Grilled Romaine Salad Recipe with Eggs, Wakame & Black Vinegar

I am a food blog

Serves 2

Dressing:

• 2 teaspoons soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon Chinese black vinegar
• 1 tablespoon neutral oil
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

Salad:

• 1/2 cup wakame (dried seaweed)
• oil
• 1 slice thick cut bread
• 1 head romaine, intact, washed, throughly dried and cut in half
• 2 eggs, soft of medium boiled, sliced in half
• black sesame seeds, to garnish

Whisk together the dressing ingredients, taste and adjust soy and vinegar if needed; set aside. Rehydrate wakame in hot water according to directions on package. While the seaweed is rehydrating, grill your croutons.

Heat a bit of oil in a non-stick skillet and grill bread on both sides until golden and crisp. Set aside. In a large frying pan, heat up a touch of oil over medium high heat. Place the romaine in the pan, cut side down and fry until slightly charred and wilted, flipping once. Remove from the heat when done.

Drain the wakame and toss with a bit of the dressing. Cut the toasted bread into large croutons. Assemble the salad by placing the grilled romaine on a large plate. Top with grilled croutons, dressed seaweed and egg halves. Drizzle on the dressing and sprinkle on a few black sesame seeds. Enjoy immediately.

Nancy's Chopped Salad

Smitten Kitchen

Makes 6 meal-sized salad or 12 side portions

OREGANO DRESSING:

•  4 cloves garlic
•  1 to 2 tablespoons dried oregano (Nancy recommends 2; I got nervous and used 1, but might not have minded more)
•  2 teaspoons kosher salt
•  Freshly ground black pepper
•  2 tablespoons lemon juice, or juice of 1 lemon
•  1/4 cup red wine vinegar
•  1/4 cup olive oil, ideally extra-virgin

SALAD AND ASSEMBLY:

•  1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas or 1 3/4 cups cooked chickpeas, drained
•  1 small red onion, peeled and sliced into paper-thin rings
•  1/2 pound provolone (see Note about varieties), sliced 1/8-inch thick then cut into 1/4-inch ribbons
•  1/2 pound salami, peeled, sliced 1/8-inch thick then cut into 1/4-inch ribbons
•  4 medium or 8 small pickled pepperoncini, sliced into rings
•  3/4 pound cherry tomatoes
•  Sea salt
•  1 head iceberg lettuce (see Note about size), halved, cored, and cut in 1/2-inch ribbons
•  1 head radicchio, halved, cored and cut in 1/4-inch ribbons
•  2 tablespoons dried oregano for garnish (optional)

Make dressing:

Roughly chop the garlic and then add the oregano, salt and up to 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper. Chop the mixture together and use the side of a knife or a mortar and pestle to make a grainy herb paste. Transfer the paste to a large salad bowl, and add the lemon juice and vinegar. Mix with a fork allowing the salt to dissolve, then add the oil and whisk with a fork until well combined. The dressing should be thick with garlic and oregano. If you’re using a small head of iceberg, transfer 1/3 the dressing into a small bowl to be used only if needed. For a larger head of iceberg, you’ll want it all.

Assemble salad:
Gently fold the chickpeas, red onion, provolone, salami, pepperoncini (including seeds and juice) into the dressing, one at a time. Halve the tomatoes lengthwise and season with 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt. Set aside until ready to serve.

To serve:
When ready to serve, gently add the tomatoes, lettuce and radicchio to the salad bowl, along with a couple of generous pinches of oregano, and toss to combine with the dressing. Adjust seasonings to taste, adding any reserved dressing if needed. Serve immediately.

Jude's Perfect Potato Salad

Saveur

SERVES 8

• 2 lb. russet potatoes
• 1 tbsp. celery seeds
• 5 eggs, hard-boiled, peeled, and roughly chopped
• 2 stalks celery, finely chopped
• 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 cups mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp. Dijon mustard

Boil potatoes in a 4-qt. saucepan of salted water; drain and chill. Peel and roughly chop potatoes; place in a large bowl. Add celery seeds, eggs, celery, onion, salt, and pepper. Using a potato masher, gently mash potatoes. Stir in mayonnaise and mustard.

Potato Salad

Saveur

SERVES 4–6

• 2 lb. small Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and quartered
• 2 ribs celery, minced
• ½ medium red onion, minced
• ½ cup mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp. dill pickle relish
• 2 tbsp. finely chopped parsley
• 1 tbsp. yellow mustard
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 hard-boiled eggs, chopped

Put potatoes in a 6-qt. pot and cover with salted water by 1″. Bring to a boil over high heat; cook until just tender, about 12 minutes. Drain and transfer to a large bowl along with celery and onions. In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, relish, parsley, mustard, salt, and pepper; add to potatoes along with eggs and toss. Chill.

Lexington-style Red Slaw

Saveur

SERVES 6

• ⅔ cup ketchup
• ½ cup apple cider vinegar
• ½ cup sugar
• 2 tsp. mild hot sauce
• 2 tsp. kosher salt
• 2 tsp. ground black pepper
• 1 medium head cabbage, cored and finely chopped

n a large bowl, whisk together ketchup, vinegar, sugar, hot sauce, salt, and pepper; add cabbage and toss to combine. Let sit, tossing occasionally, for 20 minutes. Chill.

My Notes: Most reviewers liked it, but said there was too much ketchup and sugar, so be judicious.

Lighter Three-cheese Mac

Everyday Food
 
Servings: 6

•     Salt and pepper
•     1/2 pound short tubular pasta, such as cavatappi
•     2 cups broccoli, cut into florets, stalks peeled and thinly sliced
•     1 tablespoon olive oil
•     1 small yellow onion, minced
•     1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
•     5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
•     5 ounces Neufchatel cheese
•     3 cups 1% milk
•     1 1/4 cups grated extra-sharp cheddar cheese (5 ounces)
•     1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (2 ounces)
•     1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs, toasted

Prep: 20 mins / total time: 45 mins

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta 3 minutes less than package instructions. Add broccoli and cook 3 minutes more. Drain.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large pan over medium-high. Add onion, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and ground mustard. Saute until onion is translucent, about 4 minutes. Add flour and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add Neufchatel, 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring until incorporated. Gradually whisk in milk, then bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, about 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in cheddar and Parmesan, then add pasta and broccoli. Season with salt and pepper.

Transfer to an 8-inch square baking dish and bake until bubbling in center, about 25 minutes. Sprinkle with panko, and serve.

Cottage Pie with Vegetable Mash

Everyday Food
 
Servings: 6

•     Salt and pepper
•     1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced large
•     1/2 pound carrots, peeled and diced large
•     5 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled, divided
•     4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
•     1 pound ground chuck (80% lean)
•     1 medium yellow onion, diced small
•     1 pound button or cremini mushrooms, trimmed and thinly sliced1
•     3 tablespoons tomato paste
•     1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Prep: 30 mins / total time: 1 hour

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a pot of salted water bring potatoes, carrots, and 3 cloves garlic to a boil. Reduce to a rapid simmer; cook until vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and return to pot. Using a masher, mash vegetables until mostly smooth; stir in 3 tablespoons butter. Season with salt and pepper. Finely chop remaining 2 cloves garlic; set aside.

