Holiday Power Breakfast

Cranberry sauce doesn’t have to be just for Thanksgiving dinner. Spoon it over yogurt for a fantastic breakfast chock full of stuff that’s good for you. It's not just a great way to use up turkey dinner leftovers, it’s a reason to make a whole new batch!


Yogurt with Cranberry Sauce (8 servings)

• 12 oz. fresh cranberries, rinsed
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• ½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
• ½ cup water
• Plain, non-fat Greek yogurt

1. Combine the cranberries, sugar, vanilla, orange juice, and water in a heavy saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thick, about 20 minutes. Cool; it will continue to thicken as it cools.
2. Spoon cranberry sauce over yogurt.

When You Can’t Get to Afghanistan…

There is a fantastic Afghan restaurant in Cambridge called the Helmand. Every time I go, I always make sure to get the kaddo bourani as an appetizer. It’s slow-roasted pumpkin covered by a yogurt sauce and then covered again by a meat sauce. I know, it sounds a little weird, but it is one of the most delicious things I have ever eaten. Years ago I found the recipe for it online but the thought of dealing with a pumpkin has always kept me from making it. Then it occurred to me that I could try substituting sweet potatoes. So I had a go at it. While it’s not the same as the Helmand’s, it is absolutely delicious!

Kaddo Bourani with Sweet Potato (4 to 6 servings)

Sweet potato

• 3 medium sweet potatoes (about 2 ½ lbs.)
• 6 tbsp. canola oil
• 1 cup sugar

Yogurt sauce

• 2 cups plain yogurt (I used non-fat and it was fine)
• 2 garlic cloves, pressed
• 1 tsp. dried mint
• ½ tsp. salt

Meat sauce

• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1 large tomato, seeded and finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, pressed
• 1 ¼ tsp. ground coriander
• 1 ½ tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• ½ tsp. ground turmeric
• 2 tbsp. tomato paste
• 1 1/3 cups water

Make the sweet potatoes

1. Preheat oven to 300°.
2. Peel the sweet potatoes and cut into 2-inch pieces. Toss them in the oil and place them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Sprinkle the sugar evenly over the sweet potato pieces. (1 cup of sugar is correct – that’s not a typo. In fact, that is significantly reduced from the original recipe.)
3. Cover with aluminum foil. Bake for 1 hour then turn the sweet potato pieces. Bake for 1 more hour. Then basted the pieces with the pan juices, cover, and bake for another 45 minutes.

Make the yogurt sauce

1. Mix all the ingredients together. Refrigerate, covered, until ready to serve.

Make the meat sauce

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet. Brown the onions then add the meat and cook over medium-high heat, stirring, until it is broken up into small pieces and the meat is cooked through.
2. Add the tomato, garlic, ground coriander, salt, pepper, and turmeric and cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes.
3. Stir in the tomato paste and the water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and let simmer for about 15 minutes.

To serve

Spoon the sweet potato onto a plate. Top with cold yogurt sauce. Top with hot meat sauce.

Dipping into Delicious

With the start of fall and the weather getting just a little cooler but not really cold, it’s time to say goodbye to the light summer dishes. But I’m not ready to embrace hearty, cold-weather fare. I decided that two dips were exactly what I wanted for the week. Dips are great because not only do they make a terrific snack or even light meal with pita chips and a side salad, they are fantastic sandwich spreads. I decided on a roasted eggplant and red pepper dip from the Barefoot Contessa that a friend had sent me years ago and a black olive tapenade from a great sandwich cookbook.

Both of these dips are wonderful just with pita chips or crackers but can they also transform a sandwich into something sublime. Spread the olive tapenade on ciabatta bread and top with prosciutto, fresh basil leaves, tomato slices, and fresh mozzarella. Or spread the roasted eggplant and red pepper dip on French baguette and top with smoked turkey and gouda. You’ll never want to use mayonnaise again.

Roasted Eggplant and Red Pepper Dip

• 1 medium eggplant, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 2 red bell peppers, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 onion, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 garlic cloves, pressed
• 3 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 ½ tsp. kosher salt
• ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp. tomato paste

1. Preheat the oven to 450°.
2. Toss the eggplant, peppers, and onions in a large bowl with the garlic, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread them in an even layer on a baking sheet and roast for 45 minutes, tossing once. Cool slightly.
3. Place the vegetables in a food processor fitted with a steel blade, add the tomato pasted, and pulse to blend.

Black Olive Tapenade

• 1 cup niçoise or kalamata olives, pitted
• 2 anchovy fillets
• 2 garlic cloves, pressed
• 1 tbsp. capers, drained
• 1 tbsp. herbes de Provence
• ¼ cup chopped fresh basil
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
• freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. In a food processor, combine the olives, anchovies, garlic, capers, herbes de Provence, and basil. Process until the mixture is very finely chopped, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
2. With the machine running, gradually add the olive oil in a thin, steady stream until the mixture is very smooth, like a thick paste. Stir in the lemon juices and season to taste with pepper.

Pita Chips

• Pita bread (I like to use whole wheat pita)\
• Olive oil
• Kosher salt

1. Preheat the oven to 375°.
2. Brush the pita with olive oil on both sides. Stack the pita and cut into wedges.
3. Place the pita wedges on a baking sheet in an even layer and sprinkle with kosher salt.
4. Bake for 6-7 minutes, turn the chips, and bake for another 6-7 minutes.

Creamy, Elegant Pasta in No Time

Pasta with cream sauce is one of those dishes that is incredibly easy to make, is incredibly fast to make, and offers endless variations (like this and this). One of my favorite variations is fettuccini with smoked salmon and dill cream sauce. A small chunk of smoked salmon (don’t use the slices, they don’t work nearly as well) and some fresh dill and you have a pasta that tastes rich and even a little elegant. Sometimes, for a homier version, instead of the dill I use 2 tsp. of Old Bay seasoning, which is also delicious.

Pasta with Smoked Salmon and Dill Cream Sauce (4 to 6 servings)

• 3 tbsp. butter
• 3 tbsp. flour
• 1 ½ cups milk
• 4 oz. smoked salmon fillet, shredded with a fork
• Fresh dill
• 1 lb. fettuccini, cooked and drained

1. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Add the milk and whisk. Heat until the sauce thickens. Stir in the salmon and dill. Pour sauce over fettuccini and toss.

Chicken Salad goes Indian

I wanted my chicken salad a little more exotic this time. I decided to use Indian flavors but I knew I was going to have to do a lot of adapting which is half the fun. I turned to my Indian cookbooks for help. Rather than just poach the chicken breasts in chicken broth like I usually do, I decided to prepare them based on a recipe for chicken tandoori, which gave the chicken lots of flavor. (No color, though. The bright red chicken tandoori that you typically see in Indian restaurants comes courtesy of food coloring.) For the dressing, I thought using yogurt as the base rather than mayonnaise would be a little more “authentic.” Then I thought of my favorite Indian spinach dish (saag) and thought why not use that for my inspiration. Using a lamb saag recipe – more as a rough guide for the types of spices to use than anything else – I concocted a dressing with more Indian spices to complement the tandoori chicken. The final result is an extremely flavorful and exotic chicken salad that bears little resemblance to my two inspiration dishes but is delicious nonetheless. I served the chicken salad on naan, which you can now buy at the supermarket!

I must have been very hungry as I was planning the meal because I decided I needed a side dish. Flipping through my What’s Cooking Indian cookbook, I came across a recipe for potatoes and peas that looked delicious and I though that it might make a good potato salad substitute. Not only was this a delicious side dish, it was also excellent cold!

