Category Archives: recipes

Chocolate Tart with Chocolate Chip Cookie Crust, Martha Stewart

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FOR THE CRUST
16 chocolate chip cookies (3 inches; baked until crisp), finely ground (2 cups)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted

FOR THE FILLING
1 cup heavy cream
8 ounces semisweet chocolate chopped (1 1/3 cups)
1 large egg
1/4 cup whole milk
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Creme fraiche, for serving

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Make the crust: Stir together cookie crumbs and melted butter. Press into bottom and up sides of a 9 1/2-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom. Refrigerate until chilled, about 30 minutes.

Bake until firm and darkened, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool completely on a baking sheet. Meanwhile, make the filling: Heat cream in a saucepan until just starting to boil. Pour over chocolate in a bowl. Let stand for 1 minute, then stir. Whisk in egg, and butter. Pour into cooled crust.

Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees. Bake tart until edges of filling are set but center still jiggles slightly, 20 to 24 minutes. Transfer to a rack. Serve warm or at room temperature. Top with creme fraiche.

Nancy Silverton’s Best Fall Salad

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  1. salad6 slices of thick-cut applewood-smoked bacon (OMIT)
  2. 1/2 cup hazelnuts
  3. 1 tablespoon hazelnut or canola oil
  4. Kosher salt
  5. Pepper
  6. 1/4 cup sherry vinegar
  7. 1/4 cup minced shallots
  8. 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  9. 1 teaspoon sugar
  10. 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  11. Light green leaves from 2 small heads of Bibb lettuce
  12. 1/2 cup Concord grapes, halved and seeded
  13. 4 ounces Gorgonzola dolce, crumbled
  14. Snipped chives, for garnish
  1. Preheat the oven to 325°. On a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet, bake the bacon for about 17 minutes, turning once, until browned but still chewy. Transfer the bacon to paper towels to drain, then cut into 1-inch pieces. Leave the oven on.
  2. Meanwhile, spread the hazelnuts in a pie plate and bake for about 12 minutes, until lightly browned and the skins start to crack. Transfer the hazelnuts to a clean kitchen towel and rub them together to remove the skins; let cool. Coarsely chop the hazelnuts and transfer to a small bowl. Stir in the hazelnut oil and season with salt and pepper.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk the sherry vinegar with the minced shallots, lemon juice and sugar. Gradually whisk in the olive oil until incorporated. Season the shallot vinaigrette with salt and pepper.
  4. In a large bowl, toss the lettuce leaves with 1/4 cup of the shallot vinaigrette and season lightly with salt and pepper. On a serving platter or plates, layer the lettuce leaves with the bacon pieces, chopped hazelnuts, Concord grapes and Gorgonzola dolce. Garnish with snipped chives and serve, passing the remaining shallot vinaigrette at the table.

 

Arugula and Fennel Salad With Tuna from the washington post

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  • 5 cups lightly packed baby arugula (5 ounces)
  • 1 large fennel bulb, cored and thinly sliced (preferably with a mandoline)
  • 1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes, each cut in half
  • Two 6- or 7-ounce jars Italian olive-oil-packed tuna, preferably Tonnino brand tuna, oil reserved
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • Kosher salt 

Combine the arugula, fennel and tomatoes in a mixing bowl.

Break up the tuna a bit with a fork to create bite-size chunks; add them to the bowl along with 2 tablespoons of oil from the tuna jars. Add the lemon juice and pepper; toss to incorporate. The saltiness of different tuna brands varies widely, so taste first, then season lightly with salt only if needed.

Divide among individual bowls; serve right away.

 

Butternut Squash Polenta With Sausage and Onion nytimes

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  • 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt, more as needed
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 cup fine polenta (not quick cooking)
  • 5 ounces seeded and peeledbutternut squash, coarsely grated (1 cup)
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  •   Black pepper, as needed
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, more as needed
  • 1 ½ pounds sweet or hot Italian pork sausage, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
  • 2 teaspoons minced rosemary
  • 1 teaspoon fennel seeds (optional)
  • 2 small onions, peeled, halved, and sliced into 1/4-inch half moons
  •   Rosemary sprigs, for garnish (optional)
  1. In a large pot over medium-high heat, combine 4 1/2 cups water, the salt and the bay leaf. Bring to a boil. Slowly whisk in polenta. Stir in squash. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring frequently, until polenta and squash are very tender, 20 to 30 minutes. If the mixture gets too thick while cooking, add a little more water to the pot. Stir in butter and black pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
  2. While polenta cooks, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausage, rosemary and fennel seeds if using. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the meat is golden and cooked through, 7 to 10 minutes. (Do this in batches if necessary, adding oil if the pan looks dry.) Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate.
  3. Add more oil to the skillet if it looks dry, then add onions. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are tender and golden, 10 to 15 minutes. Return sausage to pan and stir to heat through. Spoon polenta into bowls and top with sausage and onion, garnished with rosemary if you like.

