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cooking cove

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Mushroom and Brie Crostini

By Barbara Beltrami

Some years ago, my husband bought a book on mycology and decided that we were going to pick our own wild mushrooms in the woods. My mind fast forwarded to our  virtual obituaries stating that the cause of death had been eating poisonous toadstools (sauteed in butter, white wine and shallots, of course). 

Preferring the fairy tale image of mushrooms in an enchanted forest populated by cute little gnomes and rejecting the legacy of my prehistoric female predecessors and early ancestral gatherers, I vehemently nixed the idea. Instead I frequented the produce aisles of high-end supermarkets to seek out wild mushrooms harvested by responsible and knowledgeable organic farmers.  

Eventually, the book and the idea were shelved, but not before we had eaten many varieties of mushrooms prepared in an even bigger variety of ways. While  button and Portobello are the most commonly available, shitake, cremini, oyster, morel, enoki and others are the most tasty, delicate (and expensive!) but well worth their price.

Wild Mushroom Soup

Wild Mushroom Soup

YIELD: Makes 3 to 4 servings

INGREDIENTS: 

3  tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 pound fresh porcini, morel or chanterelle mushrooms, cleaned and chopped

2 tablespoons minced Italian flat-leaf parsley

6 fresh mint or catnip leaves

4 cups beef broth

1 garlic clove, crushed

3 to 4 slices good Italian bread, toasted

Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS: 

In a medium saucepan, heat the oil; add mushrooms and herbs; sauté gently over medium heat until slightly browned, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add broth and simmer 10 to 15 minutes. Rub toasted bread with garlic and place in bottoms of soup bowls. Ladle in soup and serve immediately with an omelet, cheese and light red wine.

Mushroom and Brie Crostini

Mushroom and Brie Crostini

YIELD: Makes 8 crostini

INGREDIENTS: 

8¼-inch-thick slices crusty Italian or French bread,  toasted

12 ounces brie, rind removed

2 cups fresh mushrooms, cleaned and very thinly sliced

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS: 

Preheat broiler. Cover each slice of toast with 1/8 of the cheese; place on a baking sheet 6 inches from broiler and cook just until the cheese melts. Transfer crostini to serving platter; top with mushrooms, drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately with  a dry white wine.

Sauteed Mushrooms

YIELD: Makes 4 servings

INGREDIENTS: 

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

1½ pounds assorted mushroom varieties, cleaned and sliced

¼ cup unsalted butter

1 large garlic clove, minced

½ tablespoon fresh mint leaves, finely chopped

1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

½ cup dry white wine

Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS: 

In a large heavy skillet, heat the oil over high heat; toss in the mushrooms and do not stir them until they start to brown; stir them and continue to cook five more minutes. Add butter and cook another five minutes until they are nicely browned. Add garlic, mint, parsley, lemon juice, wine, salt and pepper. Toss and serve immediately with eggs, meat or poultry.

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Julia's Chocolate Chiffon Cake

By Barbara Beltrami

Last week I wrote about spring holiday meals and how much in common there is among the cuisines of various religions. From tender young vegetables to lots of eggs as decorations or ingredients, to light, fluffy desserts, everything seems to converge on the spring theme. Last week I also promised to give you a few recipes for those light-as-a-feather cakes that, whether angel food, sponge or chiffon, rely heavily on egg whites.

Spring-y and delicate, none are difficult to make. All of them make beautiful presentations, especially if decorated with seasonal pastels or confections and all of them function beautifully as complements to fruits, sauces, ice cream and sorbets. So tie on your apron, heat up that oven, get out your electric mixer and cake pans, take those eggs out of the refrigerator and let’s bake!

Julia’s Chocolate Chiffon Cake

Julia’s Chocolate Chiffon Cake

YIELD: Makes 8 to 12 servings

INGREDIENTS:

¾ cup boiling water

½ cup cocoa

1¾ cups cake flour

1¾ cups sugar

1½ teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

½ cup vegetable oil

7 unbeaten egg yolks

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

7 egg whites

½ teaspoon cream of tartar

DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 325 F. Combine boiling water and cocoa; let cool. Sift together flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. Make a well in the center, then add oil, egg yolks, vanilla and cocoa mixture, and beat until smooth. Put egg whites and cream of tartar into large mixing bowl and beat until stiff peaks form. Pour egg yolk mixture in thin stream over entire surface of egg whites. With rubber spatula gently fold in until well blended. Pour into ungreased 10-inch tube pan. Bake 55 minutes, then raise heat to 350 F and bake another 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from oven; invert onto wire rack until cool. Remove from pan and decorate with your favorite frosting, if desired. Otherwise, serve with fudge sauce, whipped cream, liqueur or vanilla or chocolate ice cream.