In a large skillet over high, melt remaining tablespoon butter. Add beef and brown, about 5 minutes. Remove meat from pan, leaving drippings. Reduce heat to medium-high, add onion, and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 10 minutes. Add chopped garlic, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Return meat and collected juices to pan and stir in tomato paste. Cook, stirring, about 2 minutes. Stir in Worcestershire sauce and 1 cup water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until liquid is slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Transfer meat mixture to a 9-inch square baking dish. Dollop mashed vegetables over meat and spread to edges of baking dish. Bake until juices are bubbling and topping is golden brown in spots, about 20 minutes. Let sit 5 minutes before serving.

Coconut Lime Chicken with Thai Garnishes

Everyday Food
 
Servings: 4

•  2 packed tablespoons grated lime zest, plus 1/4 cup juice (from 2 limes)
•  2 tablespoons finely grated peeled fresh ginger
•  4 cloves garlic, finely grated
•  2 tablespoons packed light-brown sugar
•  Fine salt
•  1 can (13.5 ounces) coconut milk
•  1 whole chicken (3 1/2 to 4 pounds), cut into 10 pieces
•  Cooked jasmine rice, shredded carrot, chopped peanuts, cilantro leaves, sliced shallot, and lime wedges, for serving

Prep: 15 mins / total time: 50 mins

In a large glass bowl, combine lime zest and juice, ginger, garlic, sugar, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Slowly whisk in coconut milk until mixture is smooth. Submerge chicken in marinade, cover, and refrigerate for at least 4 and up to 12 hours.

Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Cover a rimmed baking sheet with foil and fit with a wire rack. Remove chicken from marinade and shake to remove excess. Arrange in a single layer on rack, skin side up. Roast until an instant-read thermometer registers 165 degrees, 30 to 35 minutes. Serve with suggested accompaniments, if desired.

My Notes: This was really good! I used chicken thighs and the skin crisped up beautifully. I did cook the marinade (boil for 5 min) to serve alongside with rice and broccoli. It would be great with fried rice! MXF

Nobu's Scrambled Eggs Donburi

Martha Stewart Living

Servings: 4

•     8 ounces skinless salmon fillet, cut into 3/4-inch slices
•     Coarse salt
•     2 tablespoons Japanese soy sauce
•     4 large eggs
•     4 tablespoons finely diced onion (about 1/2 onion)
•     1/4 cup tomato juice
•     1 1/2 tablespoons cooking sake
•     2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
•     1 cup Nobu's Perfect Japanese Rice
•     1 sheet toasted nori
•     2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds, for garnish

Prep: 20 mins / total time: 20 mins

Place salmon in a small pot with 1 inch of salted cold water. Bring to a simmer until 70 percent cooked (it should be opaque on the outside yet slightly rare inside), 3 to 4 minutes. Lift out salmon and transfer to a bowl. Add soy sauce, and flake into bite-size pieces.

Meanwhile, whisk together eggs, onion, tomato juice, and sake in a bowl. Swirl oil in a nonstick pan over medium heat. Add egg mixture and cook, stirring, until just set but still soft, about 2 minutes.

Divide rice among 4 bowls. Divide and layer fish on top. Crumble nori over fish, then top with scrambled eggs. Garnish with sesame seeds.

Potato Pizza

Martha Stewart Living

Yield: makes 2

•     8 ounces fingerling potatoes (8 to 12)
•     2 lemons, juiced
•     Coarse salt
•     1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
•     1 pound cipollini onions, halved and sliced lengthwise (about 4 cups)
•     1 tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
•     1 pound store-bought pizza dough, thawed if frozen, or your favorite homemade dough
•     All-purpose flour, for rolling
•     Coarse yellow cornmeal, for pizza peel
•     4 ounces soft plain goat cheese, divided
•     Flaky sea salt, such as Maldon

Prep: 1 hour 10 mins / total time: 2 hours 35 mins

Slice potatoes very thin with a mandoline, and place in a bowl. Pour lemon juice over potatoes, and add a pinch of coarse salt. Let sit at least 1 hour 30 minutes.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat, and add 1 tablespoon oil. Add onions, and stir to coat. Reduce heat to low, and cook 10 minutes. Season onions with coarse salt, and cook, stirring frequently, until rich brown in color, 45 minutes to 1 hour (add a little water to skillet if onions begin to stick). Remove from heat, and let cool.

Heat remaining oil and the rosemary in a small saucepan over low heat 15 minutes (do not let boil). Let cool, then pour through a fine sieve into a bowl.

Meanwhile, place a pizza stone on middle rack of oven, and preheat oven to 500 degrees, at least 30 minutes. Divide dough into 2 pieces, and form each into a ball. Loosely cover with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap, and let stand 15 minutes. Roll each ball of dough into a 12-inch round or an oval about 1/8-inch thick on a lightly floured work surface with a lightly floured rolling pin (or stretch it with your hands). Lightly dust a wooden pizza peel with cornmeal, and place 1 round of dough on peel. Generously brush dough with rosemary oil. Place half the onions on dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Drain potatoes, discarding lemon juice, and cover onions with half the potatoes. Crumble half the goat cheese over potatoes.

Slide pizza from peel to pizza stone, and bake until crust is golden brown and potatoes are cooked, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer pizza to a cutting board, and sprinkle with sea salt. Repeat with second pizza.

Bob Armstrong Dip

Homesick Texan

Yield: 10-12 servings

TACO MEAT:

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1/2 bell pepper, seeded, stemmed, and diced
• 1 jalapeño, seeded, stemmed, and diced
• 1/2 small yellow onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• Pinch of cayenne

GUACAMOLE:

• 2 Hass avocados, peeled and pitted
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime
• 1 teaspoon chopped cilantro
• Salt

CHILE CON QUESO:

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 jalapeños, seeded, stemmed, and diced
• 1/2 small yellow onion, diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon corn starch
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 pound American cheese, shredded
• 1 cup grape tomatoes, diced
• Salt
• Sour cream, for garnishing
• Tortilla chips, for serving

To make the taco meat, in a large skillet heat the oil on medium-low heat and add the bell pepper, jalapeño, and onion. While stirring occasionally, cook until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 more seconds.

Add the ground beef to the skillet, along with the cumin, chili powder, salt, pepper, and cayenne. Stir until everything is well combined and then cook the ground beef for 15 more minutes, or until browned. Taste and adjust seasonings. Turn off the heat and drain any excess grease.

Meanwhile, to make the guacamole, mash together the avocado, lime juice, and cilantro. Add salt to taste.

To make the queso, in a saucepot heat the oil on medium-low heat and add the jalapeño and onion. While stirring occasionally, cook until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 more seconds.

Leaving on the heat, stir in the cumin, black pepper, and cornstarch until the dry ingredients are well combined with the vegetables. Pour in the chicken broth and while stirring cook until the sauce has thickened, which should happen in a couple of minutes.

Turn the heat down to low and working in batches, slowly stir in a handful of the cheese. After it’s melted into the sauce, repeat the process until all the cheese is added. Stir in the tomatoes, adjust seasonings, and add salt to taste.

This makes a lot of queso, so you can either serve it in individual bowls or in a larger dish, such as a 9-inch square dish. To assemble, layer along the bottom of the dish the taco meat, then pour in the queso and then top with the guacamole and sour cream. Serve warm with chips.

Ricotta and Coffee Mousse

From Saveur

SERVES 6

• 2 cups store-bought ricotta
• 1 cup cold heavy cream
• ⅓ cup sugar
• 2 tbsp. instant espresso
• 1 tbsp. powdered gelatin
• Shaved chocolate

  

Purée ricotta in a blender until smooth. Transfer to a large bowl; set aside.

