Chocolate Pudding From Dorie Greenspan

download2 1/4 cups whole milk
6 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
2 large egg yolks
5 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature and cut into 4 pieces
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Bring 2 cups of the milk and 3 tablespoons of the sugar to the boil in a heavy-bottomed saucepan.

While the milk is heating, toss the cocoa, cornstarch and salt into the bowl of a food processor and pulse to blend; turn the dry ingredients out onto a sheet of wax paper.  Place the egg, yolks and remaining 3 tablespoons sugar in the bowl and process for 1 minute.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the remaining 1/4 cup milk.  Process for a few seconds, return the dry ingredients to the bowl and pulse, just until blended.

With the machine running, slowly pour in the hot milk, processing to blend.  The mixture will be foamy, but the bubbles will disappear when the pudding is cooked.  Return the mixture to the saucepan, set the pan over medium-high heat and, stirring without stop, cook for about 2 minutes, or until the pudding thickens and one bubble rises to the surface – the pudding should not boil.  Scrape the pudding into the processor, add the remaining ingredients and pulse until everything is evenly blended.

Pour the pudding into six 1/2-cup bowls.  If you don’t want a skin to form on the tops of the puddings, press a piece of plastic wrap directly against the surface of each pudding.  (As you can see, I let the skin the form – we like it that way chez us.)

Chill for at least 4 hours before serving plain or topped with heavy cream, whipped or not.  Makes 6 servings

Celery Soup- Bon Appetite from Phyllis Keating

12308928433_46006b141a_b1 head celery, stalks chopped, leaves reserved
1 large waxy potato, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
Kosher sal
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
¼ cup fresh dill
½ cup heavy cream
Flaky sea salt (such as Maldon) and olive oil (for serving)

Combine celery, potato, onion, and butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat; season with kosher salt. Cook, stirring, until onion is tender, 8–10 minutes. Add broth; simmer until potatoes are tender, 8–10 minutes. Purée in a blender with dill; strain. Stir in cream. Serve soup topped with celery leaves, sea salt, and oil.  servings: 4

Zabaglione with Fresh Peaches and Raspberries from LSQ

  • tvm2161_050307_zabaglione_xl4 peaches
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • 2 tablespoons Marsala wine
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 1 pint raspberries
  1. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Prepare an ice-water bath. Place peaches in boiling water and cook 10 seconds. Drain, and immediately transfer peaches to ice-water bath. Remove peels using your fingers or a paring knife. Slice peaches in half and remove pit; set aside.

  2. In a heatproof bowl set over (but not touching) simmering water, add egg yolks, Marsala, and sugar. Beat until mixture is creamy and thick, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat.

  3. Divide peach halves evenly between 4 plates. Fill peach halves with berries and spoon over zabaglione. Serve immediately.

Apple Rutabaga Soup from Patrick O’Connell

download

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.

Salted Caramel Pie from food & wine

1 1/4 cups gra201111-r-salted-caramel-pieham cracker crumbs (about 5 ounces)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup light brown sugar
Two 14-ounce cans sweetened condensed milk
Fleur de sel
2 cups heavy cream
2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°. In a food processor, pulse the graham cracker crumbs with the melted butter and light brown sugar until the crumbs are moistened. Press the crumbs evenly into a 9-inch glass or metal pie plate. Bake for about 10 minutes, just until lightly browned. Let cool. Increase the oven temperature to 425°.
  2. Scrape the condensed milk into a 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish and sprinkle with a scant 1/2 teaspoon of fleur de sel. Cover the dish with foil and place it in a roasting pan. Add enough hot water to the pan to reach one-third of the way up the side of the baking dish. Bake, lifting the foil to stir 2 or 3 times, until the condensed milk is golden and thickened, about 2 hours; add more water to the roasting pan as necessary. The consistency of the caramel should be like dulce de leche. Don’t worry if it is lumpy; it will smooth out as it chills.
  3. Scrape the caramel filling into the pie crust, smoothing the top. Spray a sheet of plastic wrap with vegetable oil spray and cover the pie. Refrigerate until the filling is chilled and set, at least 4 hours.
  4. In a bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the cream with the confectioners’ sugar until firm. Remove the plastic. Mound the whipped cream on top of the pie and sprinkle with fleur de sel. Cut into wedges and serve.
MAKE AHEAD The recipe can be prepared through Step 2 up to 5 days ahead. Refrigerate the crust and filling separately.

