Chinese Dessert Recipes

Favorite Rec n’s i pe s la ia J January 2006  Dear Friends, Cooking is one of my favorite activities, and it’s important to my life in many ways. For me, cooking has been a process of continuous learning and discovery, and it has provided me with a practical outlet for creativity and a fun way to explore new cultures. With this collection of my favorite recipes, I hope to share the joy I have found in cooking with you. In addition, I would like to share with you some deeper lessons I’ve learned though cooking. When you cook as often as I do, it’s hard not to appreciate all that enables us to have such an abundance of wonderful food, a priviledge few people have enjoyed through human history and in the world today. In modern life, one of the only opportunities we get to connect with nature is through food. Therefore, I encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity and explore fresh foods which have been produced with respect toward animals, the environment, and laborers. Now there are many organizations which certify foods for organic production methods and fair trade compliance, so making informed choices is easy. This book contains the very best recipes I’ve tried over the years, along with instructions and tips in my own words for executing them. My personal philosophy is to start with ingredients which are as unprocessed as possible and to use animal products sparingly. I have found that this approach often leads to exceptionally flavorful and nutritious results, but most of these recipes are easily adaptable to suit your own tastes. I hope you enjoy trying some of them, and I also hope to hear from you about some of your favorite foods and recipes. All the best, Jialan  Contents Essential kitchen tools ............................................... 6 Optional But Fun Kitchen Tools ..................................... 8 Some Fun Ingredients ................................................ 9 Where to Find Ingredients .......................................... My Favorite Cookbooks .............................................. Desserts ............................................................... The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies........................... Almond Syrup Cookies ........................................4 Chocolate Cherry Chip Cookies .............................5 Cacao Nib Cookies ...........................................6 Jacques Torres’s Chocolate Mudslides .....................7 Almond Biscotti ...............................................8 Date Hazelnut Biscotti .......................................9 Black Forest Biscotti..........................................0 Dame Blanche ................................................. Spiral Shortbread Cookies ................................... Recchiuti fudgy brownies ....................................4 Seven-layer Bars ..............................................5 Italian Sesame Cookies .......................................7 Pistachio Shortbread .........................................8 Double-chocolate layer cake ................................9 White Chocolate Filled Chocolate Cupcakes.............. White Chocolate Filling ...................................... Opera Cake .................................................... Gâteau de Crêpes ............................................4 Coconut Lemon Layer Cake .................................6 Orange Coconut Angelfood Cake ...........................8 Chinese Sponge Cake .........................................9 Butternut Squash Pie .........................................40 Water Grill cheesecake ......................................4 Vanilla Souffle .................................................4  Banana Bread ..................................................4 Grilled Chocolate Sandwiches ..............................44 The Best Vanilla Ice Cream ..................................45 Red-Wine Ice Cream ..........................................46 Breakfast ..............................................................50 Wholesome Blueberry Whole-Wheat Pancakes .........50 Dutch Breakfast Cake (Ontbijtkoek) ......................5 Appetizers and Side Dishes .........................................5 Deep-fried Scallops with Coconut Chutney ...............5 Fried Plantains ................................................5 Stuffed Grape Leaves ........................................54 Vietnamese-Style Spring Rolls...............................55 Spicy Peanut Sauce ...........................................56 Vegetarian Egg Rolls ..........................................57 Cauliflower and Potato Samosas ............................59 Indian curried potato wrap ..................................6 Scallion Pancakes .............................................6 Sweet Saffron Rice with Currants and Pistachios ........6 Roasted Vegetables ...........................................64 Hummus ........................................................65 Baba Ganouj ...................................................66 Tabouli ..........................................................67 Creamy Mung Dal with Chopped Spinach ..................68 Entrees ................................................................69 Curried Cauliflower and Potatoes ..........................69 Chinese Eggplant ..............................................70 Onion Tart ......................................................7 Tart Dough .....................................................7 Baked Macaroni and Cheese ................................7 Bay State Wiggle ..............................................7 Okinomiyaki ....................................................74 Shrimp Dumplings with Roasted Mushrooms ..............75 Pasta Dough for Ravioli ......................................77 Wild Mushroom Ragout .......................................78 4 Polish Pierogies ...............................................79 Miscellaneous .........................................................80 Homemade Vanilla Extract ..................................80 Flavored Syrups ...............................................8 5 Essential kitchen tools Quality cookware Thick, heavy pans are essential for even heat conduction and successful cooking. Don’t settle for cheap, thin pans with Teflon that will flake off! Most serious cooks say that stainless steel pans actually conduct heat better and are better for many cooking techniques such as sautéing and deglazing, but I haven’t yet made the leap. However, since my nice nonstick pans seem to have a very limited lifespan, I will probably do so soon. Chef’s knife A decent chef’s knife is essential. Having a dull knife will make your work much harder and more time-consuming (not to mention dangerous), and the results won’t be as good. But for everyday cooking, you don’t need an expensive knife at all. You can find decent butcher-style knives at Chinese supermarkets for a very good price. Ice Cream Scoops If you make a lot of cookies or filled dumplings, ice cream scoops are an essential tool to make uniform portions of dough and filling. I use my tablespoon-sized one to make small cookies, to fill ravioli, and to make centers for chocolate truffles. A regular-sized ice cream scoop is just the right size to make large cookies. Kitchen Steel This little-known tool is almost as essential as having a knife. Regular use not only dulls knives, but it bends the edges out of alignment. A kitchen steel straightens the edges, making them much more incisive. Ideally, they should be used every time you use your knife. The difference in cutting ability is striking, and if the steel is used often, sharpening is rarely necessary. Kitchen steels look like a long metal rods and usually have plastic handles, and they can be found at good kitchen supply stores. Even though they are relatively pricey ($20 and up), they are definitely worth the money. Kitchen Scale In order to get the best results, it’s better to measure ingredients by weight instead of volume. Unfortunately, most recipes in the US use volume, so this can lead to inconsistency. However, once in a while I came across a recipe which specifies the weight for an ingredient (as several of the recipes here do), and before I got my kitchen scale, I would just guess blindly at the quantities. But now I no longer need to guess, and I’ve used it much more than I thought I would. In particular, once you know the typical volume to weight conversion, a kitchen scale makes it much easier to measure semi-solid ingredients such as butter. This tool is also especially helpful for making desserts. I have a digital one from Salter which is excellent. Microplane grater An adapted construction tool, this grater is fantastic for zesting fruits, grating hard cheeses and chocolate, and grating fibrous foods like ginger root. Kitchen timer Precise timing is one of the most important parts of successful cooking. Since most cooking involves substantial waiting periods, having a kitchen timer which makes a noise makes it much easier to go off and do other things without overcooking your dishes. Electric Stand Mixer I haven’t yet shelled out for a super-fancy stand mixer with a zillion attachments, but so far my plain counter- 6 top mixer which was bought used for $2 has served me extremely well. A stand mixer yields superior results and takes much less effort to use than a hand-held one. In making desserts, there are always many things to be creamed, mixed, and whipped, so a stand mixer is a must. Fine Mesh Sieve I love tools which can be used for multiple purposes, and this one sure can. These are great for sifting flour and other powder ingredients, straining water from pasta and freshly-washed produce, and sieving out the seeds when you’re juicing fresh lemons - I use mine almost every day. You can get one very cheaply at Chinese supermarkets. Pastry Cutter A pastry cutter is another great multi-purpose tool in the kitchen. Its main use is to cut pastry such as pie crusts and dough for breads and dumpling wrappers. However, it is also very useful for scooping up chopped food and transferring it to the cooking vessel. Using a knife for this purpose would dull your blade. 7 Optional But Fun Kitchen Tools Ice cream maker Once you make your own ice cream with fresh cream and pure vanilla beans, you won’t want to go back go store-bought. I recommend the Cuisinart ICE-20. Cuisinart Food Processor Cuisinart’s simple and powerful food processors are a must for the creative home cook. Some of my favorite uses are making dips, soups, and pasta doughs. Using a food processor also ensures nearly fool-proof pie crusts and other pastry doughs. Deep Fryer Most people never think that they need a deep fryer .. until they get one and realize how wonderful homemade fried food can be. Although you wouldn’t want to eat fried foods every day, they’re a good treat once in a while and great for parties. Using a specialized deep fryer is much easier, cleaner, and more oil-efficient than frying on the stove, and it also yields superior results. You can get a good home model with temperature control and a handy frying basket for about $60. Milk Frother I usually don’t like specialized tools which only work for one purpose, but this one is really fun and worthwhile if you like to drink milky beverages. Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need a lot of time or a fancy machine to make frothed milk. A milk frother is just a container with a fitted fine-mesh plunger, and it produces delicious frothed milk for coffee or other beverages after about a minute of manual frothing. A french press coffee maker will also do in a pinch. Milk frothers are available at specialty Italian markets. 8 Some Fun Ingredients Whenever I go grocery shopping, I always poke around for ingredients I’ve never used before. I often buy things that look interesting and then figure out later what to do with them. Here are some of my favorite unusual ingredients. Agar Agar Agar agar, or just plan agar, is a seaweed extract which works much like gelatin. Agar in its natural form is often served in Chinese sweet soups, and it is sold in granulated and sheet form for other gelled desserts. I use it in recipes which call for gelatin, and it works very well. Additional advantages are that it does not melt as easily as gelatin and does not disintegrate when used with acids. Chestnut Spread A French company called Clement Faugier makes a wide variety of sweet chestnut products. Their chestnut spread is a slightly sweetened, vanilla-scented syrup made with high-quality chestnuts. It is delicious to use as a topping for ice cream and breakfast items, in all kinds of desserts or on its own. Chipotle Peppers It seems like every single fast food chain now has some offering involving chipotle. It’s no wonder, because these smoked jalapeno peppers have a wonderful rounded spicy flavor that adds an extra dimension to stews, sauces, and other dishes. They are available canned and dried in Latin markets and some upscale groceries and also as an ingredient in a variety of pre-made sauces. Tabasco makes a tasty chipotle hot sauce. Fake Meat Being on a mostly-vegetarian diet, I often find it difficult to get enough protein in my diet without eating beans all the time. One handy solution is to take advantage of the growing array of fake meat products made of soy and other plant protein available on the market nowadays. Making fake meat out of soy and wheat gluten has a long tradition among Chinese Buddhists, and even though many Western health-food companies now make fake meat products, I still think that the Chinese still make the best ones. At well-stocked Asian supermarkets, you can often find veggie versions of many different kinds of meat, including chicken, beef, and seafood. I also really like the veggie chicken nuggets and veggie corn dogs made by Morningstar Farms, and the veggie chicken made from fungal protein under the brand Quoron is also very delicious. Furikake rice seasoning This is a Japanese seasoning blend which includes dried seaweed and sesame seeds and is usually used to season rice. It’s also great to sprinkle on soups, salads, and other savory dishes. Green Tea Powder Green tea has become an enormously popular dessert flavor lately. It is used in many Asian desserts, and it has also been incorporated into everything from ice cream to upscale chocolate truffles. Now green tea powder can be found for consumers at many Asian grocery stores, so you can make your own green-tea-flavored desserts. High-quality matcha green tea powder can be found at gourmet outlets like surfasonline.com, but what you’ll typically find is powdered green tea is mixed with sugar and creamer as a bubble-tea mix. This adds a creaminess which nicely complements the astringency of the tea, and the flavoring is adaptable to all kinds of desserts. Nopalitos Nopalitos are the stems of prickly-pear cactus, which is native to Mexico and the American southwest. They have an unusual slimy consistency which helps the plant retain moisture in arid climates. I use the pickled variety available in jars in Latin groceries. I like their soft, slippery texture and mild flavor, and I often use them in 9 burritos. Pomegranate Molasses This is a concentrated pomegranate syrup which captures the fruit’s distinctive tart flavor. It is traditionally used in Middle Eastern cuisines in both sweet and savory dishes, and it can be found in most Middle-Eastern groceries and some gourmet markets. Pistachio Paste American Almond makes canned pistachio paste in handy 11 ounce containers for consumers. It is a mixture of sugar and finely-ground pistachios, and it is great to use in ice cream, dessert fillings, or any dish where you want the taste of pistachio without a coarse, nutty texture. Purple Sweet Potatoes I love to eat regular sweet potatoes which have just been baked whole in the oven, but purple sweet potatoes are delicious enough to merit special note. They are sweeter and less watery than both orange and yellow varieties of sweet potato, and their flesh becomes almost syrupy with sugar when baked. They can be distinguished from other varieties by their light beige skin and bright violet interior, and they are most likely to be found in wellstocked Chinese supermarkets. Their purple color comes from anthocyanins, which are common plant pigments and valuable antioxidants. Smoked Salt and Pepper Nowadays, it’s possible to get smoked spices in many gourmet food shops and spice stores. Smoked salt and pepper can be substituted whenever a recipe calls for regular salt and pepper, and they lend a dish a delicious depth of flavor. Togarashi This is a spice mixture commonly used in Japan which usually includes red chili, seaweed, and other spices, and it comes in small cylindrical shakers with red tops. It is wonderful in noodles and soups and other savory dishes, and it’s especially good on fried foods. Vidalia Onions Onions are usually supporting players in dishes, but the sweet Vidalia variety grown in Georgia is definitely a star. They are amazingly sweet and brown beautifully, so you’ll really notice the difference if you use these instead of regular yellow onions. When they’re in season, I use these in all my recipes which involve onions, and they markedly enhance any dish I use them in. Cacao Nibs I first heard about cacao nibs about two years ago, and lately they’ve been popping up everywhere. Cacao nibs are pieces of roasted cacao beans before they’ve been combined with other ingredients to make chocolate. They are crunchy and have a deep, bitter flavor and can be rather astringent. They’re a great way to add a hint of chocolate flavor without the overpowering sweetness and fattiness of chocolate. For an introduction to cacao nibs, try my recipe for cacao nib cookies. Panko Bread Crumbs Panko bread crumb offer all you could ever ask for in a bread crumb. They are crispy and very light, yielding maximum crunch in fried dishes without becoming hard or soaking up lots of oil. I use them in all recipes involving bread crumbs, and they work wonderfully. 