Whip together heavy cream and sugar in a large bowl until soft peaks form. Set aside.

Bring ¼ cup water to a boil in a small saucepan; remove from heat. Whisk 2 tbsp. of the water with espresso in a small bowl. Whisk remaining water with gelatin in another small bowl until dissolved.

Stir espresso mixture into ricotta, then gelatin mixture; fold in cream in 3 stages. Chill mixture for 1 hour, then transfer to a pastry bag fitted with a star tip. Pipe mixture into 6 sundae glasses; refrigerate until set, about 1 hour. Garnish with shaved chocolate.

My Notes: This is super easy to make and tasty. It's rather heavy on its own, so some chopped up berries or other fruit really helps lighten it up. I used coffee instead of espresso and that made the coffee taste extremely faint. Next time, if I use coffee, I need to make it very concentrated--not at all like a cup I would drink.

MXF

Dark Chocolate Coconut Macaroons

From Smitten Kitchen

Yield: About 4 dozen small cookies

• 4 ounces (115 grams or about 1/3 cup) unsweetened chocolate (sometimes sold as 99%), chopped small
• 14 ounces (400 grams) sweetened, flaked coconut
• 2/3 cup (130 grams) granulated sugar
• 6 tablespoons (30 grams) cocoa powder
• 3 large egg whites
• Heaped 1/4 teaspoon flaked sea salt or level 1/4 teaspoon table salt
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Heat oven to 325°F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.

Heat approximately half of chocolate chunks in a small saucepan until just melted, then, off the heat, stir in the remaining chunks until they’re smooth. The residual heat should be enough to melt them and leave the mixture lukewarm; if it’s not, heat the mixture again until just melted, but not very hot.
In a food processor, blend the coconut for one full minute. Add sugar and cocoa powder, blend another full minute. Add egg whites, salt and vanilla and blend until combined, then the melted chocolate until smooth. With a tablespoon measure or cookie scoop (I used a #70 scoop), scoop batter into 1-inch mounds. You can arrange the cookies fairly close together as they don’t spread, just puff a bit.

Bake cookies for 15 minutes, until the macaroons are shiny and just set. Let them rest on the tray for 10 minutes after baking (or you can let them fully cool in place, if you’re not in a rush to use the tray again), as they’ll be hard to move right out of the oven. They’ll firm up as they cool, but still remain softer and less dry inside than traditional macaroons. Thank goodness.

I like to dust them with a little powdered sugar once they’re cool. They’ll keep in an airtight container until your family finds out about them, or one week, whichever happens first.

Tube-shaped Pasta with Wild Mushrooms

From Saveur

SERVES 6

• 8 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
•  2 medium cloves garlic, crushed, peeled, and finely minced
•  ½ medium vidalia or other sweet onion, peeled and finely chopped
•  Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
•  2 lbs. assorted fresh wild mushrooms, such as chanterelles and porcini, washed, trimmed, and cut into large pieces
•  ¼ cup fino sherry
•  Leaves of 6 sprigs parsley, coarsely chopped
•  1 lb. quality tube-shaped pasta, such as Rustichella d'Abruzzo rigatoncini
•  3 oz. freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium heat until warm. Add 2 tbsp. of the oil, then add garlic and onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper, transfer to a medium bowl, and set aside.

Return skillet to high heat. Add 2 tbsp. of the oil, then add half the mushrooms, and cook until moisture evaporates and mushrooms are lightly browned, 10–12 minutes. Transfer mushrooms to bowl with onions. Repeat process with 2 more tbsp. oil and remaining mushrooms. Return mushroom–onion mixture to skillet and stir well. Add sherry, scrape any browned bits stuck to bottom of skillet with a wooden spoon, and cook for 2 minutes. Add some water to skillet, if necessary, to make pan juices a little saucier. Add parsley, reduce heat to medium, and simmer for a few minutes. Adjust seasonings and keep warm over lowest heat.

Add a generous pinch of salt to pot of boiling water. Add pasta and cook, stirring often, until just cooked through, 12–13 minutes. Drain pasta, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water, and return pasta to pot. Add mushroom–onion mixture, three-quarters of the cheese, and remaining oil to pasta and toss well , moistening pasta with some of the reserved pasta water, if you like. Transfer pasta to a warm serving platter and sprinkle with remaining Parmigiano-Reggiano.

My Notes: Reviewer suggested adding a bit of cream.

Pecan Cream Cake

From Saveur

SERVES 8–10
  

FOR THE CAKE:

• 8 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened, plus more for pans
• 2 cups flour, plus more for pans
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• ½ tsp. kosher salt
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• ½ cup vegetable shortening
• 2 cups sugar
• 5 eggs, separated
• 1¼ cups shredded unsweetened coconut
• 1 cup finely chopped pecans

 FOR THE FROSTING:

• 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
• 4 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
• 3½ cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• ¼ cup roughly chopped pecans, toasted

Make the cake: Heat oven to 350°. Butter and flour three 8" cake pans; set aside. Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Whisk buttermilk and vanilla in another bowl. Cream butter, shortening, and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until fluffy, 2–3 minutes. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. On low speed, alternately add dry ingredients in 3 batches and wet ingredients in 2 batches. Increase speed to high, and beat until batter is smooth, 5–10 seconds. Whip egg whites in a bowl until stiff peaks form. Fold egg whites, coconut, and pecans into batter. Divide batter between prepared pans and smooth top with a rubber spatula; drop pans lightly on a counter to expel large air bubbles. Bake cakes until a toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean, 20–22 minutes. Let cakes cool for 20 minutes in pans; invert onto wire racks and let cool completely.

Make the frosting: Using a hand mixer, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. With the motor running, slowly add sugar and vanilla; beat until smooth.

To assemble, place one cake layer on a cake stand and spread with ⅓ cup frosting; top with another layer and spread with ⅓ cup frosting. Top with remaining layer. Cover top and sides with remaining frosting and sprinkle top with pecans; chill cake 1 hour until frosting is firm.

Stuck Pot Rice with Lentils and Yogurt

Smitten Kitchen

Serves 4 generously (a main dish) and 6 as a side

• Salt
• 1 cup brown or green lentils, washed and picked over
• 1 1/2 cups white basmati rice, rinsed well
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup plain yogurt, preferably whole-milk though low-fat will work, plus additional for serving
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice, plus additional lemon wedges for serving
• 1/3 cup water [edited]
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• Freshly ground black pepper or red pepper flakes
• Chopped fresh flat leaf parsley, cilantro or mint for garnish (optional)

Bring a medium-sized heavy pot with a tight fitting lid (so you can use one pot for all the steps) of salted water to a boil. [Updated direction.] Add lentils and boil for 5 minutes, then add rice boil for 5 minutes more, without stirring. Drain mixture and transfer to a large bowl.

Heat the same pot over medium-high heat. Once heated, add 2 tablespoons oil; one oil is warm, add onions and a couple pinches of salt and cover with a lid. Cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly caramelized and brown, about 10 to 12 minutes.

Add onions to bowl with rice and lentils. Stir in yogurt, lemon juice, water [edited], cumin and pepper, plus additional salt to taste.

