Fresh Salmon Tartare — Ina

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1 pound skinless fresh salmon fillet
1/2 pound smoked salmon, thickly sliced
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (3 limes)
1/3 cup minced shallots (2 shallots)
2 tablespoons good olive oil
1/4 cup minced fresh dill
3 tablespoons drained capers
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1 loaf seven-grain bread, thinly sliced and toasted, for serving

Cut the fresh salmon and the smoked salmon in 1/4-inch dice. Place the salmon in a mixing bowl and add the lime juice, shallots, olive oil, dill, capers, two mustards, salt, and pepper. Mix well, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for a few hours for the salmon to marinate.

When ready to serve, toast the bread and taste the salmon for seasonings. Serve the tartare with triangles of the toast.

Warning: Consumption of raw or undercooked shellfish may substantially increase the risk of foodborne illness.

Chipotle and Rosemary Roasted Nuts — Ina

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Vegetable oil
3 cups whole roasted unsalted cashews (14 ounces)
2 cups whole walnut halves (7 ounces)
2 cups whole pecan halves (7 ounces)
1/2 cup whole almonds (3 ounces)
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
1/4 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
2 teaspoons ground chipotle powder
4 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary leaves, divided
Kosher salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Brush a sheet pan generously with vegetable oil. Combine the cashews, walnuts, pecans, almonds, 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil, the maple syrup, brown sugar, orange juice, and chipotle powder on the sheet pan. Toss to coat the nuts evenly. Add 2 tablespoons of the rosemary and 2 teaspoons of salt and toss again.

Spread the nuts in one layer. Roast the nuts for 25 minutes, stirring twice with a large metal spatula, until the nuts are glazed and golden brown. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with 2 more teaspoons of salt and the remaining 2 tablespoons of rosemary.

Toss well and set aside at room temperature, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking as they cool. Taste for seasoning. Serve warm or cool completely and store in airtight containers at room temperature.

Sticky Toffee Date Cake

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1 pound dates, pitted and chopped
2 teaspoons baking soda
For the Cakes
8 ounces butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2½ cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
3¼ tablespoons baking powder

For the Sauce
½ pound butter
1 cup brown sugar (8 ounces)
½ cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, for serving

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour two 9-inch-round cake pans or 20 muffin tins.

Place the dates in large saucepan with 3½ cups cold water. Bring to boil, stirring a little to break up the dates. Then leave to simmer for 1 minute before removing from the heat. Stir in the baking soda (which will cause the mixture to bubble up).

Cream the butter and sugar together in a food mixer until pale and creamy. Add the eggs, one at a time, occasionally scraping down mixing bowl. Add the vanilla extract and then the flour and salt and mix briefly to give a lumpy dough.

Next, add the warm date mixture in two batches. Scrape down the sides of bowl in between mixing. The dough will now be quite watery but don’t worry! Finally add the baking powder (this will bubble up also).

Pour the batter evenly into the two pans or muffin tins. Bake for about 30-40 minutes for cake pans and about 20 minutes for muffin tins. Test if they are cooked with a small knife or toothpick, it should come out clean when cakes are done.

Meanwhile, to make the sauce, combine the butter, brown sugar, heavy cream and vanilla extract in a medium saucepan. Bring to boil and then reduce to simmer gently for a minute or two until thickened and well blended.

When the cakes are done, poke little holes all over with toothpick, this will enable the sauce to be absorbed more easily. Pour the caramel sauce over cakes while both are still warm and leave to soak for about 10 minutes. Turn the cakes out upside-down onto serving plates (the bottom is the most sticky bit!).   (Yield: 2- 9″ Cakes)

Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream

Baked Fontina Cheese Fondue

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1 1/2 pounds Italian Fontina cheese, rind removed and 1-inch dice*
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary leaves
1 teaspoon coarse salt (sea salt or kosher salt)
1 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
1 baguette bread (French or sourdough bread), sliced into 1/4-inch slices

* Purchase Italian Fontina cheese – not Danish as it is not as creamy and won’t melt as well.