Mushroom Ragoût from nytimes

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  • 1 ounce (abo16recipehealth-articleLargeut 1 cup) dried mushrooms, preferably porcinis
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 shallots or 1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 pound white or cremini mushrooms, cleaned, trimmed, and quartered or sliced 1/2 inch thick
  • 1 pound wild mushrooms, trimmed and brushed clean, or oyster mushrooms, trimmed and torn into pieces if very large
  •   Salt to taste
  • 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup dry white wine such as sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio
  • 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemaryor 1 teaspoon dried
  • 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
  •   Freshly ground pepper
  • 2 to 4 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
  1. Place the dried mushrooms in a pyrex measuring cup or a bowl and pour on 2 cups boiling water. Let soak 30 minutes, while you prepare the other ingredients. Place a strainer over a bowl, line it with cheesecloth or paper towels, and drain the mushrooms. Squeeze the mushrooms over the strainer and rinse until they are free of sand. Chop coarsely.
  2. Heat the olive oilover medium heat in a large, heavy skillet or a wide saucepan and add the shallots or onion. Cook, stirring often, until tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic, stir together for about 30 seconds, until fragrant, then add the fresh mushrooms, rosemary and thyme, and turn up the heat slightly. Cook until the mushrooms begin to sweat, then add a generous pinch of salt. Stir for about 5 minutes over medium-high heat as the mushrooms continue to soften and sweat. Add the flour and continue to cook the mushrooms, stirring, until they have softened a little more and you can no longer see the flour, about 2 minutes. Add the reconstituted dried mushrooms and the wine and turn the heat to high. Cook, stirring, until the liquid boils down and glazes the mushrooms, about 5 minutes. Stir in the dried mushroom soaking liquid, bring to a simmer, add salt to taste, and cook over medium-high heat, stirring often, until the mushrooms are thoroughly tender and fragrant and the surrounding broth is thick, about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in some freshly ground pepper and the parsley, taste and adjust salt.

NOTE

  • Advance preparation: The ragoût can be made up to 3 or 4 days before you wish to serve it. Keep in the refrigerator. Reheat gently on top of the stove.

 

Farro with Tuna and Tomatoes from Lidia

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farro_with_tuna_and_tomatoes_985_f 1 pound farro
2 bay leaves, preferably fresh
1 tablespoon Coarse sea salt, or kosher salt
10 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, or more
6 plump garlic cloves
½ teaspoon peperoncino, (crushed red pepper flakes)
3 cup canned Italian plum tomatoes, preferably San Marzano, crushed by hand
12 ounces canned tuna in olive oil, (preferably imported from Italy)
4 tablespoons small capers, drained
2 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley, chopped

Rinse the farro well and drain in a sieve. Put it in the pot with 6 cups of water, the bay leaves, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Bring to the boil, stirring occasionally, set the cover slightly ajar, and adjust the heat to maintain a steady bubbling simmer. Cook about half an hour, stirring from time to time, until the farro grains are cooked through but still al dente, then turn off the heat. Most of the liquid should have been absorbed; if there’s water still visible, pour it off. Discard the bay leaves. Keep the farro in the covered pot to stay warm while you make the sauce.

Pour 1/3 cup of the olive oil into the big skillet and set over medium-high heat. Scatter in the sliced garlic and peperoncino in the pan and cook for a couple of minutes to caramelize. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, 2 teaspoons salt and the capers and heat to a moderate boil and let the tomatoes bubble away, uncovered.

Meanwhile, drain the canned tuna and break it up into thick flakes, 1/2-inch or a bit larger. After the tomatoes have cooked about 5 minutes, drop the tuna in the skillet and stir it into the tomatoes slowly, so the flakes of fish stay together. Cook at the same bubbling boil for another 5 minutes, until the tomatoes are cooked and slightly reduced.

