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