Heat pot again over medium-high heat. Once fully hot, add remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Once that is hot, return rice mixture to pot, pressing it in. (It will sizzle.) Wrap clean kitchen towel around lid of pot so it completely covers inside of lid; gather corners on top so they do not fall anywhere near stove. Place lid on pot, sealing tightly. Reduce heat to very low. Cook undisturbed about 30 minutes; rice should smell toasty but not burned and you might need to check on it once or twice if you’re making it for the first time. Remove from heat, and let sit 5 minutes more.

Carefully remove lid and cloth, and turn pot upside down over a platter. If rice comes out in a single crust, terrific. If not, use a spatula to scrape crisp pieces out of pan and onto remaining rice. Garnish with chopped parsley and cilantro, and serve with lemon wedges and additional plain yogurt. Dig in.

Butterscotch Pudding

Saveur

Serves 8

FOR THE PUDDING:

• 2 tbsp. milk
• 1 tbsp. powdered gelatin
• 10 oz. high-quality butterscotch chips, such as Guittard
• 2 tbsp. bourbon
• 4 cups heavy cream
• 3 tbsp. light brown sugar
• 1 tbsp. sugar
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• ½ vanilla bean, seeds scraped and reserved

FOR THE CARAMEL SAUCE:

• ⅔ cup sugar
• 6 tbsp. unsalted butter, cubed
• 3 tbsp. light corn syrup
• 2 ½ cups heavy cream
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• Flaked sea salt, to taste

Make the pudding: Combine milk, gelatin, and 1 tbsp. water in a bowl; let sit to soften gelatin, about 5 minutes. Place butterscotch and bourbon in a blender; set aside. Boil cream, both sugars, salt, and vanilla seeds in a 2-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat, add gelatin mixture, and stir until gelatin dissolves. Pour into blender, let sit for 5 minutes, and purée until smooth. Divide among eight 6-oz. serving glasses. Chill until set, about 4 hours.

Make the caramel sauce: Heat sugar, butter, and corn syrup in a 4-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat; cook, without stirring, until mixture turns dark amber. Meanwhile, boil cream and kosher salt in a 2-qt. saucepan. Pour into caramel; cook, stirring, until smooth. Let cool; divide sauce among set pudding cups. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt before serving.

Banana and Dark Rum Bread Pudding

Saveur

Serves 12

 
FOR THE PUDDING:

• 1 tbsp. butter, to grease the pan
• 12 Mexican sweet pan rolls, seedless hamburger buns, or potato rolls (about 28 ounces total), cut or torn into 1-inch cubes
• 4 very ripe bananas
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ¼ cup dark brown sugar
• ½ cup maple syrup
• 3 eggs
• ¼ tsp. Kosher salt
• ¼ cup dark rum, like Myers
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp. ground allspice
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 4 cups whole milk

  FOR SAUCE:

• ¼ cup dark rum, like Myers
• 1 (14-oz.) can sweetened condensed milk

Make the bread pudding: Preheat oven to 400°. Grease a 9"x13" casserole dish with the butter; fill with the torn bread.  

In a large bowl, mash bananas until smooth. Add sugars, maple syrup, eggs, and salt and blend together. Add ¼ cup rum, vanilla, cinnamon, allspice, cream, and milk and whisk until incorporated. Pour the mixture over the bread and mix together gently. Refrigerate the mixture for 15 minutes. If it starts to look dry, add a little milk to the bread. Bake for 30 minutes or until most of the custard is absorbed—the mixture shouldn't be too dry.

Make the sauce: Heat the rum and the condensed milk in a small sauce pan over medium low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens slightly and darkens to a golden brown. Pour the sauce over cooked bread pudding in the casserole dish; serve with remaining sauce on the side.

Roma Eggs

Saveur

SERVES 4–6

• 1 loaf ciabatta or foccacia (about 15 oz.), split lengthwise and cut into quarters
• ⅓ cup olive oil
• 1 cup homemade or store-bought pesto
• 8 slices prosciutto
• 2 Roma tomatoes, cored and cut into ¼"-thick slices
• Kosher salt, to taste
• 2 tbsp. white wine vinegar
• 4 eggs
• ⅓ cup freshly grated Parmesan
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Heat oven to 300°. Place bread cut side up on a rimmed baking sheet; brush with ¼ cup olive oil. Bake until lightly toasted, about 8 minutes. Remove from oven and spread cut sides with pesto.

Heat remaining oil in a 10" skillet over medium-high heat. Add prosciutto and fry, turning once, until crisp, about 2 minutes. Place prosciutto on bottom halves of bread. In same pan, add tomato slices and cook, turning once, until browned on both sides, about 4 minutes. Place tomatoes on top of prosciutto.

Bring a 10" skillet of salted water to a simmer over medium heat; add vinegar. Crack eggs individually into 4 small dishes. Slip eggs into simmering water; turn off heat, cover, and cook until whites are just firm, 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon remove eggs from water, and place on top of tomatoes and prosciutto; top with parmesan and pepper. Serve with bread tops on the side.

My Notes: Delicious and simple. They need a little sharpness though--either arugula, lemon zest, or balsamic would work well.

MXF 

Candied Pineapple and Cashew-Lime Pound Cake

Tasting Table

Yield: One 5-by-9-inch pound cake 

• 2 cups granulated sugar, divided
• ½ cup water
• 1½ cups finely chopped fresh pineapple (about ½ medium pineapple)
• 4-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled (use the edge of a teaspoon to scrape off the skin) and finely chopped
• 1 cup raw cashews
• 2 sticks (16 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted, plus 1 tablespoon at room temperature
• 1¼ cups plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, divided
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
• Zest and juice of 3 medium limes
• 4 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cook Time: 1 hour 40 minutes (plus cooling) 

 

Preheat the oven to 350°. In a medium saucepan set over medium-high heat, add 1 cup of sugar and the water and bring to a simmer. Add the chopped pineapple and cook until the pineapple is translucent around the edges, about 20 minutes. Turn off the heat and use a slotted spoon to transfer the pineapple pieces to a medium bowl. Add the chopped ginger to the hot syrup, return to a simmer, cook for 2 minutes, turn off the heat and set aside.

Add the cashews to a rimmed baking sheet and cook until golden, about 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and transfer to a large plate to cool.

Grease a 5-by-9-inch loaf pan with the 1 tablespoon of room-temperature butter. Add 1 tablespoon of flour and tap the pan to evenly coat the bottom and sides. In a medium bowl, whisk together the remaining 1¼ cups flour, the baking powder and salt.

To the bowl of a food processor, add the remaining 1 cup sugar and the cooled cashews and process until the mixture is very fine, about 15 seconds. Add the lime zest and pulse the mixture until it is fragrant, about ten 1-second pulses. Add the lime juice, eggs and vanilla and process to combine. With the food processor running, add the melted butter, processing until incorporated. Add the candied pineapple and pulse 4 times to incorporate. Pour the mixture into a large bowl and add the dry ingredients, using a whisk to gently stir the batter together. Use a rubber spatula to scrape the mixture into the prepared loaf pan.

Bake the cake for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 325°. Continue to bake until the center of the cake resists light pressure and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 45 to 55 minutes more. Remove the cake from the oven. Return the ginger syrup to a bare simmer over medium heat, then strain the syrup into a fine-mesh sieve set over a medium bowl. Discard the ginger (or save and eat like candy).

Run a paring knife around the edges of the pan to release the pound cake. Turn the cake out onto a wire rack. Use a pastry brush to coat the top of the cake with the ginger syrup. Cool completely before slicing and serving.