Nana’s Orange Sponge Cake

Nana’s Orange Sponge Cake

YIELD: Makes 8 to 10 servings

INGREDIENTS:

6 eggs, separated

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 cup sugar

¼ cup freshly squeezed orange juice

½ cup Passover cake meal

¼ cup potato starch

Freshly grated rind of half an orange

DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 350 F. In a small bowl beat the egg whites and salt until soft peaks form. In another larger bowl combine the egg yolks, sugar and orange juice and beat until frothy and pale. In a third bowl combine the cake meal and potato starch and gradually beat into the egg yolk mixture until batter is smooth. Fold in the egg whites and orange rind. Transfer batter to an ungreased tube pan with a removable bottom and bake for one hour. Remove from oven and invert over wire rack until cool. Unmold and serve with orange sorbet, stewed fruit or fresh berries.

Rebecca’s Angel Food Cake

Rebecca’s Angel Food Cake

YIELD: Makes 8 to 10 servings

INGREDIENTS:

8 egg whites

¼ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cream of tartar

½ teaspoon almond extract

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1¼ cups fine granulated sugar

1 cup cake flour

DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 325 F. Dust a 10-inch tube pan with flour but do not butter it. Beat egg whites with salt until foamy; add cream of tartar and continue beating until egg whites form soft peaks. Add almond and vanilla extracts; lightly stir once. Sift together the sugar and cake flour over a separate bowl; repeat three times. Using a whisk or spatula, gently fold the sifted mixture, two tablespoons at a time, into the beaten egg whites until the batter is completely blended. Spoon evenly into prepared tube pan. Bake for 50 minutes; turn the oven off and leave cake in for another 10 minutes. Turn cake upside down on a wire rack and let sit for one hour, then carefully unmold. Serve with chocolate sauce or pureed strawberries.

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Roasted Asparagus with Balsamic Glaze

By Barbara Beltrami

Spring is here, or is it? As I sit here writing this a week before publication and approximately two weeks before the holidays, the third snowstorm in two weeks is swirling outside my window. The calendar says spring started on March 20, but right now it’s hard to take that seriously. Anyway, think positively with me and read on.

This year, as so often happens, Easter and Passover fall at the same time. No matter which holiday we observe, it is a signal to officially welcome spring. Out with the old dried up winter floral arrangements, in with pussy willows and daffodils. Out with hearty stews and soups and root veggies; in with asparagus, tender young greens and tiny new potatoes.

And while each holiday has its own religious and traditional observations, many dishes prepared for the feasts have a lot in common. For Passover, eggs are used in abundance to replace the forbidden leavening; for Easter, eggs from the eponymous bunny find their way into many creative dishes. Clear broths served with matzo balls, thin noodles or tortellini usher in the holiday meal, and light fluffy cakes made with flour or matzo meal and egg whites offer a grand finale.

So set your table with daffodils, roast a leg of lamb or a ham and those tiny new potatoes, prepare a bunch of asparagus and perhaps a baby arugula and mache salad and whip up a feather-light spring-y (pun intended) cake. (Next week I’ll give you a recipe or two for those cakes.)

Roasted Asparagus with Balsamic Glaze

Roasted Asparagus with Balsamic Glaze

YIELD: Makes 6 servings

INGREDIENTS:

2 pounds asparagus, trimmed and washed

½ cup balsamic vinegar

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons brown sugar

Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 375 F. Grease a 9- by 13-inch baking pan and lay asparagus in it. In a small bowl, mix together the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, soy sauce and brown sugar. Being sure to coat all the spears, gently toss the asparagus with the balsamic mixture. Bake, gently tossing again once or twice, for 10 to 20 minutes, until asparagus are tender. Remove to platter, sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve hot, warm or at room temperature with roasted meat or fowl and potatoes.

