Summer Minestrone with Fresh Basil

-NYT, 12 Aug 2008

You can finish this hearty summer soup with slivered fresh basil or with pistou, the Provençal version of pesto. (It’s pesto without the pine nuts.) A Parmesan rind, simmered in the soup and then removed, provides great depth of flavor without additional fat. On a hot summer day in Italy, the soup might be served at room temperature or just barely warm.

To make the soup:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped

1 celery stalk, chopped

Salt

4 large garlic cloves, minced or pressed

1 pound tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped, or 1 (14-ounce) can chopped tomatoes, with liquid

1 medium turnip, peeled and diced

3/4 pound zucchini, diced

A bouquet garni consisting of 1 Parmesan rind, 1 bay leaf, 3 sprigs parsley and 3 sprigs thyme, tied together with kitchen string or bundled into a piece of cheesecloth

1 (15-ounce) can cannellini or borlotti beans, drained and rinsed

6 ounces green beans, cut into 1-inch lengths

1/2 cup soup pasta, such as elbow macaroni or broken spaghetti, or 3/4 cup penne

Freshly ground pepper to taste

1/4 cup slivered fresh basil leaves, or 1/2 cup pistou (recipe below)

Freshly grated Parmesan for garnish

1. Heat the olive oil to medium-low range in a large, heavy soup pot or Dutch oven, and add the onion, carrots and celery. Cook, stirring about three minutes until vegetables begin to soften, and add 1/2 teaspoon salt. Continue to cook, stirring often, until tender, about five more minutes. Add the garlic, stir together for about a minute, then mix in the tomatoes. Keep stirring until the tomatoes have cooked down and smell fragrant, about 10 minutes. Stir in two quarts water, the turnip, zucchini and the bouquet garni, and bring to a simmer. Add 2 teaspoons salt. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 45 minutes. Stir in the canned beans. Taste and adjust salt. Remove the bouquet garni.

2. While the soup is simmering, bring a pot of salted water to a boil and add the green beans. Boil five minutes, until tender but still bright green. Transfer to a bowl of ice water, allow to cool, and drain. Retain the cooking water in case you want to thin the soup.

3. Add the pasta to the soup and simmer another 10 minutes, or until the pasta is cooked al dente. Stir the cooked green beans into the soup. Grind in pepper, and adjust seasonings. Soup should be savory and rich-tasting.

4. Stir in the basil or pistou, or place a spoonful of pistou in each bowl and stir in. Serve in wide soup bowls, with a sprinkling of Parmesan over the top.

Yield: Serves six to eight

Advance preparation: The soup can be made through step 2 a day or two ahead. It improves overnight. If you’re making the soup ahead, cook the pasta separately and add to the soup, along with the green beans on the day you are serving it.

To make the pistou:

2 cups basil leaves

2 garlic cloves, blanched if desired

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 ounce Parmesan, freshly grated (1/4 cup tightly packed)

Grind the basil leaves to a paste in a mortar and pestle with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Remove from the mortar and pestle, and place the garlic and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt in the mortar. Grind the garlic to a paste. Return the ground basil and slowly work in the olive oil. Stir in the Parmesan.

Alternatively, place all of the ingredients except the Parmesan in a food processor fitted with the steel blade or a blander, and blend until smooth. Stir in the Parmesan.

meyer lemon buttermilk pudding cake with fresh berries

- Bon Appétit | January 2005

1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1 cup sugar, divided
4 large egg yolks
1/3 cup fresh Meyer lemon juice
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 large egg whites

Whipping cream
Assorted fresh berries
preparation
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 8x8x2-inch glass baking dish. Blend buttermilk, 1/2 cup sugar, egg yolks, lemon juice, flour, butter, and salt in blender until smooth. Transfer buttermilk mixture to medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat egg whites in large bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining 1/2 cup sugar and beat until stiff but not dry. Gently fold buttermilk mixture into whites in 3 additions (batter will be runny).

Pour batter into prepared dish. Place dish in roasting pan. Pour enough hot water into roasting pan to come halfway up sides of dish. Bake until entire top is evenly browned and cake moves very slightly in center but feels slightly springy to touch, about 45 minutes. Remove dish from roasting pan.

Cool cake completely in baking dish on rack. Refrigerate until cold, at least 3 hours and up to 6 hours. Spoon pudding cake out into shallow bowls. Pour cream around cake. Top with berries

Buttermilk pudding

-ehow.com

* 1 quart buttermilk
* 3 eggs
* 1 tbs. lime juice
* 4 tbs. granulated sugar
* 2 tbs. powdered sugar

Step1
Beat the eggs well. Caramelize the brown sugar.
Step2
Heat up the sour milk in a saucepan on a low setting. After the milk separates, pour it through a sieve, saving the curds. Return curds to pan.
Step3
Mix in the lime juice, powdered sugar and beaten eggs with the curds and beat well.
Step4
Pour the brown sugar syrup into a pudding mold, then follow it with the pudding mixture.
Step5
Bake for 20 minutes at 375 degrees F.