Indian Chicken Salad with Spinach (6 servings)

• 2-3 chicken breasts
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 lemon
• 12 oz. plain yogurt
• 1 small onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• ¾ inch ginger root, peeled
• ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
• 2 tsp. garam masala
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• ½ tsp. ground coriander
• 3 oz. baby spinach

1. Cut slits into the chicken. Sprinkle ½ tsp. salt and squeeze the juice from half the lemon over them. Lightly rub the salt and juice into the slits. Turn the chicken over and repeat with the remaining salt and lemon juice. Set aside for 20 minutes.
2. Blend 6 oz. of the yogurt, onion, 1 clove of the garlic, ¼ inch of the ginger, cayenne pepper, and garam masala in a food processor until it is a smooth paste.
3. Put the chicken and juices into a large zip-top plastic bag with the yogurt marinade, tossing until the chicken is completely covered. Seal and refrigerate 6-24 hours.
4. Preheat the oven to 450°. Take the chicken out of the bag, shaking off as much marinade as possible. Place in a shallow baking dish and bake for 30 minutes or until just doe. Cool and shred the chicken.
5. In a large bowl, whisk together the remaining 6 oz. of yogurt, the remaining garlic clove pressed, the remaining ½-inch of ginger grated, the cumin, and the coriander. Add the spinach and shredded chicken and stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate for a few hours to allow the flavors to blend.

Indian Potatoes and Peas (6 servings)

• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1 clove garlic, pressed
• ½ inch ginger, peeled and grated
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• ½ tsp. turmeric
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 1/3 cups vegetable broth
• 3 Idaho potatoes, peeled and cut into ¼-inch cubes
• 1 10-oz. box frozen peas
• ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the onions and sauté, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 10 minutes.
2. In a small bowl, combine the garlic, ginger, chili powder, turmeric, and salt. Add the spice mixture to the onions. Stir in 2/3 cup of vegetable stock, cover, and cook until the onions are cooked through, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the potatoes and cook for 5 minutes. Add the peas and the remaining 2/3 cup vegetable stock, cover, and cook 20 minutes until the potatoes are tender. Stir in the parsley.

Isn’t that Niçoise?

This is my absolute favorite dish for hot summer days. I make it at least once every summer and I always make sure I have the ingredients on hand. It’s from an intriguing little cookbook called Cool Food. It’s very fast and the only real cooking is the boiling of the pasta. I often – as I did this time – use angel hair which cooks up even faster than spaghetti.. This dish is best served at room temperature.
Spaghetti Niçoise (6 to 8 servings)

• 1 lb. spaghetti or angel hair, cooked and drained.
• 3 cans good-quality tuna in olive oil
• ½ cup Kalamata or Niçoise olives, pitted and halved
• 2/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes, halved lengthwise
• 4 anchovy fillets, chopped into small pieces
• 1 tsp. lemon zest
• 2 tbsp. lemon juice
• 3 tbsp. baby capers, drained
• ¼ cup parsley, chopped

1. Empty the tuna and its oil into a large bowl. Add the olives, tomato halves, anchovies, lemon zest and juice, capers, and parsley.Add the pasta and toss.

Minty Beautiful

I also came home with some mint from my mother’s herb garden and so I made a vanilla-mint fruit salad. I hadn’t planned to post it because I’ve already written up the basic recipe. The strawberries and kiwis at the grocery store looked fantastic so that’s what I went with this time. When I put it together, it just looked so gorgeous, I had to take a picture!

Not only does this look great, the vanilla, mint, and lime all work really well with the kiwis and strawberries and this fruit salad packs quite a vitamin C punch!

Lazy Pasta from the Garden and the Pantry

After a weekend with my parents, I headed home with bunches of fresh herbs from my mother’s fabulous garden and absolutely no desire to go to the grocery store. But that’s OK because I can make a fabulous fast pasta aglio e olio style with stuff that’s in my pantry and fridge. As long as you have pasta, olive oil, and garlic, you can make this dish and throw in anything else you have on hand or want to use up. While I’ve included the recipe for what I did below, it’s really more of an approach than a specific recipe. For the herbs, I had thyme, marjoram, savory, tarragon, and parsley, but any herbs will do. If you don’t have fresh, you can use dried (just use much less). I had olives and sun-dried tomatoes, so in they went. If you have a fresh tomato or two, throw them in. Canned diced tomatoes would work, as well. Add a fistful of capers. Anchovies would be delicious. You could use goat cheese if you don’t have Parmesan. No cheese? No problem. You get the point. It’ll never be the same twice but it will always be delicious!

Pasta with Fresh Herbs (6 to 8 servings)

• 1 lb. linguini, cooked and drained.
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 2 large garlic cloves, pressed
• 1 cup fresh chopped herbs
• ¼ cup chopped black olives
• ¼ cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes
• ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the garlic and fresh herbs and cook about 1 minute. Add the olives and sun-dried tomatoes and cook another minute. Add the cooked linguini and toss to coat. Add the cheese and toss, cooking until pasta, herbs, and cheese are well mixed.

Kefta Tagine, Can You?

Kefta tagine – Moroccan lamb meatball stew – is one of my favorite dishes. For years I’ve been making a version from The Frugal Gourmet on our Immigrant Ancestors which is absolutely delicious. Now that I have a real tagine as well as Kefta spice blend, I decided to adapt the recipe a little.

Traditionally, eggs are cracked into the stew at the very end and they poach in the sauce. While this always sounds intriguing to me, it also seems a little heavy and I’m not sure how the eggs would fare as leftovers so I omit them. You could serve this stew with couscous to stay in the Moroccan theme but I always go with the completely non-traditional option of Basmati rice.

If you don’t have kefta spice, you can make your own spice blend with 1 ½ tsp. ground cumin, ½ tsp. cayenne pepper, ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper, and ½ tsp. cinnamon.

Kefta Tagine (4 to 6 servings)

• 1 lbs. ground lamb
• ¼ cup chopped parsley
• 2 cloves garlic, pressed
• 2 onions, chopped]
• 3 tsp. kefta spice
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 2 lbs. tomatoes, chopped
• 2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

1. In a large bowl, combine the lamb, 2 tbsp. parsley, 1 clove garlic, 1 tsp. kefta spice, and 1 chopped onion. Form into 1-inch balls with wet hands. Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the meatballs and brown all over.
2. Place the tomatoes and lemon juice along with the remaining garlic clove, onions, and 2 tsp. kefta spice in the base of the tagine (or Dutch oven) and stir to combine. Add the meatballs. Cover and bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the remaining parsley.

Mediterranean Chicken Salad Two Ways

I’m always looking for different ways to make chicken salad (like this and this) and made two variations using Mediterranean influences: Tuscan and Greek. Both use a vinaigrette rather than a mayonnaise-based dressing which make them excellent dishes for picnics and other hot, sit-out-all-day events. Both use lemons and olives for a salty, fresh flavor. The Tuscan version includes beans and fresh basil while the Greek version uses oregano and feta cheese. Both are delicious and work well on their own or as a sandwich.

Tuscan Chicken Salad (6 servings)

• 1 garlic clove, pressed
• ½ tsp. salt
• ¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tbsp. lemon juice
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 2 or 3 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
• 1 15-oz. can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• ½ cup black olives, pitted and halved
• 1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
• ¼ cup chopped fresh basil

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the garlic, salt, pepper, lemon juice, and olive oil.
2. Add the chicken, beans, olives, and basil. Toss gently to coat. Cover and refrigerate for a few hours to allow the flavors to blend.