Roasted Baby Potatoes and Carrots with Shallots

YIELD: Makes 6 to 8 servings

INGREDIENTS:

2 pounds baby potatoes, scrubbed but not peeled

1 pound baby carrots, washed and trimmed, if necessary

2 shallot bulbs, peeled and separated into cloves

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

One handful fresh flat-leaf parsley, de-stemmed and finely chopped

Coarse salt and ground pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 400 F. In a large bowl toss all the ingredients together, then place in a large shallow baking dish and put in oven. Turning occasionally with a spatula, roast 30 to 45 minutes until carrots are tender and potatoes are crisp on the outside. Serve immediately with roasted meat or fowl.

Baby Arugula, Mache and Green Grape Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette

YIELD: Makes 4 to 6 servings

INGREDIENTS:

3 cups baby arugula, washed and patted dry

3 cups mache, washed and patted dry

1½ cups green seedless grapes, washed and patted dry, then halved lengthwise

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

2 to 3 tablespoons champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar

1½ tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 tablespoon orange juice

1 teaspoon honey

½ teaspoon prepared mustard

1 garlic clove, bruised

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS: In a large salad bowl, toss arugula, mache and grapes together. If using within an hour, do not refrigerate; otherwise cover and refrigerate until one hour before use. In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, lemon juice, orange juice, honey, mustard, garlic, salt and pepper. Remove garlic clove before dressing salad. When ready to serve and not before, toss the mixture with the greens and grapes and serve immediately with roasted meat or fowl or as an appetizer.

 

 

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By Barbara Beltrami

I’ve never kissed the Blarney Stone. I’ve never encountered a leprechaun (that I know of), but I have been known to raise a pint and mispronounce “Slainte!” And I do have some Irish blood in me, which must be the reason I adore corned beef and cabbage. In fact, at this time of year I buy a couple of corned beefs and freeze them so that I can use them throughout the year. While I am usually a traditionalist, every once in a while I go on a kick to reinvent and jazz up the ordinary and same old, same old, delicious as they might be.

And so it is this St. Patrick’s Day that I’ve come up with three variations on the corned beef and cabbage theme … a stew, a casserole and cabbage rolls. You can make them from scratch with fresh ingredients or from leftovers, but either way I think you’ll enjoy their welcome flavors and unique forms.

Corned Beef and Cabbage Stew

YIELD: Makes 4 to 6 servings

INGREDIENTS:

¼ cup vegetable oil

1 large onion, chopped

3 celery ribs, cleaned and chopped

4 carrots, peeled and diced

One 14-oz can diced tomatoes, with juice

3 cups beef broth

4 cups shredded cabbage

1 pound potatoes, peeled and diced

½ pound cooked corned beef, diced

1 bay leaf

Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS: In a large pot, heat the oil, add the onion, celery and carrots and cook, stirring frequently, over medium heat about 5 to 7 minutes, until onion is slightly opaque. Add the tomatoes, broth, cabbage, potatoes and 3 to 4 cups water; bring to a boil, then cook, uncovered, over medium heat until everything is tender. Add corned beef, bay leaf salt and pepper; then cook 5 more minutes. Remove and discard bay leaf. Serve hot with pumpernickel or rye bread and a light red wine, sauvignon blanc wine or beer.

Corned Beef and Cabbage Casserole

YIELD: Makes 8 servings

INGREDIENTS:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

6 cups peeled cooked and sliced potatoes

4 cups cooked shredded cabbage

1 medium onion, diced and browned

½ pound corned beef, julienned

1½ cups shredded Swiss or Jarlsberg cheese

Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

8 eggs

1½ cups milk

¾ teaspoon dry mustard

½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 350 F. Coat inside of a 9- by 13-inch baking dish with oil. Line bottom of pan with half the potatoes, then half the cabbage, half the onions, half the corned beef and half the cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Repeat layers with remaining halves of ingredients, but start with cabbage and end with potatoes. Season again. In a medium bowl, combine the eggs, milk, mustard, salt and pepper and cayenne pepper. Beat until foamy. Pour mixture over layered ingredients in baking dish. Bake until knife inserted in center comes out clean, mixture is set and top is golden and bubbly, about one hour. Remove from oven, let sit for 15 minutes, then serve with a tomato salad and crusty rolls with butter.