Preheat your oven broiler and position the oven rack 5 inches from the heat source.

Distribute the cubes of Fontina cheese evenly in a 12-inch cast-iron pan. Drizzle the olive oil over the top of the cheese.

In a small bowl, combine the garlic slices, minced thyme, and minced rosemary; sprinkle the mixture over the top of the cheese and olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Place the pan under the broiler for 6 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbling, and just starts to brown. Remove from oven.

Tip: Don’t heat the cheese beyond its melting point as cheese tends to ball up at higher temperatures. Also don’t let the cheese cool down too much before serving, as it tends to get stringier and tougher as it cools.

Serve the Fontina Fondue family-style (right out of the oven in the cast-iron pan) with baguette bread slices for everyone to dip. You may have to reheat the fondue on low occasionally to keep it melted and smooth.

For individual servings, divide the fondue among four 6-inch cast-iron pans.

Yields: 4 to 6 servings
Prep time: 15 min
Fondue cook time: 6 min

 

Mozzarella Stuffed Portobellos — Michael Chiarello

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mush

  • 12 large portobello mushrooms, stemmed and gills removed
  • 6 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • Sea salt, preferably gray salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 cup fresh bread crumbs
  • 1 cup grated Parmesan
  • 4 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley leaves
  • 4 tablespoons freshly chopped basil leaves
  • 12 (1/2-inch) slices fresh mozzarella, roughly 1 to 1 1/2-ounces per slice

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Toss the portabellas in the balsamic vinegar, 1/4 cup of olive oil, gray salt and pepper, to taste. Arrange the mushrooms on a baking sheet and roast in the oven for about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool to room temperature.

While the mushrooms are cooling mix together the bread crumbs, Parmesan, herbs and the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil.

Place 1 slice (2 if the mushrooms are large) of mozzarella in the cupped side of each mushroom. Distribute the bread and herb mixture evenly over the mushrooms and return to the oven to roast for 5 to 6 minutes or until the mozzarella is molten and the bread and herb topping a nice golden brown. Serve either hot or at room temperature and enjoy.

Mushroom Ragout

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2 tbsp. olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 shallots minced
1 onion, finely chopped
1 tbsp. fresh sage, minced
6 ounces white mushrooms, cleaned and thinly sliced
8 ounces porcini mushrooms, cleaned and thinly sliced
8 ounces shitake mushrooms, cleaned and thinly sliced
2 tbsp. light soy sauce
1 cup Cabernet Sauvignon
2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
3 tbsp. corn starch dissolved in 1/2 cup cold water (try flour instead of corn starch)
2tbsp. parsley

In a large skillet, heat the oil and add the minced garlic. Stir over medium heat until slightly golden. Add the onion, shallots and sage, and stir until the onion is softened and translucent, about 3 minutes.

Add all the mushrooms and the soy sauce. Continue cooking until the liquid from the mushrooms cooks off, about 5-10 minutes.

Add the wine and vinegar and bring to a boil. Boil for 3 minutes. Add the starch mixture and boil for 1 or 2 minutes more, stirring continuously. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the sauce begins to thicken. Add salt and pepper to taste and parsley. Serve over toast points as an appetizer, over rice or pasta as a main course.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 25 minutes

Lentil Soup with Coriander and Cumin

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2 cups brown or green lentils, uncooked
8 cups water or vegetable broth
1 large onion, chopped
2 large carrots, thickly sliced
1 rib celery, chopped
2 large gold or red potatoes, cut into large cubes
2 bay leaves
2 vegetable bouillon cubes (use if water is used instead of broth)
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
freshly ground pepper, to taste
2 cloves garlic, minced
Additional seasonings: 1/4 teaspoon coriander, 1/4 teaspoon cumin, 2 cloves minced garlic
salt, to taste
4 ounces fresh spinach (chopped if large leaves)
2 teaspoons Red wine vinegar or lemon juice

Pick over the lentils and rinse well.  Chop the vegetables. Add all ingredients except the additional seasonings, salt, spinach, and vinegar into a large pan and bring to a boil. Cook this on the stove until the lentils are tender, about an hour.

