and pat dry. Set aside.

Place the potatoes in a steamer basket set in a saucepan filled with 1 inch of simmering water. Cover and steam until they are just tender and still hold their shape, about 8 minutes. Set aside to cool completely.

Vinaigrette: While the vegetables are cooling, whisk the lemon juice, shallot, mustard, thyme, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl to blend. Gradually whisk in the oil to blend well.

Salad: Arrange the lettuce on a serving platter or in a large shallow salad bowl. Place the green beans, potatoes, and tomatoes in a large bowl. Toss with enough of the vinaigrette to coat, then season to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon the beans, potatoes, and tomatoes atop the lettuce. Arrange the tofu cheese slices amid the vegetables. Sprinkle the olives, capers, and parsley over the salad. Spoon more vinaigrette over the salad and serve immediately.

Tofu Chèvre

I call this soft vegan cheese “chèvre” for its rich flavor, creamy texture, and log shape. It’s easy to add texture and flavor to the basic tofu chèvre recipe simply by rolling the finished cheese log in a variety of ingredients, from ground peppercorns to fresh herbs to chopped nuts. The technique couldn’t be simpler, or the results more sophisticated and satisfying. Be sure to plan ahead, as you’ll need several hours for the tofu to completely drain and then another hour for the cheese log to chill.

Makes 1 (13-ounce) log

1 (12-ounce) container waterpacked extra-firm tofu, drained and halved
1 large clove garlic
2 tablespoons yellow miso
3 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
¾ teaspoon fine sea salt

Pat the tofu dry with paper towels. Set the tofu in a colander and set the colander over a bowl to collect all the liquid that drains from the tofu. Cover the tofu with plastic wrap, then place 3 heavy cans, each at least 14 ounces, on the tofu to weigh it down. This weight will help extract all the excess liquid from the tofu. Refrigerate the tofu for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Mince the garlic in a food processor. Pat the tofu halves with paper towels to absorb any excess moisture, then add the tofu to the food processor. Add the miso, 2 teaspoons of the olive oil, and the salt, and blend until the mixture is very smooth, stopping the machine occasionally and scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl.

Lay a sheet of plastic wrap flat on the work surface. Scrape the tofu cheese onto the center of the plastic wrap, then wrap the cheese, forming a log. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Unwrap the cheese log and place it on a baking sheet. Brush the log lightly with the remaining 1 teaspoon oil. Bake just until the cheese is warmed through, but the center is still creamy, about 25 minutes.

Serve warm or cold.

Peppercorn-Crusted Variation: Coarsely grind whole black or multicolored peppercorns, then sprinkle them over the cheese, patting them gently to adhere.

When you bite into this crisp waffle with its soft fruit compote, whipped cream, and maple syrup, it is amazingly delicious. The waffles’ almond flavor also pairs nicely with apricots, so another way to enjoy these crispy cakes is to simply spread apricot jam on top. Both the powdered egg replacer and the xanthan gum can be found at regular grocery stores as well as natural foods stores: These two ingredients take the place of eggs, helping the flours bind.

Makes about 5 waffles

3 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon powdered egg replacer
2 cups almond milk
3 tablespoons agave nectar
1 tablespoon sunflower or safflower oil
2 teaspoons almond extract
1 ½ cups brown rice flour
¼ cup almond meal
¼ cup tapioca flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
¼ teaspoon xanthan gum
Nonaerosol nonstick cooking spray
Apple-Pear Compote (recipe follows) or Summer Berry Compote (recipe follows)
Soy whipped topping or Tofu Whipped Cream (recipe follows), for serving
Pure maple syrup
Toasted sliced almonds

Preheat a standard waffle iron over high heat. Whisk the 3 tablespoons water with the egg replacer in a medium bowl until well blended. Whisk in the 2 cups almond milk, the agave nectar, oil, and almond extract.

Whisk the brown rice flour, almond meal, tapioca flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and xanthan gum in a large bowl to blend. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients just until moistened, being careful not to overmix. Let the batter sit for 10 minutes to thicken.

Spray the hot waffle iron generously with cooking spray. Pour about ²⁄3 cup of the batter onto the waffle iron. Close the lid and cook until the waffle is golden brown and crisp, about 5 minutes. Using tongs, gently loosen the waffle from the iron and transfer it to a plate.

Immediately top the hot waffle with the compote and soy whipped topping, or with maple syrup. Garnish with toasted almonds and serve immediately. Repeat to make more waffles.

Summer Berry Compote

The key to this recipe is to allow the heat to soften the berries to the point where they’re just about to begin losing their shape: When you bite into them, they’ll be even sweeter than when picked. These berries go perfectly on top of waffles, and they also make a delicious ice cream or sorbet topping. Leftovers can even be added to your granola in the morning.

Makes about 3 cups

½ cup fresh orange juice
¹⁄3 cup pure maple syrup
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
1 teaspoon ground mace
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 (10-ounce) container fresh strawberries, hulled and quartered
1 (6-ounce) container fresh blueberries
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon arrowroot
1 (6-ounce) container fresh raspberries

Stir the orange juice, maple syrup, orange zest, mace, and cinnamon in a large saucepan to blend, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Decrease the heat to medium-low and add the strawberries and blueberries to the syrup mixture. Simmer gently until the berries begin to release their juices and soften, about 8 minutes.

Stir the 2 tablespoons water and the arrowroot in a small bowl to blend. Stir the arrowroot mixture into the berry mixture and increase the heat to medium. Allow the compote to simmer for about 2 minutes, or until the compote thickens. Remove the compote from the heat and stir in the raspberries. Set aside to cool slightly (the compote will thicken further as it cools).

Refrigerate the compote in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Apple-Pear Compote

When apples and pears are in season, this is an excellent topping for waffles and French toast. This simple cooked fruit is also a winner if you need to whip up a quick last-minute dessert: I’ve served it many times with a cookie or two, and it always hits the spot. You might sprinkle some chopped toasted nuts on top to give it a little crunch.

Makes about 3 cups

¼ cup pure maple syrup
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
¹⁄8 teaspoon ground cloves
¹⁄8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ vanilla bean, split lengthwise
3 apples, such as Gala, Pink Lady, or Rome Beauty (about 1¼ pounds), peeled, cored, and cut into 1-inch chunks
3 ripe pears, such as Anjou (about 1¼ pounds), peeled, cored, and cut into 1-inch chunks
2 teaspoons water
1 teaspoon arrowroot

Stir the maple syrup, lemon juice, cinnamon, salt, cloves, and nutmeg in a large saucepan to blend. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean into the syrup, then add the bean. Stir in the apples and bring the syrup mixture to a simmer over medium-high heat. Decrease the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes. Add the pears and continue cooking until the apples and pears are tender, about 15 minutes.

Stir the 2 teaspoons water and the arrowroot in a small bowl to blend. Quickly stir the arrowroot mixture into the apple-pear mixture and simmer until the liquid thickens, about 3 minutes.

Remove from the heat and discard the vanilla bean. Let cool slightly before serving. Refrigerate the compote in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Tofu Whipped Cream

This is a recipe I have relied upon for years: I included it in my first book, The Real Food Daily Cookbook, and I love it so much that I had to include it again. It’s a soybased whipped topping that you can make at home, using all-natural ingredients. The recipe couldn’t be simpler, although it does depend upon the use of agar to create the consistency one wants in a whipped cream.

Makes about 2 cups

1 (12.3-ounce) container vacuum-packed extra-firm silken tofu (such as Mori-Nu)
¼ cup pure maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¹⁄3 cup apple juice
1 tablespoon agar agar flakes
Pinch of salt

Blend the tofu, maple syrup, and vanilla in a food processor until smooth and creamy. Set aside.

Combine the juice, agar, and salt in a small, heavy saucepan. Bring to a simmer over high heat. Decrease the heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer, stirring frequently, for 15 minutes, or until the agar dissolves. Immediately blend the hot agar mixture into the tofu mixture. Transfer the tofu mixture to a bowl.

Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour, or until the mixture is set. Return the tofu mixture to the food processor and blend until it is smooth and creamy

The tofu whip will keep for 2 days, covered and refrigerated. Whisk before using.

A comforting grilled ham and cheese sandwich turns divine with a figgy relish and other quality ingredients. You can interpret this sandwich any way you like, but I am fond of it with thin slices of prosciutto and buttery Toma cheese, a semi-hard cow’s milk cheese from the Aosta region of Italy. Sprinkle with a dusting of Parmesan just before serving. The relish can be made ahead and kept in the refrigerator, and makes more than you will need. Reserve any extra to enjoy with cheese and wine in the afternoon. It will keep for several months in the refrigerator.

Makes 2 sandwiches, serving 2 to 4

2 artisanal rolls, or 4 slices ciabatta bread
Sweet butter
Toma cheese, sliced or grated
Several thin slices prosciutto
Basil leaves
Arugula
Fig Relish (recipe follows)
Olive oil or butter
Grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish

Fig Relish

Makes about 1 cup
1 basket Kadota or Mission figs (about ½ pound), stemmed and peeled
½ cup sugar
½ cup apple cider vinegar or champagne vinegar
1 teaspoon mustard seed
Pinch salt
About 1 teaspoon dry mustard (optional)

Slice the rolls lengthwise and spread a little sweet butter on the bottom halves. Layer each with some cheese, a few slices of prosciutto, and a couple basil leaves along with a tussle of arugula. Spread a generous amount of fig relish on the top half of each roll, then place on top of the layered half. Gently press down to adhere.

Heat a cast-iron pan over medium-low heat and lightly brush with olive oil or a little butter. Add one or two sandwiches at a time and cook until lightly browned on one side. Brush the tops with a little more oil and turn over. Place a pot lid or heavy plate on top and gently press down as they cook. Cook until the cheese is melted and the roll is nicely browned and crusty. To serve, slice each sandwich in half on the diagonal and dust with a small amount of Parmesan cheese.

Coarsely chop the figs and place in a small pot with the sugar, vinegar, mustard seed, salt, and ¼ cup water. Bring to a boil over medium heat and simmer, stirring on occasion, for 20 minutes, until it resembles a loose jam. Stir in the dry mustard to taste, if using. Transfer to a glass bowl or jar. Refrigerate once cool.

Sweet black cherries baked in custard is a specialty of the Limousin region of France; it’s a popular no-fuss dessert served warm or cold, dusted with a little sugar. Traditionally the cherries are left whole so the pits imbue a little of their almond flavor. This is how I’ve always done it too, though you can surely pit them (and my daughter thinks I should); in fact most people do. Try making the clafoutis with other stone fruit like plums and peaches or, in the fall, fresh figs or dried prunes soaked first in brandy for a twist.

Serves 6 to 8

4 cups sweet cherries
½ cup turbinado or Demerara sugar
1 to 2 tablespoons kirsch
6 eggs
1 cup whole milk
2/3 cup crème fraîche
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
6 tablespoons flour
Pinch salt
1/3 cup sliced almonds, lightly toasted
Confectioners’ sugar (optional)

Wash and stem the cherries and pit if you prefer; pat dry. In a bowl, toss the cherries with 2 tablespoons of the sugar and the kirsch, more or less as you like to taste. Set aside at room temperature for at least 20 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld.

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Generously butter a 9-inch cast-iron skillet or earthenware dish. Scatter the cherries in the bottom of the dish.

Combine the remaining 6 tablespoons sugar, the eggs, milk, crème fraîche, vanilla, flour, and salt in a blender. Blend to combine thoroughly; strain if necessary to remove any lumps of flour, then whisk back in by hand.

Pour the custard over the cherries. Bake the clafoutis for 35 to 40 minutes, until puffy and golden and just set in the middle. Sprinkle with the toasted almonds and dust with confectioners’ sugar, if you like, before serving.

This is the way my friend Annette makes her beet salad. I love the colors here. And its freshness, even though it looks mayonnaisy; it’s a surprise to remember that it’s actually much lighter than it looks.

This is wonderful with fresh, roasted beets, or you can also use canned beets, in which case it will only take a second to put together. If you are using fresh ones and they have leaves, you can boil those too for a few minutes and dress them with olive oil to serve.

If using fresh, cut the leaves well above the bulb so that they don’t bleed.

1 POUND 7 OUNCES BEETS (ABOUT 4), LEAVES TRIMMED, OR
1 POUND 2 OUNCES CANNED BEETS
3 TABLESPOONS OLIVE OIL
JUICE OF ½ LEMON
2 GARLIC CLOVES, FINELY CHOPPED
3 TABLESPOONS COARSELY CHOPPED ITALIAN PARSLEY
SALT AND FRESHLY GROUND BLACK PEPPER
1 1/3 CUPS GREEK YOGURT
1 TABLESPOON SHELLED PISTACHIO NUTS, CHOPPED

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Wash the (fresh) beets well, being careful not to pierce their skins. Wrap each fresh beet individually in aluminum foil and bake for about 1 hour, until tender when tested with a sharp knife.

Whip the oil lightly in a bowl with the lemon juice and garlic.

Wearing kitchen gloves, peel the beets. Trim away the root and cut them into nice chunks. If you are using canned beets, rinse if necessary and trim away any tough end bits and cut into chunks. Put in a bowl. Add the lemon oil, parsley, and season with salt and pepper. Add the yogurt and mix gently. Scatter the pistachio nuts on top and serve.

I love this. It’s delicate yet aromatic, not quite a soup. It is an easy, healthy, almost instant food that you could serve to any generation. You will need a nice big and wide pot here, as there is not too much liquid and the ingredients all need to float comfortably. You can use any firm white fish fillets that won’t break up too much.

Greek celery is amazing and seems to give a wonderful flavor to their soups. It has lovely clumps and small thin ribs and leaves that look almost like parsley—you might never guess that it’s celery if you found it at the market.

SERVES 3

1 LARGE POTATO, PEELED, HALVED AND CUT INTO 5 OR 6 PIECES
2 CARROTS, CUT INTO 1¼-INCH ROUNDS
2 ZUCCHINI, CUT INTO ¾–1¼ -INCH ROUNDS
1 SMALL CELERY RIB WITH LEAVES (ABOUT 2¼ OUNCES), OR SMALL BUNCH OF GREEK-STYLE CELERY
ABOUT 1½ OUNCES GREEN ONIONS, WHITE PART ONLY
SALT
1 FIRM BONELESS WHITE FISH FILLET, SUCH AS OCEAN PERCH OR LING (ABOUT 15½ OUNCES)

LEMON OIL
JUICE OF 1 LARGE JUICY LEMON
¼ CUP BEST-QUALITY EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL
SALT
1 TABLESPOON COARSELY CHOPPED ITALIAN PARSLEY
FRESHLY GROUND BLACK PEPPER

Put the potato, carrot, zucchini, celery and onions into a wide pot and add 3 cups of water. Season with salt. Bring to a boil and simmer uncovered for about 15 minutes. Add the fish, shuffling the vegetables if necessary to ensure that the fish is covered by the broth. Simmer, uncovered, over low heat for 10 to 15 minutes (depending on the thickness of the fish), until the fish is cooked through but not breaking up.

For the lemon oil, whip the lemon juice and oil with a little salt in a bowl until thick and creamy.