Greek Chicken Salad (6 servings)

• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• ¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tbsp. lemon juice
• 1 tbsp. lemon zest
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 2 or 3 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
• 1 small red onion, chopped
• ½ cup black olives, halved
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and chopped
• ½ cup feta cheese

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the oregano, pepper, lemon juice, lemon zest, and olive oil.
2. Add the chicken, onion, olives, tomato, cucumber, and feta cheese. Toss gently to coat. Cover and refrigerate for a few hours to allow the flavors to blend.

An Eggplant Lasagna to Crave

Too often, eggplant lasagna is blah. It’s a great way to make a vegetarian lasagna but when the eggplant is just used as just a substitute for the meat, the result is a bland disappointment. I wanted to make an eggplant lasagna that was delicious because of – not despite – the eggplant. I started by researching caponata recipes, which I thought might make a good base, to make a filling that would bring out the flavor and silky texture of the eggplant. My capoanta-inspired filling starts with roasting the eggplant to concentrate the flavor and then adds a lot of vinegar that gives it a unique tanginess that works really well with the creaminess of lasagna. I also went light on the tomatoes; I wanted the tomato flavor to be there but to enhance not compete with the eggplant. To add a little depth, I replaced one of the layers of mozzarella cheese with smoked mozzarella. The result is a vegetarian lasagna that even meat-eaters can love.

Eggplant Lasagna (one 9” x 13” lasagna)

• 2 large or 3 small eggplants, cut into ¾-inch cubes
• 2 tsp. kosher salt
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, pressed
• 1 can (15 oz.) diced tomatoes
• 1/3 cup white wine vinegar
• ¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tbsp. butter
• 3 tbsp. flour
• 1 ½ cups skim milk
• ½ lb. mozzarella cheese
• ¼ lb. smoked mozzarella cheese
• Uncooked lasagna noodles

1. Preheat oven to 450°.
2. Toss eggplant with 1 tbsp. olive oil and 1 tsp. salt. Roast for 20 minutes, turning at least once. Remove eggplant from oven and turn oven down to 375°.
3. Heat 1 tbsp. olive oil in a large skillet, add the onion and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, tomatoes, vinegar, 1 tsp. salt, and pepper. Stir together and simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Add the eggplant and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes.
4. In a medium-sized pot, melt the butter and stir in the flour. Whisk in the milk and a couple slices of smoked mozzarella. Stir over low heat until the sauce thickens.
5. Spoon 1/3 of the eggplant into the bottom of a 9” x 13” baking dish. Place uncooked lasagna noodles on top, add a layer of mozzarella cheese, and spoon 1/3 of the sauce over the top. Repeat for two more layers, using the smoked mozzarella for the middle layer.
6. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and bake, uncovered, for another 10-15 minutes until the top is golden brown.
   

Two Secrets to Great Lasagna

Lasagna is brilliant. The classic lasagna with its rich, tomatoey meat sauce, layers of pasta, and melted cheese is comforting and delicious. It’s a great dish to freeze so you can make it in advance or save leftovers. But a lot of people are afraid of making lasagna at home. I think it’s mostly because it can be a real pain to work with the noodles. You boil them, then they are too hot to handle and you burn your hands, but when they cool down they get sticky and are hard to work with.

Which leads me to secret number one: do not boil the lasagna noodles. You can buy “no-boil” noodles but you don’t need to. You can, in fact, use any dried lasagna noodle and skip the boiling step entirely. Not only is it much easier, the final lasagna tastes much better. That’s because instead of absorbing plain water (even if it’s salted), the uncooked noodles absorb the liquids from the filling and sauce, flavoring the pasta. The only thing to keep in mind is that you do want to make sure your filling has plenty of liquid so the dish doesn’t dry out.

The second secret is béchamel sauce which is used in the classic Italian lasagna. It’s very simple to make – it’s just butter, flour, and milk – but it makes the lasagna very creamy, even if you use skim milk in the sauce. If you are going to make lasagna, you need to include the béchamel sauce; you cannot skip this step. Period.

The other thing that I love about lasagna is that once you’ve figured out the basic recipe, there are endless possibilities for creative versions, such as sausage and sage, or crab and artichoke. Use your imagination!

Classic Lasagna (8 to 12 servings)

• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1 15-oz. can tomato sauce
• 1 6-oz. can tomato paste
• 2 cloves garlic, pressed
• 2 tsp. basil
• 2 tsp. oregano
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 tbsp. butter
• 3 tbsp. flour
• 1 ½ cups milk
• 1 lb. lasagna noodles
• ¾ lb. mozzarella cheese
• Parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven to 375°.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large pan. Sauté the onion and ground beef until the beef is cooked through. Stir in the tomato sauce and tomato paste. Add the garlic, basil, oregano, and bay leaf. Simmer for 15-20 minutes.
3. To make the béchamel, melt the butter in a small saucepan. Add the flour and whisk together. Cook for 1 minute. Add the milk and whisk to ensure no lumps form. Heat the milk, whisking occasionally, until it thickens.
4. Spread 1/3 of the beef and tomato mixture into a 9” x 13” baking dish. Cover with uncooked lasagna. Place 1/3 of the mozzarella cheese on the lasagna. Pour 1/3 of the béchamel on the noodles and cheese. Repeat the process two more times. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top of the lasagna.
5. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and bake, uncovered, for another 10-15 minutes until the top is golden brown.

Doro Wat Gets Green

Usually I make doro wat with plain basmati rice. I love plain rice, but I was craving spinach so wanted to incorporate it. I decided to cook the rice pilaf style, using the same aromatics and spices that I use in the doro wat along with the spinach. Probably a very un-Ethiopian side dish but delicious nonetheless.

Berbere Rice with Spinach (4 to 6 servings)

• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, pressed
• ½ inch fresh ginger, grated
• 1 tsp. berbere (add more if you want it spicier)
• 1 cup basmati rice
• 2 cups water
• 1 10-oz. box frozen chopped spinach, thawed and excess water squeezed out

1. Heat oil in a large pot. Add the onion, garlic and ginger and cook until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the berbere and cook another 30 seconds. Add the rice, stirring to coat, and toast until translucent, about 1 minute.
2. Add the water, cover, and cook until the water is absorbed.
3. Stir in the spinach.

Pumpkin Quiche Encore

Last year I made a pumpkin quiche that was delicious and had very sharp flavors. I wanted to try a softer version, so I traded the thyme for sage and the Parmesan cheese for goat cheese. I love this version, too, maybe even more. Paired with roasted asparagus it makes a for a very nice summer bistro meal which can be eaten warm (as opposed to piping hot).

I loved the crust from the Belgian leek tart so much, I used it here. You can, of course, use a store-bought crust but this crust is incredibly easy to whiz up in the food processor and the improvement in flavor and texture is actually quite astounding. It really is worth the effort.

