02-14-10
Swordfish-Zucchini Kebabs
Makes 4 Servings
Ingredients:
Directions:
- Soak eight 10-inch wooden skewers in water for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the swordfish and ginger beer in a medium bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Preheat a grill to medium. Thread the fish, nectarine and zucchini onto the skewers. Brush with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill, covered, turning once, until grill marks appear and the fish is cooked through, about 4 minutes.
10-20-09
Sausage-Stuffed Pears
Makes 4 Servings
Ingredients:
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 350°. Place each pear on its side and cut off a 1/2-inch-thick horizontal slice; reserve the slices. Using a melon baller or a spoon, scoop out the core and discard. Hollow out the pears, leaving a 1/2-inch-thick shell. Coarsely chop half of the removed pear. Sprinkle half of the lemon juice over the hollowed-out pears and the chopped pear.
- In a medium skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the sausage and fennel seeds and cook, breaking up the sausage, until cooked through, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the sausage to a bowl. Return the skillet to the heat, add the chopped fennel bulb, figs and chopped pear and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the remaining lemon juice. Add to the sausage. Stir in half of the fennel fronds.
- Arrange the pears snugly in a baking dish and stuff with the sausage mixture. Top with the pear slices, cover with foil and bake until the pears are soft, 25 to 30 minutes. Set aside the pear tops and divide the brie among the stuffed pears. Bake, uncovered, until the brie melts, about 3 minutes. Top with the remaining fennel fronds and set the pear tops back into place.
08-30-09
Grilled Nectarines with Feta
Makes 8 Servings
Ingredients:
4 nectarines, halved, pitted
Melted butter (for brushing)
1 cup coarsely crumbled feta cheese (preferably sheep’s-milk feta)
Directions:
Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Brush nectarines with butter. Grill nectarines, cut side down, until grill marks appear, 4 to 5 minutes. Turn nectarines over. Sprinkle with cheese, then pepper. Grill until grill marks appear on bottoms, 4 to 5 minutes.
08-08-09
Brown Butter Raspberry Tart
Makes 8 to 10 Servings
Ingredients:
Crust:
7 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
Pinch of salt
Filling:
1/2 cup sugar
2 large eggs
Pinch of salt
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, diced
2 6-ounce containers fresh raspberries
Directions:
For crust:
Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 375°F. Using rubber spatula or fork, mix melted butter, sugar, and vanilla in medium bowl. Add flour and salt and stir until incorporated. Transfer dough to 9-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Using fingertips, press dough evenly onto sides and bottom of pan.
Bake crust until golden, about 18 minutes (crust will puff slightly while baking). Transfer crust to rack and cool in pan. Maintain oven temperature.
For filling:
Whisk sugar, eggs, and salt in medium bowl to blend. Add flour and vanilla; whisk until smooth. Cook butter in heavy small saucepan over medium heat until deep nutty brown (do not burn), stirring often, about 6 minutes. Immediately pour browned butter into glass measuring cup. Gradually whisk browned butter into sugar-egg mixture; whisk until well blended.
Arrange raspberries, pointed side up and close together in concentric circles, in bottom of cooled crust. Carefully pour browned butter mixture evenly over berries. Place tart on rimmed baking sheet. Bake tart until filling is puffed and golden and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Cool tart completely in pan on rack. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and store at room temperature.
Remove tart pan sides. Place tart on platter. Cut into wedges and serve.
08-08-09
Nectarine-Blackberry Crisp
Ingredients:
Topping:
1 cup all purpose flour
6 tablespoons (packed) golden brown sugar
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Filling:
2 large eggs
1 cup crème fraîche or sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon plus 1/2 cup all purpose flour
3 cups blackberries (two 5.6- to 6-ounce packages)
4 medium nectarines (about 18 ounces total), pitted, cut into 11/2-inch cubes
1/4 cup sugar
Vanilla ice cream
Directions:
For topping:
Whisk flour, golden brown sugar, lemon peel, and salt in medium bowl to blend. Add melted butter and vanilla; stir until evenly moistened but crumbly. DO AHEAD: Can be made 4 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.
For filling:
Whisk eggs in large bowl to blend. Whisk in crème fraîche and vanilla. Add 1 tablespoon flour; whisk to blend. do ahead Can be made 4 hours ahead. Cover and chill. Rewhisk before continuing.
Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter 8×10- inch oval ceramic dish. Place berries and nectarines in large bowl. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup flour and sugar over; toss to coat. Transfer to prepared dish. Pour egg mixture evenly over fruit. Using fingers, crumble topping over fruit, distributing evenly.
Bake crisp until custard is set and topping is golden brown, about 55 minutes. Let cool at least 10 minutes and up to 1 hour before serving.
Scoop crisp into bowls. Serve with vanilla ice cream.
06-21-09
Strawberry Citrus Salad
Makes 4 Servings (+ leftovers)
Ingredients:
3 cups sliced hulled strawberries (~1 22oz basket)
3 large navel oranges, peeled, thickly sliced crosswise, cut into 3/4 inch pieces (~3 cups)
2 tbsp (packed) brown sugar
2 tbsp thinly sliced fresh mint leaves
Directions:
Toss all ingredients in large bowl. Let stand at room temp for 30 minutes.
12-28-08
Pear, Apple & Cranberry Tarte Tatin
Makes 8 servings
Ingredients:
CRUST
1 cup white whole-wheat flour (see Ingredient Note)
1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
2 tablespoons canola oil
3 tablespoons ice water
FILLING
2 ripe but firm pears, peeled and thinly sliced
1 large apple, peeled and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 cup light brown sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 cup fresh cranberries
Directions:
1. To prepare crust: Place flour, oats, granulated sugar and salt in a food processor; process until the oats are finely ground. Add butter one piece at a time, pulsing once or twice after each addition, until incorporated. Add oil and water and pulse just until the dough starts to come together. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead it a few times until it holds together. Form the dough into a 5-inch disk, wrap in plastic or wax paper and refrigerate while you prepare the filling.
2. Preheat oven to 375°F.
3. To prepare filling: Toss pears and apple with lemon juice in a large bowl.
4. Place brown sugar, butter, cinnamon and ginger in a 10-inch ovenproof skillet; cook over medium-low heat, stirring, until the butter and sugar are melted and the mixture starts to bubble. Remove from the heat. Starting at the center of the pan, arrange the pear and apple slices in concentric circles, overlapping the slices and adding another layer until all the slices are in the pan. Scatter cranberries on top.
5. Return the pan to medium-low heat and bring the liquid to a simmer. (It might be hard to see the simmering—take a peek under the fruit or listen for the bubbling.) Cover and cook for 5 minutes. Uncover and cook, gently swirling the pan occasionally, until the sauce becomes a thick, caramel-like glaze, 7 to 10 minutes. Remove from the heat.
6. Roll the dough out between sheets of parchment or wax paper into a 12-inch circle. Peel off the top sheet and invert the dough over the fruit. Peel off the remaining paper. Quickly tuck the edges of the crust down into the sides of the pan. Prick the top with a fork.
7. Transfer the pan to the oven. Bake until the crust is just beginning to brown around the edges, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the pan to release the crust. Place a serving plate larger than the pan on top of it and invert the tart onto the plate (it may take a light shaking to release the tart from the pan). Serve warm.
NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving: 274 calories; 12 g fat (6 g sat, 2 g mono); 23 mg cholesterol; 41 g carbohydrate; 3 g protein; 5 g fiber; 146 mg sodium; 135 mg potassium.