Remove the soup from the heat and discard the onion and celery. Pour in the lemon oil and rock the pot to distribute it well. Leave it for a few minutes so the flavors mingle, and check your seasoning. Scatter in the parsley. Remove the fish to a bowl and break it up into 3 pieces using a fork and spoon. To serve, put 1 piece of fish per bowl, a couple of pieces of each vegetable, a good ladleful of broth and a grind of pepper.

makes 4 to 6 servings

With quinoa’s increasing popularity and notoriety for its health benefits, people are experimenting with different ways to serve it. Quinoa is a gluten-free grain packed with 8 grams of protein, 5 grams of fiber, and only 220 calories per cup. Making a cold quinoa salad is a unique and fun way to start off a meal. This one also combines broccoli, cranberries or dried cherries, red onion, and walnuts for a unique flavor and texture experience.

1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
1 1/2 cups chopped broccoli florets
1 cup dried cherries or cranberries
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

In a medium saucepan, bring the quinoa and water to a boil over high heat.

Lower the heat to simmer, cover, and cook until all the water is absorbed, 10 to 15 minutes.

Scoop the cooked quinoa onto a large plate and allow to cool completely.

In a medium bowl, mix together the broccoli, dried cherries, red onion, walnuts, and cooked quinoa.

In small a bowl, whisk together the vinegar, olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper.

Add to the quinoa mixture and toss until completely blended. Refrigerate overnight to allow the flavors to meld.

makes 4 to 6 servings

Finding good potato gnocchi has been a real challenge since we went gluten-free. Creating pasta from scratch, which makes it more authentic, turns out to be the best option. Serve this with the savory garlic butter or your own favorite sauce.

2 pounds russet potatoes (about 4)
1/2 cup potato starch, plus more for dusting
1/2 cup white rice flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for sprinkling
1 egg plus 1 egg white, beaten
Pinch of ground nutmeg (optional)
Roasted Garlic Butter (recipe follows)
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh basil

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Pierce the potatoes with a fork and bake for 1 hour.

In a small bowl, sift together the potato starch and white rice flour.

Peel the potatoes while they are still warm and pass through a potato ricer or shred them on a box grater into a large bowl. When the potatoes are cool, add the salt, white pepper, baking powder, 1/4 cup of the Parmesan cheese, and beaten egg and egg white. Using your hands, mix the potatoes until moist. Add 1/2 cup of the flour mixture at a time while forming or kneading into a dough ball. Place the dough on a floured cutting board and cut into 6 pieces. Roll each piece into a rope about 1/2 inch in diameter and then cut into 1-inch pieces. Roll each piece down a gnocchi board or use the tines of a fork and press lightly on the dough to create ridges. Scatter the gnocchi on a lightly floured baking sheet and continue until all are made.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and place the gnocchi in the pot without overcrowding. Gnocchi are done about 90 seconds after they float to the surface. Remove the gnocchi with a skimmer or slotted spoon, toss them in a skillet over medium-high heat with the garlic butter, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and fresh basil just before serving.

Chef’s Note: If you are not cooking the gnocchi immediately, place them on a lightly floured sheet pan, wrap with plastic wrap, and place in refrigerator. Use them within one day.
To freeze the gnocchi, place them on a lightly floured sheet pan, wrap in plastic wrap, and place in the freezer until hardened. Transfer the gnocchi to tightly sealed individual freezer bags for storage. They will keep for up to 1 month.

Roasted Garlic Butter

3 cloves garlic, peeled
1 teaspoon olive oil
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 300°F.

Place the garlic on a double layer of aluminum foil and drizzle with the olive oil. Fold the foil over the garlic into a sealed package and roast for 30 to 35 minutes.

Place the roasted garlic on a cutting board and, using the flat side of a knife, press the garlic until a paste forms.

In a sauté pan over medium heat, melt the butter and whisk in the garlic. Bring to a simmer, and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Vin santo is a Tuscan dessert wine made with dried grapes. Marsala makes a good substitute, or you can use a good dry white wine. Adjust the cooking time according to the size of chicken you use. When the chicken is done, an instant-read thermometer inserted in a thigh and not touching bone will register 165° F, or the juices will run clear when a thigh is pierced with a knife.

3 tablespoons aromatic herbs minced with salt (page 41), or your preferred combination of fresh herbs
1 clove garlic, minced
1 chicken, about 3 pounds
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups vin santo or sweet Marsala wine

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly oil a small roasting pan or heatproof casserole.

In a small bowl, combine the herb mixture with the garlic. Loosen the skin of the breast of the chicken and spread the herb mixture under the skin. Rub the chicken all over with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place the chicken on its side in the prepared pan and roast for 15 minutes, then turn and roast on the second side for 15 minutes. Turn the chicken onto its back and roast for 30 minutes, or until the chicken tests done.

Transfer the chicken to a serving platter and keep warm. Set the roasting pan over medium heat and add the wine, stirring to scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Increase the heat to high and cook to reduce the liquid by half. Drizzle the pan sauce over the roasted chicken and serve at once.

Serves 6

Farro is an ancient strain of wheat with a high protein content and a nutty flavor. It can be found in natural foods and gourmet foods stores whole, cracked, or ground into flour. This dish can be served warm as a winter side dish, or chilled for a summer salad.

2 cups whole-grain farro
3 tablespoons plus ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 green onions, including 1 inch of green parts, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 zucchini, diced
1 red bell pepper, seeded, deveined, and diced
2 cups chicken stock (page 173), heated
1 cup canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
4 ounces spicy salame, diced
Grated zest and juice of ½ lemon
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Romaine lettuce leaves for serving

Soak the farro in water to cover for at least 1 hour or overnight.

In a large, heavy saucepan, heat the 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the green onions, garlic, zucchini, and bell pepper and sauté until softened, about 2 minutes. Add the stock and bring to a boil. Drain the farro and add to the pan, cover, and decrease the heat to a simmer. Cook for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the farro is tender and the stock has been absorbed. Stir in the chickpeas and salame. Cover and set aside to keep warm.

In a small bowl, whisk the lemon zest, lemon juice, and the remaining ¼ cup olive oil together. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Fluff the farro with a fork. Stir in the dressing. Serve warm or chilled, on lettuce leaves.

Serves 6

Serves 4 to 6

2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and black pepper
1 (1 ½- to 2-pound) salmon fillet
1 tablespoon lemon juice
½ white onion, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
1 large lemon, sliced

This recipe is so easy to make in an aluminum foil wrap—and cleanup is easy! This is a great dish for women because it’s healthy and delicious. They see this fish and want to run away with it and share it with nobody!

Take a sheet of foil and pour 1 tablespoon of olive oil on it. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Lay your salmon fillet on the oil, then pour the other tablespoon of olive oil on the surface and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Squeeze some lemon juice on top. Throw your onion on top of that, along with your garlic and basil. Sprinkle with the dill, then place the sliced lemon on top of everything. Place another piece of foil on top and seal the edges of the top and bottom pieces of foil.

Grill over medium-high heat for 35 minutes, or until the salmon is cooked to your liking. Some people prefer their salmon undercooked, but we like it cooked completely through.

We serve this side at the restaurant in place of mashed potatoes, and sworn cauliflower-haters are immediate converts. It’s hilarious, in fact, to tell someone he’s eating cauliflower and watch the look of surprise on his face. The texture of the dish is meant to be a little chunky, a little funky, and surprisingly tasty.

Makes 8-10 servings

2 large heads cauliflower, cored and broken into florets
4 ounces cream cheese
1¼ cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (about 6 ounces cheese)
2 teaspoons roasted garlic puree (page 5)
¼ teaspoon sea salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
2 teaspoons unsalted butter

Steam the cauliflower for 10 to 12 minutes, until just tender. Place the cauliflower in a large bowl and mash with a potato masher or fork. In another large bowl, combine the cream cheese, cheddar cheese, garlic puree, salt, black pepper, white pepper, and butter. Pour the hot mashed cauliflower on top of the cheese mixture and combine, using a large spoon, until the cheeses are thoroughly melted. Serve immediately.

Makes one serving

1 cup balsalmic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup olive oil
2 large portobello mushrooms, stems and gills discarded
2 teaspoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 slices artisanal sourdough bread
2 ounces softened goat cheese
Romaine lettuce
3 slices Fried Green Tomatoes (page 178)
2 tablespoons Basil Roasted Red Pepper Mayonnaise (page 80)

In a medium bowl, combine the vinegar, oregano, basil, salt, and pepper, whisking to combine. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil, whisking the whole time until the vinaigrette is thoroughly blended. Add the mushrooms to the bowl and toss with the vinaigrette marinade. Cover and let rest for 1 hour at room temperature. Drain the mushrooms. Heat your grill to medium and grill the mushrooms for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until tender. Lightly butter the bread slices and place butter down in a skillet over medium heat until grilled and lightly browned. Assemble the sandwich by spreading the goat cheese on 1 slice of bread and layering the lettuce, fried green tomatoes, portobellos, mayonnaise, more lettuce, and the remaining bread slice.

48 Large Cookies

These are large and thick spice cookies with a crisp, chewy edges and semi-soft centers –– real old-fashioned “down home” cookie-jar fillers. In our home, and surrounding territory, everyone loves them. While they are baking, they perfume the house with an irresistible sweet-and-spicy aroma.

4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
¹∕8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon nutmeg
8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter
1½ cups granulated sugar
3 eggs
½ cup dark corn syrup
3½ ounces (1 cup, packed) shredded coconut (sweetened or unsweetened)
5 ounces (1 cup) raisins (dark, light, or half of each)
8 ounces (1 cup, packed) dates (each date cut into about 4 pieces)
7 ounces (2 cups) walnuts, broken into large pieces

Adjust two racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat oven to 350°. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, cloves, cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg, and set aside.

In the large bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter until it is soft. Beat in the sugar. Then add the eggs one at a time, beating until incorporated after each addition. Beat in the corn syrup. On low speed, add the sifted dry ingredients and beat until incorporated.

Remove from the mixer and with a large, heavy wooden spoon or rubber spatula stir in the coconut, raisins, dates, and nuts.

Use a well-rounded tablespoon of the dough for each cookie. Place the mounds of dough 2 inches apart on the sheets.

Bake two sheets at a time, reversing the sheets top to bottom and front to back as necessary to ensure even browning. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until the cookies are golden all over.

With a wide metal spatula, transfer the cookies to racks to cool.

Store airtight.

16 Squares or 12 to 14 Bars

This is a French recipe for small, plain, fudge squares, similar to brownies without nuts. These are quick and easy to make; they are mixed in a saucepan.

4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch slices
2 ounces (2 squares) unsweetened chocolate
1 cup granulated sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
2 extra-large or jumbo eggs
1 cup sifted all-purpose flour
Pinch of salt

Adjust a rack one-third up from the bottom of the oven and preheat oven to 350°. Prepare an 8-inch square cake pan as follows: Turn pan upside down. Cut a 12-inch square of aluminum foil. Center it over the inverted pan shiny side down. Fold down the sides and the corners and then remove the foil and turn the pan right side up. Place the foil in the pan. In order not to tear the foil use a pot holder or a folded towel and, pressing gently with the pot holder or towel, smooth the foil into place. Lightly butter the bottom and halfway up the sides, using soft or melted butter and a pastry brush or crumpled wax paper. Set aside.

Place the butter and chocolate in a heavy 2- to 3-quart saucepan over low heat. Stir occasionally with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon until melted and smooth. Set aside to cool for about 3 minutes.

Stir in the sugar and the vanilla and then the eggs, one at a time, stirring until smooth.

Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and spread evenly.

Bake for exactly 28 minutes. Do not overbake; this should remain moist in the center. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes.

Cover with a rack and invert. Remove the pan and aluminum foil. The bottom of the cake will be slightly moist in the center. Cover with another rack and invert again to cool right side up. (The cake will be about ¾ inch thick.)

When the cake is cool, transfer it to a cutting board. With a long, thin, sharp knife, cut the cake into squares or oblongs.

These may be arranged on a tray and covered with plastic wrap until serving time. Or they may be wrapped individually in clear cellophane or wax paper. Either way, do not allow them to dry out. They may be frozen and may be served either at room temperature or about 5 minutes after being removed from the freezer—they’re awfully good still frozen.

Cake
1 cup sifted all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Dutch-process)
²⁄3 cup granulated sugar
¾ cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ounce (¼ stick) unsalted butter, melted
½ cup walnuts, broken into medium-size pieces

Topping
¹⁄3 cup granulated sugar
6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Dutch-process)
½ cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
2 teaspoons granular instant coffee
1 cup water

Variations of this recipe pop up in many areas of the country under many different names: Chocolate Upside-Down Cake, Chocolate Sauce Pudding, Chocolate Pudding Cake, Hot Fudge Sauce Cake, to name a few. In most cases, whatever the name, you will have a square pan of chocolate cake floating in a rather thin, dark chocolate syrup; both the cake and the syrup are spooned out together and served like a pudding with a sauce.

This Missouri recipe is similar, but is something else. It is a small, shallow square upside-down cake which, when it is turned onto a cake plate, covers itself with a thick layer of dark chocolate topping that resembles nothing I can think of. The topping is as dark and shiny as black patent leather, as tender and semi-firm as a pot de crème, and as mocha-chocolate flavored as you might weave dreams about.

The topping and the cake are baked together. Sensationally quick/easy/foolproof. This is wonderful just as soon as it has barely cooled, or it can wait hours, or it can be frozen.

Cake

Adjust a rack one-third up from the bottom of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°. Butter a shallow 8-inch square cake pan and set aside.

Sift together into the small bowl of an electric mixer the flour, baking powder, salt, cocoa, and sugar. Add the milk, vanilla, and melted butter, and beat until smooth and slightly pale in color. Remove the bowl from the mixer. Stir in the nuts. Turn into the buttered pan and smooth the top. Let stand.

Topping

In a small, heavy saucepan combine all the ingredients. Stir over rather high heat until the sugars melt and the mixture comes to a full boil.

Gently ladle the boiling hot mixture all over the cake batter.

Bake for 40 minutes until a toothpick inserted gently into the cake comes out clean. (During baking the topping will sink to the bottom.) Set aside to cool in the pan.

When the cake has cooled, cover with a square or oblong serving plate or a cutting board. Holding them firmly together, turn the pan and the plate over. If the cake does not slide out of the pan easily (and it probably will not), hold the plate and the pan firmly together upside down and tap them on the work surface. Now the cake will come out, and it will be covered with the topping, some of which will still be in the pan; use a rubber spatula to remove it all and put it on the cake. Smooth the top gently or pull the topping up into uneven peaks.

Serve immediately or let stand all day or freeze. (If you freeze this do not cover with plastic wrap; the topping never does freeze hard and plastic wrap will stick to it. Just cover the whole thing with an inverted box deep enough so it doesn’t touch the cake.) Freezing diminishes the flavor of all foods, especially this. Although this can be served frozen, it has more flavor if it is brought to room temperature.

This cake does not need a thing but a plate and fork. However, if you are serving it for a birthday party or some other festivity, ice cream is wonderful with it.

serves 6 to 8

baking time: 50 minutes

Many Southern grandmothers have a version of this simple cobbler in their recipe boxes. It may just be the quickest way to an old-fashioned farm staple. I first heard it referred to as Lazy Girl Cobbler in Nathalie Dupree’s kitchen. Her kitchen is a Southern woman’s sanctuary. It’s always warm, inviting, and never ceases to be a learning place for the hungry.