Corned Beef Hash Cabbage Rolls

YIELD: Makes 6 to 8 servings

INGREDIENTS:

1 large head cabbage, core removed

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 medium onion, finely chopped

3 cups finely diced cooked corned beef

3 cups finely diced cooked potatoes

1 large egg, beaten

3 cups beef broth

One 14-oz can petite diced tomatoes

Salt and pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 350 F. Carefully separate leaves from cabbage and in a large pot, steam until slightly wilted. Meanwhile in a small skillet, heat oil, add onion and sauté until golden. In a large bowl, combine the corned beef, potatoes, sautéed onion and egg. Lay a wilted cabbage leaf, inside facing up so it looks like a little dish, on a board or plate. Roll about 1½ to 2 teaspoons of corned beef mixture into a ball and lay in center of cabbage leaf. Tuck in ends and roll up. Place, seam side down, in a 9- by 13-inch nonreactive baking dish.

Repeat procedure with remaining cabbage leaves and mixture. Tuck any extra small cabbage leaves around cabbage rolls. Pour beef broth into baking dish; evenly distribute tomatoes and their juice over tops of cabbage rolls. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover and cook 35 to 45 minutes until juice is bubbling and cabbage is tender. Place on a platter and spoon cooking liquid over and around cabbage rolls. Serve hot or warm with mustard, pickles, sharp cheese and bread.

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Chicken Soup

By Barbara Beltrami

A bunch of us were hanging around waiting for the meeting to start. Sally was going through wads of tissues and cough drops and looked and sounded miserable. “Why didn’t I just stay home?” she whined. “What you need, Honey, is some nice homemade Jewish penicillin aka chicken soup,” I declared. Keiko shook her head. “No. No. Must drink broth with ginger and cabbage. Very good for chest and throat,” she countered.

When I came home, I got to thinking about these remedies and checked them out on the internet. As it happens, many doctors endorse chicken soup for its ability to open up sinus passages and fight inflammation. Does it actually have to be made by a Jewish grandmother? No medical evidence for that, but I think so because I am one!

And sure enough, I found reasonable evidence of the values of ginger and cabbage. The ginger with its spiciness helps unclog nasal passages, fights inflammation and soothes sore throats; and cabbage, loaded with vitamin C, antioxidants and sulfur is a good anti-inflammatory. Now I’m not saying these are foolproof or will cure you. But hey, I don’t think they can make you any worse and maybe they really can make you feel better.

Chicken Soup

Chicken Soup

 

YIELD: Makes 8 to 10 servings

INGREDIENTS:

One 5-pound roasting chicken

1 large onion, peeled

2 celery ribs, with leaves

8 to 10 carrots, peeled and cut into thirds

1 handful parsley

Salt and freshly ground white pepper, to taste

Chicken bouillon cubes, to taste (optional)

DIRECTIONS: Place all ingredients in a large stockpot. Add 8 to 10 cups water and bring to a boil. Simmer, uncovered, one hour. Remove chicken from pot and peel off white meat; coarsely shred, place in a container, cover and refrigerate. Return remaining chicken and bones to pot and simmer, covered, another hour. In a colander or wire mesh strainer, strain entire contents of pot. Return broth and carrots to pot.

Separate bones, gristle and skin from dark meat and discard; refrigerate or freeze dark meat for another use. Cover and refrigerate broth and carrots; once fat has risen to top and hardened, gently remove it and discard or reserve for another use. When ready to serve soup, ladle a few cups of the cold broth and add the cold chicken breast into a smaller pot. Simmer that and the large pot of broth until barely boiling. Place hot chicken breast pieces, carrots and broth into soup bowl.

Serve immediately with separately cooked noodles, rice or matzo balls.

Ginger Broth with Cabbage

Ginger Broth with Cabbage

YIELD: Makes 6 servings

INGREDIENTS:

8 scallions, green part removed, trimmed and sliced

8 cups chicken broth

1/4 head cabbage, washed and shredded

One 4-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and sliced into 1/2-inch pieces

4 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed

Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS: In a large pot combine all ingredients. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes; strain and remove all solids except cabbage. Serve hot with rice, soba noodles or shredded chicken.

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Chicken Kabobs with Avocado Cream Sauce

By Barbara Beltrami

For those of you who managed to get away for a midwinter vacation, chances are that if it was some place warm, the avocado figured into your diet.  For those of you who remained home, chances are that right about now you’re fantasizing and dreaming about that season when you are in a warm climate and the avocado and other summery staples will figure into your daily fare. 

