Pink Grapefruit and Radicchio Salad With Dates and Pistachios

2 pink or red grapefruits
2 medjool dates, pitted and thinly sliced
1/2 medium shallot, peeled and thinly sliced
 Fine sea salt, to taste
1 small head radicchio, halved and cored
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped pistachio nuts
Freshly ground black pepper.

1. Slice the top and bottom off one of the grapefruits. Stand it up on a cut side and, using a small sharp knife, slice off the peel and pith, following the curve of the fruit. Save the peels (there should be some red fruit clinging to the pith). Repeat with the other grapefruit. Slice both grapefruits into quarter-inch-thick rounds and arrange on a platter. Evenly sprinkle the dates on top. 2. Squeeze the juice from the grapefruit peel into a small bowl. You should have about a tablespoon. If there is less, squeeze some from one of the grapefruit slices. Add the shallot and a pinch of salt; let sit for 5 minutes. 3. Meanwhile, thinly slice the radicchio and add to a bowl. Add the shallot and grapefruit juice and toss to combine. Toss in 3 tablespoons of the oil. 4. Sprinkle grapefruit slices with salt and drizzle with the remaining oil. Place a mound of the radicchio in the middle of the grapefruit, leaving a border of the fruit exposed. Sprinkle with pistachios and black pepper and serve immediately.

Salted Caramel Chocolate Cake

In honor of my mother's birthday today, I am posting the recipe of her favorite dessert that we served at our son's recent wedding, a cake that we adapted from Martha Stewart. I am going to give the original recipe, but we made it with only four layers--the cake with six is preposterously tall, and the cake is very rich. Even with four layers, the cake can easily be cut into 32 pieces.
 For the Cake
Unsalted butter, room temperature, for pans
3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pans
3 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 tablepoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
Coarse salt
4 large eggs
1 1/2 cups low-fat buttermilk
 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons safflower oil
 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

 For the Caramel:
4 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup light corn syrup
 2 cups heavy cream
Coarse salt
 2 sticks cold unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons

 For the Frosting:
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons Dutch-process cocoa powder
 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
Coarse salt
1 pound semisweet chocolate, chopped, melted, and cooled

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Make the cake: Butter three 9-inch round cake pans, and dust with flour, tapping out excess. Sift flour, granulated sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and 1 1/2 teaspoons course salt into the bowl of a mixer. Beat on low speed until just combined. Raise speed to medium, and add eggs, buttermilk, 1 1/2 cups warm water, oil, and vanilla. Beat until smooth, about 3 minutes. Divide batter among pans. Bake until cakes are set and a toothpick inserted into the center of each comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Let cool in pans set on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Turn out cakes onto racks, and let cool completely.

Make the caramel: Combine granulated sugar, corn syrup, and 1/4 cup water in a medium saucepan over high heat. Cook, without stirring, until mixture is dark amber, about 14 minutes. Remove from heat, and carefully pour in cream (mixture will spatter); stir until smooth. Return to heat, and cook until a candy thermometer reaches 238 degrees, about 2 minutes. Pour caramel into a medium bowl, stir in 1 teaspoon coarse salt, and let cool slightly, about 15 minutes. Stir in butter, 1 tablespoon at a time. Let cool completely.

Meanwhile, make the frosting: Whisk together cocoa and 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons warm water in a bowl until cocoa dissolves. Beat butter, confectioners' sugar, and a generous pinch of coarse salt in a clean bowl with a mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy. Gradually beat in melted chocolate and then cocoa mixture until combined. Let stand for 30 minutes before using. Trim tops of cakes using a serrated knife to create a level surface. Cut each in half horizontally to form 2 layers. Transfer 1 layer to a serving platter, and spread 3/4 cup caramel over top. Top with another cake layer, and repeat with remaining caramel and cake layers, leaving top uncovered. Refrigerate until set, about 1 hour. Frost top and sides of cake in a swirling motion. Sprinkle with sea salt. Cook's Note To make this cake ahead of time: The caramel can be refrigerated for up to 3 days; bring to room temperature before using. Cake layers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days (they actually taste better when refrigerated and have a better texture for stacking). When finished, the frosted cake can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.

