Ambrosia

A great addition to an Easter buffet.  Feel free to substitute store bought marshmallows.  It won't make that much of a difference.

While this is not the classic Ambrosia salad served in the South, I have had it like this many times and love it.  Guess that's the child in me.  It reminds me of a fruit salad my mother used to make years ago.  Maybe it's time to revive that one.  Stay tuned...

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 4 ounces sour cream
• 6 ounces homemade mini marshmallows, approximately 3 cups
• 1 cup clementine orange segments, approximately 6 clementines
• 1 cup chopped fresh pineapple
• 1 cup freshly grated coconut
• 1 cup toasted, chopped pecans
• 1/2 cup drained maraschino cherries

Directions

Place the cream and sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment and whip until stiff peaks are formed. Add the sour cream and whisk to combine. Add the marshmallows, orange, pineapple, coconut, pecans and cherries and stir to combine. Transfer to a glass serving bowl, cover and place in the refrigerator for 2 hours before serving.


Recipe courtesy of Alton Brown, Food Network

Ricotta Orange Pound Cake With Strawberries

 

 

A great dessert for Easter Sunday. The only thing I would add is a heavy dose of homemade whipped cream!

 

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups cake flour
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, room temperature, plus more to grease the baking pan
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk ricotta cheese
• 1 1/2 cups sugar, plus 1 tablespoon
• 3 large eggs

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 orange, zested
• 2 tablespoons Amaretto
• Powdered sugar, for dusting
• 1 pint strawberries, hulled and quartered or 3 oranges, cut into supremes

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 by 5 by 3-inch loaf pan with butter. In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir to combine.

Using an electric mixer, cream together the butter, ricotta, and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. With the machine running, add the eggs 1 at a time. Add the vanilla, orange zest, and Amaretto until combined. Add the dry ingredients, a small amount at a time, until just incorporated. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick comes out clean and the cake is beginning to pull away from the sides of the pan, about 45 to 50 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Using a mesh sieve, dust the cooled cake with powdered sugar.

Meanwhile, place the strawberries (or orange supremes) in a small bowl with the remaining 1 tablespoon sugar. Let sit until the juices have pooled around the strawberries.

To serve, slice the cake and serve with a spoonful of strawberries and their juices over the top of the cake.

© 2012 Cooking Channel, LLC, All Rights Reserved. Giada de Laurentis

Almond Cake

There's nothing like an almond cake in the Spring.  Great with berries!


Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients

1/2 cup fine yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup almond paste, cut into half-inch pieces
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar, plus more for dusting
4 egg yolks
2 eggs
1/4 cup sour cream

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Butter and flour an 8-inch round cake pan.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, cake flour and baking powder. Using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and almond paste on high speed until smooth, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low and add vanilla extract and slowly pour in confectioners' sugar. Mix until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Raise speed to high and add the egg yolks and whole eggs, one at a time. Reduce speed to medium and add the sour cream and dry ingredients and mix until just incorporated.

Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and smooth the surface with a spatula. Bake in the lower third of the oven for 35 minutes, or until the cake is golden and pulls away from the sides of the pan. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cool. Remove from pan and dust with confectioners' sugar.

Recipe Giada de Laurentis

Planning Your Garden With An Expert

How would you like to have a professional garden designer help you plan your garden? And by professional,  I don't mean just any professional,  but one whose garden designs have been profiled in cover stories by Southern Living and Atlanta Magazine’s Home and whose work has been photographed and highlighted in such notable media outlets as Better Homes & Gardens, Southern Living, and HGTV.

An avid plant collector and gardener herself, Sandra Jonas has been designing noteworthy landscapes for over 20 years, from residential gardens of all types to public parks, cemeteries, and restorations of historic sites.    Fortunately for all of us, she publishes the blog Recreating Eden in which she shares her extensive knowledge and experience.

Well, this nice and accomplished lady happens to be my friend.  I have never met her in person but we have exchanged enough emails and posts to make it officially so,  You see, she plants and I cook...it's kind of a symbiotic  relationship,  but it works.  Last year we were supposed to meet,  but illnesses in our respective families prevented us from doing so.  Not so this year, for I don't care how far I have to drive to meet this fabulous lady and see her potager.

If you want to join Sandra and me while we plant and cook, check out her latest post on preparing the soil for your vegetable garden.

Oh, and by the way, she used to be a model...a real knockout!

The dead flowers are still on the hydrangeas while the new growth has started to come in

Can't wait to get my hands on these...

    

Gorgonzola Pear Salad With Roasted Hazelnus

Gorgonzola dolce is a younger, milder and sweeter variety of the traditional aged Gorngonzola blue cheese produced in Italy.  It is aged for a shorter amount of time while the naturale is allowed to age for six months or more resulting in a strong sharp flavor and aroma.

It is an excellent cheese to serve as an appetizer, as a dessert cheese served with fruit, as a flavoring in salads and pasta dishes, or as stuffing for chicken, veal or tube pasta. This cheese may also be referred to by a brand name of Dolcelatte.

If you cannot find the dolce, substitute a Danish blue cheese such as Saga Bleu.

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted
2 tsp. mild honey, such as clover
2 medium firm-ripe red pears (preferably red Anjou), halved lengthwise and cored
Kosher salt
8 thin slices pancetta (about 2-1/2 oz.)
1/4 cup plus 1 Tbs. chopped, toasted hazelnuts
2 oz. Gorgonzola dolce (1/4 cup)
1/2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
1-1/2 Tbs. Champagne vinegar
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
Freshly ground black pepper
3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
2 oz. mâche (about 4 cups)

Position racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven and heat the oven to 375°F.