My Notes: I used store-bought candied pineapple (leftover candied pineapple was the impetus for trying the recipe). This turned out beautifully. Full of flavor, moist and such a lovely perfect color.

 

MXF

Banana Caramel Ice Cream

Martha Stewart

Yield: Makes about 1 1/2 quarts

• 4 large egg yolks
• 1 2/3 cups sugar, divided
• 1 2/3 cups whole milk
• 1 2/3 cups plus 1/2 cup heavy cream, divided
• 3 to 4 very overripe bananas (skin should be more brown than yellow), mashed (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
• 1/2 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Prep time: 20 mins / Total time: 5 hours 20 mins

Vigorously whisk together egg yolks and 2/3 cup sugar in a medium bowl until pale yellow and slightly fluffy, about 2 minutes. Meanwhile, bring milk and 2/3 cup cream to a boil in a medium saucepan. Remove from heat, and gradually whisk into egg mixture. Pour mixture into pan, and cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly with a heatproof spatula, 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium, and cook until thick enough to coat the spatula, about 1 minute (do not let boil). Pour custard into a bowl set in a larger bowl of ice water, and let cool, stirring occasionally. Puree bananas with half the custard in a blender until smooth, and transfer to bowl with remaining custard. Stir in vanilla, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1 cup cream until combined, and pour through a fine sieve into another bowl. Refrigerate until cold, at least 2 hours but preferably overnight.

  

Place water, corn syrup, and remaining sugar in a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, swirling pan occasionally (do not stir). Raise heat to high, and continue to cook in same manner until mixture turns deep amber, about 9 minutes more. Remove from heat, and slowly pour in remaining cream. Add remaining salt, and simmer caramel 1 minute. Place pan in a bowl of ice water, and let cool until warm but not hot. Remove from ice bath, and whisk in butter, a few pieces at a time, until fully incorporated.

  

Place a 5-by-10-inch loaf pan (9 cups) in freezer at least 10 minutes. Freeze custard in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions. Spread one-third of ice cream in pan, and drizzle with one-third of caramel (it should be fluid but just barely warm; reheat slightly if necessary). Swirl caramel into ice cream with a wooden skewer. Repeat 2 more times until all the ice cream and caramel have been used. Freeze until firm, at least 4 hours and up to 1 day.

Hazelnut Raspberry Jelly Roll

Martha Stewart

Servings: 10

For the Cake

• Vegetable-oil cooking spray
• 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon cake flour (not self-rising), plus more for pan
• 1/3 cup skinned whole hazelnuts, deeply toasted
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 large eggs plus 2 large egg yolks
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 stick unsalted butter, melted but not very hot
• 3 to 4 tablespoons confectioners' sugar for dusting, plus more for towel

For the Filling

• 1 cup plus 3 tablespoons high-quality raspberry preserves or jam, such as Bonne Maman (one 13-ounce jar)
• 1 cup very cold heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons hazelnut liqueur, such as Frangelico

Prep time: 25 mins / Total time: 3 hours

Make the cake: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat an 11 1/2-by-17-inch rimmed baking sheet (1/2 inch deep) with cooking spray, and line with parchment. Coat parchment with spray, and dust with flour, tapping out excess. Bring a pot of water to a simmer. Meanwhile, pulse hazelnuts, flour, and salt in a food processor until nuts are finely chopped, about 1 minute. Sift flour mixture, discarding any pieces of nuts in sieve.

Whisk together eggs, yolks, and granulated sugar in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water, until sugar dissolves and mixture is warm, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Beat with a mixer on medium speed 2 minutes. Raise speed to high, and beat until pale and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Sprinkle flour mixture on egg mixture in 3 additions, folding with a rubber spatula and drizzling in butter toward end of last addition. Spread batter in pan, and bake until top is golden, 7 to 8 minutes.

Loosen cake from pan with a paring knife. Dust a clean kitchen towel with confectioners' sugar, and invert cake onto towel. Peel off parchment. Starting from a short side, tightly roll up cake in towel. Let cool completely, about 1 1/2 hours.

Make the filling: Unroll cake, and spread with jam, leaving a 1/4-inch border on all sides. Beat cream with liqueur until medium peaks form. Spread cream over jam, leaving a 1-inch border on all sides. Starting from a short side, roll up cake as tightly as possible. Place cake, seam side down, on a baking sheet or in a platter. Refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 4 hours. Dust with confectioners' sugar, slice, and serve.

Green Salad with Grilled Corn, Cheese, Basil and Grilled Tomato Vinaigrette

Martha Stewart

Tomatoes grilled to the point of collapse are the key to this savory, chunky dressing.

Servings: 6

• 2 ears corn, husked
• 1 large tomato (3/4 pound)
• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• Coarse salt
• 2 teaspoons red-wine vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic (from 1 small garlic clove)
• 2 heads Boston lettuce, trimmed, leaves separated
• 1 cup fresh basil leaves
• 4 ounces caciocavallo or Parmesan cheese, shaved

Prep time: 45 mins / Total time: 45 mins
Preheat grill to medium-high. Grill corn, turning, until charred on all sides, about 5 minutes. When cool enough to handle, cut kernels from ears.

Cut tomato in half. Toss with 1 tablespoon oil; season with salt. Grill tomato, turning, until charred and softened, 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer to a bowl. When cool enough to handle, remove skin and core; smash flesh with fingers. Whisk in vinegar, garlic, remaining 3 tablespoons oil, and 1 teaspoon salt.

Combine corn, lettuce, basil, and cheese. Toss with dressing, and season with salt if necessary. Serve immediately.

Queso Fundido

Pioneer Woman

 

• ½ pounds Hot Breakfast Sausage (such As Jimmy Dean Or J.C. Potter) Or Chorizo
• 1 whole Medium Onion, Finely Diced
• 2 whole SMALL Bell Peppers (any Color Combination), Seeded And Finely Diced
• 1 pound Monterey Jack, Grated (OR Mozzarella, Or Other Stringy Melting Cheese), Grated
• Sprinkle Of Chili Powder
• 3 whole Roma Tomatoes, Diced
• ¼ cups Cilantro, Chopped
• Tortilla Chips For Serving

Prep: 10 mins / Cook: 20 mins

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a large skillet, cook and crumble the sausage until brown. Remove from skillet and drain on a paper towel. Pour off any excess fat. Add onions and bell peppers to the skillet and cook over medium-high heat until the veggies are soft and golden brown, about 7-8 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

To build the skillet, place 1/3 of the cheese in a medium-sized ovenproof skillet. Add half the sausage. Add another third of the cheese, then as much of the veggie mixture as you’d like (you may have a little left over.) Add almost all of the remaining cheese, the rest of the sausage, then whatever cheese you have left. Sprinkle the top very lightly with chili powder.

NOTE: Depending on the size of your skillet or baking dish, you may have some ingredients left over. Just build so that the ingredients roughly reach the top of the skillet; they’ll shrink quite a bit once the cheese melts!

Place into the oven and start watching it about 4 to 5 minutes in. You want to bake it until the cheese is totally melted, hot, and slightly bubbling…but before the cheese starts to firm up/harden. (In other words, you still want the cheese to be extra gooey.)

Remove from the oven, top with the diced tomatoes, sprinkle on the tomatoes, and serve immediately with tortilla chips!