Quinoa, Mushroom, and Spinach Salad

3/4 cup quinoa 1 1/4 cups water Salt to taste 1 bag baby spinach, rinsed and dried, or 1/2 bunch spinach, stemmed, washed and dried 6 white or cremini mushrooms, sliced 1/4 cup chopped walnuts 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley 1 ounce feta cheese, crumbled (1/4 cup, optional) For the dressing: 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 1 small garlic clove, puréed Salt to taste 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1/3 cup buttermilk Freshly ground pepper 1. Place the quinoa in a strainer and rinse several times with cold water. Place in a medium saucepan with 1 1/4 cups water and salt to taste. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer 15 minutes, until the grains display a threadlike spiral and the water is absorbed. Remove from the heat, remove the lid and place a dish towel over the pan, then return the lid to the pan and let sit for 10 minutes or longer undisturbed. Transfer to a salad bowl and fluff with forks. Allow to cool. 2. Add the spinach, mushrooms, walnuts, parsley and optional cheese to the bowl. Whisk together the dressing ingredients and toss with the salad just before serving

Chicken With Apricot, Tamarind and Chipotle Sauce

1 chicken, cut into 8 pieces 1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt, or to taste 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste 1/2 cup kosher for Passover vegetable oil 3/4 cup dried apricots, roughly chopped 3 tablespoons apricot preserves 3 tablespoons tamarind concentrate 1/4 cup sugar 2 tablespoons sauce from chipotles in adobo 1 or more chipotle peppers from chipotles in adobo, optional. 1. Season chicken well with salt and pepper. Place a large heavy skillet over high heat and add oil. Add chicken pieces skin side down in a single layer. Reduce heat to medium and slowly brown, turning occasionally, until browned evenly on all sides. 2. Pour 4 cups water over chicken, raise heat to medium-high, and bring to a simmer. Stir in dried apricots, apricot preserves, tamarind, sugar and chipotle sauce, including 1 or more chipotle peppers if desired for more heat. 3. Simmer, adjusting heat as necessary, until sauce has thickened enough to coat chicken, about 30 minutes. Adjust salt and pepper to taste, and serve.

Deviled Eggs

One of the things that I love about Passover, and the same applies to Easter, is that there are a lot of hard boiled eggs around. In Judiasm they serve to remind us that it is spring, and a time for renewal. Since Passover is a celebration of freedom from slavery and new beginnings, egss are a fitting part of that. Not to mention it is an ancient religion, and a little emphasis on fertility, while not appropriate in our over-crowded 21st century world, went a long way once upon a time. Here is a variation on deviled eggs: *12 large eggs *2 Tbs. mayonnaise *2 Tbs. ranch dressing *1 tablespoon Dijon mustard *1/4 tsp. garlic powder *Coarse salt and freshly ground white pepper *1 Tbs. finely chopped fresh tarragon, chives, parseley, or chervil, plus leaves for garnish an anchovy can be added to the mix, but be careful with the salt in that case Boil the eggs for about 10 minutes. Let cool and peel. Cut in half lengthwise and put all egg yolks in a food processor. If you accidentally break a white while doing this, that can go in the food processor bowl as well (I usally have a failure rate of 1/2 white per dozen eggs). Add the rest of the ingredients and pulse till a paste that is of a consistnecy that can be piped. If too stiff, add more mayonnaise or ranch dressing until it is right. Pipe eggs, filling them generously, and garnish with a leaf of the herb you used.