Pumpkin Quiche (makes one 9” quiche)

Crust

• 4 tbsp. ice water
• ¾ tsp. apple cider vinegar
• 1 ½ cups flour
• ¾ tsp. salt
• ½ cup chilled unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Filling

• 1 tsp. olive oil
• 4 oz. pancetta, diced
• 10-12 sage leaves, chopped
• 2 eggs plus 2 extra egg yolks
• 1 cup light cream
• 1 15-oz. can pumpkin purée
• Salt and pepper to taste
• ¾ cup crumbled goat cheese

1. Preheat oven to 375°. To make the crust, combine 4 tbsp. ice water and cider vinegar in a small bowl. Blend flour and salt in a food processor. Add butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal. With the machine running, slowly add the water-vinegar mixture, processing until moist clumps form. If dough seems dry, add more ice water by the teaspoon. Gather the dough into a ball and flatten into a disk. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least 2 hours (can be made 3 days ahead). Allow dough to soften slightly at room temperature before rolling out.
2. Spray a 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom or pie pan with cooking spray. Roll the dough out on a lightly floured work surface to a 12-inch round. Transfer the dough to the tart pan; fold in the overhang and press to extend the dough ½ inch above the sides. Cover with plastic wrap and put in the freezer for 30 minutes (this will prevent the crust from shrinking). Remove the crust from the freezer, line the pan with foil that has been sprayed with cooking spray and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake until crust is set, about 30 minutes. Remove the foil and weights and bake another 20-25 minutes until the crust is pale golden. Remove from the oven and cool slightly.
3. Heat the olive oil in a small pan. Add the pancetta and sauté until crisp, 5 minutes. Add the sage and cook until crisp, another 1-2 minutes.
4. In a large bowl, beat the eggs, pumpkin, and cream together and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the goat cheese over the warm crust. Sprinkle the pancetta and sage on top. Ladle the egg mixture into the pastry. Bake until nicely browned, about 30 minutes.

Rösti: Way Better than Hash Browns!

On our trip to Switzerland, one of the traditional dishes we enjoyed was Rösti. Basic Rösti is a side dish that is very similar to hash browns. (Having said that, fried potatoes – what’s not to love!) But Rösti can be elevated to a hearty and enormously satisfying meal. One of our favorites is Rösti mit Spiegelei (with fried egg). The Rösti itself is grated potatoes with onions and bacon, fried up into a round pancake. It’s then topped with melted Gruyère cheese and eggs cooked over medium. Just like brunch, only better, and you won’t miss the toast!

We decided to try our hands at making it at home. It’s a little labor-intensive and it’s not quite the same as the thickly-grated, extra-crispy original, but it was fun and delicious. We decided to make one large pancake rather than four individual ones. The one large one is harder to flip, but it is doable if you are careful.

Rösti mit Spiegelei (2 to 4 servings)

• 2 large Idaho potatoes
• 6 slices bacon
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• ½ cup shredded Gruyère cheese
• 1 tbsp. butter
• 2 to 4 eggs

1. Boil the potatoes in their skins for 20 minutes. Drain and cool. Then peel and grate using a cheese grater.
2. Sauté the bacon until crisp. Remove excess fat and crumble. Sauté the onions in the bacon fat until soft, about 10 minutes. Combine the crumbled bacon and onions with the potatoes and mix gently, taking care not to mash the potatoes.
3. Heat the oil in a frying pan and add the potato mixture. Using a spatula, press into a round, flat cake. Brown over a high heat. When the bottom side is browned, flip it over. Sprinkle the Gruyère over the top and allow to melt. When the second side is browned, place the potatoes on a large plate.
4. Add the butter to the pan. Cook the eggs over medium and place on top of the potatoes.

Rhubarb Redux

Less than two weeks after I wrote about rhubarb syrup, the New York Times online published this blog. Coincidence or trend?

Bring on the Summer Heat

Now that summer is officially here, it’s time for cool meals. I’ve been craving leeks so vichyssoise – the classic chilled leek and potato soup – was the obvious choice. I looked through all my cookbooks to study the variations and decided to make my own version based on the recipe in Gourmet Meals in Minutes. I picked this one because of the cheesecloth pouch with a few herbs and spices. I’ve used this technique before and it works very well for adding a slight layer of complexity without overpowering the delicate primary flavors. I did, however, make some changes. First, I substituted butter for the olive oil. Leeks sautéed in olive oil are delicious but leeks sautéed in butter are heavenly. Also, I omitted the onions. I love leeks’ mild oniony flavor and it feels like overkill to add onions to them.

The leeks that I bought were the sandiest, grittiest leeks I’ve ever seen! Cleaning leeks is easy. The secret is to clean them after you chop them. Fill a large bowl with cold water. Chop the leeks according to the recipe and drop the chopped leeks into the water. Swirl them around to separate them then let them sit for a couple of minutes. All the sand and grit will drop to the bottom of the bowl. Just scoop out the leeks and dry them in paper towels.

To go with my soup, I made fruit salad. But not just any fruit salad. I made a vanilla-mint fruit salad based on a recipe from the July/August 2007 issue of Cooks Illustrated magazine. Their version used cantaloupe, plums, and cherries. I used nectarines, plums, and blueberries. You can use any fruit that looks particularly good at the market. Vanilla and fresh mint are a brilliant combination and when you add the lime juice, it really brings all the flavors together.

Vichyssoise (4 to 6 servings)

• 2 tbsp. butter
• 3 leeks, chopped into small pieces
• 2 medium russet potatoes, peeled and chopped into small dice
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 cheesecloth pouch containing 2 whole cloves, 2 parsley stems, 2 peppercorns, ½ bay leaf
• 1 ½ cups half and half
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tbsp. chopped chives

1. Melt the butter in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the leeks and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes. Add the potatoes, chicken broth, and cheesecloth pouch. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer until the potatoes begin to fall apart, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat.
2. Remove and discard the cheesecloth pouch. Purée the soup. Stir in the cream and add salt and pepper to taste. Fold in the chives. Chill before serving.

Vanilla-Mint Fruit Salad (6 servings)

• 4 tsp. sugar
• 2 tbsp. minced fresh mint leaves
• ¼ tsp. vanilla extract
• 3 nectarines, pitted and cut into ½-inch pieces
• 2 plums, pitted and cut into ½-inch pieces
• 1 half-pint container blueberries
• 2 tbsp. lime juice

1. Combine sugar and mint in a large bowl. Using a rubber spatula, press the mixture into the side of the bowl until the sugar becomes damp, about 30 seconds. Add the vanilla.
2. Gently toss the fruit with the sugar mixture until combined. Let stand at room temperature, stirring occasionally, until the fruit releases its juices, 15 to 30 minutes.Stir in the lime juice to taste.

Lemony Bowler Hats with Peas and Spinach

A simple pasta dish. Orecchiette means “little ears” in Italian because the pasta looks like little ears but to me it looks like little bowler hats. I don’t know how to say “bowler hats” in Italian. This is a very simple dish, quick and easy to make. The lemon cream sauce is very light, bringing out the bright green flavor of the vegetables. Perfect with simple, pan-fried flounder.


Orecchiette with Peas and Spinach (4 to 6 servings)

• 1 cup light cream
• 10 oz. frozen peas, unthawed
• 1 garlic clove, pressed
• 6 oz. baby spinach
• 1 tsp. lemon zest
• 1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• 1 lb. orecchiette, cooked and drained, reserving ¼ cup cooking water
• ¼ cup grated parmesan

1. In a medium pot, combine the cream, peas, and garlic and simmer for 5 minutes until peas are tender. Add the spinach and cook over medium-low heat, stirring, until wilted. Remove from heat and stir in the lemon zest and juice.
2. Toss the cooked pasta together with the sauce, parmesan cheese, and a little of the pasta cooking water (thin with additional cooking water if necessary).

If You Think You Know Rhubarb, Think Again!