Olive Oil cookies

-Bittman, NYT

* 2 1/2 cups flour
* 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
* Pinch salt
* 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
* 1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary or 1/2 teaspoon dried
* 3/4 cup sugar
* 2 eggs
* 1/2 cup olive oil, plus a little for cookie sheet
* 3/4 cup , or a little more, dry red wine

Method

* 1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Combine the dry ingredients. Beat the eggs with the olive oil and wine. Use a rubber spatula to stir the liquid mix into the dry one, just until well combined; if the mixture is stiff, add a little more wine.
* 2. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto a lightly oiled cookie sheet and back 12 to 15 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cool a couple of minutes, then remove the cookies to a rack to cool further.

smoothies and popsicles

Bases:

Pureéd bananas
Silken tofu
Yogurt
Pudding (milk cooked with corn starch, rice, or tapioca)
Cream
Cool Whip

Sweeteners:

Dates
Maple syrup
Honey
Sugar
Sugar syrup steeped with herbs (lemon verbena, mint)

Flavors:

Chai (ground cardamom, cinnamon) or sweet potato chai (add pureéd sweet potato)
Green tea or jasmine tea (steep several tea bags in hot milk, blend with thick pudding or cream base)
Dark chocolate (sifted good quality cocoa powder or melted dark chocolate, almond extract) or Mexican chocolate (add cinnamon and red pepper) or chocolate cherry (add canned cherries)
Khulfee (ground pistachios, ground cardamom, dash of vanilla extract)
Mango peppermint (pureéd mango, fresh mint and/or peppermint extract)
Orange peppermint (orange juice, a few fresh peppermint leaves, orange zest and lime juice and peppermint extract to taste)
Bluebana (blueberries and orange juice in a banana base)
Mocha (strong coffee + dark chocolate)
Strawberry lime
Strawberry kiwi
Strawberry banana
Raspberry cheesecake (vanilla pudding or cream base, balsamic vinegar and raspberries)
No-guilt cheesecake (balsamic vinegar and vanilla pudding or cream base)
Salty, spicy, sweet adventure (Tabasco sauce and vanilla pudding)
Plum lemon
Prune lime cucumber
Cucumber watermelon lime
Carrot orange pineapple
Peach cherry (add amaretto!) in a cream base


Don't be afraid to add some acid and salt to balance the flavors!

Chocolate Truffles

-Mark Bittman, NYT 12/12/07

7/8 cup heavy cream

8 ounces good quality bittersweet chocolate, chopped

Unsweetened cocoa powder as needed.

1. Heat cream in a pot until it steams. Put chocolate in a bowl, pour hot cream on top, and stir until chocolate is melted and incorporated into cream.

2. Chill until solid all the way through, 1 to 2 hours. Using a chilled melon baller or latex gloves to prevent the ganache from melting or sticking to your hands, scoop out about a tablespoonful and quickly roll it into a ball. Repeat, lining truffles on a plate or a baking sheet.

3. If truffles become too soft to handle, place them in refrigerator or freezer for a few minutes. Roll them in cocoa powder, confectioners' sugar or a mixture of sugar and ground cinnamon. Serve immediately or store, wrapped in plastic, in refrigerator for up to four days.

Yield: About 1 1/2 cups ganache, or 24 truffles.

sticky cinnamon rolls

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 envelope rapid-rise yeast
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 cup warm water (125°F. to 130°F.)
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted
1 egg

1 1/2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, room temperature
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup raisins

Using electric mixer fitted with dough hook or paddle, mix first 6 ingredients in large bowl. Add water, butter and egg and mix until smooth dough forms, about 4 minutes. Transfer dough to greased bowl. Cover with plastic and clean towel. Let dough rise in warm draft-free area until doubled in volume, about 30 minutes.

Butter 9x13-inch baking dish. Bring 1 cup brown sugar and 1/2 cup butter to boil in heavy small saucepan. Boil 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in 1/2 cup walnuts. Pour into prepared dish. Punch dough down. Roll out on lightly floured surface to 15x9-inch rectangle. Spread dough evenly with remaining 1/2 cup butter. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup brown sugar and 1 tablespoon cinnamon. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup walnuts and raisins. Roll up jelly roll style, starting at one long side. Slice dough into 1-inch-thick rounds.

Arrange dough slices cut side down in prepared dish, spacing evenly. Cover with plastic. Let rise in warm draft-free area until doubled, about 45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake rolls until golden brown, about 45 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes. Turn out onto platter. Cool slightly. Serve warm.