Persian Haroset

My friend Loraine makes this wonderful haroset that is somewhere between the straight-ahead apple and nut Ashkenazi haroset and the Sephardic date haroset, and very complicated tasting. Here is why--there are many ingredients, and some of them make you scratch your head a bit, but somehow all together, they taste fantastic. 25 dates, pitted and diced 1/2 cup unsalted pistachios 1/2 cup almonds 1/2 cup golden raisins 1 1/2 peeled apples, cored and diced 1 orange, peeled and diced 1 banana, sliced ~1/2 cup sweet red wine ~1/4 cup cider vinegar 1/4 tsp. cayenne 1/4 tsp. ground cloves 1/2 tsp. ground cardamom 1/2 tsp. cinnamon 1/4 tsp. black pepper Put nuts in a food processor and pulse. Then add the fruit (the smaller the size you start with the better) and the spices. Pulse until a uniform size. Add the wine and vinegar until a pasty consistency is achieved. Adjust seasonings. Makes 5 cups.

Asparagus with Orange-Pecan Pesto

Adapted fromt he new Mario Battali cookbook, and it is stupendous. Salt 2 pounds medium asparagus, thick bottom ends snapped off 2 oranges, preferably nice and juicy 1/2 cup chopped pecans 3 garlic cloves 2 Tb sugar 1 cup plus 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 1/4 cup plus 2 Tb freshly grated Pecorino Romano Directions: Bring 8 quarts of water to boil a large pasta pot. Set a large ice bath nearby. When water comes to a boil, add 2 Tb salt. Add the asparagus to the boiling water and cook until just softened, 1 minute. Using tongs, transfer the asparagus to the ice bath. When it has cooled, drain and set aside. (This stops the cooking process and keeps them bright green) Juice one of the oranges, removing any seeds, and set the juice aside for later. Chop what is left of the juiced orange — pith, rind interior fruit and all — along with the remaining orange, (again removing pits) and place the chopped orange in the bowl of a food processor. Add the walnuts, garlic, sugar, 1 cup of the olive oil, and 1/4 cup of the romano to the processor, and blend until smooth. Transfer the pesto to a bowl, and season it with salt and pepper to taste. If it’s too thick, add up to 1/4 cup of the reserved juice to loosen it up. (This pesto will last up to one week in the fridge if you cover the surface with a layer of oil.) To make the citronette, place the reserved orange juice and the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil in a small bowl, and whisk to form a thin emulsion. Arrange the cooked asparagus on a serving platter, and spoon the walnut-orange pesto over the stems. Drizzle the orange citronette over all. Sprinkle with the remaining 2 Tb pecorino and serve.

Nut Cake with Orange Salad

Joel made this fantastic cake, a variation on a cake in the A16 cookbook (we are going to have to eat there when we are in San Francisco in May) 1 1/3 cups unsalted pecans 1 1/3 cups blanched whole almonds 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (5 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature 3/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar 3 lemons 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 3 eggs 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon "00" flour or all-purpose flour 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt ORANGE SALAD 3 mandarin oranges 2 Valencia, navel, or blood oranges 1/4 cup orange marmalade 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice 1/2 cup vanilla yogurt (I prefer Brown Cow Non-Fat Vanilla Yogurt) Preparation To make the cake, preheat the oven to 300°F. Butter a 4-by-8-inch loaf pan. Then, using a sifter or a fine-mesh strainer, dust it with flour, tapping out the excess. In a food process, combine the pistachios and almonds and pulse until finely ground. Set aside. Combine the butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer. Grate the zest from the lemons directly into the bowl. Fit the mixer with the paddle attachment and beat on medium speed for about 2 minutes, or until smooth and creamy. Mix in the vanilla just until incorporated. On low speed, gradually add the nuts and mix just until incorporated. Then add the eggs, one at a time, mixing after each addition just until incorporated. Stir in the flour and salt and mix just until incorporated. Spoon the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Then, run a paring knife around the inside of the pan to loosen the cake sides, invert the cake onto a plate, and lift off the pan. At this point, the cake can be served warm or allowed to cool completely before being sliced and reheated. To make the orange salad, cut a slice off the top and bottom of 1 orange, stand the orange upright, and cut downward to remove the rind and pith in thick strips. Cut the orange crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices, capturing any juice. Repeat with all of the remaining oranges. Set the oranges slices aside until needed. Gently heat the marmalade in a pot over low heat for about 3 minutes, or until syrupy. Add any captured orange juice along with the lemon juice to the marmalade. Remove the pot from the heat and add 1 to 2 tablespoons water to think the marmalade to the consistency of a vinaigrette. Let cool. To serve, preheat the oven to 400°F. Cut the cake into generous slices and place on a baking sheet. Bake the slices, turning them over once, for about 5 minutes, or until warm and slightly toasted on both sides. Place 4 or 5 orange slices on each plate and drizzle generously with the marmalade syrup. Place the warm pieces of cake next to the orange slices and top with a dollop of yogurt. Serve immediately.