I was recently in Los Angeles where movie stars are celestial, traffic is hellish and avocados seem to take top billing on every restaurant menu. Not just guacamole, but avocado salads and smoothies, tortillas, tacos and toasts,  pestos,  panini and pies, melts and mousses. It’s no wonder that the avocado — with 240 calories, no cholesterol, lots of fiber and vitamins and a rich creamy texture — is so popular with those health-conscious Californians.

Here are my versions of some avocado dishes I enjoyed.

Creamy Avocado Sauce

Chicken Kabobs with Avocado Cream Sauce

YIELD: Makes 2 to 4 servings

INGREDIENTS:

½ avocado, peeled, pitted and cut into chunks

2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro

1 tablespoon sour cream or plain Greek yogurt

½ tablespoon fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

¼ small chipotle pepper, chopped

Coarse salt and black pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS:

In bowl of electric food processor, puree all ingredients together until silky smooth. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. Serve with fish, poultry, burritos, tacos, burgers or chips.

Avocado, Cheddar and Chicken Melt

YIELD: Makes 4 servings

INGREDIENTS:

½ cup mayonnaise

¼ cup ketchup

2 scallions, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian parsley

1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro

1 grilled or sauteed half-pound boneless, skinless chicken breast

2 ripe avocados

4 whole wheat or multigrain English muffins, halved and lightly toasted

8 slices heirloom tomato

8 large thin slices cheddar cheese, about ¼-inch thick

Salt and pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS:

In a small bowl, mix the mayonnaise, ketchup, scallions, parsley and cilantro. Cut the chicken breast into four even pieces, then horizontally into 8 thin slices. Peel the avocados, remove the pits and slice each one into quarters. Preheat broiler.  Meanwhile, spread the mayonnaise mixture evenly onto each toasted muffin half; top with a slice of chicken, then the avocado, tomato slices and finally the cheese. Place in broiling pan and broil three inches from heat until cheese melts, about one and a half minutes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve with Caesar salad and chips or fries.

Seafood and Avocado Salad

YIELD: Makes 6 servings

INGREDIENTS:

8 large shrimp, peeled, deveined and cooked

1 pound cooked lobster meat, coarsely chopped

½ pound sea scallops, cooked and sliced

½ pound calamari, cooked and sliced

One celery rib, thinly sliced

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

Juice of one lemon

Sea salt and black pepper, to taste

4 ripe avocados, peeled and pit removed

One head butter or Bibb lettuce, washed, dried and torn into bite-size pieces

2 cups baby arugula

DIRECTIONS:

In a  large bowl combine the shrimp, lobster meat, scallops, calamari,  celery, olive oil,  half the lemon juice, salt and pepper. Slice avocados, spread out on a plate and sprinkle lightly with remaining lemon juice to keep them from turning brown. Discard any extra lemon juice that collects in bottom of plate or save for another use. Line a  serving plate with lettuce and arugula; place avocado slices around edges, then turn seafood mixture onto center of plate. Serve immediately with a dry white wine and a good crunchy baguette.

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Roast Pork with Garlic and Rosemary

By Barbara Beltrami

Garlic. Is there anyone who doesn’t love it? It has long been known to keep vampires away, and some say that it also, like the apple, keeps the doctor away. In fact, wise women and men have been touting its health-preserving properties for ages.

To name but a few of the myriad ancient civilizations that put their faith in its medicinal and culinary benefits, as far back as 1550 B.C. the Egyptians were prescribing no less than 22 garlic-based remedies for physical ailments. Good old Hippocrates swore by its use as a digestive aid, and my nana claimed, as did yours I bet, that it warded off cramps, colds and hiccups. And it certainly wards off other people, particularly if you breathe in their faces after you’ve eaten it.

As well as its medical virtues, garlic has a spate of gastronomic ones. If cooked properly and not allowed to burn or if used only in its freshest form, garlic can be intense and sublime. It makes a pork roast regal when combined with rosemary; a simple pasta sauce that uses an olive oil base splendid; and is a terrific compliment to vegetables, meat, poultry and shellfish. For the ultimate garlic experience, try cream of garlic soup.