0 Where to Find Ingredients Since I’m a poor graduate student, one of my favorite hobbies is exploring grocery stores. In particular, I love ethnic groceries and try to get most of my food from non-super-markets. Check my website at http://web.mit. edu/~jialanw/www/markets.html for a list of my favorite markets in the Boston area and beyond. Here are my favorite online catalogs: www.sufrasonline.com This is the online version of one of my favorite cooking stores. A large portion of my collection of cooking supplies and equipment comes from Surfas, which is located in Culver City, California. Here you can find professional cooking equipment, high-quality cookware, and gourmet ingredients. The cookware and bakeware are simple and durable - made to stand up to frequent use in restaurant kitchens. Many of their items also come in multiple sizes. Surfas is great for buying seasonings - they sell all of the common seasonings in bulk sizes at very good prices, and the products are always very fresh. I have also found no better place to buy dried gourmet mushrooms - they have a wide selection and sell at bulk rates. Their supply of baking supplies is also extensive. Check their website often for new and seasonal items. www.bakerscatalog.com This is the online store for the King Arthur Flour company in Norwich, Vermont. King Arthur makes the best widely-available flour, and you should definitely try some if you spot it in your local supermarket. The online catalog includes a wide variety of flours and mixes for every imaginable purpose. It’s also a great place to get hard-to-find baking ingredients. Some of my favorite items are its flavored baking chips, with flavors such as cherry, mint, and cappuccino.  My Favorite Cookbooks Lord Krishna’s Cuisine: The Art of Indian Vegetarian Cooking, by Yamuni Devi. This is a classic book on traditional Indian cuisine which includes hundreds of recipes for Indian breads, snacks, entrees, and desserts along with detailed descriptions of ingredients and techniques. Although many of the recipes require many ingredients and take some time and effort to prepare, the delicious results make it worthwhile to invest in a collection of Indian spices and develop a repertoire of Indian cooking techniques. This book truly does justice to the wonderful and diverse cuisine of India. The Moosewood Collective Collection: The New Moosewood Cookbook by Mollie Katzen Moosewood Restaurant New Classics by The Moosewood Collective Moosewood Restaurant Low-Fat Favorites by The Moosewood Collective Sundays at Moosewood Restaurant by The Moosewood Collective Moosewood Restaurant Book of Desserts by The Moosewood Collective I haven’t yet collected all of the cookbooks created by the Moosewood Collective, but I’m not far from it. Moosewood Restaurant is a famous restaurant in Ithica, New York which pretty much embodies my philosophy of food. Although they may seem tailor-made for the hippie crowd, the Moosewood cookbooks contain many recipes which are surprisingly sophisticated. The recipes are healthy and wholesome, but that doesn’t mean they shun fat, carbs, or any other food group except meat. They contain little processed food and focus on whole ingredients and highlighting the natural flavor of foods, and they almost always work spectacularly well. Their recipes are mostly vegetarian, but a few also contain some fish and seafood. Most of the recipes also have an international twist, although they are often modified to suit the open-minded American palate. The Moosewood cookbooks should have a place in the library of any non-carnivorous food-lover. Chinese Dim Sum published by Wei-Chuan Cultural Education Foundation Chinese cookbooks tend to be a little sketchy. Oftentimes recipes don’t work well, and instructions are not specific. However, this one is an exception. All of the recipes I’ve tried from it have turned out well, and the instructions and ingredient lists are usually very accurate. Best of all, recipes are written in both Chinese and English. You will definitely need to have a kitchen scale to use this cookbook though, because most ingredients are measured by weight in grams.  Desserts Those who know me well know why desserts are the first section of this cookbook. Cookies The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies I don’t know about you, but I’ve spent too much of my life searching for a simple recipe that yields soft, chewy chocolate chip cookies. For some reason, most recipes in books turn out cookies which are too hard, too sweet, or nor flavorful enough, but this one is just right. The key is using shortening instead of butter for softness and using bread flour to lend a bit of chewiness. Because shortening has less flavor than butter, I use extra vanilla to compensate. Also, be sure to use quality chocolate chips - Callebaut makes great semi-sweet ones that are not too expensive. Don’t buy Hershey’s, Toll House, or other typical grocery store brands, because they contain low-quality cacao and a lot of artificial additives. 1 cup shortening ¾ cup sugar 1 cup brown sugar 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder 2 ¼ cups bread flour 2 eggs 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips 1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Using an electric mixer, cream the shortening, sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in the salt and baking powder. Add the eggs 1 at a time to the creamed mixture. Then add vanilla. Increase the speed to medium and mix until thoroughly incorporated. Do not overmix. 2. Sift in the flour and at low speed until fully incorporated. Stir in the chocolate chips with a spatula. Using a medium-sized ice cream scoop, scoop the dough onto nonstick baking sheets, leaving 1-2 inches between the cookies. Bake for 9 minutes or until golden brown and puffy, rotating after 5 minutes for even browning. Cool and store in an airtight-container.  Almond Syrup Cookies These are soft, delicious cookies which are a snap to make because there are only five ingredients which can be mixed together all at once. Browned butter gives these cookies a rich flavor, and using sugar syrup instead of sugar keeps them soft and moist. 2 sticks butter 200g almond syrup (see Flavored Syrups recipe) 1 tsp baking soda ½ tsp salt 300g flour 1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a small saucepan, cook the butter on medium until the milk solids have turned brown and the butter gives off a nutty aroma. Cool for at least 5 minutes. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the syrup, baking soda, and salt until well-combined. Add the butter and mix. Sift in the flour and beat until just combined. Do not overmix. 2. Drop batter onto baking sheets using an ice cream scoop of desired size, leaving 2 inches between cookies. For small cookies, bake 8-9 minutes until set. For large cookies, bake for 12 minutes. 4 Chocolate Cherry Chip Cookies This recipe yields moist, chewy chocolate cookies with an intense cherry flavor. ¾ cup butter, at room temperature 1 ½ cups brown sugar, packed 2 eggs 2 cups unbleached white flour ½ cup cocoa powder 1 tsp baking soda 1 tsp salt 2 tsp vanilla extract 2 tbs water 1 ½ cups cherry chips (from King Arthur Flour shop) ½ cups chocolate chips 1 cup chopped dried cherries 1. In a large mixing bowl, cream sugar and butter with an electric mixer for about 2 minutes until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, vanilla, and water. Beat in baking soda and salt. Sift in flour and cocoa powder, and beat until just combined. Stir in chips and cherries. 2. Preheat oven to 350 Drop batter onto baking sheets using a small (or large) ice cream scoop, leaving 2 inches between cookies. Bake 8-9 minutes until set. 5 Cacao Nib Cookies These cookies have an unusual crunchy texture and wonderfully subtle and sophisticated flavor. They are a great variation on the traditional chocolate chip cookie for the adult palate. 1 cup unsalted butter ¾ cup sugar 2 large eggs 2 cups all-purpose flour ½ cup cornmeal ½ tsp baking soda ½ cup hazelnuts, toasted, skinned and chopped Pinch salt ½ cup cacao nibs (available from Scharffen Berger or from various internet venders). 1. In a mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs. In a bowl, stir together the flour, cornmeal, baking soda, hazelnuts and salt and add them to the butter mixture, stirring just until you have a dry dough which comes together when scooped. Fold in cacao nibs. 2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. To make large cookies, spoon dough onto cookie sheets using a regular-sized ice cream scoop, leaving 2 inches between cookies. Flatten each cookie slightly with your hand. Each sheet should fit about 6 cookies. To make small cookies, drop about a tablespoon of dough at a time onto cookie sheets using a small ice cream scoop or two spoons, leaving 1 inch between the cookies and flattening slightly with your hand. 3. Bake cookies one sheet at a time until the cookies are crisp and just begin to color, about 10-15 minutes. Cool on the cookie sheets. 6 Jacques Torres’s Chocolate Mudslides These cookies are very fragile, as they are largely pure chocolate. They are incredibly rich and intense - the cookie counterpart to flourless chocolate cake. Yield: 20 large cookies. 6 oz. (about 1 ½ cups) unsweetened chocolate, in chips or chunks 32 oz. (about 8 cups) bittersweet chocolate, in chips or chunks 3/8 cup unsalted butter 2 cups sugar 5 eggs ½ cup all-purpose flour 2 ¾ teaspoon baking powder 1 ¼ teaspoon salt 1 ¼ cup walnuts (optional). 1. Preheat an oven to 400 degrees. Melt the unsweetened chocolate and 16 oz. (4 cups) of the bittersweet chocolate over a double-boiler (a simple double boiler can be set up by putting a metal bowl over a simmering pot), stirring periodically. 2. Cream the butter and sugar in a mixer until light and fluffy and add the eggs one at a time, blending until mixed. 3. Sift in the flour, baking powder and salt into the butter mixture and mix until just combined. Add the melted chocolate and mix until combined. Stir in the nuts and the remaining 16 oz. (4 cups) of bittersweet chocolate with a spatula. Set aside to cool until the mixture becomes solid enough to scoop. 4. Using a small ice cream scoop, scoop out portions onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving at least 1 inch between cookies. 5. Bake the cookies for 15 to 25 minutes, until crusty on the outside (they should still be gooey on the inside). Allow to cool for at least 20 minutes before eating (if you can). 7 Adapted from Moosewood Restaurant New Classics I love biscotti. The crunchy cookies are not too sweet but very flavorful, and you can make them with a variety of flavors. The following are three great biscotti recipes from the Moosewood cookbooks. Yield: About 20 biscotti Preparation time: 20 minutes Baking time: 30 minutes ¼ cup butter, at room temperature ¾ cup sugar 1 ½ tsp baking powder 2 eggs 1 tsp pure vanilla extract ½ teaspoon pure almond extract 2 tsp freshly grated orange zest ½ cup toasted and coarsely chopped almonds (also works with hazelnuts) 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg ¼ tsp salt 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with oil. 2. In a small bowl, using an electric mixer, cream the butter, sugar, and baking powder until light. Add eggs, vanilla, almond extract, and grated orange peel and mix well. Fold in the almonds 3. In a mixing bowl, sift together flour, nutmeg, and salt. With a rubber spatula, fold in the wet ingredients until the dough is uniform and holds together when pressed into a ball. 4. Use the spatula or your hands to scoop the dough onto the baking sheet. Form the dough into a 12-inch x 3 inch diameter log shape. Then press down on the log, flattening it to a thickness of about 1 inch. The length and width of the flattened log should be about 14 x 4 inches. 5. Bake on the top rack of the oven for about 20 minutes, until the dough is firm and just slightly brown. Remove from the oven and transfer the log to a cutting board. When cool enough to handle, slice crosswise into ¾ inch pieces. Lay each biscotti cut side up on the baking sheet. Bake for about 5 minutes on each side, using tongs to flip them. Cool on a rack. 6. When completely cool, store in an airtight container. Serve with your favorite hot beverage. Almond Biscotti 8 From Moosewood Restaurant Book of Desserts Yield: About 24 biscotti Preparation time: 30 minutes Baking time: about 1 hour ¼ cup butter, at room temperature 2/3 cup sugar 1 tsp baking powder ½ tsp salt 2 eggs 1 tsp pure vanilla extract 1 tbs brandy, chocolate liqueur, or hazelnut-flavored liqueur, such as Frangelico ½ cup toasted and coarsely chopped hazelnuts with skins removed 2 cups all-purpose flour ½ cup chopped pitted dates ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with oil. 2. Using an electric mixer, cream the butter, sugar, baking powder, and salt until light. Add eggs, vanilla, and liqueur and mix well. Sift in the flour and mix well. Fold in the hazelnuts, dates, and chocolate chips until the dough is uniform and holds together when pressed into a ball. 3. Use the spatula or your hands to scoop the dough onto the baking sheet. Form the dough into a 12-inch x 3-inch diameter log shape. Then press down on the log, flattening it to a thickness of about 1 inch. The length and width of the flattened log should be about 14 x 4 inches. 4. Bake on the top rack of the oven for 30 to 35 minutes until the dough is set and firm. Reduce the temperature to 325 degrees. Remove the biscotti from the oven and transfer the log to a cutting board. When cool enough to handle, slice crosswise into ¾ –inch pieces. Lay each biscotti cut side up on the baking sheet and bake for another 25 to 30 minutes until firm and lightly browned. 5. When completely cool, store in an airtight container. Serve with your favorite hot beverage. Date Hazelnut Biscotti 9 Adapted from Moosewood Restaurant New Classics Yield: About 20 biscotti Preparation time: 20 minutes Baking time: 35 - 40 minutes ½ cup (2 ¼ oz) dried cherries (dried tart Montmarte cherries from Trader Joe’s are especially good). 1 cup water ¼ cup butter, at room temperature ¾ cup sugar 1 ½ tsp baking powder 2 eggs 1 tsp pure vanilla extract 1 teaspoon pure almond extract ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips 2 cups plus 2 tbs unbleached white flour 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder ½ tsp salt 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with oil. 2. In a small saucepan, heat the cherries and water just to boiling, and then remove from the heat and set aside. 3. Using an electric mixer, cream the butter, sugar, and baking powder in a large bowl until light. Add eggs, vanilla and almond extracts and mix well. 4. Drain the cherries, place them on a paper towel to absorb any extra moisture, and stir them into the batter. 5. In a mixing bowl, sift together flour, cocoa, and salt. With a rubber spatula, fold in the wet ingredients until the dough is uniform and holds together when pressed into a ball. 6. Scoop the dough onto the baking sheet. Form the dough into a 12-inch x 3 inch diameter log shape. Then press down on the log, flattening it to a thickness of about 1 inch. The length and width of the flattened log should be about 14 x 4 inches. 7. Bake on the top rack of the oven for 25-30 minutes, until the dough is firm and just slightly brown. Remove from the oven and transfer the log to a cutting board. When cool enough to handle, slice crosswise into ¾ –inch pieces. Lay each biscotti cut side up on the baking sheet. Bake for about 5 minutes on each side, using tongs to flip them. Cool on a rack. 8. When completely cool, store in an airtight container. Serve with your favorite hot beverage. Black Forest Biscotti 0 Adapted from Dessert Circus, by Jacques Torres Dame blanche are traditional French cookies, usually two heart-shaped pieces sandwiching raspberry jam. Any shape or jam can be substituted, but I love the look of the traditional recipe. Yield: About 26 cookies. For the dough: ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and cubed ½ cup almond flour ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons powdered sugar 2 large eggs 1 vanilla bean 1 cup cake flour 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour Pinch salt For assembly: ½ cup raspberry jam ¼ cup powdered sugar. 1. Place the butter, almond flour and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Mix with an electric mixer on medium speed, adding the eggs one at a time, until the mixture resembles scrambled eggs. Using a sharp knife, slice the vanilla bean in half lengthwise. Scraping out the seeds using the blade of the knife or a small metal spatula. Add the vanilla seeds, cake flour, all-purpose flour and salt to the butter mixture and mix on medium speed just until everything is incorporated, about 1 minute. Do not overmix. 