Chickpea, Potato, and Cabbage Curry

Coming off a wonderful cooperatively cooked Indian dinner for 70, I have been inspired to make more than my usual curried lentils and chana dal. Usually it is my husband who is experimenting with curries, but I am more likely to cook legumes than he is, and so there is a place for me in this paradigm. This is adapted from Madhur Jaffrey' recipe in 'From Curries to Kebabs' 1 cup dried garbanzo beans 1 cup chunked onion 4 garlic cloves ¼-½ teaspoon red pepper flakes 2 tablespoons oil 1 tablespoon hot curry powder 1 teaspoon just cumin powder 1 lb potato , peel and cube 1 -2 teaspoon salt (to taste) 4 ½ cups cabbage , chunks Directions: 1. Soak the chickpeas overnight in water to cover. Drain, recover with fresh water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer covered until very tender. Drain and reserve the cooking liquid. Add enough water to the reserved cooking liquid to equal 2 1/2 cups. 2. Put the onion, garlic, peppers and 1/4 cup of water in a blender and process until smooth. You can always add more pepper in the end, but you can't take it away. 3. Heat the oil over a medium high heat. Put in the onion paste and stir fry for 2-3 minutes. 4. Reduce the heat to medium low, then cover and continue cooking the paste. for another 2-3 minutes. Stir it frequently just to prevent sticking, and keep it covered between stirs. 5. Add the curry powder and the cumin, stir. 6. Add the chickpeas, potatoes, the lesser amount of salt, and the reserved chickpea cooking liquid. 7. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and cover. Cook gently, stirring occasionally until the potatoes are done to your tastes, 20 - 25 minutes. 8. Add in the cabbage and an additional 1/2 - 1 cup of hot water. Bring back to a simmer, cover and cook for an additional 10 - 15 minutes, or until the cabbage is just softened. Do not over cook the cabbage! 9. Taste and adjust the salt/ peppers to your tastes.

Crispy Kale Chips

I had these at a friends house and they were fabulous. They taste like kale, but without all the toughness. The chips are crunchy and surprisingly fun to eat. 1 bunch of crinkly kale, torn into bite-size pieces, thoroughly dried 1 tbs. extra virgin olive oil kosher salt Finely grated zest of 2 limes, optional Mild chile powder, optional 1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Make sure the kale is dry; if it is not, it will steam rather than crisp in the oven. 2. In a large bowl, toss kale pieces with olive oil and kosher salt. Massage the oil onto each kale piece until the oil is evenly distributed and the kale glistens. Spread the kale out single layer onto 17-by-12-inch jellyroll pans (or do this in batches). Bake the kale chips until the leaves look crisp and crumble, about 10 minutes. If they are not ready, bake for another 2 to 4 minutes. 3. Remove from the oven and cool to room temperature. If you like, toss with the lime zest, sea salt and chile powder to taste.