Roast Pork with Garlic and Rosemary

Roast Pork with Garlic and Rosemary

YIELD: Makes 4 to 6 servings

INGREDIENTS:

8 to 10 garlic cloves

2 sprigs fresh rosemary, defoliated

2 tablespoons olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

One 3- to 4-pound pork loin roast, bones in (allow at least one bone per person)

DIRECTIONS:

Place garlic, rosemary leaves, olive oil, salt and pepper in bowl of food processor and pulse to create a coarse paste. Place pork in roasting pan; rub the paste on all surfaces. Cover loosely with aluminum foil and let sit for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 375 F. Roast pork uncovered for approximately 30 minutes per pound or until a meat thermometer reads 170 to 185 degrees. Remove from oven and let sit for 15 to 20 minutes. Carve between the bones to create individual pork chops. Place on serving platter; reheat pan juices and pour over chops. Serve with roasted potatoes and a hearty green veggie.

Spaghetti with Garlic and Olive Oil

Spaghetti with Garlic and Olive Oil

YIELD: Makes 4 to 6 servings

INGREDIENTS:

10 garlic cloves

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

1 cup finely chopped fresh Italian parsley

1 teaspoon anchovy paste

½ teaspoon dried hot pepper flakes

¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1 pound good quality spaghetti

DIRECTIONS:

Mince half the garlic and coarsely chop the other half. Place all in a medium skillet with the oil, parsley, anchovy paste and pepper flakes and heat, stirring constantly, until the garlic sizzles but has not begun to brown. Remove from heat and set aside. In a large pot cook spaghetti according to package directions until it is tender but firm to the bite (al dente). Drain, place in a large bowl and toss with the garlic and oil mixture. Pass grated cheese separately. Serve immediately with a crunchy mixed green or tomato salad or sautéed broccoli rabe or escarole.

Cream of Garlic Soup

Cream of Garlic Soup

YIELD: Makes 4 to 6 servings

INGREDIENTS:

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 onions, coarsely chopped

4  garlic bulbs, peeled and mashed

1 quart chicken broth or stock

½ pound stale French or Italian bread, sliced

1 bay leaf

2 sprigs fresh thyme, defoliated

6 ounces cream

Salt and pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS:

In a large saucepan melt butter; add onion and garlic and sauté over medium heat for about five minutes, until onion becomes transparent but garlic doesn’t brown. Stir in bread slices, bay leaf and thyme leaves.  Add broth, stir and simmer 20 minutes; remove bay leaf and discard. Remove mixture from heat and let cool for 10 minutes. Place in small batches in food processor and puree until smooth. Return to pot. Add cream and stir but do not allow to boil. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot in winter or cold in summer with crusty bread, cheese and a kale or spinach salad.

Note: This article is adapted from one written by the author for this publication in 1990.

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Orange Bundt Cake with Candied Orange Peel Glaze

By Barbara Beltrami

I was eating an orange the other day and got to thinking about the February some years ago when we received a crate of oranges as a gift. There was no way we could consume them all, and after I had given half of them away, I still had more oranges than we could eat. It was a bitter cold winter like this one, and as an antidote to cabin fever I did what I always do. I started cooking and concocting.

One morning it was freshly squeezed orange juice with sliced bananas; one night it was orange, fennel, radicchio and red onion salad. Another day it was orange pound cake drizzled with the orange syrup left over from making candied orange peel from all the oranges we had eaten. And there was also orange marmalade.

As it turned out, shortly thereafter, we flew south to visit the same people who had sent us the oranges. And guess what I took with me — a gift bag of bottled orange syrup, candied orange peel, a couple of jars of marmalade and an orange bundt cake.   Neither cooks nor bakers themselves, they had always thought of an orange as something you peeled and ate or squeezed and drank. Period. So they were delighted with  my fancy orange by-products.

Now that’s regifting.

Orange Bundt Cake with Candied Orange Peel Glaze

Orange Bundt Cake with Candied Orange Peel Glaze

YIELD: Makes 12 servings.

INGREDIENTS:

2 sticks unsalted butter at room temperature

2 cups sugar

5 large eggs

3 cups flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

¾ cup orange juice

½ cup very finely minced candied orange peel or grated zest of one orange

¼ cup unsalted butter, melted

1 cup confectioners’ sugar

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a 10-inch bundt or tube cake pan. In a large bowl beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy; add the eggs one at a time being sure to incorporate them thoroughly in mixture. In a medium bowl sift together the flour, baking powder and salt; alternating with the orange juice, gradually beat flour mixture into butter mixture. Stir in half the candied orange peel, then pour batter into prepared pan. Bake about 55 minutes, until a cake tester inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool on rack about 10 minutes.