2. Remove the dough from the bowl to a lightly floured work surface and pat it into a rectangle. Wrap in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to allow the dough to stiffen. (The dough can be made in advance and refrigerated overnight.) 3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and place on a lightly floured work surface and roll out to a 1/8-inch-thick rectangle. Using a 2 ½-inch-wide heart-shaped (or any other desired shape) cookie cutter, stamp out as many cookies in the dough as you can. Pat together any leftover dough and gently roll it out to use for more cookies. Place the cookies 1 inch apart on a parchment covered baking sheet. 4. Use a knife or smaller heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut the centers from half of the cookies in the shape of a heart. Bake the cookies until they are golden brown, about 10 minutes. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and place the cookies on a wire rack and allow to cool completely. 5. Spread a thin layer of jam on each on the cookies without the center cut-out about ¼ inch from the edge of the cookie and set aside. Sprinkle the cut-out cookies with powdered sugar through a fine mesh sieve and then sandwich the cutout tops and the bottoms together. Dame Blanche  Adapted from “Dessert Circus,” by Jacques Torres These cookies are gorgeous and dramatic, and they have a light and sophisticated flavor - perfect for a party or as a gift. They are also quite easy to make using a technique I devised which makes use of plastic zip bags. The cookies are not too sweet and well-suited for coffee or tea. Yield: About 40 spiral cookies. For the plain dough: ½ vanilla bean ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and cubed 1 cup plus 1 ½ tablespoons powdered sugar 4 large egg yolks Zest of ½ orange, grated Pinch baking powder Pinch salt 2 cups all-purpose flour For the chocolate dough: ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and cubed ½ vanilla bean 1 cup plus 1 ½ tablespoons powdered sugar 4 large egg yolks Zest of ½ orange, grated Pinch baking powder Pinch salt 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour ½ cup cocoa powder To make the plain dough: 1. Using a sharp knife, slice the vanilla bean in half lengthwise. Separate the seeds from the skin by scraping the blade of the knife (or even better, a small metal spatula) along the inside of the bean. 2. Place the butter, sugar, egg yolks, vanilla bean seeds and orange zest in a medium sized mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer on low speed until the ingredients are combined, about 1 minute. 3. Sift the baking powder, salt and flour and add to the butter mixture. Beat on low speed just until combined, about 1 minute. Do not overmix. 4. Remove the dough from the bowl and place it into a gallon-sized plastic zip bag (about 11 x 11 inches). Roll the dough on the outside of the bag with a rolling pin until it is in a uniform layer filling the area of the bag. Press out any air and seal the bag. Place on a flat surface or baking sheet in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. To make the chocolate dough: 5. Using a sharp knife, slice the vanilla bean in half lengthwise. Separate the seeds from the skin by scraping the blade of the knife (or even better, a small metal spatula) along the inside of the bean. 6. Place the butter, sugar, egg yolks, vanilla bean seeds and orange zest in a medium sized mixing bowl and beat Spiral Shortbread Cookies  with an electric mixer on low speed until the ingredients are combined, about 1 minute. 7. Combine the baking powder, salt, cocoa powder and flour and add to the butter mixture all at once. Beat on low speed just until combined, about 1 minute. Do not overmix. 8. Remove the dough from the bowl and place it into a gallon-sized plastic zip bag (about 11 x 11 inches). Roll the dough on the outside of the bag with a rolling pin until it is in a uniform layer filling the area of the bag. Press out any air and seal the bag. Place on a flat surface or baking sheet in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. To make the spiral pattern: 9. Preheat an oven to 400 degrees. 10. Remove the doughs from the refrigerator and cut open the seams of the plastic bags. 11. Designate one of the doughs to be the bottom layer, and keep it in place on top of the plastic. Brush the bottom layer of dough with a thin coat of water using a pastry brush. Carefully place the other dough on top of the bottom layer, matching the edges as closely as you can. Brush the top dough with another thin coat of water to help the dough stick to itself. 12. First, gently press the two doughs together. Starting at one edge, roll the dough together, us the plastic bag like a sushi mat and roll the dough jelly-roll style, pressing the roll together as you go. Put in the refrigerator for another 30 minutes or so until hard. 13. Using a sharp knife or pastry cutter, cut the cylinder into ½-inch thick slices and lay the cookies on a lightlyoiled baking sheet about ½-inch apart. 14. Bake for about 15 minutes until lightly browned and cool on a wire rack.  Adapted from Recchiuti Confections in San Francisco This is one of the best brownie recipes I’ve found. For best results, make sure to use premium unsweetened high-cacao chocolate, such as Valrhona or Scharffen Berger. Total time: 1 hour Servings: 12 to 16 1 cup (2 sticks) softened butter 5 ounces top-quality unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped 2 cups sugar 4 eggs 1 ½ teaspoons salt 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour, sifted 1 cup top-quality semisweet (62% cacao) chocolate, cut into chunks (5 ounces) High-quality cocoa powder 1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9-inch square pan with parchment paper and spray with nonstick spray. 2. Place the butter and unsweetened chocolate in a double boiler over simmering water. Melt until smooth. Cool until warm to the touch, then stir in the sugar. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs and salt. Fold the chocolate mixture into the egg mixture. Fold in the flour until just incorporated, being careful not to overmix. Fold in the semisweet chocolate chunks. 4. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake 45 to 50 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time. When finished, a skewer inserted in the center will come out looking damp. The edges will be crusty, and the center will feel slightly firm. Do not overbake; the brownies will be dense, soft and fudgy. 5. Cool for at least an hour before cutting the brownies into pieces and sprinkling them with cocoa powder. Recchiuti fudgy brownies 4 Seven-layer Bars These bar cookies are colorful and moist and have a really nice almond flavor. The trick to making the layers is to make creative use of parchment paper. With this technique, it shouldn’t be too difficult to get impressivelooking results. Yield: about 40 4 large eggs, separated 1 cup sugar 8oz almond paste (American Almond brand works well) 2 ½ sticks (1 ¼ cups) unsalted butter, softened 1 teaspoon almond extract 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour ½ teaspoon salt 25 drops red food coloring 25 drops green food coloring 12oz apricot preserves (low-sugar works well) 7 oz fine-quality bittersweet chocolate, chopped 1. Tear off three sheets of parchment paper each measuring about 17x13 inches. Place a 13x9-inch baking pan in the middle of a piece of parchment paper and trace around it. Cut out rectangles from the corners of the parchment paper to the corners of your traced outlines, so that your paper now looks like a large rectangle with flaps on all four sides. The idea is to create a sheet which covers the bottom and sides of the inside of the pan. Repeat with the two other sheets. 2. Beat egg whites in mixer fitted with whisk attachment at medium-high speed until they just hold stiff peaks. Add ¼ cup sugar a little at a time, beating at high speed until whites hold stiff, slightly glossy peaks. Set aside. 3. In another bowl, beat together almond paste and remaining ¾ cup sugar until well blended, about 3 minutes. Add butter and beat until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add yolks and almond extract and beat until combined well, about 2 minutes. Reduce speed to low, then sift in flour and salt and mix until just combined. 4. Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Fold half of egg white mixture into almond mixture to lighten, then fold in remaining whites gently but thoroughly with a rubber spatula. 5. Divide batter among 3 bowls. It’s easiest to do this by weighing the batter. Stir red food coloring into one and green food coloring into another, leaving the third batch plain. Set white and green batter aside. Place one piece of prepared parchment paper on a flat surface and carefully pour the red batter onto the middle of the paper. Spread to the edges of your outline with an offset spatula and even out your layer as much as possible (layer will be about ¼ inch thick). Transfer your sheet to the pan. 6. Bake red layer 8 to 10 minutes, until just set. (it is important to undercook.) While the red layer is baking, prepare the other two layers on the remaining two sheets of parchment paper. 7. Remove red layer from the pan using the flaps on your parchment paper, and transfer layer to a rack to cool, about 15 minutes. Transfer the white layer to the pan and bake as above until just set. Transfer white layer to a rack and then bake the green layer the same way. Transfer to a rack to cool. 5 8. When all layers are cool, transfer the green layer to the same baking pan, still on the baking sheet. Spread with half of the chestnut paste. Invert the white layer on top of green layer, and peel the paper off of the top. Spread with remaining preserves. Invert red layer on top of white layer, keep the paper on. 9. Place a large baking pan (works best if it’s the same size as the original pan) on top of the parchment paper of the red layer to compress the layers. Chill for at least 8 hours. 10. Remove weight and parchment paper. Bring layers to room temperature. Heat a saucepan or a double boiler of water to barely simmering. Turn off heat. Melt the chocolate on top of the double boiler or in a metal bowl set over the pan of warm water, stirring until smooth. Keep the chocolate over the warm water so it stays melted. 11. Place a baking sheet on top of your pan and invert the layers onto it. Remove the parchment paper on top. Square the edges of assembled layers with a knife. Quickly spread half of chocolate in a thin layer on top. Chill, uncovered, until chocolate is firm, about 15 minutes. Cover the layer with another baking sheet and invert. Quickly spread with remaining chocolate. Chill until firm, about 30 minutes. 12. Cut lengthwise into 4 strips. Cut strips crosswise into ¾-inch-wide cookies. 6 Adapted from Moosewood Restaurant Book of Desserts Yields about 40 Preparation time: 20 - 25 Baking time: 30 minutes per batch Equipment: 2 baking sheets, food processor, pastry brush Using a food processor makes this recipe quick and easy. 3 cups unbleached white pastry or cake flour ½ tsp salt 1 ½ tsp baking powder 1 cup sugar ¾ cup cold butter 2 tsp pure vanilla extract 3 eggs, lightly beaten ½ cup sesame seeds. 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter or oil the baking sheets. 2. Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of a food processor or mixing bowl. Cut the butter into ½-inch cubes and work it into the dry ingredients until just crumbly. Combine the vanilla and the beaten eggs and add to the flour mixture. Process, pulsing, or beat until the dough is just moistened and uniform. 3. If the dough seems too soft to handle, place in the freezer or refrigerator for 15 - 30 minutes. Place the sesame seeds in a shallow bowl or plate. On a lightly floured surface, divide the dough into four equal parts and shape each part into a very thin log – about 18 inches long and ½ inch in diameter. Moisten each log with water using a pastry brush, cut the log into 10 cylindrical cookies, and roll the edges of each cookie in the sesame seeds. A simpler technique which yields less elegant cookies is to make drop cookies, this time mixing the sesame seeds in with the dough with a spatula. You don’t need to refrigerate the dough for this technique. Simply use a small ice cream scoop to drop scoops of dough onto the cookie sheet 1 inch apart. Bake until golden and firm, about 30 minutes, rotating the cookie sheets halfway through the cooking. Italian Sesame Cookies 7 Adapted from Moosewood Restaurant Book of Desserts Yields about 24 Preparation time: 35 minutes Chilling Time: 1 hour Baking time: 20 to 25 minutes per batch Equipment: 2 baking sheets, food processor, rolling pin ½ cup shelled pistachios, unsalted 2/3 cup confectioners’ sugar 2 tsp pure vanilla extract 1 cup butter 1 tsp pure orange extract 2 cups unbleached white flour 24 whole shelled pistachios for decorating 1. Toast the ½ cup of pistachios in a 350 degree oven for about 15 minutes, stirring once or twice, until lightly browned. Alternatively, toast the pistachios on the stove in a heavy pan over very low heat until lightly browned an aromatic. Cool completely. 2. In a food processor, process the nuts until finely ground. Add the sugar, vanilla, and orange extract and continue processing until well mixed. Add the butter a few tablespoons at a time, processing until completely blended. Add the flour and pulse until just incorporated. Don’t overwork To make shortbread wedges: 3. With a rubber spatula, turn out the dough and divide it into fourths. Flatten each piece into a disk, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for about 1 hour. 4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line the baking sheets with parchment paper to absorb any excess butter. Place each disk on a well-floured surface and roll it out into a circle about 4 to 5 inches in diameter and ¼ inch thick. Slide each shortbread disk onto the baking sheet and score into 6 wedges. Decorate each wedge with a single pistachio. 5. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the top third of the oven. Rotate the cookie sheet once midway through baking. Remove the cookies from the oven and, while warm, cut each disk into 6 wedges. Cool completely before storing in a tightly covered container. To make shortbread drop cookies: 3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line the baking sheets with parchment paper to absorb any excess butter. 4. Using a small ice cream scoop, scoop out the cookie dough onto the cookie sheets and decorate them with pistachios 5. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in the top third of the oven. Cool completely before storing in a tightly covered container. Pistachio Shortbread 8 Cakes Double-chocolate layer cake I use this recipe whenever I want to make a basic chocolate cake. It takes a little extra work, but the result is a rich, moist, truffle-like cake that is certainly worth the effort. This recipe makes quite a bit of cake, so it’s perfect for special occasions. The same recipe also works well for cupcakes. Total time: 1 hour, 30 minutes Servings: 12 to 14 Chocolate ganache icing 1 cup heavy cream 2 tbs sugar 2 tbs light corn syrup 8 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces Cake 2 ½ cups flour 3 cups granulated sugar 1 ½ cups cocoa powder 2 tsp baking soda ¾ tsp baking powder 1 ¼ teaspoons salt 3 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped 1 ½ cups hot coffee 3 whole eggs ¾ cup vegetable oil ¾ teaspoon pure vanilla extract 1 ½ cups buttermilk Ganache 1. Place the cream, sugar and corn syrup in a heavy bottomed, non-reactive saucepan and slowly bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and whisk in the chopped chocolate until it is completely melted and smooth. Whisk in the butter, one piece at a time, and pour into a bowl to cool completely. (At this point, the ganache may be kept covered and refrigerated 3 days.) 2. If refrigerated, allow the ganache to return to room temperature and stir until smooth before icing the cake. Cake 1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter 2 (10-inch) round cake pans and dust with flour. Place rounds of parchment paper on the bottoms of the pans. 2. Sift together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a large bowl and set aside. Place the chopped chocolate in a bowl and pour the hot coffee over it. Stir until the chocolate has completely melted. Set aside. 4. Beat the eggs in a mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the oil, vanilla, butter- 9 milk and the coffee-chocolate mixture and mix slowly until combined well. Add the dry ingredients and mix on slow speed until combined. Increase the speed to medium and mix for 2 more minutes. 5. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pans. Bake until a cake tester inserted in center of cake comes out clean, approximately 45 minutes. Allow to cool completely. If necessary, loosen the cake from the sides of the pan with a knife or spatula. 6. Fill and ice the cake with the chocolate ganache icing. 