Winter Squash and Cabbage Gratin

THis is adapted from the New York Times recipe, and is a great use of winter vegetables. You can just cook these vegetables in a skillet and serve them with grains for a great vegan dinner, or turn them into a hearty vegetarian (but not vegan) Provençal-style gratin. For the shredded vegetable sauté: 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1 pound winter squash, peeled and shredded 1/2 cup chopped onion 3/4 pound green cabbage, shredded 2 garlic cloves, minced 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh sage 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves 1/4 tsp. cayenne powder For the gratin: 3 eggs 1/2 cup milk Salt and freshly ground pepper 1 cup cooked barley, rice (preferably brown) or quinoa 2 ounces Gruyère, grated (1/2 cup) 1 ounce Parmesan, grated (1/4 cup) 1. If serving the vegetables with grains, begin cooking the grains of your choice first. 2. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy skillet or a wok and add the onion. Cook, stirring, until it begins to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the shredded winter squash and the garlic and a generous pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often, until not quite tender, about 10 minutes, and add the remaining oil, the cabbage, sage, thyme, and salt and pepper to taste. Continue to cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are tender and fragrant, 8 to 10 minutes. Serve with grains or use the vegetables for the gratin below. 3. If making a gratin, preheat the oven to 375 degrees and oil a 2-quart baking dish or gratin dish. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk. Add salt to taste (about 1/2 teaspoon) and freshly ground pepper, and stir in the cooked grains (I used cooked purple barley, and it was a beautiful and tasty combination with lots of texture) and the cooked vegetables. Add the cheeses and stir everything together, then scrape into the prepared baking dish. 4. Bake 40 to 45 minutes, or until the top is lightly browned and the gratin is set. Allow to cool for 15 minutes or longer before cutting into wedges and serving.

Grapefruit and Honey Cake

3 tablespoons plus 1/4 cup finely ground Fresh Breadcrumbs 2 medium Grapefruits 1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil 4 large Eggs at room temperature 1 teaspoon Salt 1/2 cup Sugar 1/4 cup Honey 1 1/2 cups All-Purpose Flour 2 teaspoons Baking Powder Preheat the oven to 350F. Oil a 9-inch round cake pan with tall sides, and dust it with the 3 tablespoons breadcrumbs. Using a grater, zest both grapefruits. Juice one of the grapefruits to yield 3/4 cup juice. In a small bowl, combine the zest, juice, and olive oil. Set aside. In a large bowl, beat the eggs and salt with an electric mixer until frothy and light. Slowly beat in the sugar and honey, and continue to mix until pale and thick, about 2 minutes more. In a separate bowl, sift the flour, the remaining 1/4 cup breadcrumbs, and the baking powder together. Then gradually beat the dry ingredients into the egg mixture. Fold in the citrus zest mixture until just incorporated. instructions Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Let the cake cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Then remove it from the pan and let it cool to room temperature. You can drizzle some honey on the top, and sprinkle with toasted nuts. Serve with fresh fruit and/or vanilla icecream for an additional treat.

Spaghetti with Bread Crumbs, Oregano and Parsley

After I got back from Florence and had not managed to get sick of eating pasta while there, despite eating it twice a day every day, I decided to get Mario Batali's new cookbook, Family Meals, out of the library. TIme to bring some of the pasta from Italy home. 4 cup extra virgin olive oil 1/4 cup homemade fresh bread crumbs Salt and pepper to taste 1/2 chopped Italian parsley 1 pound spaghetti Directions Bring 6 quarts water to boil in a large spaghetti pot and add 2 tablespoons salt. In a 10-inch to 12-inch saute pan, heat olive oil over slow heat. Add bread crumbs and cook, stirring constantly until golden brown (about 3 to 4 minutes). Remove from heat and sprinkle with salt and pepper and set aside. Add chopped parsley. Drop the spaghetti in the boiling water and cook according to package instructions (8 to 13 minutes) until "al dente". Drain in colander and pour into pan containing bread crumbs. Toss over medium heat until coated and serve immediately.

Baked Radiccio with Chevre

I had two radiccio experiences e=recently. The first was in Italy, where I had a braised radiccio as an antipasto. It had a rich and complicated flavor and was much less bitter when it is baked. The other was radiccio packets filled with goat cheese and then baked--I thought this made an elegant appetizer, but the whole wrapping and closing the packets was too labor intensive, so I modified it to be more like how I bake chevre to go into a salad. 2 medium heads radicchio goat cheese, cut into 1/2-inch pieces 1 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil 1 clove garlic, minced 1 teaspoon dried basil, crumbled 1 teaspoon dried marjoram, crumbled 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, crumbled Toasted bread crumbs Pepper to taste Sliced Italian-style bread Preheat oven to 400° F. Peel leaves off the head of radiccio--these are going to hold slices of chevre. Place radicchio in a large shallow baking dish. Arrange goat cheese over the top. In a small saucepan over medium heat, heat olive oil; add garlic and saute approximately 1 minutes. Remove from heat and add basil, marjoram, rosemary, and pepper. Drizzle over goat cheese and radicchio. Sprinkle with bread crumbs. Bake approximately 15 minutes or until cheese begins to melt. Remove from oven and serve with bread slices.