½ cup unsalted butter
1 cup Southern All-Purpose Flour (see page 7)
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
¹⁄8 teaspoon salt
1¼ cups buttermilk
4 cups fresh blackberries

Preheat the oven to 375˚F.

In a 10-inch cast-iron skillet, melt the butter in the oven while it is preheating. Once the butter is melted, remove the skillet from the oven.

Meanwhile, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt in a medium mixing bowl. Whisk the buttermilk into the flour mixture.

Pour the batter over the melted butter in the hot skillet. Sprinkle the blackberries evenly over the batter.

Bake for 50 minutes. Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.

serves 8

I adore roasted tomatoes and I practically live for creamy grits, so one fateful day, I combined my two loves. If I do say so myself, it was a stroke of genius. The two complement each other in total harmonies of texture, flavor, and color.

3 cups chicken broth
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup quick grits
2 cups grape tomatoes
1½ teaspoons olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons shredded
Parmesan cheese
Freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 400˚F.

Bring the chicken broth and heavy cream to a simmer in a large heavy saucepan over medium-low heat, about 5 minutes. Add the grits. Stirring often, cook for 20 minutes, until the grits are no longer crunchy.

While the grits are cooking, cut the tomatoes in half and place on a rimmed baking sheet. Toss the tomatoes in olive oil and arrange in a single layer. Bake for 15 minutes. Add the balsamic vinegar and toss.

Remove the grits from the heat and stir in the Parmesan cheese. Serve the tomatoes over the grits. Sprinkle with the pepper before serving.

Broccoli rabe, also known as rapini, is a bitter green often used in Italian cooking. When nestled in the folds of the gooey mozzarella, the greens along with the crispy prosciutto create a sandwich almost as soulful as
Italy itself.

8 thin slices prosciutto (about 4 ounces)
¼ cup olive oil
12 ounces broccoli rabe (about 1 bunch), tough stems removed and coarsely chopped (or use Swiss chard or Tuscan kale)
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
¹⁄8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
¹⁄8 teaspoon salt
8 sandwich-size slices Italian bread (or use pain au levain or sourdough)
8 ounces mozzarella cheese, drained and sliced if water-packed; otherwise coarsely grated

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat and line a plate with paper towels. Add the prosciutto slices to the skillet (you may need to do this in batches) and cook until browned and crisp, about 2 minutes on each side.

Transfer to the paper towels to drain. The prosciutto will become crisper as it cools.

Add enough oil to make 2 tablespoons fat in the pan. Heat over medium high heat for 1 minute. Add the broccoli rabe. Cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, tender, and bright green yet caramelized around a few of the edges, 5 to 7 minutes. (Add water to the pan if it seems dry.) Add the lemon 24 juice, red pepper flakes, and salt and toss to coat. Transfer the broccoli rabe to a plate. Wipe out the skillet but don’t wash it.

To assemble: Brush the remaining oil on one side of each slice of bread. Place 4 slices of bread, oil side down, on your work surface. Distribute the broccoli rabe and follow with the prosciutto. Pile the cheese on top, compressing it with your hand if necessary, and top with the remaining bread slices, oil side up.

For stovetop method: Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat for 2 minutes. Put the sandwiches into the pan, cover, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until the undersides are golden brown. Turn the sandwiches, pressing each one firmly with a spatula to flatten slightly. Cover and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the undersides are well browned. Remove the cover, turn the sandwiches once more, and press firmly with the spatula once again. Cook for 1 minute, or until the cheese has melted completely.

Remove from the pan and let cool for 5 minutes. Cut in half and serve.

For sandwich maker method: Preheat the sandwich maker. Follow directions for assembly above. Cook according to manufacturer’s instructions.

Makes 4 sandwiches

In this recipe, tortilla chips are on the outside of the bread to give the sandwich its corn-like flavor and to give you the ability to enjoy all the flavors—guacamole, bacon, cheeses, and corn chips—all at once.

8 slices bacon
8 large tortilla chips (about 2 ounces)
4 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
8 slices sourdough bread
½ cup guacamole (recipe follows; or use purchased, preferably one with tomato in it)
2 tablespoons peeled, seeded, diced Roma tomato (see Note)
4 ounces Colby cheese, coarsely grated
4 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, coarsely grated
4 ounces goat cheese

Line a plate with paper towels. In a large nonstick skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat until very crisp. Drain the bacon on the paper towels.

Remove the bacon fat from the pan and wipe the pan with a paper towel, but do not wash it. Set aside.

To make the tortilla chip butter, put the chips in the bowl of a food processor and process until the texture is very fine, similar to sand. Alternatively, place the chips in a sturdy plastic bag. Using a meat mallet or other heavy object, pound the chips until they are the texture of sand.

Put the butter in a medium bowl and add the ground chips. Using a fork, work the chip “sand” and butter together until well mixed. The mixture will be somewhat stiff.

To assemble: Spread the butter mixture on one side of each slice of bread. Place 4 slices, butter-chip mixture side down, on your work surface. Spread 2 tablespoons of the guacamole on each slice of bread. Sprinkle the tomato on top of the guacamole. Follow with the colby and Monterey Jack cheeses. Dot with small pieces of the goat cheese. Finish by placing 2 bacon pieces on each sandwich. Top with the remaining bread slices, buttered side up.

For stovetop method: Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat for 2 minutes. Put the sandwiches into the pan, cover, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until the undersides are golden brown. Watch carefully because the chips in the butter can burn easily. Turn the sandwiches, pressing each one firmly with a spatula to compress the filling slightly. Cover and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the undersides are well browned. Turn the sandwiches once more, press firmly with the spatula again, cook for 1 minute, and remove from the pan. Let cool for 5 minutes. Cut in half and serve.

For sandwich maker method: Use your sandwich maker for this sandwich only if it has variable heat settings. Otherwise, it will cook too hot and burn the chips on the bread without melting the cheese.

To use your sandwich maker, follow directions for assembly above. Cook according to manufacturer’s instructions.

Note: There’s no need to use the tomato if your guacamole already has tomato in it.

Makes 4 sandwiches

Makes 8 Ounces

This has become one of the staples at our house. I use it crumbled over salads or pasta, stuffed into cherry tomatoes, spread on a sandwich with roasted chicken and baby greens, stirred into soups, or blended with cream cheese for a dip. If you like, use a fresh Heartland chèvre such as Capriole from Greenville, Indiana; Donnay Dairy in Kimball, Minnesota; or Prairie Fruits Farm in Champaign, Illinois. You will need 1 to 2 cups of apple, hickory, pecan, or other hardwood chips for this.

8 ounces fresh goat cheese or cream cheese in a log

Canola oil, for brushing

1 Prepare a medium-heat indirect fire in your grill, with the fire on one side and no fire on the other.

2 Place the goat cheese in a disposable aluminum pan and brush the cheese with canola oil.

3 For a charcoal grill, scatter 1 to 2 cups wood chips on the charcoal; for a gas grill, place the chips in a smoker box or an aluminum foil packet poked with holes near a gas burner. When you see the first wisp of smoke from the chips, place the pan of goat cheese on the indirect or no-heat side of the grill and close the lid. Smoke for 1 hour, or until the cheese has a burnished appearance and a smoky aroma. Store the smoked cheese in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.

VARIATION:
To smoke garlic, trim about ½ inch from the top and bottom of a whole head of garlic. Brush with canola oil, place in a disposable aluminum pan, and proceed from step 3. Smoke for about 45 minutes, until the garlic is soft when you squeeze it and it has a smoky aroma. Store in the refrigerator for a few days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Serves 8

Kansas is, literally, “home on the range”—at least it was to Brewster Higley, the Smith County settler who wrote the song there in 1871. Today, there are still deer and even a few antelope, but mainly beef cattle in the Flint Hills and the western prairie. To make your taste buds sing, get your outdoor grill a-smokin’ so you can rustle up this easy version of beef carpaccio. The beef gets a little tasty char around the outside, is very rare inside, and has a smoky sauce to finish. You can make the sauce and grill the beef a day ahead and then assemble the thin slices a few hours before your guests arrive. Keep them chilled until you’re ready to serve.

Smoked Tomato Drizzle
1 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon smoked tomato puree (see page 16)
¼ cup chipotle hot sauce

Beef
1 pound boneless eye of round, top loin, or beef tenderloin
Olive oil, for brushing
Coarse kosher or sea salt and cracked black pepper
Drained capers, for garnish
Baby arugula, for garnish

1 For the drizzle, whisk together the mayonnaise, tomato puree, and hot sauce in a small bowl until smooth. Transfer to a plastic squeeze bottle and refrigerate.

2 Prepare a hot fire in your grill and place a cast-iron skillet or griddle on the grill grate to heat for 20 to 30 minutes.

3 Brush the beef with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. When the skillet is very hot, sear the beef on all sides until blackened, 1 to 2 minutes per side.

4 Let the beef rest until it is at room temperature. Cover with plasitc wrap. To serve the same day, place it in the freezer for 30 minutes to firm up. To serve the next day, store in the refrigerator, then in the freezer for 30 minutes before serving. Chill the serving plates.

5 Using a mandoline or a very sharp knife, cut the beef into paper-thin slices and arrange on the chilled plates. Drizzle the sauce on each plate in a crosshatch pattern and scatter the capers and arugula over the top. Serve immediately.

As the farm-to-table movement sweeps the nation, Judith Fertig presents Heartland: The Cookbook, a collection of delicious recipes that puts a modern twist on Midwest tradition. Among the book’s 150 recipes, readers will find breakfast foods, dinner courses, and chapters devoted to preservatives, breads, and desserts.

Heartland pays tribute to both the land and the people who call it home. Alongside its recipe collection, the book offers humorous stories, historical facts, sidebars about local food purveyors, and memorable quotes that forge connections between readers and Midwestern natives. Beautiful color photographs of food, animals, and landscapes bring America’s heartland to life.

Heartland’s recipes are as diverse as Midwesterners themselves, with some dishes ethnically inspired by Amish, Swedish, Czech, Scandinavian, and other communities. Dishes include Flyover Duck Confit, Heartland Daube with White Cheddar Polenta, and Pheasant Schnitzel with Danish Red Cabbage.

As varied as Heartland’s recipes are, all of them are made with modern cooking methods, so readers can prepare their traditional favorites in a fraction of the time. For example, “The Heartland Breadbasket” chapter shows that breads can be made with no-knead/one-bowl dough. “Praise and Plenty: The Heartland Pantry” teaches readers how to make tasty homemade preserves with methods much simpler than those used in pioneer days.

In addition to its shorter prep times and simpler cooking methods, Heartland offers versatile recipes that can be used to make more than one meal. Dishes like Minnesota Wild Rice Soup, Haymaker’s Hash, and Hunter’s Pie can all be made using other recipes’ leftovers.

With scrumptious recipes and age-old wisdom, Heartland celebrates every aspect of the Midwest, including its beauty, diversity, commitment to sustainability, and pioneering spirit.

Serves 8

Ingredients

Pound Cake
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened, plus more for preparing the pan
2 cups sifted unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for preparing the pan
½ teaspoon kosher or sea salt
¼ teaspoon baking powder
1 ½ cups sugar
5 large eggs, at room temperature
1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon poppy seeds

Strawberry-Rhubarb Sauce
1 pint strawberries, cored and quartered lengthwise
½ pound rhubarb, trimmed and cut crosswise into ½-inch pieces
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
6 to 8 tablespoons sugar

Vanilla ice cream

Many fans of pound cake know that toasting it heightens the cake’s buttery flavor. Grilling works the same magic, so when you have the grill going for a summer dinner, why not grill dessert, too? Be sure to brush the grill rack clean first.
1. To make the cake, preheat the oven to 325°F. Lightly grease a 9 by 5 by 3-inch loaf pan with butter. Coat the bottom and sides with flour and shake out the excess.

2. Sift together the flour, salt, and baking powder into a medium bowl.

3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle, or in a large bowl with a handheld mixer, cream the butter on medium speed until smooth. Add the sugar gradually, beating constantly until the mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl once or twice, then beat in the lemon zest and poppy seeds. On low speed, add the dry ingredients gradually, beating just until blended. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan, spreading it evenly.

4. Bake until the cake is firm to the touch and beginning to pull away from the sides of the pan, about 1¼ hours. A cake tester inserted in the middle should come out clean. Cool the cake in the pan on a rack for 15 minutes, then invert onto a rack. Invert again so the top is up and finish cooling on the rack.

5. To make the strawberry-rhubarb sauce, put the berries, rhubarb, orange juice, and 6 tablespoons sugar in a medium saucepan. Set over moderate heat and heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Cover, adjust the heat to maintain a gentle simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the fruit softens and forms a sauce, about 10 minutes. Keep a close eye on the saucepan, reducing the heat if the mixture threatens to bubble over. Cool slightly, then taste and add more sugar if desired. Transfer to a bowl, cover, and chill thoroughly.

6. Prepare a moderately hot charcoal fire or preheat a gas grill to medium-high (375° to 400°F). Cut the ends off the cake, then cut the cake into 8 equal slices. Grill directly over the coals or gas flame, turning once, until lightly toasted on both sides, about 2 minutes per side.

7. Put about 1/3 cup of the sauce on each dessert plate. Top with a slice of toasted cake and a scoop of ice cream. Serve immediately.

Serves 4
Ingredients

Oyster Sauce
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 inch fresh ginger, grated
2 tablespoons chicken broth
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 ½ teaspoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
1 tablespoon peanut oil
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast or thigh, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 pound baby bok choy, cut in half lengthwise
8 ounces button mushrooms, sliced
½ fresh red chile, seeded and sliced
Steamed rice for serving

With steamed rice, this stir-grilled dish makes a wonderful meal. Stir-grilling involves marinating foods, then stirring them with wooden paddles or spoons as they cook in a grill wok to a caramelized finish.

1. To make the sauce, combine the garlic, ginger, chicken broth, oyster sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil, rice wine, and peanut oil in a large bowl. Add the chicken, bok choy, mushrooms, and chile and toss to blend. Cover and let marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

2. Prepare a very hot charcoal fire or preheat a gas grill to high (450° to 500°F). Oil the inside of a grill wok.

3. Place the grill wok on the grill grate. Add the chicken mixture to the grill wok. Cover the grill and let cook for 2 minutes. Stir the mixture with wooden paddles or a long-handled wooden spoon, cover, and cook again for 2 minutes. At 2-minute intervals, stir, cover, and cook for 10 more minutes or until the chicken is opaque and firm.

4. Transfer the stir-grilled food to a serving bowl. Serve atop steamed rice.

Prep time: 15 minutes

Total time: 2 hours (includes cooling time)

Makes 32 squares

Candied ginger adds a snappy edge to these chocolaty bars. For the most economical candied ginger, look in the bulk or nut section of your grocery store. Ginger lovers may want to cut back on the chocolate to enhance the ginger flavor.

2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 ½ cups firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
One 12-ounce package semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup loosely packed candied ginger, chopped

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter or spray a 9 by 13-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
3. Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with the paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer with a large bowl, beat the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar on medium speed until fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes.
4. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, and the vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the flour mixture, mixing until just combined (do not overmix). Stir in the chocolate chips and ginger.
5. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool for at least 1 hour on a wire rack before slicing.
6. Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Prep time: 10 minutes

Total time: 40 minutes

Serves 8

The coffee-infused barbecue spice rub gives ribs an unexpected flair that will make your guests say “Wow!” The beauty of a rub is that it adds a last-minute punch of flavor to meat and poultry when you don’t have time to marinate. Experiment with the spices and dried herbs in your spice drawer, like ground cumin, chipotle powder, and dried oregano, and customize your own spice rub to your liking.