0 White Chocolate Filled Chocolate Cupcakes Yield: 12 cupcakes 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour 1 cup granulated sugar ½ cup sifted cocoa powder 1 teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon salt 1 large egg 1 stick unsalted butter, softened ½ cup buttermilk 1 teaspoon vanilla extract ½ cup hot water White Chocolate Filling, recipe follows 16 maraschino cherries, garnish 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 12-cup muffin tin with oil. 2. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the remaining ingredients, adding the hot water last. Beat with an electric mixer until smooth. Divide the batter evenly among the greased muffin tin wells. Bake until the cupcakes are puffed and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. 3. Cool to room temperature in the tins. Run a thin, sharp knife around the sides of the muffin cups to loosen the cupcakes, and carefully lift out. Place the cupcakes on a work surface. 4. Transfer the white chocolate filling to a pastry bag fitted with a small tip. With a small paring knife, cut a small plug from the top of each cupcake, reserving the plug, and scoop out a hole in the center of each cupcake to hold the filling. Place the tip in the cupcake and pipe in the filling to fill the hole. Replace the plug and place the cupcake upright. Pipe a small amount of filling on top to hide the plug and top with a cherry. Arrange the cupcakes on a platter and serve. Variation : For white yellow cupcakes, omit the cocoa powder White Chocolate Filling 4 ounces white chocolate, chopped ¼ cup milk 4 ounces cream cheese ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract In the top of a double boiler, combine the white chocolate and milk. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring, until the chocolate is melted. Let cool to room temperature. In a bowl, beat the cream cheese, and vanilla. Gradually add the cooled chocolate and beat until smooth. Chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours before filling cupcakes. Use to fill the chocolate cupcakes as directed.  Opera Cake A traditional opera cake is made from very thin layers of cake, coffee buttercream, and coffee mousse and covered with a chocolate glaze. I find that chocolate glaze makes the cake a little too sweet, however, so I use ganache instead. This version also has thicker layers than typical opera cake. It’s makes a truly grand presentation, and it’s meant for a very special occasion. Cake 4 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped 2 cups all purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking soda ½ teaspoon salt 2 cups brown sugar, packed ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature 3 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract 4 large eggs 1 cup sour cream ½ cup crème de cacao ½ cup freshly brewed coffee, lukewarm Buttercream 8 ounces imported milk chocolate, chopped ½ cup sugar 4 large egg yolks 2 tablespoons water 2 tablespoons light corn syrup ¾ cup unsalted butter, room temperature Coffee Mousse ½ cup half and half 4 tablespoons sugar 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder or coffee powder 4 large egg yolks 1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin or 1/2 tsp granulated agar agar softened in 2 tbs of water for 10 minutes 1 cup chilled whipping cream 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Chocolate ganache icing 1 cup heavy cream 1/8 cup sugar 1/8 cup light corn syrup 8 oz pound bittersweet chocolate, chopped 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces For cake: 1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Butter two 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 2-inch-high sides; line bottoms with parchment paper rounds. Dust pans with flour; tap out excess. Melt chocolate in top of double boiler over simmering water, stirring until melted and smooth. Remove from over water. Cool to lukewarm. Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat sugar, butter, and vanilla in large bowl to  blend. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition and stopping occasionally to scrape down the sides of bowl. Gradually beat in lukewarm melted chocolate. Beat in dry ingredients in 3 additions alternately with sour cream in 2 additions, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Gradually beat in crème de cacao and coffee. Divide batter evenly between prepared pans, and smooth the tops with an offset spatula. 2. Bake cakes until toothpick inserted into centers comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Cool cakes in pans completely. 3. For buttercream: Melt milk chocolate in top of double boiler over simmering water, stirring until smooth. Remove from over water. Whisk sugar, egg yolks, 2 tablespoons water, and corn syrup in a medium metal bowl to blend. Add ¼ cup butter. Set bowl over saucepan of simmering water; whisk constantly until the mixture reaches 170°F, about 4 minutes. Remove bowl from over water. Using electric mixer, beat until completely cool and thick, about 6 minutes. Gradually beat in ½ cup butter about 1 tablespoon at a time, fully incorporating each addition and stopping occasionally to scrape down sides of bowl. Beat in lukewarm melted chocolate. 4. For ganache: Heat the cream, sugar, and corn syrup on medium until just boiling. Pour hot cream over chocolate and whisk until chocolate is completely melted and the mixture is smooth. Whisk in the butter. Cool. 5. For coffee mousse: Bring half and half, 2 tablespoons sugar, and espresso powder to simmer in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Whisk egg yolks and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar in medium bowl to blend. Gradually whisk hot half and half mixture into yolk mixture. Slowly return mixture to saucepan and stir constantly over medium heat until thermometer registers 160°F, about 2 minutes. Pour into a large bowl. Add softened gelatin, and stir until dissolved. Using electric mixer, beat until cool, about 10 minutes. Using clean dry beaters, beat cream and vanilla in medium bowl until stiff peaks form. Fold whipped cream into coffee mixture. 6. Cut each cake layer horizontally in half. Place 1 cake layer in bottom of 9-inch-diameter springform pan. Cover with ¾ cup buttercream. Place second cake layer atop buttercream; cover with mousse. Top with third cake layer. Refrigerate 1 hour to allow mousse to set. Spread ¾ cup buttercream over third cake layer. Top with fourth cake layer (cake will rise above rim of pan). Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight. 7. Run knife around pan sides to loosen cake. Release pan sides. Scrape excess mousse from sides of cake. Transfer cake on springform pan bottom to a rack set over baking sheet. Pour ganache over cake, allowing it to drip down edges onto baking sheet. Use a spatula to spread ganache over any uncovered spots. Refrigerate at least 2 hours to allow ganache to set. This step can be done up to a couple of days ahead. Keep the cake refrigerated until you are about to use it, and let stand at room temperature for 1 hour before serving. Makes 12 servings.  Gâteau de Crêpes A crepe cake takes a lot of work, but it makes a gorgeous presentation and tastes wonderful. Serves 10 For the crepe batter: 6 tablespoons butter 3 cups milk 6 eggs 1 ½ cups flour 7 tablespoons sugar Pinch salt For the vanilla pastry cream: 2 cups milk 1 vanilla bean, halved and scraped 6 egg yolks ½ cup sugar 1/3 cup cornstarch, sifted 3 ½ tablespoons butter For the assembly: Corn oil ¼ oz gelatin or 2 tsp agar agar granules 1 cup heavy cream 3 tablespoons powdered sugar or more to taste 3 tablespoons Kirsch Confectioners’ sugar. 1. The day before you want to make the cake, make the crepe batter and the pastry cream. Batter: In a small pan, cook the butter on medium heat until brown and aromatic. Set aside. In another small pan, heat the milk until steaming; allow to cool for 10 minutes. In a mixer on medium-low speed, beat together the eggs, flour, sugar and salt. Slowly add the hot milk and browned butter, whisking continuously and making sure not to scramble the eggs. Pour into a container with a spout, cover and refrigerate overnight. 2. Pastry cream: Bring the milk with the vanilla bean and seeds to a boil, and set aside for 10 minutes. Remove the vanilla bean and save for later use. Fill a large bowl with ice and set aside a small bowl that can hold the finished pastry cream and be placed in this ice bath. 3. In a medium heavy-bottomed pan, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar and cornstarch. Gradually whisk in the hot milk, then place pan over high heat and bring to a boil, whisking vigorously for 1 to 2 minutes. Press the pastry cream through a fine-meshed sieve into the small bowl. Set the bowl in the ice bath and stir until the temperature reaches 140 degrees on an instant-read thermometer. Stir in the butter. When completely cool, cover and refrigerate overnight. 4. The next day: Bring the batter to room temperature. Place a nonstick or crepe pan over medium heat. Spray the surface with the oil, then add about 3 tablespoons batter and swirl to cover the surface. Cook until the bottom just begins to brown, about 1 minute, then flip the crepe. Cook on the other side for no longer than 5 sec- 4 onds. Flip the crepe onto a baking sheet. Repeat until you have used all of the batter. 5. For an extra-smooth pastry cream, pass it through a sieve once more. If using gelatin, sprinkle it over ¼ cup water and let it hydrate for about 10 minutes. Pour the gelatin into a small saucepan, stir in a small amount of pastry cream, and heat until the gelatin is completely dissolved. If using agar, sprinkle agar over 1/3 cup of water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Whisk gelatin or agar into the pastry cream, incorporating fully. Whip the heavy cream with the tablespoon sugar and the Kirsch. Fold it into the pastry cream. 6. Line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with the best-looking crepes, overlapping the crepes and making sure the entire bottom and sides are covered. It looks nicest when you place the crepes in the same direction. Using an icing spatula, spread about half of the pastry cream into the crepe-lined pan. Cover with four layers of crepes. Spread the remaining pastry cream into the pan, and cover with remaining crepes. Chill overnight until pastry cream is set. Place a cake plate upside down over the pan and invert both. Release the cake from the springform pan. If you have a blowtorch for creme brulee, sprinkle the top of the cake with 2 tablespoons sugar and caramelize with the torch. Slice like a cake and serve. Variations: This cake works well with a variety of flavors for the pastry cream filling. For green tea flavored cake, omit sugar and kirsch in the whipped cream and replace with one cup powdered green tea bubble tea mix. For the photo, I added purple yam (ube) powder from the Phillipines. 5 Adapted from Moosewood Restaurant Book of Desserts This cake is absolutely delicious. The cake is very moist and creamy with the subtle taste of coconut, and the tart lemon filling tastes like the essence of fresh lemons. Preparation time: 20 minutes for the cake, 25 minutes for curd while the cake bakes Baking time: 40 minutes to an hour Cooling time: 40 minutes for cake Chilling time: 1 hour for lemon curd Equipment: two 9-in round cake pans, electric mixer, small nonreactive saucepan Serves 12 to 16 Cake 1 cup butter, at room temperature 2 cups sugar 1 tbs baking powder ½ tsp salt 1 cup coconut milk 2 tsp pure vanilla extract 2 ½ cups unbleached white flour 6 egg whites Lemon curd filling 1 tbs freshly grated lemon zest 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice ¾ cup sugar 3 eggs ½ cup butter, at room temperature 1 cup heavy cream ½ cup toasted coconut flakes 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour the cake pans 2. Using an electric mixture with clean, dry beaters and a clean bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. 3. Without a need to wash the beaters from the egg whites, cream the butter, sugar, baking powder, and salt until light and fluffy in the electric mixer. In a separate bowl, mix together the coconut milk and vanilla. Add half of the milk mixture to the butter and sugar mixture and beat until well-blended. Sift the flour into another bowl and discard any lumps. Add the sifted mixture to the butter mixture and stir well. Thoroughly mix in the remaining milk mixture. The batter will be very heavy. 4. Fold the beaten whites into the batter until no trace of white remains. Pour the batter into the prepared pan(s) and bake until the tip of a knife inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Cool on a rack in the pans. 5. While the cake is baking, make the lemon curd. In the saucepan, whisk together the lemon zest, juice, sugar, and eggs. Cook the mixture on medium heat, whisking constantly until the curd thickens, about 5 to 7 minutes. Coconut Lemon Layer Cake 6 Remove from the heat. For a smoother curd, pour the curd through a fine-mesh strainer to remove the lemon peel and any bits of egg. Whisk in the butter a little at a time. Cool and refrigerate the curd until set, about 1 hour. 6. When the cake has baked and cooled, invert one layer onto a cake plate and spread about half of the chilled curd between on top. Then place the other layer flat side down onto the curd. 7. Whip the cream until stiff and stir in the remaining lemon curd. Spread the shipped lemon cream over the cake and chill well. Sprinkle with toasted coconut flakes before serving. 7 Orange Coconut Angelfood Cake From Moosewood Restaurant Book of Desserts Preparation time: 25 – 30 minutes Baking time: 45 minutes Cooling time: 1 ½ to 2 hours Equipment: electric mixer, 10-inch tube pan, preferably with removable bottom Serves 12 1 cup unbleached white pastry or cake flour ¼ tsp salt 1 ½ cups sugar 1 tbs freshly grated orange peel 1 ½ cups egg whites, at room temperature (from about 10 large eggs) 1 tsp cream of tartar 2 tsp pure coconut extract 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 2. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, salt, and ¾ cup of the sugar. Sift twice more. Stir in the orange peel and set aside. 3. Using an electric mixture with clean, dry beaters and a clean bowl, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar on medium speed until soft peaks form. Increase the speed to high and gradually add the remaining ¾ cup of sugar, a tablespoon or two at a time. Beat until stiff, glossy peaks are formed. Be careful not to overbeat. 4. Sprinkle the coconut extract over the whites and fold it in with a rubber spatula. Sprinkle about 1/3 cup of the flour mixture over the whites and gently fold it in. Repeat until all of the flour is incorporated. 5. Pour the batter into the unoiled tube pan and run a knife through it in a zigzag pattern to deflate any large air pockets. Bake until the cake is puffed and golden and springs back to the touch, about 45 minutes. Invert the pan on its feet or on a long-necked bottle and cool completely, 1 ½ to 2 hours. When cool, loosen the cake by carefully running a knife around the edges, and remove to a serving platter. 8 Chinese Sponge Cake This lovely steamed cake is beloved by the Chinese for its moist texture and subtle, not-too-sweet flavor. Replace the eggs with an equivalent weight of egg whites for a delicious steamed version of angel food cake. 400g (14 oz) eggs 250g (9 oz) unbleached all-purpose flour 200g (7 oz) sugar 4 Tbs vegetable oil 2 Tbs evaporated milk ¼ Tbs baking powder 1 Tbs almond or vanilla extract. Black sesame seeds for garnish 1. Beat the eggs until foamy. Add half of the sugar and beat until dissolved. Mix the cooking oil, evaporated milk, baking powder, flour, sugar, and extract until blended. Add to the egg mixture and mix until well-blended. 2. Line a cake pan with plastic wrap and pour in the batter. Sprinkle black sesame seeds over the top. Place in a steamer and steam over high heat for 40 minute. 9 Pie Butternut Squash Pie Time: About 2 ½ hours Yield: 8 servings. For the filling: 1 medium butternut squash, about 3 pounds 10 ounces (1 1/3 cups) cream cheese, at room temperature 1 cup sugar 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon ground ginger 3/8 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg (about ¼ of a nutmeg) ½ teaspoon salt 1 ½ tablespoons brandy 2 eggs at room temperature For the crust: 3/8 cup (2 ounces) walnuts ½ cup, packed, light brown sugar 3/8 cup graham cracker crumbs (about 7 crackers) Grated zest of 1 lime 3/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger 3/8 teaspoon salt ¼ cup (2 ounces) unsalted butter, melted Crème fraîche, for garnish (optional) 1. Cut the squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Bring an inch of water to a boil in a large covered pot fitted with a steamer basket or rack. Put in squash, cover and steam, replenishing water as needed, until fork tender, about 1 hour. Turn squash over halfway through steaming. Set squash aside until cool enough to handle. 2. Heat oven to 325 degrees. For crust, place walnuts on a baking tray, and toast in the oven, stirring once or twice, until fragrant, about 15 minutes. Let cool. Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees. 3. In a food processor, combine walnuts with a few tablespoons of the brown sugar and pulse a few times, until nuts are coarsely ground. In a large bowl, whisk nuts with graham cracker crumbs, remaining brown sugar, lime zest, spices and salt. Pour the melted butter over this mixture, and mix until butter is distributed. Press evenly into a 10-inch glass pie pan. Bake crust until lightly browned, about 12 minutes, and set aside. Keep oven at 300 degrees. 4. When squash is cool, scoop squash flesh into a measuring cup until you have 2 ½ cups. I just leave the skin on. In a food processor, process cream cheese with sugar, spices and salt until light and smooth. Scrape down bowl, add squash and process until smooth. Mix in brandy and then eggs, one at a time. Finish mixing with a rubber spatula. 5. Place the pie pan on a baking sheet and scrape the filling onto the crust. Bake until just set in center, about 1 hour. Let cool and chill until set. If desired, top with a dollop of crème fraîche before serving. 40 Cheesecake Water Grill cheesecake Total time: 1 hour, 25 minutes, plus 2 hours chilling Servings: 10 to 12 This is my favorite cheesecake recipe, and it comes from the Water Grill restaurant in Los Angeles. The texture of this cheesecake is delicate and the crust and sauce are infused with the subtle flavor of ginger. Cheesecake batter 12 ounces cream cheese, softened ½ cup sugar Seeds from ½ vanilla bean 2 eggs 1 egg white 1 teaspoon vanilla extract ¼ cup lemon juice 4 ½ ounces crème fraîche 1 ½ cups heavy whipping cream Ginger cornmeal crust 3 tablespoons softened butter 3 tablespoons sugar 5 tablespoons flour ¼ cup instant cornmeal (polenta) ½ teaspoon ground ginger Ginger berry sauce 2 pints blackberries 2 pints raspberries 6 tablespoons sugar 3 ounces fresh ginger, sliced For the crust: Heat the oven to 325 degrees. Place the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat to a creamy consistency. Once the mixture is smooth, add the flour, cornmeal and ginger, and mix to combine. Press the dough evenly into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan. Bake until golden brown, about 8 to 10 minutes. For the filling: 1. Place the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla bean seeds in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat until smooth. Beat in the eggs and egg white, scraping down the sides of the bowl. Add the vanilla extract, lemon juice, crème fraîche and cream and mix well. Pour into the baked crust and bake until the center is set, 50 to 55 minutes. Refrigerate the cheesecake 2 to 4 hours before removing it from the pan. For the topping: Set aside half the blackberries and half the raspberries. Combine the remaining blackberries and raspberries, the sugar and the ginger in a saucepan. Cook on low to medium heat until the berries have released of all their juices, about 15 minutes. Strain through a fine strainer, pressing down with a wooden spoon, and return the liquid to the saucepan, discarding the solids. Cook until the sauce is reduced by two-thirds. Drizzle the sauce over the chilled cheesecake and garnish with the reserved berries. 4 Miscellaneous Desserts Vanilla Souffle Prep Time: 45 minutes Cook Time: 40 minutes Yield: 4 to 6 servings 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted ¼ cup granulated sugar 1 1/3 cups milk or soymilk 1 vanilla bean 1/3 cup plus 1 ½ tablespoons granulated sugar 1/3 cup all-purpose flour 1 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter, softened 4 large eggs, separated Confectioners’ sugar 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Brush 4 to 6 individual souffle dishes (or a 7-cup souffle dish) well with melted butter. Put the sugar inside one dish and toss to coat, then tip the excess sugar into the next dish and repeat. Place the dishes in the refrigerator to chill. 2. Reserving 1/3 cup of the milk, place the remaining 1 cup in a large saucepan. Split the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape out the seeds. Add the vanilla bean and seeds to the milk and heat just to a boil. Turn off the heat and set aside to let the vanilla bean infuse. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk the 1/3 cup granulated sugar, the flour, and the reserved 1/3 cup milk. Add a little of the hot milk and whisk to combine, then add the flour mixture to the hot milk mixture in the saucepan, whisking immediately to combine. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, whisking occasionally. Simmer just until thickened, about 1 minute. Turn off the heat. Add the butter, stir, cover, and set aside for 15 minutes. Remove the vanilla bean and whisk in the egg yolks. 3. In a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip the egg whites in a clean dry bowl until soft peaks form. Add 1 ½ tablespoons sugar and continue whipping until stiff and glossy. Gently fold into the milk mixture. 4. Pour the mixture into the prepared dishes, filling them ¾ full. Run your thumb around the inside rim of each dish, making a shallow “moat” around the edge of the batter. This will help the souffles to rise straight up. Dust the surfaces with confectioners’ sugar. Bake in the center of the oven until puffed and light golden brown, 20 to 30 minutes. 4 From The New Moosewood Cookbook This is undoubtedly the best banana bread recipe I’ve ever used. While other banana breads tend to turn out dense and heavy, this one is incredibly moist, fluffy, and cake-like. The coffee and sesame seeds also add a depth of flavor most other recipes lack. Preparation time: 20 minutes Baking time: 35 to 50 minutes Equipment: baking sheets, beaters Yields about 12 – 16 servings 1 ½ cups butter, softened 1 ¾ cups brown sugar 4 eggs 2 ½ tsp vanilla extract ½ tsp almond extract 1 tsp grated orange zest 4 cups flour 1 tsp salt ½ tsp baking soda 1 tbs baking powder ½ tsp nutmeg 2 tsp cinnamon 2 cups pureed ripe bananas soaked in 1 cup strong black coffee Optional: ¼ cup sesame seeds 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease 2 standard-sized loaf pans or 1 rectangular cake pan. Sprinkle in the sesame seeds. Tilt and shake the pans to distribute the seeds. They will stick nicely. 2. Sift together the dry ingredients in a medium pan. Beat together butter or margarine and sugar in a large bowl. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. When the mixture is fluffy, stir in the vanilla and orange zest. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture alternately with the bananas, beginning and ending with the dry mixture. Mix just enough after each addition to combine – don’t overmix. 3. Spread the batter evenly in the pan(s), and bake 40 to 50 minutes (loaf pans) or 35 minutes (rectangular pan) – or until a probe inserted into the center comes out clean. For loaf pans: cool 10 minutes in the pan, then remove the cake from the pan and cool fully on a rack. Banana Bread 4 Grilled Chocolate Sandwiches A rich and unusual dessert. Yield: 6 to 8 sandwiches. 8 ounces dark (bittersweet) chocolate ½ cup heavy cream 12 to 16 slices of bread or brioche Handful of chocolate chips (about 1/3 cup) 3 to 4 tablespoons soft butter. 1. Chop the chocolate finely and set aside in a medium bowl. 2. Heat the cream in a small saucepan until just boiling and pour over the chopped chocolate. Let stand 1 minute, then whisk until smooth. Let the ganache cool until just slightly solid and spreadable, about 1 hour. 3. Spread a layer of the chocolate mixture ¼-inch thick (approximately 2 to 3 tablespoons) on half the bread sides to within about ¼ inch of the edges. Press about 2 teaspoons of the chocolate chips into the center of each filling. 4. Spread a bit of softened butter over one side of the remaining slices. Buttered side up, place the slice over each chocolate-spread slice and press lightly around the edges to seal. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes before putting on a grill or on a press. If you are using a skillet instead, freeze the sandwich 15 minutes. 5. Heat a grill or sandwich press or a large griddle or skillet over medium-high heat, and add the sandwiches. Press on one side only for a minute or two until the bread is nicely browned; the chocolate should be barely melted and not oozing out the side. If you are using a griddle or skillet, heat the sandwich first on the unbuttered side until lightly toasted, about 1 minute; turn the sandwich over and weight it down by placing a heavy pan on top of the sandwich. Toast for another minute, until golden. 44 Ice Cream Homemade ice cream is much better than store-bought, and I think it’s even better (and much cheaper) than the ice cream you can get at parlors like Baskin Robbins, Coldstone Creamery, or Ben and Jerry’s. What’s more, it’s fun and easy to make, and you can be creative and come up with your own flavors. Ice cream is also a great way to use up leftover cheesecake, cake, pies, and cookies. Just add them to the basic vanilla recipe right before freezing, and you’ve created a delicious new dessert. The Best Vanilla Ice Cream This recipe is the best I’ve come up with for homemade ice cream. While most home ice cream makers do not freeze to as low a temperature as commercial ones, this recipe will guarantee you a rich, silky, delicious ice cream with a texture almost like gelato. Using whole vanilla bean and high-quality cream makes a big difference in flavor, so don’t skimp in the ingredients. Experiment with added ingredients for variations. Yield: 1 quart 2 cups heavy cream 1 cup milk or soy milk 1 cup minus 2 tablespoons sugar 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped 1. With most home models you will need to place the bowl of the ice cream maker in the freezer the night before. You should also make the base the night before : Combine all ingredients in a large saucepan and place over medium heat. Place a frying or candy thermometer inside the pan. Stirring occasionally, bring the mixture to 170 degrees F. If you don’t have a thermometer, bring the mixture to barely a simmer. Do not let it boil Remove from heat and allow to cool. Pour the mixture into lidded container and refrigerate mixture overnight to mellow the flavors and texture. 2. Remove the vanilla bean and freeze mixture in ice cream freezer according to unit’s instructions. The mixture will not freeze hard in the machine. Once the volume has increased by ½ to ¾ times and reached a soft serve consistency, spoon the mixture back into a lidded container and harden in the freezer at least 1 hour before serving. Variations: For a delicious chocolate ice cream, whisk in ¼ - ½ cup of premium unsweetened cocoa powder while heating the cream, making sure to get rid of all the lumps. For green tea ice cream that tastes just like the kind you can get at Asian restaurants, whisk in ½ cup of green tea bubble tea mix while heating the cream, making sure to get rid of all the lumps. For an incredibly intense caramel-molasses flavored ice cream, substitute, half of the sugar for dark muscavado sugar. For creamy coconut ice cream, substitute one cup of the cream with coconut milk and add two tsp of coconut extract or coconut powder, if available. 45 Red-Wine Ice Cream This ice cream is sophisticated and intensely flavored. It definitely shows that ice cream can be as much of a treat for adults as it is for children. The recipe may be a little too much for most 1-quart ice cream makers, so you may need to freeze it in two batches. Serves 8 2 bottles of decent, full-bodied red wine 2 cinnamon sticks ½ teaspoon whole black peppercorns 2 cups milk 2 cups heavy cream 1 ¼ cups sugar 9 egg yolks ¼ teaspoon kosher salt 1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract. 1. Pour the wine into a large pot and bring to a simmer. Add cinnamon sticks and peppercorns. Simmer until the wine is reduced to 1 cup (it should take about 1 hour). 2. In a large pan, bring the milk, cream and half of the sugar to a boil and turn off heat. In a bowl, whisk together yolks and remaining sugar. Temper the yolks into the boiling milk by gradually whisking about 1 cup of milk into the yolks and adding this back into the pot with the remaining milk. Stir immediately to incorporate so the eggs don’t scramble. Stir in the salt and the vanilla. Whisk in the reduced wine. Process the base in an icecream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Freeze for at least 2 hours before serving. 46 Mooncakes Mooncakes are a very special Chinese dessert for the mid-autumn festival. Making them is quite complicated, and requires special molds which I have only been able to find in China; but the results are beautiful, unique mooncakes which taste very different (and I think, better) than store-bought versions. To make mooncakes, you must first make a simple sugar syrup. It is said that the syrup gets better over time, but I’m not sure if this is true. If you want to make the syrup ahead of time, be sure to keep it in a sterile container in the refrigerator. The next step is to make the filling. Traditional fillings such as red bean paste and lotus paste are available premade in cans, but these tend to be of very low quality and often taste like metal. Homemade fillings are much tastier, and I’ve included several recipes below. In my view, if you’re willing to take the trouble to make mooncakes, you might as well go all the way and make your own filling as well. As for the egg yolk which is traditionally included in mooncake fillings, simply take precooked salty egg yolks and fold them into the middle of the filling when making the mooncakes. However, I tend not to like these, so a fun alternative I’ve come up with is using balls of pistachio or almond paste in the shape of egg yolks. Cans of pistachio and almond paste can be purchased at the King Arthur Flour online shop at http://www.bakerscatalogue. com. When making your own fillings, it is important to make the fillings very moist, more so than you may think is correct. In order for the mooncake pastry to take on its characteristic soft texture, it must absorb moisture from the filling, so if you don’t make the filling extra moist then it will become dry and hard with time. After the mooncakes are baked, they should be carefully placed into airtight plastic containers for a few days in order for this absorption to occur. Thus, mooncakes are at their best several days after baking. As a final note, even when you follow the directions, making the mooncakes turn out well and keep the shape of the mold is very tricky. Precise measurement is essential, so don’t try it without an accurate kitchen scale, 1200g sugar lkg water 1 lemon - squeeze in the juice and put in the rind as well 3 tbs maltose 3 tbs vanilla extract Syrup Put sugar, water and lemon slices into a saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil, and simmer for about 10 minutes. Strain away lemon rinds and any seeds. Cool sufficiently before use, and store any leftover syrup in the refrigerator. Fillings Nutella Red Bean Paste 340g dried red beans 200g nutella 100g sugar 150g peanut oil 1. Soak red beans in water to cover overnight. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and turn down heat to low. 47 Simmer beans until soft (may take several hours). When the beans are soft, pour the mixture into a blender or blend with an immersion blender until smooth, adding more water if necessary. Return the mixture to the saucepan and add nutella, oil, sugar and water, and continue heating until the mixture can be formed into a ball but is still very sticky and moist. Cool and store in the refrigerator until use. Lotus paste filling 600g dry lotus seeds 600g sugar 400g peanut oil Soak the beans overnight in water to cover. Often dried lotus seeds have green sprouts in the center, which are very bitter and not good to eat, so before you cook them you should break the softened beans in half and remove the sprouts. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and then simmer over medium-low heat for about 2 hours until beans are very tender. Pour the beans along with a sufficient amount of bean cooking water into a blender and blend until smooth. Before returning the puree to the pan, heat the sugar and oil cook until the sugar turns golden brown. Pour the bean puree to the pan and continue heating until the mixture can be formed into a ball but is still very moist.. Cool and store in the refrigerator until use. Green tea-flavored mung bean paste 300g peanut oil 680g dry beans 200g sugar 400g green tea powder Soak beans overnight in water to cover. Bring water to a boil and then simmer over medium-low heat for about 2 hours until beans are very tender. Pour beans along with a sufficient amount of bean cooking water into a blender and blend until smooth. Return bean puree to the pan, add remaining ingredients, and continue heating until the mixture can be formed into a ball but is still very moist.. Cool and store in the refrigerator until use. Mooncakes 900g flour 600g syrup 140g peanut oil Egg Wash 1 Egg Yolk 2 tsp water A few drops soy sauce 1. Mix the syrup and oil until well-blended. Mix in the flour and knead until well-blended. Cover dough with plastic wrap or put it in a plastic bag so it doesn’t dry out. Let the dough rest for 30 minutes. 