Peposa a la Fornica

This is the food that Brunelleschi served to the workers who worked on the Duomo dome in Florence. He didn't want them to have to travel up and downing the scaffolding in order to eat. He worried that that would tire them out, and the building of the dome would take an unacceptably long time to complete. He did have a sense that this would seal his name in history--and he was right about that. So he provided them with meals and wine--simple, hearty, flavorful meals. This is a recipe which starts with a tough (and inexpensive) cut of meat, adds garlic, Chianti, and peppercorns in volume, and comes out with a richly flavored, melt in your mouth textured beef that is divine. Beef Stew, Kiln Worker's-Style Ingredients: 2 Lb. Beef stew meat, cut into bite-sized chunks 10 Cloves garlic, peeled, but left whole 1 - 2 Tbs. Crushed black peppercorns 3 - 4 Cups Chianti Classico Salt 4 1 in. Slices rustic bread 1 Clove garlic, peeled and halved Preparation: Pre-heat the oven to 250 F. Place the meat and garlic in an ovenproof casserole. Sprinkle the crushed peppercorns over all. Add enough red wine to cover the meat by approximately one inch. Bring the casserole to a simmer on the stove, then cover, and place the casserole in the center of the pre-heated oven. Cook, adjusting the heat so the stew barely bubbles, for approximately six hours. If the liquid reduces too much while the stew cooks, add hot water to compensate. At the end of cooking, the sauce should be thick enough to coat a spoon, and the meat should be falling apart. Taste, and season the stew with salt as necessary.

Spicy Laquered Chicken Wings

These are adapted from the New york Times, and are really delicious. 3 pounds chicken wings Salt 3 tablespoons soy sauce 3 tablespoons rice wine or sherry 3 tablespoons brown sugar 1 tablespoon grated ginger 6 garlic cloves, minced 1/2 teaspoon five-spice powder 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest 1 small cucumber, diced (about 1 cup) 6 scallions, slivered 2 or 3 small hot red chiles, sliced 2 tablespoons crushed roasted peanuts 1 teaspoon sesame oil 1 handful cilantro leaves 2 navel oranges, sliced. 1. Rinse the wings, pat dry, season lightly with salt and put them in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, rice wine, brown sugar, ginger, garlic, five-spice powder, cayenne and orange zest, then pour over the wings and massage well. Let marinate for 1 hour at room temperature or refrigerate (overnight is fine) and bring to room temperature. 2. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Arrange the wings in one layer in a low-sided baking dish or roasting pan (or use 2 pans) and place on middle shelf. Every 8 to 10 minutes, brush the wings with the marinade from the pan, adding 3 or 4 tablespoons water to dissolve the juices as necessary. Continue until well browned, glazed and cooked through, about 40 to 45 minutes. 3. Pile the wings on a warm platter. Quickly assemble the garnish. In a small bowl combine the cucumber, scallions, chiles, crushed peanuts and sesame oil. Season with salt, toss lightly and scatter over the wings. Sprinkle with the cilantro. Surround with orange slices and serve.