Lower the heat a bit and stir in the remaining olive oil (about 3 tablespoons). Now spill the cooked farro on top of the sauce and toss and stir, still over moderate heat, until the grains are very hot and thoroughly mixed with the tomatoes and tuna. Turn off the heat, toss in the chopped parsley and serve.  serves: 6

Kale Salad with Apples and Hazelnuts

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  • 5 cups cuFood52rly kale and mustard green leaves, torn into small pieces
  • 2 scallions,trimmed and thinly sliced on the bias
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon brown rice vinegar
  • Sea salt and coarsely ground black pepper
  • 1 tart apple
  • 1/4 cup hazelnuts, chopped and toasted
  • 1/4 cup pecorino romano or parmesan, shaved with a vegetable peeler
  1. In a large bowl, combine the kale, mustard greens, scallions, olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper. Mix with your hands to really blend the dressing and rub it into the greens. Let the salad sit while you prepare the rest.
  2. Core the apple. I like to do this with a melon baller. Thinly — like, super thinly — slice the two halves from stem to flower end. If you have a mandoline, that’s the easiest way to go. Add the apples to the salad and gently fold together so they don’t break in half. Taste and adjust seasonings.
  3. Spread the salad on a platter. Sprinkle with the hazelnuts and cheese shavings.

 

Salted Toffee-Chocolate Squares martha stewart

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13 graham crackers
1 bag (8 ounces) toffee bits
1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped toasted natural almonds
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
3/4 cup (4 ounces) bittersweet chocolte,chopped, or chocolate chips
3/4 teaspoon coarse salt

Preheat oven to 350. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Place graham crackers in a single layer on sheet, edges touching. Sprinkle toffee bits and almonds over graham crackers.

In a small saucepan, bring sugar and butter to a boil over medium-high heat and cook at a rapid boil, simmer, swirling pan occasionally, until mixture is syrupy, 2 minutes. Immediately pour over graham crackers Bake until sugar topping is bubbling, 12 minutes. Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle chocolate and salt over graham crackers. With a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut into 2-inch squares. Let cool completely on sheet on a wire rack. (Store in an airtight container, up to 1 week.)

Apple Rutabaga Soup from Patrick O’Connell

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1 stick (1/4 pound) butter
1 cup onion, roughly chopped
1 cup Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and roughly chopped
1 cup rutabaga, peeled and roughly chopped
1 cup butternut squash, peeled, seeded and roughly chopped
1 cup carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
1 cup sweet potato, peeled and roughly chopped
1 quart good chicken stock
2 cups heavy cream
1/4 cup maple syrup
Salt and cayenne pepper to taste

In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Add the onion, apple, rutabaga, squash, carrots and sweet potato and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent.

Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Simmer for 20 to 25 minutes or until all of the vegetables are cooked through and tender.

Puree the vegetables in a blender or food processor. Strain through a fine mesh strainer into the same pot you used to cook the vegetables. Add the cream, maple syrup, salt and cayenne pepper.

Return the pot to the stove, bring the soup to a simmer, and serve.

Steamed Shrimp with Glass Noodles – Two Ways from the woks of life

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For the garlic version:
12 oz. shrimp, cleaned
1 bundle of glass noodles
1 tablespoon minced or grated garlic
1/4 cup water, plus more, to soak the garlic
1/4 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons light soy
1/2 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
For the cilantro and green chili version:
12 oz. shrimp, cleaned
1 bundle of glass noodles
1 tablespoon minced green chilies
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon cilantro, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/4 cup water
1 1/2 tablespoons light soy
1/2 tablespoon Shaoxing wine

Split the shrimp in half to the tail, leaving the tail whole. Soak the glass noodles in warm water for 20 minutes and drain.

For the garlic version, put the minced garlic into a bowl of hot water for a minute and strain. This takes some of the edge off of the garlic, and makes it sweeter once steamed. Combine the strained garlic with another 1/4 cup fresh water, sugar, light soy, and shaoxing wine.

For the cilantro green chili version, pound the minced green chilies and 1/4 teaspoon salt together in a mortar and pestle. Set aside for 30 minutes. Then mix in the cilantro, sugar, water, light soy, and shaoxing wine.

Spread out the glass noodles in two shallow, heat-safe bowls. Fan out equal amounts of shrimp on each plate. Spoon the prepared sauces evenly over each of the shrimp dishes.

Boil water in a steamer with a steamer rack and place the dishes inside. Cover immediately and steam for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. The shrimp should be opaque and but not over-cooked. Keep a close eye on it, and adjust the steaming time according to the size of your shrimp.

Once you take the shrimp out, spoon the liquid over the shrimp and serve immediately.