Carefully invert pan onto serving plate. While cake is cooling, make the glaze by combining the melted butter, confectioners’ sugar and remaining half of candied orange peel; stirring frequently heat over boiling water. While cake is still warm, using a two-tined meat fork, poke holes all over top of cake; then pour on glaze and allow it to run down sides of cake and seep into top. Serve warm, at room temperature or freeze for later use. Serve with whipped cream, vanilla ice cream or orange sorbet.

Candied Orange Peel

Candied Orange Peel

YIELD: Makes four to five cups

INGREDIENTS:

4 large oranges or 6 small or medium

3 cups water

4 cups sugar

DIRECTIONS:

Peel oranges and remove as much of pith as possible. Reserve the fruit of the oranges for another use. Cut peel into quarter-inch julienned strips. Cook in large pot of boiling water for 15 minutes. Drain, rinse and drain again. Meanwhile, combine 3 cups of the sugar with 3 cups water; stir and bring to a gentle boil. Add the orange peel, bring back to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until just tender, for 30 to 40 minutes.

With a slotted spoon remove peel from syrup and spread on cookie sheet. Reserve syrup for another use. Toss peel with remaining cup of sugar, spread out on aluminum foil or waxed paper and set aside to dry for 2 to 3 days, until slightly crunchy. Toss to expose all sides of strips to air once or twice a day. When sufficiently hardened, store in an airtight container. Serve with tea and cookies or as garnish or topping for desserts.

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Raspberry-Chocolate Linzer Cookies

By Barbara Beltrami

There’s no day like Valentine’s Day to conjure up sweet talk, sweet sentiments in sweet cards and everlasting promises of eternal love and/or imminent romance. Those who subscribe to its traditions take them very seriously. Those who do not scoff at what they call the holiday created by the greeting card industry. Norman Rockwell-ish as it may be, there is something sweet about the old-fashioned image of a man holding a sumptuous bouquet of red roses and presenting a huge heart-shaped box of chocolates to his sweetheart.

Which brings me to another thing. No matter how Valentine’s Day is observed, or not observed, like any holiday, it provides an excuse for capitulating to that sweet tooth in all of us, that secret valentine of the appetite.

Raspberry-Chocolate Linzer Cookies

Raspberry-Chocolate Linzer CookiesYIELD: Makes three dozen cookies.

INGREDIENTS:

2¹/₃ cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

1½ sticks unsalted butter at room temp.

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

¼ teaspoon almond extract

2 cups chocolate chips, melted over boiling water

Raspberry jam

Confectioners’ sugar

DIRECTIONS:

In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time; add the extracts and beat to thoroughly combine. With the mixer on low speed, gradually beat the dry mixture into the wet one. Gather the dough into two even pieces, enclose in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm and solid.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 F. On a flour-dusted board roll out one piece of the dough to ¹⁄8-inch thickness and using approximately a 2½-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter, cut out cookies and place on cookie sheet. Re-roll any scraps to form solid pieces for more cookies. Repeat procedure using second half of dough, except this time use a 1-inch round or heart-shaped cutter.

Bake cookies for approximately nine minutes and remove from oven just as they start to brown. With spatula, remove from cookie sheet and place on rack. When cookies are cooled and crispy, spread a level half teaspoon of melted chocolate on each large cookie; top with a level half teaspoon jam and carefully place another cookie on top. Dust tops with confectioners’ sugar and place on tiered or flat cookie plate. Serve with coffee, tea, milk, hot chocolate or dessert wine and, of course, love.

Chocolate Mousse

Chocolate Mousse

YIELD: Makes 8 servings

INGREDIENTS:

4 ounces unsweetened chocolate

¾ cup sugar

¼ cup water

5 eggs, separated

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:

In the top of a double boiler combine the chocolate, sugar and water, stirring occasionally; heat until the chocolate is melted. Beating hard after each addition, while the double boiler is still over the heat, add the egg yolks, one at a time. Remove mixture from over the hot water and set aside to cool while you beat the egg whites until stiff. In a large bowl, gently fold the egg whites and vanilla into the chocolate mixture. Distribute the mousse evenly among  eight sorbet or wine glasses and refrigerate covered overnight or at least 10 to 12 hours. Serve with whipped cream, fresh strawberries and delicate wafer cookies.