Blueberry Cobbler

My husband does very little baking. He is good at it, but he prefers to make savory dishes, and he is very good at that, so we allow him to skip the baking. He has been cooking out of cookbooks that are written by New Orleans chefs since we got back from a short trip there (24 hours, 5 meals) which led him to Donald Link's Blueberry Cobbler. It is very good, and can be made with a variety of fruits (we were shy on the blueberries needed, so added enough sour cherries to make it work. Here is the recipe. Biscuit dough: 1 1/2 c all-purpose flour 1/3 c granulated sugar 3 tsp baking powder pinch of salt 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon 1/2 c butter (cold) 1 large egg, beaten 1/2 c milk Blueberries: 3/4 c granulated sugar 2 Tbsp cornstarch 1/3 c water 5-6 c blueberries zest and juice of 1/2 lemon 1/2 tsp vanilla Crumble topping: 1/3 c brown sugar, packed 1/3 c butter 3/4 c all-purpose flour Preheat oven to 400. Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon in a bowl or food processor. Cut in the cold butter until the mixture is coarse and crumbly. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg and milk together, then stir into dry ingredients to form the dough. Set aside. Combine sugar and cornstarch with water in a saucepan. Heat until the sugar is dissolved. Add the blueberries, lemon zest and juice, and vanilla and simmer over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Pour the blueberry mixture into a buttered 8 x 12 dish. Top the fruit with spoonfuls of the dough (it does not have to cover the berries completely). Mix the brown sugar, butter, and flour, then sprinkle over the dollops of dough. bake for 25-30 minutes until the top is lightly browned and the dough has cooked through. Allow to cool at least 20 minutes before serving.

Macaroni and Cheese

I can't believe I haven't posted something about macaroni and cheese in the 2+ years I have been blogging, because it is my signature dish in a lot of ways. It is at least my signature comfort food dish. I have marked many children's childhood's with my macaroni and cheese. My kid's school would have a fund raiser and I would make macaroni and cheese. I would make it for my youngest son's class for lunch. I would make it when I was doing a 50 person dinner because it is an easy, make-ahead side dish. The ironic thing about my macaroni and cheese is that it is a very old recipe in my repertoire, dating back to my college days, when I lived in a housing co-op with 19 other people. We had a small handful of cookbooks, all of them vegetarian (it was the 70's, after all), and one of the ones I loved most was Anna Thomas' "Vegetarian Epicure". My macaroni and cheese is an adaptation of her recipe. It really is best if you make it and serve it right away, but the real beauty of this dish is that it is pasta you can make ahead of time. And fast. I recently one, and it took about 20 minutes. The recipe is easy doubled or tripled and so long as you have large enough pots, it does not add to the preparation time. Here is recipe (and some tips) for making it to bake later: The first key is to make a bechamel sauce: Melt 1/2 cup butter in a saucepan. Once it is bubbling, add a 1/2 c. of flour. Stir vigorously, letting it brown a bit. This is making a roux (if you have a roux stirrer, use it--it really helps. If you make this and love it, get a roux stirrer. You won't be sorry). Now add a quart of milk very slowly and in batches. At first, milk should be added until the sauce is no longer thick. This is the only tricky point in the whole recipe, because it tends to lump up if you do it too fast and it sticks to the bottom if you do it too slow. Once the sauce is not longer thick, let it cook a bit. The warmer it gets, the thicker it gets. At the first pause in the action, add a bay leaf, some salt, fresh ground pepper, garlic powder and then grate as much nutmeg as you can manage into the sauce. This is the secret ingredient in the bechamel sauce--it has to be fresh grated, and it is best if you do a lot. Gradually add the rest of the milk, and turn off. Meanwhile have a large pot of water with salt in it boiling on the stove. once it is at a rolling boil, add a pound of macaroni. Give it a quick stir, put the lid back on, and set the timer for 5 minutes. It won't be done then, but if you are making the macaroni ahead of time, under cook it significantly. At 5 minutes, drain it. At this point, I put the macaroni into the contained I am going to bake it in, stir in the cheese, and then pour the sauce over it. If I am making this fancy, I use Anna Thomas' suggested cheeses: fontina and gruyere. Another option is to grate up cheeses that you no longer have another use for that are in danger of going bad in your cheese drawer. But what I usually do is use pre-grated cheese. My favorites are parmesan, sharp cheddar and Monterrey jack. I use enough that it looks cheesey and the sauce should look like it is way too much. As the pasta sits, it will absorb the sauce, and the finished product will be flavorful without the pasta tasting overcooked. Sprinkle with panko. For baking to serve: Try to bring it up to room temperature beforehand. This is not always possible, and it is not completely necessary. If you can, then bake it for about 45 min. at 350 degrees. If you can't, it is more like an hour, and turn it up to 375 it isn't looking brown on top by the end.