NOTE: Be sure to have everything ready so you can serve the queso fundido pretty much right out of the oven. It’s best when piping hot!

IMPORTANT: Wrap a cloth around the skillet handle so guests won’t burn themselves.

Pear and Hazelnut Muffins

Smitten Kitchen

Yield: Theoretically, 12 muffins, but I got 16.

• 2 small-medium firm pears
• 6 tablespoons (85 grams) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly (plus more for cups)
• 2/3 cup (125 grams) natural cane sugar, such as Turbinado, light brown or granulated sugar
• 1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup (75 grams) rolled oats
• 1 cup (125 grams) all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup (60 grams) whole wheat flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom, which I replaced with 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg, which I replaced with 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup (120 grams) toasted hazelnuts, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup (85 grams) bittersweet chocolate chunks (optional)

This recipe, however, I tweaked it a bit, mostly because it used many bowls and I wanted it to use fewer. A bunch more notes: This calls for 1 cup all-purpose flour and 1/2 cup whole wheat (pastry flour was recommended) but I think it can be tweaked with any flour mix your prefer, be it mostly whole wheat or white whole wheat, or a gluten-free mix (Sprouted Kitchen smartly recommends 1/2 cup each of oat, almond and brown rice flour). I (always) think you could brown the butter. Yogurt thinned with a little milk could replace the buttermilk, as could coconut milk with 1 tablespoon lemon juice added, and coconut oil or olive oil could replace the butter, just to give you a few ideas. The bittersweet chocolate chunks were not necessary, but they were not regretted either.

Heat oven to 425°F. Butter a standard 12-cup muffin tin or line it with papers.

Peel (if you so desire, can be skipped) pears, then halve and core them. Grate pears on the large holes of a boxed grater into a large bowl. You should have about 1 cup grated (although I ended up with 1 1/2, opting to meet the recipe halfway and used 1 1/4 cups). Stir in melted butter, sugar, buttermilk, eggs and vanilla until combined.

In a separate bowl, stir together the oats, flours, baking soda, baking powder, spices, salt, all but 1/2 cup coarsely chopped hazelnuts, and chocolate chunks, if you’re feeling extra indulgent. Gently fold this dry ingredient mixture into the wet batter until just combined; do not overmix.

Fill muffin cups almost up to the top and sprinkle with the reserved 1/2 cup hazelnuts. Place muffins in oven and immediately reduce the heat to 375°F. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of muffins comes out batter-free.

Cool muffins in pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack. Muffins will keep for 2 days at room temperature in an airtight container.

Pioneer Vinegar Pie

Martha Stewart Living

SERVINGS: 8

• Test-Kitchen Piecrust
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, plus more for surface
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup light-brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/6 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 1 cup plus 1 teaspoon water, divided
• 3 large eggs, divided
• 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar or sanding sugar
• Vanilla ice cream, for serving

PREP: 35 MINS / TOTAL TIME: 3 HOURS 25 MINS

Roll out 1 disk of dough into a 12-inch round on a lightly floured surface. Fit into a 9-inch pie plate, and trim edge of dough to rim. Roll out remaining disk of dough to a 12-inch round. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet, and refrigerate, along with dough in pie plate, until firm, about 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter in a bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water; remove from heat. Whisk in brown sugar, flour, spices, salt, vinegar, and 1 cup water. Lightly beat 2 eggs, and whisk into mixture. Return bowl to pan of simmering water, and cook, stirring often, until mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from heat, and let cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Pour filling into crust, and place top crust over filling. Trim excess, leaving a 1/2-inch overhang. Fold under bottom crust. Press to seal, and crimp as desired. Beat remaining egg with remaining teaspoon water; brush top of pie with egg wash, and sprinkle with turbinado sugar. Use a sharp knife to slash 6 vents radiating out from center of pie. Bake pie until golden and surface has puffed, about 45 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack 45 minutes. Serve slightly warm with ice cream.

Herbed Cracker Stuffing

Martha Stewart Living

• 8 ounces white sandwich bread (about 9 slices), cut into 3/4-inch cubes (4 cups)
• 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
• 2 garlic cloves, minced (2 teaspoons)
• 2 onions, finely chopped (3 cups)
• 3 to 4 celery stalks, finely chopped (2 cups)
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 2 sleeves saltine crackers (about 66), coarsely crumbled (4 cups)
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh sage leaves
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Place bread cubes in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake, tossing occasionally, until dried but not browned, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt butter in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add garlic, onions, and celery, and saute until just starting to brown, about 8 minutes. Add wine, and simmer 1 minute. Transfer mixture to a large bowl. Mix in bread cubes, crackers, herbs, and 1 teaspoon salt; season with pepper. Stir in broth, milk, and eggs until just incorporated.

If not stuffing turkey, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spoon stuffing into a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Cover with parchment, then foil, and bake 45 minutes. Raise oven temperature to 425 degrees. Uncover stuffing, and bake until top is crisp and browned, about 5 minutes.

Spinach and Fontina Strata

Martha Stewart Living

SERVINGS: 8

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt, divided
• 2 pounds spinach, stems removed and leaves coarsely chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• Unsalted butter, for dish
• 1 pound challah loaf, sliced 1/2 inch thick
• 8 ounces young Italian fontina cheese, grated, divided
• 1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated (1/3 cup), divided
• 8 large eggs, divided
• 2 2/3 cups whole milk, divided

PREP: 30 MINS / TOTAL TIME: 10 HOURS  10 MINS

Heat oil in a large saute pan over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and 1/2 teaspoon salt, and saute until translucent, about 3 minutes. Fill pan with as much spinach as will fit; cook, stirring, adding remainder a handful at a time as space allows. When all the spinach is wilted, stir in pepper and nutmeg. Drain spinach in a sieve. When cool enough to handle, squeeze excess moisture from spinach by hand.

Butter a 3-quart baking dish. Place a third of the bread in a single layer in dish. Top with half the spinach mixture and a third of the cheeses. Repeat layering with a third of the bread, remaining spinach mixture, and a third of the cheeses, then top with remaining bread.

Whisk together 6 eggs, 2 cups milk, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and carefully pour over bread. Cover with parchment, and gently press down with hands until egg mixture soaks through top of bread. Cover parchment with foil, and refrigerate at least 8 hours and up to 2 days.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Meanwhile, remove strata from refrigerator, uncover, and let stand 30 minutes. Whisk together remaining 2 eggs and 2/3 cup milk, and pour over strata, gently pressing between layers of bread with a spoon or spatula to ensure that egg mixture seeps to bottom. Sprinkle with remaining cheeses. Bake until puffed and golden brown in places, 45 to 50 minutes. Let cool 15 minutes before serving.

Spice-infused Milk

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, warm two cups whole milk with aromatics, stirring once or twice. Cover pan and let spices steep in milk for 1 hour. Strain and reheat if necessary. Or refrigerate, covered, for up to 3 days; reheat gently before serving.