6 cloves garlic, chopped
¼ cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
¼ cup chili powder
1 tablespoon ground instant espresso powder
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons ground mustard
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
6 pounds baby back ribs (about 3 racks)

Cook’s Tip: Coat the ribs with the spice rub up to 24 hours in advance and deliver them ready to grill, or grill up to 4 hours in avance. These ribs are delicious at room temperature.

1. Heat the grill to medium.
2. In a small bowl, combine the garlic, sugar, chili powder, espresso, salt, black pepper, mustard, and cayenne. Rub evenly over the ribs.
3. Grill the ribs, covered, turning occasionally, until cooked through,  30 to 35 minutes.  Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing.

LANGDON COOK
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON
FAT OF THE LAND: ADVENTURES OF A 21ST CENTURY FORAGER
http://fat-of-the-land.blogspot.com/2009/08/salmon-head-soup.html

I’m a writer, editor, forager, and author of Fat of the Land: Adventures of a 21st Century Forager.

SERVES 4 to 6

Wouldn’t you know the day I forget my camera is the day my boy catches his first salmon off the beach—on a Snoopy rod no less? Riley let out a whoop when the fish hit his lure, and I’m sure I probably thought it was a false alarm, some weeds or a bottom snag. But then I saw the Snoopy rod doubled over. I ran over and set up a station behind the boy, making sure the fish didn’t rip the rod right out of his grip. He reeled and kept the tip up like a pro. Pretty soon the fish was in the surf, and I figured for sure it would break the line. But Riley held on and pulled that salmon right up onto the beach.

My kids are big soup eaters. Because we live near Seattle’s International District, at a tender age they discovered noodle houses and the pleasures of an Asian noodle soup. These soups are so tasty and cheap that I never really considered trying to make my own before, but after reading Hank Shaw’s post on the “nasty bits” of fish, I just had to give it a shot. Besides, we’re fishermen here. When the salmon are gone, I suppose we’ll fish sculpin; in the meantime we can do honor to our catch by eating every last morsel.
• For the rest of Langdon’s post, see page 42

2 or 3 salmon heads, cut in half
3 inches fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
2 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil (optional)
Chinese cooking wine
2 leeks, dark green tops discarded, chopped
5 cloves garlic, chopped
4 green onions, chopped
2 Thai red peppers, thinly sliced
8 cups water
1 to 2 tablespoons fish sauce (optional)
Salt
1 handful of cilantro, stemmed, with stems reserved
1 to 2 tablespoons Chinese sweet cooking wine (optional)
1 to 2 tablespoons rice vinegar (optional)
Several heaping tablespoons Szechuan pickled vegetable (optional)
1 10-ounce package Asian noodles (e.g., udon, soba, ramen), cooked or ready-to-eat
½ head napa cabbage, shredded
1 15-ounce can straw mushrooms (optional)

Brown the fish heads and ginger in the oils in a stockpot over medium-high heat for a few minutes, turning at least once. Deglaze the pot with a splash of wine and add the leeks, the garlic, and half the green onions and half the red peppers. Sauté together for several minutes.

Deglaze the pot with another splash of wine, then add the water and fish sauce. Bring to a light boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 30 minutes.

Strain the contents of the pot, picking and reserving as much salmon meat as possible. Return the broth to the pot and bring back to a simmer. Taste and adjust the salt. Add half the remaining green onion and the cilantro stems. Add the Chinese sweet wine, rice vinegar, and 1 to 2 tablespoons Szechuan pickled vegetables. Simmer for another 15 to 30 minutes.

Strain the soup a second time and return the broth to low heat to keep it warm. Dole out the reserved salmon meat into bowls, along with noodles and a handful of shredded cabbage. Add spoonfuls of Szechuan pickled vegetables and the straw mushrooms. Ladle the broth over all. Garnish with the remaining green onion, the cilantro leaves, and the remaining Thai red pepper.

SIMONE VAN DEN BERG
ALMERE, NETHERLANDS
JUNGLEFROG COOKING
http://junglefrog-cooking.com/chanterelles-tart

SERVES 4
I was so happy when we went to the farmers’ market in Amsterdam on Saturday to find an entire stall filled with all sorts of mushrooms. Remember that in the supermarkets here you can only ever find button mushrooms, chestnut mushrooms, and the occasional oyster mushroom and shiitake if you’re really lucky. But I had never even seen chanterelles, let alone eaten them fresh, so I was quite excited when we found them in the market. I wanted to make these into an appetizer for when my friend would come over for dinner Tuesday, and Olga came up with the suggestion of making them into a tart with puff pastry. This reminded me I still had puff pastry in the freezer, so that would be perfect to make some quick appetizers for dinner. Because I wanted to try out the flavors, I made a little one in the afternoon with chestnut mushrooms and the cheese I bought, and it was delicious. And it is really almost too simple to throw together and looks quite good and tastes fantastic. You can of course use any kind of mushroom you want with this, but the chanterelles were very tasty. In the Netherlands puff pastry is sold in little square packets with separate sheets about 10 to 15 centimeters square and already thin enough to use as they are, ideal for these little pies.

I also made a version with little pomodori tomatoes, which worked very well too. It’s a little less strong in taste, and I prefer the flavors of the chanterelle-only version, but of course you could make endless variations with this.

7 ounces chanterelle mushrooms
1 ½ teaspoons olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 sheet puff pastry
3 ounces blue cheese
1 ¾ ounces pecorino cheese, grated
1 egg, beaten

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

1. Cut the chanterelles into manageable sizes. Keep in mind they need to fit on top of the puff pastry and you don’t want huge chunks here, but not too small either. Toss the mushrooms in a bowl with the olive oil and salt and pepper to taste.

2. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the puff pastry (defrosted, of course, if frozen) just enough to create a square. Then cut into 4 squares. Put some of the mushrooms in the middle, being sure to leave the sides free. Don’t be too shy. You want to have a nice little pile of mushrooms there. They will decrease in size in the oven.

3. Generously add little chunks of the blue cheese here and there. Make sure to have an even distribution of cheesy goodness. Sprinkle grated pecorino cheese on top of each pie.

4. Brush some of the beaten egg on the sides of the puff pastry and fold it creatively into a little basket so the cheese stays in when it starts to melt. Plus the corners will become nice and crispy too. Pinch it tightly to make sure it stays put once heated.

5. Put the little pies in the oven for about 12 minutes, then lower the temperature to 350°F and bake for another 15 minutes, until golden brown and crispy. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Rooted in the fertile fields and rolling hills of Marin County, CA, the cradle of the organic food movement, is a belief that food fosters community. With beautiful photography and delicious recipes using seasonal ingredients, Organic Marin: Recipes from Land to Table tells the story of that connection between farmer and family, between land and table, between food and community.

Bungalow 44, Mill Valley

Bungalow 44 serves flat breads that reflect each season’s best ingredients. This recipe shows off the bounty of summer, with ripe tomatoes and fragrant basil. The dough may be made ahead of time and kept refrigerated for up to 2 days.

Dough
1 1⁄4 cups all-purpose flour
1⁄8 teaspoon baking powder
1⁄2 teaspoon sea salt
1⁄2 cup warm water
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Basil Oil
1⁄2 cup firmly packed fresh basil leaves
1⁄3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Fried Garlic
1⁄2 cup canola oil
6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1⁄2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1⁄2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
3 heirloom tomatoes, thinly sliced
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
1⁄3 cup shaved pecorino romano cheese
Minced fresh basil for garnish

For the dough: Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Stir with a whisk to blend. Combine the water and oil in a cup and stir into the dry ingredients. Transfer the dough to a floured work surface and knead until smooth, about 5 minutes. Divide the dough in half, cover with a damp towel, and let the dough rest for 30 minutes.

For the basil oil: Blanch the basil in boiling water for 10 seconds, then drain and plunge into ice water to cool. Squeeze dry and place in a blender with the extra-virgin olive oil. Blend for 20 seconds and pass through a fine-meshed sieve; discard the solids.

For the fried garlic: Heat the canola oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat to 325°F. Fry the garlic slices until just golden brown, 2 to 3 seconds. Drain in a fine-meshed sieve, then transfer the garlic to a paper towel to soak up excess oil.

Preheat an oven to 400°F with a pizza stone inside, if you have one. Flatten each dough ball into a disk and roll into an 8-inch round. Place the rounds directly on the pizza stone. If not using a pizza stone, place the rounds on a baking sheet. Prick the dough all over with a fork and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until just golden. Remove from the oven and increase the oven temperature to 425°F.

Sprinkle half of the Parmesan and mozzarella on each baked bread. Place the breads in the oven on the pizza stone or baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes, until the cheese melts and just starts to brown. Remove from the oven and layer each with the tomato slices in a single layer, season with salt and pepper, and drizzle evenly with the basil oil. Top each with half of the pecorino cheese shavings and return to the oven for about 5 minutes, or until the pecorino turns slightly golden. Remove from the oven and garnish with basil and fried garlic. Use a pizza wheel to cut each bread into 6 slices and serve right away.

Serves 4 as a first course

Bungalow 44

Tucked into downtown Mill Valley, Bungalow 44 draws in locals with friendly service and dining options to suit any mood. The restaurant’s main area is modern and lively, with an open kitchen and a popular bar where locals meet for specialty cocktails. The adjoining room is better suited for a quiet dinner, with a fire during the winter and removable panels that allow for a breeze during warmer weather. Like its sister restaurant, Buckeye Roadhouse, Bungalow 44 offers such homey favorites as fried chicken, Parmesan truffle fries, and a mean burger. For a lighter dish, try the chopped Chicken “44”: an anything-but-boring salad featuring avocado, pine nuts, and jalapeno-tomatillo vinaigrette.

Hurray for real mac and cheese. It’s crazy to eat the stuff from the box when the real deal is so easy to make and so totally superior. Do use a cheese with some character, however, or the bland noodles will dominate.

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
2 ½ cups whole or 2% milk
Coarse salt
1/ 4   teaspoon dry mustard (optional)
1/ 8   teaspoon freshly grated  nutmeg (optional)
1/ 8   teaspoon freshly ground black  pepper
3 cups grated extra-sharp Cheddar cheese
1/ 2  cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 pound elbow macaroni
1 cup coarse fresh bread crumbs

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Melt 3 tablespoons of the butter in a medium, heavy-based saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk until smooth; cook 2 to 3 minutes, whisking frequently. Slowly pour in the milk, whisking vigorously. If the sauce gets lumpy, don’t worry; just keep whisking until smooth. Lower the heat and simmer for 7 to 8 minutes, whisking frequently, until creamy and smooth. Add 1½ teaspoons salt, the mustard and nutmeg if using, and the black pepper.

2. Take the pan off the heat and add 2½ cups of the Cheddar and half the Parmesan cheese. Whisk until the cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth. Taste and add more seasonings if you like. It should be salted well, as the sauce will flavor the macaroni.

3. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil, add 2 tablespoons salt, and boil the macaroni according to the package directions. Drain well, return to the pot, then toss with the sauce until thoroughly coated. Pile into a 13 by 9-inch baking dish or four 6-inch cast-iron skillets. Sprinkle evenly with the remaining Cheddar and Parmesan.

4. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and toss with the bread crumbs; distribute over the macaroni. Bake until the topping is browned and the macaroni is hot, about 20 minutes. Let rest for about 10 minutes before
serving.

Variations: While the classic is always welcome, try mixing things up on occasion by adding zippy green chiles or briny tuna. For a smoky green chile version, add 1 drained 4-ounce can diced mild green chiles before you put the macaroni in the baking dish. Mix 1 teaspoon smoked paprika with the crumbs and butter. For the “tuna melt” version, substitute 1 cup grated Havarti or Fontina cheese for 1 cup of the Cheddar when you make the sauce (you’ll still need a total of 3 cups cheese plus the ½ cup Parmesan). Add 2 drained 5-ounce cans tuna and 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest to the macaroni before you put it in the baking dish.

Makes 1 (9 by 5-inch) loaf

Ingredients
3 large, very ripe bananas
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 cup sugar
½ cup canola or corn oil
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
½ cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
Icing:
4 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped into small pieces
½ cup heavy whipping cream

Banana bread becomes so much less ordinary when paired with chocolate icing and chocolate chips. Chocolate and bananas have been a terrific dessert combo since the advent of banana splits with chocolate sauce and frozen bananas dipped in chocolate. This recipe will drive your stomach bananas.

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and position an oven rack in the center of the oven. Lightly butter a 9 by 5-inch loaf pan, or spray with pan spray.

2. Peel the bananas and break them into pieces in a medium bowl. Using a fork or potato masher, smash them into pulp. It’s okay if a few small lumps of banana remain. You should have about 1½ cups banana pulp.

3. Put the flour, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl and whisk to blend well. Add the eggs, sugar, oil, and vanilla to the banana pulp and whisk to blend well. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, and pour the mashed banana into the well. Whisk until the batter is smooth and you don’t see any more patches of flour. Gently stir in the chocolate chips.

4. Scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Bake for 65 to 75 minutes, until deep golden brown, firm to the touch in the center, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. You may see some melted chocolate on the toothpick from the chocolate chips. Using oven mitts, transfer the pan to the cooling rack and let the bread cool completely.

5. To make the icing, put the chocolate pieces in a medium bowl. Pour the cream into a small saucepan and place over medium heat, just until it begins to boil. Turn off the heat, and immediately pour the cream over the chocolate. Let it sit for 2 minutes, then whisk gently until blended and smooth. Let cool for 5 to 10 minutes, until the icing runs off the tip of a teaspoon like warm honey.

6. Remove the cake from the pan by turning it upside down and firmly shaking the pan a couple of times, while guiding the cake out onto your hand. Turn the cake right side up on a serving plate or a piece of parchment paper. Using a tablespoon, spoon the icing evenly over the top, letting some of it drip down the sides. Let the icing set for 20 minutes before slicing. Or leave the cake, uncovered, at room temperature until serving time.

Chef/Co-Owner Andrea Curto-Randazzo, Talula Restaurant, Miami, Florida

Serves 4 to 6

5 pounds vine-ripened tomatoes
3 shallots, sliced, plus 2 shallots, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced, plus 8 cloves garlic, peeled whole
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 cup chopped applewood-smoked bacon
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 medium onions, coarsely chopped
2 stalks celery, coarsely chopped
3 carrots, coarsely chopped
Salt and freshly ground white pepper
1 bay leaf
1 small bunch thyme, stemsremoved
3 ¼ cups vegetable stock
3 cups heavy whipping cream
2 cups breadcrumbs (see Note)
1 cup grated aged manchego cheese
(4 ounces) or cubed fresh mozzarella cheese
1 pint red and yellow teardrop tomatoes, cut in half lengthwise
Small bunch basil leaves, cut into chiffonade
Juice of 2 lemons
4 to 6 whole basil leaves, or basil oil, for garnish

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Cut the tomatoes in half and gently remove all or most of the seeds. Toss them in a large bowl with the sliced shallots, minced garlic, and ¼ cup of the olive oil. Transfer the mixture to a baking sheet with the tomatoes skin side up, making sure all of the shallots, garlic, and olive oil are poured on top of the tomatoes. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the skins start to brown and blister. Set the pan aside to cool. Once cool, remove the tomato skins.