Pork Loin Braised in Milk

Molly Stevens new cookbook, 'All About Roasting', is very good, but we remain faithful to her earlier cookbook, 'All About Braising'. This is NOT a kosher meal...and it doesn't look nearly as good as it tastes (the good news is that the kitchen smells fantastic and olfaction is very important in taste. I served this with pasta with pesto, and it was both simple and delicious. 4 garlic cloves, peeled - three slivered, one smashed 1 tsp. dried sage 1/2 tsp. fennel seeds, lightly cracked 1/2 tsp. sea salt 1/2 tsp. fresh-ground pepper 2 1/2 lb. boneless pork rib roast, tied 2 tbsp. olive oil 1 1/4 C whole milk Squeeze of lemon juice 2 tsp. half-and-half or heavy cream In a small bowl, mix the slivered garlic, sage, fennel seeds, salt, and pepper. Poke one-inch holes all over the pork with a paring knife and stuff garlic slivers in the holes, then rub any remaining seasoning over the surface of the meat. Wrap the pork up and stick it in the fridge for a few hours, if you’ve got time. Heat the oven to 275° and locate a pot that’s not too much bigger than the pork. Melt the butter with the oil over medium heat, then toss the pork in there and brown it on all four sides. Take the pork out and put it on a plate. Pour off all but one tablespoon of the fat from the pot. Add the remaining smashed garlic and cook over medium heat until it’s fragrant, about thirty seconds. Pour the milk in the pot slowly, so it doesn’t foam up too much, bring to a boil, and scrape the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to dislodge the tasty brown drippings. Put the pork back in the pot, along with any juices that pooled on the plate, then cover and put the whole deal in the oven. After about ten minutes, check to make sure the milk isn’t boiling too much, and if it is, turn the heat down a bit. Braise, covered, for another thirty-five minutes, then flip the meat over and leave the lid slightly ajar so the steam can escape. Braise for another thirty-five minutes or so, until the pork reaches 150° on an instant-read thermometer. Remove the pork and let it rest on a plate or carving board, tented with foil to stay warm. At this point, your kitchen should smell heavenly and the liquid that’s left in the pot should look kind of curdled. Skim off as much fat as you can, then put the pot back on the stove and boil the sauce down until it’s caramel-colored and the consistency of a loose, curdled custard. Add the lemon juice and taste the sauce for seasoning. Finally, to make the sauce more attractive, add the half-and-half and zip with an immersion blender (or in a real blender). Cut the strings off the pork, slice it up, spoon the sauce over it, and serve.

Miniature Trifle

I have been in a bit of a baking slump. My spouse thinks that it is because I have not hit my baking rhythm in our new house. I know where everything is, I just don't know how I am going to put it together to bake with ease. The other factor is that for over a year we have been working on decreasing the volume in our freezers, and a lot of the build up was baked goods. I was not incentivized to bake, and therefore I didn't. So when I have been pressed to make dessert of late, I have been looking to options that do not require me to bake. I have had some leftover cake (someone else's creation--when you are not baking, the most common answer you give when asked what can be brought to dinner is 'dessert'. Sometimes that leaves you with leftover cake). I have always been a big fan of trifle, but I have recently been making it in smaller, individual versions. I made it last week in wine glasses and this week I made it in tiny ramekins for a dinner where there would be multiple desserts, so I wanted to give people more of a dessert bite than a dessert overdose. This version has small cubes of cake on the bottom, a dribble of liquor, then a tablespoon of nonfat vanilla yogurt (Brown Cow is my favorite), some sliced strawberries and a few blueberries, then topped off with whipped cream. They are best if they sit for several hours before served.