In a small bowl, mix the melted butter and 1 tsp. of the honey. Brush the mixture over the cut sides of the pears and season with salt. Arrange the pears cut sides up on a rimmed baking sheet and bake on the upper rack until just tender, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, arrange the pancetta on a rimmed baking sheet and bake on the lower rack until crisp, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate.

In a small bowl, mix 1/4 cup of the hazelnuts, the Gorgonzola dolce, thyme, and the remaining 1 tsp. honey with the back of a wooden spoon.

Remove the pears from the oven and divide the cheese filling evenly among the pear cavities. Sprinkle with the remaining hazelnuts and bake on the upper rack until the cheese starts to soften, about 3 minutes. Turn the broiler on high and broil until the nuts brown slightly, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool slightly.

In a small bowl, mix the vinegar, mustard, 1/4 tsp. salt, and a few grinds of pepper. Gradually whisk in the oil. Toss the mâche with just enough vinaigrette to lightly coat and divide among 4 plates. Top each salad with 2 pancetta rounds and 1 pear half. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

              

photo: Scott Phillips

From Fine Cooking 108 , pp. 63

October 28, 2010

Brasato Al Chianti...Beef Braised in Red Wine

 

 

This comes from La Cucina Italiana, one of my favorite cooking magazines and one which I recommend you subscribe too.  Perfect to make ahead as this tastes better a day or two afterwards.

Best served with polenta.

 

Ingredients

• 1 (3- to 3½- pound) boneless beef chuck roast
• 1 teaspoon anise seeds
• 4 juniper berries (optional)
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 cups red wine, preferably chianti
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 ounces guanciale or pancetta, cubed
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 medium carrot, finely chopped
• 2 celery stalks, finely chopped
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• ½ cup water
• 1½ tablespoons tomato paste, preferably double concentrated

Instructions

Place meat, anise seeds, juniper berries and bay leaf in a large bowl; pour wine over the top. Marinate, refrigerated, turning occasionally, for at least 1 hour or overnight.

Remove meat from marinade; pat dry and season with salt and pepper. Dust with flour. Strain marinade into a bowl through a fine mesh sieve; discard solids.

Heat oil in a wide 4- to 5-quart pot over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Brown meat on all sides, about 10 minutes total, reducing heat if necessary to prevent scorching. Transfer meat to a plate and drain excess oil from pot.

Return pot to medium-high heat. Add guanciale, onion, carrot and celery. Cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables are softened and golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add reserved marinade, bring to a boil and cook until reduced by about half, about 5 minutes.

Stir in vegetable broth, water and tomato paste. Bring to a simmer, then return meat and any accumulated juices to pot. Reduce heat to low and cook, covered, until meat is very tender, about 3 hours.

Transfer meat to a cutting board, cover with foil and let rest for 15 minutes, then cut across the grain into
½-inch pieces.

Purée half of sauce, then return to pot. Return meat to sauce. Gently reheat before serving.

Note: Beef improves in flavor if made 3 days ahead. Cool completely in sauce, uncovered, then chill in sauce, covered. Reheat, covered, in a preheated 350° oven until hot, 25 to 30 minutes, then slice meat.



Recipe Adapted from La Cucina Italiana

Valentine's Day...Warm Chocolate Molten Cake Jean Georges

 Jean Georges Vongerichten was the chef who "invented" the warm chocolate cake, and originally, it was a mistake. I first tasted it in France while on vacation with some dear friends at the Chateau d'Ige in Burgundy in the '90's. At the end of the meal, my girl friend and I very coyly declined dessert but my friend's husband ordered this chocolate cake. He graciously offered us a bite and what ensued after that was a big fork fight to the death.

Later, when I came home, I purchased brioche pans and made it for dessert every time I had a small dinner party. Everyone raved and thought I was a genious! It never let me down.

Make sure you use a premium chocolate brand. That is what this cake is all about. You can double or triple the recipe depending on the number of guests.

This desert became so popular in the 90's that we all got sick of seeing it on the menu.  I have not made it in years but it is perfect for Valentine's Day as it can be made ahead, refrigerated and baked at the last minute.  Trust me, you can't go wrong!

Check out the rest of the menu on Lindaraxa

Serves 4

Ingredients

1/2 cup unsalted butter, plus more to butter the molds

4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, preferably Valrhona
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons flour, plus more for dusting

premium vanilla or coffee ice cream (optional)

Method

1. In the top of a double boiler set over simmering water, heat the butter and chocolate together until the chocolate is almost completely melted. While that's heating, beat together the eggs, yolks, and sugar with a whisk or electric beater until light and thick

.2. Beat together the melted chocolate and butter; it should be quite warm. Pour in the egg mixture, then quickly beat in the flour, just until combined.

3. Butter and lightly flour four 4-ounce molds, custard cups, or ramekins. Tap out the excess flour, then butter and flour them again. Divide the batter among the molds. (At this point you can refrigerate the desserts until you are ready to eat, for up to several hours; bring them back to room temperature before baking.)

4. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Bake the molds on a tray for 6 to 7 minutes; the center will still be quite soft, but the sides will be set.

5. Invert each mold onto a plate and let sit for about 10 seconds. Unmold by lifting up one corner of the mold; the cake will fall out onto the plate. Serve immediately. with or without ice cream 

Source: Adapted from "Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef" by Mark Bittman and Jean-Georges Vongerichten

Suzanne Lenzer picture NYT