 

Cashew Chocolate Spread (Cashewtella)

  • 2014-0819_chocolate-cashew-spread-080cup raw cashews
  • tablespoons sugar
  • ounces bittersweet chocolate, broken into small pieces
  • tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 3/8 teaspoons kosher salt
    1. Heat the oven to 350° F. Spread the cashews in a medium baking dish, and toast in the oven until lightly browned, 10 to 15 minutes, shaking the pan every few minutes. Let cool completely.
    2. In a blender or a food processor, combine the cashews and sugar and pulse to a powdery paste.
    3. Heat an inch of water to a gentle simmer in the base of a double boiler. Set the top pan on the double boiler base, and add the chocolate to the top pan. When it’s melted, turn off the heat. Whisk in the butter, a few pieces at a time. Then beat in the cream. Remove the top pan from the base and set it on a counter. Stir in the cashew mixture and the salt. Divide among two 8-ounce jars. Let cool, then seal, and chill. Bring to room temperature before serving.
    4. Makes about two 8-ounce jars

 

Heirloom Tomatoes with Blue Cheese Dressing from Ina Garten

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3 pounds heirloom tomatoes, mixed colors and sizes
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ pound Roquefort cheese, divided
1 cup good mayonnaise
1/3 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons tarragon wine vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (optional)

Core the tomatoes and cut the large ones into thick slices; halve or quarter the small ones. Arrange artfully on a platter and sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper.

For the dressing, place half the Roquefort cheese, the mayonnaise, heavy cream, vinegar, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper in the bowl food processor fitted with a steel blade and process until combined but still chunky.

Drizzle the dressing over the tomatoes. Crumble the remaining blue cheese over the tomatoes. Sprinkle with parsley, if using, and serve at room temperature. (Serves 6 to 8)

Parmigiano ‘Gelato’ from the washington post

PlateLabJune_ParmesanGelato_H1400003710

  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 5 ounces freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
  • 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
  • Toasted bread slices, for serving
  • Highest-quality aged balsamic vinegar, for drizzling

Pour the cream into a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat; bring it just to a boil, then turn off the heat and gradually whisk in the cheese.

Over low heat, continue whisking until the cheese is completely incorporated, less than a minute. Whisk in the nutmeg.

Transfer the mixture to a heatproof bowl; cover and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 to 2 hours or up to overnight.

To serve, warm a spoon by running it under hot water, then use it to scoop the gelato onto toasts. Drizzle a little balsamic vinegar on each portion. Tested size: 2 cups

http://www.washingtonpost.com/pb/recipes/parmigiano-gelato/14116/

 

pan seared ahi tuna crusted

tuna 1marinade
1 tbsp sesame oil
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp ginger garlic paste
mix together in zip lock bag
add tuna and marinate 1-24 hours, turn several times
tuna

Season tuna with salt and pepper. Roll in sesame seed and pat seeds to tuna . Put grape seed oil in cast iron pan and heat to a high temp, add tuna, cook for 2 minutes on each side and ends. Turn off heat and let tuna sit in pan for 2-3 minutes.

Serve with wasabi sauce. Mix Cream or mayo with wasabi add fish sauce, maple syrup, sambal and soy sauce.

Lemon Fusilli with Arugula — Ina

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1 tablespoon good olive oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic (2 cloves)
2 cups heavy cream
3 lemons
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 bunch broccoli
1 pound dried fusilli pasta
1/2 pound baby arugula (or 2 bunches of common arugula, leaves cut in thirds)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes, halved

Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat, add the garlic, and cook for 60 seconds. Add the cream, the zest from 2 lemons, the juice of 2 lemons, 2 teaspoons of salt, and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until it starts to thicken.

Meanwhile, cut the broccoli in florets and discard the stem. Cook the florets in a pot of boiling salted water for 3 to 5 minutes, until tender but still firm. Drain the broccoli and run under cold water to stop the cooking. Set aside.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add 1 tablespoon of salt and the pasta, and cook according to the directions on the package, about 12 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain the pasta in a colander and place it back into the pot. Immediately add the cream mixture and cook it over medium-low heat for 3 minutes, until most of the sauce has been absorbed in the pasta. Pour the hot pasta into a large bowl, add the arugula, Parmesan, tomatoes, and cooked broccoli. Cut the last lemon in half lengthwise, slice it 1/4-inch thick crosswise, and add it to the pasta. Toss well, season to taste, and serve hot.