OATMEAL
3/4 tsp fresh grated nutmeg
OR 1 cinnamon stick
OR pod / seed 1/2 vanilla bean

MEXICAN HOT CHOCOLATE
1 or 2 dried chilis (ancho or chipotle)
1 stick cinnamon
pod / seed 1/2 vanilla bean
[Mix with cocoa]

CHAI TEA
thin slice ginger
6 whole cloves
3 star anise
18 light crush cardamom pods
2 sticks cinnamon
[Mix milk with black steeped black tea]

Lax Pudding

Martha Stewart Living

SERVINGS: 10

CASSEROLE

• 3 pounds medium russet potatoes
• 1 tablespoon coarse salt
• 1/4 cup fresh dill, chopped, and stalks reserved
• 1/2 stick unsalted butter, divided, plus more for dish
• 1 medium onion, chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 1 1/4 pound gravlax (sliced 1/8 inch thick)
• Freshly ground white pepper, for sprinkling
• 6 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 1/2 cups half-and-half
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream

DILL BUTTER

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
• 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt

PREP: 40 MINS TOTAL TIME: 2  HOURS  40 MINS

Casserole: Place potatoes in a large pot, and cover with 2 inches water. Add salt and dill stalks. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until you can just pierce potatoes with a fork, 7 to 10 minutes. Pour off water, and discard dill stalks. Place paper towel across top of pot (not directly on potatoes), and let potatoes steam and cool 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Peel potatoes, and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a saute pan, and saute onion until softened, about 10 minutes.

Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Layer potatoes and gravlax, beginning and ending with potatoes, sprinkling each layer with chopped dill, sauteed onion, and pepper.

Whisk together eggs, half-and-half, and cream; season with pepper. Pour egg mixture over potatoes and gravlax, and dot with remaining 3 tablespoons butter. Bake until golden on top and bubbling around the edges, 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Dill butter: Meanwhile, mix all ingredients together, and roll into a log.

Let casserole cool slightly, 5 to 10 minutes, and serve warm with dill butter.

Swedish Meatballs

Martha Stewart Living

These meatballs, drizzled with cream sauce, are light, juicy, and quick to disappear. You can also serve them as a main course, with mashed potatoes, lingonberry sauce, and quick-pickled cucumbers.

YIELD: makes 72

MEATBALLS

• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 2 1/2 pounds ground beef
• 1/4 pound ground pork
• 1/4 pound ground veal
• 1 cup finely ground fresh breadcrumbs
• 1 1/2 cups boiled, peeled, and mashed potatoes (from 1 1/2 pounds russet potatoes; use a ricer for best results)
• 1/4 cup grated onion (from 1 small onion)
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

CREAM SAUCE

• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

PREP: 1 HOUR / TOTAL TIME: 2 HOURS

Meatballs: Stir together eggs, cream, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Mix in ground meats, breadcrumbs, potatoes, and onion with your hands. Cover, and refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Form meatball mixture into 1 1/4-inch balls, and place on a rimmed baking sheet.

Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil. Working in batches (do not crowd skillet), brown meatballs all over, about 30 seconds on each side. Transfer to another rimmed baking sheet, and bake 20 minutes.

Cream sauce: Meanwhile, add cream to drippings in skillet, and simmer until reduced by half, 25 to 27 minutes. Add soy sauce, and simmer until sauce coats the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes. Stir in salt and pepper. Transfer meatballs to a platter, and drizzle with cream sauce. Serve with beets, cucumbers, and lingonberry sauce.

Chanterelle Toasts

Martha Stewart Living

YIELD: makes 16 toasts

• 1/2 stick unsalted butter
• 1 pound chanterelle or other fragrant mushrooms, ends trimmed, stalks and caps cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• 8 slices white Pullman bread, crusts removed and bread toasted and cut into 1-by-3-inch strips

PREP: 25 MINS TOTAL TIME: 25 MINS

Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat, and cook mushrooms, stirring occasionally, until liquid evaporates, 8 to 10 minutes.

Add cream, a little at a time, and cook, stirring, until cream coats the back of a spoon and mushrooms are thoroughly coated. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon onto toasts, and serve immediately.

Perfect Instant Ramen

Adapted from Roy Choi's "L.A. Son"

Yield: 1 serving

•     2½ cups water
•     1 pack Shin Ramyun (or another brand of instant ramen)
•     1 egg
•     ½ teaspoon butter    
•     1 tsp soy sauce
•     2 slices American cheese
•     ¼ teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
•     ½ scallion, green part only, thinly sliced on a bias (optional)

Prep Time: 5 minutes / Cook Time: 8 minutes / Total Time: 13 minutes

In a small saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Add the ramen noodles and cook for 2 minutes, then add the flavor pack and soy sauce.

Cook for another 3 minutes, then turn off the heat and crack in the egg, but do not mix it in. Pull the hot noodles gently over the raw egg and allow the egg to poach, about 3 more minutes.

Carefully pour the ramen into your serving bowl of choice, making sure not to break the egg.

Add the butter, cheese and sesame seeds to the bowl and stir gently to incorporate. Top with the chopped scallion (optional) and serve.

My Notes: Easy to make and satisfying, although a bit heavy. I skip the sesame seeds and onion and added the soy.


MXF
 

Tomato Sauce with Onion and Butter

Saveur (from Marcella Hazan)

Makes 3 cups

• 8 tbsp. unsalted butter, cubed
• ¼ tsp. sugar
• 1 (28-oz.) can whole, peeled tomatoes in juice, crushed by hand
• 1 medium yellow onion, peeled and quartered lengthwise
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Bring butter, sugar, tomatoes, and onion, to a boil in a 4-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat; reduce heat to medium-low, and cook, stirring occasionally, until flavors meld and sauce is slightly reduced, about 45 minutes. Discard onion, and season sauce with salt and pepper before serving.

Gruyere, Rosemary and Honey Monkey Bread

Saveur

Serves 8-10

• 18 tbsp. unsalted butter, plus more for greasing
• 4 cups flour, plus more for dusting
• 1½ cups grated Gruyère cheese
• 1 tbsp. finely chopped rosemary
• 2 tsp. kosher salt
• 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup milk
• ¼ cup sugar
• 2 (¼-oz.) packages active dry yeast
• 1 cup honey

Grease a 10" bundt pan with butter and dust with flour; set aside. Whisk flour, cheese, rosemary, salt, and pepper in a bowl; set aside. Heat 2 tbsp. butter with milk and ⅓ cup water in a 1-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat until an instant-read thermometer reads 115°. Transfer to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a hook attachment. Stir in sugar and yeast; let sit until foamy, about 10 minutes. With the motor running, slowly add dry ingredients; beat until dough is smooth. Transfer to a lightly greased bowl and cover loosely with plastic wrap; set in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Melt remaining butter in a 2-qt. saucepan; whisk in honey and set aside.

Heat oven to 350°. On a lightly floured surface, pat dough out into an 8" square about 1" thick. Cut dough into 1-inch pieces and fit snugly into prepared bundt pan. Pour butter mixture evenly over dough; bake until golden and a toothpick inserted in the middle of the bread comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.

My Notes: I have never had real success with monkey bread--it never cooks right. This may be because I use an angel food cake pan instead of a bundt, but that seems illogical. So this was no different--the inner parts never cooked while the outer ring basically burned. Still--the taste was great. We ate most of it even thought it was charred. If I make it again, I should just lay them out on a cookie sheet to speed the cooking process.

MXF 

Greek Mac and Cheese

Saveur

Serves 8–10

• 3 slices crustless white bread, torn into small pieces
• 9 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
• Kosher salt, to taste
• 8 oz. hollow pasta, preferably elbow macaroni 
• ¼ cup flour
• 3 cups milk
• 4 cups grated graviera or kefalotyri cheese (about 12 oz.)
• ¾ tsp. ground cinnamon
• ⅛ tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 8 large shallots, finely chopped
• 16 oz. baby spinach, roughly chopped
• 8 scallions cut into ¼"-thick rounds
• ⅓ cup roughly chopped fresh dill
• 1¾ cups crumbled feta (about 8 oz.)