2. When working with molds, it is necessary to determine the correct amount of filling and dough for your mold. In order to get good results, the best way is to weigh both portions for each mooncake you make. For my standard-sized mooncake molds, I usually start with about 70g of filling and 60g of dough, but you should try out different weights for your mold and fillings and then use the same weights for all of your mooncakes 3. Preheat oven to 425°F. Whisk the egg wash ingredients together in a small bowl. Dust a mooncake mold with flour, tapping the mold to coat all of the crevices and to remove excess flour. To make the mooncake, take 48 one portion of the dough and roll into a thin circular piece. Shape one portion of the filling into a flattened ball and wrap with the mooncake skin, sealing the edges together tightly. Press the dough smooth side down into the mold. Tap gently on your hand to demold. Arrange mooncakes on baking trays and bake for 10 minutes. Then brush them with egg wash using a pastry brush and continue to bake about 5 more minutes until golden brown. 49 Breakfast Wholesome Blueberry Whole-Wheat Pancakes These pancakes are a little tricky to make, but they are nutritious and delicious. They freeze very well, so you can make a whole batch, freeze them with pieces of plastic wrap between each pancake, and enjoy them one at a time. Prep Time: 20 minutes Cook Time: 20 minutes Yield: about 16 (5-inch) pancakes 2 cups buttermilk 3 large eggs ½ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled 1 whole-wheat flour ½ cup all-purpose flour ¼ cup wheat bran ¼ cup almond flour 1 teaspoon salt 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda 3 tablespoons brown sugar 2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries 1. In a bowl whisk together the buttermilk, the eggs, and 6 tablespoons of the butter. In a large bowl mix together the flours, the wheat bran, the almond flour, the salt, the baking powder, the baking soda, and the sugar, add the buttermilk mixture, and whisk the batter until it is just combined. Heat a griddle over moderately high heat until it is hot enough to make drops of water scatter over its surface and brush it with some of the additional melted butter or spray with oil. 2. Working in batches, pour the batter onto the griddle by 1/3-cup measures, sprinkle each pancake with about 2 tablespoons of the blueberries, and cook the pancakes for 2 minutes on each side, or until they are golden. The pancakes are very delicate, so be careful when turning them. If serving immediately, transfer the pancakes as they are cooked to a heat proof platter and keep them warm in a preheated 200-degree oven. Serve the pancakes with maple syrup, if desired. 50 Dutch Breakfast Cake (Ontbijtkoek) My friend Weiji once brought me some breakfast cake from Holland, and I liked it so much eventually I had to make it. Here is the recipe I came up with which captures some of the wholesome goodness of the cake I had from Holland. 1 cup of plain yogurt or buttermilk 1 egg, beaten 1/3 cup molasses 2 cups rye flour ¼ cup of brown sugar 1 tbs of baking powder 1 tsp of baking soda 2 tsp of cinnamon 1/3 tsp of nutmeg 1/3 tsp of ground ginger 1/3 tsp of salt 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 2. In a medium-sized bowl, combine all the liquid ingredients together until well blended. Sift in the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly. 3. Pour batter into an oiled loaf pan and baked for about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean. Remove from oven cool the loaf on a rack. Serve with tea or coffee and your favorite spread. 5 Appetizers and Side Dishes Deep-fried Scallops with Coconut Chutney It is said that frying is the cooking method which best preserves the essence of ingredients, and this dish of fried scallops is a perfect illustration. The light coating of bread crumbs seals in the moisture and flavor of the scallops, and the high heat cooks them to the perfect point of tender sweetness. Clearly, this is a dish best enjoyed fresh from the fryer. The spicy chutney provides a cooling foil for the rich scallops, and it works well for many other fried dishes. Chutney: ½ cup chopped scallion ¼ cup sweetened flaked coconut 2 to 3 serrano or jalapeno chiles, chopped with seeds 3 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 ½ tablespoons finely grated and peeled fresh ginger 2 ½ tablespoons fresh lime juice, or to taste 2 tablespoons water Scallops: Peanut or other oil for frying 60 sea scallops (about 3 ½ pounds) 2 large eggs ¼ cup milk 1 cup flour 3 cups panko (Japanese bread crumbs) 1. Preheat deep fryer to about 350 degrees. 2. Puree chutney ingredients in a blender, stirring occasionally to assist blending, and transfer to a bowl. Season chutney with salt and pepper and chill, covered, until ready to serve. 3. Put the flour in a shallow dish and season with salt and pepper. Whisk together eggs and milk in a shallow bowl. Dredge the scallops in flour, coating completely and shaking off any excess. Next, dip scallops one at a time in egg mixture and then in panko, turning gently to coat, and transfer to a tray. 4. Place scallops into fryer up to capacity. Fry for about 5 minutes until golden brown and cooked through. Once they are done, drain on a plate lined with paper towels. 5 Fried Plantains Plantains are starchier, less sweet relatives of bananas, and they look basically like fat bananas. Fried plantains are a great appetizer or snack. Buy unripe green ones if you want to make thin, crisp chips, and buy ripe yellow-black ones if you want sweeter, softer slices. I think both kinds are great in their own ways. Deep frying is best done in a specialized deep-frying unit with a thermometer, a frying basket, and a lid. Preparing this dish on the stove in a large pan tends to lead to chips which are soft and become soggy easily. Peanut or soybean oil for deep frying Plantains (3 makes a good heap of them) Seasonings of choice 1. Slice off the skins of the plantains and slice them into ¼ inch rounds. 2. Heat the oil in a deep fryer or heavy saucepan until very hot but not smoking, around 350 degrees. 3. Fry the slices until golden and crisp on the outside but soft on the inside, making sure not to crowd the pan. Try a few pieces to test for desired texture. 4. Remove the plantains from the oil using a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. 5. When all plantains are fried, place in a large mixing bowl while still warm and add desired seasoning. For savory snacks, possible seasonings include sea salt, powdered ginger, curry powder, and cayenne. For sweet snacks, try sprinkling with sugar and cinnamon. 5 Stuffed Grape Leaves These middle-eastern snacks are delicious and can be addictive. They’re one of Patrick’s favorite snacks. I like to use jasmine rice in these because it has a wonderful aroma which works well with the spices. Recipe Summary Prep Time: 1 hour Cook Time: 20 minutes Yield: 25 rolls ¼ cup olive oil ¼ cup pine nuts or slivered almonds 2 large onions, chopped ½ cup chopped parsley 2 cups cooked white or brown rice ½ cup raisins 4 tsp dried dill weed ½ tsp salt ½ tsp ground cinnamon ¾ tsp ground allspice ¼ tsp cayenne 2 tbs lemon juice 1 (8 oz) jar grape leaves 1. Heat oil. In a wide frying pan over medium heat. Add nuts and cook, stirring, until golden. Remove nuts with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add onions to pan and cook, stirring frequently, until golden brown. Add parsley and cook for 2 minutes. Remove pan from heat and stir in rice, raisins, dill, salt, cinnamon, allspice, cayenne, and lemon juice. Stir gently to blend. Cool completely. 2. Drain the grape leaves and cut off the stems. Spread leaves, veined side up, on a flat surface. Place 1-2 tbs filling near the stem end, fold up the bottom part, and fold in the two sides. Then roll up. Serve at room temperature or warmed briefly in a steamer or in the microwave. Variations: These rolls can also be made with beef. Simply add 1 lb cooked hamburger crumbles to the recipe above, adjust salt as necessary, and increase the number of grape leaves by about half. Also try substituting dried apricots for the raisins or basil for some or all of the parsley. 54 Vietnamese-Style Spring Rolls These rice-paper rolls are light, pretty, and delicious. Serve them with spicy peanut sauce for a nice contrast. Recipe Summary Prep Time: 30 minutes Inactive Prep Time: 30 minutes Cook Time: 5 minutes Yield: 8 rolls ½ medium onion, chopped 6 dried shiitake mushrooms 1 tbs soy sauce 1 tbs Chinese black vinegar 16 large shrimp, peeled and de-veined 3 tsp vegetable oil 8 (8 ½-inch) round rice paper wrappers 8 small romaine lettuce leaves, torn into bite-size pieces 1 ounce alfalfa or radish sprouts 32 fresh mint leaves 32 sprigs fresh cilantro 1 large carrot, peeled and shredded 1 medium daikon radish, peeled and shredded 1. Hydrate the mushrooms in some warm water for about 15 minutes until soft. Chop the mushrooms. In the meantime, heat 1 tbs oil in a saute pan. When oil is hot, put in the onions and cook until translucent and starting to brown. Add the chopped mushrooms and saute until mushrooms are cooked, about 5 minutes. Add soy sauce and vinegar and cook until liquid is gone. Transfer the vegetables to a medium bowl. Heat 2 tbs of oil in the saute pan. Pat the shrimp with a paper towel until they are very dry, and saute them on high heat until pink and no longer translucent (about 2 minutes). Drain off any excess oil or water. 2. When the shrimp are cool enough to handle, cut in ½ lengthwise. Fill a large bowl with hot water. Place a large plate next to the bowl. Submerge 1 rice paper wrapper in the water and soak it until softened, about 1 minute. Carefully remove the rice paper from the water and lay it flat on the plate. In the center of the sheet, layer, 4 lettuce pieces, about 20 sprouts, 4 shrimp halves arranged side by side in a row, 4 mint leaves, 4 cilantro sprigs, and 1/8 of the carrots, mushrooms, and onions. Pull the bottom up over the filling, fold over the sides, and roll up like an egg roll. Place seam side down on a plate and repeat the process with the remaining rice papers and filling. Serve immediately with your favorite dipping sauce. One option is included below. Variations: These spring rolls can be made with basically any filling. Crisp vegetables work best, and make sure they are very fresh since they will be eaten raw. They also taste great when flavored tofu is substituted for the shrimp. Also, try adding some Thai basil to the filling. 55 Spicy Peanut Sauce 2/3 bunch fresh coriander leaves and upper stems ½ cup unseasoned peanut ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon thin soy sauce ¼ cup sesame oil 5 tablespoons sugar Dash Chinese rice wine vinegar 1 tablespoon hot chili oil In a food processor, combine all ingredients together. Process until smooth. Place in a saucepan and bring up to a simmer. Remove from the heat and set aside. If you like, add up to 10 garlic cloves to the mixture before blending. 56 Vegetarian Egg Rolls Egg rolls are such a characteristic Chinese food, but it’s surprisingly hard to find good ones. The egg rolls in restaurants are often stuffed just with cheap, unfresh head lettuce, and the frozen ones are just plain nasty. Thus, the surest way to get tasty egg rolls is to make them yourself. Although it takes some time and effort, I think the results are well worth it. Whenever I make egg rolls I always make a big batch and then freeze them uncooked for later use. The frozen ones keep and fry up very well. For a lighter meal, you can brush them with oil and bake them in the oven. Also, feel free to substitute any vegetables you like or add tofu, seafood, or meat to your taste. 1 ½ oz dried shiitake mushrooms 2 lb bok choy or other cabbage, chopped 7 oz enoki mushrooms, chopped 11 oz carrots, grated 3 tsp oil 2 large onions, chopped 6 eggs ½ cups milk 1 tsp salt dash pepper 13 oz bean sprouts 5 oz fake meat, in small pieces 1/2 cup flour About 60 egg roll wrappers flour oil for frying 1. Soak the mushrooms in a few cups of warm water to cover. Set aside for about 15 minutes until completely hydrated. 2. Bring a large pot of water to boiling, and blanch the chopped bok choy in the water until limp but still brightly colored (about 2 minutes). Immediately remove the bok choy from the hot water and place into an ice bath (large bowl with ice and water). Once the bok choy has cooled, remove from ice bath and squeeze out excess water. The goal is to remove most of the moisture so the egg rolls don’t get soggy when fried. Transfer the bok choy to a very large bowl and mix with the enoki mushrooms and carrots. 3. In a large pan, heat up one tsp of oil. When the oil is hot, saute the onions until cooked through. While the onions are cooking, chop the softened shiitake mushrooms, discarding the stems if they are too hard. Add mushrooms to the onions and saute both until the mushrooms are cooked. Transfer to the bowl with the other vegetables. 4. Beat the eggs, milk, salt and pepper together. In the same saucepan that you cooked the onions and mushrooms, heat up 2 tsp of oil. When the oil is hot, pour in the eggs and scramble to a medium curd. Transfer to the bowl with the other vegetables and mix evenly. Cover and set aside to cool completely. 5. Make some glue in a small bowl using ½ cup of flour and enough water to make a paste-like consistency. Open a package of egg roll wrappers (make sure they are defrosted if they were frozen). Peel off one wrapper at a time, keeping the others well-covered to prevent them from drying out. Place the wrapper on a plate with one 57 corner pointing toward you. Place about ¼ cup of filling in a horizontal segment about one quarter of the way up from the bottom of the wrapper. Fold the lower corner up and the left and right corners in over the filling, and roll up toward the top of the filling. Seal the top corner with some of the flour glue. 6. Heat oil in a deep fryer or large pan to 325 degrees. When oil is hot, fry the egg rolls for about 5 minutes and drain on some paper towels. Serve hot with soy sauce, vinegar, or hot sauce. 58 Cauliflower and Potato Samosas Adapted from Lord Krishna’s Cuisine Samosas are a delicious Indian fried pastry with spicy filling and a wonderfully flaky and soft dough. The dough is easy to make in a food processor. While more traditional recipes use ghee (clarified butter), I find that butter works just as well without the effort of obtaining or making ghee. I love to make a whole batch of these, freeze them on a baking tray, and then store them in plastic bags in the freezer for quick snacks later. Preparation time: about 2 hours Cooking time : 20 minutes Yield : 26 samosas Dough : 2 cups (210 g) whole wheat pastry flour or chapati flour 1/8 tsp (0.5 ml) baking powder 2 tbs (30 ml) ground sunflower seeds or other nuts (if available) 2 tbs (30 ml) fresh minced herbs such as parsley, cilantro, or basil 3 tbs (45 ml) cream cheese, chilled 3-4 tbs (45 - 60 ml) unsalted butter, well-chilled and cut into small pieces ½ cup (120 ml) yogurt or buttermilk water as needed Filling : 2 tbs (30 ml) butter or vegetable oil 1 tbs (15 ml) minced fresh ginger root 2-3 hot green chilies, minced 1 tsp (5 ml) black mustard seeds 2 medium-sized tomatoes, chopped ½ tbs (7 ml) ground coriander ½ tsp (2 ml) tumeric 1 tsp (5 ml) garam masala 3 ½ cups (830 ml) diced cauliflower 2 ¼ cups (530 ml) diced potatoes ¼ cup (60 ml) minced fresh herbs such as parsley, cilantro, or basil 2 tbs (30 ml) fresh lemon juice oil for deep frying 1. In a food processor, combine the flour, baking powder, sunflower seeds, and fresh herbs, and pulse twice. Add the cream cheese and butter and pulse 2-3 times until the texture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle in the yogurt or buttermilk in 3 portions, pulsing briefly after each addition. Add cold water a few drops at a time if necessary until the mixture holds together when pressed in the palm of your hand. Shape into a ball and cover with plastic wrap. Set aside to rest for at least 30 minutes. 2. Heat the ghee or vegetable oil in a large frying pan over moderate heat until hot, but not smoking. Add the ginger, green chilies, and black mustard seeds, and fry until the seeds pop. Add the cauliflower and potatoes, and saute for about 5 minutes until the vegetables start to brown. Add the tomatoes, tumeric, paprika, salt, garam masala, and half of the fresh herb. Cover and simmer gently for 15-20 minutes until the vegetables are tender. Check occasionally and add extra water if necessary. Remove from heat and add the remaining fresh 59 herbs and lemon juice. Cool to room temperature. 3. Knead the dough briefly, and roll it into a rope 13 inches (17.5 cm) long and cut it into 13 equal pieces. Cover with plastic wrap. Take one ball of dough and roll it out with a rolling pin into a 5 ½ inch (14 cm) circle. Cut the round in half to make two semicircles. Take one of the semicircles and fold the straight edge over itself in half to form a cone, moistening with water if necessary to seal. Place about 1 ½ tbs of filling into the cone, and seal the open edge of the cone. Repeat this process with the remaining samosas, making sure to seal tightly. At this point, you can freeze them on a baking tray sprinkled with flour for later use. 4. Heat about 5 inches of oil a deep saute pan or deep fryer to about 365 degrees. Fry samosas for 4-5 minutes each until crisp and golden brown, making sure not to crowd the pan. Drain on paper towels, and serve hot with some cool chutney (see chutney for deep fried scallops above). 