Check to make sure the lentils and potatoes are tender.  Remove the bay leaves, and add the additional seasonings, salt, and spinach. Check the seasonings, adding more cumin and coriander as needed. Cook for just a few minutes to wilt the spinach. Stir in the vinegar or lemon juice and serve.

Preparation time: 10 minute(s) | Cooking time: 20 minute(s)

Salmon Rillettes – Laura Calder

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1 tablespoon olive oil
6 ounces/170 g salmon, cut into large cubes
1/3 cup/70 g butter, softened
1 tablespoon creme fraiche
1 tablespoon chopped shallot
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 lemon, juiced

Heat the oil in a saute pan and gently cook the salmon, leaving the pieces slightly pink in the center, about 5 minutes. Cool. In a food processor or using two forks,shred the salmon and mix with the butter. Add the creme fraiche, shallot and tarragon Season the mixture with salt, pepper and lemon juice Pack into ramekins or similar small pots. Keep in the refrigerator, but before serving, take it out to soften because you want it nice and smearable.

Blue Cheese and Dried Fruit Terrine – Laura Calder

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1 pound/450 g blue cheese, such as Roquefort or gorgonzola, at room temperature
8 ounces/225 gm mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
1 tablespoon honey, optional
Freshly ground pepper
Handful chopped dried apricots
Handful currants
Handful chopped dried figs
Handful chopped green pistachios
Handful chopped toasted walnuts
Rustic country breads or crackers, for serving

Mash the blue cheese and mascarpone together with the honey, if using, and pepper. (You can do this in the food processor, too, but it will cream the blue cheese so much that you get a greenish terrine. (Not the end of the world, but just warning you.) Stir in the apricots,currants figs, pistachios and walnuts. Season with pepper. Wrap in plastic and shape into a terrine. Refrigerate for several hours until firm. Serve with an assortment of rustic country breads or crackers and decorate with some whole dried fruits and nuts, if you like.

Ginger Spice Cake With Warm Cranberries – Tyler Florence

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Cake:
2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon ground ginger
2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1 egg
1/2 cup molasses
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter — melted
1 cup buttermilk

Warm Cranberries
2 cup fresh cranberries
1 cup dried cranberries
2 cup water
2 cup brown sugar — packed
1 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 cup whipped cream — for garnish
Confectioners’ sugar — for garnish

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Coat a 9-inch round cake pan with nonstick cooking spray. Cut a circle of parchment paper to fit the pan bottom and place it inside; then spray the paper. Set aside.

Sift the dry ingredients into a large bowl. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the egg, molasses, sugar, and melted butter until thick. Gradually mix in the dry ingredients in 3 batches, alternating with the buttermilk. Beat for 1 minute after each addition to incorporate the ingredients and strengthen the cake’s structure. Mix until the batter is smooth.

Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and smooth down the top of the batter until even. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.

While the cake is baking, combine the ingredients for the cranberries in a large pot. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Allow the cake to cool completely before removing it from the pan, and then slice it in wedges. Dust with confectioners’ sugar and serve with warm cranberries and whipped cream.  Ginger Spice Cake With Warm Cranberries – Serves 8

As soon as I turned the page and saw that thick wedge of ginger spice cake lightly dusted with powdered sugar, snuggled up with a heaping spoonful of warm cranberries and soft pillow of whipped cream, my mind drifted off to a cozy mountain cabin warmed by the spicy aroma of ginger, cinnamon, cloves and allspice wafting from the kitchen…

Terry’s notes:  Although this cake has Thanksgiving and Christmas written all over it, I made it a little earlier in the holiday season for a German Novemberfest party. I actually doubled the recipe and made two cakes – one for Novemberfest and the second for a CAbi party the next day. I used 8-inch cake pans instead of 9-inch, so my cakes were a bit thicker and took about 10 minutes longer to bake. I also simmered the cranberries an extra 10-15 minutes and added a few tablespoons of Luxardo Cherry Liqueur during the last 5 minutes of simmering.