Cherry Sauce

Cherry Sauce

YIELD: Makes 2½ cups.

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound sweet fresh or frozen and defrosted cherries, pitted

½ cup water

¹⁄₃ to ½ cup light corn syrup (depending on tartness of cherries)

1 tablespoon cornstarch

Fresh squeezed lemon juice, to taste

Kirsch liqueur, to taste

DIRECTIONS:

In a small saucepan, over medium heat, combine the cherries, half the water and the corn syrup and bring to a boil. With a wire whisk, stirring constantly, blend the cornstarch and remaining water with the cherry mixture. Over medium heat, cook until clear, about one minute. Add lemon juice and kirsch. Serve warm over vanilla or chocolate ice cream, sponge cake, angel cake, pound cake or cheesecake.

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Caviar Dip

By Barbara Beltrami

Lots of crunchy chips accompanied by bowls of chunky or velvety dips are as necessary for the big game this coming Sunday as the buffalo wings, the salsa and guacamole and maybe even the football itself.

Who can sit there with an adrenaline rush watching the big game without one hand wrapped around a beer and the other hand in perpetual motion between those chips and dips? And the good news is that whipping up a bunch of those dips is only marginally more difficult than opening that bag of chips and emptying it into a bowl (actually probably easier given how hard it is to pry those bags open).

With basic ingredients like sour cream, mayonnaise and cream cheese, the addition of savory and intense seasonings and ingredients is limited only by your imagination and what you have on hand. If you want to take the edible dippers beyond chips, try crackers, veggie crudités, toast strips, fried calamari, fried chicken nuggets or clams, cooked crabmeat or shrimp or chucks of interesting bread such as pumpernickel, rye or multigrain.

Just to jump start you, here are a few usual and unusual dips that will have the resident referees tooting their whistles and the resident cheerleaders shaking their pom-poms.

Veggie-Herb Dip

Veggie-Herb Dip

YIELD: Makes approximately 3 to 3½ cups

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups sour cream

¼ cup finely chopped fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley

¼ cup finely chopped fresh chives

½ cup finely chopped radishes

1⁄3 cup finely chopped peeled and seeded cucumber

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS:

In a medium bowl combine all ingredients. With a rubber spatula, scrape the contents into an appropriate serving bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. Serve with chips, broccoli and cauliflower florets, baby carrots or chicken nuggets, fried calamari or cooked shrimp.

Caviar Dip

Caviar Dip

YIELD: Makes approximately 1½ cups

INGREDIENTS:

3/4 cup freshly whipped heavy cream

3 to 4 tablespoons caviar

3 tablespoons minced red onion

1 to 2 hard-cooked eggs, finely chopped

Freshly ground white pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS:

In a small bowl, combine all ingredients. If mixture is too salty, add more whipped cream. With a clean paper towel wipe upper part of inside of bowl and rim. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. Serve with cucumber, toasted pita bread, cooked shrimp or crabmeat or water crackers.

Asian Dip

Asian Dip

YIELD: Makes approximately 1½ cups

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup sour cream

½ cup finely chopped scallions

1/3 cup finely chopped fresh parsley

¼ cup finely chopped fresh cilantro

¼ cup finely chopped fresh chives

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

2 tablespoons finely chopped canned water chestnuts

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh ginger

1 tablespoon soy sauce

DIRECTIONS:

In a small bowl combine all the ingredients. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. Serve with fresh mushrooms, fresh broccoli, rice crackers, cooked crabmeat, lobster or shrimp.

Retro Clam Dip

Retro Clam Dip

YIELD: Makes approximately 3½ cups.

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups shucked and cooked fresh clams, finely chopped

6 ounces soft cream cheese

½ cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1⁄₈ teaspoon mustard

1½ tablespoons minced onions

½ cup traditional cocktail sauce (made with ketchup, horseradish and lemon juice)

DIRECTIONS:

In a medium bowl combine all ingredients except cocktail sauce. With rubber spatula turn mixture into appropriate serving bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. Before serving cover top of dip with cocktail sauce. Serve with crackers.

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