60 Adapted from Moosewood Restaurant New Classics These are lovely curry-flavored rolls which are easier to make than traditional recipes, but which still capture some of wonderful flavors of India. I love to make a whole batch of these, freeze them on a baking tray, and then store them in plastic bags in the freezer for quick meals later. Chapatis are Indian flatbreads made with whole wheat. Serves 4 to 6 Preparation time: 45 Minutes Baking time: 10 to 15 minutes 2 ½ cups cubed potatoes ½ tsp salt ½ cup cream cheese 1 tbs vegetable oil 1 cup diced onions 1 garlic clove, minced 1 tsp grated fresh ginger root ¼ tsp ground cinnamon 1 tsp tumeric ½ tsp cayenne, or to taste ½ cup frozen green peas ½ cup chopped fresh or canned tomatoes 1 tbs fresh lemon juice ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped salt to taste 6 whole wheat chapatis or flour tortillas (7 inches across) 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil a baking dish 2. Place the potatoes and salt in a small pot with water to cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and cook for about 10 minutes until tender. When they are tender, drain and mash them with the cream cheese and set aside. 3. Meanwhile, warm the oil in a saucepan and sauté the onions and garlic on medium heat for about 10 minutes, until translucent. Add the ginger, cinnamon, turmeric, and cayenne and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the peas and tomatoes, cover, and cook on low heat just long enough to heat through. Stir the cooked vegetables and the lemon juice into the mashed potatoes. Add the fresh cilantro. Add salt to taste. 4. Place a generous 1/3 cup of the filling at the bottom of each chapatti and roll it up. Place the wraps seam side down in the prepared baking dish, cover with aluminum foil, and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until hot. Variation: For a nice fried snack, I like to roll the filling up in spring roll wrappers and fry them. Be sure to let the filling cool before doing this. The result is crisp and delicious. Indian curried potato wrap 6 Scallion Pancakes Scallion pancakes are a flaky, delicious Chinese flatbread characteristic of northern China, where I’m from. Like many Chinese “pancakes”, they are made with boiling water, which partially cooks the dough before panfrying, making them very tender. I like to use whole wheat flour because I like the coarser texture and nutty taste, but they are traditionally made with white flour. I also like experimenting with different kinds of oils for the filling - sesame, olive and walnut all work well. Dough: 1 ¼ cups water 2 - 2½ cups unbleached flour Filling: ½ bunch scallions, trimmed and minced ¼ cup oil 1 tsp coarse or kosher salt (non-iodized) 1 tbs vegetable oil for cooking 1. Bring the water to a boil, and then turn off the heat and let sit for 2 minutes. 2. Sift 2 cups of flour into a large bowl, and add the water in a steady stream. Stir well with a wooden spoon or spatula to form a dough. Mix until you can form the dough into a smooth ball. It will be very soft. Cover the top of the bowl with plastic wrap and let rest for 30 minutes. 3. Place the dough on a lightly floured surface. Shape it into a log, and cut the dough into 8 portions. Sprinkle with flour, and cover all but one section of dough. 4. Mix the minced scallions with the salt in a small bowl. 5. Roll out 1 section of dough on a floured surface into a 1/8 inch thick circle. Using a pastry brush, brush the top of the dough with a thin layer of oil. Sprinkle 1 tbs of scallion on top of the oil, leaving a ½ inch margin around the edge of the dough. Roll up jelly-roll style, and pinch the ends closed. Spiral this roll around itself to form a circular piece of dough (looks like a cinnamon roll). Flatten with your palm and press it out gently with a rolling pin until it’s 5 inches around. Repeat for the rest of the dough sections. 6. Heat a heavy skillet over medium heat. Brush both sides of a pancake with vegetable oil and fry for 2-3 minutes on each side until golden. Drain on paper towels, and serve hot. Variations: This technique can be used to make pancakes with any flavor, sweet or savory. I like using Japanese seaweed seasoning, and I remember delicious peanut butter pancakes from when I was a kid. 6 Sweet Saffron Rice with Currants and Pistachios Meetha Kesari Bhat Adapted from Lord Krishna’s Cuisine This rice is fragrant and delicious with spices, nuts, and dried fruit. While it does contain a fair amount of sugar, it doesn’t taste overly sweet at all, and it works well with savory dishes. It is wonderful served with stews and other dishes with aromatic spices. It’s a great dish for a dinner party. Preparation time (after assembling ingredients) : 5 minutes Cooking time: 25 – 30 minutes Servings: 4 or 5 1 cup (95 g) basmati or other long-grain white rice 1 ¾ - 2 cups (420 to 480 ml) water 1/3 tsp (1.5 ml) high-quality saffron threads 1 ½ - inch (4 cm) piece of cinnamon stick 6 whole cloves ¼ tsp (1 ml) salt ½ cup (75g) crumbled jaggery, maple sugar or other raw sugar, lightly packed 1 tsp (5ml) cardamom seeds, coarsely crushed 2 tbs (30 ml) butter 3 tbs (45 ml) slivered or sliced raw pistachios or almonds 3 tbs (45 ml) raisins or currants 2 tbs (30 ml) blanched raw pistachios, chopped for garnish 1. Bring the water to a boil in a heavy 1 ½ -quart / liter nonstick saucepan. Place the saffron threads in a small bowl and add 2 ½ tbs (37 ml) of the boiling water. Allow the threads to soak for 10-15 minutes while cooking the rice. 2. Stir the rice into the boiling water and add the cinnamon stick, cloves and salt. When the water resumes boiling, reduce the heat to very low, cover with a tight-fitting lid and gently simmer without stirring for 20 – 25 minutes or until the rice is tender and fluffy and all of the water is absorbed. Remove from heat and let the rice sit, covered, for 5 minutes to allow the grains to firm up. 3. In the meantime, combine the saffron water, sweetener and cardamom seeds in a small saucepan. Place over moderate heat and stir until the sweetener is dissolved. Lower the heat slightly and simmer for about 1 minute. Pour the syrup into the rice and quickly re-cover. 4. Heat the butter or oil in a small pan over moderately low heat until it is hot but not smoking. Fry the nuts and raisins until the nuts turn golden brown and the raisins swell. Pour the nuts, raisins and butter into the hot rice and gently mix. Spoon onto a serving platter and sprinkle with the chopped pistachios. 6 Roasted Vegetables Roasted vegetables hardly warrant a recipe, but if you haven’t discovered how good ordinary vegetables can be after a simple roast in the oven, you should definitely try them sometime. Roasting breaks down the complex starches in vegetables and turns them into sugars, and the dry heat also intensifies the natural flavors. Select any of the following vegetables according to season, availability, or preference. Feel free to adjust quantities as desired. 1 carrot, cut in two and then sliced lengthwise into ¼ inch sticks 2-3 potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces, or sliced, if grilling 1 large onion or 2 small onions, cut into lengthwise pieces 1 red bell pepper, cut into large pieces 1 green bell pepper, cut into large pieces 12 large garlic cloves, peeled 1 zucchini or yellow squash, cut in half and sliced lengthwise 12 asparagus stalks, trimmed Anything else you can think of! Olive oil Sea salt and coarsely ground black pepper Heat oven to 500 degrees. Using a pastry brush, brush one or more baking sheets as necessary with olive oil. Arrange the vegetables in a single layer on the sheets. Brush the vegetables with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. If the vegetables are cut into small pieces, they can be tossed with some olive oil in a large bowl instead. Bake them on the top shelf of the oven until browned and tender, using tongs to flip the vegetables in the middle of cooking. Carrots, potatoes, onions, peppers, and garlic will take about 20 minutes. Zucchini and asparagus will take about 10 minutes. 64 Adapted from The Moosewood Cookbook Hummus is a delicious and wholesome middle-eastern dip. It is quick and easy to make at home, and it is a great base for more sophisticated variations. It’s great on pita, but I also like to eat it with tortilla chips or just by itself. Some brands of canned chickpeas are good, but they vary in quality and some tend to be mushy and bland. If you have the time, the best bet is to buy dry chickpeas and boil them yourself. Yield: about 3 ½ cups, 6 to 8 servings Preparation time: 10 minutes to prepare (after chickpeas are cooked) 2 to 3 medium cloves garlic, sliced ½ cup fresh parsley, chopped 2 scallions, in 1-inch pieces 3 cups cooked chick peas 6 tbs tahini (sesame paste) 6 tbs fresh lemon juice ¾ to 1 tsp salt (to taste) optional: cayenne and a little cumin, to taste 1. Place garlic, parsley, and scallions in a food processor or blender, and mince 2. Add chick peas, tahini, lemon juice, and salt, and puree to a thick paste 3. Season to taste, if desired, with cayenne and cumin. Transfer to a tightly lidded container and chill. Variations: Try adding roasted peppers, garlic, or sun-dried tomatoes. Hummus 65 Adapted from The Moosewood Cookbook Baba ganouj is a middle-eastern eggplant dip. Although it tastes rich and has a creamy texture, it actually contains very little fat. Smoked sea salt works especially well in this recipe. Most recipes call for discarding the skin of the roasted eggplant, but as long as it’s not too bitter I leave it in and puree it with the rest of the ingredients. This adds flavor and nutrition. Yield: about 4 to 6 servings Preparation time: 40 minutes to prepare 1 medium (7-inch) eggplant 2 medium cloves garlic, minced ¼ cup fresh lemon juice ¼ cup sesame tahini ½ tsp salt black pepper and cayenne, to taste For garnish: olive oil freshly minced parsley 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil a baking sheet 2. Slice eggplant in half lengthwise, and place face-down on the baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes or until very tender. Cool until it’s comfortable to handle. 3. Discard the stem of the eggplant and place the rest of it in a food processor or blender. Add the garlic, lemon juice, tahini, and salt. Puree until smooth. 4. Transfer to a serving dish, cover tightly, and chill. Drizzle the top with a little olive oil and sprinkle with minced parsley just before serving. Serve with pita bread, dry toasts, or crackers. Baba Ganouj 66 Tabouli Tabouli is a middle-eastern parsley salad. It is quick and easy to make and really brings out the natural flavor of the ingredients. It’s works well as a filling for vegetarian wraps or on its own as a light lunch. 1 cup dry bulgur wheat 1 ½ cups boiling water 1 tsp salt, or to taste ¼ cup fresh lemon juice ¼ cup olive oil 4 scallions, finely minced 1 packed cup minced parsley 10 to 15 fresh mint leaves, minced ½ cup canned or 2 medium-sized tomatoes, diced black pepper to taste Combine bulgur and boiling water. Cover tightly and let stand until bulgur is tender (about 15 minutes). I usually do this in the pan the water was heated in, and this works well. Combine the cooked bulgur with the other ingredients. Serve chilled or at room temperature. 67 Creamy Mung Dal with Chopped Spinach (Palak Moong Dal) Adapted from Lord Krishna’s Cuisine Preparation time (after assembling ingredients) : 10 minutes Cooking time: 1 ¼ hours Servings: 5 or 6 2/3 cup (145 g) split moong dal (dried mung beans), without skins 8 ounces (230 g) fresh spinach, trimmed and coarsely chopped, or 5 ounces chopped frozen spinach, defrosted 6 ½ cups (1.5 liters) water 1 tsp (5 ml) tumeric ½ tbs (7 ml) ground coriander ½ tbs (7 ml) minced fresh ginger 2 tbs (30 ml) butter 1 ¼ tsp (7 ml) salt 1 tsp (5 ml) cumin seeds 1/8 tsp (1 ml) yellow asafetida powder (hing) ¼ - ½ tsp (1-2ml) cayenne pepper or paprika ½ tbs (7 ml) lemon juice 1 (120 ml) cup yogurt 1. If using frozen spinach, defrost in a strainer and press out the excess water. This can be done quickly by running warm water over the spinach and then squeezing the water out. 2. Place the mung beans, water, tumeric, coriander, ginger, and a dab of butter in a large, heavy nonstick saucepan. Stirring occasionally, bring to a full boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to moderately low, cover with a tight-fitting lid and gently boil for 1 hour or until the dal is soft and fully cooked. Remove from the heat. 3. Uncover and add the salt and fresh spinach. Cover and boil gently for 5-8 minutes more. Cook frozen spinach for 2-3 minutes. 4. Heat the butter in a small saucepan over moderate to moderately high heat. When it is hot, pour in the cumin seeds and fry until they are brown. Add the asafetida and cayenne or paprika and fry for just 1-2 seconds more. Then quickly pour the fried seasonings into the soup. Cover immediately. Let the seasonings soak into the hot dal for 1-2 minutes. Add the lemon juice and yogurt, stir, and serve. 68 Entrees Curried Cauliflower and Potatoes (Gobhi Aloo Sabji) Adapted from Lord Krishna’s Cuisine This dish is commonly found in Indian restaurant menus, and it’s great for home-cooking because it’s flexible and keeps well. Whole spices and potatoes make it hearty and delicious without the need for animal protein. Cooking time: 30 minutes Servings: 5 or 6 2 hot green chilies, stemmed, seeded and minced 2 tbs inch minced fresh ginger root 1 tsp cumin seeds ½ tsp black mustard seeds 4 tbs butter 3 medium-sized potatoes cut into spears (can leave the peel on). 1 medium-sized cauliflower (about 2 pounds), trimmed, cored, and broken into florets 2 medium-sized tomatoes or about 1 cup canned tomatoes, diced ½ tsp tumeric 2 tsp ground coriander ½ tsp garam masala 1 tsp jaggery or brown sugar 1 ¼ tsp salt ½ cup coarsely chopped fresh coriander or parsley 4 tbs fresh lemon or lime juice 1. Heat the butter in a large nonstick saucepan over moderate heat. When it is hot but not smoking, pour in the chilies, ginger, cumin seeds and mustard seeds and fry until the mustard seeds pop and become fragrant. Drop in the potatoes and cauliflower and stir-fry for 4-5 minutes or until the vegetables start to brown. 2. Add the tomatoes, turmeric, coriander, garam masala, sweetener, salt and half of the fresh herb. Stir well, cover and gently cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 15 – 20 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. You may want to sprinkle in a few tablespoons of water if the vegetables stick to the bottom of the pan, but stir gently to avoid mashing or breaking them. Add lemon juice and the remaining fresh herb. Garnish with lemon or lime wedges, if desired. 69 Chinese Eggplant This is a classic dish found in almost every Chinese restaurant under names like “fish-flavored eggplant” and “fragrant eggplant”. The trick to getting the restaurant flavor at home is to deep fry the eggplant separately and then cook the other ingredients, combining them at the end. Although they are not traditional, basil and onions add a lovely flavor to the dish. 2 lb Chinese eggplant oil for frying 1 tbs oil 1 tbs ginger, minced 1 large onion, chopped 2 tbs soy sauce 2 tbs rice wine ¼ cup vinegar (Chinese black vinegar works well) 2 tbs corn starch ¼ cup chopped fresh basil 1. Heat up about a quart of oil in a deep fryer, large wok, or large pot with high sides. When the oil is hot, put the eggplant in the cooking vessel and fry for about 5 minutes until cooked through. Make sure you don’t crowd the pan - you may need to fry the eggplant in several batches. If using a deep fryer, bring the oil to about 325 degrees. Set aside the fried eggplant. 2. Heat 1 tbs of oil in a large pan. When the oil is hot, add the ginger and onions and saute until the onions are browned. In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, rice wine, vinegar, and cornstarch, making sure there are no lumps. Add the eggplant to the pan with the onions and ginger, and add the cornstarch mixture. Mix well and cook for about 2 minutes, until the sauce has thickened and is a little translucent. Remove from heat and add the basil. Serve with rice. 70 Onion Tart 1 tart dough recipe (below) 2 tbs butter 1 1/2 pounds onions, finely chopped 1 large egg, lightly beaten 1/2 cup heavy cream 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper Pinch of salt and pepper Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg 1/4 cup grated freshly grated Parmesan cheese 1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. 2. Heat the butter in a skillet over medium heat, and sauté the onions until they are slightly browned and tender. Remove the skillet from the heat. 3. In small bowl, beat the egg and cream together. Add this to the onions. Add a pinch of salt, pepper, and nutmeg. 4. Cut the two sides of the plastic bag containing the tart dough apart and press the dough into a rough disc. Dust both sides of the dough with flour and roll it into a circle about 4 inches wider than your tart pan, keeping the plastic between the rolling pin and the dough. Remove one side of the plastic bag and carefully flip the dough onto a 10-inch pie or tart pan, pressing it into the bottom and trimming along the rim. Sprinkle the cheese on the crust and fill with the onion and egg mixture. 5. Bake for 25 minutes until the filling is golden brown and set, and serve hot. This is a pâté brisée tart dough, and the basic recipe will go well with any savory tart. 2 cups all-purpose flour Salt 8 tablespoons butter (1 stick) , cut into small pieces ¼ cup cold water Mix the flour and 1 scant teaspoon of salt in the bowl of a food processor. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs, being careful not to overmix. Sprinkle about half of the water evenly on top of the dough, and pulse a few times until incorporated. If the dough does not stay together when pressed into a ball in your hand, sprinkle some more water and pulse one or two more times until the dough holds its shape when you press it together. Transfer the dough into a gallon-sized plastic zip bag and let rest for at least 30 minutes. Tart Dough 7 Baked Macaroni and Cheese Recipe courtesy Alton Brown There are a lot of macaroni and cheese recipes out there, but this is by far the best one I’ve seen. The pasta is soft but not too mushy, the spices are balanced nicely, and panko bread crumbs give it a wonderfully crisp crust. Difficulty: Easy Prep Time: 20 minutes Cook Time: 45 minutes Yield: 6 to 8 servings ½ pound elbow macaroni or other medium pasta shape 3 tablespoons butter 3 tablespoons flour 1 tablespoon mustard 3 cups milk ½ cup yellow onion, finely diced 1 bay leaf ½ teaspoon paprika 1 large egg 12 ounces sharp cheddar, shredded 1 teaspoon kosher salt Fresh black pepper Topping: 3 tablespoons butter 1 cup panko bread crumbs 1. In a large pot of boiling, salted water cook the pasta to al dente. 2. While the pasta is cooking, in a separate pot, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour and mustard and continue whisking for about five minutes. Make sure it’s free of lumps. Stir in the milk, onion, bay leaf, and paprika. Simmer for ten minutes, stirring occasionally, and remove the bay leaf. 3. Temper in the egg. Stir in ¾ of the cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Fold the macaroni into the mix and pour into a 2-quart casserole dish. Top with remaining cheese. 4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt the butter in a saute pan and toss the bread crumbs to coat. Top the macaroni with the bread crumbs. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and rest for five minutes before serving. 7 Adapted from Sundays at Moosewood Restaurant Asparagus and shrimp are a really great combination. Here is a classic New England dish which combines the two with a simple creamy sauce. 1 pound fresh asparagus 3 tbs butter ¼ cut unbleached white flour 2 cups milk or soymilk, heated Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste 1 tbs butter 1 lb medium raw shrimp, peeled and cleaned 2 tbs dry white wine Dash of sweet Hungarian paprika Sprigs of fresh dill 1. Snap off the bottom 1in or so of each asparagus spear. Cut the spears into bite-sized pieces. Blanch asparagus in boiling water for 2-3 minutes, until tender and bright green. Shock in some cold water to stop the cooking. Drain and set aside. 2. In a saucepan, melt 3 tbs of butter. Whisk in the flour, and simmer on low heat for a minute or two, stirring constantly. Gradually add the milk while stirring. Continue to stir until the sauce thickens, about 5 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. 3. In anther pan, melt the remaining tablespoon of butter, add the shrimp, and sauté briefly until they begin to turn pink. Stir in the white wine and simmer for 1-2 minutes. Remove the shrimp from the cooking liquid and set aside. Stir the cooking liquid into the white sauce. If the sauce is too thin, cook gently for a few minutes more to reduce. Add the shrimp and asparagus to the sauce. Garnish with a sprinkle of paprika and a fresh sprig of dill. Serve with rice or toasted bread. Bay State Wiggle 7 Adapted from Sundays at Moosewood Restaurant I first had this dish when I visited Tokyo in 2004 and my friend Ryoji took us to a restaurant which specializes in these Japanese pancakes. They are uniquely delicious - a comfort food which doesn’t make you feel greasy and sluggish afterward. Yield : 4 6-inch pancakes Sauce: 2 tbs ketchup 1 ½ tbs Worcestershire Sauce ¼ tsp Dijon mustard 2 tbs sake 1 tsp soy sauce 2 tbs mayonnaise Pancakes: 2 eggs 1 cup unbleached white flour (can use whole wheat) 1 cup water 2 tbs sake pinch of salt 2 cups shredded cabbage (1 ½-inch strips) ¼ cup shredded carrot (1 ½-inch strips) 4 scallions, cut in half lengthwise and into 1-inch strips Garnish: ¼ cup furikake (Japanese rice seasoning with sesame and seaweed) ½ cup dried bonito flakes ¼ cup vegetable oil ½ cup cooked shrimp, other seafood, or seasoned tofu, chopped into ½-inch pieces Okinomiyaki 1. Combine all of the sauce ingredients in a small saucepan and simmer for 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. If one is available, pour sauce into a plastic squeeze bottle. 2. Beat the eggs in a large bowl. Add the flour and water and continue beating until the batter is the consistency of pancake batter. Add the sake and salt. 3. In a separate bowl, mix the vegetables together. 4. Heat 2 tbs of the oil in a standard 10-inch skillet. Put the vegetables into the skillet and saute until the cabbage is cooked through and starting to brown. Turn off the heat and add ¼ of the seafood and mix thoroughly with the vegetables. Now combine the cooked vegetables with the batter in the large bowl. 5. Heat ½ tbs with oil in the skillet (don’t worry if there are still some stray vegetable bits left in the pan). When the skillet is hot, spoon ¼ of the batter mixture into the pan. Cook for about 2 minutes on medium heat until lightly browned. Flip the pancake and heat for another 2 minute. Reduce the heat to low and cook, covered, for about 5 minutes, flipping occasionally. Prepare 3 more okonomiyaki as above. 6. Drizzle each okonomiyaki with sauce, then sprinkle with the Japanese rice seasoning and dried bonito. Cut into wedges to serve. 74 Shrimp Dumplings with Roasted Mushrooms Roasted mushrooms and basil give these dumplings a delicious flavor. I love to make a huge batch and then freeze them on a baking tray for quick meals later. It’s always hard to judge exactly how many dumplings a you’ll end up with, so I always buy extra dumpling wrappers just in case. Time: 2 hours to prepare, 10 minutes to cook 2 lb fresh cremini or white mushrooms 3 teaspoons olive oil 3 teaspoons sea or kosher salt dash of pepper 29 oz. frozen shrimp 1 cup chopped basil about 50 dumpling wrappers dash of sesame oil, for garnish Making the dumplings: 1. Defrost shrimp in the refrigerator for 24 hours. Then place shrimp in a colander, and rinse briefly with lukewarm water to melt any remaining ice. Squeeze out the excess water. 2. Heat oven to 350°F. Roughly chop the mushrooms into large chunks (into about 3 pieces for a regular-sized mushroom). Toss the mushrooms with the olive oil, salt, and pepper to coat. Spread them out on 1 large baking sheet. Bake for about 25 minutes, until mushrooms are browned, and most of their water has evaporated. Cool to room temperature. 3. Mix chopped basil, mushrooms, and shrimp together. If using large shrimp, dice shrimp before mixing with the other ingredients. Small shrimp can be left whole. 4. Fill a bowl with some water. Fill each dumpling wrapper with about 2 tablespoons of filling. Moisten one half of the edge of the wrapper using the water and your index finger. Fold the other half over and press the two sides together tightly, making sure there are no gaps in the seal. Place the dumplings on a baking sheet liberally sprinkled with flour. 5. If you are not going to cook the dumplings immediately, the best way to store them is to freeze them on the baking tray overnight. This prevents them from sticking to each other. Once they’ve hardened, you can transfer them to a freezer bag and keep them for several months. Don’t put the dumpling in the refrigerator, because they’ll get soggy and sticky and then break apart during cooking. Cooking methods: • Pan-fried dumplings are crispy on the bottom and chewy on the top. The technique yields a great combination of textures and flavors. To make pan-friend dumplings, first heat 2-3 tablespoons of oil in a large, heavy skillet or frying pan on medium-high. When the oil is hot, put dumplings in one layer, bottom side down, to fill up the pan. Fry for about 4 minutes until the bottoms of the dumplings have browned. Do not stir or move the dumplings around. Add ½ cup of water to the pan and cover. Cook for about 10 minutes, until water has 75 evaporated and dumplings are cooked through, adding a little more water if necessary. • Steamed dumplings are the healthiest and easiest way to cook dumplings. Arrange dumplings in a steamer and cook on high for about 10 minutes, until shrimp inside are fully cooked. • Deep fried dumplings are always delicious and are a great appetizer that can be eaten with your hands. Heat oil to 350°F. Fry dumplings for about 4 minutes until golden brown and fully cooked on the inside. Serve hot. Dipping sauces To serve pan-fried or steamed dumplings, place dumplings on a serving plate and sprinkle with sesame oil. Dumplings are traditionally served with vinegar or soy sauce. Chinese black vinegar ( be sure to buy some from Zhejiang province ) tastes best. Soy sauce with a dash of lemon juice also works well. For a spicy dipping sauce, try chili oil or sriracha chili sauce. 76 Pasta Dough for Ravioli Delicious home-made ravioli can be yours with this simple recipe. Once you try this recipe, you won’t want to go back to store-bought pasta. Try it with the Wild Mushroom Ragout below. If you have dough leftover after making the ravioli, just put it through the noodle cutter on the pasta machine and make noodles. This recipe works well for making a large batch and then freezing for later use. To freeze, place the individual raviolis onto a baking sheet with plenty of flour. Make sure the are not touching each other, and freeze overnight. Transfer to a freezer bag once the pasta is stiff and dry. For an extra-toothy pasta, try King Arthur Flour’s Perfect Pasta flour mix, which includes semolina flour. Yield: 24 ravioli Ingredients 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting 1 teaspoon salt 3 large eggs 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil Cornmeal, for dusting 1. To make the pasta dough: In a food processor*, combine the flour and salt. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, and continue to mix. Drizzle in 1 tablespoons of the olive oil and continue to incorporate all the flour until it forms a ball. Sprinkle some flour on work surface, knead and fold the dough until elastic and smooth, this should take about 10 minutes. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap; let rest for about 30 minutes to allow the gluten to relax. *Alternatively if you don’t have an electric mixer: Combine the flour and salt on a flat work surface; shape into a mound and make a well in the center. Add the eggs and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil to the well and lightly beat with a fork. Gradually draw in the flour from the inside wall of the well in a circular motion. Use 1 hand for mixing and the other to protect the outer wall. Continue to incorporate all the flour until it forms a ball. Continue as directed above. 2. Cut the ball of dough in ½, cover and reserve the piece you are not immediately using to prevent it from drying out. Dust the counter and dough with a little flour. Press the dough into a rectangle and roll it through a pasta machine, 2 or 3 times, at widest setting. Pull and stretch the sheet of dough with the palm of your hand as it emerges from the rollers. Reduce the setting and crank the dough through again, 2 or 3 times. Continue tightening until the machine is at the narrowest setting; the dough should be paper-thin, about 1/8-inch thick (you should be able to see your hand through it.). Dust the sheets of dough with flour as needed. 3. Put some water in a bowl to use for sealing the raviolis. Dust the counter and sheet of dough with flour and lay out the long sheet of pasta. Drop tablespoons of your favorite filling on ½ of the pasta sheet, about 2-inches apart. Fold the other ½ over the filling like a blanket. With an espresso cup or fingers, gently press out air pockets around each mound of filling. Use a sharp knife to cut each pillow into squares and crimp the 4 edges with the tins of a fork to make a tight seal. Dust the ravioli and a sheet pan with cornmeal to prevent the pasta from sticking and lay them out to dry slightly while assembling the rest. 4. Cook the ravioli in plenty of boiling salted water for 4 minutes; they’ll float to the top when ready, so be careful not to overcrowd the pot. Lift the ravioli from water with a large strainer or slotted spoon. Bath the ravioli in your favorite sauce to lightly coat and serve. Variation : To make spinach pasta, add 1/4 cup of spinach powder and omit 2 tablespoons of flour. 77 Wild Mushroom Ragout This is a wonderful light yet flavorful tomato sauce. It’s great with store-bought or homemade pasta or with your favorite meat or vegetables. 3 tablespoons olive oil 3 tablespoons butter 1 medium sweet onion, minced (about 1 cup) 2 garlic cloves, minced ¼ pound fresh cremini or white mushrooms (about 1 cup), chopped 2 ounces dried mushrooms such as porcini or chanterelles 2 tablespoons fresh thyme, finely chopped (or 1 tsp dried) 3 tablespoons soy sauce ¼ cup medium-dry sherry or red wine 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar 1 (28 to 32-ounce) can diced tomatoes (Muir Glen fire-roasted tomatoes work well) 1. Rehydrate the dried mushrooms in some warm water for 5 minutes. If they are in large pieces, chop coarsely. 2. Heat olive oil and butter in a heavy skillet. Add onion and cook, stirring, until onion is golden brown. Add garlic and cook until garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute. Add mushrooms and cook until the liquid they give off is evaporated and the mushrooms begin to brown. Add thyme, soy sauce, sherry and vinegar and boil until liquid is evaporated. Stir in tomatoes and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes, or until sauce is thickened. 78 Polish Pierogies Pierogies are dough pockets filled with cheese and meat, and they are one of Patrick’s favorite treats. They are usually pan-fried after they are boiled, giving them a nice crisp texture. They can also be deep fried. Yield: 10 servings For the pierogi dough: 1 ½ cups sour cream 4 cups flour 2 tablespoons melted butter 2 whole eggs 2 teaspoons salt 2 teaspoons olive oil For the filling: ½ pound ground beef Salt Freshly ground black pepper ½ pound soft mozzarella cheese 2 tablespoons minced shallots 2 tablespoons minced garlic ½ cup green onions, chopped 1 whole egg To finish: 4 tablespoons butter 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley leaves ½ cup sour cream For the dough: In a large mixing bowl, combine the sour cream, flour, butter, 2 whole eggs, egg yolk, 2 teaspoons salt and olive oil. Knead the mixture into a soft dough. Divide the dough in half and cover for 10 minutes. On a floured surface, roll each half of the dough into a thin circle, ¼-inch thick. Cut the dough using a 3-inch circle cutter. For the filling: 1. Season the beef with salt and pepper. In a saute pan, render the ground beef for 3 minutes. Remove from the pan and drain on a paper-lined plate. In a mixing bowl, combine the cheese, ground beef, shallots, garlic, green onion and egg. Mix well. Season with salt and pepper. 3. Place 1 tablespoon of the filling in the center of each circle of dough and fold over. Press and seal into halfmoon shapes. Use a little water to seal the pierogies. 4. In a pot of boiling, salted water, cook the pierogi for 8 minutes, or until they float. Remove from the water and drain. 5. In a saute pan, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter. Sear the pierogi for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or until they are golden brown. Remove from the pan. The pierogi will need to be sauteed in batches. Arrange the pierogi’s on a platter. Garnish with parsley and serve with sour cream. 79 Miscellaneous Homemade Vanilla Extract With the prices of vanilla skyrocketing lately, homemade vanilla extract is a great way to save money. Using high-quality whole vanilla beans yields more aromatic and delicious results than most commercial extracts. Bulk vanilla beans are available very cheaply on Ebay. This recipe can be multiplied to make as much extract as you like. 2 vanilla beans. 1 cup vodka Pour the vodka into a clean glass jar. Split the vanilla beans lengthwise, cutting through only one side, and scrape out the pulp and seeds. Put the beans into the jar. Cut the vanilla bean pods into small pieces and place into the jar. Allow to sit in a cool dark place for 3 to 5 months, shaking jar occasionally. 80 Flavored Syrups I love flavored syrups. I always have some around to flavor coffees, teas, smoothies, and other beverages where sugar would lend a harsh texture and to brush on cakes after baking to keep them moist. The recipe is simple and can be scaled according to your needs - just use equal amounts of sugar and water. Ingredients: 1kg sugar lkg water 3 tbs vanilla extract Suggested flavorings: Lemon juice Vanilla extract Amaretto Rum Kalua Any flavored liquer In a medium saucepan, combine ingredients over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring, until sugar is dissolved. Stop stirring, and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add flavoring. Cool to room temperature and store in the refrigerator in an airtight container. 8