In a large soup pot over medium heat, cook the bacon until browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Pour off the rendered fat. Add the butter, vegetable oil, onions, celery, carrots, minced shallots, and whole garlic cloves to the bacon in the pot. Season the mixture with salt and white pepper. Cook for about 15 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Add the roasted tomatoes, bay leaf, thyme, and vegetable stock. Bring to a boil, then add the heavy cream. Simmer for 30 minutes.

Puree the soup in a blender in batches, then strain it through a fine-mesh sieve back into the soup pot. Season with salt and white pepper to taste.

In a large bowl, toss together the breadcrumbs, cheese, teardrop tomatoes, basil chiffonade, the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the lemon juice, and salt and white pepper to taste. Spoon the hot soup into bowls, then top with the breadcrumb mixture and garnish with a basil leaf or a drizzle of basil oil and serve.

Note: You can make your own breadcrumbs by cutting a baguette into ¼-inch cubes, tossing the cubes with olive oil, seasoning with salt and black pepper, and toasting them on a baking sheet in a 375°F oven for about 15 minutes. Allow the croutons to cool, and then crumble them.

Chef/Owner Julie Taras Wallach, Tipsy Parson and Little Giant, New York, New York

Serves 4 to 6

½ pound bacon
1 pound cavatelli pasta
1 bunch thyme (about the thickness of a quarter), plus 1½ tablespoons chopped, fresh thyme
4 sprigs rosemary
4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter
2 medium Spanish onions, coarsely chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
½ to ¾ cup white wine
¼ to ½ cup all-purpose flour
4 cups milk
3 cups heavy whipping cream
¼ cup Dijon mustard
1 cup grated Grafton cheddar cheese (4 ounces; or other white cheddar)
¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ cup coarse breadcrumbs
(cornbread is ideal)
1 cup grated Grana Padano Cheese
(4 ounces)

In a large skillet over medium-low heat, cook the bacon until crispy, about 10 minutes. Drain on paper towels. When cool, cut into ¼-inch pieces.

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain and set aside.

Tie the bunch of thyme and sprigs of rosemary together with clean kitchen string. In a large widemouth stockpot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, and herbs and cook until the onion is soft, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the wine and cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Remove and discard the garlic and herbs. Whisk in the flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the milk and cream, then the mustard. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and cook, stirring constantly, for about 30 minutes.

Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cheddar, a handful at a time, waiting until each addition is completely melted before adding more. Season with the nutmeg and add salt and black pepper to taste.

Add the pasta and the chopped thyme and bacon and heat through until the pasta is well coated and seasoned, about 5 minutes. Adjust the seasonings as needed.

Pour the mixture into a casserole dish or individual ovenproof gratin dishes. Sprinkle the top(s) with a generous layer of breadcrumbs, then a layer of Grana Padano, then another layer of breadcrumbs. Bake for 20 minutes, or until bubbly and crispy.

Prep Time: 15 minutes

By Marie Haws
Taken from http://www.sunbeam.com.au/Pages/Recipes/RecipeDetail.aspx?iid=9286, this is a delicious risotto cooked in the rice cooker.

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
80g butter
1 onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 cups uncooked Arborio rice
1 cup dry white wine
1 litre chicken stock, hot
200g Swiss brown mushrooms, sliced
150g button mushrooms, sliced
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
Freshly ground black pepper

Method:
In a large frying pan, heat half the oil and butter; add the onion and garlic and cook until the onion is tender. Add the rice and stir through to coat the rice with the onion mixture.

Add the wine and cook, stirring, until most of the liquid has been absorbed. Transfer the mixture to the rice cooker cooking pan. Add the hot chicken stock and stir through. Making sure that the exterior of the pan is dry, place into the heating vessel.

Replace the lid.

Depress the automatic control lever to Cook.

When the cooking is complete, the lever will automatically switch to the Keep Warm mode. Leave the rice in the cooker for 10 minutes at this stage. DO NOT REMOVE THE LID.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil and butter in a frying pan and cook, stirring, until the mushrooms are tender; drain any excess liquid.

After the rice has been in the Keep Warm mode for 10 minutes, open the lid. Stir in the mushrooms, Parmesan, and parsley. Season to taste with black pepper.

Serve immediately.

This version of barbecue soup is a cross between Brunswick stew and a traditional soup. It is a meal on its own but can also be served in small portions as a first course. Though the recipe calls for leftover Beer-Brined Chicken, Chutney-Glazed Beef Brisket (page 284) or shredded pork (page 90) would work just as well. For a real treat, serve this with Southwestern Cornbread (page 217).

Ingredients
12 ounces applewood-smoked bacon, diced (about 14 slices)
4 tablespoons Basic Barbecue Rub (page 196)
1 1⁄2 pounds tomatoes, chopped (about 4 cups)
1 1⁄2 cups chopped yellow onions
1⁄4 cup minced garlic
1 chipotle pepper in adobo
12 ounces lite lager beer
4 cups chicken stock
2 cups ketchup
1⁄4 cup yellow mustard
1⁄2 cup apple cider vinegar
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 cups yellow corn kernels (about 2 ears)
1 pound tomatoes, grilled and chopped (about 3 cups; page 170)
3 cups fresh or frozen lima beans, cooked and drained
4 cups chopped Beer-Brined Chicken (page 98)
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Equipment: Porcelain coated grid, Dutch Oven
Set the EGG for direct cooking with the porcelain coated grid.
Preheat the EGG to 450ºF.
Preheat the Dutch Oven on the grid for 10 minutes.

Place the bacon in the Dutch Oven, close the lid of the EGG, and cook until crisp. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a small bowl lined with paper towels andset aside. Reserve the bacon fat in the Dutch Oven.

Add the barbecue rub to the bacon fat and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, onions, garlic, and chipotle and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the onions are translucent. Slowly add the beer to the Dutch Oven, stirring with a wooden spoon to deglaze. Add the chicken stock, ketchup, mustard, vinegar, brown sugar, and Worcestershire sauce. Leave the Dutch Oven uncovered, but close the lid of the EGG. Simmer for 30 minutes, or until the soup has thickened slightly.

Remove the Dutch Oven from the heat. Puree the soup using an immersion blender, or carefully spoon it into the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade, process until smooth, and return to the Dutch Oven. Add the corn, grilled tomatoes, lima beans, chicken, and pepper and stir until completely combined. Serve topped with the reserved bacon pieces.

Serves 8

Ribs really benefit from long, slow cooking. However, for easier entertaining, these can be roasted a day ahead, then refrigerated. When ready to serve, simply brush with sauce and grill. These ribs are paired with a cool cucumber dipping sauce made by pureeing cucumbers and using the reserved strained liquid to make the sauce. Though the sauce contrasts nicely with the spicy ribs, the ribs are also delicious without the sauce.

Ingredients
1 1⁄2 cups mango nectar
1 cup rice wine vinegar
1 habanero pepper
2 full racks baby back ribs
1⁄2 cup dry mojo seasoning

Dipping Sauce (optional)
2 to 3 whole English cucumbers, peeled, seeded, and chopped
1⁄2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (4 to 5 limes)
1⁄3 cup granulated sugar
1⁄2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup Basic Barbecue Sauce (page 192)
1⁄2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Equipment: Plate Setter, 9 by 13-inch Drip Pan, porcelain coated grid
Set the EGG for indirect cooking with the Plate Setter, legs up.
Preheat the EGG to 300ºF.

Pour the mango nectar and vinegar into the Drip Pan and add the habanero pepper. Cut each rack of ribs in half between the bones and season liberally with the mojo seasoning. Add the ribs to the Drip Pan and cover tightly with aluminum foil. Place the Drip Pan on the Plate Setter and close the lid of the EGG. Cook for 2 hours, or until tender. Remove the Drip Pan from the EGG and set aside.

To make the dipping sauce, place the cucumber in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Process for about 2 minutes, or until the cucumbers have been completely pureed. Place a strainer over a small bowl and pour the pureed cucumbers into the strainer, reserving the liquid until you have 11⁄2 cups of cucumber liquid. Place the liquid in a small bowl and add the lime juice, sugar, and salt. Mix until the sugar has completely dissolved. Refrigerate until needed.

Add the grid to the EGG, and raise the temperature to 450°F. Remove the ribs from the Drip Pan and strain the juices from the pan into a bowl. Skim the fat from the top of the juices, add the barbecue sauce, and mix well.

Place the ribs on the grid. Brush the ribs with the barbecue sauce. Close the lid of the EGG and grill for 5 minutes. Turn the ribs, baste with more sauce, and cook with the lid closed for another 5 minutes, or until the sauce has caramelized. Remove and let cool for 5 minutes.

Remove the cucumber sauce from the refrigerator, add the cilantro, and blend well. Pour the sauce into a small bowl. Place the ribs on a platter and serve with the cucumber sauce.

Serves 4

Pecan pie is a typical Southern dish made from corn syrup, brown sugar, and pecans and is often served on holidays. This traditional pie filling has a touch of bourbon and combines with dark chocolate morsels. It is perfect for a fall dinner or winter holiday dessert and would be especially good served after a smoked turkey dinner (page 108).

Ingredients
1 cup dark corn syrup
3 large eggs, beaten
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1⁄4 cup bourbon
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped pecans
1 (9-inch) pie shell (page 223)

Whipped Cream
1 cup heavy cream
1⁄2 cup confectioners’ sugar
1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Equipment: Plate Setter
Set the EGG for indirect cooking with the Plate Setter, legs down.
Preheat the EGG to 400ºF.

Using a wooden spoon, mix the corn syrup, eggs, butter, brown sugar, bourbon, and flour in a medium bowl until combined. Add the chocolate and pecans and blend well. Pour the filling into the pie shell.

Place the pie plate on the Plate Setter. Close the lid of the EGG and bake for 45 minutes, or until the filling is set and the pie is golden brown. Remove the pie and let cool completely, then refrigerate.

To make the whipped cream, using a whisk or an electric mixer, beat the cream, confectioners’ sugar, and vanilla for 5 minutes, or until light and fluffy. Serve slices of pie garnished with the whipped cream or pass separately.

Serves 6 to 8

––

The stunning contrast of red cake and fluffy white cream cheese frosting has made this a southern tradition for festive occasions. Mixing a touch of cocoa powder with the buttermilk and vinegar creates a reddish brown color, but it’s the red food coloring that earns this cake its name.

12 Servings

Cake
2 1⁄4    cups sifted cake flour (sifted, then measured)
2    tablespoons natural unsweetened cocoa powder
1    teaspoon baking powder
1    teaspoon baking soda
1⁄2    teaspoon salt
1    cup buttermilk
1    tablespoon red food coloring
1    teaspoon distilled white vinegar
1    teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1⁄2     cups sugar
1⁄2    cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
2    large eggs

Frosting
2    8-ounce packages Philadelphia-brand cream cheese, room temperature
1⁄2    cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1    tablespoon vanilla extract
2 1⁄2    cups powdered sugar
3    1⁄2-pint containers fresh raspberries
3    1⁄2-pint containers fresh blueberries

CAKE: Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour two 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 11⁄2-inch-high sides. Sift flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into medium bowl. Whisk buttermilk, food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla in small bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat sugar and butter in large bowl until well blended. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Beat in dry ingredients in 4 additions alternately with buttermilk mixture in 3 additions. Divide batter between prepared pans.

Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 27 minutes. Cool in pans on racks 10 minutes. Cut around pan sides to loosen cakes. Turn cakes out onto racks; cool completely.

FROSTING: Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese and butter in large bowl until smooth. Beat in vanilla. Add sugar and beat until smooth.

Place 1 cake layer, flat side up, on platter. Spread 1 cup frosting over. Arrange 1 container raspberries and 1⁄2 container blueberries atop frosting, pressing lightly to adhere. Top with second cake layer, flat side down. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake. Arrange remaining berries decoratively over top of cake.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome and refrigerate. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour before serving.

Testing for Doneness

The baking time indicated in a recipe provides the estimated time you can expect the cake to be done, but visual cues are your best bet for determining doneness. Here are three ways to determine
if a cake is perfectly done:

1. Insert a toothpick, cake tester, or even a thin metal skewer (like the ones used to truss a turkey) into the center of the cake. It should come out clean or with just a few crumbs attached.

2. Gently press your finger onto the top of the cake. The cake should spring back without leaving an impression of your finger.

3. Check the sides of the cake. In most cases, the edges should just begin to pull away from the sides of the pan.

The rules change when making molten cakes: A tester should come out with thick batter attached, and the tops and sides should be set but the centers should feel wobbly.

A cake is truly more than the sum of its delicious parts—but a beautiful frosting is key to making a fantastic first impression. Here are some ways to create professional-looking frosted cakes.

1 Prep: If the cooled cake layers are domed, use a serrated knife to carefully trim the tops and make them level. Set one cake layer on a cardboard round that is slightly smaller in diameter than the cake so that it’s concealed, or set the cake layer on a flat cake plate. A dab of frosting on the cardboard or plate helps anchor the cake.

2 Fill and layer: Spread the filling over the cake layer, keeping it within a half inch of the edge of the cake; then top with the second cake layer (this allows some wiggle room for the filling to ooze). It’s best to place the bottom layer cut side up and the top layer cut side down; the cut surfaces absorb some of the filling, while the smooth, flat surface forms a nice shape for the finished cake. Sometimes the top layer slides around, which makes frosting the cake difficult. To solve this, cover the layered cake with plastic and chill it until the filling becomes firm and the top layer is securely set in place.

3 Add the crumb coat: Spread a thin layer of frosting over the entire cake, then chill the cake until the frosting is cold. Don’t worry if the cake doesn’t look attractive at this point; the crumb coating is simply used to glue any loose cake crumbs to the cake’s surface to make it easier to apply the final coating of frosting. (Not all recipes call for this step.)

4 Frost: Finally, spread the remaining frosting decoratively over the sides and top of the cake. Setting the cake on a cake turntable or lazy Susan and using a long offset spatula will help you create
a perfectly smooth finish.

Honeydew Bellini Granita with Minted Raspberries

Both the granita and the raspberry topping have a splash of Prosecco, Italian sparkling wine. The recipe calls for using a large baking pan so that the melon mixture will freeze quickly. But if you don’t have room in your freezer, just usea smaller pan and chill it longer.

8 servings

1⁄2    large ripe honeydew melon, seeded, peeled, cut into 1 1⁄2-inch cubes (about 2 1⁄2 pounds)
1⁄2    cup chilled Prosecco, divided
4 1⁄2    tablespoons (about) sugar, divided
2    5.6-ounce containers fresh raspberries
1    tablespoon minced fresh mint plus 8 fresh mint sprigs

Puree melon in processor until smooth. Strain through fine strainer into large bowl, pressing gently to extract 21⁄2 cups juice; discard solids in strainer. Mix 1⁄4 cup Prosecco into melon juice. Stir 3 tablespoons sugar into juice, 1 tablespoon at a time, to sweeten to taste (mixture should be sweet). Transfer mixture to 13×9x2-inch metal baking pan and freeze until slushy, about 30 minutes. Stir with fork and continue to freeze until set, about 45 minutes longer.