When most people think of rhubarb, their either think of the extreme sourness of the raw stalk or of strawberry-rhubarb pie which, quite frankly, usually just tastes like strawberries. I was like most people until I made rhubarb ice cream. I discovered that when you cook rhubarb with sugar and a little water, the sourness goes away completely and leaves a very soft, unique flavor that is so subtle you can’t add another flavor – like strawberries – without completely drowning it out. This flavor works beautifully for ice cream and it turns out it makes wonderful beverages, too.

The original plan for this syrup was to make rhubarb bellinis but I discovered that a little syrup with club soda makes a wonderfully refreshing drink that’s a lovely alternative to juice or soda. (I haven't tried it with Champagne yet so I don't know if the rhubarb bellini idea was a good one, but I'm optimistic.) And you get a wonderful bonus; after straining out the syrup you are left with the pulp. It’s not very pretty (greenish – because all the pink is in the syrup – and stringy looking) but it has the same wonderful flavor as the syrup. I stirred it into my plain breakfast yogurt and it was delicious! So don’t throw it out… there must be lots of other great uses for it.

Rhubarb Syrup (makes about 2 cups)

• 7-8 stalks rhubarb, chopped
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup water

1. Combine the rhubarb, sugar, and water in a medium-sized pot and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer about 20 minutes until the rhubarb is soft and the liquid has thickened slightly.
2. Pour into a strainer. Pour the syrup into a bowl or bottle, cover, and refrigerate. Transfer the pulp to a small bowl, cover and refrigerate.

The Real Tagine

I got a tagine for my birthday along with a nice assortment of Moroccan spices! Something magical happens when you cook in a clay pot. I seasoned my new tagine by putting in ¼ cup olive oil, a chopped onion, a couple of chopped carrots, two cloves of garlic, and two bay leaves, filling with water, and baking it in the oven for 45 minutes. You’d think it would just smell like a simple soup base but the scent that wafted into my kitchen was indescribably heavenly.

For my first real meal, I made a dish from Made in Morocco that I’ve had my eye on for quite awhile: tagine of chicken with lemons and olives. The lemons in this recipe are preserved lemons. I considered making my own preserved lemons as it is rather easy, but it does take a month and I didn’t want to wait that long, so I ordered some from Zamouri Spices. The preserved lemons are very salty (even after washing off the excess salt) and very lemony but the sourness is replaced with an exotic perfuminess.

I used two teaspoons of my new La Kama spice mix instead of the one teaspoon each of turmeric and ginger the original recipe calls for. According to the Zamouri Spices website, La Kama is a warm and aromatic spice blend created especially for chicken tagine dishes and contains black pepper, cilantro, cinnamon, coriander, cumin, ginger, mustard, nutmeg, salt, turmeric.
The chicken is so tender it falls off the bone and the warm spices combined with the salty lemons and olives are just lovely together. You could make this dish in a regular Dutch oven and use either just the turmeric and ginger or create your own spice mix based on the ingredients of La Kama. I wouldn’t substitute regular lemons but you could omit the preserved lemons and still have a very tasty dish.
Tagine of Chicken with Preserved Lemons and Olives (4 to 6 servings)

• 3 onions, peeled and sliced
• 4 chicken legs, cut into separate drumsticks and thighs
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 2 tsp. La Kama spice mix
• 1 ½ cups chicken stock
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 preserved lemons, quartered and rinsed
• 1 cup kalamata olives
• ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

1. Place onions in the base of a tagine or Dutch oven. Arrange chicken portions on the bed of onions, drizzle with olive oil and dust with spices. Pour over stock and season well with salt and pepper.
2. Cover the pan and bring the liquid to a boil then turn down the heat and simmer 1 ½ hours until the chicken is cooked.
3. Add the preserved lemons, olives, and parsley and cook for 10 minutes more. Skim any excess fat from the surface before serving.

A Turkish Twist on Burgers ‘n’ Fries

Sometimes I like very simple dishes. But sometimes I like dishes with a complex combination of flavors. I found one such recipe for kofte, which is a Turkish lamb meatball. The recipe substitutes ground beef (I assume to adapt to the American palate) but I love lamb so there was no question of substation for me. The recipe calls for using plain yogurt as a condiment but I consulted various authentic Turkish recipes and came up with my own yogurt-cucumber-mint sauce – cacık – which is common in Turkish cuisine. (It’s also common in Greece where is it called tzatziki.)

With my plan for a Turkish “burger” I wanted a vegetable to accompany it. Of course, “burger” is usually followed by “fries.” I found a recipe for cumin-roasted carrots that seemed like it would be a good complement to the koftes which also contain cumin.

Don’t be fooled by the long lists of ingredients. This entire meal is extremely easy to prepare and broiling the burgers works very well. (I will admit that I was skeptical when I read the original recipe.) And don’t be put off by the “strange” combination of flavorings. Cumin and cinnamon and mint? With meat? Yes! Yes! Yes! Or, as they say in Turkey: Evet! Evet! Evet!

Turkish Lamb Burgers with Yogurt-Cucumber-Mint Sauce (4 servings)

Yogurt-Cucumber-Mint Sauce

• ½ cup Greek yogurt
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 tbsp. chopped fresh mint
• 1 small cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced

Turkish Lamb Burgers

• 1 onion, chopped
• 1/3 cup breadcrumbs
• ¼ cup chopped fresh mint
• 2 tbsp. tomato paste
• 1 clove garlic, pressed
• ½ tsp. salt
• ½ tsp. ground cumin
• ½ tsp. cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp. ground allspice
• 1 lb. ground lamb
• 1 egg white, beaten
• cooking spray
• 4 6-inch pitas, split
• Tomato slices

1. To make the sauce, beat together the yogurt, garlic, and salt until smooth. Add the mint and cucumber and stir to combing. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
2. Preheat broiler. Combine the onion, breadcrumbs, mint, tomato paste, garlic, salt, cumin, cinnamon, allspice, lamb, and egg in a large bowl. Mix until just combined. Divide into 4 equal portions and shape each portion into a patty.
3. Place the patties on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Broil 5 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness.
4. Cut the patties in half. Scoop some of the yogurt sauce into each pita half and place a patty half and tomato slices inside.

Cumin-Roasted Carrots (4-6 servings)

• 2 lbs. carrots, peeled and cut on the diagonal into ½-inch-thick pieces
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 ½ tsp. cumin seeds
• 2 tsp. coarse salt

1. Preheat oven to 400°. Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and toss to coat. Spread in a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast until carrots are tender 35-40 minutes, turning once.

Honey, I Ate the Goat Cheese!

I went out for dinner with a friend recently at a fancy restaurant. It was one of those places whose menu includes long descriptions of the ingredients in the dish and they all sound a little crazy. But the food is delicious. For dessert I ordered the cheese platter which came with a slice of hard cheese, a wedge of goat cheese, a drizzle of honey, and grilled baguette. Or, as the menu describes it: Vermont Butter and Cheese Company's Bijou (Soft Ripened, Goat's Milk) and Vermont Ayr (Firm, Aged, Cow's Milk) with Merrimack Valley Apiaries Honey, Fennel Pollen, Grilled Bread and EVOO. (I never figured out what the Fennel Pollen was.) Cheese and bread are my staples but the honey drizzle was a revelation! It was really lovely with the cheese, especially the soft goat cheese.

I wondered if it would be the same at home with regular supermarket goat cheese and honey. Because both the cheese and the honey are sweet, I used a multi-grain roll and had some smoked oysters on the side to temper the sweetness and it made for an exquisite little brunch.


Grilled Bread with Goat Cheese and Honey

• Whole-grain rolls or baguette, sliced on the diagonal into ¼-inch slices
• Olive oil
• Goat cheese
• Honey

1. Brush bread slices with olive oil and grill until lightly toasted. Spread goat cheese on grilled bread and drizzle with honey.