Put bread into the bowl of a food processor and pulse until finely ground. Put bread crumbs and 3 tbsp. butter into a small bowl and combine; set aside. Bring a 6-qt. pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until cooked halfway through, about 3 minutes. Drain pasta, rinse with cold water, and set aside.

Heat remaining butter in a 4-qt. saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and cook, whisking constantly, for 1 minute. Still whisking constantly, slowly drizzle in milk and cook until sauce has thickened and coats the back of a spoon, 10–15 minutes. Remove pan from heat. Stir in graviera, cinnamon, and nutmeg and season with salt and pepper; set béchamel sauce aside.

Heat oven to 350°. Heat oil in a 5-qt. pot over medium heat. Add shallots and cook, stirring often, until soft, 3–4 minutes. Add spinach and scallions and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until wilted, about 3 minutes. Stir in the reserved béchamel sauce, the dill, and the reserved pasta and transfer mixture to a 9" x 13" baking dish. Sprinkle evenly with reserved bread crumbs and the feta. Bake until golden brown and bubbly, about 30 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Four-Cheese Macaroni and Cheese

Adapted from Saveur

Serves 6–8

• Kosher salt, to taste
• 13.5 oz. hollow pasta, preferably elbow macaroni or shells
• 3 slices crustless white bread
• 6 tbsp. unsalted butter
• ½ tsp. paprika
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 shallots, minced
• 1 bay leaf
• ¼ cup flour
• ⅛ tsp. cayenne pepper
• 3 cups milk
• 10 oz. grated sharp white cheddar (about 4 cups)
• 10 oz. grated Gruyère (about 4 cups)
• 6 oz. Velveeta, cut into ½" cubes (about 1¼ cups)
• 1 oz. blue cheese, crumbled (about ¼ cup)
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

 
Heat oven to 375°. Bring a 4-qt. saucepan of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until cooked halfway through, about 3 minutes for elbow macaroni. Drain pasta; set pasta aside. Tear bread into small pieces and transfer to the bowl of a food processor. Process until finely ground; set aside. Return pan to medium heat and melt 3 tbsp. butter. Add bread crumbs and stir to combine. Transfer bread crumb mixture to a plate and set aside.

Wipe out pan and set over medium heat. Melt the remaining butter and add the paprika, thyme, shallots, and bay leaf; cook, stirring often, until shallots are soft, about 5 minutes. Add flour and cayenne and stir until mixture thickens, 1 minute. Whisk in milk and cook, continuing to whisk often, until sauce has thickened and coats the back of a spoon, about 10 minutes. Discard thyme and bay leaf and remove pan from heat.


Stir in cheddar, half the Gruyère, the Velveeta, and the blue cheese; continue stirring until smooth. Stir in pasta and season sauce with salt and pepper. Transfer mixture to an 8" x 8" baking dish. Sprinkle remaining Gruyère over top of pasta and then top with bread crumbs.

Transfer baking dish to an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet and bake until macaroni and cheese is golden brown and bubbly, 30 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Everything Potato Galette with Lox and Creme Fraiche

Saveur

Serves 4

• ½ cup crème fraîche
• 2 tbsp. minced chives
• 2 tbsp. capers, drained
• 2 large russet potatoes
• 8 tbsp. clarified butter 
• 1 tsp. sesame seeds
• 1 tsp. poppy seeds
• Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
• 4 oz. smoked salmon
• ¼ small red onion, thinly sliced

Mix crème fraîche, chives, and capers in a small bowl; season with salt and pepper and refrigerate until ready to use.

Peel and grate potatoes using the large holes on a cheese grater or cut into matchsticks using a mandoline. Heat 4 tbsp. clarified butter in a 10" nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Toss potatoes with seeds and salt and pepper; add to pan and stir to coat potatoes with butter. Using a spatula, gently press potatoes into a flat round, molding to fit skillet; cook, shaking skillet occasionally, until edges are golden and crisp, about 10 minutes.


Place a plate, turned upside down, over skillet and invert skillet with plate, allowing potato cake to fall onto plate; slide potato cake back into skillet. Pour remaining butter around edges of potato cake and continue cooking until potatoes are crisp on the bottom, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and season with salt and pepper. Place smoked salmon and onion evenly over surface and cut into wedges. Place a dollop of the crème fraîche mixture on top of each wedge before serving.

Apple Slab PIe

From Smitten Kitchen

CRUST:

• 3 3/4 (470 grams) cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons table salt
• 3 sticks (340 grams) unsalted butter, very cold
• 3/4 cup very cold water

FILLING:

• 3 1/2 to 4 pounds apples, peeled, cored and chopped into approximately 1/2-inch chunks (about 8 cups)
• Squeeze of lemon juice
• 2/3 to 3/4 cup sugar (depending on how sweet you like your pies)
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/8 teaspoon table salt

TOP:

• 2 tablespoons heavy cream or one egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon of water

Make pie crust: Whisk together flour, sugar and salt in the bottom of a large, wide-ish bowl. Using a pastry blender, two forks, or your fingertips, work the butter into the flour until the biggest pieces of butter are the size of tiny peas. (You’ll want to chop your butter into small bits first, unless you’re using a very strong pastry blender in which case you can throw the sticks in whole, as I do.) Gently stir in the water with a rubber spatula, mixing it until a craggy mass forms. Get your hands in the bowl and knead it just two or three times to form a ball. Divide dough roughly in half (it’s okay if one is slightly larger). Wrap each half in plastic wrap and flatten a bit, like a disc. Chill in fridge for at least an hour or up to two days or slip plastic-wrapped dough into a freezer bag and freeze for up to 1 to 2 months (longer if you trust your freezer more than I do). To defrost, leave in fridge for 1 day. [Still freaked out about making your own pie dough? Read this for a ton of additional tips and details.]

Heat oven oven to 375 degrees F. Line bottom of 10x15x1-inch baking sheet or jellyroll pan with parchment paper.

Prepare filling: In a large bowl, toss apples with lemon juice until coated. Top with remaining filling ingredients and stir to evenly coat.

Assemble pie: On a lightly floured surface, roll one of your dough halves (the larger one, if you have two different sizes) into an 18-by-13-inch rectangle. This can be kind of a pain because it is so large. Do your best to work quickly, keeping the dough as cold as possible and using enough flour that it doesn’t stick to the counter. Transfer to your prepared baking sheet and gently drape some of the overhang in so that the dough fills out the inner edges and corners. Some pastry will still hang over the sides of the pan; trim this to 3/4-inch.

Pour apple mixture over and spread evenly.

Roll the second of your dough halves (the smaller one, if they were different sizes) into a 16-by-11-inch rectangle. Drape over filling and fold the bottom crust’s overhang over the edges sealing them together. Cut small slits to act as vents all over lid. Brush lid heavy cream or egg wash. Bake until crust is golden and filling is bubbling, 40 to 45 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack until just warm to the touch, about 45 minutes.

In a medium bowl, stir together confectioners’ sugar and liquid of your choice until a pourable glaze consistency is reached. Use a spoon to drizzle over top. Serve slab pie in squares or rectangles, warm or at room temperature.

It keeps at room temperature for at least three days.