Do Ahead: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and keep frozen.

Gently toss raspberries, minced mint, remaining 1⁄4 cup Prosecco, and remaining 1 1⁄2 tablespoons sugar in large bowl to coat.

Using fork, scrape granita until entire mixture is mass of crystals. Spoon granita into goblets or glasses and top with raspberry mixture. Garnish with mint sprigs and serve.

Red and Green Grape Granitas with Muscat and Frozen Sugared Grapes

A truly gorgeous dessert: Red and green granitas are spooned over Muscat wine and topped with small clusters of frozen sugared grapes. If you prefer, you can also serve the granitas separately.

6 servings

2⁄3    cup water
2⁄3    cup sugar
1⁄4    cup fresh lemon juice
3    cups green seedless grapes, stemmed (about 1 pound)
3    cups red seedless grapes, stemmed (about 1 pound)
6    small grape clusters (about 3 grapes per cluster)
2    tablespoons plus 3⁄4 cup chilled Muscat
Additional sugar

Combine 2⁄3 cup water and 2⁄3 cup sugar in small saucepan. Bring to boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Boil 1 minute. Cool syrup. Stir in lemon juice.

Puree green grapes and half of lemon syrup in blender (some bits of grape peel will remain). Transfer to 13×9x2-inch metal baking pan. Puree red grapes and remaining lemon syrup in blender. Transfer to another 13×9x2-inch metal baking pan. Freeze 1 hour. Stir with fork every hour until frozen, about 4 hours.

Meanwhile, dip grape clusters into 2 tablespoons Muscat to moisten, then dip grapes into additional sugar to coat. Place grapes on small tray and freeze until frozen, about 4 hours.

Do Ahead: Granitas and grapes can be made 1 day ahead. Cover separately and keep frozen.

Using fork, scrape granita until entire mixture is mass of crystals. Pour 2 tablespoons Muscat into each of 6 wide wineglasses. Divide green grape granita among glasses. Spoon red grape granita alongside green grape granita in each glass. Garnish each with sugared grape cluster and serve.

More to Try

The two granita mixtures would be equally lovely as the base for ice pops. Simply fill the molds halfway with the red grape mixture, and freeze until it’s pretty firm. Then top it with the green grape mixture and continue freezing.

Dried sweet cherries, tart cherry preserves, and cherry brandy give these bars their triple hit of fruit flavor. If you don’t have kirsch (clear cherry brandy) on hand, use regular brandy or amaretto (almond-flavored liqueur) instead.

Makes 2 Dozen

Filling
1    cup dried Bing (sweet) cherries
1    cup tart red cherry preserves
1    tablespoon kirsch (clear cherry brandy)

Dough and Streusel
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
2    cups unbleached all purpose flour
2⁄3    cup sugar
1⁄2    teaspoon ground cinnamon
1⁄4    teaspoon salt
3⁄4    cup (1 1⁄2 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1⁄2-inch cubes
1 3⁄4    teaspoons vanilla extract
1⁄4    teaspoon almond extract
3    tablespoons whole milk
1    cup (packed) sweetened flaked coconut
3⁄4    cup sliced almonds

FILLING: Combine cherries, cherry preserves, and kirsch in processor; blendto chunky puree.

DO AHEAD: Filling can be made 1 day ahead. Transfer to bowl; cover and refrigerate.

DOUGH AND STREUSEL: Preheat oven to 375°F. Line 13×9x2-inch metal baking pan with heavy-duty aluminum foil, leaving overhang on both long sides. Spray foil with nonstick spray. Blend flour, sugar, cinnamon, and salt in processor. Add butter, vanilla, and almond extract. Blend, using on/off turns, until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add milk and blend, using on/off turns, until mixture comes together in small clumps. Transfer 1 cup (packed) mixture to medium bowl and reserve for streusel.

Blend remaining mixture in processor until large moist clumps form. Gather dough together in large ball. Press dough over bottom of prepared pan; pierce all over with fork. Bake dough until golden, about 22 minutes; cool crust 15 minutes. Maintain oven temperature.

Add coconut and almonds to reserved 1 cup dough. Mix with fork, breaking streusel topping into small clumps.

Spread cherry filling over baked crust. Sprinkle streusel topping over. Bake cookie until cherry filling is bubbling and streusel topping is golden brown, about 30 minutes. Cool cookie in pan on rack. Using foil as aid, lift cookie from pan. Fold down foil sides. Cut cookie into bars.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Refrigerate in airtight container.

A tender, flaky pie crust is a thing of beauty—and it is within the reach of every home cook. Just remember that baking is a science, so it’s important to measure carefully and follow the recipe exactly. Follow these tips from the Bon Appétit test kitchen and you’ll be a pie crust pro in no time.

1 STAY COOL: Chilled or—even better—frozen fat (butter, shortening, and/or lard) will create a dough that’s easy to work with and will produce a flaky, tender crust; room temperature fat won’t. Using ice water is important because the chilled water helps keep the fat cold.

2 LESS IS MORE: For a perfect crust you want short, weak strands of gluten (the protein that’s in flour). The more you work the dough, the longer the strands of gluten become, and that can make the crust tough. The bottom line? Mix the dough just until it comes together, then stop.

3 Chill the dough: Don’t rush it. After you’ve made the dough, wrap it in plastic wrap, flatten it into a disk, and chill it for at least 30 minutes. This will give the gluten a chance to relax, making the dough easier to roll out. It’s also not a bad idea to put the rolled-out crust (once it’s in the pan) in the freezer while you prepare the filling. That will keep the crust from shrinking while it bakes and will also make sure the fat stays cold.

4 Roll the dough: Give it space. Before you even get the dough out of the fridge, make sure you have a large, clean space for rolling. Lightly flour the work surface to prevent the dough from sticking—and flour your rolling pin, too. Roll out the dough gently, rotating the dough occasionally to create an even circle. If the dough begins to stick, sprinkle the work surface and/or the rolling pin with a little more flour. Make sure that the dough round is two to three inches larger in circumference than your pie plate. The extra dough will allow you to create a decorative edge on your pie. To transfer the dough to the pie pan, wrap the dough loosely around the rolling pin, then carefully unroll into the pan. Ease the dough into the edges of the pan, being careful not to stretch the dough to the corners (which will thin the dough). Lightly press the dough into the bottom and up the side of the pan.

5 A different way to roll: Temperamental dough? Brand new to baking? Then consider rolling out the dough between two large sheets of parchment paper. Lightly flour one sheet of parchment. Unwrap the chilled dough disk, set it in the center of the parchment, then pound with the rolling pin until it is about six inches in diameter. Lightly dust the dough with flour and lay the second piece of parchment on top. Starting at the center and rolling out to the edges, roll the dough, using even pressure. To keep the thickness of the dough uniform, turn the parchment 90 degrees and flip it over after every few rolls. When you have a dough round two to three inches larger than your pan, remove the top sheet of parchment. Pick up the remaining parchment and dough, and quickly flip the round into the pie pan, centering the dough in the pan. Ease the dough into the dish and tear off the parchment in strips (peeling it off in one piece may tear the tender dough).

6 Crimp the edge: Finish your pie with a pretty design around the edge. Fold the extra crust under to make it even with the pan’s rim. For a classic crimp, pinch the crust with your thumb and index finger on one side and your other index finger on the other side. For an easier crust, press the crust with the back of a spoon, the tines of a fork, or a chopstick.

Introduction

1 The Gift-Giving Kitchen
2 The Gift-Giving Pantry
3 Decorative Packaging
4 Essential Tips & Techniques  for Preserving & Dehydrating
5 Sweet Preserved Gifts
6 Savory Preserved Gifts
7 Smoked, Cured & Dried Gifts
8 Baked Gifts
9 Confection & Chocolate Gifts
10 Drink Gifts
11 No-Cook Gifts
12 Make-a-Gift Kits

Acknowledgments

Metric Conversions & Equivalents

Index

Benjamin Bettinger is a star on the Portland, Oregon, food scene. He is the executive chef at Beaker & Flask, named Restaurant of the Year by Willamette Week in 2009, the restaurant’s first year of operation. He also happens to make spectacular homemade bacon! We wanted to learn how to make bacon and thought how fun it would be to give homemade cured and smoked bacon as a gift. Ben generously shared his recipe. What sets Benny’s bacon apart is the blend of spices, as most bacon recipes, whether commercial or homemade, do not include any spices other than black pepper in the curing rub. Pork bellies are available by special order from most butcher shops. They are usually about 10 pounds. This recipe will work without adjustment, give or take up to 1 pound. Use kitchen gloves to rub on the curing salt, as it can be highly irritating to the skin. Use pulverized wood chips sold for stovetop smoking, not the larger chips meant for outdoor grills.

Ingredients
3 ½ tablespoons fennel seeds
2 tablespoons whole black peppercorns
1 ½ tablespoons yellow mustard seeds
6 bay leaves
1 (10-pound) pork belly
2 teaspoons curing salt
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup kosher salt
2 cups sweet pulverized wood chips, such as apple, cherry, alder, or oak

Implements
Medium Sauté Pan, Measuring Cups and Spoons, Spice or Coffee Grinder, Large Rimmed Baking Sheet, Disposable Gloves, Plastic Wrap, Cutting Board, Slicing Knife, Stovetop Smoker, Tongs, Meat Fork

Prep Time: 25 minutes  |  Curing Time: 5 days  |  Smoking Time: about 2 ¾ hours  |  Makes four (2 ½-pound) slabs of bacon

1. In a medium, dry heavy skillet, preferably cast iron, toast the fennel seeds, peppercorns, mustard seeds, and bay leaves over medium-low heat. Swirl the spices in the pan until they release their aromas and take on a slightly darker color, 1 to 2 minutes. Immediately transfer the spice mixture to a spice or coffee grinder and grind to a powder.
2. Place the pork belly on a large rimmed baking sheet with the fat side down. Sprinkle the top (meat side) with about 40 percent of the curing salt, and then 40 percent of the spice powder. Wearing disposable gloves, rub the salt and spices into the meat. Next scatter about 40 percent of the brown sugar over the spices. Using muscle power, firmly press and rub the brown sugar into the flesh. Sprinkle about 40 percent of the kosher salt over the brown sugar and firmly press and rub the salt in, getting as much sugar and salt to absorb into the meat as possible. Flip the belly over so that the fat side is up and repeat this coating process with the remaining 60 percent of the curing salt, spice powder, brown sugar, and kosher salt.
3. Wrap the belly in several layers of plastic wrap; or place it in a food-safe plastic bag, squeeze out as much air as possible, and tie it closed. (This is how Ben does it.) Refrigerate the wrapped belly on the baking sheet with the fat side up for 5 days.
4. Slice the cured belly into 4 equal slabs, about 2 ½ pounds each.
5. Set up a stovetop smoker with the wood chips scattered on the bottom and the drip tray set on top. Wrap the wire rack in aluminum foil and set it over the drip tray. Working with one slab of belly at a time, place the belly on the foil-wrapped rack, close the lid of the smoker tightly, and turn the burner to medium-low. Smoke the belly for 20 minutes, then open the smoker lid, flip the belly over, and smoke it on the other side for an additional 20 minutes. At this point, check whether the belly is easily pierced with a meat fork. If it is, then remove it from the smoker. If not, flip the belly again and continue smoking until it is easily pierced. Remove the bacon from the smoker, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate. Repeat this process with the 3 remaining slabs of belly.

Storing: Refrigerate for up to 1 month or freeze for up to 1 year.

Gift Card: This homemade spiced bacon was smoked on [give date] and can be enjoyed for up to 1 month, kept in the refrigerator, or 1 year if frozen. Slice it into ¼-inch-thick slices and pan-fry for breakfast. It is also delicious wrapped around a grilled filet mignon, and it makes the best BLT you’ll ever taste!

Gift-Giving Tips: Wrap each slab of bacon tightly in plastic wrap, and then wrap neatly with butcher paper. Tie each package with raffia or ribbon and attach a gift card. To turn this into a gift basket, consider including a dozen brown eggs fresh from the farmers’ market and a breakfast-appropriate loaf of artisan bread. To make the gift more elaborate, include a butcher-block cutting board and a slicing knife, or see page 161 for a gift kit idea.

The saying goes, “When life hands you lemons, make lemonade.” We say, “When you are handed lemons, make limoncello and lemonade.” It takes 15 lemons to make limoncello, and since only the peel is used, that leaves all the fruit to juice for a refreshingly large pitcher of homemade lemonade—that’s the beauty of making limoncello in the summer! In addition, since it takes 40 to 80 days for the mixture to infuse, if you make it over the summer you’ll have bottles of limoncello ready for holiday gift giving. Use the freshest, most blemish-free, most fully ripe lemons you can find. In addition, buy organic ones if possible. Since the limoncello is made from the lemon peel, you want to make sure they haven’t been coated or sprayed with pesticides.

Ingredients
15 organic lemons
2 (750-milliliter) bottles 151- or 190-proof grain alcohol, such as Everclear (see page 182)
4 cups granulated sugar
9 ½ cups water

Implements
1-Gallon Glass Jar, Vegetable Peeler, Long Wooden Spoon, Measuring Cups, Large Saucepan, Four (1-Liter) Glass Bottles, Fine-Mesh Strainer or Coffee Filter, Large Bowl, Narrow-Neck Funnel, Ladle

Prep Time: 15 minutes  |  Infusing Time: 40 to 80 days  |  Makes four (1-liter) bottles of limoncello

1. Wash a 1-gallon glass jar and lid in hot, soapy water and dry thoroughly. Alternatively, run the jar and lid through the regular cycle of your dishwasher.
2. Scrub the lemons in warm water and pat dry. Using a vegetable peeler, remove the peel from each lemon in wide strips. Be careful not to remove the white pith, which will impart a bitter flavor to the limoncello.
3. Place the lemon peels in the prepared jar. Pour in 1 bottle of the alcohol, and push down the lemon peels with a wooden spoon to completely submerge them in the liquid. Tightly secure the lid, and set the jar in a cool, dark place to steep. Stirring is not necessary.
4. After 20 or 40 days, add the second bottle of alcohol to the mixture. Place the sugar and 7½ cups of the water in a large saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Decrease to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes to ensure that all the sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from the heat and cool.
5. When the sugar syrup is completely cool, add it to the lemon and alcohol mixture in the jar. Tightly secure the lid, and return the jar to a cool, dark place to steep for an additional 20 to
   40 days. Over time, the liquid will absorb the flavor from the lemon peels and turn bright yellow in color.
6. To bottle, first wash the bottles in hot, soapy water and dry thoroughly. Alternatively, run the bottles through the regular cycle of your dishwasher.
7. Strain the liquid through a fine-mesh strainer, or coffee filter set in a strainer, into a large bowl. Add 1 2/3 cups of water to the limencello if you used 151-proof grain alcohol; add 2 cups of water if you used 190-proof. (Note: The addition of the water will turn the liquid cloudy and pale yellow in color. This is the desired outcome.) Let it rest for a moment so that any remaining sediment will fall to the bottom of the bowl.
8. Using a narrow-neck funnel, ladle the limoncello into the prepared bottles, leaving 1 inch headspace. Wipe the rims clean, secure the lids, and label.