Comfort in a Bowl

Sometimes I’m in the mood for very simple food. No adornments, nothing fancy, just a few good ingredients cooked to bring out their best and most complementary flavors. That’s what this soup is all about. I thought the combination of leeks, ham, and sweet potatoes was earthy and appealing (the Idaho potato is in there just to thicken the soup). It’s rare that I make a soup without any herbs or spices but this one really doesn’t need any. If you are looking to expand your repertoire of comfort food, this is the perfect candidate.

Sweet Potato Soup with Leeks and Ham (6 servings)

• 1 tbsp. butter
• 3 leeks, sliced thinly
• 8 oz. ham steak, diced
• 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
• 1 Idaho potato, peeled and diced
• 5 cups chicken stock
• 1 cup light cream

1. Melt the butter in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the leeks and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes. Add the ham and cook 5 minutes. Add the sweet potatoes and potatoes and stir to combine.
2. Add the chicken stock, bring to a boil, and simmer for 30 minutes.Add the cream and heat through.

The Ultimate Summer Dessert

I still had a little buttermilk left over. Then I stumbled across a recipe for buttermilk sorbet with strawberries (although I’m not sure you can call it a sorbet if it has dairy in it). I figured, why not? I really needed to use up the buttermilk; there wasn’t that much left and I had the rest of the ingredients on hand. Now I know what you are thinking: this is just buttermilk and sugar, how good could it be? I know because that’s what I thought. But with only 1 ½ cups of buttermilk left, I was only making a half recipe (I doubled the amounts below) and anyway it was all in the name of ice cream experimentation. We were so wrong. This is genius! This is the ultimate summer dessert – just sweet enough to be sweet, just tangy enough to be refreshing, and a gorgeous white color that cools you down just looking at it. I’m hooked. I think I need to buy more buttermilk…

Buttermilk Ice Cream (6 servings)

• 3 cups low-fat buttermilk
• 6 tbsp. cup sugar
• 6 tbsp. light corn syrup

1. Combine the buttermilk, sugar, and corn syrup in a medium bowl and stir until the sugar dissolves. Pour into ice cream maker and let mix for 30 minutes.

A Fish in Every Tagine

My parents gave me a gorgeous Moroccan cookbook called Made in Morocco by Julie Le Clerc and John Bougen that I love to look through as it has really stunning photography. A while ago I made the recipe for Chermoula Fish Tagine (chermoula is a North African marinade) and it was delicious. There was a lot of sauce that was very flavorful but also very watery. I thought if I added some uncooked rice, it would absorb all that flavor. So I made it again with the rice and it worked perfectly.

I don’t have a tagine, but a Dutch oven works very well. The original chermoula recipe calls for either fresch coriander (cilantro) or parsley. Since I dislike cilantro (although I do like ground coriander), I went with parsley but if you happen to like it, that is a traditional option.

The final dish looks very rustic but it is absolutely delicious. And don’t let the longish ingredient list put you off; it’s extremely easy to make. You can whip up the chermoula in seconds in a food processor or blender. Then you just layer everything together, set it on the stove, and it’s done – with no fussing or stirring – in less than an hour.
Chermuola Fish Tagine (4 to 6 servings)

• 1 bunch fresh parsley
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 tsp. ground coriander
• 1 tsp. paprika
• ½ tsp. sea salt
• Juice and zest of 1 lemon
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 4 large carrots, peeled and thickly sliced on the diagonal
• 4 celery sticks, thickly sliced on the diagonal
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup basmati rice
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 4 tomatoes, thickly sliced
• 1 lb. boneless cod fillets

1. To make the chermoula, put the parsley, garlic, cumin, coriander, paprika, ½ tsp. sea salt, lemon juice and zest, and olive oil in a food processor and process until it becomes a thick sauce.
2. Place the carrots and celery in a Dutch oven. Add the water and rice and season with salt and pepper. Arrange the tomatoes on top and then the fish. Pour the chermoula over the fish.
3. Cover and place over a gentle heat and cook for 45 minutes until fish and rice are cooked and vegetables are tender.

We All Scream for Two Buttermilk Ice Creams

The strawberries are here and what better way to celebrate the warming weather than with home-made strawberry ice cream! I had seen a recipe somewhere that used buttermilk instead of cream for ice cream so I thought I’d try it. The buttermilk gives the ice cream a very subtle but lovely tang that cuts the sweetness of the sugar and fruit just enough. Because the buttermilk is low fat, it’s more of a sherbet and is a little icier than a true ice cream; but whatever you call it, it’s tasty.

One of the problems of cooking with buttermilk, however, is that you always have a lot left over. Usually, I use up leftover buttermilk by making rolls but I was still in an ice cream frame of mind. Inspired by an experimental – and highly successful – cheesecake I developed about a year ago, I decided to try a brown sugar and molasses ice cream with the buttermilk. I love molasses and you definitely do have to like molasses to like this ice cream (the flavor is much more pronounced than it is in the cheesecake). The buttermilk tang lightens up the dark molasses flavor a little and the result is a very rich – this one is much creamier than the strawberry – and surprisingly sophisticated despite the humble ingredients.

Strawberry Buttermilk Ice Cream

• 1 cup water
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 lb. strawberries, hulled and rinsed
• 1 cup low-fat buttermilk

1. Combine water and sugar in a small pot; bring to a boil and stir until sugar dissolves. Cool and pour into a large bowl.
2. Purée the strawberries in blender until smooth. Add the strawberry purée and buttermilk to the sugar syrup and stir to combine.
3. Pour the strawberry mixture into ice cream maker and let mix for 30 minutes.

Brown Sugar and Molasses Buttermilk Ice Cream

• 4 tbsp. butter
• ½ cup light brown sugar
• ¼ cup molasses
• 1 ½ cups low-fat buttermilk

1. Melt butter in a small pot; add the brown sugar and stir until it dissolves. Remove from heat and add the molasses and stir to combine. Cool completely.
2. Add the buttermilk to the brown sugar and molasses mixture and stir to combine. Pour into ice cream maker and let mix for 30 minutes.

Simply De-leek-table

We ate very well on our recent trip to Switzerland. For one dinner we went to a restaurant that served food from the Vaud region. I ordered a seasonal specialty called saucisse au chou (sausage with cabbage that was very similar to sauerkraut and very delicious). It was served with papet vaudois which is creamed leeks and potatoes and it was heavenly. I remembered that I had a recipe for Belgian leek tart with aged goat cheese in my “inspiration” folder so I pulled it out as soon as I got back in my home kitchen. It’s basically a quiche and has that lovely leek flavor. I made just a few tweaks – mostly by lightening the dairy, using more cheese, and incorporating some crust tips I’ve picked up. I admit that I can get lazy with savory crusts and often end up using a store-bought one, but this crust looked very easy so I went for it and it was definitely worth it.