Storing: Store the bottles in a cool, dark place, or keep in the freezer until ready to serve. Limoncello will keep for several years.

Gift Card: This homemade Limoncello was bottled on [give date] and can be enjoyed for several years to come. Store it in the freezer, and enjoy it as a refreshing liqueur to sip after dinner.

Gift-Giving Tips: Tie each bottle with raffia or ribbon and attach a gift card. To turn this into a gift basket, add a set of cordial glasses.

Who doesn’t want to wake up to a homemade food gift? Imagine brightening someone’s morning with yummy, ready-to-eat breakfast or brunch fare. There is a bounty of recipes in Gifts Cooks Love that would be ideal to package and expand into a larger gift: the Meyer Lemon Curd; the Orange-Cardamom Marmalade; the Boysenberry and Lemon Verbena Jam; the Salmon Gravlax; Benny’s Bacon; the Mini Apricot and Crystallized Ginger Quick Breads; the Jalapeño and Cheddar Skillet Cornbread with Honey Butter; the Coconut Granola Crunch; and the Mexican Drinking Chocolate.

As a thank-you gift, Benny’s Bacon, wrapped in butcher paper and tied with butcher’s twine and accompanied by brown eggs from the farmers’ market, could be packaged in a large cast-iron skillet and wrapped with a colorful kitchen towel.

Heading to a friend’s home for the weekend? Bring a teatime offering of Meyer Lemon Curd or Orange-Cardamom Marmalade packaged with scones or even a scone mix, a porcelain teapot, and a selection of herbal teas. Consider a breakfast basket overflowing with Coconut Granola Crunch, a set of bistro-style breakfast bowls, containers of yogurt, and fresh fruit. Boysenberry and Lemon Verbena Jam and a crusty loaf of artisan bread ready for toasting would certainly be another breakfast favorite.

Mini Apricot and Crystallized Ginger Quick Breads, a favorite to make at holiday time, would be a welcome hostess gift packaged in a rustic, earthenware bread basket lined with a tea towel and tied with a coordinating bow. Another holiday favorite is to give the Mexican Drinking Chocolate along with a set of festive red cappuccino cups. Any time of year, the Jalapeño and Cheddar Skillet Cornbread with Honey Butter, baked and delivered in a cast-iron skillet, would also delight a host.

For the late sleepers in your life, for whom breakfast looks more like brunch, let them wake up to a Scandinavian or Jewish meal of Salmon Gravlax, artisan cream cheese, and either bagels or rye flatbreads. Package it all in a rustic bread basket; or you could arrange the salmon on a wooden board and include a decorative slicing knife and spreader, wrapping the gift  in cellophane with the spreader tied into the bow.

Recipes
Meyer Lemon Curd on page 57
Orange-Cardamom Marmalade on page 63
Boysenberry and Lemon Verbena Jam on page 67
Salmon Gravlax on page 79
Benny’s Bacon on page 81
Mini Apricot and Crystallized Ginger Quick Breads on page 93
Jalapeño and Cheddar Skillet Cornbread with Honey Butter on page 105
Coconut Granola Crunch on page 119
Mexican Drinking Chocolate on page 171

A preserve may either set or thicken, depending upon its ingredients and the type of preserve it is.

A preserve “sets” when it reaches a high enough temperature to form a jelly when left to cool undisturbed. This temperature (220°F) can only be reached in mixtures containing a high proportion of sugar to moisture. Be careful to avoid cooking any preserve to a temperature higher than 220°F, as this will result in an irrevocably tough, leathery preserve.

Jellies and marmalades, because of their high pectin, sugar, and water contents, must reach the setting point, or they will end up a syrupy mess. However, many jams do not necessarily need to set; because their fruit tends to be less concentrated than a jelly’s or a marmalade’s, they require much less sugar to have a good flavor. Depending upon the type of fruit, quantity of sugar, and techniques employed, a jam may be more or less jelly-like.

Testing for Doneness
When testing for doneness, remember that most preserves thicken significantly as they cool to room temperature.

There are several ways to see if a preserve has finished cooking. For preserves that are cooked to reach the setting point, you may use a candy thermometer. However, I believe it is important to know what to actually look for to tell if a preserve is done, especially because not all preserves will reach the 220°F setting point. Thus, I prefer a combination of the freezer test and a visual examination of the preserve to test for doneness.

For the freezer test, place a few metal spoons (I suggest five in the recipes) on a saucer in the freezer before you start cooking the preserve. When you think the preserve might be ready, remove it from the heat, take a small representative half-spoonful (one containing both the liquidy and the more solid portions), and carefully transfer it onto one of the frozen spoons. If you are testing a jelly, marmalade, or high-sugar jam, it should resemble a shiny bead of liquid that is resisting the metal of the cold spoon slightly. If it is a low-sugar jam, it may not look as shiny, but it should look cohesive and not watery. Put the cold spoon back in the freezer for three to four minutes. Then, remove it from the freezer and carefully feel the underside of the spoon. It should be neither warm nor cold; if still warm, return it to the freezer for a moment. Tilt the spoon vertically to see if the preserve runs; depending on the individual preserve, it should run either slowly or not at all. If it has not yet reached the appropriate point, bring it back up to temperature, cook it for another three to four minutes, and test again.

Testing for doneness interrupts the heating process, so preserves should only be tested when you think they really are close to being done. Preserves change a lot as they cook. Here is what to look for:

Bubbles and Foam: The fruit often foams a lot during the first stage of cooking; this foam eventually subsides by the time the preserve is done cooking. A preserve’s bubbles become progressively less watery and more sugary as it cooks. Depending on the concentration of sugar, the bubbles may become progressively larger and more sputtering (low-sugar jams) or tiny and shiny (most jellies, marmalades, and high-sugar jams).

This marmalade boasts both an aromatic tropical flavor and a very tart bite, without a trace of bitterness. It has been known to convert even the most skeptical of marmalade eaters.

2 1/4 pounds perfectly ripe white guavas, cut into eighths
1 1/2 pounds seeded Meyer lemons, halved crosswise,
each half cut lengthwise into quarters and sliced crosswise medium-thin
2 pounds 11 ounces white cane sugar
2 to 3 ounces strained freshly squeezed Eureka or Lisbon lemon juice

Day 1
First, prepare the guava juice: Place the guava eighths in a medium nonreactive kettle and cover with enough cold water for the fruit to bob freely. Bring to a boil over high heat, then decrease the heat to a simmer. Cover and cook the fruit for 2 to 3 hours, or until the guavas are very soft and the liquid has become syrupy. As the guavas cook, stir them every 20 to 30 minutes, adding more water if necessary. The level of water should stay consistently high enough for the fruit to remain submerged as it cooks.

Strain the guava juice by pouring the hot fruit and liquid into a medium fine-mesh strainer suspended over a heatproof storage container or nonreactive saucepan. Cover the entire setup well with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to drip overnight.

While the guavas are cooking, place the lemon slices in a separate nonreactive saucepan and cover with enough water to reach 1 inch above the tops. Cover tightly and let rest overnight at room temperature.

Day 2
Place a saucer with five metal teaspoons in a flat place in your freezer for testing the marmalade later.

Bring the pan with the lemon slices to a boil over high heat, then decrease the heat to medium, and cook, uncovered, at a lively simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the fruit is tender.
While the lemon slices are cooking, remove the plastic wrap from the guavas and their juice and discard the guavas. Strain the juice well through a very fine-mesh strainer to remove any lingering solids.
When the lemon slices are ready, place them with their liquid into a large mixing bowl with the sugar, cooked guava juice, and 2 ounces lemon juice. Stir well to combine, then taste, and slowly add a little more lemon juice if necessary. You should be able to taste the lemon juice, but it should not be overpowering. Keep adding lemon juice only until you are just able to detect its tartness in the mixture. Transfer the mixture to an 11- or 12-quart copper preserving pan or wide nonreactive kettle.

Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat. Cook at a rapid boil until the setting point is reached; this will take a minimum of 35 minutes, but may take longer depending on your individual stove and pan.

Winter through Early Spring  •   January

The term conserve typically refers to a jam involving both fresh and dried fruit, often with the addition of liquor, spices, and nuts. These preserves are traditionally served alongside savory dishes or with cheeses, as well as for breakfast. In this delicious fall conserve, Italian prune plums are accentuated by dried currants and a generous splash of plum brandy.

4 pounds pitted and halved Italian prune plums
1 1/2 pounds white cane sugar
3 ounces strained freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 ounces slivovitz or other dry plum brandy
2 ounces dried currants
1/2 teaspoon white cardamom seeds

Day 1
Place the prune plums, sugar, lemon juice, slivovitz, and currants into a glass or hard plastic storage container. Stir well to combine, cover tightly, and refrigerate for 48 to 72 hours, stirring once each day.

2 to 3 Days Later
Place a saucer with five metal teaspoons in a flat place in your freezer for testing the jam later.

Transfer the plum mixture to an 11- or 12-quart copper preserving pan or wide nonreactive kettle. Place the cardamom seeds into a fine-mesh stainless steel tea infuser with a firm latch and add it to the mixture.

Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, stirring frequently with a large heatproof rubber spatula. Continue to cook, monitoring the heat closely, until the conserve thickens, 35 to 45 minutes. Skim off any surface foam with a large stainless steel spoon. Scrape the bottom of the pan often with a heatproof rubber spatula, and decrease the heat gradually as more and more moisture cooks out of your conserve. For the final 10 to 15 minutes of cooking, stir the conserve nearly constantly to prevent burning.

To test the conserve for doneness, carefully transfer a small representative half-spoonful of conserve to one of your frozen spoons. Replace the spoon in the freezer for 3 to 4 minutes, then remove and carefully feel the underside of the spoon. It should be neither warm nor cold; if still warm, return it to the freezer for a moment. Nudge the conserve gently with your finger; if it seems thickened and gloppy when you nudge it, it is either done or nearly done. Tilt the spoon vertically to see how quickly the conserve runs; if it runs very slowly, and if it has thickened to a gloppy consistency, it is done. If it runs very quickly or appears watery, cook it for another few minutes, stirring, and test again as needed.

When the conserve is ready, remove the tea infuser, then skim any remaining foam and discard. Pour the conserve into sterilized jars and process according to the manufacturer’s instructions or as directed on page 52.

Approximate Yield: five to six 8-ounce jars  Shelf Life: 18 months

Anything with the flavor of citrus is satisfying after a rich, filling steak dinner and anyone who knows me knows how much I appreciate that particular flavor. These little crème brûlées are elegant and impressive and yet very easy to make ahead of time. The tang of key limes gives them just enough of a jolt.

I have always been a fan of the flavor of key limes, but if you can’t find them, use the more common limes. This recipe demonstrates what I learned from Gale Gand, who has been my culinary partner for years and who is one of the best pastry chefs in the business.

Serves 6

2 cups heavy cream
½ cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon grated key lime or lime zest
½ vanilla bean, split lengthwise
5 large egg yolks
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed key lime or lime juice
¼ cup raw sugar
1 pint fresh raspberries

Preheat the oven to 300°F.

In a saucepan over medium heat, heat the heavy cream, granulated sugar, zest, and vanilla bean for about 5 minutes, or until small bubbles appear around the edges of the pan. Set aside to steep for 10 minutes. Remove and discard the vanilla bean or reserve it for another use.

In a mixing bowl, whisk the egg yolks and then slowly add the warm cream mixture, whisking constantly so that the eggs do not curdle. Stir in the lime juice.

Divide the custard among six 6-ounce ramekins or custard cups. Place the ramekins in a roasting pan large enough to hold them easily. Pour enough warm water into the pan to come to a depth of about 1 inch. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the custards are set in the middle.

Remove the ramekins from the roasting pan and let cool to room temperature. Refrigerate until chilled, at least 2 hours.

Blot any extra moisture from the tops of the custards with a paper towel. Sprinkle the raw sugar evenly over the custards. Caramelize the tops with a butane blowtorch or under a hot broiler. Take care that the sugar does not burn. Let the brûlées sit for a few minutes before serving topped with a few raspberries.

How to Split a Vanilla Bean

Lay the bean on a cutting board and draw the dull side of a paring knife over the bean’s husk to flatten it. With the sharp side of the knife, cut the bean along one side and open it. Scrape the seeds from the husk and use according to the recipe. The bean will infuse sugar sprinkled on berries or used to sweeten cream—or any other way you can imagine!

Princess Diana and Dodi Fayed had their last dinner at the Imperial Suite, Ritz Hotel, Paris.

ASPARAGUS & MUSHROOM OMELET

4 lightly poached fresh asparagus tips
3 fresh farm eggs
4 oz white sliced button mushrooms
2 oz fresh butter
fresh ground black pepper and sea salt to taste

• Lightly sauté the mushroom slices in 1 oz butter. Keep the asparagus tips warm over a steamer. Melt the remaining butter gently in a 6 to 8-inch omelet pan.
• Beat the eggs; add salt and pepper to taste. When the butter has melted and is getting hot, pour the eggs into the pan. Allow the omelet to get firm by moving the soft portions of the egg from the sides gently to the center using a wooden spatula.
• When it looks sufficiently firm, flip it; this traps oxygen on the omelet’s underside and makes the dish extra fluffy. If you think flipping is too risky, place the pan under a hot grill for about a minute.  Lay the asparagus and mushroom slices in the center and fold out onto a warm plate in a semicircle shape. Serve with fresh lemon and a sprig of parsley.

VEGETABLE
2 medium cucumbers
1/2 medium eggplant
1 large carrot
1/2 small yellow onion

FOR THE BATTER
1 egg
1/2 cup ice water
1/2 cup flour
salt and pepper
oil for deep fryingTEMPURA (2)

• Using a potato peeler, pare strips of peel from the cucumbers and eggplant to give a striped effect. Cut the vegetables into strips about 1⁄8 inch wide and 3–4 inches long. Place them in a colander and sprinkle with salt, allow to rest for 25 minutes, then rinse under cold water. Drain well.
• Thinly slice the onion from top to base, discarding the center. Separate the strips.
• Mix all the vegetables together and season with salt and pepper.
• Make the batter immediately before frying. Mix the egg and ice water in a bowl, then sift in the flour. Mix briefly with a fork; the batter should be a little lumpy.
• Dip the vegetables in batter, place them one at a time in hot oil, and fry at 350°F for about 3 minutes until golden. Serve with salt, slices of lemon, and soy sauce.

DOVER SOLE (4)

8 double fillets of Dover sole
4 oz butter
1/2 cup flour
extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

• Coat the fish with flour and lightly pat.
• Place 1/2 the butter and 2 spoons of the oil in a large frying pan on medium heat.
• Shake flour from the fish and fry gently for 3 minutes each side until lightly golden.

RMS Titanic,
North Atlantic
April 15, 1912

THE TITANIC MENU

1ST COURSE: HORS D’OEUVRES
Oysters à la Russe

2ND COURSE: SOUPS
Consommé Olga
Cream of Barley

3RD COURSE: FISH
Poached Salmon
Mousseline Sauce

4TH COURSE: ENTRÉES
Filet Mignon Lili
Chicken Lyonnaise
Vegetable Marrow Facri

5TH COURSE: REMOVES
Lamb with Mint Sauce
Calvados Glazed Roast Duck with Apple Sauce
Roast Sirloin of Beef Forestière
Chateau Potatoes, Minted Green Pea Timbales, Creamed Carrots,
Boiled Rice Parmentier,
Boiled New Potatoes

6TH COURSE: SORBET OR PUNCH
Punch Romaine

7TH COURSE: ROAST
Roasted Squab on Wilted Cress

8TH COURSE: SALAD
Asparagus Salad with
Champagne-Saffron Vinaigrette

9TH COURSE: COLD DISH
Pâté de Foie Gras
Celery

10TH COURSE: SWEETS
Waldorf Pudding
Peaches in Chantreuse Jelly
Chocolate-Painted Éclairs
French Vanilla Ice Cream

11TH COURSE: DESSERT
Assorted Fresh Fruits and Cheeses

AFTER DINNER
Coffee
Cigars

Serves 8 to 10

2 pounds fresh fruit or 1 (16-ounce) can sliced peaches in heavy syrup, undrained
1 cup plus 3/4 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 teaspoons cornstarch
8 tablespoons (1 stick) salted butter, cut into small pieces
1/2 cup shortening
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup ice water (with crushed ice)
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted  butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Peel and slice the fresh fruit. (If using canned fruit, taste before adding the sugar.) Place the fruit in a bowl and add 1 cup of the sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, and cornstarch. Toss together gently. Pour the sweetened fruit into a 13 by 9-inch baking dish and dot with the butter pieces.

In the work bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, on medium speed, beat the shortening, salt, and the remaining 3/4 teaspoon sugar. Gradually add 1/2 cup of the flour to the shortening mixture and mix together lightly. When the mixture becomes stiff, add 1 tablespoon of the ice water. Repeat the process until all the flour and water is used. The mixture should be soft, but not wet. Cover and let chill for 30 to 40 minutes. Roll out on a floured surface to a 13 by 9 1/2-inch rectangle. tablespoon of the ice water. Repeat the process until all the flour and water is used. The mixture should be soft, but not wet. Cover and let chill for 30 to 40 minutes. Roll out on a floured surface to a 13 by 9 1/2-inch rectangle.

Cover the fruit with the pastry, crimping the edges. Make 3 or 4 slits in the pastry with a sharp knife for steam to escape. Brush the crust with the 2 tablespoons of melted butter. If using fresh fruit, cook for 1 hour. If using canned fruit, cook for 25 to 30 minutes at 400˚F. The cobbler is done when the pastry is golden. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

Serves 4 to 6

1 (14 1/2-ounce) can crushed tomatoes, undrained
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons salted butter, melted, or strained bacon drippings
1/2 pound okra, stemmed and cut into  1/4-inch slices
2 teaspoons cornstarch (optional)
2 teaspoons cold water (optional)

In a heavy saucepan, combine the tomatoes, salt, white pepper, sugar, and melted butter or bacon drippings. Cook over medium-high heat for 10 minutes. Add the okra, reduce the heat, and simmer for 5 minutes. (To thicken the stew, mix together the cornstarch and cold water in a small bowl until smooth. Add to the stew and bring to a boil, stirring until thickened to the desired consistency.) Add additional salt and white pepper  to taste.

Serves 6 to 8, $5.00 or less

Estimated cost for four: $1.57. Ding-ding-ding—this is the least expensive stand-alone recipe in the entire book (roasted garlic isn’t exactly a snack—at least not for most people I know). And, the lowest cost way to make this is, of course, to use leftover coffee or espresso, but if you were to estimate the cost based on brewing four 6-ounce cups for this specific purpose, and using Fair Trade coffee that costs $12.99 for approximately forty 6-ounce servings, that would be $1.30. The water is free, my friend, for you have running water at your house, or at least I certainly hope you do. Three-quarters of a cup of sugar is 14¢, and 1 tablespoon of cocoa powder is 13¢ for the fancy, imported type.

By now you know that I abhor food waste. And I feel strongly that this should also apply to beverage waste. You’ve probably already noticed a mention or ten of leftover wine being repurposed in many a dish upon these pages, but what about that coffee that gets left behind each morning? Why should we waste that as well? Well, heck, we don’t have to—just store the leftovers in an airtight container and place them in the refrigerator for a day or two before you intend to make this, and then, on the appointed day, take the 5 or so minutes of actual active time it takes to fashion this refreshing dessert, which, with the addition of just a little milk in a glass, can also double as a fancy frozen coffee shop–style drink. So sit back and bask in your frugality. For you, my friend, you do not let a thing go to waste, no, you do not.

1 ½ cups brewed espresso or coffee
1 ½ cups water
¾ cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon Dutch process cocoa powder, plus additional for garnish (optional, but I do love a little chocolate flavor in my coffee)
Whipped cream, for garnish

1 Combine the espresso, water, sugar, and cocoa powder in a large mixing bowl and get out your whisk. Whisk vigorously to ensure that all of the sugar dissolves and the cocoa is combined into the mix. If it isn’t already cool, cool the espresso mixture completely in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours.

2 Now, here comes the personal choice part of the recipe. If you like a creamier texture, process the granita in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions, then transfer it to an airtight container, and freeze for an hour before serving.

3 If you prefer a little more of the shaved ice-style texture, place the espresso mixture in a 9 by 13-inch freezer-safe roasting pan, such as Pyrex, and allow it to freeze for 2 hours. Scrape all of the contents of the pan up with a fork, and I do mean all of it. Do not leave any icy bit unscraped. Return it to the freezer for an hour, and then serve it forth with a dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkle of cocoa powder, in an espresso cup if you’d like to earn additional adorable points.

NOTE: I often have this as my morning coffee in the summer. Simply add enough milk to get it to your desired lightness, and there you have a super-inexpensive fancy coffee shop–style drink. Sweet.

Serves 4, $5.00 to $10.00

Estimated cost for four: $6.67. The chicken legs should cost no more than $1.49 per pound. Rounding up, we’ll call it $4.50 for the 4 legs. At $6.99 per pound, ¼ pound of olives will cost roughly $1.75. The olive oil will cost us 24¢, and the thyme approximately 18¢. If you do not have a good Italian or specialty deli in your area, jarred olives (with pits) are fine to use. In that case, you will use approximately half of the jar, and at $3.59 per jar, that’s an increase in price of approximately 30¢.

Continuing in my usual inspired-by-Italy theme, this recipe arose from my desire to recreate—in a budget-conscious fashion—the flavors of a meal of roasted duck with olives that I had on vacation in, yep, Italy. The olives alone were an epiphany—I had never before had roasted olives and was swooning over the dance of mellowed salty and buttery flavors that the roasting had imparted. Though you are welcome to try this with duck legs, I have substituted the more readily available—and don’t you just know it—inexpensive, chicken legs. We enjoy this dish at our house with either Basic Polenta (page 118) and Roasted Garlic Collard Greens (page 94) or Buttery Mashed Potatoes (page 121) and Roasted Cauliflower (page 108). Uncork yourself a Sangiovese wine, and imagine you and your beloved sitting in a Tuscan piazza, warm breezes and the smell of roasting meats wafting through the air.

4 chicken legs, approximately ¾ pound each
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon dried thyme, or 1 tablespoon fresh
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
¼ pound good-quality olives, such as Kalamata or Castelvetrano, unpitted

1 Preheat the oven to 400°F.

2 In a large baking dish or lasagne pan, arrange the chicken legs in a single layer, skin side up. Using a basting brush or your hands—your hands are the best tools you have, remember—lightly coat the skin with the olive oil. Sprinkle the legs with thyme, and season them with salt and pepper.

3 Scatter the olives around the chicken such that they have their own space in which to live. It is okay if a few olives reside in the fold of a leg, but you do want to try to get the majority of them onto their own space in the baking dish so that they are marinated with the chicken fat as they cook.

4 Roast the chicken until the skin is crispy and juices run clear when the legs are pierced, 55 minutes to 1 hour. Serve each leg forth with one-quarter of the olives per person, even to the olive haters, for they need to taste and then find themselves transformed to olive lovers, or at least roasted olive lovers. Be certain to remind your dinner companions that the olives are not pitted so that no one loses a tooth. That’s no way to start a meal, or inspire a love of roasted olives.

Makes about 3 cups

This recipe for mango sorbet is a winner even without the spices. But cinnamon and cumin lend an appealingly adventurous streak to mangoes, so it’s a shame not to let the spices shine. We like the full teaspoon of each spice, but it’s fine to start with ½ teaspoon.

1 cup sugar
1 cup water
¹⁄8 teaspoon salt
½ to 1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ to 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 mangoes, peeled, pitted, and cubed
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Combine the sugar, water, and salt in a medium, heavy saucepan. Heat the mixture over medium heat, stirring gently, until the sugar has completely dissolved and the syrup is clear, about 5 minutes.

Whisk in the cumin and cinnamon, and continue to cook, whisking continually, for 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat and place in a bowl of ice water to quickly cool the syrup. Let it cool, stirring often, for 5 minutes.

While the syrup is cooling, place the mangoes and the lemon juice in a food processor and puree until smooth. Strain the mango puree through a mesh sieve into a medium bowl. Add the syrup to the puree and whisk until smooth. Cover and refrigerate until completely chilled, at least 4 hours or overnight. The sorbet mixture may be stored in the refrigerator for 1 day.

Freeze the chilled sorbet mixture in an ice-cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Transfer the sorbet to an airtight container and freeze in the freezer for 2 to 4 hours before serving.

Makes about 1 ½ quarts  Basil is a versatile herb, and relatively easy to grow. In this appealing ice cream, the flavors of fresh and dried basil bring out the best in each other. This ice cream is especially good after a summer barbecue of spicy meats. It’s also delicious topped with fresh berries.

2 cups whole milk
½ cup plus ½ cup sugar
½ cup packed fresh basil leaves
2 teaspoons dried basil
¹⁄8 teaspoon salt
4 large egg yolks
2 cups whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla

Combine the milk, 1/2 cup of the sugar, the fresh basil, dried basil, and salt in a medium, heavy saucepan.  Scald the milk mixture over medium-high heat, stirring often, for 5 minutes.  Remove the pan from the heat and let steep for 1 hour.

Strain the milk mixture through a fine-mesh sleeve. Return the milk to a clean, medium, heavy saucepan. Scald the milk once again over medium-high heat, stirring often, for 5 minutes.

While the milk is scalding, whisk together the egg yolks in a medium mixing bowl. Add the remaining ½ cup of sugar and whisk until the eggs are light and fluffy. Whisking constantly, add a small amount of the hot milk to the egg mixture. Gradually whisk in the remaining hot milk.

Return the custard mixture to the pan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring often, until the custard is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and place in a bowl of ice water to quickly cool the custard. Let the custard cool, stirring often, for 5 minutes.

While the custard is cooling, combine the cream and the vanilla in a medium bowl. Stir in the custard mixture. Cover with plastic wrap and press the wrap directly onto the surface of the custard. Refrigerate until completely chilled, at least 4 hours or overnight. The custard may be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Freeze the chilled custard mixture in an ice-cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Transfer the ice cream to an airtight container and freeze in the freezer for 2 to 4 hours before serving.

serves 8

This is a soul food recipe from the southern Appalachian region of northern Alabama. I think this is about as sinful as a fried chicken ought to get. It’s absolutely luscious!

2 (3-pound) fryer chickens, cut up into serving pieces
Vegetable shortening, for frying
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon paprika

Leftover Corn bread Gravy
8 ounces sliced bacon
2 cups leftover corn bread
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups water, plus more if needed
1 to 1 1/2 cups half-and-half, plus more if needed
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Wash the chicken pieces and pat them dry.

Heat shortening to a depth of 2 to 3 inches in a deep, heavy skillet over medium heat. Test the heat with a drop of water. If it spatters when it hits the hot oil, it’s ready.

In a bowl, combine the melted butter, flour, salt, and paprika. Using a pastry brush, coat each piece of chicken completely with the mixture.
Place the chicken in the hot oil and fry, turning occasionally, until the coating is golden brown and crispy and the chicken is thoroughly cooked, about 12 minutes on each side. Serve hot.

make the gravy: In a large skillet over medium heat, fry the bacon until crisp. Drain and crumble the bacon and leave the drippings in the skillet.

Put the crumbled bacon back in the skillet and crumble enough corn bread into the pan to just fill it. Add the flour and stir until the mixture browns. Be careful not to let it burn.

When the mixture is browned, slowly add the water and half-and-half until the mixture forms a gravy, adding more water or half-and-half if necessary. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve hot.

serves 5

This recipe, from the Cripple Creek Bed and Breakfast Cabins in Crockett, Virginia, was handed down from the owner’s grandmother. Cripple Creek is situated in the Blue Ridge Mountains on 35 acres of wooded hills and rolling pastures dotted with wildflowers, blackberry bushes, and apple trees. I just love blueberries, so I hope this recipe from Cripple Creek will become one of your favorites!

2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
10 slices French bread, 3/4 inch thick (preferably homemade or fresh store-bought)
2 cups fresh blueberries
Maple syrup, for serving
Confectioners’ sugar, for serving

Preheat the oven to 350°F and lightly grease a 9 by 13-inch baking dish. Beat the cream cheese, granulated sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon in a large bowl with a stand mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add the milk and mix well.

Arrange the bread in the prepared baking dish and spread the blueberries on top of the bread. Pour the cream cheese mixture over the bread. Let stand for at least 15 minutes before baking (or cover the pan and place it in the refrigerator overnight). Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until golden brown. Serve with maple syrup and confectioners’ sugar.

makes one 8-inch layer cake

This is a traditional mountain favorite. Each family would bring a single layer to a reunion or other celebration, and the layers would be assembled into a multilayered cake or several smaller cakes. The traditional filling is apple butter. I was at a meeting a while back when someone brought this as a single layer with the filling on the top. It was so good that we all asked for the recipe.

Cake
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 large egg
1/2 cup molasses
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Filling
2 cups finely chopped apples
1/2 cup water
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease and flour the outside bottom of two 8-inch round cake pans.

To make the cake, cream together the brown sugar and butter in a large bowl until light. Slowly add the egg and molasses and blend well. Beat in the buttermilk, vanilla, and nutmeg.

In another bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Slowly add the flour mixture to the molasses mixture and mix until thoroughly incorporated.

Pour half of the batter into each prepared cake pan. Bake for 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of each cake comes out clean. Let the cakes cool on their pans on a wire rack.

While the cakes are cooling, make the filling. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the apples and water. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the apples are tender. Stir in the brown sugar and cinnamon. Bring to a boil and, stirring constantly, cook the mixture until a light syrup forms.

Place one of the cooled cake layers on a serving plate and spread half of the filling on top. Place the second layer on top, and spread the remaining filling over the top.

Each chef needs the following ingredients:

3–4 green grapes, sliced in half
3–4 red grapes, sliced in half
1 slice cheddar cheese
2–3 medium carrots, finely sliced
6 pretzel sticks, broken into pieces

Clap your hands and rub them together to get them nice and warm. Place the grape halves, cut side down, in a small circle, about the size of a cup.

Use clean scissors or rip the cheddar cheese to look like flames. Gently press the cheese flames together so they stand up. Place them in the center of the grape fire pit. Lay the carrot pieces on the cheese, upright.

Place the pretzel pieces around the flames. Now sing a campfire song!