Belgian Leek Tart with Goat Cheese (9” tart)

Crust

• 4 tbsp. (or more) ice water
• ¾ tsp. apple cider vinegar
• 1 ½ cups flour
• ¾ tsp. salt
• ½ cup plus 1 tbsp. chilled unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Filling

• ¼ cup unsalted butter
• 3 leeks, halved lengthwise and cut crosswise into ¼-inch slices
• 2 tbsp. water
• ¾ tsp. salt
• ½ cup skim milk
• ½ cup light cream
• 1 egg
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 cup crumbled goat cheese

1. Preheat oven to 375°. To make the crust, combine 4 tbsp. ice water and cider vinegar in a small bowl. Blend flour and salt in a food processor. Add butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal. With the machine running, slowly add the water-vinegar mixture, processing until moist clumps form. If dough seems dry, add more ice water by the teaspoon. Gather the dough into a ball and flatten into a disk. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least 2 hours (can be made 3 days ahead). Allow dough to soften slightly at room temperature before rolling out.
2. Spray a 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom with cooking spray. Roll the dough out on a lightly floured work surface to a 12-inch round. Transfer the dough to the tart pan; fold in the overhang and press to extend the dough ½ inch above the sides. Cover with plastic wrap and put in the freezer for 30 minutes (this will prevent the crust from shrinking). Remove the crust from the freezer, line the pan with foil that has been sprayed with cooking spray and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake until crust is set, about 30 minutes. Remove the foil and weights and bake another 20-25 minutes until the crust is pale golden. Remove from the oven and cool slightly.
3. While the crust is baking, melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the leeks and stir to coat. Stir in the water and ½ tsp. salt. Cover the pot and reduce heat to low. Cook until the leeks are tender, stirring often, about 25 minutes. Uncover and cook to evaporate excess water, 2-3 minutes.
4. While the crust is cooling, whisk the milk, cream, egg, egg yolk, and ¼ tsp. salt together in a medium bowl. Sprinkle ½ cup goat cheese over the bottom of the warm crust. Spread the leek mixture over and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Pour the milk mixture over. Bake until the filling has puffed, is golden in spots, and the center looks set, 35-40 minutes. Transfer to a rack and cool slightly. Remove pan sides.

I’ll Stop the World and Melt with You

One of my favorite fast, last-minute-when-you-are-starving meals is a tomato melt. I warm a little olive oil and add garlic (pressed or just cut into big chunks) and some dried basil and oregano. I brush the infused oil on a sliced roll or French bread, top it with tomato slices and cheese, and broil it until the cheese melts. Yum! I particularly like Havarti cheese for this sandwich; sometimes I’ll use dill Havarti and forgo the dried herbs. I was flipping through Gourmet Meals in Minutes (a fabulous cookbook) and found a recipe for an eggplant melt. This seemed like an intriguing variation on my beloved tomato melt. I changed up the recipe, paring down the ingredients significantly. A hit! And it makes me wonder what other tasty possibilities there are for simple melty sandwiches.

Eggplant Melt (4 to 6 servings)

• ¼ cup olive oil
• ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 garlic clove, pressed
• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 eggplant cut into ½-inch slices
• loaf of wheat ciabatta, split lengthwise and cut into 4-6 portions
• Havarti cheese, sliced

1. Heat the broiler.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, garlic, salt, and pepper. Brush the eggplant slices on both sides with the oil and vinegar mixture. Broil the eggplant until golden brown, 5-6 minutes per side.
3. Brush the ciabatta with the oil and vinegar mixture and broil until lightly toasted, about 1 minute.
4. Layer the eggplant slices on the bottom half of the bread and cover with the cheese slices. Broil until the cheese melts. Place the other half of the bread on top.

I’d Like my Salad Well Done, Please

Sometimes I’m in the mood for a light steak. No, that’s not an oxymoron. A salad with feta and lemon vinaigrette topped with strips of grilled steak is just the thing. The lemony salty crunchy salad lightens up the rich steak and makes a complete meal that is satisfying without being heavy. This salad works really well as a wrap, as well.

Salad with Grilled Steak with Feta and Lemon Vinaigrette (6 servings)

• 1 small clove garlic, pressed
• ¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tsp. lemon zest
• 2 tbsp. lemon juice
• 2 tbsp. white wine vinegar
• ½ cup olive oil
• 1 head of iceberg lettuce, rinsed and roughly chopped
• 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
• 1 cucumber, peeled and sliced
• 6 oz. crumbled feta cheese
• 1 ½ lbs. flank steak, grilled and sliced into thin strips

1. To make the vinaigrette, combine the garlic, pepper, and lemon zest in a bowl. Mix in the lemon juice and vinegar. Whisk the olive oil in a slow stream to form an emulsion.
   In a large bowl, combine the lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber slices, feta cheese, and vinaigrette and toss well.
2. Serve the salad topped with the strips of grilled steak.

Spring is in the Air and on the Plate

This is a sophisticated take on soup and a sandwich, one that is perfect for early spring. Asparagus is the star of the soup (which comes from Jasper White's Cooking from New England) but the wild rice gives it a fantastic nutty base and a lovely texture. The sandwich is a smoked trout melt with cucumber on pumpernickel (from Relaxed Cooking with Curtis Stone). The combination of smoked trout (which I adore) with the crème fraîche and cucumber, highlighted with lemon and lots of dill, and grounded with the pumpernickel bread is just brilliant.

Asparagus and Wild Rice Soup (4 to 6 servings)

• 2 lbs. asparagus
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 tbsp. unsalted butter
• 1 cup wild rice
• 4 cups vegetable stock
• 1 cup light cream
• juice of ½ lemon

1. Cut of the asparagus tips and save for garnish Roughly chop the stalks.
2. Sweat the onion in butter in a heavy soup pot. After a few minutes, add half the wild rice and the chicken stock. Simmer for 30 minutes, then add the stalks. Simmer 30 minutes more.
3. While the soup is cooking, prepare the garnishes. Cut the asparagus tips into ½-in. pieces and blanch in boiling salted water for 1 minute. Shock in cold water and set aside.
   Simmer the remaining ½ cup wild rice in lightly salted water for about 40 minutes or until cooked through. Drain and set aside.
4. After the soup has simmered for a hour, purée in a blender and return to the pot. Bring the soup back to a boil and add the asparagus and wild rice garnishes. Add the cream and simmer 5 minutes more.
5. Remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice.

Smoked Trout Melt with Cucumber on Pumpernickel (4 servings)

• 10 oz. smoked trout, skin and any bones removed
• ½ cup crème fraîche
• 1 ½ tbsp. chopped fresh dill
• 1 ½ tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• lemon zest
• 4 slices pumpernickel
• 1 cucumber, thinly sliced
• cheese to melt on top (the original recipe calls for Emmentaler, I used raclette)

1. Preheat the broiler.
2. Flake the trout into large chunks and toss in a medium bowl with the crème fraîche, dill, lemon juice, and lemon zest.
3. Arrange the pumpernickel slices in a single layer on a baking sheet and broil for about 2 minutes on each side.
4. Arrange the cucumber slices on the toast and spoon the trout mixture over the cucumbers.
5. Top the sandwiches with the cheese and broil for about 3 minutes or until the cheese has melted and is lightly golden.

More than Just Dip

We had a party at my office where a few people brought in things to nibble on. I made breadsticks with my two favorite dips: pumpkin-cannellini bean and roasted red pepper. There was plenty left over so it’s a good thing these dips are versatile.

The roasted red pepper dip is a recipe I adapted (ever so slightly) from Main-Course Sandwiches by Ray Overton where it was presented as a tapenade to be used as a sandwich spread. But leftovers also make a terrific quick pasta; simply toss the cooked and drained pasta with the dip and voila.

I made a variation on my pumpkin-cannellini bean dip by substituting 10-12 sage leaves instead of the herbes de Provence, omitting the garlic, and adding ¼ cup Parmesan cheese. I wondered whether I could use those leftovers as a pasta sauce as well. I cooked up a pound of farfalle, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water before draining. I added about ½ cup of the pasta water to the dip to make it a little more saucy and tossed it with the pasta. Conclusion: another great quick pasta sauce from another great dip.

Roasted Red Pepper Dip

• 2 red bell peppers
• 12 oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained
• 2 anchovy fillets
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp. capers, rinsed and drained
• 1 tbsp. herbes de Provence
• ¼ cup fresh basil, chopped
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 tbsp. lemon zest
• freshly ground black pepper

1. Arrange the peppers in a foil-lined baking sheet about 6 inches from the broiler. Roast until the peppers are charred all over, turning with tongs ever few minutes, about 15 minutes under the broiler. Place blackened peppers in a heavy-duty zip-top freezer bag and seal (the steam will loosen the skin of the peppers). When cool enough to handle, gently remove the charred skin, tear open the peppers, and remove the seeds.
2. In a food processor or blender combine the peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, anchovies, garlic, capers, herbes de Provence, and basil. Process until chopped. With the machine running add the olive oil in a thin, steady stream until the mixture is smooth and thick. Stir in the lemon juice and season to taste with the pepper. Cover and refrigerate.

Serve with breadsticks (shown above) or pita chips, use as a sandwich spread (for example, it’s delicious with prosciutto and mozzarella on ciabatta) or use as a pasta sauce.

Pumpkin-Cannellini Bean Dip

• 1 cup pumpkin purée
• 1 cup canned cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
• 10-12 fresh sage leaves
• ¼ cup Parmesan cheese
• ¼ cup olive oil

1. Combine all the ingredients except the olive oil in a food process and process roughly. While running the food processor, stream in the olive oil and mix well.

Serve with breadsticks or pita chips or use as a pasta sauce (shown above), reserving pasta cooking water and adding it to the dip to make it saucier.

Spaghetti Fast or Slow

Spaghetti with meat sauce is one of my favorite comfort foods. I always make the sauce from scratch. It’s very easy and it’s pretty fast; dinner can be ready in 30 minutes. The key is lots of tomato paste to thicken the sauce and give a deep tomato-y flavor. I also use ground bison rather than ground beef (it has more flavor and less fat) but you could certainly use beef.

But I had a whole afternoon with nothing to do so I thought I would try a slow-simmering sauce and add some extra touches to give it a deeper, richer flavor. In addition to adding pork, I also added porcini mushrooms. The result was a rich, deep flavor that was absolutely delicious. The only thing I would change next time I make this (and there will definitely be a next time) is to add a little pancetta to the ground meat. I also used linguini because that’s what I happened to have in my pantry but you could use any long pasta that you prefer (or have on hand).

I’ll always go back to my fast spaghetti for a quick meal but when I have more time, the slow version is definitely worth the wait!

Slow Linguine with Porcini Meat Sauce (4 to 6 servings)

• ¼ cup dried porcini mushrooms
• ½ cup hot water
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• ½ lb. ground bison or beef
• ½ lb. ground pork
• ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
• 2 cloves garlic, pressed
• ¼ tsp. salt
• 1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1 28-oz. can crushed tomatoes
• ½ tsp. dried oregano
• ½ tsp. dried marjoram
• 1 lb. spaghetti, linguini, or other long pasta, cooked and drained

1. In a small bowl, soak the mushrooms in the hot water until soft, about 15 minutes. Drain the mushrooms, reserving the liquid, and finely chop.
2. In a large pan, heat the olive oil. Add the bison, pork, garlic, parsley, salt, and pepper. Cook, breaking up the meat, until browned, about 10 minutes.
3. Stir in the tomatoes, oregano, marjoram, mushrooms, and reserved mushroom liquid. Bring to a boil then lower heat, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, about 2 hours.
   Serve with the pasta.

Fast Spaghetti with Meat Sauce (4 to 6 servings)

• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 lb. ground bison or beef
• 2 small cans tomato sauce
• 1 small can tomato paste
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• ½ tsp. dried basil
• ½ tsp. dried oregano
• ½ tsp. dried marjoram
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 lb. spaghetti, cooked and drained

1. Sauté the onion and ground beef in the olive oil until the beef is cooked through.
   Stir in the tomato sauce and tomato paste.
2. Add the garlic, bay leaf. Add basil and oregano to taste. Simmer for up to 30 minutes.
3. Remove the bay leaf and serve with the pasta.

Southwestern With a Twist of Lime

Quesadillas! A little grilled chicken, some melted cheese, a toasted tortilla, what’s not to love? Add a side of black bean-corn-tomato salad for a healthy and delicious accompaniment. And lots of lime to jazz everything up. Flavoring the chicken with a lime marinade with garlic, cumin, and oregano adds depth to the quesadilla. And a lime vinaigrette really brightens up the bean salad. (If you dig cilantro you can certainly use it here, but since I don’t like it I use parsley instead.)

If you need a dessert to go with this meal you could, of course, keep with the lime theme but I think a spicy chocolate cheesecake would be perfect. Now why didn’t I think of that sooner?

Black Bean-Corn-Tomato Salad with Lime Vinaigrette (6 servings)

• 1 clove garlic, pressed
• 1 tsp. salt
• ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• juice and zest of 1 lime
• 6 tbsp. olive oil
• 2 15-oz. cans black beans, drained and rinsed
• ½ cup diced red onion
• 2 tomatoes, diced
• 1 10-oz. box frozen corn, thawed
• ½ cup chopped fresh parsley

1. To make the vinaigrette, combine the garlic, salt, pepper, lime juice, and lime zest in a small bowl. Whisk the olive oil in a slow stream to form an emulsion.
2. Combine the beans, onion, tomatoes, corn, and parsley in a large bowl. Add the vinaigrette and toss thoroughly. Chill for at least an hour.

Lime Chicken Quesadillas (6 servings)

• 2 cloves garlic, pressed
• Juice and zest of 1 lime
• 2 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 lb. chicken breast tenders
• 12 small (6-inch) tortillas
• 3 tomatoes, diced
• 1 ½ cups Monterey Jack cheese

1. In a small bowl, combine the garlic, lime juice and zest, cumin, oregano, salt, pepper, and olive oil and whisk to combine. Put the chicken in a zip-top back and pour the marinade over it. Seal the back and turn to ensure the chicken is evenly coated with the marinade. Marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
2. Grill the chicken until just cooked through (the amount of time will depend on the thickness of the chicken and the heat of the grill). Cut or shred the chicken into small pieces.
3. Arrange the chicken evenly on six tortillas. Add the tomatoes. Sprinkle ¼ cup of cheese on each tortilla. Cover with another tortilla and grill until the tortilla is just crispy and the cheese is melted.

I Dream of Cream of Pumpkin Soup

A few years ago, I brought cream of pumpkin soup (along with several other dishes) to a small get-together. It must have made an impression because I got a message recently from one of my friends that she was craving this soup. She has since moved to California so the best I could do was send her the recipe, which I did. But then it got me craving the soup. Carol, this is for you!

Cream of Pumpkin Soup (4 to 5 servings)

• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped very finely
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• ½ tsp. ground coriander
• 1/8 tsp. allspice
• pinch ground nutmeg
• pinch ground cloves
• 1 can (15 oz.) pumpkin purée (unsweetened)
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 1 cup light cream

1. Heat the olive oil in a soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the onions and sauté for 8 to 10 minutes. Add the spices and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes.
2. Add the pumpkin. Add the stock, bring to a simmer, and cook for 20 minutes. Purée or strain the soup so it's very smooth.
3. Add the cream and heat gently.